His Seduction Ch. 05

"Thanks. I feel like it. My damn head just wont stop pounding." Keith looked over at the TV with disappointment. "Crap, I missed the movie."

"Try watching it and listening to you snore," Scott commented with a yawn. Keith threw a pillow at him and he caught it with a grin.

Kelly poked Scott in the shoulder as he sat up. "What, like you weren't dead to the world? You only woke up for the last five minutes!"

Jason looked down at the lovely petite red head on the floor. "Well, hello there. I don't believe we've met."

Kelly made introductions, not missing the look Keith tried to hide. Jason appeared to hit it off with Toni remarkably.

"I'm hungry. Let's heat up that soup we brought," Scott said as he rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Kelly followed behind, knowing where Mike kept all of his kitchen wares.

Keith reached for the cordless phone next to his couch as it began to ring shrilly. "Hello?"

Mike looked up and watched Keith's face go tight and pinched. "Who is it?"

Keith shook his head and threw off the blanket to rise off the couch. He quickly made his way upstairs to his bedroom for privacy.

Mike followed behind curiously, already knowing who it was on the other end. There was only one person who could make that much pain and distrust appear on Keith's face.

"What do you want, Father?"

Mike leaned on the wall outside Keith's open door. Eavesdropping was wrong, he knew, but he wanted to be there if Keith needed him.

"Father, I didn't-"

Pause.

"Yeah, no, of course it was."

Pause.

"Ah, I see. Well, how can I put this delicately?" Pause. "She can go rot in Hell while you are burning along side her."

Mike gapped and stared at the doorway, careful to still stay out of eye sight. Keith was not one to lose his temper, especially not where his father was concerned. Mike had always known him to bow his head and accept his father's will without much complaint. This was a whole new side to him!

Sneeze. "I'm fine, not that you care. It's just a cold." Pause. "What the hell does that have to do with anything? It's not Mike's fault I'm sick!" Actually, it was, but he wasn't about to give his father the satisfaction of knowing he was even partially right. "Look, Father, I'm tired and I really don't want to talk about it anymore. It's very apparent that you love her far more than you love me. No, I'm not trying to make this hard on you." Pause. "I'm not being selfish! If I were being selfish I would relish that fact that I'm going to be the talk of next years Christmas party when I walk in arm and arm with my boyfriend and call your soon-to-be-wife Mommy-dearest! Yeah, let all her friends laugh it up that she has a step son practically the same age as her and he's got a better looking guy than she does!"

Keith was steadily getting louder and Mike could hear his breath beginning to pant. "Yeah, you heard me, my boyfriend! You know, the guy that you stuck your nose up last night? Him." Keith coughed, then his voice turned hard and almost cruel. "Believe me, I'd dare. You taught me well in that, regard."

Mike's heart couldn't have felt more full. Guilt quickly followed to remind him how badly he hurt his boyfriend just hours before. He still had yet to be able to talk to Keith to apologize.

"Oh, yeah, well fuck your damn will! See if I care! Unlike your fiancée, it was never about the money for me, Father! All I wanted was you, you sick son of a bitch!" Keith's voice caught in his throat as his father railed at him. The man really didn't care. Somewhere along the line, his father had died as surely as his mother had so many years ago. "Fuck you, Father, if you can't accept me. Fuck you."

There was an audible click as Keith hung up the phone, but Mike made no move to enter the room just yet. There was a sniff, then an almost inhuman growl that turned into a furious yell, followed by a crash that Mike assumed was the phone hitting the wall. He finally took a step in the doorway, concern gripping his chest. Keith's world was coming down around him and there was nothing he could do. "Keith?"

"Leave me alone, Mike," Keith was pulling on a hooded sweatshirt with intermediate sniffles.

"Keith, we need to talk."

"No, Mike, we really don't. Not right now. I've had enough talking from everyone." Keith pushed past him out of the room, Mike right behind him.

"Keith, don't walk away from me. Please, we need to talk. Where are you going?"

"Out! Away from here. Stop following me or I swear to God I'll knee you again!" Keith growled as he hurried down the stairs and headed for the door.

Scott looked at Kelly. "I think our little tiger is becoming quite fierce. Did he really knee Mike?"

Kelly sighed and watched Mike jump in front of the door, trying to block the exit. She instinctively knew where this was going. Never corner a tiger.

Mike yelped as Keith kneed him. He really didn't think he'd do it! Son of a bitch that hurt! "Fuck, Keith!"

"I warned you, didn't I? Don't blame me for this, asshole!"

"Damn," Jason said in awe.

"Oh, my," Toni winced.

Kelly shook her head. "Never underestimate the underdog."

Scott's eyes grew wide. "No shit!" He shrugged. "Maybe he shows his affection this way?"

Mike leaned against the wall and gasped. He glared over at Keith who eagerly glared right back at him. "Please, Keith, you have to let me apologize."

"You know what? I really don't. I don't really give a shit right now that you feel you have to apologize just to make yourself feel better."

"Damn it, Keith! That's not what I meant! Don't treat me like an enemy here! I'm not your father, I'm your boyfriend!"

Keith's eyes narrowed dangerously as he opened the front door with enough force that it slammed into the wall. "Than consider this our first fucking fight!"

Mike slid down the wall as Keith stormed out into the rain, pulling his hood up as he went. Silence dominated.

Toni cleared her throat. "Mike, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, this isn't as bad as it looks."

"Yeah, don't worry about it, babe," Jason said as he rested his arm around her shoulder. It was hard acting calm, cool, and collected when he was as freaked out as he was. He'd never seen Keith so mad, much less violent! "Keith just needs to blow off some steam."

"How can you say that wasn't so bad?"

Scott grinned as he walked over to give Mike a hand up. "Simple. He called this their first fight instead of telling Mike here to go fuck himself six ways from Sunday."

"Yeah," Kelly threw in, "He never said they were through. With Keith, you really have to listen to what he says and what he doesn't say. If Mike would have listened, he would not be feeling as delicate as he is now."

Mike glanced out the still open door, but the rain had already swallowed Keith up. He couldn't even manage to be angry at Keith. He'd happily allow him to beat on him all night if Keith would just come back.

"Where did he go?" Toni asked. She was surprised when all four answered her at the same time.

"The library."

*****

Keith wandered the historical section for an hour. He couldn't say many nice things about the college, but it did have one hell of a library! Just the section on Greek Mythology alone was phenomenal.

The rain pounded on the windows in a seemingly endless drizzle. He'd almost dried out, he'd been in the library so long, but he still felt restless. His fight with his father had upset him, but he'd known it was coming for a long time. It was almost a relief to have it over with. Granted, now he was broke and he was going to have to find a job to support him through school, but he felt like a huge burden had lifted off of him. No one's expectations were waiting except his own. It felt good. It felt like freedom.

He growled and pushed a book on Apollo back into it's slot. So why the hell wasn't he happy? Mike, that was why! "The bastard."

Was it too much to ask for someone who cared about him and didn't hurt him? He knew instinctively Mike hadn't done it on purpose. Hell, he'd even tried to apologize before Keith had kneed him. Again. But what the hell? Not even an hour after saying they were going to be together, Mike forgets his name as soon as an old flame walks through the door? If he hadn't had a complex before, this was enough to give him one.

Part of him wanted to break it off with Mike, say to hell with it and walk away. The other part wanted to go back the house and have it out with Mike to see if there was still a way to keep their relationship. It broke his heart at the thought of not being with Mike, even after this.

He pulled out a book on Eros and flopped into a nearby stuffed chair. He'd always loved the story of Cupid and Psyche. After reading the first paragraph three time, he shut the book in a huff. This was getting him no where. All his life he ran away from trouble because it was easier that way. He pretended it didn't hurt as bad, but Keith was finally getting to the point where he could admit it hurt just as much because it always surfaced at some point. Today had been the first time he hadn't run away when his father had called. Pride rose in his breast as he thought about how he'd not backed down like he always did. But then, he'd run away from Mike when he should have stayed.

"Damn that bastard! I'm going to kick his ass, then I'm going to kiss him until he forgets his own name." He rose to his feet with determination. "He's my man and she can't have him!"

A student the next isle over shushed him.

With a laugh, Keith headed for home.

*****

Keith came in the door and stopped in surprise. It was well after eight and yet Jason, Kelly, Scott and Toni were all still there playing Monopoly at the table. Kelly squealed in delight and demanded Scott pay up for landing on her hotel. Scott sneered and told her that if she wanted to charge people this much, she really ought to get rid of the cockroaches.

Jason shook the dice in his hand with a laugh that cut off as he spotted Keith. "Uh, hey, man. You're all wet."

Keith had his hands shoved in the front pouch of his sweat shirt. He blushed and looked at the floor as he shuffled his feet. He was prepared to face Mike, but facing his friends after his blowup was still a little embarrassing. "Um, yeah, it's still raining out. Guess a sweatshirt isn't much protection." He coughed to clear his throat, looking up the stairs as if he could see where Mike was. "Is . . . um, is he up there?"

"Depends, are you going to try and make him a soprano again? OUCH!"

Keith watched as Kelly kicked Scott under the table and rolled his eyes and headed up the stairs two steps at a time. "I'll take that as a yes."

Music was pumping from his room. It sounded like his latest CD of Trapt. What would Mike be doing in his room? His heat fluttered erratically in his chest as he slowly pushed open the door to his room. Mike was sitting on the floor near the end of his bed, stacking his books and CD's that had fallen off the shelf when Scott had crashed into it. Mike looked so lost, Keith's breath caught in his throat. Leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, Keith let out a sigh. "It really hurt, you know?"

Mike's head whipped around, guilt and anguish reflecting in his eyes, but he wisely stayed silent.

Keith shook his head, his wet hair falling in his eyes. "I wanted to hate you for it. I wanted to hate her. There was even a part of me that wanted to hurt you so you would know how much I was hurting, how betrayed I felt when you couldn't remember my name. I didn't understand how you could simply forget my name after everything we'd been through, after the promises we made. I don't make promise easily, Mike. " A hallow laugh escaped him. "But then I saw the panic in your eyes as soon as you realized your mind couldn't focus enough to remember who it was you'd just had sex with, your own boyfriend's name slipping from your mind, leaving me a stranger. She must be pretty talented with that tongue of hers."

Mike shook his head, a tear sliding down his cheek. He looked down at the CD in his hand and brushed angrily at it with his sleeve.

In the two years he'd known Mike, Mike had never cried before, not once. Keith smiled and walked over to him, gently settling himself on Mike's lap, his knees on either side of Mike's hips. He brushed at the tears that were falling freely now when Mike looked up at him startled. "That's why I had to leave, Mike, why I couldn't talk to you right then. Not after what you did, then with my Father on top of it." Keith sighed. "Deep down, I didn't want to hurt you the way you hurt me. You did it without thought, didn't mean to do it. I would have and I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you like that intentionally."

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to," Mike whispered. His voice caught in his throat.

Keith leaned in until his forehead was resting against Mike's. "I know you didn't."

"I wanted to be the person who was always there for you, who would never hurt you." Mike sniffed. "Guess I failed, huh?"

"Mike, look at me," Keith commanded when Mike looked away from him. He took Mike's face in his hands, making him look. "No one is perfect, I know that. I don't want you to be perfect. I like the fact that you are a jock and a flirt and overly protective. I don't expect you to be infallible. Christ knows I'm not, far from it." He brushed his fingers through Mike's blond locks. "You hurt me, I can't deny that and I wont. But I'm not going to condemn you for it, either. At least, not this time. You ever do it again and I may just have to castrate you."

Mike let out a shaky laugh and grabbed Keith, holding him close. He buried his head in Keith's shoulder and just breathed in his scent, ignoring the wetness that was soaking his clothing. "I wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to walk away, Keith. I know how scared you were to even try a relationship with me and I screwed it up royally in record time. If you want to run, run now or I may never let you go."

"I'm tired of running. You are mine and I'm not going to let you forget it." Keith kissed the top of Mike's head. He moved his hips ever so slightly against Mike's, feeling him swell instantly. "Plus, I'm not feeling too bad right now."

"I'll make this up to you, I will. I don't know how, but I will, I promise you, Keith."

"'What wound did ever heal but by degrees?'" Keith said softly. He laughed at Mike's perplexed expression when he pulled back. "William Shakespeare's Othello, Act 2, Scene 3."

Mike raised an eyebrow with a grin. "Only you would quote Shakespeare at a time like this."

Keith kissed his nose. "Would you have me any other way?"

"At the moment? I'd like to have you out of those wet clothes and squirming under me with moans of pleasure."

Keith laughed with a blush and started to move off of Mike's lap. "Let's worry about the clothing first, you horn dog."

Mike pulled Keith back down, gripping him tightly. He'd almost lost him by being stupid. He wouldn't do it again. Keith meant too much to him. Placing his hands on either side of Keith's head, he pulled him in for a plundering kiss, his tongue showing no mercy. Desperation and need warred with desire. He could feel Keith's hands grip his shoulders as a little moan rose from his lover's throat. It was the sexiest damn sound he'd ever heard.

When the kiss ended, Keith rested his forehead against Mike's, his breath ragged. "Damn you kiss good."

"Not half bad yourself."

"Um, Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"I really need to get out of these clothes. Wet jeans get . . . um . . . really tight."

Mike let out a throaty laugh as he watched Keith's face go crimson. He gripped the bottom of the dripping sweatshirt and began to pull it up over Keith's head. "I'll help you out of them, but there is no guarantee I'll let you get into something else."

"But, Mike," Keith shot a look over at the still open bedroom door as his sweatshirt landed with a plop on the floor over in the corner. His voice dropped to a nervous whisper. "The doors open! And incase you have forgotten, we still have people downstairs!"

"You're point would be?" Mike leaned in and suckled on Keith's collar bone, making him quiver. His hot tongue dove into the hallow against Keith's chilled skin.

"Christ," Keith moaned, arching his back. His hand dove down and grabbed Mike through his jeans. "Two can play at that game, bastard. Now let me up."

Mike sucked in a breath as Keith's fingers tormented him. "This is a persuasion to make me let you go?"

Keith laughed and jumped up, letting Mike go. "No, I just wanted to distract you." Kicking off his shoes, he bent to pull off his socks. They were still dripping and his toes were prunes. "Ewe. That's attractive." He headed for the door when Mike's arms encircled him from behind.

Mike laid his head against Keith shoulder. The thought of being even three feet apart from him for a minute was almost excruciating. His voice came out low and soft, saying, "I told her you know. We weren't even off the front porch and I told her. I felt an almost painful pride at telling her that you were mine, and it nearly killed me to think that I might have lost you from being stupid."

Keith left his arms at his sides, loving the warmth from Mike's body seeping into him. "You're human, you're allowed stupid moments."

"And you are a saint for understanding that."

Keith laughed. "No, I'm just a guy who is too stubborn to let you go. I'm a little possessive that way."

"Yeah? I'm a little possessive, too." Mike's hand slide sinuously down Keith's stomach, his fingers quickly opening Keith's jeans. Keith moaned as Mike's hand closed around him inside his boxer briefs. Mike kissed his neck. "I also talked to Scott."

Keith gasped as Mike's thumb rubbed over his head, slickening it with precum. His back arched as he groaned.

"He told me how he got that bloody lip of his."

Keith's breath was coming in short gasps. The man's hands should be illegal! "I don't . . . ah . . .know what you're . . . shit . . . talking about."

Mike's laugh was as dark as his hand was tormenting. "I like the fact that you can fend him off. If you hadn't thoroughly pummeled him, I would have. The thought of him touching you makes me want to kill him."

"Jesus, Mike!" Keith breathed as his hips jerked. "Scott's not so . . . ah, fuck . . . he's not so bad."

"He's not so good either. Not many men can turn him down when he wants them."

Keith turned his head to look into Mike's blue eyes. "He's not you." He leaned in to kiss him lightly, then pulled back with a smile. "Now if you don't mind, now is really not a time I would like to be talking about Scott."

Mike removed his hand, and turned Keith until he could push him up against the wall. He loved the way Keith's breath would quicken every time he was pinned. It was exhilarating and empowering. Leaning in, he let his own body hold Keith in place as he licked the tender spot under Keith's ear. "Let's see if we can't warm you up."

Though Keith's voice quivered, his eyes held a determined light. "You are so not getting the upper hand this time."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah." With his hands firmly on Mike's chest, he pushed Mike back towards the bed and shoved him on to it. Making quick work of Mike's pants while Mike pulled off his shirt, Keith discarded the last of his own clothing and sat on top of Mike's legs. His movements grew hurried and almost desperate. He wanted . . . needed Mike inside him, needed that unity and fullness only Mike could give him. But he wanted Mike to squirm. Leaning down, he nipped Mike's nipples just hard enough to make him gasp as his hands flirted around Mike's manhood with touches so soft it was sure to drive his lover crazy.

Mike began to moan, his hands gripping Keith's dark hair. When had Keith's tongue gotten so talented? With a yank, he pulled Keith's mouth up to his own for a burning kiss. That kiss told him everything he ever needed to know about Keith. This man was passionate, forgiving, and all his. Mike moaned against Keith's mouth and whispered, "I don't deserve you."