Rebound Pt. 02

"After that..." He said with a sigh, looking toward the hallway. "I am really, really not in the mood." I pouted.

"Your place?" At least that worked. And ever since I'd stuck with their place where I could.

I cleared my throat.

"Alex- this is my mate Darius. D this is Alex."

"Hey." Darius said. I rolled my eyes at him. He was doing that thing where he makes himself as tall and wide as possible and glares at people. I glanced at Alex.

"Let's walk the dogs." I suggested, and three dogs appeared with their heads cocked at the word walk. I grinned and greeted them all and introduced the latest lot I was looking after to Darius. Alex cleared his throat.

"I already took Chutney and Co for a walk." He said. "Uh.... You know I had some stuff to do in the library though..." He winced and widened his eyes at me. Oh, that was nice. Trying to give us space. I smiled and mouthed thank you at him as he grabbed his stuff. He nodded stiffly.

"Oh hey Nate?" He called from the doorway a minute later as Darius and I unpacked the ingredients from our supermarket trip.

"Yeah?"

"Come here for a sec?" I slipped out of D's arms... he never did last long before trying to get me naked... and went to catch Alex outside.

"What's up?" Alex sighed. He folded his arms.

"That guy... is... the worst you've been with." He said quietly. I stiffened up.

"Huh?" I felt myself blushing and Alex sighed.

"I know I hate all the guys you bring home but THAT one looks like he's going to beat me up."

"Huh?" I said again stupidly. I swallowed. "Na... D's.... All bark and no bite..." I stared at Alex. "Wait, you know I bring guys home?" He snorted.

"Uh... half the neighbourhood knows you bring guys home. And they eat all my cereal." He grumbled. I blushed. Oh my god. I owed him such a big apology.

"Oh shit, Alex. I thought I was being..."

"Subtle?! You?!" He laughed. "Never. But anyway, what happened to the one you showed all the pets to? He seemed nice?"

"Oh my god you were HOME?"

"I... try to give you space...." Alex mumbled and I slumped over, half laughing.

"Ugh!" I tore at my hair a little. "Fuck. I'm so, so sorry." He shook his head.

"It's fine." He said. "I invested in a really solid gaming set up. I don't even notice." I winced.

"Shit." I said. "Oh god. Fuck Al, I'm really, really sorry. I know you..." He shook his head and cut me off.

"It's absolutely fine." He said. "I don't even pay rent here. I have no say in what the paying tenant does."

"No, you absolutely do." I cringed. "I'm sorry. I'll... I'll never bring home another guy." Alex shook his head furiously.

"Nate, stop apologising, really. You're good, ok?" He sighed. " I wouldn't have even said anything except... that guy is like... god, he really looked like he was gonna stab me. And I guess... if he's the stabby kind, like, I worried he might stab YOU." I shook my head- oh fuck this was SO embarrassing. I found my legs were giving out and plonked myself on the front porch. and had to sit down on the front porch.

"God. Ok. Darius isn't the stabby kind." I shook my head. "Ugh, Al. You should have told me. I just can't even... I'm so embarrassed. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable." Alex sat down beside me.

"You don't." He said. "Much. I mean, I guess you do the same for me right? Just hide when I have girls over? I figured it's just... it's just what we do." I sat up and looked at him. Of course I hide when he has girls over. I didn't want to get in the way of him getting laid! But that was different because obviously I didn't care. I looked at him.

"Al... you know it's different." He shook his head.

"Nate." He looked at me. "You know it's not." He sighed. "Of course, I have girls over like once a month and you have guys over like every second day but..."

"Oh my god Al!" I interrupted, blushing. I really, really tried not to bring guys home. But the problem with being a total fucking slut is even when it's only your place 10% of the time.... I guess that adds up... "Ugh." I moaned. "I really was was trying to... keep it on the down low... because... you know, I thought you were avoiding... you know, the uh... faggy shit." Alex grunted. "Do you... just avoid me because..." I cracked up a little. Oh no. It was both the most awkward conversation I'd ever had and somehow the funniest.

"...Because?" Alex muttered.

"Because I'm a goddamn slut?" I whispered. He turned pink.

"Uh. yeah." He said. "You're kind of the worst." He smiled a little. I buried my head in my hands.

"Fuck." I mumbled. "Just TEXT me and tell me to go to a hotel." Alex sighed and put his hands in his pocket.

"You can't afford that many hotels." He said. "It's fine Nate. Just... Really. That guy..."

"Ah, no one ever likes D." I waved my hand in dismissal as I started to get myself together again. "He's alright really. I'll uh... I'll let you know when he's gone."

"Oh, not an overnight thing?"

"Definitely not." Alex smiled at me and paused as he stood up.

"I... on the subject. I owe you an apology." He said quietly. "Sorry, Nate." He sighed and offered me his hand and I took it, standing up and looking up at him. All of a sudden I felt really vulnerable. Alex is ok. He's nice. But his dad owns the place and he is bigger than me. He could fuck me up in more ways than one. I stared at him as he looked at me. "Sorry probably doesn't cover it." He mumbled. "Must have been shit living with me."

"Not at all!" I widened my eyes. "You're clean, we split the chores, you let me look after half the shelter- honestly Al, I'm so lucky." He closed his eyes.

"Well. I wish from the start you'd had... all of that and an understanding flatmate who wasn't an ass about you being... um. Gay. I uh... I'm over it but I know I said some... things..."

"Oh." I straightened up. "Oh, you're good Al. I mean- are you? Are we?" He grinned.

"Yeah." He said. "I... went through kinda... vigorous exposure therapy this year and I... think... you know, I was wrong." I smiled at him.

"Not all gay men are as terrible as me." I said. He snorted.

"You're alright, Nate. I like you. Have a good night, yeah?"

"Yeah. Thanks. See ya."

---

I grinned at Darius and hopped up on the kitchen bench.

"What was it you said you were gonna do to me once he was gone?" Darius looked up from the packet he was reading. He looked me over slowly and I shivered.

"Hmmm." He growled. "I think I was gonna..." He grinned as he stepped toward me, and shoved an onion in my hand. "Get you to chop some onions." He said. I laughed.

"Really?" I sighed as he pecked my neck and turned away. He shrugged.

"Or don't, but I'm making dinner so you'll have to make do with a dildo if you don't want to help." I rolled my eyes and slipped off the bench. I grabbed a knife and got to work cutting the onions. I glanced at Darius. This was so... domestic. He was humming as he worked, directing me which was lucky because I didn't know the first thing about how to feed yourself. Pams do a pack of 16 frozen vege dumplings for like $4.00, so like, you know. That's me sorted for the rest of my life. He had me chop vegetables while he preheated the oven and found a pan, and arranged ingredients. He sighed and nudged my rib.

"And this is where I'd normally put a hearty layer of delicious meat... but just for you...." He wrinkled his nose as he pulled out a packet of vegan cheese. "I guess we'll try this."

"Aw, it's not that bad." I grinned at him. He sighed and put the lasagna-esque thing in the oven. I smiled at him as he turned around and grinned at me.

"And now..." He grinned and walked towards me, pressing me against a wall. I smiled as he gently played with a strand of hair, and ran his hand down my torso. I bit my lip and he moaned, pushing my hair over my shoulders. "Turn around." He directed.

"Huh?" He rolled his eyes and grabbed my shoulders, to turn me around before slamming me back into the wall.

"You heard me." He grunted, wrapping his arms around me, and grasping my neck, and holding my waist, and grinding his hips against mine almost violently. I moaned. God why did he have such a hold on me? Everything he did was sexy as hell. I whined as he stuck his fingers in my mouth, and glanced at him over my shoulder. I just barely managed to reach behind me and I reached for his belt. He grinned and turned me around again. "You want something, Nate?" I smiled at him.

"Yeah."

"Mmmm." He groaned. He grabbed my hair and raised an eyebrow. "Then on your knees baby boy." He yanked my hair, which fucking hurt, but he still had me just a little more horny than annoyed. I fell to my knees and eagerly helped him with his trousers, gazing up at him as he held my hair back and smiled down at me, watching me work on him.

I didn't need to do much- Darius was more than capable of getting himself off in a willing mouth so I just knelt there and let him gag me with his big dick, using me purely for his own pleasure, one hand wrapped in my hair and one hand propping himself against the wall.

"Oh yeah." He grunted. "Oh that's it baby, you're so good, fuck yeah Nate..." He grunted as he unloaded into me- and I really didn't have a choice except to swallow because his hand was still firmly holding me there. I tried not to gag too much as he finished, letting his grip on me diminish and sighing. Eventually he offered me his hand and I stood up. He grinned as he ran his hands through my hair. "Must be your turn." He picked me up- I wasn't expecting it. Most guys can't because I'm not exactly a twink, I'm kind of hard to throw around. He sort of- launched me over his shoulder and carried me to my room. He lay me down and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Oh please." He rolled his eyes looking at me. "If you don't want to be manhandled by me, stop being so damn cute Nate."

"Cute!" I sat up, my eyes flashing. Darius laughed and pinned me down.

"Sorry did I say cute? I meant 'Sorry Nate, I can't help it, you're just so outrageously manly and rugged and...'" I laughed and hit him.

"Fuck off."

"Mmmm.... Really? Because I thought I could return the favour...." He pressed his mouth to my dick... which was straining in my jeans and I moaned as he closed his eyes and I felt his hot breath on me.

"Oh my god." I whispered.

"Mmmm." He teased me, rubbing his head all over my crotch. "Is that a 'yes please Darius sir I'd love it if you sucked me off'?" I ran my fingers through his hair.

"Yeah D.... suck my dick..." He laughed.

"Close enough." He said, helping slide my jeans down. He kissed my abs tenderly, and licked his way down my soft trail of hair before gently starting to kiss my dick. "You know..." He whispered in between gentle kisses and licks. "Most guys I'm with will beg for me." I snorted, even as my legs fell wider apart for him and I was starting to lose any sense of rationality.

"Funny D, I'll beg for most guys." He laughed and wrapped his lips around my dick, apparently forgiving me for being an asshole, and I moaned as he took all of me in his mouth and I grazed the roof of his mouth. Shit, he knew what he was doing, moaning, and slurping like I was the best thing he'd ever tasted. He teased me, moving his lips over my thighs and my ass, and switching to his hand, and lapping at my balls... fucking hell... he was so good... I moaned and felt myself quivering, thrusting into his mouth...

"You're close, baby." He whispered.

"Yuh." I murmured. He stroked my thigh and paused, with his tongue on the tip of my dick.

"Well, are you ready to beg Nate?" he whispered. I sighed and ran my fingers through his hair, tightening my grip.

"Finish me off, asshole."

"Try that again, a little nicer." He whispered, still teasing my balls and brushing his lips against my dick, so I couldn't go soft and hit him... oh he was SUCH a cunt. But he'd broken me before. I closed my eyes and whimpered.

"Please D, I want to cum so bad...."

"Good start baby." He picked up the pace on my shaft, using his hand as I thrust into him.

"Please D, please sir...."

"You want to come Nate?"

"Yessss..." I hissed, meeting his eye. He winked at me.

"Anything for you." He grinned, and returned his mouth to my cock, moaning as he took it in his mouth... using his mouth to suck the tip and jerking the shaft. Somehow his free hand made it to my chest and he flicked my nipples as he finished me.

"Oh god D, yes, fuck..." I moaned. "Gonna..." I warned him as I came and he sat away from me, milking my dick for all it was worth and stroking my torso.

"Fuck you're so hot when you lose it." He murmured. I sighed and looked at the cum covering my chest. D never swallowed. I reached for an old t-shirt- something, anything, and he restrained me.

"Let me." He said, and pushed me back against the bed. I watched in fascination as he brought his tongue to my chest and started licking me. Jesus. Enough. Once I was finally awake again I sat up and folded my arms.

"Ok really. Who are you? What is all this? Dinner? Blow jobs? D, what's going on?" He rolled his eyes.

"Fuck off Nate. Dinner will be ready." He stood up and wiped his mouth. "Come on, slut." He clicked his fingers, like I was one of the dogs, and left the room... leaving me more confused than ever.

----

Tuesday

-----

Nate

---

When I showed up to open the cafe the next day Russell was already there with his arms folded, glaring at me.

"I'm not late!" I said defensively. He rolled his eyes.

"Darius didn't come home last night." He grunted. "You know anything about that?" I rolled my eyes as I unlocked the cafe and started to set up. Ugh. Brothers.

"Why would I know anything about the countless people he fucks?" Russell caught my shoulder as I went to make myself a coffee.

"You weren't with him?" I blushed. Get a grip, Nate. Learn to lie.

"Yeah, ok, he came over." I mumbled, changing tack and making him a coffee first.

"Are you guys DATING?" I brushed him off and handed him his coffee- he'd be less of an ass with a bit more caffeine, maybe.

"Neither of us really do dating Russ. Chill."

"Why him?" I sighed. I glared at Russell, pausing in unstacking chairs and wiping tables. Fine. I guess this was the best time in the world to argue about this- although god knows what we were even arguing about. I totally agree, dating Darius is the stupidest idea in the world. But we weren't dating! We'd been on and off fuckbuddies for years! I mean, yeah, we never used to do DINNER, but it's not like, the most insane thing in the world right? To do dinner? At any rate Russell was like verging on proposing to this chick Shona who I feel like I've just met and for all I know could be a serial killer so like, why be an ass about me trying to have a good time for fucking once?

"Because he likes me." I said. "He's good in bed. He likes dogs. Why does he have to be Mr Perfect for us to see each other?" Russell shook his head.

"Look there's Mr Perfect on one end and Darius on the other." He said. "Can't you like, find a middle ground?"

"He's not that bad!"

"Harold dumped him because he beat him up! Do you not remember that?!" I swallowed.

Yeah, hard to forget that. Look. Darius is actually kind of sweet under all his bark, it's why I put up with all his masquerading and games and 'I'm in charge' bullshit. He cooks, and he's always moaning about how Russell can't keep a flat clean, and he remembers your favourite movies and all that. But he's a fucking foul drunk. Beyond foul. He's a bona fide should be fucking locked up abusive asshole. But only when he's drunk. That's actually easy to work around.... I just don't drink with him.

"I know." I said to Russell. "Hence, like I just said, not dating."

"Hmmm." He grunted. And he didn't speak to me all morning. Ass.

--

When Jude came in he sensed the tension immediately and raised his eyebrows.

"You guys all good?" He whispered to me as Russell slammed down a tray of scones on my hand and berated me for getting in the way. I smiled at him.

"Ah yeah. He hates D, which is dumb because HE introduced us in the first place. Russ is just over protective." Jude looked thoughtfully at Russell.

"He might have a point." My eyes snapped up. What? Even JUDE hated D? Why? Jude shook his head suddenly. "Oh that came out wrong. I just meant Russell seems to..." He frowned, staring at Russell. "Huh." He said thoughtfully. "Thanks for the coffee Nate. See you at 5."

"Yes, sir!" I grinned and Jude moaned. He really hated it when I acted like he was my boss. I think it made him feel old. As he walked away I tried to decode what he'd just been thinking about and gave up.

-----

Jude

-----

Nate looked miserable when I entered the cafe. Aw, maybe he'd had a really bad date. That didn't surprise me much- I didn't like the look of his boyfriend. He was the type to go all attack mode when he felt threatened. I approached the counter and Nate's face lit up and fell again as Russell trapped Nate's hand under a tray of scones and gave him shit for it.

"Ow." Nate winced. "He's being such a c.... So mean today." I laughed. It's adorable how he tries and mostly fails to censor himself around me.

"You guys all good?" I asked, glancing at Russell. I didn't know much about him, only that Nate almost always seemed to be getting out of trouble because of him. Nate had told me a few stories in passing, as we made idle conversation when he wasn't listening to music. Nate dismissed me.

"He hates D." He said. I grinned to myself. I guess Russell and I apparently had that in common- despite my reasons for hating him almost definitely being a whole lot shallower than Russell's. Although... I looked between the two of them. Huh. I looked at Nate. He was always caught off guard by compliments and seemed genuinely surprised when I praised him. He'd mentioned he was a model after all- fucking shocker right?- and it was clear while he was talking about it he really thought his friends were desperate. He said he was cheaper than a real model- just buy him a six pack and he was happy. He just had no idea. He had no fucking clue he was like... stupid hot. He had no idea people thought he was amazing. And... he wouldn't know that someone liked him unless they sat him down and explained it to him slowly. I stared at Russell.

Ah crap. Jude, you're knee deep in your own issues- do you really want to go messing around in a love triangle? Although- I think I'd prefer Russell to Darius. Something about Darius just screamed... I'm trouble. I thanked Nate for the coffee absentmindedly and shook myself out of it and went back to work. We had a morning tea on for Moana's official leaving, which for some reason Nate, the only reason we were staying on top of anything, wasn't invited to. But I was doing enough for Nate without inviting him to boring morning tea parties I didn't even want to go to- he'd sent me through his CV and I could see why he'd been hesitant to apply for anything. His work history was more protests and pride parades than anything useful. But his skills kind of spoke for themselves. And he'd managed honours at Uni. I suspect the only reason he wasn't doing his Masters is that he was low on cash. Or he thought he couldn't. You know, it was possible he had a serious self esteem issue.

----

Nate

----

After midday Russell sighed and I guess he got over himself. He rested his head on his hand as he played on his phone- yeah, I should really say something about that but once the lunch rush is over my ability to manage my older brother kind of gets away from me. He ummed and ahhed as he texted and kept glancing up at me.

"What?" I said hotly, He sighed.

"You and Darius wanna hang out with Sho and I tonight?" I glanced up from the cutlery I was polishing.

"Weren't you lecturing me about D like an hour ago?" Russell shrugged.