Where Love Lives

The big 21. It's supposed to be a grand event. You're supposed to go out with your friends, get absolutely wasted, flaunt your brand new I.D., and regret everything the next morning. Personally, I was looking forward to it.

My experience was not going as planned though. My friend cancelled on me last minute due to some other thing coming up in her life. I tried to listen to her excuse, but it really just went in one ear and out the other. It didn't matter why.

After a while of debating on what I should do, I decided to go out anyways and at least try to enjoy myself. Not everyone gets their 21st birthday on a Friday after all. I found myself at the first gay bar that popped up in my search. It was a drag bar not too far from my apartment. I'd been there for a while, had a few drinks, but without a friend there with me, I didn't feel the urge to get super drunk. I suppose that's not a terrible thing though. I'll at least be functional the next morning for work.

I think the most memorable part of the night was when I spoke with the host of the show, and when she found out that it was my birthday, she had the whole crowd of drunks sing me happy birthday. She forgot to ask my name though, so when they got to that part of the song, instead of singing 'Bobby,' the whole place just slurred the notes. It was extra funny considering I had a drink or two in me already.

This was also the first drag show that I had ever been to. We didn't have anything like that back home. I was still fairly new to the LGBT+ community as well as the big city. Everything had been an adventure the last few months. Life was complicated, but watching drag queens lip sync and do death drops made me forget for a little while.

"These bitches be crazy," the host commented as one performer left the stage with a bra full of cash, a wig in hand, and next to nothing on her body. She turned and winked to the crowd before disappearing behind the curtain. I giggled as the warmth from my drink overtook my body. I took another sip to find that I was empty.

'One more won't hurt,' I reasoned with myself. I pulled myself out of my seat and strolled over to the bar. It was pretty crowded, which wasn't surprising considering it was a Friday night in New York City. I squeezed into an empty spot and caught the attention of the bartender. He was cute. Wind blown hair, sparkling eyes, and an award-winning smile.

"This one's on the house, birthday boy," he declared before I could even ask. My mouth curled into a grin as he started mixing my drink. I watched his biceps stretch his sleeves as he worked. The man was beautiful.

As I waited for my order, I turned around to people watch. There was more diversity in that room than there was in the entirety of my hometown. My eyes grazed over all of the possibilities. One guy walked by me and unapologetically checked me out. He was wearing these shorts that didn't quite contain his ass. It was a nice ass. He held eye contact with me and nodded towards the restroom. It took a moment for me to process his request, but once I did, I declined. He shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

I looked away, and not even ten seconds later did I see a really cute guy standing at a table nearby. He was the definition of a twink. Thinking about it, I could easily run into a porn star without even knowing it. The guy glanced over and saw me staring. I immediately blushed, using my body language to apologize for staring. He smiled though and waved with his fingers.

'I should go talk to him. I do need friends after all,' I thought to myself. Just as my brain sent the signal to my muscles to get up and go though, another guy, presumably his boyfriend, stepped closer to him and looked at me. He had the look of pure lust in his eyes. He looked from me to his boyfriend and back to me, and I could only assume that that meant they were looking for a threesome. The original guy I was looking at placed his hand on his boyfriend's chest and travelled down to his crotch. I sat back down.

Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy sex, and on occasion, I just want it to be quick like those guys. There was something about that night though. I didn't want to go home with a stranger. I just wanted to enjoy my birthday without any expectations.

"Here you go, birthday boy," the bartender said from behind me. I turned to see him place the colorful drink beside me. I flashed him a smile before taking it. Just as I mustered up the courage to talk to him, he walked off to attend another customer. I guess it was too busy for conversation. I sat at the bar and looked out again. I saw a couple of guys practically grinding up on each other. I saw one of them whisper into the other's ear, and they left.

There was a lot of eye candy walking around. I knew that if I ever needed a warm body for the night, I could come here. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find a guy who's horny out of his mind. Having my own apartment in this city would also be a huge bonus. Almost everyone seems to have a roommate or four. Then, a gust of wind carried the scent of lavender by. It caught my nose, and I took in a deep breath. I had a particularly sensitive nose, so I enjoyed nice smells. Just as soon as it had come, it had gone. I sighed.

"Is sex all anybody wants?" I said out loud. I talked to myself every once in a while. It was just a habit I built up.

"Seems like it right? Nobody wants to go on an old fashioned date or be friends without the benefits," a man said from beside me. I looked over, surprised that someone heard me talking to myself. I took in his appearance. He was quite handsome. His haircut was sharp, his beard trimmed, and had smile lines all over his face. He had to be in his upper 30s if I were to guess.

"I haven't been here long at all, and I could've left with like 4 people already," I said casually.

"Well, you are a cutie," he commented, gesturing to my body. I was no model, but I knew that I was attractive. I lucked out in the gene pool, and I kept a regular workout routine.

"Thanks," I replied, returning my eyes to the crowd. A drag queen was performing her heart out to some ballad I had never heard.

"Where you from?" The man asked. I was surprised he was actually trying to make conversation, knowing that I didn't want to hookup.

"Kansas. Not too glamorous compared to this place," I replied. I took a drink.

"Oh wow. That's a big change. What made you move? If you don't mind me prying," he asked, then gestured towards the stage. "Besides the glamour?"

"It's complicated. Honestly, I'd rather not get into it tonight," I replied, trying to be polite.

"No problem. I get it."

"I'm Bobby, by the way," I said, turning to him. I held out my hand for a handshake, and he took it.

"John," he replied with a smile. His grip was firm. The vibes I got from this guy were nice. Something about him just made me want to know more.

"Maybe we could talk about it another time. Over coffee or something?" I asked timidly. I didn't want to be too forward, but I also wanted him to know that I was interested.

"We could, but you should know that I'm married," he responded, flashing his ring at me.

'Figures,' I thought.

"Oh cool! I could use some friends," I confessed.

The night went on without much changing. I got hit on a couple more times by guys who were too drunk to stand still. I didn't even need to turn one guy down. He said hi to me, and then, he got distracted by the guy whose ass was hanging out and left without a word. It didn't hurt my feelings though. In fact, it was kind of a relief. I was getting tired anyways. I checked my phone to see that it was only 12:15.

'I'm getting old,' I thought to myself as I made the decision to leave. I downed the last bit of my drink and looked to see that the bartender was busy. I left him a tip. Maybe I'd come back to talk to him on a slower night. He seemed nice. Or maybe that was just his work face. Who knew. As I left, the host of the show and a performer were bickering. Everyone was laughing, and nobody noticed as I left.

'Not my birthday anymore. Back to regular life I guess,' I thought. I pulled my jacket closed as the frigid air hit me. I saw my breath as I looked around. I was really confused for a moment. I was still adjusting to the fact that I had moved to the city. My brain had to take a moment to register where I lived. I'm sure the alcohol didn't help me any.

"Damn. You've gotta have the best ass I've seen all night," someone said from behind me. I turned my head to see a couple old men leaning against the wall. They were smoking and were clearly intoxicated. I was dumbfounded. Nobody had ever cat called me before. It was really uncomfortable, so I turned to away.

"What? Can't take a compliment?" He continued as I made my way. I had to stop though, because I really couldn't remember which way I had to go to get home. The city is confusing. I pulled out my phone to look it up.

"Come on, kid. Come home with daddy, and I'll make sure that ass is taken care of all night long," the man said, pushing himself off the wall. In hindsight, I'm mad I didn't just walk away, but I was in shock, cold, and buzzed so my senses weren't all there.

"Uh, no thanks," I said as I quickly typed in my address.

I found the directions home, but when I looked back up they were both standing in front of me, and the man who had originally spoken reached around and grabbed my ass. I jumped and dropped my phone.

"See? I think he liked that," the other guy said. I squatted down to grab my phone. At this point, I just needed to get it and walk. It didn't matter where. I just wanted to be away from this situation.

"I don't think it really matters if he liked it. Look. He's down on his knees already," the first guy said to his friend. While saying that, he put his foot on my phone so that I couldn't pick it up. That comment wasn't intended for me either. I also couldn't leave my phone. It was all I had, and I needed it to survive this city.

"Leave me alone," I said, but I don't think they heard me. It was that or they chose to ignore me.

"Such a pretty face too," one of them said. I couldn't quite make out which one though. Not that it mattered. Then, a stinging feeling shot through my scalp as someone took a fistful of my hair. I cried out. The pain mixed with the alcohol blinded me.

"Hey!" another voice rang out. The hand let go of me as I heard a bustling of sounds. I fell to the ground as I reoriented myself. The experience was quite sobering.

As my vision came back to me, I saw one of the men down on the ground a few feet away from me. He was holding his bloodied nose, groaning in pain. His friend was already speeding away from us. I saw my phone and immediately grabbed it. It was cracked but hopefully, still usable.

I blinked hard and saw a hand in front of my face. I reached out and took it. A guy helped me back to my feet. I rubbed my head to relieve some of the stinging.

"You okay?" He asked me. As he asked, the guy who he had punched jumped up and scurried away, scared out of his mind.

"Yeah, I think so," I replied, and I finally got a good look at him. He was so handsome, and he was wearing a black leather jacket that looked like he had been wearing it for years. Something about his presence gave me the feeling of safety. Probably because he just saved me from a couple of creeps. Then, a gust of wind blew by, and I caught a whiff of lavender. It was the guy I had smelled from earlier! That sounded weird, but it was true. It was strange. His scent didn't match his exterior at all.

"Thank you," I managed to say. I looked down and saw some blood on his knuckles. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he replied as if it was no big deal. I turned my phone on, but when I tried to unlock it, it started to glitch.

"Shit," I mumbled under my breath. That was just my luck.

"What?" The man asked me, looking genuinely concerned.

"My phone. It's not working, and I don't really know my way home yet," I told him.

"You can borrow mine," he offered, holding it out.

"Thanks," I said with a smile. I took it from him delicately and started to type in my address. I don't know how I got my own knight in shining armor, but I was thankful that I did.

"So I take it you're new to the city?"

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess," he replied with a smirk. He looked at the screen and saw my place pop up.

'Oh great. Now he knows where I live. What if he's a charismatic killer? I'm really fucked now,' I thought.

"Hey. Would you wanna go get something to eat? I know a really good cookie store that's still open," he asked me, almost seeming like he was afraid of rejection. I looked over him.

"Sure. That sounds nice," I said, and a smile slowly spread across my face. He smiled like a school boy.

"I'm Jackson."

"Bobby."

"Bobby. I like it," he said, tasting my name in his mouth for a moment.

The night life was amazing. I guess I had chosen a not-so-popular bar because everywhere else was flooded with people. Lights were shining and my small town heart could barely contain it all. We finally came to this store that specifically sold fresh cookies late at night.

"I had no idea there could be so many cookie options," I said as I read the menu. Jackson laughed.

"I'm gonna try the... Stuffed Monster Cookie," I told the cashier.

"I'll take the S'mores Deluxe," Jackson said from behind me. Before I could reach for my wallet, Jackson put some cash down on the counter. Normally, I would put up a fight when someone tries to pay for me, but I was so broke that I just didn't. Instead, we exchanged smiles.

We took our treats and sat at a small table by the window. That cookie had to be the best tasting thing I've had since I made the move. I audibly moaned at the first bite. It was gooey and warm and everything a cookie should be.

"Good, right?" Jackson said, taking a bit of his own.

"That's an understatement. Whoever's idea this was is a genius."

"Yeah. Gotta love the city that never sleeps. Places like this are the best."

Suddenly, my phone started to buzz like crazy. I jumped and pulled it out of my pocket. It had turned back on and was sending me all the notifications I had missed. My heart leapt at the sight.

"She made it!" I exclaimed. Jackson got excited with me even though he probably didn't know how important it was.

We sat at that table and talked until the store finally closed. They had to tell us to leave because we were so wrapped up in conversation that time got away from us. We talked about everything and nothing at the same time. I found out that he dressed up as Harry Potter four years in a row for Halloween when he was younger, he wishes Anne Hathaway was his sister (though who doesn't?), he's never driven a car, and so much more. I told him a bit about myself too. Nothing crazy. Just that I cheat at board games (so he's never gonna play with me), that I'm absolutely terrified of clowns, that I have a talent for balancing coins on their side, and other useless facts. We entertained each other for the better part of two hours.

"I'll walk you home. I don't live terribly far from your place," Jackson insisted as we departed the cookie paradise.

We continued our talk as we walked the streets of New York. We were so into it that we almost passed my place.

"Oh, that's me," I said, pointing to the bakery that we had just passed. It looked so different in the dead of night. In just a few hours, it would be lit up, and customers would be coming and going.

"You live in a bakery?" Jackson asked, laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. I playfully pushed him. We were both delirious from exhaustion, but it was worth it.

"No. I live in the apartment above the bakery, silly. But I do work there," I replied, pulling my key out from my pocket.

"Oh, is that so? Maybe I'll have to come try something sometime. Is it any good?"

"You'll have to find out, mister."

"Fine," he fake pouted.

We both stood there in silence for a few moments. I didn't want to go upstairs and go to bed. I wanted to stay up with him and talk forever. I really enjoyed his company.

"Well, I better get to bed then," I said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, me too. Can we exchange numbers?" He asked. We traded phones to put in our numbers.

"Careful, don't cut your finger," I said. He just smirked. That wouldn't be the worst injury he got that night. Morning? Whatever.

I unlocked the door to my apartment and stood there for a moment. I wanted to kiss him goodnight. Or I wanted him to kiss me goodnight. I don't know which one. I just wanted his lips pressed against mine.

After a few moments, I figured it wouldn't happen. I gave him one last smile and headed inside.

"Hey," he said urgently. I turned back around to meet his eyes.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," he said simply. I grinned like an idiot.

"Me too..."

"Happy birthday, Bobby."

"Thanks. Goodnight, Jackson," I said with a smile.

"Goodnight," he replied. I turned back inside and let the door close behind me. I climbed the stairs ever so slowly and found my way into my tiny home. I let out a deep sigh. I shed my clothes and changed into pajama bottoms.

I laid down in bed, which was actually just a mattress laying on the floor, and pulled the covers over me. Thinking about it, that was definitely a date I had just been on. Jackson was something. He was something different. Something special. I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about him.

I just couldn't get over his effortless beauty. I could only imagine what he looked like without all those clothes on. I know I probably shouldn't already be fantasizing about this guy since we literally just met, but whatever. I'd like to think that under that leather jacket of his is a muscular physique. He'd have a nice even tan that only stopped for where a speedo had been. I knew I was running wild then, considering it was winter. Either way, I hope to someday drag my fingers across his chest, feel the light dusting of hair. Touch his defined six pack. Eat him alive with my eyes.

I'd make my way down his happy trail to find a hot pair of underwear. They'd be bright red, and his package would be fighting the fabric. I'd ever so gently remove them, revealing his manhood. I'd take him into my mouth until he was drained.

I didn't even realize that I had thrown my blanket off of myself. I reached down into my pajama bottoms and started to touch myself. I was so hard. I rubbed my inner thighs as I worked my cock. My breathing picked up the pace, and I squirmed in bed. I shut my eyes tight, pretending that my hands were his.

My fingers wrapped around my shaft, and I started going faster. I felt my skin heating up as I played with it. Jackson felt so good giving me a handjob. I saw the muscles of his arms bulging as he jerked me off. His own member hard as a rock.

"Jackson," I whispered out. I arched my back thinking about him. My other hand reached down to lightly touch my hole. I focused more on my head as I applied some pressure to my entrance.

"You're so sexy," I whispered. My words were almost inaudible. I pushed my pants down to my ankles so I could get a better angle. My hands continued to pleasure me. His hands continued to pleasure me.

"I want you."

"I want you too," I could hear him say. I moaned quietly, and my breath was cut short by a few spurts of cum. My hand was a sticky mess in seconds.

My eyes fluttered open to see the neon lights shining through my window. The room was as empty as always. I let out a deep breath that I didn't know I was holding. I glance down to see my cum coating my hand. I use my other hand to reach over and grab a towel. Finally, I let go of myself and clean up. I toss the rag to the side and pull my pants back up. I stared at nothing as I caught my breath and processed what I had just done. I'd never masturbated to another person without thinking about us having actual sex. It had been so minimal.