After making a phone call the next morning, Philip took Nathan over to Eric's house. "Hi, Mrs. Gordon," Philip greeted Eric's mother.
"Hi Philip... you brought a friend with you."
"Yes... this is Nathan Harper," Philip introduced Nate.
"The Harper boy... oh my... my son talks about you all the time. Come on in. Can I get any of you boys something to drink?"
"No, we're fine." Philip smiled.
"Well, Eric is in the basement as usual," Mrs. Gordon said as she headed for the kitchen. "Are ya'll going to stay for lunch?"
"We might be taking Eric out for lunch," Philip replied.
"Oh really... good. He needs some fresh air. I've been trying to get him out of the house for days now."
"Don't worry we'll take care of him." Philip smiled as he led Nathan to the basement door.
Inside it was nearly pitch black with only a faint flicking light coming from the bottom of the stairs. Both Nathan and Philip held onto the handrail hoping nothing was hidden on the stairs that could trip them.
At the bottom they found themselves in a cavernous room lit only by the glow of three computer screens and the outline of a young man in desperate need of a haircut.
"Hey Eric!" Philip said cheerfully.
"Hi Philip..." the guy facing the computer screens replied in a dull tone.
"What are you up to?"
"Trying to track the bastard who sent out that last e-mail virus."
"Did you get infected?" Philip asked, surprised.
"This is me we are talking about," Eric grunted. "I didn't get infected, but my mom's computer was. She couldn't find my homework assignments in all that mess."
"It gave you some free time." Philip grinned.
"Yeah it did, but when she finally got them she had me doing double time on them.... That sucked."
"So you're out for revenge," Philip figured out.
"Yep," Eric replied sinisterly... showing the first hint of emotions so far."
"Well, I have a surprise for you," Philip changed the subject.
"What you're not gay anymore or you have decided that you are madly in love with me." Eric smirked.
"Nope..." Philip replied, not fazed by Eric's sarcasm. "I brought a friend over."
"What... you brought an intruder into my fortress of solitude! "It better not be a girl!"
"No... I brought your idol... Nate!"
"Nate... Nate who?" Eric said, not understanding, turning around to face them.
"It's me, Nathan," Nathan spoke up.
"WHAT!" Eric shouted, falling backward off his chair.
"Yep... good old Nathan... otherwise know as Nate by those close to him."
"You brought saint Nathan here and did not warn me!" Eric whined as he got off the floor and began turning off his computer screens, plunging the already gloomy room into complete darkness.
It was a few moments before the room was flooded by the white light of florescent bulbs, causing everyone to blink. The room was a mess of servers, computers, screens, printers, scanners and other electronic equipment, empty soda cans and pizza boxes.
"Hi... Nathan," Eric said a embarrassed. "You didn't see what was on the screens, did you?"
"Nope... and even if I did I doubt I would understand it."
"I know... you jocks all seem to be the same... good on the field, terrible on the keyboard." Eric chuckled nervously. "So why have you come to see a low life like me?"
"I need your help."
"So you didn't come here just to see me," Eric said a little put off.
"No... I didn't know that you... well wanted to be friends with me until Philip told me."
"It's not like I ever talked to you," Eric agreed. "It's just that you seemed to be able to be friends with everyone, that you are so cool. Made me wish I could be cool like you."
"I don't know if I can turn you into me, but I can be your friend."
"If I give you what you want," Eric reminded.
"ERIC!" Philip shouted.
"It's ok, Philip... Eric, regardless if you want to help or not I would still like to be your friend."
"Sure... that's what they all say. Then they ask me to break into the school computer and change their grades. So tell me... what do you want from me."
"It's like this..." Nathan began to explain.
After talking for a good hour Eric spoke up. "So what you want me to do is look on the net for any connections Thomas might have had with other people, see what info the DA office and the police are sharing, all to catch the real killer."
"Yes," Nathan replied nervously.
"Cool." Eric grinned.
"So you will help us."
"Yeah... this will be more fun the random hacking... I'm trying to solve a real murder case. But I expect something in return."
"Ok... what?" Nathan asked.
"I want three good friends and a girlfriend... I might hang around you, Philip, but I'm no fag."
"With me and Nate you have two good friends so all we need to find are one more friend and a girlfriend."
"The one friend I think we can handle. I'll call up Galen and have him drop by," Nathan said.
"Galen... he's cool," Eric agreed.
"A girlfriend will be a little harder though."
"Why... should be just as easy to find me a friend."
Both Nathan and Philip looked at the pale oily skin, the mass of tangled black hair, the mismatched sock, and the cloths that looked like they had been slept in a few times.
"Makeover?" Philip asked Nathan with I wide grin.
"Yep... makeover," Nathan agreed.
"What's a makeover?" Eric asked nervously.
After six weeks of Doug working his ass off, Robert was 25 pounds lighter. His muscles were starting to show again and he was able to get out some of the clothes he had given up on wearing ever again.
Robert could also see that Josh was looking more buff. He needed less work than Robert did, but Doug did not take it easy on him. His once soft six-pack was now a hard eight. Josh's biceps had grown as well as his calves. Robert felt extra special knowing he had this hot number under his sheets.
"Morning babe," Robert said as he woke Josh up.
"Hey... you're up early."
"Well today is special."
"It is?" Josh asked confused.
"You mean to tell me that you don't remember why today is special?" Robert admonished his lover.
"I'm sure you are going to tell me though."
"Let me just say one word... Thanksgiving."
"Yeah... it means that I have a lot of cooking to do next week."
"Awwww... you mean that you don't remember," Robert pouted.
"I'm sure I will once you tell me."
"Today is the day we were reunited."
"It is?" Josh asked confused.
"Yep, 13 years ago you were interviewing at the old law firm. That was when you and I met."
"Let me think... you're right... it has been 13 years... I hope it does not bring us bad luck."
"I worried the same... you know me and you getting back together on the 13th anniversary. So I'm making sure nothing goes wrong today."
"So I take it you have the whole day planned?"
"Yep I do... I'm going to give you breakfast in bed, next we are going to the spa, get both of us prettied up, then it's off to lunch," Robert listed off.
"Ok... sounds good... after that?"
"After that I was planning on taking both of us shopping... get his and his towels, bathrobes and clothing."
"The cute husbands thing," Josh chuckled.
"Yeah... I want everything in the house to remind me that I finally have you," Robert confessed his face going red.
"If you want proof you just need to ask me and I will give you proof," Josh said as he got out of the bed, completely in the buff and wrapped his arms around Robert's waist.
"Hon... I just spent thirty minutes getting showered and dress, if you keep this up I'll have to start all over."
"I have a way to make sure nothing bad happens..." Josh smiled wickedly as he began untucking Robert's shirt.
"Josh... are you going to ruin all my plans?" Robert asked with a fake demeanor of calm.
"No... I just have a better plan..." Josh grinned as he started on Robert's shirt buttons. "How about we just stay in bed all day and make love till we pass out from exhaustion."
"That sounds like a good plan... but what about food?"
"That's what understanding brother's are for." Josh grinned as he went to the phone and called Mike and Patrick's room. He talked for about five minutes while Robert took care of finishing his undressing. "It's all taken care of. Patrick will leave breakfast at the door in about twenty minutes.... Plenty of time for you and I to..." Josh left it unfinished.
"To..." Robert grinned broadly.
"I think we don't need to make plans. Let us let things happen on their own."
"Fine with me!" Robert agreed as he lifted Josh off his feet and took him back to the bed.
"Hello Nathan," the woman at the front desk greeted.
"Hey Becky, is David here?"
"Yep... and your father called. He canceled Robert and his full spa treatment but since Robert paid in advance and we don't give same day refunds, you and a friend could have it."
"Cool... I guess Robert would not mind us using it." Nathan grinned. "Take Scott here and get him started."
"Will do... and who will be the second person?"
Nathan thought about it for a second. Robert had treated the boys to the full spa treatment on their birthdays ever since they had turned 14. David though, protective of his manly image, had never gone.
"Give it to David... and don't take no for an answer," Nathan decided.
"Trust me we won't let him get away. I give him to Jeremy."
"Oh... that's just plain evil." Nathan laughed.
"Who's Jeremy?" Philip asked not getting what was happening.
"Jeremy has wanted to give David a makeover for years," Nathan started to explain as he watched a short woman take a nervous and confused Eric away.
"Ok... so why the problem?"
"Jeremy is gay," Nathan said as if that explained it all.
"Yeah, so is David?" Philip asked still confused.
"I know but Jeremy is gay 'gay'."
"You mean flaming?"
"Yep... I think David is afraid of him really" Nathan smiled as he listen into the next room where David was arguing with a high pitched and animated male voice."
"David scared?"
"Yeah... think about it. David knows he's gay but he still sees himself as a man's man. A guy like Jeremy, who is definitely in touch with his feminine side, threatens David's self image."
"So David is a homophobe," Philip said worried.
"I would not say that... he does not hate effeminate men, he's just afraid that being gay he will become like them."
"I see. Do you think that will ever happen?"
"What happen?"
"Will David get in touch with his feminine side?" Philip clarified.
"Maybe... there is a softer side to him believe it our not. I don't think we will ever see him wearing pastels and talking with a lisp, but him being more open about his emotions is possible."
"With you maybe... I don't think I will ever be more than a fuck buddy."
"You are more than a fuck buddy, Philip, to both of us. You are our best friend."
"I know..." Philip pouted. "Do you think there is a David out there for me?"
"I thought you were looking for a Nate." Nathan grinned.
"I would take either one of you. I know what you and David have is closer than what you have with me but I want you to know that I love you Nate, and David as well. Both of you make me so happy. Robert told me that if I could get over any jealousy of David having you, I could be happy... I just didn't know until last night that I had achieved that," Philip said, tears building in his eyes.
"Come on... I think you need a makeover as well."
"But the money?" Philip said confused.
"I know dad will work my butt off in his office to pay him back but I think he would not mind you getting the spa treatment as well."
"You going to join the rest of us?" Philip asked as the two of them went back to the front desk.
"Why not? Nathan laughed. "I was not sure what I was going to do over the summer, might as well work for dad."
"Now Davy..." Jeremy grinned as he played with David's black hair.
"Stop calling me Davy," David moaned.
"Oh come on, hon... I've been calling you Davy since you were 12 years old."
"I know..." David sighed, not liking to be reminded. He would tell Jeremy off but Jeremy was good friends with Patrick and if he got Jeremy crying, David was sure he would have to deal with his father later.
"So tell me... how is school?" Jeremy asked as he tapped a comb against his cheek.
"I've been expelled," David said hoping to end the conversation.
"NO... REALLY?" Jeremy said in surprise. "Why would they expel such a cute boy like you?"
"I've been accused of murder."
"Did you do it?" Jeremy said in a loud whisper that could be head by anyone near by.
"No."
"Well then, there is nothing for you to worry about. Your uncle Josh helped get me off charges of indecent exposure so I know he can get you off this.
David could not see how indecent exposure and murder charges were anything alike but he didn't let Jeremy know that. "I'm sure everything will get cleared up."
"Good... now take off your shirt."
"What?" David said, panicked, crossing his arms as if Jeremy would rip his shirt off.
"Oh come on, hon... I know you have a hairy chest under there. I just want to see what I have to work with."
"What do you mean..." David asked nervously as he pulled his shirt off over his head.
"Well... you want to look good for your boyfriend," Jeremy took great pleasure in saying.
"Why do you think I'm gay?" David asked panicked.
"Oh come on... I invented gaydar. I picked you out ever since you were little. No straight guy acts so nervous around a guy like me unless they too are a little bent. Me... I'm a right angle... no one can mistake me for anything but flaming."
"I know..." David said, not liking his being reminded.
"So tell me, Davy, who is your boyfriend."
"Nathan," David grunted.
"What! You mean to tell me that you, the barbarian warrior, has captured the crown prince. Why did I not see this coming. Come on, it's time for your facial. You can give me all the details then."
"Don't you have other clients?"
"Yes I did, but once I was told I was doing you, I gave them to others. It's time we had a little girl to girl chat," Jeremy insisted as he led David deeper into the spa.
David was led to the showers where he washed off and used the cleaning agents Jeremy would hand him through the curtain. When done, Jeremy stood ready with a towel, but David grabbed it out of his hands and dried himself off out of Jeremy's sight.
"You really need to learn to relax, Davy. You're gay and whether you like it or not that means that the people who are more likely to accept you will be gay as well."
"You make me nervous," David confessed.
"Why... afraid of good taste," Jeremy laughed.
"No... it's that you don't act like a real man."
"David!" Jeremy said in shock. I have a dick just like you do. I'm a man!"
"I know... it's how you act... so effeminate."
"David I do not 'act' ... I 'am!' Do you think I act this way just to annoy people like you? This is who I am. I'm happy being me. I don't need some smart-aleck kid like you telling me that I can't be happy being myself."
"I'm sorry," David said... he had thought it had all been an act just to annoy people.
"I know... and because you are a confused teenager, I forgive you. Now get out of the shower so we can talk face to face.
I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter... more will soon follow but for those who would like to read the entire series it can be found on the yahoo group. So far book sales of The Centurion series are going well with great reviews coming in from the readers so if your interested in some of my best work check out The Centurion and The Academy on Amazon when you have the chance. Take care.
trandar2002@yahoo.com
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