The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, of continents or islands, in countries, counties, cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, streets, cul-de-sacs, nor governmental or non-governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then why are you here? Seriously, if guy-to-guy sex stuff makes you barf or is going to screw up your mind, you should not read this story.
Various states and countries have various rules regarding reading or viewing adult material'. It is up to the reader to research this subject, abiding by their own laws. The pages of this story contain adult material', intended for an `adult audience'. Bypass this warning at your own risk.
% Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection.
Hey dudes, if you have enjoyed reading NiFTy stories as much as I have, over the years, consider adding some support for `internet $pace'. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
^o^ Concluding remarks ~ reading this story could make you stiff or gooey, so I would suggest not reading it at work... just sayin'! :)
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FiRE iSLAND BiKiNiS ~ `MAkiNG WaRRioRs' 06 WriTten by T. Chase McPhee
^o^
Waiting for Jared to bring some water, Evan quizzes, "So, you don't have to feel bad to have an hyper-attack?"
Tapping a rhythm out on the arms of his wheelchair, both palms going at it, Jay responds, "That's what my shrink says," but then his mind sidetracks, "the handsome devil."
"Oh really?" Evan, played along, even though a natural reflex, "Like what did he say to you, when you both were stretched out on the bed?"
"Get real, dude. Maurice was there to try help calm my nerves, not to make love!"
Evan pushes back, "Are you sure about that?"
"Dude, he's like seven-fuckin' years older than me!"
Seeing it getting Jay more riled up, rather than passing the time with idle conversation, Evan drops out, "That's what I thought."
Fortunately for both, Jared arrives, screwing off the top of a bottle of water, "Here ya go, bro!"
"You klutz!" Joseph vents, over Jay's shoulder, as Jared tries retrieving the squishy bottle.
"I got it!"
Too late, the bottle lands, takes a nosedive, right between Jay's thighs.
First to reach it, Joseph accidentally squeezes it, the water spouting out, right up Jay's necktie, "I got it!"
Holding the bottle, Jared says to Joseph, "You had it two times, Joseph!"
No one was really thinking about it, Jay just mentioning it, casually, "Must've been on ice for a long time. It's getting kind of cold down there, you know?"
But it wasn't only the water temperature, Jay pulling at the inseam of his saturated pants, which taken back a step, Evan asks, "You felt the cold?"
Meanwhile, while Evan and Jay are making some touchy-feely discoveries, Jared and Joseph are `nicely' arguing about faulting each other for Jay getting wet in the first place!
"Oh no, it was you who slapped it down on your brother's balls?" Joseph countered Jared's blame.
Tired of it going back and forth, Jared bends over the other chair, "Um, we need an unbiased opinion here..." he looks at Evan.
"Who really gives a shit?" Evan tells him. "Jay thinks he felt something cold on his balls!"
"Yeah," Jay acknowledges.
"Oh really?" Joseph grins, bending over Jay's shoulder, "Maybe I should investigate!"
Shooing Joseph away, Jay reprimands, "Get your filthy hands away, Joey!"
"Filthy?" Joseph pulls back, holding his five digits up. "I washed this morning?!"
Still in a blaming mood, Jared tells him, "Would you put that hand down, Joseph. You look like you're ready to fist-fuck someone!"
"Oh!" Joseph reacts, looking around to see if anyone noticed, "No one is looking."
Right now though, they didn't care about Joseph and his comments, Jared thinking, maybe not a fluke Jay has shown he might be regaining something lost, "Tomorrow morning we're heading right over to the city and having you checked out."
"But what about my store?" Jay asks.
"I was saving this little surprise for later, but I might as well tell you now. In a few short months Tom Gerardi will be retiring..."
"He's too young to retire," Jay says.
Evan speaks out, "And too hot!"
Jared says to Jay, "Let's just pretend he's not there?"
"So who's going to take his place?"
Running late, showing up at the front door, Bron Yubanski walks in.
"Here comes your man now!"
It had been awhile, since last year's company picnic, at the Evans mansion out near the Hamptons, Jay recognizing Bron by something gained, something lost, "You've slimmed down?" he greets the former store manager of J&J's satellite store.
"Been working out," the four-eyed cutie flexes arms in a gorilla pose!
From a distance, Chris was doing his security thing, making sure everything left the store paid for, but spying the muscle-rendering nerd, affixed his attention on the enclave around Jay.
"You look good," Jay swallowed, seeing Bron's shirt tighten up over his taut stomach.
"Thanks," Bron drops his arms. In a quickened voice, follows up with, "I'm really glad to be working out here on Fire Island. When I was a teenager, I always wanted to come out to Fire Island during pride week. Fire Island..." he throws his hands up, like Atlas holding the world, "I can't believe I'm here!"
Rolling his eyes, Jared says, "Uh, can you stop looking like a lunatic and look like a store manager, Bron?"
"Oh! Sorry," Bron does something, part of his character, wiped his shirt down over pecs, stomach and with both hands, "what's up?" Before anyone can say anything, drops his chin, "Hey! You're all wet!"
Jay jokes, "I wet my pants!"
Earlier, on his cell, when he found out Tom had made a rash decision to move on back home, Jared had updated Bron on Jay's condition, which included the anxiety problem Jay was having. He thought, what better way for them to get acquainted, than leave them alone. Turning around, ready to gather up the fold, Jared notices Joseph `missing.' Combing the store, he sees him talking with two guys, unsure if they are latter high school or early college years. He excuses himself.
No sooner has he left, Chris wanders over. Reaching over Jay's chair to the other side, he greets, "Hi there. I'm Chris Terrabold, store security if you don't know it."
"Hi. I'm Bron Yubanski," he takes Chris' hand. "You must be the one they call, `Terror'?"
Right away, Chris' eyes dart down to meet Jay's.
"Don't look at me," Jay tells him. "I know you said not to call you that!"
Leaving the two boys in Jared's custody, Joseph walks over to them, "Hey, Terror, you're on the clock, you know?"
"Be right over," Chris says with sarcasm.
Holding both palms together, Bron says, "That's right. Joey told me about you before I got here. `Said you're working out to be quite the crackerjack security guard," he smiles at Chris.
Bear hunk or not, Chris was ready to go over there and not immediately, but after taking care of the pair of shoplifters, would tell Joseph a thing or two. Not that it mattered much, but he just liked messing with tough guys... because Chris could be a tough guy too, when the going got tough!
"I better go get to work before I'm fired!"
Unknown to neither Chris, nor Bron, while they stood there making goo-goo eyes at each other, Jay and Evan had wheeled close to each other, gossiping!
It didn't last though, Joseph walking over to Jay, putting a bug in his ear, something about people who worked together, should limit their personal time in associating with each, especially on company time, "You know what I mean?"
Jay looks up, "Do you think I should say something?"
When it came to second in security, foremost the store manager engaging in personal conversation, Joseph says, "You're asking me? Like, I'm not the big boss, who's shelling out big bucks, while my employees are standing around talking about more than the time of day?"
Rolling over to them, Jay was just getting over one bout with anxiety. However, he got the message, Joseph being right, even though he avoided saying it outright, him being in charge. If it were something Jay looked forward to, his chair would have zipped right over to the person, but he crept along as if fighting a flattened tire, trying to figure stuff out. An avid fan of Shirts', he was deciding whether to be a Harvey' or a Louis', when he wanted to be a mild-mannered Mike Ross', giving the other guy benefit of the doubt. With delayed reaction, he pictured the younger office man, inhaling the fragrance of `Mike Ross!'
"Ahem," he got their attention with a mellow tone.
Using his good friend as a scapegoat, Jay got rid of half the problem, "Um, Joey would like to speak with you, Chris."
"Oh sure. No problem," Chris replies, straightening the tee shirt on his bod, like it was sticking to his midsection, walks off, trailing some words, "I prolly shouldn't be standing around on your time anyway," laughs.
`Ain't that the truth!' Jay finds his own humor.
Before he could condemn the other half for conversational loitering, Bron says, "I really like how you've outfitted the store. You've really transformed Topher's."
"You were here before they sold it to Jare?"
"Um, remember I said I was never here?" Bron asks.
"Sure. About 5 minutes ago?" Jay replies.
"I lied. I forgot I was here many years ago, when I was a teenager."
Counting on his fingers, against his thighs, Jay guesses, "You mean, around 6 year ago?" he holds up six digits.
"Might help if you had a third hand?"
Dropping hands to his thighs, making a slapping sound, Jay says, "Doesn't really matter, but you could pass for a frat dude."
"Anyway, I didn't know you owned the store. I thought either Jared did, or like J&J, jointly," Bron rubbed it in. Previous talks with Jared, Jay's bro wanted everyone to make a big deal of making his brother feel ownership in the shop, "You've got some responsibility."
"Right," Jay smiles, "it's just I have a tough time realizing it's my very own shop."
Leaning against a column, crossing a leg, assuming a casual pose, Bron says, "Natural, but the more time you spend here and immerse yourself in the business, getting to know everyone, it'll sink in."
With some sense of being head of an operation of business, from a personal standpoint, Jay says, "But I can't be friends with everyone?"
He came from a business environment, store manager of one of the J&J Marine stores, turning over millions of dollars in sales. Bron had his own class system of employee labeling. There were those who were loyal, working towards the common good. Others were mediocre, doing their jobs, but adding much more. Last class, were those who stood to get more out of the business than their paycheck... that's where security would be required to step in.
Bron had a good business sense, which is why he detected Jay with something more on his mind and using his own expertise to fill in the blanks for Jay, "Exactly. There's a sense of being friendly, but also being able to tell a person what's on your mind and that employee, who is also your friend, will be able to take the criticism and move on."
"Oh good," Jay says, "I'm glad your okay with that, because I didn't think you and Chris should be standing around and talking on company time." Jay sat there with a plain face, a little nervous, his first encounter with having to `discipline' an employee, let alone his new store manager. Eventually, over the course of seconds, his lips mellowed out into a smile.
About the demeanor on Jay's face, the intimidating look, Bron says, "That'll throw the fear into everyone!"
Even though the subject hadn't been the 2 college dudes, being told by David Frish, store salesclerk, in order to enter the store they would need to put on some shirts, but a reminder they needed some tight security or the inventory would be walking out of the store underneath someone's apparel and not in a shopping bag!
Yet, Bron kept it cool, remained the evildoer, "I'll keep what you said in mind," he smiles, "and it won't happen again!"
Then Jay felt guilty, especially whereas there was this age difference, being a few years younger than Bron, remembering to always be kind to his `elders', "Sorry."
"Don't ever be sorry. No, no, no," Bron slips into kind reproach, delivering in a fatherly manner, hand on Jay's shoulder, "remember that," a finger points, "`you' are the boss here and if you see something happening you don't think is appropriate, then you need to say something about it."
"What happens if someone doesn't like what they are hearing?"
Again, soft and kind, Bron says, "Then you come to me. That's why I'm here. To make sure things run smoothly."
Then Jay gets an awesome idea, "Would it be okay if I came to you, before I bust chops?"
"Of course." Knowing Jay's little hypertension problem, "In fact, if anything in the store bothers you, I would appreciate you coming to me first!"
"Really?" Jay says meekly.
"Really. Go ahead. Test me. Tell me to do something!" Bron stands up firmly, waiting for the general to give an order!
Jay cracks half a smile. He was a cute nerd, very handsome he was sure without the glasses, which gave him an idea on how to answer, "That's okay, Bron, I don't want you to fog up your glasses!" he chuckles.
Bron smiled too, but bends in half to speak confidentially, "That's okay with you and me, but in this day and age you have to be very careful with how you speak with employees, and thanks for the heads up on how not to get my glasses steamed up!" he stands.
He wasn't at all taken aback by Bron's frankness. Buddies way before this, Jay couldn't possibly stay mad at the 29-year old, who's only interest was to keep the store going and himself out of trouble, even if it meant teaching him a new roster of etiquette, "Sorry."
"Like I said," Bron says, "I'm here to help you out... just not in the way you're thinking right now!"
With that, Bron tears himself away from Jay, telling him to stay put, that he could handle the cops who came in response to the 2 shoplifters.
Watching them, Bron with Chris and Joseph, Jay couldn't really see where Bron and Chris could be a match, though who was he to complain about a muscle-nerd and cub-scout finding an interest in each other, when, in high school, he eyeballed the same hairy teen whenever opportunity presented them shirtless and in the same room.
"I'm employee-of-the-month again!"
Getting bumped in the wheel by another vehicle, Jay turns around, "You sold another pair of sneakers, Ev?"
Counting on his fingers, Evan says, "And speedos, tanks and, I wanted to sell a surfboard, but not very good at it, because... you know?"
"Yeah," Jay could tell, the limitations, "I miss it myself, but I'm not going to give up hope on ever getting back on a board."
Torn between the good attributes in Roy and his former match for a father's bad ways, Evan was ready to add some worthy advice, but kept it to himself.
"What?"
"What, what?" Evan asks Jay.
"You were going to say something?"
"It doesn't matter," but something did matter to Evan, "Jay, what am I gonna do now that Roy's gone?"
Nervous for the right words, Jay bails out, "Sell more speedos?"
Knowing Jay evaded the subject, Evan quickly forgave, "No, I mean about not having a family. You and Jare, you got each other," spacing out, "are there any more of you? I mean, other family?"
"Nope. Just me and Jare and," with quick decision, "I've decided to make you my brother too!"
"Cool! Does that mean I'm getting my own credit card and bank account?"
"Don't get greedy, Ev. Hey, I'm hungry. Is it lunch time yet?"
Staring past Jay, Evan says, "Forget lunch! I've got something more luscious to feast on!"
Making a tiny detour, right, Jay faces Bron and a blond dude walking towards them.
"Jay, this is Sven, former employee at the J&J main store. Jared thought it a good idea to bring him on board."
By all means!' Jay was thinking, drawn' to Sven's incredible good looks; sandy blond hair, more reddish scathing of hair around the chin, stache, impeccably dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and skinny necktie, but looked beyond the feelgood zone, "Cool! I'm Jay!" he almost jumped out of the chair, be it he couldn't if he wanted to.
Being the observer for the moment, Evan was glad they passed over him for introductions. More then the two surfers who showed up at the door shirtless, Evan was immediately `in love!' When things began to wind down, he was ready to enter the conversation on his own free will, but got tapped on the shoulder, "Excuse me, I really like this shirt, but you don't have it in my size?"
He wasn't wearing a badge, ones Jared had made up, but with Jay's Surf Shop and not J&J Marine embossed on the plastic above the employee's name, so the only way a stranger could tell Evan worked there, was to see him in action, "What size would you be needing?" he wheels around to face the customer.
"Medium. There's only extra-larges on the rack?"
"Oh," still remnants of being awestruck, Evan sat there, admiring.
"Maybe I'd be more qualified to sift through the rack..." the customer stands there, looks up to the ceiling, then back down upon Evan, in deep thought, "Like that was just wrong... I apologize."
"For what?" Evan acts like nothing offended him, though it could have, if the stranger's looks didn't measure up to extreme hotness!
Explaining himself, he says to Evan, "Reaching the rack, I... I didn't mean it to sound..."
Giving the guy a break, Evan says, "Oh, you didn't. Trust me, `the chair' has gotten me a lot worse comments than that!"
"Oh, you're just being kind," the dude smiles.
It wasn't above Evan, the guy being flirtatious, which is reason enough to come right out in the open, "You're right. If you really want to be forgiven, you'll have to do something special, like ask me out to dinner or..."
Way ahead of Evan, he was right on it, "Dinner! That's cool. Yeah. Totally on me!" With secondary thought, Evan wasn't feeling too cool, seeing his sneaker commissions going down the tubes! Really pushing it, he furthers, "Only, I don't accept going out on a date with a guy who... I don't know his... your name?"
"Easy fix!" he leans on an angle, reaches his hand into the perimeter of Evan's chair, "Randy Phillips, though you can call me Blake... that's what some people do. It's my middle name." Then gettin' a little giddy, "Call me Randy or Blake, or whatever you want!" he giggles.
In deep thought, without saying it, Evan smiles, thinking this guy has really got the hots for him. Uncertain of how long it's going to last, because of the incapacitated state he is in, Evan analyses, `Wait! He came on to me...' Stalling, he replies, "Randy or Blake, huh?"
"Or Phillips. I'm up for grabs," he shrugs both shoulders.
At the moment, even though sight unseen, Evan had a strong urge to grab onto Randy?' Blake?' `Phillips?', whatever, his lips, wanting to taste more than lips, stalling again, "Um, I'm not really sure." In a snap he comes up with, "Like, don't take this wrong, but how come you're targeting me?"
The smile never leaving Randy's face, he confesses, "My boss, Jesse, sent me over to fetch Jared's brother and his friend." Smirking, because there was more to the story, "I have to confess, I was only pretending to looking through the shirt rack, because my eyes were really on one of those kids in the wheelchairs?"
Left open-ended, Evan says, "Oh, you must mean Jay. He's the other guy," making it rough for Randy, on purpose.
Slowly Randy has been taking the hint, Evan toying with him, for which he says, "Jay," he looks over the heads of customers, then realizing Jay in the same predicament as Evan, "yeah, that's him. Where is he?"
Thinking this hot hunk was in jeopardy of being the lost love-of-his-life, Evan is quick to snap back, "He's probably with someone else. Um, what size did you say you need?"
Cracking a wry smile out of the corner of his lip, Randy is really thinking, if something didn't come of all this soon, he would need to jump up the size of his briefs, "You know what?" he didn't give Evan chance to respond, stowing the XL shirt back on the rack, "I better get you on over to Warrior One, before they send someone out to look for you two... and me!" he shuffles himself around back of the chair.
"Okay. If you say so!" Evan too enthralled to even bother asking about Randy.
Slowly serpentining around patrons, Randy brings Evan up to a little gathering inside the storeroom. Jay was having a powwow with some key players, on all levels, Bron Yubanski, new store manager; Sven Glen, his assistant; Karl Loft, J&J security, on loan; Kerwin Jens, on loan from Warrior One for his surfing and surfboard expertise; Kerry Gorman, a swimmer-turned-surfer, never really making it big in the big world of surfing, up to prove how big he could be on selling off surfing stock, including a few orders for boards, and since he had a big mouth, Winson Khatri, thought it only fair that other than Jay, someone was there to represent the 18, 19, and 20-somethings of the store employees. However, right in the middle of Randy and Evan coming upon them from the store, the back door bursts open.
All talk ceases as, Gail Grant busts in, shouting, "I am so, so, so, so sorry I'm late. It won't happen again. I swear it," she dramatically crisscrosses her `heart' with 2 fingers!
Jay, having a sudden panic attack, shouts, "Oh my god!"
From the first Gail met Jay, she learned of his recent life history, including his inability, at times, to deal with his feelings. Totally empathetic, zeroing in on Jay and disregarding the circle around him, she prances right through, dividing the gathering in half, squatting down in front of Jay, as if a throned prince, turns sorrow into joy, "You don't have to be so glad to see me!"
Still, own thoughts on his mind, Jay speaks it, "I'm sorry, but I gave your job away to Sven."
"Me?" Sven calls attention to himself.
Others looked at him, but Jay's mind was on Gail, whom he's only met one other time, but felt a connection, almost like a soul mate, "I guess I'm not as good a businessman as my brother. I forgot about you and told Sven he could be the assistant store manager. I'm sorry."
His undivided attention now, Jay looks up at Sven, down to Gail, like he had to make up his mind which one to appoint as an official sub-manager of the store.
"Don't give it a second thought honey," she stands, "me and Stacy can sell shirts... Come over here, girl and show yourself..."
Well, to the others, they were like theatergoers on the sidelines, watching the drama unfold, until Bron, watching the situation go the distance, makes it up as he goes along, "Of course, would be nice to have a male' and female' manager?"
Remembering his first meet up with Gail, Jay says, "I think it's going to be a big job keeping the dummies' clothed?"
A plus for her hiring, Gail carrying on a family employment tradition, fashion design for people and the stores they have been employed, like Macy's, Victoria's Secret, Hollister and several Braddock's location, easily accepts the creative outlet, "That would be my dream, Jay!"
"Really?" He feels sudden relief, which brightens his outlook.
Protective to the extreme, Joseph, who has made himself one with the wall, adds Gail to his imaginary list of those who care about Jay. With Joseph, a person would need to prove their worth to be on that list. Of course, he himself was on the top, others as followup, recently adding Michael Korbeau, but higher up on the list: Jay's high school bud, Jake, and in capital letters, put high above himself on the list, he had the name: T H O R written! Because he could be `Mr. Neatness', Joseph had written some names in pencil, only to erase them, prelims. The only penciled in name now is Oz Nolan, whom he has a suspicion, him and Jared are going to hit it off. Though, time will tell if Joseph will be tracing over those pencil lines in pen!
"Sounds good to me, if you're happy?" Jay tells her.
Not only for Jay, but Gail had had the same feeling, like they were going to be immediate good friends. When she first saw Jay, she quickly realized how inconvenient a life Jay must have, reflected on her own personal tragedy of life, dealing with someone with a spinal cord injury, her brother Kareem's college football mishap.
Even though he wasn't looking for it, it made Joseph smile, seeing Bron squatting down at Jay's side, the store manager's dress pants exposing the bulge, of which Joseph could only speculate how big it could get when fully `enhanced'!
"I'm so sorry for being such a moron at this stuff," Jay laments once more.
"Well get over it, honey, because I am," switching off, with a fingersnap and switching back on, with another fingersnap, Gail says, "Now what's all this about?"
Bron stands, takes command.
Joseph sighs, readjusts, from standing on one foot, to the other.
"Informal meeting," Bron says.
They were about to carry on, Randy overruling the head man, "I was sent over, with orders from Jared, that Jay and Evan should report to Warrior One for their first session of therapy."
Evan's jaw dropped open, but closed up, thinking what a faker Randy was, pretending to be a shopper. Then again, instantly forgiven, thinking what a hottie he could be, just by standing there and looking beautiful!
Much as he would like to have stood around all day and peruse Bron and other men's crotches, Joseph walks towards Jay, "Well you're going to need help with that!"
However, Joseph wasn't the only one with roaming eyes, Kerry Gorman taking on the view, Joseph walking across the room. Kerry had figured it out all on his own, why Joseph had to shuffle from standing on one leg, to the other. Upon first learning Joseph was the boss' personal friend, the 29-year old surfer also had witnessed on more than one occasion, seeing Joseph in his full glory, the basement portion of The Spin Club. Kerry knew what business Joseph was there for, but also himself. As a spectator, there's times Kerry has fallen under full lustfulness, wanting to be Joseph's bitch. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he forgot where he was, saying, as Joseph walked across the floor, thinking no one heard, "Ah-h, what a man!"
Karl Loft, 44-year old security man from J&J's, lends lips to Kerry's ear, "You're not so bad yourself!"
It was like love at first sight, puppy dog playing up to the master, Kerry saying, "You looking for some hot dungeon-action?"
The two were already isolated from the mass, what with Gail taking helm of the congregation. Further dragging Kerry to the back wall, away from the gathering, Karl says, "Love to have you impaled on my cock sometime!"
Smiling, Kerry, willing to forgo Joseph, for Karl, replies, "Only your cock?"
Play on words, they were all too familiar, both having heard them passed around at The Spin Club, Karl further leading, "Depends on what you are willing to do to earn it?"
Remembering some of the stuff he was not willing to do, like running around the streets of Fire Island, at night, nothing on, Kerry draws the line, "Almost anything?"
"That's what I like," Karl gives Kerry more than a pat on the ass, "a pup who leaves room for improvement!"
Bron, with a call to get back to business, Joseph and Randy usher Jay and Evan out of the store.
Karl and Kerry had an idea of how they were going to spend some quality time later!
Rolling through the streets of Fire Island, Jay mentions to his `pusher', Winson, "Won't that boy ever shut up?!"
Allowing Jay's giggle to fade, Winson says, of Evan and Randy, a simple solution to Jay's query, "They're in love!"
Natural reaction, Jay tries looking over his shoulder to check out reasons why Winson should even suggest. Instead, another gut reaction kicks in, being able to move his head to the side. Unable to do so in the recent past, Jay has the fortitude to peer at Winson's pocket, turning back abruptly, "Ouch! That hurt!"
"What hurt?" Winson puts on the brakes.
Inadvertently, Randy paying too much attention towards Evan, doesn't stop the wheelchair!
"Hey! Watch it!" Winson turns around, having been kicked in the back of the legs by Evan, which in turn almost made his legs buckle, with the prospects of his ass landing on Evan's `crotch!'
"Sorry," Randy admits, "I wasn't paying attention," backs off.
At least someone was paying attention, Evan asking, "What's with Jay?"
Jay says, "I turned my head."
Not being in the loop over Jay's limitations, Winson jumps in with, "I don't think he's supposed to turn his head like that."
Painful or not, Evan pipes up, "Awesome, bro!"
Confused over the silent conversation between the two, Winson and Randy become spectators, Jay and Evan comparing notes over how far they can turn heads.
Randy calls ahead, "Can we get moving Winson?"
The sun baking down on them, Winson could see Randy's reason for wanting to get out of the oven, "Here," he takes off his baseball cap, "you need this more than me, dude."
Head cocked, Randy looks at Winson, like `what's up with that?' But then, even though he hated addressing the issue of receding hairline and a scanter amount atop his head, more than once upon a time hearing he had more hair on his chest than his scalp, he takes it, smiles, "Thanks."
While rolling back on track, Evan looks up, says, "You look real cute with a baseball cap, Randy."
"Cute?" Randy called attention to Evan's remark.
Not caring what was transpiring between them, Evan, with a love for guys a little older than himself, "Okay, so you looked cute without it too!"
Randy just rolled his eyes, thinking about a college boy's infatuation, "Right. Whatever..."
On the other hand, Jay was carrying on a steamy conversation of his own. Not meant to lead down that alley, he had asked Winson, "So, how do you like working for me?"
"You're great. The guys who shop there are awesome!"
Jay just smiled, thinking of the boss as great', but the dudes who shopped there, greater than great', "I think they like you too!"
It was a lot to take in, being a boss of his own store, but as Jared told him, `keep an open eye', Jay kept both and probably wasn't much different than Winson, keeping eyes open for hot dudes!
"It's going to be a great summer, working for you," Winson says, thinking he might have overstepped some type of retail coding, whereas his mind should be on selling and not whom he was selling it to.
Ahead of Winson, Jay replies, "Yeah, one hot summer, huh?"
Then it was as clear as day, Jay holding a fist up, Winson freeing up his right hand to meet, knuckle to knuckle, "Oh yeah!"
`Boy-joy' was quickly forgotten, upon approach to Warrior One, Jay returning to Winson and the others, "Oh wow!"
`Oh wow!' was right, seeing the commotion, which warranted some of Fire Island's finest with crowd control, lined up on the sidewalk, separating those whose destination was the building as opposed to human trafficking.
Stroke of luck, first officer Jay happens upon is a guy he met not long ago, "Ian?"
"Jay!" Ian says in retrospect. "If I were you, I'd steer clear of the place!"
"I know," Jay could understand, with at least 100 people lined up on the sidewalk, "but Jared said Evan and me should come over today and check out our trainers."
"Word from the inside," Ian tells them, "is everyone is busy filling out applications. I doubt they are much into training today. You might as well go home."
Then, Jay had to giggle, seeing Ian approach two dudes, cutting ahead in line, with warning, "Oh no you don't!"
What tickled Jay the most, was Sean Hardy, a guy who was a good bullshitter, only he was a royal fail up against Ian Collins! Reading Sean's lips, Jay knew he was disturbed over not being able to cut ahead of 96 people. Regardless, he liked him, "Hey, Sean... what's up?"
"Jay!" Sean runs over. "You got to get me in, man. I hear they're cutting off enrollment soon!"
"All the loot you're earning, working for me," Jay had to reflect, it sounding too good to be true, boss over a flock of people, "spending it at Warrior One?"
"Why," drama shows on 21-year old cub's face, "can you get me a discount?" Then, the wheeler-dealer Sean could be, "Hey, can you get me in for maybe, free?"
Jared had warned him about this, any number of people, friend or stranger, wanting something for nothing. However, Sean's wrinkled up face made him smile, shake his head, his heart soften, "I'll see what I can do, but don't expect miracles, Sean."
Sean was expecting one... a miracle, because he didn't have a lot of resources to fall back on. He came to Fire Island looking to have a good time, with a bunch of his buddies from back home, Bound Brook, New Jersey. When they got into trouble, his buddies heeded the police's warning and took the next ferry home. Sean stayed. Proving his worth, Sean has turned over a new leaf, made friends with the cops, fucked a cop last winter for free room and board at the town lockup. Good things like that didn't last, the cop leaving town, but Sean has made other friends. It's not that he hasn't tried making a normal living, working at a trade for a wage, but calling sex his trade right now. With his job at Jay's Surf Shop, he hopes to fulfill a dream of advancing through the ranks, making a legitimate man of himself.
Approaching Ian Collins, Jay, on the sly, had traded off Winson for Sean, saying, "You can let us through, Ian. My brother is waiting for me."
Glancing at Sean, Ian tells him, "What happened to the other fellow who was pushing you?"
Like Jared had warned him, about being so casual in his words, Jay forgets, saying, "Why Ian? You lookin' to ask him out on a date?" he laughs.
Whether Jay meant it as a hint or not, Sean smiles, getting the `gay hint', saying, "Why Officer Collins, I didn't know we had so much in common?"
It had been mentioned, back at Korbeau's after the incident involving Jay and his brother, Ian wanting to stay in the closet, which is why his response is, "So much for keeping secrets, `Jay'?"
"Oops! I'm so sorry Ian. I forget you're not out!" Jay exclaims.
Sean, a man with a plan, says, "You must realize the reason Winson isn't escorting Jay in, but trust me, I won't share your little secret, if you let me in... I mean, `us'?"
Leaving the thumbs up or thumbs down to Jay, Ian turns to him, "Is this dude for real?"
Jay says, "He told you the truth. What more do you want, Ian?"
Getting personal, Sean's face wrinkles up, as he smartasses, "Yeah, Ian. What more do you want?" Sean wiggles his eyebrows!
"Let me think about it. I'm sure I come up with something," Ian gives his belt a tug, lifting his zipper area an inch or so!
Head swaying back and forth, Sean says, "I can get versatile for the right guy!"
Taking control of the situation, Jay says, "That's nice guys. If you're going to signal sex to each other, just get a room?" he begins propelling himself towards the front door.
When some tried to pass to the front of the line, the crowd booed them. Jay and Sean were careful, one holding the door, another clearing a path, both for Jay's safety and the safety of toes getting run over. Evan followed, Randy thanking them for their courteous manners.
Inside it was like a zoo, only the `zookeeper' keeping things under control. A person entering would come face to face with Melody, who directed them to either a program of fitness and exercise, or surf lessons. There were small streams of people at both tables, filling out info. If they arrived in a wheelchair, they were exempt from both lines, channeled right into the gym.
"Hey, Ev," Jay catches Evan's arm, "there's more like us!"
"Um," like Evan hadn't noticed, "there's men here," meaning guys ten or more years older.
Like the social butterfly he can be, Sean was already scoping out the extras in the room.
"I thought Sean came here to register?" Evan asks.
Jay says, "Who cares? What better way to get on the up and up, than through Sean!"
"I think you like him."
"Of course I do, but not in the way you're thinking it, Ev!"
"Nice to hear," Evan rubs both hands together, like he better get busy!
Interrupted by Jesse Spenser, "About time you two decided to make the scene," with a hand on each handle, he rolls them closer to almost full circle.
"Um," Jay replies, "we ran into people-traffic?"
"What people-traffic do you mean?" Jesse smirks at Jay.
A long time ago Jay wondered where he went wrong. Him and Jesse should be boyfriends!
However, the surfer and director of Warrior One didn't remain long enough, being called back out to the front of the facility.
"So much for stargazing!" Jay says to Evan.
"How so?" Evan says, "There's more than one star in the sky!"
"I know your code!"
Both Jay and Evan look up.
Jared stood tall above them, saying, "Remember, you're here for therapy, not to perform it!"
"Like, oh my god, Jare! That is so wrong. You know we can't get it up!"
Evan chimes in, "Likewise, moron!"
Bending down, Jared tells them, "Maybe you can't, but they can and if I know you two, you'll be trying to make every guy in the room hard!"
He didn't stick around, reporting to where the therapists and others gathered, including Randy Phillips.
"Isn't he dreamy?" Evan asks Jay.
"Not as dreamy as Little Tommy Tucker!" Jay laughs.
"Little? He's got to be at least 6'4?"
"So?" Jay tells his bud.
"He's too skinny for you. You like fat guys, remember?"
"Where did you get that from? I don't care about size, as long as he's hairy!"
Jay made a boo-boo, Evan quick to retaliate, "Size doesn't matter? You're stoopider than you look!"
"Shut up. I meant height and weight," though Jay did wonder what Tommy Tucker was packing.
Shame, Tommy's speedo was covered by the tail of his tank top!
Then they had to listen. Like at a kid's day camp, they went around the room and introduced themselves, telling as much or as little as they wanted.
After the dude in the paraplegic chair stated only his name, Justin Petter and that he was run down by a sicko motorist. For not adding anything else, Evan whispers to Jay, "That's it?"
As if Evan committed a cardinal sin, Jay responds, "Shut up. I think he's cute!"
Unfortunately, Jay wasn't too quiet about it, the `cute' word, everyone turning to stare at him!
Quick-witted, Jay points his thumb to Evan, "I was talking about my friend."
Whether it made sense or not, people accepted it. For some, it added to Jay's credentials, `gay', which also fingered Evan!
Ratio of personal trainers to clients came out almost equal, minus a needed extra. Sean Hardy had gotten his in. With nothing much else to do, except gloat over Jesse Spenser and some of the others, he sat on the sidelines. Jesse walking over to him, Sean glancing side to side, realizes no one else is sitting there on a weight bench but himself. If he didn't stand, Sean figures his face would be the same height as Jesse, which, even in a sexual situation, he would more be the dude getting sucked, stood, "What's up?" Force of habit, even though Sean's eyes were just parallel, he had to `look'!
"I'm down one trainer. What do you know about physical therapy?"
He had seen Jesse on the beach, running with his board to catch a wave, not oblivious to parts caught up in the ball bag of Jesse's speedo, but also from the rear, which led Sean to believe he could work some magic on some soul, "I can do several pushups?"
Taking Sean under the wing of his armpit, Jesse says, "How would you like to play trainer for the day?"
He came with Jay, assumed, "Sure. I know Jay wouldn't mind."
"Not exactly what I had in mind," Jesse leads Sean over to the most mild of cases, on crutches, "This is Greg Smith."
"Hey," Greg says, right leg in a cast, casually resting over his left foot.
Sean acknowledges, Jesse saying, "Greg was in a play at his school this past week and tripped over a prop backstage."
"Broken?" Sean asks, trying to be friendly.
"No, dah," Greg replies.
Overlooking the sarcasm, Sean says, "So much for doing pushups."
Jesse, with no nonsense attitude, says, "He'll do pushups. Ever hear of one-legged?" and walked away.
Greg says to Sean, "He's lying, right?"
Not a man to give up, Sean replies, "Did you ever try doing a one-legged pushup, Greg?"
Greg lies, having tried doing it last night in bed, "Unh-uh," signifying the negative.
A dream come true for Evan, he was in heaven when Randy was assigned to him.
"Well, looks like you're stuck with me," Randy tells him.
"Yeah," Evan says with reserve, "what a shame, huh?"
Evan's infectious smile made Randy smile.
Eyeing up the trainers, Carlos Goya had hoped for an older man, more his own age of 44-years and too was more than satisfied, paired up with Ed Larsen.
"Really good to make your acquaintance," Carlos extends a hand.
"Mutual," the 52-year old trainer replies.
Having never met before, neither was phased by the smile each gave the other, Carlos offering, "I have a feeling we are going to workout well together."
"Only time will tell," Ed replies.
Jesse, well knowing where this could be headed, leaves room for speculation, "So, you're okay with working with each other?"
Ed says, "If not, I'm sure we can come to terms."
One of the clients left, stating it's not how they envisioned physical therapy.
Former `pool technician', Patric Wentworth, was matched up with Drake Hadley, his teen partner, Drew Herrick being there on his first day. Jesse was pleased they looked as if they could get along.
Jesse's other concern was with another couple, Peter Brekker, 29, who broke his leg skiing and his partner, there for the day to meet and greet, Austin Taylor.
Peter was unable to stand, but his 28-year old lover stood for him, greeting Jesse, with Oz Nolan over his shoulder, "Peter, I think you will be happy training with Oz."
"No doubt!" Peter was quick to come out with.
Austin quenched the flame, "If Peter gets out of line, just smack him!"
Oz, getting the friendly message, says, "We're here to help and heal, not harm and disable!"
"I was only joking," Austin says.
"Me too!" Oz smiles.
"Well, okay," Jesse says, "have fun, but no too much!"
With the ladies', Jesse chose handsome-hunk, Tom Tucker, which right away, Tom set Jesse straight, he wasn't Tom', nor Thomas', but Tommy' and also, so the females didn't fall in love with him on first meeting, opens his hoodie, removes it, showing off his tee shirt, reading, `I like boys!'
Fortunately for Tommy, he didn't have to worry about the girls hitting on him. They didn't show up!
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Copyright 2014 T. Chase McPhee
`MAkiNG WaRRioRs', and developing segments of this story, may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.