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 ~ `beLLyhOLe ALeRt!' 03 WriTten by T. Chase McPhee
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With the morning not getting any younger, Jay realizing the time of day, "I can't believe we've been here for 2 hours!"
"Holy cow, has it been that long?" Tim asks.
Most of those 2 hours, they have been picking at their fish'n'chips, with intermittent gazing across the way. Twice, Jay mentions something about the dude on Yashir's right, either sticking a hand up his own shirt, scratching, then smoothing it down with both hands.
Tim, who was slowly loosening up to Jay's form of humor, says, "Maybe he's got fleas?"
All laughing, Jay jokes,"Yeah, right, probably crabs!"
"What does food have to do with it?" Tim asks.
"Oh man," Jay giggles, "you really are deprived. You don't know that a man can get something like lice from another man, which is called `crabs'?"
"I don't think I've ever come across it, um would never want to, by the sound of it!"
From what he's learned from Tim's history with guys, it could be possible he's never heard of it. Not which Jay has ever experienced, he's heard about guys contracting crabs, "Trust me, you wouldn't want it to be on your wish list. Guys who do and word gets around, they tend to get branded."
"Really? Like, how would that ever happen?"
"Even though crabs can be gotten rid of and a guy is made clean, if he picks up a reputation, he might as well leave town, because he's not going to find any action, if other guys thinks he might have the little, itchy devils!"
Since he hasn't been a regular in the gay dating scene, Tim levels, "Like I said, I haven't had many connections, so..."
"Yeah and that's gotta change," Jay laughs.
"But I like hanging with you and Nash."
Just as he says it, Sean walks into The Nook, Greg Smith hobbling along on his crutches, a third member of their party dragging behind.
"Hey," Tim confides in Jay, "that's the guy I found in the surfboard closet this morning!"
Dwelling for a short second on what has just transpired between them, Jay had a moment of retrospection, seeing Tim's emotions leap, which he said for more his friend's benefit, "Lucky you. Wish I could find a guy like that in my closet!"
"Oh my god, Sean's coming right for us!"
About the third guy with them, Jay asks, "Are you feeling anything under the table?"
"Huh?" Tim turns to Jay, questioning.
"Never mind."
"Tim, got a favor to ask of you," Sean gets right down to business, placing both hands on the table, bringing himself almost down to his level.
"What's up?" Tim asks, trying to keep his eyes on Sean and not the drifter he found this morning.
"I took Tom down to the police station and..."
"You had him arrested? What for?" Tim switches from Sean to the third man in the row.
"Will you chill and listen to what I have to say? I spoke with Ian Collins. He says a drifter is only out for finding a place to lay his head. Happens all the time, Ian claims."
Jay had to throw his 2 cents in, "Like, it's not that I haven't heard of it."
Tim's neck was getting a lot of motion, paying mind to Jay, swishing back to Sean, catching the drifter in the middle, "What did the police have to say?"
"Ian said, if there was no break in and nothing stolen, chances are that was the case and all it takes is some kindness and understanding."
While Sean and Tim did business, Jay was looking upon the drifter. He and Jared kind of knew Sean pretty well, enough to know he probably handled the situation of good judgement and sincerity, feeling sorry for such a hot guy, on his way from somewhere to nowhere.
Rather than focus on his own true feelings, Sean relies on, "Ian says Tom has no crime record and if I can come up with a place for him to stay, it would be the best thing for us to do, until Ian can figure something out."
In discussion, Sean, whom could be a very persuasive, direct guy, asks, "So, do you think it would be okay if Tom stays with you at Nash's place?"
A long sigh of relief, he looks past the drifter, gets himself off the hook, "Here comes Nash now. Why don't you ask him yourself?"
Jay puts his lips closest to Tim's ear he can, "About Tom, you really know how to pick'em!"
Truthfully, Tim says, "I didn't really pick Tom. I was just doing my job and he was `there!'"
"Oh right. I didn't think of that," Jay says. "Um, what do you think about Tom staying with us?
Now, watching the three at the door, Greg saying he had to go take a leak, Tim and Jay follow as best they can, talking like 2 sportscasters, each tossing in comment of how they think it's going to wind up.
Jay observes, "If you ask me, Tom looks like he's scared shit."
"You don't think that happens," Tim turns to his own experiences, "to a gay guy who has to leave his family and almost all his possessions to run away from an ugly past?"
Feeling remorse for a light-hearted stab at how it could be, Jay says, "You know, you should study to become a philosopher," he glances over to Yashir and the dude who liked playing his furry self, "or even a writer. I bet Yashir could give you some writing tips?"
Tearing himself away from Sean and the others at the door, Tim again looks over to the trio at the table, "There he goes again."
"I know," Jay says of the dude on Yashir's left, leaning back, curving spine backwards, stretching arms overhead and then planing hands down his shirted bod.
Bold reprisal, upon stealing the moment, "There's got to be something to that," Tim again projects his philosophical side.
"Maybe you should go over there and mention something to him?" Jay giggles.
"I'm not going up to a stranger and ask why he likes...handling himself!"
Jay laughs his ass off, but then settles down, "Unless we have another reason?"
From seeing the empty space to his left, Jay whizzing around behind him, which Tim didn't think any room between his ass and the wall, "Where are you going, Jay?"
Though, Tim could very well guess, banked on the nature of their little chat and the table he was rolling over to. Instead of following, he froze in place, knowing what was on Jay's mind.
"Hey, how's it going, Yashir?"
Though, Tim had other means of approach on his mind, grabs Jay by the wheelchair handles, holding him back, says over the chair, "Excuse us!"
Whirling Jay right around, rolling him back to the table they had sat at, before Jay took off, "Um, like what's this about?"
Instead of sitting, waiting for a waiter, Sean had taken Tom over to the counter and ordered up some fish'n'chips and a drink, Nash with them.
"It's been ages since I've had a chocolate malt," Tom says, ordering the same beverage as Sean.
Sean, guessing, as happens with drifters, says, like talking to Nash, "I bet it's been a long time before he's had a proper meal, let alone a place to sleep?"
All along Tom's been getting two impressions. First, Sean trying to panhandle him off to Nash. Second, in the opposite direction, Tom feels like he's been wearing Sean's `eyes' ever since he was found to be hiding in the surfboard storage room. But then, if he showed an interest, why was he panhandling him off on Nash? With his journeying, one thing Tom has learned, some things happen, without showing the why's and what-for's right off. Reasons could come later and may never. Whatever, he took the moment for what it was worth.
Thankful for the meal, Tom says, "Thanks for buying it for me. Um, mind if I ask something?"
Taking a short drag off his straw, Sean says, "Sure. What's up?"
"I might be sounding a little like I'm trying to come onto you, but how come I have to stay with another dude and not you?"
Sipping again, it left Sean sucking on his straw, buying himself time to think. Having thought about the same thing, on taking any guy home, a rule Sean made up, has been to get himself situated, with a job, nice place to crash and other amenities brought on by living the single man's life.
When Sean didn't immediately answer, still sucking, Tom jumps in with, "Sorry. I know I was being too nervy. Forget I mentioned it!"
Entering a new phase of his life, being awarded the position of Jared's right hand man, though not being tagged with an official name to the job, Sean quickly decides, how far up the totem pole does he have to go, before hooking up with a guy?
Last tug on the straw, Sean opens up, "You're a genius, man! I don't know why I didn't think of that myself!"
Tom's dejected look turned to smiling, "Really? You think I'm a genius?"
Not really knowing anything of Tom, other than he was intelligent, a nice person, cute, packin'... "I think you have potential."
"Does that mean you're giving me a job?"
Upon offering a place to stay, Sean hadn't looked beyond that segment of his life. Giving Tom room and board, it might be nice to share the weight of the other things on his mind, which comes with sharing half the bed, "I think we can work something out."
Originally, Tim's mind had been on Tom, but slowly Jay has been dragging attention away from the 18-year old drifter, "No and that's final, Jay. I'm not going over and forcing myself on a guy who I don't even know if he's gay!"
To satisfy both claims, Jay thinking he is gay, Tim with his suspicions, of the dude being straight, they watch as the guy next to the shirt-smoothing dude, sways to his left, placing a kiss on the dude's cheek!
"Well, that settles that!" Jay says. "Now, Timothy Baer, will you go over there and throw yourself at him?"
Biting a lip, deliberately pondering doing just that, Tim didn't even hear Jay calling him by his father's given name. Particularly, the surname, passed on to him, he really hated, in secret wanting to change it, once and for all, severing more than thoughts and emotions with the homophobic monster!
Jay tries to help make up Tim's mind for him, "He who hesitates is lost?"
He nods his head a few times, edging Tim on, to `go over there.'
"Well, maybe," Tim is unsure.
"Then again," Jay, feeling strongly about the union, "maybe I should go over there, introduce myself and bring him back over here..."
Without rising up from the table, Tim grabs at one of the handles of Jay's chair in motion, "No, hold it. I can do it."
It was a ploy, on Jay's part, to get Tim's ass off the chair, which worked, at least his wheelchair dragging Tim off the seat of his pants!
"Yeah, `do it', man!"
"Okay," Tim says decisively, leaving a quiver in his voice.
Approaching the table, Tim raises his right hand, as if he was going to be sworn in, "Hi!"
To his amazement, he gets the same response from the shirt-smoother, "Hi!"
Tim's hand remained in an L-shape, the shirt-dude a quick swish and it was back in his lap.
Good thing Tim brought Jay along, him asking, "Okay if we sit with you?"
Meanwhile, Sean and Tom return to the table, to find it all to themselves.
Greg took quite some time, having to take a crap. He would have kicked himself, if he could, having picked the narrower stall. Not all to his disadvantage, being centered, it was easier to look between the crack in the door. Dudes in and out of the mens room, it could get amusing. Reflecting through the mirror, dead ahead from his vantage point, it was cool to watch a guy admire a chiseled 6-pack. Greg smile, watching the dude lift his tee, glimpsing at the trail running over his bellyhole, strong suggestion to where the path might lead!
It was right about this time Sean's eyes scan The Nook, in search of the other guy who walked in with them, remarking, "I don't see Greg?"
"He went to the mens room, remember?"
"I hope he's all right. He's been gone a long time."
It's then Tom opens up, shares a little information which has occurred along life's journey, "When I was in high school, one of my favorite pastimes was sitting in the boys room, pretending to take a crap?"
A mild smile gave Sean hint to Greg's stagnancy!
Knowing what a dude, lingering on the pot for a long time, could make him grab up his shaft, Sean says of it, "You think that's why Greg hasn't come back yet?"
Another smile, signifying `yes', Tom replies, "Do you think we should go disturb him?"
"Greg?" Sean exclaims, "Nah. He's a big boy!"
Having impressions, watching Sean and Greg interact, before setting foot in The Nook, Tom says, "Aren't you two boyfriends, or something more?"
"Um, we're something all right. Friends, boys," Sean smiles, "no, we're not all that serious. Why?" he thinks there might be an interest there.
"No reason," Tom let's it be, eating the food they brought back to the table.
Meanwhile, all has gone well at the other table, Jay rolling up to the table, having worked his way in, at Yashir's left, which made the only other available parking space, between his brother's friend and the shirt-smoother.
His identity wasn't to remain a mystery long, Jay asking, "So, are you going to introduce us to your friends?"
They weren't really his friends, yet Yashir felt pressured, "Guys, these are..."
Names on the tip of his tongue, Yashir is interrupted by the shirt-smoother's cell.
"Sorry, I've got to take this."
Yashir's eyes bugged-out, Jay wasn't afraid to say, "Rude!"
The other dude, shirt-smoother's friend, speaks out, "Yeah, he can get like that!"
Strangely, all Yashir could do is laugh, when the shirt-smoothing dude tags his friend, "We've got to go!"
Before disappearing in a rush, they both issue a nice to meet ya' and see you around!'
"Like, what was that about?" Jay asks, watching the two run out of The Nook, like it was on fire.
"I can't begin to guess," Yashir replies.
Though, Yashir made a footnote of it, writing bits and pieces down, in case the simple scene of about to find out who they were, getting up and running off without saying, if it should happen to become a fact in the novel he was writing.
Unimportant, the two, outside The Nook, strip off their shirts, Tim thinking, "Maybe it was too hot in here for them!"
Jay compliments, "Yeah and it was right after you sat down!"
Tim blushes, "We both did at the same time?"
"Uh, I was already sitting down?" Jay draws attention, by rolling in and out a millimeter at a time.
"You know what I mean!"
"Well," Yashir says, "I'd like to sit here and chisel away the day, but I have things to do and places to go."
Bidding farewell, Tim and Jay sat there a moment, Jay saying, "We might as well..."
Spinning around, to head back to their table, finding it `confiscated', Tim replies, "I don't think so!"
With a nasty attitude, Jay says, "Go get our fries!"
Watching, Tim goes over and meekly excuse himself, rescuing the two boats of fries. Jay also notices, looking across the way, sees Sean and Tom, holding hands over the table top.
"Something's wrong there," Tim says, placing Jay's fries in front of him.
"Why? What's up?"
I probably could have stole Sean's phone, along with the fries and he wouldn't have know the difference."
Still staring, at the hands, eyes glued to each other, Jay relates, "I know that look. They're in love," he cackles!
Tim observes, an inner, hidden desire, "I hope someday that happens to me."
Rather than dwell on the two hand-holders and cold fries, Jay says, "I guess we'll just go to therapy early," he backs out, heads towards the door.
Outdoors, Tim asks, "I think I have an idea to why those dudes took their shirts off."
"Oh? Why?"
"Well, when the one guy lifted his shirt, I for one, thought he looked real hot!"
Slapping Tim on the thigh, Jay says, "You think I'm an old prude?" he laughs.
"Not really, but really, I don't think anything sexy would shock you."
Seeing Tim come out of his shell, Jay says of it, "Either you've got to stop hanging with me, or you've got to start hanging with me more!"
"Huh?" Tim crinkles up his face, staring back at Jay.
Subliminal hint, from Tim's idea, the two take their shirts off.
Jay is in heaven, looking upon the faint fibers of Tim's chest, blondish, thin trail down the middle and because of the sitting position, ended the view at Tim's waist.
Tim suddenly calls out, "Watch where you're going, Jay!"
Just in time, Tim yanks the right arm of Jay's chair, pulling him out of harms way.
"Sorry!" Jay utters, at the dude whom he almost ran over, be it the scared dude jumped in the opposite direction of Tim's rescue.
Jay was kind of sorry that happened, Tim deciding it way better to walk behind, than next to him. Though, there was plenty of bellyhole-eye candy right in front of him. Being a pedestrian walkway and not a street, he didn't have to look `across-to-the-other-side' to view stripped dudes or cut-off tees. Only problem, The Nook wasn't far enough from Warrior One to satiate Jay's appetite for boy-watching!
"You're late!" was the response of Jay's trainer, waiting at the door.
"We are?" Jay replies, even though he knew they took too long at The Nook.
"Never mind," Peter says, taking the responsibility of Jay's mobility from out of Tim's hands.
Rolling him into the gym, Peter heads to the parallel bars, Jay saying, "What the heck am I supposed to do with that?"
"You'll see. Patience, patience," Peter replies, wheeling Jay around, facing one of the open ends. "Ok, now, reach up and grab the bars."
"You're kidding?"
Peter says, with some humor attached, "If you don't, you're a wimp!"
"What makes you say that?"
Unknown to Jay, Peter had a chat with Jared.
Hanging out last night, Peter revisited his nasty habit of biting fingernails, after breaking up with his good friend, Austin.
In an attempt to sidetrack his emotions, he gave Jared a call, mind on business, rather than pleasures of the heart and other place! Trying to gather any information, physical or psychological, which would broaden his therapy with Jay, he hadn't realized, gabbed with Jared for over 2 hours.
A result of the informative conversation, Peter says, "I notice how it seems like you have one and only one main interest on your mind."
Jay returns, "I'm here at the gym, working with you. I want to get better. But Peter, how am I supposed to reach two wooden bars, which are like, a mile and half away from me? Get real."
Folding arms across the middle, Peter wasn't ready to answer Jay's motivational question, "Whether you realize it or not, probably not, I had to call your attention back to what we were doing, not less than 3 or 4 times?"
He wanted to roll back, turn and face Peter, while speaking up to him, realizing the brake was thrown.
Seeing it, Peter takes the initiative, ducking under the parallel bar, his waist-height, coming up in between and resting both forearms, "Well? Got something to say for yourself?"
He did, but right now Jay's attention was drawn to the gap between Peter's gym shorts and tank top, stretched by the position he put himself in, showing a deep navel, covered over by a wide swath trail of hair, "Um?" he looked up, down, then up again.
"Exactly my point," Peter says.
Jay knew very well what his mind was up to, responding in an accusing manner, "You set me up!"
He didn't do it on purpose, it just happened, his tank riding up his stomach, but withdrew one forearm to pull it down, cover up, "Whatever you wish to call them, dudes', guys', men...I can understand, not being able to keep your attention on what you're doing. Being a gay man, I understand."
"Understand what?" Jay became the pouty one.
"Men?"
"What about them?" Jay very well knew what!
"I'm no different, but when I'm at work, I keep my mind on my work. Just supposin' I were to glance away for a second, while you're straddling the parallel bars and one of your arms go limp?"
Thinking he had it one-up on Peter, first time even looking at the parallel bars, except the trainer who was showing off yesterday, doing a hand stand, his tank top flopping down his bod until it covered his face, revealing a handsome spectacle, "I haven't worked the parallel bars yet, dah!"
Nothing much went by Peter yesterday, using it to his advantage, "By the way you were studying Oz yesterday, I would think you know the drill forwards and backwards?"
"Like, what does that have to do with me? In case you haven't notice, Peter, it would be ludicrous for me to even try a stunt like turning myself upside down?"
"No, but Oz did demonstrate how to walk a pair of arms from one end to the other?"
Knowing he was guilty, Jay evades it all together, "Still, I can't do what Oz did, turning himself upside down, crazy."
"I'm going to say this once and you can heed my words, or... or maybe you need a trainer who will do what want, instead of things to make you better. The whole gist of what I'm saying though, if you want to get over some of this," lost for the word, "shit-baggage, you've got to start focusing on your self and not every other man in the gym, who happens to be showing some furry flesh!"
Normally, not which Jay's life could be stated as such, he would often defend his inadequacies with a joke. This time, he resorts to blame, himself, "Am I that bad a person?"
Feet on the floor, Peter inches his way on the bars, sliding forearms, till he reaches Jay's knees, "No one thinks you're a bad person."
Jay just moped.
"Look at me," Peter said, not in a domination motive, to grab Jay's attention.
Looking up, Jay mumbles, "What?"
After speaking with Jared, finding out one of Jay's little quirks, Peter says, "If I pull my shirt up and show you my furry front, will it make you feel better?" his hand is on the tail.
"No."
"I spoke with your brother."
"Oh, that says a lot. When?"
Yesterday and today seeming like the same day, after having it out with his almost-boyfriend, Austin, only to have the whole friendship go kaput, Peter says, "Yesterday, today, I forget, but we had a lengthy discussion about...where your mind is at and..."
"I know where my mind is at. You don't have to lecture me," Jay says in a pouty manner.
"You know I am here to help you?"
"You're getting paid for it," Jay says, coldly.
"Yes, a salary is a draw, but a person in my job or any of the other therapists working here, you have to love the job."
In a turn of attitude, Jay says, "Putting up with people like me, you love the job?"
"I knew what I was in for, before I took the job. I came in and looked around before anyone knew my name. I saw how clients worked with their trainers. Some were in the same shoes as you, with `no can do' attitudes, but you know what?"
"What?" Jay still wasn't convinced.
"By the time I was ready to apply for the position, I saw, when following through with the trainers objectives, the clients were succeeding and you know why that was?"
"They tried harder?" Jay looks up.
"Yes and they paid attention to what they were doing," Peter hitting the nail right on the head, "and not allowing their minds to wander, just because some cute guy walks in the gym!"
At this point, Jay, who was already staring Peter in the eyes, squinted them, as if to say, `Who are you talking about? Not me,' answers, "So?"
"What I'm saying is, I'm here for more than the `big bucks' I'm being paid. My success is your success."
Being a wiseass, not intended, Jay answers, "My failure is your failure?"
"Matter of speaking, but I'm hoping it's not going to come to that. So, in order for that to happen, one of us has to change our attitude."
For certain, Peter knew it wasn't going to be him. Even if Jay choses not to change his attitude, he would work with it, even to the point of making him change!
He felt a sign of relief, hearing Jay saying, "Okay, what do I have to do?"
Recalling jumping out of his wheelchair, into the sea of foam blocks, Peter return to his upbeat self, "Like those foam blocks, there wasn't any fear, except maybe leaving your chair without it rolling away, right?"
"I think," Jay wasn't sure of Peter's perspective, only that it was fun to fall forward and not have worries about crashing, much like cast off a surfboard.
"Well, why don't we pace ourselves this morning and take some more dives?"
Part of Peter's strategy was not to dwell on Jay's infatuation for every man who set foot in the gym, but to get him busy and into the therapy. Knowing Jay liked the `foam-diving', he steered him in that direction, "Here we go. You know the rest of the drill, I believe?"
"Uh, could you give me a refresher course?"
"No."
"What?" Jay looks up at Peter, in terror!
"Recall, Jay, recall. That's what it's all about. Things we did yesterday, we do today and tomorrow. Each day we add and build and soon," he was ready to say Jay would be walking out of here, but didn't want to make a promise he couldn't keep, "you will be crawling all over this place," a good enough substitute!
After a few dives, they returned to the bars, Jay putting hands on the sides of his chair. He took a stab at jumping up.
"Oh shit!" he gasps, the chair hustling out from under him.
"Brake?" Peter catches him under the pits.
"Oh yeah," Jay says, "I forgot," he immediately thinks how nice it would have been to do a face-plant into Peter's chest!
After braking, Jay again leans forward.
Sensing something, Peter comes around the side, "Promise me, while biting your lip, when you jump in, you won't bite it off?"
"Oh, right," Jay says.
"Same with tongue between teeth, though I can't see if it's there?" he smiles.
"It's not," Jay says, working himself to the edge of the chair.
Not leaving him completely to his own thinking, Peter coaches, "Remember, it's all in the hands pushing off the chair."
Instead of insisting he knew, Jay says, "Okay."
He tried, failed, because he forgot one little detail, letting go of the chair!
"Ready to try again?" Peter wasn't backing down.
"Okay," Jay said, with heightened breathing.
In doing so, he almost made it out of the chair, "I'm not going to make it."
"Let go," Peter instructs.
It showed Jay's trust, hands detaching and propelled by Peter's hand to his shoulder blades, Jay, like being cast into the sea of foam bricks, reaches for the handles.
"Failed again," Jay moped, though all was not lost. Having accidentally grabbed at Peter's tank, "Sorry I tore your shirt."
Peter was going to say some snappy, sexy remark, but caught himself. Because of his lecturing, he changed it to, "It comes with the job. I can get another free." Before Jay can get a word in, "Go again, shall we?" he walks around the back of the chair.
This time, Jay did touch the bars, but his hands slipped off, "Another fail!"
Like lightning, Peter had run around the front, narrowly missing a head-clunking with one of the bars. "Grabbing the bars, even for only a few seconds is progress!"
Being able to `recall', that he could turn over like a turtle, onto his back, Jay says, "But you helped?"
"I know, but if it wasn't for you pushing off, I would have had to let you fall back into the chair." Meant to heighten Jay's self-esteem, "I'd say we make a pretty good team?!"
It could've gone either way, Jay's sassy, sarcastic rhetoric, Peter glad to hear him say, "Can we try it again?"
"Sure," Peter didn't let up, "soon as you climb back into your chair!"
Matter of trust developed, Jay says, "Okay, but don't help me."
"I won't...unless you really need it. I'll leave that up to the asking this time."
Still rusty at getting back in, he did need Peter's help, but like propelling himself into the black and gray foam props and returning to his chair, it was easier for Jay, each successive time he launched off the chair for the bars.
Third time, placing his butt back in the chair, Jay says, "Whew! Much easier getting out, than getting in."
"You'll get it. All it takes is practice."
In saying so, Peter transports Jay around the room, for a break, then back to square one.
"Oh, we have to do this again?" he faces the parallel bars.
"This and the rings and if I haven't worn you out too much, we'll try the rock-climbing wall?"
"Maybe," is all Jay said.
"Maybe is better than giving up. I'll take it!"
Jay couldn't believe, and he did take responsibility for it, being downcast, for the attitude he was giving, it didn't seem to phase Peter. In a way, it made him feel a little more upbeat himself.
"Ready to make the jump?" Peter asks, assuming the same position inside the bars, but more alert.
"I guess."
"You guess? I'd like to hear something a little more promising?"
"Okay, I'm ready."
It wasn't the words he wanted to hear, but this was only the second day of a long string of days they would be working together this summer.
%
At home, Homer was very busy at work. In the past month, he had slowly found less to do, having gotten the house ready for the summer months, along with any repairs needed.
With having found his way over to Westside Market, his dulling lifestyle suddenly picked up the pace, a list of things handed him to spruce up the market. Too, with Thor now in his care, he thought it would be nice if the dog had his own place to call home.
"Oh, isn't that sweet?" Jared says, coming out onto the deck, out by Homer's cottage.
"Yeah, well," Homer wipes paint off his hands, "I thought Thor might appreciate his own pad to call home!"
"Will you look at that?" Jared squats down, "Even has his name above the door. Good job on printing."
"Yeah, I'm pretty good with my hands, you know?"
He knew Homer's reference, thrown at him for his benefit. Squatting down, gave Jared a birds-eye view of Homer's crotch, but here for a different purpose, "I wanted to give you this," he whips a check out of his shirt pocket, "for all your work on those new shelves you and Terry have arranged installing at the market."
"I hope you don't mind. I told Terry they needed replacement, that at any time they could break and might even injure one of your customers?"
"I appreciate that, Homer, but also like some of the ideas you have to improve upon the place," Jared says.
"My opinion?"
"I had gotten an idea from Terry."
"What I hadn't said to Terry, in so many words, the whole inside of the market should be replaced. It's so antiquated, you know. Whomever the former owner is, he got along with what he had, but should have paid more attention to the cosmetic look, instead of filling his bank account."
Jared cemented his opinion, upon hearing it from another, but kept it to himself. Instead of saying he thought the same, "As I say, I think you could be a big benefit to the market. I'd like you to get with my architect and see if you can draw up some plans and how much a remodel would cost."
"Really?" Homer was elated.
"By the way, I hope Thor isn't in his doggie house?"
"No, no. I thought of that, him getting paint all over himself. No, I left him in the bathroom."
"Uh-oh. I don't suppose you know how Thor likes to play with toilet paper?"
Acting cool, Homer says, "That's okay. I've got a whole package in the hall closet!"
"Well, I have things all wrapped up for the day, if you want to get together with the architect and get the ball rolling?" Jared suggests.
"Sure. We can meet here, if you like?"
"Should I suggest bringing his swimsuit?"
"And an overnight bag?" Homer does strongly suggest!
"I'll give him a call a little later."
"Why not now?" Homer gives Jared a wink.
"All righty then, let me get on the phone and see what I can arrange. Um, I suggest checking on Thor?"
"He's your dog, right?" Asking, because Joseph had dropped Thor off.
"Rightfully, Jay is. Why?"
"Somebody's gotta pay for the damages!"
"Jay's the one you want to see," Jared says, going about his business.
"Jay?" Homer questioned, thinking of `that scallywag!'
%
Right about now, that scallawag was finishing up the best day he put in, so far, at Warrior One.
Peter was grateful all those words of wisdom thrown into Jay's workout had paid off...
For both of them!
"Wow, will you look at me?" Jay says, pulling the saturated Warrior One tee shirt away from his chest, it stuck like glue ready to set.
"See what happens when your mind sticks to what you're working on and..."
"I know," Jay says, realizing he hadn't really been pulling his weight.
Though, Jay wondered if it wasn't all him, but the person in charge?
"Makes a broad difference." Glancing at his watch, clock on the wall not working.
Purposely out of commission, Oz Nolan had complained yesterday, observing several clients peeking at the time frequently during their workouts, which seemed to slow down the process, instead of a straight-through.
"I have to admit," Jay replies, a little staggered in his breathing, "I, um," gulp of air, "thought I pushed myself harder."
"I have to agree. Why do you think that was?"
"Because if I didn't, you'd be lecturing me again?" he looks up at Peter.
"Frankly," Peter sits down on the mat, changing up the view, "if things didn't go well today, I was going to talk to Sean about switching trainers."
"You can't do that!" Jay felt threatened, at least his heartbeats telling him so.
"Not now I'm not. Now that you've proven to me you can pull your weight. This is not only for today. You have to prove to me you're up for a thorough workout every day of the week?"
For a change, Jay looked down upon Peter, "I'll do anything to..."
Dropping his head, Peter says, "Look at me. What's on your mind, Jay?"
"I don't think I should say it."
"I'm a big boy. I can take it!" he exclaims, smiling.
He didn't want to make it sound like he was falling in love with Peter, for various reasons, Jay calmly saying, "I dig the way you're working with me and I think you're really trying hard to help me. When someone does something like that, how can I not try to do my best?"
"I hope you're sincere, for your own sake. After all, we're here for `your' benefit!"
"Okay. That's cool," was all the follow up Jay could think of.
"Now," Peter pushes a hand to the mat, lifting him to his feet, "how about that rock climbing I promised you?"
"Really?" Jay said with fatigue in his voice.
"No. I can see you've probably worked enough for today. Maybe tomorrow," Peter replies.
Wanting to impress Peter with his sincerity, Jay says, "Okay, I'll do some climbing."
"I know you want to follow through, but there's such a thing as knowing when to quit, ahead of yourself."
"Yeah," Jay realizes it, "I wouldn't want to fall on your head!"
Knowing Jay was clowning around now, Peter says, "Y'know, that might just hurt you, more than me!"
"Owch! I didn't think of it that way." Though, Jay knew there was next to no feeling down there!
"Ready to hit the showers?"
Jay giggled, "I never got sweaty enough to take a shower!"
Softly, like he tried keeping a secret, Peter says, "I don't think they have handicapped showers."
"I don't have one at home, at Nash's home, where I'm living for now. We do it the old-fashioned way. Can you help?"
"That's what I'm here for!"
`What a difference', Jay thought, from the beginning of his PT session, and now, the lift in Peter's voice, back to the carefree way he carried himself, when they first met.
Taking hold of Jay, he wheels him through the gym, making roadster sounds, squeal-of-the-tires on the turns, until they come to the locker room door.
"Excuse us, please?"
Pinto & Sons still were there, remodeling the locker room, or at least one of the workers, JZ, finishing up.
"Let me get that out of your way," the 23-year old lifts one of the benches, probably as heavy as a weight bench, shifting it out the way.
"Thanks JZ!" Jay says.
"I don't think we've met before," JZ says, wiping his right hand on his work pants, a sign he was about to shake hands.
"I know," Jay tells him, "I heard someone say your name."
"I'm John-Zachary," his usual way of introducing himself, as he let people know his preference, "but you can call me JZ."
"Hi," Jay says, shaking hands.
"I'm Peter Brekker," Peter was all smiles, "Jay's trainer. We're on our way to the showers. Get the stink off us!"
"Are you kidding?" JZ jokes, "You know how hot it is to work in the locker rooms all day long?"
He didn't really need to mention it, Peter already seeing sweat spots on JZ's tee shirt, pits and mid-chest, "I can imagine."
Jay intercedes, "How much work you got left to do, JZ?"
"Have to screw down the bench I moved and, in moving the lockers in and out, a couple of them got jammed. If I can't get them to work, Pinto will have to replace them, which I know he's okay with. He's a real decent guy."
It was so obvious, even Jay could tell it was a pitch, Peter saying, "I suppose he had to run home, Mrs. Pinto having the dinner on the table?"
He saw Jay first, cover his mouth, silently laughing, which was a clue, "Um, Pinto, he's not married." Knowing a coverup too, when he sees it, JZ says, "Shame, a good looking man like him not taken, huh?"
Jay got to thinking, right this minute, it was good he buckled up and got busy putting his mind to the training, taking Peter's mind off his breakup with his boyfriend, which was more of a friend than a love interest, yet the complaints got less as the day wore on. Sometimes, as Peter pointed out, Jay too threw his valued words in, something about Peter `moving on.'
"Yeah," Peter agrees. Then, realizing he was assuming Pinto gay, "I mean..."
Off the hook, before anyone could incriminate him, JZ says, "If you want, I can give you his cell number. You can give him a call? He's probably still putting gear away in the garage."
To Peter's left, behind his back, Jay gives JZ the thumbs up!
Peter just happened to turn around, the look on his face questioning.
"Oh," Jay is snagged, "I was trying to be courteous and not interrupt, but," thumb still up, "I think a ceiling tile is loose?"
Jumping up on a bench, unfortunately the one not attached to the ceiling, JZ falls before he can look, "Wh-ooa-shit!"
Two seconds later, cradled in Peter's arms, he says, "Thanks for saving my life!"
Peter couldn't deny the sweat was turning him on, coupled with the feel of JZ's bod in his arms, "No problem," he sets him down, feet first.
Jay says, "Are you sure you don't need any therapy, JZ?"
"Oh, stop it!" Peter says.
About ready to carry on with business, Tim comes in, saying, "Hate to interrupt, but Sean has just called an emergency meeting with all staff."
Peter exclaims, "Emergency?" like the place is on fire!
"Sean's definition of `emergency', means it's not a scheduled meeting. Trust me, I asked him the same thing!"
Along with that, Tim says, `all staff', means him also.
"Oh great," Jay was not great on the idea, "now I have to go home feeling all sweaty and gritty."
"You're not going to wait for me?" Tim given the job to escort Jay.
"I thought..." he treads lightly on his words, this a first time thing, "I would try doing the route alone. It's not like I haven't done it a million times already. Besides, there's places along the way I could stop?"
Having mounted the screwed down bench, checked the nonexistent problem with the ceiling tiles, JZ says, "I'm almost finished up here and wouldn't mind helping Jay out?"
To make haste decisions, one of the other trainers, PJ, sticks his head in the doorway, "Hey guys, message from the boss, meeting now, or heads roll?"
Sean was getting the reputation of being a no-nonsense guy, but that was not a bad thing. It kept things rolling, everyone keeping to a schedule and the place in good condition. The meeting was important to him, telling the staff about Jared appointing him to, Sean making the title up himself, `Regional Manager', Jared's liaison between Warrior One, The Nook, Jay's Surf Shop and Westside Marketplace.
Since changing hands, Jay's Surf Shop had been plagued with employee problems. A week into opening, Jared realized Jay had no interest in running a business. His trusted friend, Winson, had been caught stealing. Nothing wrong with them, Jay thought it was cool to allow Johnny Lis and Dave Frish off from work to attend one of Cayman Karlyle's parties. Johnny decided to pursue a career in modeling, Dave claiming he `wasn't chiseled enough'! Thus, Dave returned.
Fortunately, they had over-hired for surf instructors at Warrior One and when all had settled down, into the program, there were 3 less-senior instructors to choose from. Jared was happy when one decided to jump ship at Warrior One, saying he would be glad to have a change of scenery, Giannis Xanthopoulos. With Gail Grant leaving the surf shop, it freed up the assistant manager position.
Now, with Jojo Manu brought over to Warrior One, it still leaves things in a balance, having brought some temporary employees from the marine business in, earlier in the turmoil.
Thus, everything was straightened out, but showing Sean how things could go whacky and what he was up against, playing the Evan's roulette wheel!
Right now though, JZ had finished screwing down the second bench, letting the jammed lockers go until tomorrow.
"You're going to have to tell me what to do, because I've never been around a cripple before."
If he didn't know JZ, Jay might have lashed out, instead of kindly putting it, "They don't call us that anymore. It's old-school. Now we're known as handicapped."
"Oh really? I'm so sorry," JZ seemed honest!
"It's okay," Jay replies, joking, "Next time I'll have to report you to Sean!"
"Thanks, but from the sound of it, I'm glad I'm working for Pinto."
In saying so, it threw them both back to a few minutes ago, "I think we had Peter going, huh?"
"I dunno," JZ says, "I think Peter had `me' going!"
"For real? You like older dudes?" Jay says.
"I think he's hot," which shared JZ's personal feelings about the matter, "but I think Peter had more of an interest in Pinto, than me."
"Seemed so," Jay replies. "Okay, well, the way it goes is, obviously, I have to shed these clothes, but can't do it by myself. The real challenge will be, stripping me without getting a hard on?"
For a second there, JZ thought Jay serious, from lack of knowledge of being around a handicapped person, then, "Oh, you're pulling my chain?"
Oh, it's not that Jay didn't think about it, maybe when they both get in the shower!
"I can help myself a little, but...I'm glad you're gay, because helping a handicapped person can be equated with a fierce contact sport!"
Jay laughs, it catching on with JZ.
"Where do we start?"
"Right here," Jay intended on stripping his Warrior One shirt, but really sweated up, "um, this is where you come in, hint?"
It wasn't working too well, standing behind Jay, JZ coming around front, reaching behind.
Pitting the back of his head against JZ's chest, Jay says, "Oh man, I thought I reeked!"
Ripping the shirt off overhead, holding it, JZ says, "I hope I didn't make you wanna barf!"
"Almost," Jay fake-coughed!
He then helped Jay with his sneakers and socks, more comments about `stink' keeping them laughing!
"Now," JZ looks down at Jay, "do I do the pants or do you handle your own...junk?"
Even though he knew he was a royal pest to his brother, months later wanting to award sainthood to him. Now, having gone through much, learning from it, especially how Peter spoke to him today, Jay could not get upset that he couldn't do for himself...
"Uh, I can try to assist you," he firmly clutches the sides of his chair, "but there's no guarantee I won't slip?"
Seeing the gist of it, Jay doing a `pushup' with his arms, flexing them as a muscle-builder, JZ is shocked into, "Oh, this is where I come in, huh?"
Instead of waiting an answer, JZ goes for the drawstring area of Jay's sweatpants.
One cardinal rule, Jay again has forgotten to throw on the brake!
"Who-oa-shit!" JZ yells out, Jay falling, full throttle forward, the chair headed in the opposite direction.
"Just go with it!" Jay has enough sense to understand the problem in the making.
"I think I heard a rib crack," JZ says, Jay lying on top of him.
"Probably not," like this hasn't happened before? "You're probably shaken up, if anything, JZ. Just breathe."
Breathing, Jay's dead weight didn't provide any assistance, JZ saying, "Like, how do I get you off me?"
"Um, whether it's a turn on for you or not, you're going to have to hug me, roll me over on the floor and then detach?" Jay hoped JZ could follow simple instructions.
More so, as they hugged, began to roll, JZ cupped his hand under Jay's head and for a moment there, their noses smooshed together!
"Sorry," JZ says, "I hope you didn't think I was... you know?" he sat up on his knees, caging Jay's legs in.
"Hmm," Jay tease, "I was getting the impression..." he left the rest for JZ's imagination!
"No way. Really. I wasn't. I swear on my mother's grave!"
"My mom's dead too," Jay, for whatever reason, reveals.
"Oh," JZ wipes his head off, like it was going to erase the `swear', "she's not. I mean, it's just a saying. Right?"
"Right," Jay replies, "Um, about the shower? I'd sure like to get home tonight?"
"Yeah, me too."
From there on, things went delicate with Jay, until he was sitting on a towel in his chair.
The real fun started when it was JZ's turn, Jay responding to the chunky, hairy bod, "Oh wow, you're beautiful!"
"Really? I haven't even taken my briefs off!" JZ chuckles.
"Um, before my surfing accident, you could have accused me of being like that, but right now," Jay almost pouts, "I'd be happy to have a friend."
He did peel the briefs, but cupped his hefty endowment up in a hand, "Be right back."
Jay doesn't even think JZ used soap, coming back dripping, "That was quick!"
"I'm a fast showerer," JZ didn't want to make Jay uncomfortable, taking too much time, lest that chair should take off.
Jay had brakes applied. Released, moving to the shower, a result of stupidity, JZ forages right on in.
"No, no, no!" Jay yells out.
Too late, Jay, in his chair, sat under the shower nozzle, water cascading down upon him.
"Did I do something wrong?" JZ stood there, hands still on the back of the chair.
"Um, yeah, but no, I mean, I don't usually shower my chair with me."
"Oops!" JZ takes the liberty to roll Jay out from under.
"I think I'm clean enough. We better get the chair dried off. Brake first?"
Braked, JZ goes to work drying every place he could think of, except under Jay's buns!
Moving him, JZ forgot to remove the brake.
"What the hell was that?" Jay says of the squealing noise.
"Oh, I forgot...we forgot to remove the brake. I know for a fact, water and brakes don't mix. That's why it's so noisy."
Well, fortunately, the chair did not have to be engaged during moving!
With little instruction, after they got back to the lockers, Jay tells JZ, "I think it'll go a lot smoother this time, if you dress first."
"Whatever you say, boss!" JZ says cheerfully.
Getting a view of both sides, Jay came to the conclusion JZ had the build of a `cub'. He knew what a cub constituted, because one night Joseph had sat with he and Jared at HOODWINK'd and defined Bear Culture, picking out guys who matched a bear, a cub, an otter and so on and so forth.
"What?" JZ suddenly stops dressing, pants zipped up.
"Nothing."
He sensed something. Whether out in left field or not, "Tell me something, do you... I mean, can a guy like you still have sex?"
"Uh, the plumbing doesn't work, but I can get some jollies in my own way."
"Oh?" JZ stand there, flaunting all that beautiful fur, "Like how, if I'm not being too personal?"
"I have yet to figure it out, but I get turned on by guys with a lot of hair. Get it?"
"Really?" JZ looks down upon himself. It's not like JZ himself didn't know guys liked running their hands and tongues over his hairy facade!
"I won't get a hard on over it, but to see it, it's cool. To feel it, it awesome!"
"Um," JZ acts sheepish, "I'll let you...if you want to?"
Jay jokes, "Nah. You would have to be my boyfriend first!"
"Hm-m," JZ squints his eyes, rubs his 5 o'clock shadow with one hand.
"So that's that," Jay says. "C'mon and help me get my stuff out of my locker," he rolls towards it. Then, not able to work his chair in between the bench and fixture, "Oops! No can do."
He was still thinking and whether or not it was etiquette to ask, "Like, how do it go, being boyfriends with a handicapped dude?"
After a laugh, Jay says, "I thought about it already. It would have to be an open relationship, because, if you liked to get fucked..."
Perhaps a little embarrassed, JZ butts in, "Uh, yeah. I do."
"Well, since I can't do it, obviously, it would have to be another guy's cock?"
It was a little funny, JZ ripping off a little sneer, "Obviously!"
"To make a long story short and cut out all the crap in between, a dude who is my boyfriend, would have to have another dude handy, or something like that!"
Taking it all in stride, JZ says, "Considering, I don't think a three-way would bother me, if that's what you're going for?"
"I think that's what I was aiming for, yeah. That is, if you like me and the other guy."
"Oh. Is there another guy?"
At first, Jay thought Nash would be one of the men in his life, but as it goes, he felt more drawn to Tim, "There is," he left it for now.
"That dude who was in here before?"
`Rats!' he had to make a decision. However, there really was no question, Jay saying, "Tim. Yeah, that's him. He's really nice and he could show you all about taking care of me." Then, right in the other direction, "But I wouldn't want a relationship to be all about me?"
Still shirtless, JZ sat on the bench, straddling it, his stomach all crinkled up, "I'm no Davey Wavey, but I think three people would have to work at it, that it's no instant thing to figure out?"
"Wow," Jay marvels, "I couldn't have said it better!"
The meeting was over, Tim and Peter returning.
First to speak, Peter says, "Thanks for your boss' number. We've got something set up, said to meet him over at his garage. John said you would show me the way?"
While Peter talked, Tim gazed, thinking of all the fuss Jay put on about `hairy guys'.
Tim was unofficially on the clock, trying to work out how he could work part time and still cart Jay around. Taking up the slack of Jake's former job, he had a lot to clean up, empty garbage, swab floors and other duties.
"Well, I better hit the shower," Peter says, stripping his tank off right in front of all them eyes!
JZ remarks, "You take care of yourself. Pinto will like that!"
"Thanks for noticing," Peter winks!
"Jay, do you have time to wait for me. I kinda really need to shower?"
Feeling a little shy, Tim didn't provide any eye candy experiences, walking off to the showers.
"Penny for your thoughts...no, make that a nickel... inflation!" Jay laughs at his own joke.
Mind still concentrating on the empty doorway between the locker room and showers, JZ slowly turns it towards Jay, "Y'know, Tim is really a cute kid!"
"Yeah, I know," Jay was saying, not about the cuteness, but how young he could pass off for. "He gets proofed every time we go to HOODWINK'd. They think he's like, 16. You think they would remember?"
`Remember', that was key to what JZ was thinking now. Shimmying on the bench, his intentions were for Jay to get a thrill out of touching his man-fur, but something else happens, "Ow-w-w-who-oa-oh-shit!"
"What'samatter?" Jay questions him, which was kind or serious, mixed with a little humor.
Jumping up, the 23-cub was hopping up and down, holding his ass, "I got a splinter, that's what!"
Peter and Tim arrive at the same time, towels wrapped around their waists.
"Oh don't do that," Peter says, "it's such a nice day out there...we don't need a raindance!"
It made Tim giggle, Jay laugh and poor JZ, it didn't hurt, but he couldn't help but laugh at Peter's sly humor!
Feeling obliged, since probably JZ was embarrassed to say, Jay tells, "JZ's got some splinters in his ass!'"
Peter, unofficially off the clock, says, dropping the towel from the waist, "I could plant some real wood, but it would probably hurt just as much!"
Tim, who shys away from spying on guys in the mens room, shower, changing room, exclaims, "Oh my god!"
"Oh shit!" JZ looks down at Peter's pubes, back up at his face, "I'd hate to feel that thing when it's hard!"
Jay, he fell on silence, thinking it could be part of the therapy, that maybe it could be a test to see if he felt something. Then, it just gave him the creeps, thinking of how it could feel, Peter's wood, implanted!
Peter could see right through JZ, "Oh really? I thought you would be the first to take it for a test drive!"
Drawing off something he's heard Jay say, truly believing in it, JZ replies, "Nah. You would have to be my boyfriend first!"
"Really?" Peter sasses back, "Well, how many boyfriends do you have?"
"None at the moment, but there could be one in the upcoming future!"
Tim felt a little self-conscious, wondering why JZ kept switching his head back and forth from Jay, to him, then back to Jay.
Getting themselves all together, Peter stashing his goods away, they left the gym as a pack. It was decided, JZ would lead the way, them all going to Pinto's garage, then back to Nash's house.
%
Copyright 2014 T. Chase McPhee
FiRE iSLAND BiKiNiS, and developing segments of this story, may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.