My Hero

My Hero (part 2) By Adam Stewart

Author's note: A sequel to My Hero (par1) in which Morgan makes amends. Warning: It contains explicit m/m sex.

Morgan's life became intolerable after that fateful night in the local bar when Luc threw the incriminating photos at him and his mates picked some up. He could still not understand what had happened. All he could remember was waking up naked on the living room floor with his clothes strewn all over the place and an image in his mind of having sex with a guy. Who the guy was and where he'd met him he had no idea. All he could think was that he'd met two guys in Merthyr Tydfil that evening during a drinking spree and brought them back to his home in the small mining village he lived and they'd had sex. Although only one showed in the photos, he knew there must have been another who took the pictures.

He also knew it wasn't Marc who'd he bullied for years because of his sexuality since the guy in the photo was much bigger. He'd known he was gay when he and Marc were at school together but he knew his father would have killed him had he found out and probably his mother would have too. After his father had died in the pit accident he thought things might get easier but his mother shacked up with a guy who was even more of a homophobe so in no way could he ever give any indication that he was like Marc as much as he'd wanted to over the years. Rightly or wrongly, he'd bullied Marc because of his sexuality to hide his own and he now regretted that terribly.

Being such a small village, the news soon got round so wherever he went he was battered with abuse and name calling such as queer, faggot, shirt lifter, arse licker and many more. His work mates at the mine refused to have anything to do with him and he received veiled threats that they'd deal with him one day. In the end he had no choice but to leave his job in the mine. As his mother's boyfriend also worked there she soon heard about him and gave him just as much stick. The small house he lived in had originally belonged to his parents but when his father died his mother moved out and shacked up with her new boyfriend in his rented cottage. Once she heard about her son and disowned him she made it quite clear that she was taking back the small house he lived in. As such he had no job and nowhere to live. His only choice was to leave the village and move somewhere else. The problem was where to go but in the end he decided like Marc had done several weeks before to move to London.

He'd told his mother she could move back to the house in a week's time so he packed his things in readiness for his move but first decided to visit London to see what he could find in the way of a job and somewhere to live. Once found, he'd return and collect his belongings. He'd only visited London once or twice before but as soon as he arrived he knew this was where he wanted to live. He'd done a bit of research and found which bars were gay so having spent an unsuccessful afternoon searching for a job he decided to go to a gay bar in Earls Court. As usual it was crammed with guys, mostly wearing leather which turned him on. Having bought his pint of beer he moved to one side and gazed at the guys around him. After a while he noticed a guy, who was slightly older than his twenty one years, looking at him. The guy smiled and Morgan smiled back. He wasn't used to picking up guys in bars so didn't quite know what to do.

After a while, the guy made his way over to where Morgan was standing. "Hi" he smiled and offered his hand. Morgan shook it and felt his whole body shiver with excitement as their warm flesh touched. "Not seen you here before" the guy said as he sipped his beer.

"First time" Morgan explained.

"Ah, and if I'm not mistaken you're from Wales"

"Yeah, a small mining village in South Wales"

"Wow and what is a gorgeous guy from a small mining village in South Wales doing in the big smoke?"

Morgan blushed. He'd never thought of himself as gorgeous. He explained that he was planning on moving to London so had come down to see if he could find a job and somewhere to live. The guy gave a broad smile suddenly realising that perhaps his luck was in. "I'm Rick and live a couple of streets away from here."

"I'm Morgan"

"It's good to meet you Morgan; if its work you're looking for and somewhere to live then I might be able to help you."

Morgan's eyes opened wide. "Could you?"

"Depends on what you're willing to do" Rick grinned and brushed his hand against Morgan's crotch. He'd already noticed the bulge showing so knew the guy was well endowed. Morgan blushed again but enjoyed Rick's flirtatious manner.

"I'm up for anything" Morgan replied with an equally suggestive grin.

"So I can see" Rick chuckled and felt Morgan's bulge more firmly. The organ inside immediately shifted so Rick gave it another squeeze. "Nice" he commented as he felt its full length. Morgan's heart raced and his cock became fully erect as Rick continued his stroking. If he carried on much longer he'd be shooting inside his boxer shorts. "So, you want to discuss how I might be able to help you?"

"Yeah, sure, thanks" Morgan replied excitedly.

"Okay, drink up and we'll go back to my place where we can talk".

Morgan obediently swilled down the remainder of his pint and Rick guided him through the crowd with a hand on his shoulder. Rick was a big set guy who was several inches taller than Morgan. He was well known in the bar so as they made their way forward, the crowd parted for them to walk through. Morgan enjoyed the sense of power that Rick displayed. He'd taken an immediate liking to the guy and despite his authoritative tone he also showed a sense of kindness. Morgan felt safe in his hands and in no way afraid of him.

They walked just two streets away where Rick lived in an end of terrace Victorian house. It had originally belonged to his parents but when they'd died five years ago when he was age twenty, he moved in. The house had a semi basement area with a ground floor that consisted of a living room which had in years gone by been made into one from two smaller rooms. This had French windows that led onto a small garden which was now shrubs and paved paths. At the rear of the house there was a kitchen that extended out the back. Upstairs there were two large bedrooms and a box room which he used for storage, and a large bathroom. Rick loved his house and felt proud to own such a property which was now worth a lot of money. He was an only child and his parents had not been short of a bob or two so he now had ample means to support himself. Even so he worked as a barman and a bouncer at a gay bar in Charing Cross several days a week to keep busy and make a few extra pennies.

"Shoes off" Rick instructed as they walked into the quarry tiled hallway. Morgan obediently removed his trainers and placed them neatly beside Rick's; a point that didn't go unnoticed by Rick which pleased him. He led Morgan barefoot into the kitchen and instructed him to grab two bottles of beer from the large fridge whilst he pulled out a bottle opener. Again Morgan did so without question and removed two bottles of brown ale. Rick removed the caps, gave one to Morgan and led him into the living room. Once there, he indicated for Morgan to sit on a leather sofa and he sat in a leather armchair opposite him.

"Cheers" Rick grinned as he took a swig from his bottle. He then asked Morgan about his life in Wales and why he'd decided to move to London. Morgan explained how he'd kept his sexuality to himself because of the homophobic attitudes of his mates as well as his parents. He decided to refrain from saying what he'd done to Marc over the years to maintain his secret and held back on the photographs that had somehow been taken and made public.

"I've got to a point where I can't keep it hidden any longer" Morgan said, "so have decided to move right away and start a new life." Morgan nodded having understood the situation.

"And you've no other family?"

"Nope; think my parents decided one poof was enough" Morgan chuckled. Rick grinned as he thought how to proceed. Seeing that they'd both finished their beers he instructed Morgan to fetch two more from the fridge and to put their empty bottles into the bin which he'd find in the kitchen. The instruction was authoritative but with a kind tone so Morgan immediately obeyed soon returning with two uncapped bottles.

"Take your top off" Rick instructed, "Let's see what you look like".

Without question Morgan immediately removed his T shirt. Rick's request was clearly an instruction and he wanted to obey; quite why he wasn't sure but it felt the natural thing to do. For a moment Rick admired the naked torso as Morgan continued standing before him. "Very nice; now your jeans" Rick instructed using the same authoritative tone. Again Morgan obeyed without raising an eyelid. He knew he wanted to please this guy so slipped off his jeans and placed them on the sofa having carefully folded them. Rick noted everything and gently nodded. He couldn't believe how obedient Morgan was and he knew instinctively that he'd make a perfect submissive. He'd been a Dom for the past five years but had never found a sub of his own. As soon as he set eyes on this guy he had a good feeling about him.

Morgan was now standing in his boxer shorts right in front of Rick waiting for his next instruction. Being almost naked in front of a fully clothed guy didn't bother him but the fact that he was caused his body to react down below. Rick smiled as he saw the cock he'd felt earlier react to the situation. "Okay, now your boxers" he instructed. Without flinching, Morgan slipped off his boxer shorts and placed them on the pile of clothes behind him. His cock stood to attention but he didn't feel embarrassed one bit. Rick told him to do a twirl and then reached out for the long thick cock that was clearly aching for attention. Morgan stepped forward so he could take hold of it. He watched Rick lean forward so as to take the organ into his mouth. He gasped as he felt the hot lips surround his head. His heart was beating fast with excitement.

Rick gave the organ several long hard sucks and licked the slit which was beginning to ooze pre-cum. He licked round inside the foreskin and then felt the two large balls that hung below. "You have a nice body" Rick said once he'd finished. He indicated for Morgan to sit down which he did without question and made no attempt to pick up his clothes.

"How do you feel being stark naked with me fully dressed?" Morgan said he was fine about that and enjoyed being naked. "I'm a Dom and am looking for a sub. How would you like to be my sub?"

Morgan frowned. "What would that involve?" he asked tentatively not wanting to show his ignorance.

Rick smiled gently and explained. "You'd live here with me so I'd provide a home for you; I'd pay for all your food, clothes and general expenses. In return you'd look after the house, do the shopping, washing and cleaning. If you enjoy cooking you would prepare meals although we'd probably do that together and you'd help me look after the garden, not that there's much to do out there. You'd also attend to my sexual needs as I will yours and I'd expect you to look after any guests I invite here and when necessary to attend to their sexual needs. Basically I'd be the dominative and you the submissive. I prefer the term sub to slave since I see it as a partnership. If you agreed then I'd give you a month's training since there are certain rules you need to be aware of and the first three months would be a trial period. You would be free to leave at any time but from what I've seen so far I think you'd enjoy being my sub and I'd certainly enjoy being your Dom. What do you say?"

"Wow" Morgan exclaimed. He'd not expected that. "Yeah, well, thanks".

"Is that a yes?" Rick grinned.

"Yes it is; thanks very much".

"Quite sure?"

"Yes, quite sure; I think I'll enjoy being your sub."

Rick beckoned Morgan over to sit on his lap. He wanted to feel the guy's gorgeous naked body. Already he had an erection just thinking about what he'd do with the guy. Once Morgan was sitting comfortably with Rick's hand resting casually on his stiff cock, they discussed the logistics of Morgan's move to London. When Rick realised he could move in immediately it was agreed that he'd drive Morgan home the following day to collect his belongings. Rick wanted to get him installed as soon as possible.

"Where had you planned to stay tonight?" Rick asked rather hoping that Morgan could stay. He said he'd booked in at a cheap hotel where he'd left his overnight bag but he didn't have to use the room.

"I could collect my bag tomorrow morning on our way."

"Excellent, in that case you will stay the night here" Rick grinned and gently squeezed Morgan's balls. "Are you hungry?"

Morgan said he'd had something to eat before he went to the bar so he was fine. "Can I get you something?" he asked wanting to show how willing he was. Rick thanked him and said he was fine but he would like to go through some of the basic rules.

"Most of the time you'll wear a leather collar. When you are wearing this you'll know you are in submissive mode and call me Sir. When we are in the presence of other people you will only speak when spoken to although if you need to say something you may ask my permission to speak before doing so. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir" Morgan replied automatically. Rick smiled to himself having noted the obedience. "May I ask a question sir?"

"You may but you're not wearing the collar so you don't have to ask my permission to speak."

Morgan grinned but he rather enjoyed calling his master sir and would probably always do so. "What would you like me to wear around the house?"

"Not boxer shorts; I detest the things so don't ever wear those again" Rick grinned.

"I shall throw them all away" Morgan said seriously desperate to please his master.

"I shall buy you some leather shorts you can wear during the daytime if you wish otherwise I shall enjoy you naked as you are now; when we go out you can wear jeans or leather trousers; we'll buy you a pair of those too; I never wear anything beneath mine so I shall expect you to do the same. Oh, and one other thing, I'd like your hair cropped short and to remove all body hair including your pubes; would that be a problem for you?"

"No sir; anything you wish sir".

Rick pulled the naked body on his lap into a hug. "I can see we're going to get on just fine". He then pulled Morgan's face to his and kissed him. It was a passionate kiss and Morgan enjoyed it. It didn't take long for him to feel Rick's tongue probing his mouth which he readily let in. He knew instinctively he was going to enjoy living with Rick and being his sub.

When the kiss subsided, Rick said he'd show him round the house. Having already seen the downstairs, Rick led him to the first floor. He showed him the main bedroom where he'd sleep with Rick. Morgan looked at the large king sized bed and gasped. He'd never seen such a large bed before and it made his single bed look somewhat paltry. The other bedroom was of a similar size and that contained a good sized double bed which he imagined was used as a guest room. The box room was small and neatly decked out with shelves for storing things. Morgan noticed that everywhere was very neat and tidy as well as spotless. He just hoped he could meet Rick's high standards.

The bathroom contained a large bath plus the other usual facilities. "The bath is large enough for two" Rick chuckled, "I like taking a bath with a nice young man". Morgan felt his cock jump with excitement at the thought of sharing a bath with Rick. As they went downstairs he mentally stripped him. He could see tufts of hair peeping above the neckline of his shirt and guessed he was a hairy guy. He'd also noticed the large cock secreted inside his leather trousers when seated on his lap. That too he couldn't wait to see.

"Now, there's one more room to show you" Rick grinned as he opened a door leading off the hallway. He led Morgan down some stairs into a basement area. He'd noticed windows closed off with shutters at the front of the house when they entered earlier. The windows at the back were open to the garden although they looked onto a brick wall. "This is my playroom" Rick explained as he switched on the lights. Morgan looked round and gasped. He knew little about such equipment so Rick explained each one and how it was used. First the St Andrews Cross onto which a guy could be strapped facing either way, then there was a fuck bench over which a guy would be strapped and fucked or whipped. In one corner there was a sling into which a guy would again be strapped and fucked. Along one wall there was an array of whips, floggers and spanking paddles plus an array of other sex toys. "I don't suppose you've used any of these before" Rick smiled as Morgan took everything in.

"No sir"

"And how do you feel about being strapped down so you're at the mercy of whoever is servicing you?"

"I think I shall enjoy that sir"

"And being spanked?"

"And that sir"

"Good because I shall expect you to take part in such activities either with me or my guests but be assured I shall always make sure you're not exposed to brutish behaviour or being exposed to anything you don't feel comfortable with so you must tell me whenever you want the activity to stop. We shall agree a safe word and once you say that word the activity will stop. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir, thank you sir". The safe word he chose was Luc which he decided was somewhat ironic.

"How about we have a little bit of fun then; you up for that?"

Morgan grinned seeing that his cock was already waving its agreement so Rick bent him over the fuck bench, opened his arms and legs wide apart and shackled them. He couldn't wait to try out the beautiful arse now on show so he quickly stripped off and picked up a spanking paddle which he knew would not be too hard to start things off. Most Dom's preferred to wear their leather chaps and harness when having sex but he'd always preferred being naked except when with other Doms. He moved up to Morgan's butt and gently ran his hand over the naked flesh. His cock twitched with excitement as he ran a finger along Morgan's crack.

"I'm going to give you a few strokes of the paddle first; are you ready?

"Yes sir"

Rick lined up the paddle to the exposed arse and gently smacked it. Morgan groaned lightly rather enjoying the sensation. Rick then slowly increased the pace and the strength of each strike and was surprised at how much Morgan could take. His butt was glowing nicely. "Yeah, beautiful" he whispered to himself. When each buttock was a rosy red he squirted some lubricant into Morgan's hole. He then slipped in two fingers and Morgan whimpered enjoying the feel of his arse being probed. He wanted to show his approval but wasn't sure if he was allowed to talk so said nothing. Having lubricated his shaft, Rick lined the head of his enormous cock up to the open hole. He gently pushed the head up against it telling Morgan to relax as the head moved inside him. It was soon in and it felt wonderful. He pushed more until the whole of the thick shaft was fully embedded inside of the beautiful arse. "Fuck, that feels so good; you've got a beautiful arse to fuck boy".

"Thank you sir"

Rick thrust back and forth gently slapping the bare buttocks with his hand as he did so. Morgan groaned with pleasure as the big cock filled him up. "You like my big cock up your arse don't you boy".

"Yes sir; please fuck me sir"

Rick smiled. This guy was going to be the perfect sub. Rick lost all sense of time as he continued fucking. He'd not fucked such a beautiful arse for a long time. One thing he was good at was keeping his cock hard and fucking for a long time before his body eventually took over and he had to spill his load. As he fucked, he knew that was precisely what he wanted and needed to do. As he did so, he reached round to take hold of Morgan's cock which he was pleased to feel was still rock hard. He'd tied him to the bench so he could still have access to it since he wanted to pleasure him as much as himself. He spat in his hand and used it as lubricant over the head of Morgan's cock. He groaned with pleasure at the feel of his cock being massaged. Having a cock up his arse and a hand round his was something he'd never imagined would be so wonderful. The action continued for what seemed like ages but he was more than happy even though he couldn't move his hands or his feet. He suddenly sensed Rick's body tense and he guessed what was going to happen. As it did so, he felt his cock being massaged more quickly and by the time Rick was spilling his load of hot cum inside him, he was spilling his over the floor.

When they were both finished, Rick leaned over and kissed Morgan's neck. It was the most sensitive and beautiful kiss he'd ever had from anyone. Finally he felt his restraints being removed and Rick gently lifting him up. He turned him round and kissed him.

"That was beautiful; I hope it was for you too"

"Yes sir, it was the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me".

Rick grinned. "Good because you'll receive many more either from me or other guys I give permission to fuck you."

"I am all yours sir so use me as you wish"

"Don't worry boy, I will" Rick chuckled hardly believing his luck at finding such a perfect submissive.

At Morgan's request, Rick then showed him the other sex toys available. There were several dildos, prostate agitators and butt plugs. "Every so often I shall fit one of these into your arse and expect you to wear it all day long" Rick giggled as he picked up a particularly large butt plug. Morgan said he couldn't wait although Rick doubted that once he had it inside him. He then took Morgan back upstairs and pulled out a black leather collar from a drawer. He placed it round Morgan's neck and stood him in front of a mirror. "How does that feel?"

"I like it sir; is this the one I shall be wearing?"

"Yes, during your training period but once I feel you've reached the grade I shall change it for this." He then pulled out a beautiful red suede collar. Morgan lightly fingered it and imagined that round his neck. He definitely wanted to earn that so would work hard to please his master.

"Right, time for bed young man" Rick suddenly announced and gave Morgan's naked butt a gentle slap. He then wrapped him into his arms and hugged him against his own naked body. They both sighed as their naked flesh touched. Rick then removed the leather collar from Morgan saying that at night he was not in submissive mode although he had a strong feeling that this guy enjoyed being dominated at all times.

Once in bed, Rick wrapped Morgan into his arms and they kissed. It was gentle and passionate. He turned Morgan over and pulled his naked butt up close to him. With an arm round his waist they slowly fell into a deep sleep. Morgan had never felt so safe in his whole life despite always appearing to be the strong one when bullying Marc.

The following morning after they'd had breakfast, they made their way to the cheap hotel to collect Morgan's overnight bag. Once back in the car they set about the long journey to South Wales.

"Have you got anything on beneath your jeans?" Rick asked when they were on an open road.

"No sir, I threw my boxer shorts in the bin"

"Good for you, now unfasten your jeans so I can have a feel". Morgan obeyed and unbuttoned them so that Rick could slip a hand inside as he drove along; Morgan's cock immediately reacted. "Now drop them round your ankles and slip off your T shirt". Morgan duly obeyed and his erection sprang to life. Rick spit into his hand and gently massaged the big organ. He didn't want to bring him off but he wanted to keep him on the brink. He was good at doing that to guys and knew precisely how far to go. When he reached that point he told Morgan to unfasten his own leather trousers. "Pull my cock out, bend over and suck it" he commanded.

"Yes sir" Morgan did as instructed and took the big thick hard organ into his mouth. Rick pushed his head down forcing the cock to the back of his throat. Rick told him to relax his throat which he did. He then felt the big head forcing its way through. Rick then pulled his head up and down to mouth fuck his sub. He hadn't intended on spilling his load but it felt so good that he allowed his body to take over.

"Fuck" he cried as his hot cum spilled down Morgan's throat. His body jerked several times but Morgan held on fast not letting the cock slip from his mouth until his master told him. When Rick was finally spent he told Morgan to lick his slit to clean him up. "Fuck, that was good; in fact you were good."

"Thank you sir" Morgan said in between more licks. When he was satisfied that his master was clean he tucked the now limp organ back into Rick's trousers and buttoned him up whilst Rick kept his eye on the road.

"You did well boy; I shall reward you later"

"Thank you sir"

Morgan spent the rest of the journey with his jeans round his ankles so that Rick could give him a feel every so often. He loved the excitement of it all and had no doubts about moving in with his master.

When they reached Morgan's village he directed Rick to the back alleyway so that he could reverse the car up to the old bake house. He unlocked the door and they made their way inside. Rick was shocked at the smallness of the house and realised how lucky he was to live in his. They collected Morgan's things from his room and took them down to the kitchen. Rick was also impressed at how clean and tidy everything was. Just before they were about to leave Morgan stopped.

"Would you fuck me sir? I'd like to have one fuck here before we leave." Rick smiled and gently undressed his sub. He then dropped his trousers and using the lube he always carried with him lubricated Morgan's arse. It was a gentle passionate fuck and as he did so he heard Morgan say "fuck them all". He guessed who he was referring to and couldn't blame him. He'd had a shitty existence in this place and he intended making life much better for him. When he was done, he pulled out and kissed the back of Morgan's neck. "Thank you sir" Morgan said as he dressed.

The journey back seemed to be shorter than going despite having stopped for some lunch on the way. Once home, Rick made space for Morgan's things and he at last felt his new life had begun. He still couldn't believe it was all happening but no doubt one day reality would sink in.

The next day Rick took Morgan clothes shopping. He bought him a pair of leather trousers for wearing to clubs and bars plus a pair of tight sexy leather shorts to wear round the house and when guests came. Since he'd noticed his general clothes were sparse he bought him new jeans and T shirts. Morgan was overjoyed and thanked him profusely. Rick was touched and decided he'd definitely made the right choice.

Over the next few weeks, Rick trained his sub and went through things like how he should stand or kneel beside him when in sub mode and when guests were present. Morgan was a quick learner and Rick was pleased with the way he progressed. He also gave him the chance to use all the equipment down in the basement and Morgan loved it, especially the sling. Rick was especially pleased to see how organised Morgan was when it came to looking after household matters. He produced a list of daily and weekly jobs and made sure each was done.

He kept the place spotless just like it always had been and he experimented with new dishes for their meals. When he'd been on his own he'd never taken much interest in cooking but now he had someone who loved his food and appreciated what he did, he enjoyed his time in the kitchen. When the weather was fine they spent time in the garden together and Rick taught him all about plants showing him which were weeds and which were new shoots coming up. His backyard in Wales didn't have any flower beds so he had little knowledge but he soon became interested.

At the end of their first month together, Rick said Morgan was ready to go out with him. He wanted to take him to a private gay leather club where guys had sex. "This will be your initiation" Rick smiled, "and once you're my official sub I shall place the red suede collar round your neck". Morgan couldn't wait for that to happen and was determined to pass his initiation process with flying colours even though he had no idea what it would involve.

A few days before their trip to the private leather club, Rick took Morgan to have his hair cropped. He knew a guy who was a gay hairdresser who for a while Rick thought might be a suitable sub but he was too independent so they decided to stop the training. Even so, Terry was a pleasant guy and always willing to help. He especially looked forward to meeting the new sub since Rick has also asked him to shave Morgan's body hair.

He started by cropping Morgan's hair and once done, Morgan rather liked the effect. Terry then told him to strip off and lay on the bed so he could shave his body hair. Using clippers to first remove the hair on his chest he then set to work on the pubic region. He finished off with a razor and told Morgan that he'd have to do this every week to avoid stubble growing. "It gets very uncomfortable in the pubic region otherwise" Terry grinned. Rick said they'd make it a weekly ritual which rather appealed to Morgan.

Once devoid of all his body hair, Morgan stood in front of a mirror. He decided he liked the effect since it made him look so different. It was the final change on the road to his new life.

On the afternoon of his initiation, Rick fitted Morgan with a butt plug. "This will get you nicely opened up" he chucked as he slipped it in. Morgan felt the fullness inside him and was conscious of it for a while whilst he continued his chores but as time wore on he got used to it.

Finally it was time to leave. Morgan had butterflies in his stomach since this would be the first time he'd been seen by others as his master's submissive and certainly the first time he'd ever been publicly naked. Once inside the club and in the changing room, Rick took Morgan into his arms.

"Are you quite sure you want to do this?" he asked gently.

"Yes sir; I want to show you I'm worthy of being your sub".

Rick was touched and lightly kissed him on the lips. "You're more than worthy of that Morgan; whatever happens tonight I shall be fitting the red collar on you; you've learned well and I'm proud of you." Morgan felt tears form in his eyes. He'd never ever been told he was worthy or that someone was proud of him. His father had always despised him and had frequently shown his displeasure.

Once fully naked, Rick fitted the thick chain round Morgan's neck and led him into the club. He'd worn his leather chaps so his naked butt was on show for all to see. As Rick led Morgan into the club with his head down and his eyes looking at the floor, the twenty or so guys turned and gasped at the gorgeous young guy before them. Rick bent him over the fuck bench and used his flogger across his naked butt. Morgan flinched slightly as the leather thongs stung him but he was used to them now and secretly enjoyed being given this treatment. Soon his butt was glowing with heat and Rick stopped. He'd already prepared Morgan's arse with lube so it was ready and waiting. Rick unfastened his chaps and his large cock hung out ready and waiting to be used. With one thrust he slipped it inside Morgan and began to fuck.

Morgan could hear comments from those gathered round and could almost sense their mouths dribbling with anticipation of when it would be their turn to fuck this gorgeous guy. When Rick had finished, another guy took over. The action continued until everybody except one had fucked him. There was then a pause and Morgan sensed the remaining guy was unsure whether or not to have his fuck but the other guys were urging him on. Finally the guy fucked but it was far gentler than the others. Morgan was itching to see who it was but his head was facing down to the floor so he couldn't see.

As soon as the fucking had finished, Rick stood him up and put an arm round him. "Well done boy, you're now officially my sub" he said as he removed the chain and replaced it with the red suede collar that Morgan had dreamt of having fitted round his neck. Keeping his head down and his eyes fixed on the floor he touched the new collar with his fingers. It felt soft; much softer than the black leather one he'd worn up to now, and it sent a thrill through his body. Rick then led him into another room and strapped him onto the St Andrews Cross. His cock was already excited and Rick knelt down immediately to give it a suck.

As usual, Rick brought him to the brink several times before finally allowing him to shoot his load. Rick drank every drop before he stood up and kissed his sub on the lips. For the first time since coming into the club, Morgan looked up and saw a face he recognised standing just a few feet away and looking at him. For a moment he didn't know what to say. His mind flashed back to all the things he'd done to Marc and he felt ashamed.

"Please sir" Morgan called to Rick just as he was moving away, "May I speak sir?" Rick nodded and walked back to where Morgan was still tied up. He whispered to Rick that there was someone present who he'd known back home and who he'd treated badly. "I'd like to ask Marc for his forgiveness sir; may I do that?"

Rick nodded and turned round, "My boy would like a word with you Marc". For a moment Marc was stunned at the request. He looked over at Morgan who'd now been released from the St Andrews Cross.

For a moment they just looked at each other, neither too sure what to say before Morgan moved forward towards Marc. "I know you probably want to tell me to fuck off Marc but I'd really like to talk to you; I want to apologise for the terrible way I treated you." Marc processed what Morgan had said and noticed tears in his eyes. He knew in his heart that there was some reason why Morgan had bullied him and done such terrible things to him over the years and he wanted to know why.

"Okay" Marc replied. Ashley had now put an arm round his shoulders and Rick had done the same to his sub. Sensing the strain between the two young guys, Rick suggested that perhaps Marc would like to come to their house one day so he and Morgan could talk.

"I don't think this is the place for such a conversation do you?" Marc nodded and agreed. They arranged for Marc to visit Rick's house in Earls Court the following afternoon.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Ashley asked Marc as he was about to leave. Marc said he was and felt it was best he saw Morgan on his own. He no longer feared the guy or what he might do to him. In fact he'd hardly recognised Morgan. He not only looked different but his whole demeanour was nothing like he used to be.

Some thirty minutes later Marc had found the house where Rick and Morgan lived. He gasped at the size of it compared to the small flat he and Ashley shared with Bret and Clayton above the gay bookshop in Bloomsbury. He rang the bell and waited. A minute later the door opened and Morgan ushered him inside. "Thanks for coming Marc; I wasn't sure if you would".

"I always do what I promise" Marc replied as he followed Morgan into the living room admiring his butt inside his sexy leather shorts. Once there Rick welcomed him before leaving them on their own.

"Can I get you a tea or would you prefer something stronger?"

Marc thought for a moment. He felt like something stronger than tea. "Could I have a whisky? I know it's early but think I may need it" Marc grinned. Morgan smiled and prepared two drinks. As he gave Marc his, their hands touched. It sent a shiver of excitement through both of them. Morgan sat opposite Marc and they looked at each other whilst they sipped their drink. Marc couldn't believe this was the same guy he'd known for so many years. Morgan had rehearsed over and over what he was going to say but now Marc was sitting there his heart raced and for a moment he couldn't speak. He took another sip of his drink hoping his mind would get into gear.

"So, what did you want to say?" Marc asked sensing Morgan's discomfort.

"I'm so sorry Marc" he blurted out, "I know I was a complete bastard and treated you badly."

"You were and you did, ever since our school days but what I want to know is why."

Morgan knew it was a reasonable question so put his drink down, clasped his hands together and started speaking. He explained how his father treated him, frequently using his belt on him. "Like you Marc I knew I was gay from an early age but you know what the community we lived in was like. If my father had found out he'd have killed me. When he realised you were gay, although he used the term faggot, he said people like us should be hung up by our balls and shot. I had to keep my true feelings a secret."

He went on to explain that Luc felt the same way and goaded him on to do and say many of the things he said and did. "He hated gays but never had the guts to say or do anything himself. I envied you Marc, in fact I was jealous. You realised people knew you were gay and didn't care what they thought. Even when I bullied you to hide my own sexuality you didn't bother. You just took it on the chin. I admired you for that. Still do for that matter. When you announced you were going to college after we left school I was so jealous. I even muted the idea of me doing the same with my father but he beat me and forced me down the mine. He said only poofs like you didn't go down the pit. I had no choice. If I hadn't, he'd have uncovered my secret and probably killed me."

"I doubt that" Marc intervened.

"You didn't really know my father; he was a total bastard and my mother supported him so I had no choice. Once down the mine I had to keep up the pretence. You've no idea what it's like down there Marc. If your mates don't like you for whatever reason you can guarantee that some bastard will find a way to cause an accident to maim you or even kill you."

"You could have left home"

"What at age sixteen with no money and no skills"

"Why the fuck didn't you say something to me? I would have kept your secret."

"I've asked myself that question over and over again but I was young and ignorant. As time went on I got deeper and deeper. When my father died I thought perhaps things would improve but then my mother shacked up with another bastard; in fact he was worse and being a weak bugger I took the easy way out. Can you understand that Marc?"

Marc nodded. He was beginning to understand Morgan's predicament.

"I'm so sorry Marc, I really am. If you never want to speak to me again I wouldn't blame you."

"So what changed? Why did you leave and come to London?" Marc asked although he knew the answer.

Morgan thought for a moment wondering whether he should explain what happened but eventually he did. "I still don't really know what happened. All I can think is that I went on a drinking spree, picked up two guys, took them home where we had sex whilst one took pictures. I don't even remember receiving them but somehow Luc found them and threw them at me in the bar. I wouldn't put it past him to have set me up. I've often had the feeling he knew my secret."

Marc said nothing knowing what actually happened. He felt sorry for Morgan.

"Do you forgive me? Please Marc, I need to know."

Marc stood up and for a moment Morgan thought he was going to leave so he stood too. Instead Marc pulled his half naked body into a hug and kissed him. "Yes, I forgive you but I so wish you'd been honest with me." Morgan nodded and burst into tears. Marc hugged him tighter and rubbed his back until he'd calmed down.

"So tell me about Rick and you being his submissive."

Morgan explained how they'd met and how much he loved being his sub. "He's such a kind guy; he's my hero because without him I'm not sure what I'd have done". Marc smiled to himself because it was what he called Ashley.

They left as good friends and Marc promised to visit again soon.

Marc and Morgan became close friends and frequently met up, either at the house in Earls Court or out somewhere. Marc and Ashley also often went to the theatre or concerts with Rick and Morgan and socialised together. They never had sex but they enjoyed each other's company. Once Marc had explained to Ashley why Morgan had treated him so badly over the years, even Ashley felt sorry for Morgan and forgave him although he never let on that he was the person who set him up and caused his move to London. "I did the guy a favour really" Ashley chuckled.

Over the next four years they all enjoyed life. They worked hard and played hard. The gay bookshop went from strength to strength and Ashley and Marc's photographic business continued to do well. Marc continued to paint and even persuaded Morgan and Rick to pose for him with Morgan in submissive mode and Rick as the Dom. In addition to his work at the clinic, Clayton also continued his campaigns as an activist and regularly involved the other three guys in the house to join him on rallies protesting at some injustice or other to do with gay equality.

Rick and Morgan's love for each other grew stronger. Morgan loved being Rick's sub and never tired of standing or kneeling beside him when they had guests or went to visit other Doms. Rick regularly invited Doms and their subs to use his basement facilities and the subs would be shackled to the various pieces of equipment and fucked by the Doms before servicing them. Morgan loved such sessions and never tired of them.

They had all read about the virus that was decimating the gay community in America but nobody thought it would affect them. Even when they heard that some gays in the UK had been affected they thought little of it. They were all fully healthy guys so didn't give it a second thought.

Then one day, Clayton noticed that Bret was losing weight and off his food. Bret said it was nothing and that he'd probably picked up a flu bug. As the days went into weeks and there was no sign of improvement Clayton tried to persuade him to see the doctor but Bret was an obstinate bugger. He hated going to the doctor and hated hospitals even more. This was mainly due to the fact that in his view the doctors had failed his mother several years before and she died. His father had always been useless and had become an alcoholic after the loss of his wife. Bret lost contact with the man so had no idea where he now lived or even whether he was still alive. He'd never come out to his parents because he knew they wouldn't have understood.

As the weeks passed Clayton became more and more concerned. He knew something was radically wrong but he could still not persuade his boyfriend to see a doctor. Eventually it was Marc who managed to do so. One morning whilst he and Bret were working in the bookshop, Bret almost collapsed. In fact he would have done had Marc not caught him.

"I know you hate doctors and hospitals Bret but please do this for us; we all love you and know something is wrong." Bret was too weak to argue so agreed. Marc called Clayton at the clinic and he came home immediately. By that time Marc had closed the shop and got Bret upstairs. They grabbed a cab and took him straight to the nearest hospital.

Having waited for what seemed like hours, Bret was eventually called in to see a doctor. All the while he'd been muttering that it was a waste of time but Marc and Clayton stood firm. Marc had called Ashley from a payphone at the hospital so he too was now with them. Clayton had a good idea what was wrong with Bret and was extremely worried but said nothing to the others. After another hour or so, a young doctor came into where the three of them were waiting. His face confirmed what Clayton had feared.

"You need to contact his family" the doctor started saying.

"He doesn't have any family" Clayton explained, "He's an only child and his parents are no longer with us but I'm his boyfriend and we've been living together for the past nine years."

"We all four live together" Marc added, "and we're all his family; we look after each other."

The doctor looked at them for a moment as he considered what to do. "Come with me" he finally said and led the three guys into another room. Once they'd all sat down he gave them the news. "I'm sorry to have to tell you that Bret has the AIDS virus; as you probably know it is virulent and at present we have little to give him apart from making him comfortable. Some people fight it but most are not able to since it attacks the immune system so he's open to all kinds of infection. In his case he's already very weak so we need to keep him in. I'm sorry."

The three guys sat looking at the doctor and said nothing for several moments whilst the information sank in. Marc felt tears form in his eyes and he looked at Ashley who immediately held his hand. They both looked at Clayton who just sat there.

"Can we see him?" Marc eventually asked. The doctor nodded but said they should go in one at a time and must wear masks and gowns to protect Bret from further infection.

"Is there any hope of recovery?" Clayton whispered as the tears ran down his face.

"Difficult to say" the doctor gently replied, "Had it been caught earlier then he'd have had a better chance but from what he's told me he's been ill for several weeks."

"Yes, he's an obstinate bugger" Clayton said, "Stems from his mother's death several years ago when he lost faith in the medical profession." The doctor nodded and led them along to where Bret was now being cared for. He was in a room on his own which had an anteroom. The doctor handed them over to the nurse who was looking after Bret and smiled weakly at them before leaving.

The other two told Clayton to go in and see Bret first so when he'd dressed into a gown and mask the nurse showed him in. He was shocked at what he saw. The guy he loved was in bed with tubes coming out of him and an oxygen mask nearby should he need it.

"Don't stay long and tire him" the nurse said as she left them.

"Is this some new fetish gear?" Bret grinned as he looked at his boyfriend. Clayton smiled as he sat down beside him.

"Yeah, very fetching don't you think" he grinned and then added, "You've worried all of us like hell you know".

"Sorry love" Bret replied as he squeezed Clayton's hand. "Has the doctor told you that you guys should get tested immediately just in case any of you have got it too?" Clayton nodded although he'd hardly taken in what the doctor had said but he knew they'd all have to do so.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit; I'm sorry my love; god knows where I've picked it up from". Clayton nodded but he knew their lifestyle involved having sex with all and sundry. It always had so this virus could have come from anywhere. All they could now do was take more care.

They sat and chatted for almost half an hour. Bret seemed more worried about the shop than his illness but Clayton assured him that he and Marc would keep things going in his absence.

"Fuck knows how long they'll keep me in here" Bret grinned.

"Until you're better" Clayton replied but in reality he knew that the chances of that were fairly slim. "The other guys want to see you and we're only allowed to come in one at a time my love but I'll come back this evening during visiting hours. Anything you want?"

Bret smiled as he squeezed Clayton's hand and said he'd love a book to read. "Oh, and if you can slip in a bottle of whiskey, that'd be good". Clayton grinned. He could see that Bret was not going to be an easy patient. Eventually he stood up and kissed Bret's hand having raised the mask from his face. He so wanted to kiss him on the lips but knew that was probably not a good idea for the moment. He went outside and Marc said he'd go in next for a few minutes.

"Hi gorgeous" Bret said once Marc entered the room dressed in his gown and mask. "I like the party gear" he added grinning. Marc sat down and felt tears falling down his face. The sight of his friend lying there with tubes coming out of him was all too much. "Don't cry; I need you to be strong and look after Clayton because things could get a lot worse before they get better." Marc nodded and squeezed Bret's hand. He wasn't good at dealing with illness. He never had been.

After about fifteen minutes, Marc left and Ashley took his place. He too was shocked at the sight of Bret but held himself together. "Now don't worry about the shop; the three of us will look after things; you just concentrate on getting better" Ashley told him. Bret nodded and smiled. He was so lucky to have these guys to love and look after him.

Finally Ashley left Bret and said they'd take it in turns to visit him as the hospital had strict visiting times during the afternoon and evening. When they'd left Bret's room Clayton asked the nurse where they needed to go to get tested. She gave them directions so they made their way. The doctor had given him a slip of paper explaining that a sexual partner had AIDS so they all needed to have their blood tested for the virus. Once they'd had samples taken they were told to come back in several days since it took that time to do the tests. They made their way home in silence each wondering what the results would show and what was going to happen to the guy they all loved.

"We've got to think positive guys" Clayton told them once they'd got home. They gave each other a hug and cried.

Over the next few days they took it in turns to visit Bret every afternoon and evening. Clayton went with Marc during one visiting period and with Ashley the other. For a while, Bret seemed to remain stable and everyone was hopeful. Their own tests all came back as negative so that was a big relief but they all decreed that they'd only have sex between themselves and not have it with any other guys. They could have used condoms but none of them wanted to do that. In their minds they were only used by straight guys to stop pregnancies, not as a means of avoiding catching a sexual disease. During those days they did as much research as they could on AIDS and Clayton obtained leaflets about it that he'd managed to get hold of from his clinical friends. The material didn't boost their confidence and if anything made them feel worse but as Clayton told them "what has happened has happened and we can't turn the clock back".

Morgan and Rick carried on as normal despite having heard about Bret. Like most guys they took the view it wouldn't happen to them. Besides, they loved sex too much to stop having it with whatever guy they fancied and was willing.

It was almost six weeks to the day after Bret was first admitted to hospital that he took a turn for the worst. For a couple of days during that period he'd been allowed home but he soon had to go back into hospital again. When Clayton went in to see him one afternoon, he was shocked to see the deterioration. He looked frail and his face had now taken on a sunken look about it. He smiled weakly at Clayton but he could tell that the guy he loved was struggling. He took hold of his hand and kissed it having lifted his mask. He hated having to wear the damn thing but he knew it was for Bret's benefit.

He chatted about the shop saying that regular customers sent their best wishes and that between the three of them they were keeping the place open each day. He'd brought another book for Bret to read and placed it on the cabinet beside his bed but Bret hardly looked at it. Somehow he kept the tears from flowing since he knew that wouldn't help but it was like hell to do so. After about twenty minutes seeing that Bret kept closing his eyes, he said he'd leave and send Marc in who was waiting patiently outside. When he stood up he lifted his mask and bent over Bret. He kissed him lightly on the lips and said "I love you so much". Bret smiled weakly and managed to squeeze his hand but even that was very weak.

When he rejoined Marc he told him what to expect. "Try and keep it together just for his sake" Clayton whispered as Marc slipped on the gown and his mask. Ten minutes later Marc re-appeared saying that Bret had closed his eyes clearly tired. Once he'd removed his gown and mask, he fell into Clayton's arms. They both let their tears flow knowing that the end was near.

That evening a similar scenario took place with Ashley and Clayton. As they left both knew that Bret was unlikely to survive.

He in fact managed to hang on for another ten days until Clayton received that fateful call from the hospital to say that Bret had slipped away early that morning. The three of them hugged and cried. Life was going to be so different without Bret. Each time Clayton had left him during those ten days he'd kissed him on the lips and told him that he loved him so much. At least he'd passed away knowing that.

The funeral took place several days later and the guys were amazed at the number of people who attended. They had no idea that so many people had known Bret. When they finally got back home they sat down and looked at each other.

"What the fuck am I going to do without him?" Clayton exclaimed as tears flooded down his face. Marc jumped up and put his arms round him.

"We do what we've always done and look after each other" he told Clayton as he kissed him.

"Yeah, Marc's right; we're here for you Clayton whenever you need us."

Clayton nodded but it seemed as if the bottom had fallen out of his life. Over the next few weeks he operated on auto pilot. Everything he did and everywhere he looked reminded him of the guy he'd loved so much but with the support of the other two guys he got through.

"We need to decide what to do with the bookshop" he said one evening whilst they ate their evening meal.

"You're surely not thinking of closing it" Ashley exclaimed, "It was Bret's pride and joy".

"I know but if we keep it open we need to work out how; I don't want to give up my job at the clinic."

"Perhaps we can work out a shift rota between the three of us" Marc suggested although he knew both he and Ashley had plenty of work on their plate already.

Clayton thought for a moment. He knew it would have broken Bret's heart if the bookshop was closed but in reality he couldn't see how they could continue running it. "Okay, we'll try it for a while to see how we get on; the problem is that it doesn't generate enough profit to employ someone." With that agreed they continued their meal in silence.

Over the next couple of months they did manage to keep the shop open most days although there were times when it had to be closed because none of them were available.

It was during Marc's shift in the shop some two months later when he received a call from Morgan. He could tell he'd been crying and was very upset. "What's wrong Morgan?"

"It's Rick, he's been admitted to hospital; he's very ill and they won't let me see him because I'm not family."

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"They won't tell me; just keep on saying they can only tell family but I've tried to explain he doesn't have any family."

"Fucking hospitals; where are you?"

"At the hospital"

"Do you want me to come over?"

"Oh please Marc would you; I don't know what to do."

Marc said he'd be there as soon as he could. Fortunately Clayton had just returned home from the clinic and he knew Ashley was working in their studio above the flat. As soon as he'd put the phone down, he called the flat. Clayton answered and when he heard what had happened he said he'd come straight down. A few minutes later both Clayton and Ashley went down to the shop. Clayton suggested that he go with Marc since he knew who to speak to when it came to the medical fraternity so Ashley said he'd look after the shop. Fortunately it was mid afternoon so it would soon be closing time in any event. Ashley hailed a cab to save waiting for public transport. Bret's car had been sold since none of the others could drive and were not interested in doing so. They found Marc sitting in a corridor just outside the ward where Rick had been admitted. As soon as he saw Marc he rushed up and threw his arms round him. Tears flooded down his face and it took several minutes for Clayton to find out what had happened.

"He's not been feeling well for two weeks or more but wouldn't go to the doctor. I'm scared, what if he's got, you know, what Bret had."

Marc and Clayton tried to pacify him saying there was no point in speculating until they knew the facts. "But the bastards won't talk to me" Morgan wailed. Clayton put his arm round him and held him tight. He knew exactly how Morgan was feeling because he'd been through the same scenario.

"And you say Rick's parents are both dead and he doesn't have any brothers or sisters" Clayton clarified. Morgan nodded saying he had no family whatsoever. Clayton felt like exploding at the medical profession. He'd been campaigning for same sex couples to be recognised as next of kin for a long time but still the establishment wouldn't listen. "You guys stay here and I'll see what I can do" he eventually told them. Despite knowing what Morgan had done to Marc over the years he felt sorry for him. Besides, once Marc had told him and Bret about how Morgan's father treated him and being forced down the mine, he'd forgiven him like the others had done. Basically he was a nice guy but weak and he wanted to help him as much as he could.

He decided to ignore the matron who'd told Morgan in very plain terms that he could not be given any information about Rick despite knowing they were boyfriends. He guessed that the woman was a homophobe like so many in the profession. Instead he went to see the consultant in charge.

"I appreciate the problem but the hospital rules are quite clear; only family can be told about a patient's condition but his boyfriend is welcome to visit him during visiting hours."

"The guy doesn't have any family; both his parents are dead and he has no brothers or sisters; so you think it's right for a patient to die alone without having the guy he loves and who he's been living with for the past four years beside him"

"What makes you say he's going to die?"

"Come off it; I know enough about medical procedures; the fact that he's been isolated in a room on his own and the fact that he's gay, it doesn't take much working out what's wrong with him in view of the AIDS epidemic that's now killing off people like me almost daily."

The doctor looked at Clayton. He too felt the hospital rules were wrong in such cases. "You're right, come with me."

The doctor led Clayton back to the ward and asked him to wait for a moment whilst he spoke to the matron. A few minutes later he appeared again and ushered Clayton and Morgan into a small room. "I've agreed with matron that you Morgan can be with your boyfriend and that your friend Clayton can accompany you but before I take you in you need to know the situation. As you've correctly identified Clayton, Rick does have the AIDS virus. Unfortunately it has taken hold very quickly and his liver function is rapidly failing. In addition one of his lungs has collapsed and he has an infection in the other one. To be blunt, there is little we can do for him. As you know the AIDS virus attacks the immune system and his has reached rock bottom so he's not able to fight anything."

"How long has he got?" Clayton asked as he held Morgan's hand.

The doctor grimaced, "A week, possibly two; I'm sorry I can't be more positive but that's the situation."

"Can I see him?" Morgan whispered.

"Of course; in fact I've told matron that you can stay with him as long as you wish; in fact you both can."

"Thank you doctor, I appreciate your assistance" Clayton said as they stood up and the doctor led them along to Rick's room. As they passed Marc who was still sitting there, Clayton asked him to hang on for a moment.

When Morgan saw the man he loved he cried. The doctor closed the door behind him and went on his way. He too felt so sorry for these guys who were going through such a terrible time and it made him angry that the hospital authorities couldn't modernise their rules and show more feeling in such cases.

Morgan sat down beside Rick and took hold of his hand. Rick had drips and tubes attached to both arms and he was wearing an oxygen mask. His eyes were closed so he wasn't sure whether or not he knew that the man he loved was sitting beside him. "Will he know I'm here?" Morgan asked Clayton with tears running down his face.

"Just hold his hand and gently squeeze it; I'm sure he'll know it's you."

After a few minutes, Clayton stood up. "You're not going to leave me are you?" Morgan wailed and grabbed hold of Clayton's hand.

"No, just need to update Marc with what's going on and I'll be back." Morgan nodded and released his hand so Clayton quickly went outside to see Marc. Once he'd given him the news Marc nodded. He too had guessed it was AIDS.

"How's Morgan coping?"

"Not good but what can you expect; I know exactly what he's going through; he wants me to stay with him so I've said I will."

"Are you sure? I don't mind if you want to go home." Clayton kissed him despite other people being around and said the doctor had agreed that he could stay with Morgan.

"You go home and if you want, you and Ashley can come at visiting time this evening." With that agreed, Marc made his way home and left Clayton to return to Rick's room. Once in there, Morgan stood up and fell into his arms. As Clayton held him he had a peculiar feeling rush through his body. For some reason there was a connection between them and he knew then that he needed and wanted to do all he could for Morgan.

Marc and Ashley did visit that evening and were shocked to see how weak Rick was. His cheeks had hollowed and his eyes seemed to have sunk back into their sockets. There were odd moments when he opened them and he immediately looked at Morgan who gently squeezed his hand. Rick wasn't able to eat or drink normally so he'd been fitted with an intravenous tube. Morgan wouldn't leave his bedside except when he needed the toilet so Clayton went to the hospital canteen and bought sandwiches and drinks for him. Clayton rushed home to shower and change his clothes whilst Marc and Ashley visited but otherwise he too sat beside Rick and watched him slowly slip away.

He in fact lasted for just on a week before he stopped breathing early one morning. Morgan had nodded off so Clayton gently shook him to wake up. "I'm sorry my love, he's gone" Clayton said gently. Even he had tears running down his face and once Morgan had taken in the news he was in floods of tears. All they could do was hug each other. As they did so Clayton rang the bell to call in the nurse. When the nurse arrived she immediately called the doctor on duty and he confirmed that Rick had indeed passed away. They removed the oxygen mask and the various tubes and left Morgan and Clayton to say their final farewell. They both kissed Rick who was now at peace before collecting his belongings and made their way back to the house in Earls Court. Clayton had invited him back to the flat but Morgan insisted on going back home.

"I can feel his presence here" he said quietly. Clayton could understand that since it was how he'd felt when Bret had gone.

Clayton had never visited the house before and he was stunned to see how large it was. It was indeed a beautiful house and he said so as they walked inside taking their shoes off in the tiled hallway. "It's all mine now" Morgan said casually, "He was such a kind guy; he made a will about a year after we'd been together and made me the beneficiary of everything he owned, including this house and his money; he was a wealthy guy you know."

Clayton was amazed. He had no idea and Rick certainly never gave the impression of being a guy who had lots of money. He'd only really known him as a bar tender and a bouncer at the gay bar in Charing Cross so had assumed he was like everyone else trying to make a buck for a living. He'd also met him at the private leather club but that like many places where sex between men took place had closed down following the AIDS epidemic. They all knew that life for gays had changed and would continue to do so for many more years to come. He like Ashley and Marc were the lucky ones who somehow had not contracted the disease and from what Morgan had said he too had tested negative. When he told Clayton he'd said "Bearing in mind that I spent my time being fucked by Doms I can't believe I've not been infected yet Rick, who mainly fucked has been but there was one Dom who loved fucking him and he's now gone like so many others."

"Why don't you go and have a bath whilst I prepare some food for us" Clayton said once they walked into the kitchen. Morgan nodded knowing that he'd only had skimpy washes for the past week and probably smelt like shit. When he'd gone, Clayton opened the fridge and found some eggs and cheese. He decided to make them a cheese omelette since he doubted Morgan would want much more for the time being.

By the time Morgan reappeared smelling sweet and wearing a silk dressing gown, he was ready to make the omelettes. Morgan sat down at the small table he and Rick used to use when on their own and watched him. As he did so he ran his eye up and down Clayton's body. The guy was sexy and suddenly he felt a stirring in his loins. He quickly looked away feeling ashamed that he was admiring another guy when his own lover was hardly cold but there was something about Clayton that he rather liked and realised that this feeling had been forming over the past week whilst they'd been together. Clayton had shown such compassion and understanding and he knew that he too was now alone.

"Here you are, I expect you're starving" Clayton smiled. In reality Morgan wasn't that hungry but he did his best to eat what Clayton had produced for him.

"What will you do now, any ideas or is it too soon?" Clayton asked casually as they ate.

"I shall definitely stay here; Rick loved this house so I couldn't sell it; besides I need somewhere to live and I have the means to do so now." Clayton nodded, he could understand that since he felt the same way about the bookshop and the flat once Bret had gone but he knew that eventually he'd have to move on since trying to keep the bookshop open was proving difficult.

When they'd finished eating and Clayton had cleared away the dishes, he suggested Morgan go to bed. "You must be worn out; you've not had a proper night's sleep for a week."

"Nor have you" Morgan replied and wrapped his arms round Clayton. "I couldn't have got through this last week without you so thanks for everything." Clayton smiled and looked into Morgan's eyes. He suddenly realised they were blue, a fact he'd not really noticed before. They were of a similar height so their eyes were at the same level. Suddenly Morgan moved his face forward and kissed Clayton on the lips. It was more than a brief kiss and lingered instead. He half expected Clayton to move away but he didn't. Instead he felt Clayton's lips press against his so that their lips held fast together. Neither opened their lips but it was definitely more than a simple kiss between two guys.

Morgan moved away and briefly looked into Clayton's eyes to see his reaction. "Sorry, that just happened".

"Don't be; I could have pulled away you know" Clayton smiled.

"True. As you say I'm tired so perhaps I should go to bed. You will stay won't you; don't think I can wake up on my own knowing he's gone forever."

Clayton nodded knowing that feeling since he'd felt the same but fortunately he had Marc and Ashley to be with him so he agreed saying he'd call the other guys. He also suddenly remembered that they didn't know that Rick had passed away. Morgan told him to use the phone in the hall whilst he went upstairs. Once Clayton had made the call giving the guys the news, he explained he was staying with Morgan to keep him company for a while. He then walked upstairs and found Morgan sitting naked on the bed. The sight of his gorgeous naked body caused his own to have feelings of lust. He tried to ignore the feelings but it was difficult.

"Would you join me? Please; I want someone to hold me" Morgan pleaded. Clayton looked at him and didn't have the heart to say no. Besides, he wanted to hold him so he nodded and got undressed. Once he was naked and Morgan had admired his body they both climbed into the large bed. Both their cocks had reacted very slightly but it was the comfort of having another man's body up close they both wanted so they wrapped their arms round each other and slipped off to sleep.

It was mid afternoon when Clayton awoke. He found Morgan's arm draped over him and his head snuggled up against his chest. He smiled since Bret used to do the same. As he lay there thinking not wanting to move and wake Morgan, he stirred and moved into a kiss before opening his eyes. Clayton kissed him back which caused Morgan to come fully awake.

"Sorry" Morgan croaked and moved away.

"Don't be" Clayton replied pulling him closer. "We've both been through hell and back and lost the guy we thought would be with us forever. So having a man kiss me and hug me is nothing to be sorry about, in fact I like it. Feel free to do it whenever you want because I shan't complain and when you're sick of me, just tell me to fuck off and I'll leave and let you get on with your life."

Morgan sat up and looked Clayton in the eyes. "I shall never get sick of you but you may of me" he said seriously.

"Okay, well let's see how things go; in the meantime you've got lots to do I'm afraid; funerals don't organise themselves and notifying everyone has to be done."

Tears welled up in Morgan's eyes as he suddenly realised what he had to do. "Will you help me please, I've not got a clue what to do; I never ever thought I'd need to." Clayton smiled and said of course he would. The thought of having more time with this gorgeous guy certainly didn't bother him. Neither did it bother his body for that matter since that was already reacting to the dirty thoughts rushing through his mind despite his best efforts to hold them back. Morgan too felt the reaction and gave him another kiss as he pressed his body up close to Clayton's to feel the hardness down below. "Thanks" he finally said and hopped out of bed.

When it came to contacting people, Morgan realised how many friends had gone as a result of the AIDS epidemic. The funeral the following week was a quiet affair since neither Rick nor Morgan were religious. It was attended by about a dozen guys who'd known Rick, and Marc and Ashley came as well. Clayton had stayed with Morgan at the house for the whole time only going home to collect a change of clothes every so often and see how things were. He'd taken time off from the clinic so he could be with Morgan, and Marc and Ashley came over to the house on several days to see them and help out with things.

Once everyone had gone home, Morgan and Clayton sat in the living room deep in thought. Clayton had his arm round Morgan and he had his head on Clayton's shoulder.

"I'd like you to stay" Morgan suddenly blurted out. "Stay here I mean; live with me; I've fallen in love with you Clayton; does that sound terrible having just buried the guy who was my hero and who I loved with all my heart?"

Clayton was feeling the same way but had held his feelings back in view of the short time since Rick had died. He too had fallen in love with Morgan which was something he never ever imagined would happen when they first met. "Are you sure it's not just a knee-jerk reaction to what has happened? You loved him and he was your hero."

"Is that what you think? Do you think I'm that shallow or is it that you don't feel the same way about me?" Morgan said as he sat bolt upright and looked Clayton straight in the eyes.

"No it's not; and you're not shallow and I do feel the same way about you but we've both lost the love of our life so we need to be sure that what we feel for each other will last and is not some temporary thing."

"It's not for me but I can't answer for you. Okay I did love Rick and he was my hero but the feeling I have for you is different in some way. As you know I was Rick's submissive and I loved his kindness, the way he looked after me and wanted to please him all the time but I feel different with you; I feel we'd be good for each other."

Clayton smiled and pulled Morgan into a kiss. It soon became passionate and for the first time they opened up for each other. Tongues explored and for a moment it felt as if they'd just met and realised how much they loved each other. Their bodies also reacted and soon they both had raging erections inside their jeans. Finally Clayton pulled out of the kiss and they grinned at each other.

"Is that a yes then?" Morgan grinned. Clayton nodded and gave him another kiss.

When their sexual feelings calmed down they chatted about the future. Morgan wanted to continue living in the house and Clayton was more than happy to do so but the problem was the bookshop.

"It's not working despite Marc's best efforts to keep it going. To be honest I no longer have the passion to work my butt off to keep it going even though I know it was Bret's pride and joy but it was his enthusiasm that kept it going and the rest of us were carried along. Ashley wants to continue his photographic business and Marc does too along with his art so I feel fucked and don't know what to do. The current profits certainly wouldn't support employing anyone."

"Why not sell it as a going concern" Morgan said, "I'm sure there's someone who would be interested".

Clayton nodded and knew of a couple who'd already said they'd buy it off him.

"The problem is that the flat is part of it and if I sell the shop then Marc and Ashley would have to find somewhere else to live and they'd have to find somewhere for their studio and darkroom."

Morgan thought for a moment. "They could always live here. I want to clear the basement out because in no way am I going to have guys using that again for sexual activity so Marc and Ashley could use that as a studio and make one part into a darkroom. There's a large second bedroom and the house is plenty big enough for the four of us. How would you feel about that?"

"It's a fucking brilliant idea" Clayton exclaimed and pulled Morgan into another big kiss, "All we now have to do is sell the idea to Ashley and Marc."

That night they went to bed feeling a lot better. The funeral was over and Rick had been laid to rest. They'd also discussed sex and since both had tested negative they agreed they didn't want to use protection having promised each other that it would from now on be a monogamous relationship. Even Marc and Ashley had agreed that since Bret had died. No longer would they have sex with all and sundry however tempting. The AIDS epidemic had taught them that life would now have to change if they wanted to survive.

The following day, Clayton called Ashley and invited him and Marc over for a meal that evening. Having discussed their idea again over breakfast, they both decided to put it to the other two guys. When they arrived that evening, Clayton watched as the other two hugged and kissed Morgan like a long lost friend. Marc in particular showed no signs of having any problems with Morgan now, in fact quite the opposite. Ashley also treated him like a close friend so Clayton decided to put his and Morgan's plan to them.

"Morgan and I have something to tell you and something else to discuss with you guys" Clayton announced once Morgan had furnished everyone with a drink. The other two guys sat up and noted the way they looked at each other. They'd already commented between themselves that Morgan and Clayton seemed very close so they waited eagerly to hear what Clayton had to say. He started by telling them that he and Morgan were going to live together and that he'd be moving from the flat into the house. "That leaves the question of the bookshop" he said hesitantly.

"Yeah, we wanted to talk to you about that" Ashley interjected. "Marc and I are finding it hard to do our stints in the bookshop with our other work and neither of us wants to give that up. It's been especially hard since you've been here with Morgan and I imagine if you're living here you'll find it hard to help out at the bookshop also."

Clayton felt relieved since Ashley had given him the opening he wanted. "Exactly guys so I'm proposing to sell the bookshop. As you know Paul and Robin are interested in taking it over and since both are in their forties they feel they can make a go of it and produce a reasonable living from it, especially with Robin being a writer. That just leaves what you guys do since the flat has to go with the shop and you've got a studio and darkroom to relocate."

The other two nodded. They too had given this some thought but had not come up with a satisfactory solution. "So, what Morgan and I were wondering was whether you guys would like to come and live here; as you know the house is big enough, there's a large second bedroom you can use and there's a basement which we could make into a studio and darkroom for you. What do you think?"

The other two beamed. "Are you sure Morgan?" Marc asked somewhat amazed that he'd make such an offer.

"Yeah, I am, in fact we both are; I think we'd all get on well together; besides you guys are used to living with each other and that seems to have worked over a number of years."

"Well, I think it's a brilliant idea, don't you my love?" Ashley grinned and looked at Marc.

"Yeah, fucking brilliant"

"Time to open the champagne I think Morgan" Clayton grinned so Morgan rushed into the kitchen to fetch the champagne they'd put in the fridge in readiness plus four glasses. He left Clayton to open it and pour four glasses which he then passed round.

"Here's to us guys; four poofs living together."

"Four poofs" they all cheered.

So that's what happened. Within three months the gay bookshop plus the flat above was sold to Paul and Robin who were delighted to own it. What furniture they decided to take with them was moved to the house in Earls Court by which time the basement had been cleared of the equipment used for sexual activity, apart from the fuck bench since Ashley decided it was too good to throw out and might come in useful when they did nude photographs or Marc did more nude paintings. Paul and Robin had already said they were happy to exhibit such work in the shop for sale. They put up an internal wall at the front end to make a darkroom and fitted black curtains to block out the small amount of light that filtered through the close fitting window shutters. The rest of the area was redecorated in a lighter colour and new lights were fitted plus carpet tiles were put down to make it warmer. When it was all done, both Ashley and Marc were delighted. The area was much larger than they'd previously had and everyone felt happy that Bret's bookshop was now being run by two guys who were as passionate about it as he'd been.

The four soon settled into their new life together and Morgan felt happy that at last he'd been able to do something good for the guy he'd treated so badly for so many years. They in fact enjoyed life together for many more years to come. Morgan and Clayton's love for each other never failed and neither did Ashley and Marc's. They were two very happy couples and became the envy of many of their friends. Even so, they never forgot those they'd lost and photographs of both Bret and Rick stood in pride of place on the mantelpiece.

More stories by this author can be found under the list of prolific authors.

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