The following fictional story deals with sex among males. If you are offended by such material, are too young, or reside in a location where it is not allowed, please depart. Though not observed in this story, care enough about yourself and humankind to practice safe sex.
The author retains all rights. DrewBradley33@Yahoo.com
Chapter 30 Shams and Pretenses
Murphy's Gym
After springing Boyd from jail, Hal conferred with Ted the next morning about how to help the brittle, edgy fellow. To counter Boyd's isolation, amplified by the onus of his arrest, they decided that their beginning strategy should be integrating Boyd more with the crew during a workout at Murphy's after work. Les Porter had called that morning, postponing their afternoon meeting because he was working behind the scenes - successfully, he felt - to quash the charge against Boyd. When Hal pulled Boyd aside and related the news to him, Boyd was both relieved and disappointed - the matter would not be resolved soon. He just shook his head in resignation and thanked Hal, then turned and walked back to his work. Without disclosing the specifics, Hal and Ted quietly let the members of the crew know that Boyd needed some buddies. Without any hesitation, crew members committed to the evening or changed plans to welcome Boyd into their midst.
The crew burst into the locker room at Murphy's Gym in high spirits. Boyd wasn't the only one joining them; Drew was as well. All were determined that former times had returned, especially for their boss, whom they had again begun to adore.
Jamal and Tonio had pretty much shanghaied Boyd at the site, delivering him to the locker room with the crew. To quell Boyd's sputtering protests, Hal handed him extra workout clothes that he'd brought with him. As the guys were divesting themselves of work clothes - and appreciating the scent of men who'd labored during the day - Boyd, at once shy, kept repositioning himself to catch sight of Kenji nude. He was pulling his tee over his head when Kenji dropped his cutoffs, revealing white boxer briefs, packed in the pouch, stretched in the back over mounds, revealing a tantalizing cleft. Boyd was paralyzed until Tonio had pity on him and helped pull the shirt over his head, recalling stories about covering horses heads as they were led out of burning barns. 'Burning balls is more like it,' Tonio thought. Noting the byplay, Max was amused and proud of his lover's affect on other men.
When Drew entered the locker room wearing a loosened tie and starched white dress shirt with the sleeves folded back, catcalls and whistles ensued. Hal sported a grin that threatened to crack his face. Drew blushed, but did a little bump and grind, evoking laughter.
Jamal walked up to Drew, pulling him up against him. Drew's face rested right in between Jamal's pecs. "Hey, Drew Baby. It's good to see you back. Tonio! Come greet our man!"
As Hal had observed once before, Jamal and Tonio sandwiched Drew between them, hugging him this way, then turning him that for another hug. Still, they noticed Drew's veiled glances at Hal as he continued dressing for the workout. With a wink to each other not missed by the attentive crew, Jamal and Tonio started pulling Drew's tie off, unbuttoning his shirt, and unbuckling his belt. Drew shoved them away, grinning: "What do you think you're doing, taking liberties with my person?"
"It's not your person I'm after," Tonio said, sliding his hand over Drew's package, "unless that's a new name for your tool." Drew tried to jump back. Instead, he bumped up against Jamal, who slid his long arms around Drew, one hand tweaking a nipple under his shirt, the other sliding down to his package.
Drew twisted away, laughing. "You guys need to rein it in. Don't you get enough sex at home?"
"Can't rein it in, honey," Jamal leered. "You're too hot, and I'm too horny."
"Balderdash! Your lover is standing right beside you. You guys probably spend all your free time in a king size bed at home."
"Yeah, Babe-e-e-e," Tonio said with a Hispanic lilt in his voice, "but we're so oversexed - and it's not like you have anywhere to give it away." The crew was instantly alert. A brilliant challenge had been delivered.
Predictably, Drew's eyes blazed and his head tipped down as he glared at Tonio. Several crew members snickered, knowing what was coming. "I beg your pardon?" Drew's question was brimming with attitude.
"Honey, you don't have to beg us," Jamal said in an indulgent manner. "We help the unlucky. We spread our machismo around."
Drew's mouth set as he turned steamy. "What's this 'unlucky' crap? Maybe I have someone right here who could take care of me plenty fine!" In only a few seconds, he realized the import of the taunt he'd tossed out, blushing, refusing to look at Hal. The latter, however, roared out loud, joined by the crew. Drew looked sassily at Hal, flipping him the bird.
"Ou-u-u-u, nasty fuck signals already!" Rich laughed. Drew shot him a withering look.
"So who you got hidden away back in your crib, Baby?" Jamal asked.
Drew looked away, disdaining an answer.
"It's the bossman," Tonio interjected. "Hey, Bossman," he sang, turning toward Hal, "did you know that my man Drew is laying claim to your tool?"
Whirling about, Drew admonished Tonio, "Cut that out!"
"Oh, I see," Levi jumped in, "it's just wishful thinking, Drewsy?"
Exasperated, Drew boasted as he turned toward Levi: "He says he loves me," smiling as though he'd been granted the greatest of gifts.
"Yeah?" Jamal challenged. "I'd make him prove it."
"Prove it?" Drew stared dumbly back at Jamal. It was hardly the response he'd expected. "He loves me. I know he does. And he proved it."
"By planting a tree in your yard?" Jamal snorted scornfully. Max grinned at Ted and Levi. They knew what Jamal's goal was. To establish before all present that Hal and Drew were an official couple again.
"That was NOT just a tree!" Drew's eyes fired. "That was a red sugar maple," he said reverently. More than one member of the crew wondered if the reverence was prompted by the tree or Hal as author of the act. Kenji and Tonio had to cover their mouths to keep from breaking the mood and tipping Drew off. Drew resumed dressing for a workout.
"I'd definitely get some corroborating evidence," Rich pushed, adding more fuel to the fire. Hal was watching bemused, realizing what the crew was doing. He intuited that they were pushing for some commitment from both of them right there where it all started - in Murphy's gym. Hal was more than ready to match Drew's contribution. He had to wonder why Drew hadn't caught on.
Drew stared at Rich as though an arch betrayer had handed his buddies over to the enemy. "What?" Drew whipped out a response.
Spotting an opportunity to join in the fun, Carl started, "Wel-l-l-l-l-l, why pay for it when you can get it free? Love doesn't have to have anything to do with it." Drew's jaw dropped because he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Jamal exclaimed to Drew, "You're so easy!" As they laughed along with Jamal, the crew watched Drew's face move rapidly through puzzlement, confusion, realization, embarrassment, awareness, and challenge again as Drew quickly surveyed their faces. Then he studied Hal's face, which was registering amusement ready to move to hilarity. Drew's face froze. Then he wheeled around and ran for the double doors to the stairway. Everyone stood rooted to the spot as Drew shot off across the weight room and through the doors, wondering what was happening.
"The track," said Max, and they moved in concert to the doors and the track.
"Man," Jamal said to Hal, "you gotta teach him to do something other than run every time it doesn't turn out for him." All but Boyd immediately remembered the sound of their Nikes and Reeboks thundering up the stairs months earlier when they were climbing to the indoor track to help Hal claim Drew. As before, they stopped at the double doors leading to the indoor track. They looked through the glass, watching Drew fly around as though pursued by demons.
The crew moved out onto the track, having to kick it in, trying to keep up with Drew. 'I didn't know he could run that fast," Hal thought. As they surrounded Drew and pulled in tighter, moving into one of the curves of the track, he jumped aside, at the same time shoving Hal into the group. There was another pile up, marked by cursing, laughter, and gasps. Drew stood aside, leaning against the track railing, disdainfully studying his fingernails, blowing on them and polishing them on his wife beater in the classical patronizing stance. When the crew recovered itself and looked at him, he smiled mischievously: "You guys are so easy!"
Of one voice the crew cursed, grumbled, and profaned the air as they arose and dog piled Drew, who went down laughing as pretend punches and blows rained down on his sweaty body. In the melee, many pairs of hands were taking inventory of Drew's cock, balls, and ass. A grin was splitting Boyd's face. Despite his reserve, he could feel himself being pulled to these guys.
When they all untangled and finally stood, Drew was left lying in Hal's arms. They were just looking into each other's eyes, but a lot of communicating was occurring. The crew's healing was continuing. "May we try that date again, Love?" Hal asked Drew, looking into his eyes, then slowly pressing his lips to Drew's.
The Thomas Site
At midmorning, the crews were working in their respective areas at opposite ends of the Thomas home. Because of other construction in the developing neighborhood, no one paid particular attention to the sound of a semi easing down the street until it pulled to a stop along the curb. Max walked through to the other end of the house to find Ted. "Hey, Ted, did Hal mention anything to you about a delivery coming by semi today?"
"No. The next delivery doesn't occur until next Wednesday, I believe. And I don't think our supplier would be using a semi. Why?"
"There's a semi pulled up in front of the site."
All the workers from Max's crew had walked in the end of the house where Ted's crew was working, thinking they were going to need to help unload the truck, speculating on what new discovery Gwen Thomas had made to contribute to the uniqueness of the Thomas home. Ted's crew had walked through to the front of the house to cluster around what would be a picture window in the den of the completed home - all, that is, except Boyd, who, Ted noticed, held back a bit. 'Even after being with us last night at the gym, he still holds back from us. He still hasn't gotten over the arrest,' Ted thought, deciding that he and Boyd were going to have to have a beer together. Boyd was stoically holding it all in - ultimately dangerous.
The semi was close enough that the crews could see two people in the cab. Suddenly the passenger door swung open, followed by the driver's door. A wiry fellow climbed down out of the cab, pulling a duffel bag behind him while shouldering a backpack. The driver walked around the front of the truck. He was tall, slim, sporting side burns and a beard, on the youngish side. He walked up to the young guy, bending down and pulling him into a hug and then a hot kiss as he moved a hand down to the short fellow's ass and jammed his body into his crotch. Soft exclamations moved among the crew.
When the two broke the kiss, Max studied the younger man, for an intimation had seized him. The young man had almost no hair on his head, it having been shaved or cut right down to the scalp. Still, there was something arresting about him, starting with his features. He was aware that Kenji had come to stand beside him. Turning Max asked, "Do you know that young man?"
Kenji was smiling. "Lover, you are about to meet your brother-in-law."
"Yuki?" Max asked. The other members of the crew were watching the two closely, attending to their exchange. With new interest, they turned their attention to the two men by the semi.
"Well, I think so, but he looks so different," Kenji said. "He's grown up. He's taller, filled out some. And what happened to his hair? How did he ever get our parents to go along with that? Life must have improved for him after I left."
"Looks butch," Tonio observed, "and hot! Get me a date with your little brother, okay Kenji?"
Jamal grabbed the back of Tonio's neck, turning his head to look into Jamal's hostile face. "Wanna run that by me?" Jamal said in a basso voice, posturing menace. The men laughed at the byplay between the two solid lovers who were always pretending to be looking at greener pastures until the other reeled the wayward partner in. It was regarded as a mark of the newness of their relationship. Ted thought it was also a means the two had for reassuring the other that he was still important, that they were still committed although he had to wonder why they couldn't just say that to each other. Of course, that had never been Jamal's way, and Tonio's way was to do whatever Jamal wished.
The two men in the street spoke to each other for a minute. Then they kissed passionately again. "Doesn't look to me as though Yuki ONLY hitched a ride," Kenji said, chuckling. "He's always been horny." As the young man started to walk to the construction trailer, the driver climbed back into the cab, but sat waiting. Before Yuki could reach the trailer, Kenji put his foot on the bottom of the window and vaulted out, calling Yuki's name. Yuki looked up. When he recognized Kenji, Yuki dropped backpack and duffel bag and ran toward Kenji, his arms held open. The two collided, grabbing each other to keep from falling over, whirling around and around, laughing and hugging each other. Except for Boyd, the entire crew was sporting monster grins, happy for Kenji and eager to meet his brother. Boyd stood rooted to the spot, fixed on the two brothers.
Yuki pulled back from his brother, the smile fading as he looked in Kenji's eyes, speaking softly. Max guessed that he was apologizing for not standing up for Kenji in that fateful confrontation in the Hamada garage. He knew that's what it was when Kenji started shaking his head in the negative. Yuki kept talking. Suddenly Kenji grabbed Yuki, laying a hot kiss on his mouth, which caused Yuki's body to melt into Kenji's so that they were flattened against each other.
Max chuckled, his eyes twinkling with interest as he conjured images of the three of them in bed, giving his brother-in-law a proper reception into their family. "Damn!" Levi said, sliding an arm around Ted, who smiled back at him, giving him a peck. Ted smirked, knowing that Levi was going to tackle him at home that night. Ted looked over at Boyd, whose eyes were bugging out. 'Now that's a change for the better,' Ted decided.
When Kenji broke the kiss, Yuki's head sank slowly onto Kenji's shoulder while the two talked softly to each other as Kenji ran his hands over his brothers back, neck, shoulders. Finally, Kenji looked over his shoulder, seeing the window filled with the two crews, all of whom were smiling and kibitzing among themselves. All but Boyd, Kenji noticed. Kenji pulled Yuki over to his travel gear, bent down, picking up the duffel. Wiping away tears, Yuki retrieved his backpack. The driver of the semi honked his horn twice and shifted into gear, pulling out. Yuki turned to wave, smiling, before following his older brother.
The crews watched the two brothers walking up to the front door, then listened to nonstop talking as Kenji led them to the den. When the two Hamadas entered, the crew studied the two brothers, for one could see that siblings they clearly were. Yuki was shorter, sparer, and had little hair. But their eyes were equally spaced under black eyebrows. Being the younger, Yuki's face was slightly less angular than Kenji's. His eyes were guarded while Kenji's often looked apprehensive. Yuki's shoulders weren't as broad, nor was he muscled like his older brother. Their noses were equally full, and Yuki had a cute little button mouth slightly smaller than Kenji's. His hands were smaller, not work roughened like his brother's. Kenji had a hot, young ass while Yuki's wasn't as full yet - more a button ass like his kissable mouth. All in all, Yuki was damned cute, the kind of cute that made a horny older male want to despoil what looked like virginal innocence.
Kenji pulled Yuki over to Max, introducing the two to each other as brothers- in-law. Yuki threw himself into Max's body, grabbing him tight as though a big wind were about to blow through. They spoke softly to each other, then they kissed, hotter than a brother-in-law kiss. Then Max smiled at Kenji. Kenji led Yuki around, introducing him to all the guys. Yuki appeared to be a little dazed, clearly in awe of the men he was meeting. More than one of the men noted a bulge in his jeans that was larger than what one would expect of one so diminutive and young. Everyone noted that when Kenji and Yuki reached Boyd, the latter stood transfixed, staring at Yuki, his mouth open a bit. Yuki held out his hand to shake Boyd's, who still stood frozen. "Boyd?" Kenji spoke. Boyd's head turned in Kenji's direction, but there was nothing registering on his face. "Don't you want to shake Yuki's hand?" Boyd stared dumbly at Kenji until he reached out and squeezed Boyd's arm.
"Huh?" Boyd muttered. Then Kenji's words registered. He looked down at Yuki's hand and then up into his face. He quickly swiped his right hand across his thigh and then grasped Yuki's hand, shaking it vigorously. He finally remembered to say "Hi," every response occurring as a delayed reaction. Yuki was surprised to feel little tremors in Boyd's hand. Amused, interested in this tall hunk, Yuki returned his greeting as the members of the crew swapped raised eyebrows and knowing grins. Boyd was smitten, and he had piqued Yuki's interest.
No one had noticed earlier that, after his introduction to Yuki, Bobby had left the house. Ever since Randy and Esteban had flown back to Europe, Angie had been depressed. Her brother Randy had tried to hide his disappointment over his father's rejection of him. After leaving the guys at the airport to catch their flight back to Europe, Angie had wept and moped, but nothing was going to counter the loss Randy felt. Not even their mother, Tee, could talk her out of it. Bobby had hoped that Yuki's appearance might buck up her spirits. Suddenly Angie walked through the door with little Hal Robert in her arms and Jimmy trotting and panting along side. Jimmy spotted Yuki immediately, running over and leaping into his arms. Somehow, through doggie logic, he'd already recognized Yuki as being attached to his buddy Kenji. Yuki giggled and struggled to hang on to the wiggling, whining dog while he received lots of tongue kisses. Hal walked in behind Angie with Bobby along side.
The group trooped up to Yuki for introductions. But Yuki, handing Jimmy off to Kenji, grabbed Angie in a gentle hug, being careful not to jostle Hal Robert. "You're our sister!" he exclaimed, laying a big kiss on her cheek. "I've already heard a lot about you. And you're my nephew," he said to Hal Robert as he chucked his crooked finger under the baby's chin, who looked a little doubtful about this new fellow handling his face so intimately. Yuki allowed Kenji to walk him up to Hal, who stood waiting, eyes twinkling, as Kenji introduced them. "Sir, it's a pleasure to meet you," Yuki stated quite formally, bowing in classical Japanese tradition, causing Kenji to arch his eyebrows as the two men shook hands once Yuki and straightened.
"The pleasure's all mine," Hal said, repressing a laugh as he saw Yuki's eyes flashing all over his body, assessing its features.
"How about a job?" Yuki shot out, causing Kenji to gasp and Max to roar.
"I don't know if I can take two of you," Hal said, glancing at Kenji, clearly amused.
"Oh, he's the complicated one," Yuki said, shooting a sassy look at Kenji. "I'm the easy one."
"Easy as in . . . ?" Hal responded, wondering how daring Yuki was.
"Whatever you want," Yuki shot back.
Kenji roped an arm around Yuki's waist, pulling him back against him: "Women and children present," he warned Yuki, causing everyone else to laugh.
"Don't know then if I can protect you from all these guys," Hal explained, clearly enjoying the repartee.
"Why do I think it's the guys who may need protecting?" Max observed, to the general amusement of the crew. From what they'd seen in just the past few minutes, they didn't doubt for a moment the truth of Max's observation.
Yuki shrugged, innocently lifting the palms of his hands up as though he couldn't understand Max's question. Then he stepped out of Kenji's arms and walked over to Bobby. "I think you must be our sister's main squeeze," he stated as he and Bobby hugged. Bobby laughed, turning to Angie. "You have other squeezes I don't know about?" The crew chuckled. Yuki laid a hot kiss right on Bobby's lips, causing his eyes to open wide. Angie burst out laughing.
"See what I mean in my warning?" Max asked, clearly enjoying what was occurring.
Kenji pulled Yuki back. "What's this job stuff? And what are you doing here anyway?" He felt Yuki sag against him, turning slowly in his arms, his high spirits suddenly fled. The others listened closely. "Um, Dad locked me in my room. . . Couple of nights ago, Dad locked me in my room. I hadn't noticed that he'd changed the lock. I couldn't get out. You know how I hate feeling trapped. So I packed these bags and waited until the middle of the night. I used a penknife to cut the window screen and climbed out on the roof. Then I dropped down to the ground and took off.
"Did you leave a note?"
"Of course not! That bastard deserves no explanation when he gave me none. He can sit around and guess what happened if he really cares that much. Don't worry; he doesn't," Yuki spoke heatedly, bitterly. "I don't know what he cares about except his precious reputation." The crew was taken aback to hear such bitterness in Yuki's voice, such intense emotion at variance with what they had observed of him up to that point. Cleary, caution was to be advised in this line of conversation.
"What about Mom?"
Yuki's face registered irritation as he looked at his brother, pursing his mouth. "It's time for Mom to fish or cut bait. She knew about the lock. She knew what Dad was going to do. She didn't warn me or anything. She also handed your letter over to Dad when she found it in my bento kit. I can't count on her for anything except to go along with Dad."
Kenji looked down at the flooring, nervously scuffing his boots along the surface. "Just so you understand, Yuki, before Mom was even born, her family - great-great grandparents and all that - in the old country had connections to the Yakuza. Even though her family had been here in this country for a long time, the taint transferred to them here through word of mouth. So-called decent families here wouldn't have accepted her as a daughter-in-law. She might as well have been back in the old country. In fact, Dad's family never wanted Dad to marry Mom. I don't know why he did, but he always thought Mom should be grateful that he saved her from being an old maid. In her day, that was shameful. And her family was grateful that Dad proposed because it boosted their acceptance."
"I never heard any of this. How did you?"
"You probably don't remember when I was in the sixth grade. Tim Wilkins and I got into a fight at school. He called me a gangster. I couldn't figure out what he was talking about, so I punched him. We had to go to the principal's office. His mom and our dad were called to school. Tim had to explain what he meant. So he turned to his mom and told her he heard her talking about it to one of her friends on the phone. Dad asked how her friend knew about Mom's background. Seems this woman worked for a Japanese businessman. Her employer was complaining about bad stuff from the old country coming to this country. Then she told Tim's mom during one of their gossipy phone conversations." Yuki stared into Kenji's eyes, saying nothing, thinking plenty.
Kenji continued: "Remember that Mom belongs to a different generation, an uptight generation with uptight values. You might not want to be so hard on her. Her life has been anything but happy." Yuki continued to stare at his brother, lost in thought.
Recognizing the opportunity to step in, Hal started, "Well, Yuki, perhaps you and your brother and Max and I should repair to my office to discuss your employment future." Several members of the crew watched as Boyd's eyes tracked the group's progression to the trailer. More than one thought, 'He's got it bad. But for whom? Kenji or Yuki?'
(To be continued.)
This chapter is a little late in being posted. I flew states away to attend my son's wedding. We had a great father/son time! I'm still reveling in it. A great time with Nifty author Patrick Young ("Clay") too, who was present. And the Nifty Six as well as a few others were also in attendance, in spirit at least. Wait until they see the pictures!