The Trouble with Drakes 14
Nobody wants to admit to anything, so it was time somebody got caught doing something.
Title: The Trouble With Drakes chapter 14
Author: stormyd55
Rating: NC-17....Yea! Smut!
Pairing: Bob/Harry...FINALLY! (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: Masturbation with a dash of voyurism.
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 3100
Summary: Harry and Bob go shopping, get dinner, kill the jeep, just a regular night. Oh, then Harry catches Bob doin' the nasty.
Author's Note: Nobody wants to admit to anything, so it was time somebody got caught doing something.
Important Note! I give up! I raise the white flag! I surrender! I had no problem creating links to the first four chapters, but chapter six and on simply are not working. I've checked and rechecked and checked again. The addresses were copied properly. So, anyone who wants to read previous chapters, please click on my author tag. It will bring up everything I've written, but at least you'll be able to read the full story. I'm sorry I can't seem to get it to work right. I'm going to leave this note in every chapter for the benefit of new readers. If anybody has any ideas, I'm all ears.
Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4
Title: The Trouble With Drakes 14
Author: stormyd55
Rating: NC-17....Yea! Smut!
Pairing: Bob/Harry... FINALLY! (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: Masturbation with a dash of voyurism.
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 3100
Summary: Harry and Bob go shopping, get dinner, kill the jeep, just a regular night. Oh, then Harry catches Bob doin' the nasty.
Author's Note: Nobody wants to admit to anything, so it was time somebody got caught doing something.
*****
On the way home, Harry went through a fast food drive-thru to get Bob some real food. Bob was coming down off his sugar high and he wasn't feeling that great. Knowing how health conscious the older man was, Harry got him a salad with grilled chicken and mandarin oranges on top. Bob loved the oranges.
Once they'd gotten home, Bob ate his salad and took a short nap. By 6:00, he was up again and feeling much better.
Harry was sitting on the sofa, reading, when Bob came downstairs. He was carrying his shoes in one hand and seemed to be in a pleasant mood.
Harry gazed up at him and smiled. "Well, you look better. Feel up to doing a little clothes shopping or do you want to do that another time?"
Bob returned the smile and replied, "I do feel better. And, yes, I do think we should go ahead and do some shopping. I can't keep wearing your clothes if its only going to get me arrested."
Harry broke out into a fit of laughter. "I still can't believe that she did that. And on that note, I'd like to apologize. If I'd introduced you when you wanted me to, none of this would have happened. I'm sorry." He wasn't laughing now. Bob could tell that he was truly sincere.
"Thank you, Harry. I accept your apology." His expression became a combination of puzzlement and amusement. "She really was quite convinced that I'd murdered you and buried you in the basement." He sat down in an armchair and began putting on his shoes. "So, where did you have in mind for this shopping trip?"
"Oh, I thought we'd check out a couple of the outlet malls. It's still name brand stuff, which I know you'd want, but we'd be able to stretch our dollars a little more."
"Or we could dip into the money Kendra left me." Bob suggested hopefully.
"You know we need to save that for emergencies. Besides, there is nothing wrong with bargain shopping."
Bob sniffed in disgust. "Only if you actually find something of quality."
Harry smiled. "Come on. Grab your jacket and lets go. We only have a few hours before the stores close. I don't expect us to find much tonight, but maybe we'll get lucky."
A few hours later, Harry marveled at Bob's ability to charm people. They ended up going to some high end stores and somehow they just knew that he was a man to be taken seriously. Harry realized that he was watching the true Lord of Bainbridge at work. At one store, Harry looked at the prices and thought This is an outlet store?! But Bob had a few private words with the manager and suddenly they were being led into the back. The prices were significantly better as well as the quality. Apparently, you had to be somebody, or at least have them think you're somebody to get the good stuff at good prices. Only one thing made Harry nervous. The clerk assigned to help Bob kept looking at Harry out of the corner of his eye. And if Harry wasn't looking, he could feel the guy watching him. It was creepy.
Despite Harry's fears that they wouldn't find much, by the time the stores closed, they ended up with everything Bob needed for his new wardrobe. He'd even found an outfit similar to the suits he'd appeared to wear when he was a ghost, including an ascot. And much to Harry's bewilderment, Bob insisted on buying two rings, similar to the ones Harry had always seen him wear. When asked about it, Bob said that having something familiar helped him adjust to the strangeness of being alive again. All in all, it had been a really successful evening.
It was around 9:30 when they decided to get some dinner. They ended up at a steak house, where Bob and Harry both thoroughly enjoyed medium rare steaks and roasted potatoes. Bob found that he couldn't stomach modern day beer and chose to stick with water.
During dinner, Harry told Bob about the High Council meeting he'd attended earlier that day. "It was a total fiasco. Half of them didn't want to believe that the problem was that serious, and the other half just wanted someone to blame. One jackass actually suggested that it was my fault because a Drake had died at my place. Mai's involvement was never even mentioned."
Bob snorted, "Of course not. Rank has it's privileges, including passing the buck. Did you tell them about the Jaglovax?"
"I told Amber and she told them. I wish I hadn't put her on the spot like that. She was basically told to stop spreading rumors and conspiracy theories. The Jaglovax haven't been seen outside the Nevernever in centuries and that was that."
Bob sighed. "Over the years, I've found that most Council members are fools. They're more interested in politics and power than the truth. Did Mai say anything?"
"No, but when Amber told them about the Jaglovax and the museum theft, she started paying real close attention. She knows something, but she sure isn't gonna tell us."
"Well, she does like her little secrets."
They spent the rest of the meal discussing Bob's thoughts on how to improve Harry's business. Harry seemed to like several of his ideas and even suggested that they add Bob's name to the door and his ad. Bob refused to even consider it until they were sure that the Council wasn't going to kill him again.
As they were driving home, Harry kept thinking about the store clerk. "Hey, Bob. Tell me something. After you convinced that guy to show you the good stuff, why did the clerk keep staring at at me? What did you tell him?"
Bob smirked and reached over to brush the backs of his knuckles against Harry's cheek. "Why, I told him that you were my paramour."
Harry's eyes went wide with shock. Then the jeep died. Ka-plooey. Ker-plunk. Dead.
Twenty minutes later, they were leaning against the jeep, waiting for Harry's regular mechanic, Mike, to arrive with a tow truck. Bob looked up at Harry out of the corner of his eye and said, "Perhaps it wasn't the best time to make such a joke at your expense."
Harry crossed his arms and glared at the pavement. "Nope."
"Are you going to stay mad at me?"
"Yep."
"Why?"
"You killed my jeep." he grumbled.
"You killed your jeep. I can't help it if you can't take a joke."
"Bob!... Oh, forget it. Here comes Mike. Lets just go home."
By the time they got back to the apartment, Harry had calmed down. He never stayed mad for long, especially at Bob. He had a few words with Mike before he left with the jeep and then helped Bob carry all of his purchases to the door. He was about to open the door, but he hesitated when he touched the door handle. "Bob, something's not right with the wards."
Bob closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. "Yes, I see what you mean. They're still there, but it's obvious someone's been here."
"Or still is here. Be careful." Harry eased through the doorway. He was glad they'd come to the back door, so he didn't have to worry about the bell sounding. But he wished he had his hockey stick.
They dropped their bags near the door and slowly made their way through the apartment, carefully looking around corners and into dark shadows.
They were in the living room, when a figure dressed in black lunged from its hiding place behind the sofa. The size and build suggested it was male. He raised his hand and a ball of energy knocked Harry off his feet.
The man dove for the front door, but Bob grabbed his left arm. The man froze as if in shock and stared for a split second at Bob's hand gripping his arm. Then he swung his right arm and punched Bob in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.
When Bob got back to his feet, the man was gone. He rushed to Harry's side. "Harry? Harry, are you alright?"
Harry was trying to sit up. "Yeah, yeah. Just got the wind knocked out of me. Are you ok? That was some punch you took."
Helping Harry stand, Bob scoffed and rubbed his chin. "My pride is hurt worse than my jaw." He hesitated, then said, "Harry, we may have a bigger problem than just a home invasion. He was shocked when I grabbed him. Whoever that was knew that I was supposed to be non corporeal."
"Oh shit. Did you get a look at his face?" He looked extremely worried.
Bob crossed his arms and pursed his lips. "No, he was wearing one of those knit things people wear in winter."
"A ski mask?"
"Yes. Still, there was something familiar about him. I just can't put my finger on it."
Harry's brow furrowed. "What are we going to do, Bob?"
Bob looked at him calmly. "Well, there's nothing we can do, is there. I doubt our intruder wants to advertise that he broke in here, so I don't think he'll be running to the wardens. Besides, even if he does, I still have a trick or two up my sleeve." He gripped Harry's shoulder. "Don't you worry about it. Come on. Let's not leave those clothes by the back door any longer."
"I'll get them. How about checking the answering machine for me?"
Harry carried the bags into the living room and sat down. It scared him that some unknown person knew about Bob. But Bob was right, if there was nothing they could do right now, there was no point in worrying about it. Then he heard Bob call him from the office. He got up to see what he wanted.
"Yeah?"
Bob was just hanging up the phone. "Tess had left a message for me to call her. Are you busy tomorrow? She'd like me to give another lecture. I told her that I was free early tomorrow afternoon. If you're busy, it's alright. I can go by myself."
"That's ok. I don't have any plans. Unless Murphy comes up with something on that name Lorne gave us or the Jaglovax or Drakes strike again, I'm pretty much free."
"Well then, I suppose that we'd best put away these clothes and turn in for the evening."
*****
Bob's lecture on the dangers of weather control was well received by seven young ladies at the same park that he'd given his first lecture. Before beginning, he was surprised when Meg made a request on behalf of Chloe and several other girls to repeat the lecture at a later date. Apparently, it was nearing mid-terms and attendance was difficult, though very much desired.
At the end of the lecture, he answered several questions, but there was only one young lady who seemed seriously interested in the practical applications of weather control. She was a lovely young black woman with a beautiful accent. Her name was Koffi, though Bob was never sure if that was her first name or her last name. He later found out that the couple in African dress at Kendra's funeral were her parents and that they were doctors who worked in an area of Africa that sometimes suffered from drought. Bob made a promise to himself to have a serious talk with her in private. He understood the desire to help people, but he didn't want her to become another Edward of Durham.
After all questions were answered, Bob sent them on their way. There was a mad scramble for books and jackets. Some of the girls had evening classes to get to.
Harry stayed seated on the park bench as the girls gathered their belongings. They waved goodbye and started racing each other to their cars. Meg stopped and turned back. "Your jeep's in the shop, right? Do you need a ride home?"
"Nah, we're gonna walk. Its a nice day for it."
"Ok, 'bye."
Bob sat down next to Harry. They didn't say anything. They just enjoyed the afternoon breeze and each other's company. Bob closed his eyes and tried to identify the different scents on the wind. Fresh cut grass was readily identifiable. There were some flowering trees and bushes nearby, though he couldn't name them. Unfortunately, he also caught the occasional whiff from the garbage can that happened to be upwind. He blocked out each scent, searching for one in particular. There, he breathed deep. He'd sat downwind of Harry on purpose. He knew Harry's scent. It was the first thing he noticed when he woke up in the man's bed that first day of his new life. He loved that smell, even diluted by the breeze. He smelled of soap and herbs, but mostly of smoke from the candles he burned constantly in his home. It was a lovely smell. It was... home.
"So," Harry interrupted his thoughts, "You want to keep teaching 'the little witches'?"
"I'd like to continue our association with them, yes. But I think they're teaching me more than I'm teaching them."
"The only thing I ask is no frat parties or keggers." They both laughed.
Harry reluctantly stood. "Come on. We'd better head back."
Bob followed, hanging back a moment so he could enjoy the view of Harry's ass. Then he caught up and they walked side by side. Harry walked with his hands tucked into his back pockets so as to avoid the temptation to hold Bob's hand as they walked. Bob walked with his hands behind his back for the same reason though neither of them knew it.
It was a thirty minute walk back to Harry's place. Harry babbled on and on about things he wanted to show Bob. Places to take him. Food he should try. Harry wanted Bob to have everything he'd seen from a distance and not been able to experience.
Bob was content to walk beside the boy and listen. As much as he looked forward to all these things, the only thing he really wanted was to spend time with Harry. He would do anything and go anywhere as long as it was with him.
They arrived at the apartment and went inside. Harry dropped his keys and wallet on the coffee table and was making several suggestions for dinner, when Bob noticed the answering machine's light was blinking. "Red light, Harry." indicating the machine.
"Oh, right."
After putting away his jacket, Bob went into the kitchen for some water, while Harry checked the messages. He hoped it wasn't Lieutenant Murphy with a case. He wanted to spend time with Harry so bad it hurt.
Harry came bouncing into the kitchen. "Hey, Bob? That was Mike. He said the jeep is fixed and its not gonna cost as much as we thought. So, maybe we can do something, like go to a movie, or... I don't know. Something. Whatever you wanna do." He seemed so excited at the prospect of taking Bob to do something he'd never done before.
The problem was that Bob had no idea what he wanted to do. There were so many choices, it was a little overwhelming. So he went with what seemed easiest. "A movie sounds fine."
"Great. I need to go get the jeep. Why don't you look in the news paper and decide which one to see. I'm gonna stop off at the grocery store on the way back, so I'll be maybe an hour, hour and a half tops. Anything you want me to pick up?"
"Just don't forget the milk. Oh, and orange juice, we're running low." Bob had developed a great fondness for orange juice.
"Gotcha." Harry snatched up his keys and hurried out the door. It was about a twenty minute walk to Mike's garage.
Bob sighed. He really didn't feel like picking out a movie. He wondered around the apartment and ended up in the bedroom. He stood looking at Harry's rumpled bed. He imagined Harry lying on it, naked and sweating as he touched himself, much like he had done several days ago, on the living room floor. As he remembered that night, Bob found himself becoming aroused. He found himself imagining what would of happened if Harry had overdosed on that stuff after Bob had come back to life. He and Harry would both have been naked and writhing on the floor. Touching each other. Though, in reality, Bob would never have taken advantage of Harry's intoxicated state like that. It was a nice fantasy, though.
Bob suddenly realized that he had a full erection and that it was quickly becoming painful. At first, he thought about taking a cold shower, but then... why waste a good fantasy. He undid his belt and pants and slowly began to stroke himself.
***
Harry was nearly a block away when he realized that he'd left his wallet behind. Stifling a curse, he turned around and headed back to the apartment. When he reached the door, he unlocked it and carefully eased it open just enough to reach in and up to take hold of the bell above the door to keep it from chiming. If he was lucky, he could grab his wallet and get out again without Bob knowing. The last thing he wanted to hear right now was Bob saying something like he'd forget his head if it wasn't attached.
He didn't see Bob anywhere and thought that he must be in the lab. He moved forward through the apartment glancing left and right, trying to remember where he'd left the wallet. Then he spotted it on the coffee table. Quickly and quietly, he hurried forward and snatched it up. Turning to leave, he froze. Was that a moan? He cocked his head and listened. There it was again. A flash of fear coursed through him. Was Bob hurt? Where was he? Harry was about to call out to him when he heard something that was definitely not the sound of pain.
"Ooh, Harry."
Harry spun around to look up at the loft so fast, he almost threw his neck out. Tip toeing forward, he eased his way up the stairs, avoiding the step that creaked. As he drew closer to the bedroom, he heard more moans and repetitions of his name. What he saw when he reached the landing gave him a rush of heat to his groin.
Bob was sitting in the chair that was against the wall across from the foot of Harry's bed. His head was thrown back and his eyes were squeezed shut. The expression on his face was of pure abandon. He was completely lost in what he was doing. His slacks and briefs were around his knees. One hand was steadily gliding up and down the length of his penis, while the other hand was massaging his balls. He kept moaning Harry's name and whispering things that Harry couldn't quite make out.
Suddenly, Bob's eyes snapped opened and he saw Harry standing there with his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide with disbelief. "Oh, Gah... no." Bob jumped up and it was at that second that he came, shooting semen all over the floor at his feet. Then Bob was scrambling to pull his pants back up and cover himself. "Oh shit, oh shit. Harry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't.. I mean... I... oh, please don't send me away. Please! It won't happen again. I'm so sorry. We can move my bed to the basement, if you want. Just, please, don't send me away."
Bob had been speaking so fast that Harry had a hard time keeping up with him. Then it sunk in that Bob was not just embarrassed, he was scared. "Bob, no. I'm not sending you anywhere." Harry sighed heavily and ran his hands down his face. He was stunned. This was totally unexpected. The idea that Bob had feelings for him was something he'd never let himself think about, at least not often. He'd just never believed it was possible. He needed time to think about this and decide what the next step should be. "Uh, I still have to go get the jeep. It's gonna be ok, Bob, but we do need to talk about this when I get back."
Bob had finally gotten his clothing back in place. He couldn't seem to look at Harry. He kept his eyes on the semen staining the floor. He looked on the verge of tears. "Yes, Harry." he spoke very softly as if he was completely drained of energy... and life... and hope.
Trying to lighten the mood, Harry said, "You use me for jerk off material? Good lord, Bob, you've got lousy taste in men." Seeing no reaction from Bob, he gave up.
Harry went back downstairs and slowly walked to the front door. He opened the door and stood there for a moment staring out onto the street. What was he doing? He closed the door and walked into his office. He stood there for several minutes thinking about the situation. One thing was certain. He shouldn't have left Bob like that. His only excuse was that he was in a state of shock. But Bob had looked really upset and Harry needed to snap out of it and make sure he was ok.
Harry turned and hurried towards the bedroom. Halfway there he heard the crying. It wasn't a soft sad crying. It was a terrible world-ending bawling. He climbed the stairs two at a time and stopped at the top.
Bob was on his knees. He was scrubbing at the semen on the floor with a towel. He was scrubbing so hard it looked as if he was trying to wipe the last ten minutes out of existence, maybe even himself as well. He was crying so hard, occasionally he would have to gasp for air. Harry could hear him say things in between the sobs. Things like, "... stupid, so stupid... ruin everything... never look at you again... stupid..."
Harry walked carefully into the room and Bob froze. Harry sat down on the floor and leaned back against the foot of the bed. Then he leaned forward, hooked one hand on Bob's right leg and the other hand on his right arm and pulled, dragging Bob across the wood floor to stop flush against his own right side. He drew his knees up to give Bob something to lean back against.
All through this, Bob kept his eyes down. His face was flushed and, although the sobbing had stopped, he still seemed to have trouble breathing. He had the towel, in his hands, in a death grip.
Harry pried Bob's hands open as gently as he could and set the towel aside. He took Bob's left hand and began massaging it, loosening the muscles. He did the same with his right hand, until he felt the tension in Bob's body begin to lighten up.
"I thought you had to go get the jeep." Bob's voice was so quiet, Harry had to lean forward a little to hear him.
"The jeep can wait a few hours. Hell, it can wait all day. You're more important."
"Harry, I'm so, so sorry." he kept his gaze down on Harry's hands. He still couldn't look him in the eye, afraid of what he'd see there.
"Shh, stop apologizing. I'm not mad, or disgusted, or... I'm... " Harry sighed. His own insecurities were getting the better of him again. He tried to remember the sound of Bob's voice as he moaned Harry's name. There had to be true feelings behind that.
Harry decided to go for it. "Bob? What do you want?"
"Want?"
"From me?"
Bob seem to curl in on himself. Harry just wrapped his arms around him and pulled him against his chest. Bob lay against Harry for several seconds, then muttered, "Whatever you want to give, Harry."
"No, Bob. That's what you'll accept." He tipped Bob's head up and forced him to look at him. "The question was 'What do you want?'"
Bob choked back a sob. "You. I want you. To touch you. To be touched by you. To comfort you when you're hurt. To ease your pain. To give you pleasure. To love you." It was as if once he got started talking, he couldn't stop. A few more tears trailed down his cheeks as he reached up to brush his fingertips along Harry's lips.
Harry blinked back tears of joy and simply said, "Good." He bent his head down and gently kissed Bob's mouth. He kept it simple, gently massaging their lips together. He softly brushed his fingers through white hair and ran feather light touches down his cheek. He wasn't demanding. He just wanted Bob to know that everything was ok, that everything was gonna be ok.
When he pulled back, Harry looked down at Bob. His loving expression changed to confusion. Bob was staring up at him. His mouth was slightly open, his breath came in short, little panting gasps, his brow was furrowed and he looked as if he was going to start sobbing again. "Now, what's wrong?" Harry asked helplessly.
Bob's face screwed up even tighter and he buried it into Harry's shoulder. Around the sobs, Harry heard a muffled, "I don't know." He held Bob's shaking body for a moment, then heard, "Ever since I was brought back, everything feels so much stronger than I remember. I over react to everything. I've tried to keep control. My temper's not as bad as it was, but I can't seem to stop crying. The least little (hic) thing sets me off. And I (hic) don't know why (hic)."
Harry had to fight to suppress his smile. Bob had the hiccups. It was so cute.
"DAMN these blasted hiccups!" Bob shouted explosively.
"Shh, shh." Harry soothed him and lightly kissed at the tears on Bob's face. "Do you remember when I first came to the Manor? I was crying for my Dad all the time. So I had the hiccups a lot. Remember? The very first spell you taught me was a spell to stop hiccups. Do you want to do it or should I?"
Bob hung his head, embarrassed and miserable. "You'd better do it. The (hic) way I'm feeling, I'll just make things worse."
Harry kissed his forehead and pulled Bob's shirt tail up to expose his stomach. He placed his hand just below the ribs and concentrated. He felt Bob sigh and relax against him. "It must be really difficult having hormones for the first time in six hundred years. Give yourself time, Bob. You're gonna be fine. I promise." Then Harry asked, "Bob, what on earth made you think that I'd send you away? You know I could never do that to you. I'd be lost without you."
Bob looked embarrassed again and replied, "Harry, you live in a society that, though it has improved, still has problems excepting homosexuality and bisexuality. Few heterosexual men would tolerate a roommate who was constantly having fantasies about him."
"Then I guess its a good thing that I'm pretty much bisexual. And, just so we're clear, all those things you want? I want them, too. I've always wanted them. I've always wanted you."
Bob looked at him in bewilderment. It was just starting to sink in that Harry had not only accepted Bob's feelings for him, but that he actually returned them. Although he had often fantasized about such a thing, he had never really believed it was possible.
Then Harry sighed and straightened up. "Come on, Bob. Let's go down to the living room. Sitting on this floor is making my butt fall asleep."
"Oh, we mustn't let that happen. It's such a lovely butt."
Harry smiled and blushed a little as he helped them both climb to their feet. It was gonna be nice not having to hide his feelings about Bob. And he could listen to comments like that all day long.
(To Be Continued.)
Title: The Trouble With Drakes chapter 14
Author: stormyd55
Rating: NC-17....Yea! Smut!
Pairing: Bob/Harry...FINALLY! (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: Masturbation with a dash of voyurism.
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 3100
Summary: Harry and Bob go shopping, get dinner, kill the jeep, just a regular night. Oh, then Harry catches Bob doin' the nasty.
Author's Note: Nobody wants to admit to anything, so it was time somebody got caught doing something.
Important Note! I give up! I raise the white flag! I surrender! I had no problem creating links to the first four chapters, but chapter six and on simply are not working. I've checked and rechecked and checked again. The addresses were copied properly. So, anyone who wants to read previous chapters, please click on my author tag. It will bring up everything I've written, but at least you'll be able to read the full story. I'm sorry I can't seem to get it to work right. I'm going to leave this note in every chapter for the benefit of new readers. If anybody has any ideas, I'm all ears.
Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4
Title: The Trouble With Drakes 14
Author: stormyd55
Rating: NC-17....Yea! Smut!
Pairing: Bob/Harry... FINALLY! (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: Masturbation with a dash of voyurism.
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 3100
Summary: Harry and Bob go shopping, get dinner, kill the jeep, just a regular night. Oh, then Harry catches Bob doin' the nasty.
Author's Note: Nobody wants to admit to anything, so it was time somebody got caught doing something.
*****
On the way home, Harry went through a fast food drive-thru to get Bob some real food. Bob was coming down off his sugar high and he wasn't feeling that great. Knowing how health conscious the older man was, Harry got him a salad with grilled chicken and mandarin oranges on top. Bob loved the oranges.
Once they'd gotten home, Bob ate his salad and took a short nap. By 6:00, he was up again and feeling much better.
Harry was sitting on the sofa, reading, when Bob came downstairs. He was carrying his shoes in one hand and seemed to be in a pleasant mood.
Harry gazed up at him and smiled. "Well, you look better. Feel up to doing a little clothes shopping or do you want to do that another time?"
Bob returned the smile and replied, "I do feel better. And, yes, I do think we should go ahead and do some shopping. I can't keep wearing your clothes if its only going to get me arrested."
Harry broke out into a fit of laughter. "I still can't believe that she did that. And on that note, I'd like to apologize. If I'd introduced you when you wanted me to, none of this would have happened. I'm sorry." He wasn't laughing now. Bob could tell that he was truly sincere.
"Thank you, Harry. I accept your apology." His expression became a combination of puzzlement and amusement. "She really was quite convinced that I'd murdered you and buried you in the basement." He sat down in an armchair and began putting on his shoes. "So, where did you have in mind for this shopping trip?"
"Oh, I thought we'd check out a couple of the outlet malls. It's still name brand stuff, which I know you'd want, but we'd be able to stretch our dollars a little more."
"Or we could dip into the money Kendra left me." Bob suggested hopefully.
"You know we need to save that for emergencies. Besides, there is nothing wrong with bargain shopping."
Bob sniffed in disgust. "Only if you actually find something of quality."
Harry smiled. "Come on. Grab your jacket and lets go. We only have a few hours before the stores close. I don't expect us to find much tonight, but maybe we'll get lucky."
A few hours later, Harry marveled at Bob's ability to charm people. They ended up going to some high end stores and somehow they just knew that he was a man to be taken seriously. Harry realized that he was watching the true Lord of Bainbridge at work. At one store, Harry looked at the prices and thought This is an outlet store?! But Bob had a few private words with the manager and suddenly they were being led into the back. The prices were significantly better as well as the quality. Apparently, you had to be somebody, or at least have them think you're somebody to get the good stuff at good prices. Only one thing made Harry nervous. The clerk assigned to help Bob kept looking at Harry out of the corner of his eye. And if Harry wasn't looking, he could feel the guy watching him. It was creepy.
Despite Harry's fears that they wouldn't find much, by the time the stores closed, they ended up with everything Bob needed for his new wardrobe. He'd even found an outfit similar to the suits he'd appeared to wear when he was a ghost, including an ascot. And much to Harry's bewilderment, Bob insisted on buying two rings, similar to the ones Harry had always seen him wear. When asked about it, Bob said that having something familiar helped him adjust to the strangeness of being alive again. All in all, it had been a really successful evening.
It was around 9:30 when they decided to get some dinner. They ended up at a steak house, where Bob and Harry both thoroughly enjoyed medium rare steaks and roasted potatoes. Bob found that he couldn't stomach modern day beer and chose to stick with water.
During dinner, Harry told Bob about the High Council meeting he'd attended earlier that day. "It was a total fiasco. Half of them didn't want to believe that the problem was that serious, and the other half just wanted someone to blame. One jackass actually suggested that it was my fault because a Drake had died at my place. Mai's involvement was never even mentioned."
Bob snorted, "Of course not. Rank has it's privileges, including passing the buck. Did you tell them about the Jaglovax?"
"I told Amber and she told them. I wish I hadn't put her on the spot like that. She was basically told to stop spreading rumors and conspiracy theories. The Jaglovax haven't been seen outside the Nevernever in centuries and that was that."
Bob sighed. "Over the years, I've found that most Council members are fools. They're more interested in politics and power than the truth. Did Mai say anything?"
"No, but when Amber told them about the Jaglovax and the museum theft, she started paying real close attention. She knows something, but she sure isn't gonna tell us."
"Well, she does like her little secrets."
They spent the rest of the meal discussing Bob's thoughts on how to improve Harry's business. Harry seemed to like several of his ideas and even suggested that they add Bob's name to the door and his ad. Bob refused to even consider it until they were sure that the Council wasn't going to kill him again.
As they were driving home, Harry kept thinking about the store clerk. "Hey, Bob. Tell me something. After you convinced that guy to show you the good stuff, why did the clerk keep staring at at me? What did you tell him?"
Bob smirked and reached over to brush the backs of his knuckles against Harry's cheek. "Why, I told him that you were my paramour."
Harry's eyes went wide with shock. Then the jeep died. Ka-plooey. Ker-plunk. Dead.
Twenty minutes later, they were leaning against the jeep, waiting for Harry's regular mechanic, Mike, to arrive with a tow truck. Bob looked up at Harry out of the corner of his eye and said, "Perhaps it wasn't the best time to make such a joke at your expense."
Harry crossed his arms and glared at the pavement. "Nope."
"Are you going to stay mad at me?"
"Yep."
"Why?"
"You killed my jeep." he grumbled.
"You killed your jeep. I can't help it if you can't take a joke."
"Bob!... Oh, forget it. Here comes Mike. Lets just go home."
By the time they got back to the apartment, Harry had calmed down. He never stayed mad for long, especially at Bob. He had a few words with Mike before he left with the jeep and then helped Bob carry all of his purchases to the door. He was about to open the door, but he hesitated when he touched the door handle. "Bob, something's not right with the wards."
Bob closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. "Yes, I see what you mean. They're still there, but it's obvious someone's been here."
"Or still is here. Be careful." Harry eased through the doorway. He was glad they'd come to the back door, so he didn't have to worry about the bell sounding. But he wished he had his hockey stick.
They dropped their bags near the door and slowly made their way through the apartment, carefully looking around corners and into dark shadows.
They were in the living room, when a figure dressed in black lunged from its hiding place behind the sofa. The size and build suggested it was male. He raised his hand and a ball of energy knocked Harry off his feet.
The man dove for the front door, but Bob grabbed his left arm. The man froze as if in shock and stared for a split second at Bob's hand gripping his arm. Then he swung his right arm and punched Bob in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.
When Bob got back to his feet, the man was gone. He rushed to Harry's side. "Harry? Harry, are you alright?"
Harry was trying to sit up. "Yeah, yeah. Just got the wind knocked out of me. Are you ok? That was some punch you took."
Helping Harry stand, Bob scoffed and rubbed his chin. "My pride is hurt worse than my jaw." He hesitated, then said, "Harry, we may have a bigger problem than just a home invasion. He was shocked when I grabbed him. Whoever that was knew that I was supposed to be non corporeal."
"Oh shit. Did you get a look at his face?" He looked extremely worried.
Bob crossed his arms and pursed his lips. "No, he was wearing one of those knit things people wear in winter."
"A ski mask?"
"Yes. Still, there was something familiar about him. I just can't put my finger on it."
Harry's brow furrowed. "What are we going to do, Bob?"
Bob looked at him calmly. "Well, there's nothing we can do, is there. I doubt our intruder wants to advertise that he broke in here, so I don't think he'll be running to the wardens. Besides, even if he does, I still have a trick or two up my sleeve." He gripped Harry's shoulder. "Don't you worry about it. Come on. Let's not leave those clothes by the back door any longer."
"I'll get them. How about checking the answering machine for me?"
Harry carried the bags into the living room and sat down. It scared him that some unknown person knew about Bob. But Bob was right, if there was nothing they could do right now, there was no point in worrying about it. Then he heard Bob call him from the office. He got up to see what he wanted.
"Yeah?"
Bob was just hanging up the phone. "Tess had left a message for me to call her. Are you busy tomorrow? She'd like me to give another lecture. I told her that I was free early tomorrow afternoon. If you're busy, it's alright. I can go by myself."
"That's ok. I don't have any plans. Unless Murphy comes up with something on that name Lorne gave us or the Jaglovax or Drakes strike again, I'm pretty much free."
"Well then, I suppose that we'd best put away these clothes and turn in for the evening."
*****
Bob's lecture on the dangers of weather control was well received by seven young ladies at the same park that he'd given his first lecture. Before beginning, he was surprised when Meg made a request on behalf of Chloe and several other girls to repeat the lecture at a later date. Apparently, it was nearing mid-terms and attendance was difficult, though very much desired.
At the end of the lecture, he answered several questions, but there was only one young lady who seemed seriously interested in the practical applications of weather control. She was a lovely young black woman with a beautiful accent. Her name was Koffi, though Bob was never sure if that was her first name or her last name. He later found out that the couple in African dress at Kendra's funeral were her parents and that they were doctors who worked in an area of Africa that sometimes suffered from drought. Bob made a promise to himself to have a serious talk with her in private. He understood the desire to help people, but he didn't want her to become another Edward of Durham.
After all questions were answered, Bob sent them on their way. There was a mad scramble for books and jackets. Some of the girls had evening classes to get to.
Harry stayed seated on the park bench as the girls gathered their belongings. They waved goodbye and started racing each other to their cars. Meg stopped and turned back. "Your jeep's in the shop, right? Do you need a ride home?"
"Nah, we're gonna walk. Its a nice day for it."
"Ok, 'bye."
Bob sat down next to Harry. They didn't say anything. They just enjoyed the afternoon breeze and each other's company. Bob closed his eyes and tried to identify the different scents on the wind. Fresh cut grass was readily identifiable. There were some flowering trees and bushes nearby, though he couldn't name them. Unfortunately, he also caught the occasional whiff from the garbage can that happened to be upwind. He blocked out each scent, searching for one in particular. There, he breathed deep. He'd sat downwind of Harry on purpose. He knew Harry's scent. It was the first thing he noticed when he woke up in the man's bed that first day of his new life. He loved that smell, even diluted by the breeze. He smelled of soap and herbs, but mostly of smoke from the candles he burned constantly in his home. It was a lovely smell. It was... home.
"So," Harry interrupted his thoughts, "You want to keep teaching 'the little witches'?"
"I'd like to continue our association with them, yes. But I think they're teaching me more than I'm teaching them."
"The only thing I ask is no frat parties or keggers." They both laughed.
Harry reluctantly stood. "Come on. We'd better head back."
Bob followed, hanging back a moment so he could enjoy the view of Harry's ass. Then he caught up and they walked side by side. Harry walked with his hands tucked into his back pockets so as to avoid the temptation to hold Bob's hand as they walked. Bob walked with his hands behind his back for the same reason though neither of them knew it.
It was a thirty minute walk back to Harry's place. Harry babbled on and on about things he wanted to show Bob. Places to take him. Food he should try. Harry wanted Bob to have everything he'd seen from a distance and not been able to experience.
Bob was content to walk beside the boy and listen. As much as he looked forward to all these things, the only thing he really wanted was to spend time with Harry. He would do anything and go anywhere as long as it was with him.
They arrived at the apartment and went inside. Harry dropped his keys and wallet on the coffee table and was making several suggestions for dinner, when Bob noticed the answering machine's light was blinking. "Red light, Harry." indicating the machine.
"Oh, right."
After putting away his jacket, Bob went into the kitchen for some water, while Harry checked the messages. He hoped it wasn't Lieutenant Murphy with a case. He wanted to spend time with Harry so bad it hurt.
Harry came bouncing into the kitchen. "Hey, Bob? That was Mike. He said the jeep is fixed and its not gonna cost as much as we thought. So, maybe we can do something, like go to a movie, or... I don't know. Something. Whatever you wanna do." He seemed so excited at the prospect of taking Bob to do something he'd never done before.
The problem was that Bob had no idea what he wanted to do. There were so many choices, it was a little overwhelming. So he went with what seemed easiest. "A movie sounds fine."
"Great. I need to go get the jeep. Why don't you look in the news paper and decide which one to see. I'm gonna stop off at the grocery store on the way back, so I'll be maybe an hour, hour and a half tops. Anything you want me to pick up?"
"Just don't forget the milk. Oh, and orange juice, we're running low." Bob had developed a great fondness for orange juice.
"Gotcha." Harry snatched up his keys and hurried out the door. It was about a twenty minute walk to Mike's garage.
Bob sighed. He really didn't feel like picking out a movie. He wondered around the apartment and ended up in the bedroom. He stood looking at Harry's rumpled bed. He imagined Harry lying on it, naked and sweating as he touched himself, much like he had done several days ago, on the living room floor. As he remembered that night, Bob found himself becoming aroused. He found himself imagining what would of happened if Harry had overdosed on that stuff after Bob had come back to life. He and Harry would both have been naked and writhing on the floor. Touching each other. Though, in reality, Bob would never have taken advantage of Harry's intoxicated state like that. It was a nice fantasy, though.
Bob suddenly realized that he had a full erection and that it was quickly becoming painful. At first, he thought about taking a cold shower, but then... why waste a good fantasy. He undid his belt and pants and slowly began to stroke himself.
***
Harry was nearly a block away when he realized that he'd left his wallet behind. Stifling a curse, he turned around and headed back to the apartment. When he reached the door, he unlocked it and carefully eased it open just enough to reach in and up to take hold of the bell above the door to keep it from chiming. If he was lucky, he could grab his wallet and get out again without Bob knowing. The last thing he wanted to hear right now was Bob saying something like he'd forget his head if it wasn't attached.
He didn't see Bob anywhere and thought that he must be in the lab. He moved forward through the apartment glancing left and right, trying to remember where he'd left the wallet. Then he spotted it on the coffee table. Quickly and quietly, he hurried forward and snatched it up. Turning to leave, he froze. Was that a moan? He cocked his head and listened. There it was again. A flash of fear coursed through him. Was Bob hurt? Where was he? Harry was about to call out to him when he heard something that was definitely not the sound of pain.
"Ooh, Harry."
Harry spun around to look up at the loft so fast, he almost threw his neck out. Tip toeing forward, he eased his way up the stairs, avoiding the step that creaked. As he drew closer to the bedroom, he heard more moans and repetitions of his name. What he saw when he reached the landing gave him a rush of heat to his groin.
Bob was sitting in the chair that was against the wall across from the foot of Harry's bed. His head was thrown back and his eyes were squeezed shut. The expression on his face was of pure abandon. He was completely lost in what he was doing. His slacks and briefs were around his knees. One hand was steadily gliding up and down the length of his penis, while the other hand was massaging his balls. He kept moaning Harry's name and whispering things that Harry couldn't quite make out.
Suddenly, Bob's eyes snapped opened and he saw Harry standing there with his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide with disbelief. "Oh, Gah... no." Bob jumped up and it was at that second that he came, shooting semen all over the floor at his feet. Then Bob was scrambling to pull his pants back up and cover himself. "Oh shit, oh shit. Harry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't.. I mean... I... oh, please don't send me away. Please! It won't happen again. I'm so sorry. We can move my bed to the basement, if you want. Just, please, don't send me away."
Bob had been speaking so fast that Harry had a hard time keeping up with him. Then it sunk in that Bob was not just embarrassed, he was scared. "Bob, no. I'm not sending you anywhere." Harry sighed heavily and ran his hands down his face. He was stunned. This was totally unexpected. The idea that Bob had feelings for him was something he'd never let himself think about, at least not often. He'd just never believed it was possible. He needed time to think about this and decide what the next step should be. "Uh, I still have to go get the jeep. It's gonna be ok, Bob, but we do need to talk about this when I get back."
Bob had finally gotten his clothing back in place. He couldn't seem to look at Harry. He kept his eyes on the semen staining the floor. He looked on the verge of tears. "Yes, Harry." he spoke very softly as if he was completely drained of energy... and life... and hope.
Trying to lighten the mood, Harry said, "You use me for jerk off material? Good lord, Bob, you've got lousy taste in men." Seeing no reaction from Bob, he gave up.
Harry went back downstairs and slowly walked to the front door. He opened the door and stood there for a moment staring out onto the street. What was he doing? He closed the door and walked into his office. He stood there for several minutes thinking about the situation. One thing was certain. He shouldn't have left Bob like that. His only excuse was that he was in a state of shock. But Bob had looked really upset and Harry needed to snap out of it and make sure he was ok.
Harry turned and hurried towards the bedroom. Halfway there he heard the crying. It wasn't a soft sad crying. It was a terrible world-ending bawling. He climbed the stairs two at a time and stopped at the top.
Bob was on his knees. He was scrubbing at the semen on the floor with a towel. He was scrubbing so hard it looked as if he was trying to wipe the last ten minutes out of existence, maybe even himself as well. He was crying so hard, occasionally he would have to gasp for air. Harry could hear him say things in between the sobs. Things like, "... stupid, so stupid... ruin everything... never look at you again... stupid..."
Harry walked carefully into the room and Bob froze. Harry sat down on the floor and leaned back against the foot of the bed. Then he leaned forward, hooked one hand on Bob's right leg and the other hand on his right arm and pulled, dragging Bob across the wood floor to stop flush against his own right side. He drew his knees up to give Bob something to lean back against.
All through this, Bob kept his eyes down. His face was flushed and, although the sobbing had stopped, he still seemed to have trouble breathing. He had the towel, in his hands, in a death grip.
Harry pried Bob's hands open as gently as he could and set the towel aside. He took Bob's left hand and began massaging it, loosening the muscles. He did the same with his right hand, until he felt the tension in Bob's body begin to lighten up.
"I thought you had to go get the jeep." Bob's voice was so quiet, Harry had to lean forward a little to hear him.
"The jeep can wait a few hours. Hell, it can wait all day. You're more important."
"Harry, I'm so, so sorry." he kept his gaze down on Harry's hands. He still couldn't look him in the eye, afraid of what he'd see there.
"Shh, stop apologizing. I'm not mad, or disgusted, or... I'm... " Harry sighed. His own insecurities were getting the better of him again. He tried to remember the sound of Bob's voice as he moaned Harry's name. There had to be true feelings behind that.
Harry decided to go for it. "Bob? What do you want?"
"Want?"
"From me?"
Bob seem to curl in on himself. Harry just wrapped his arms around him and pulled him against his chest. Bob lay against Harry for several seconds, then muttered, "Whatever you want to give, Harry."
"No, Bob. That's what you'll accept." He tipped Bob's head up and forced him to look at him. "The question was 'What do you want?'"
Bob choked back a sob. "You. I want you. To touch you. To be touched by you. To comfort you when you're hurt. To ease your pain. To give you pleasure. To love you." It was as if once he got started talking, he couldn't stop. A few more tears trailed down his cheeks as he reached up to brush his fingertips along Harry's lips.
Harry blinked back tears of joy and simply said, "Good." He bent his head down and gently kissed Bob's mouth. He kept it simple, gently massaging their lips together. He softly brushed his fingers through white hair and ran feather light touches down his cheek. He wasn't demanding. He just wanted Bob to know that everything was ok, that everything was gonna be ok.
When he pulled back, Harry looked down at Bob. His loving expression changed to confusion. Bob was staring up at him. His mouth was slightly open, his breath came in short, little panting gasps, his brow was furrowed and he looked as if he was going to start sobbing again. "Now, what's wrong?" Harry asked helplessly.
Bob's face screwed up even tighter and he buried it into Harry's shoulder. Around the sobs, Harry heard a muffled, "I don't know." He held Bob's shaking body for a moment, then heard, "Ever since I was brought back, everything feels so much stronger than I remember. I over react to everything. I've tried to keep control. My temper's not as bad as it was, but I can't seem to stop crying. The least little (hic) thing sets me off. And I (hic) don't know why (hic)."
Harry had to fight to suppress his smile. Bob had the hiccups. It was so cute.
"DAMN these blasted hiccups!" Bob shouted explosively.
"Shh, shh." Harry soothed him and lightly kissed at the tears on Bob's face. "Do you remember when I first came to the Manor? I was crying for my Dad all the time. So I had the hiccups a lot. Remember? The very first spell you taught me was a spell to stop hiccups. Do you want to do it or should I?"
Bob hung his head, embarrassed and miserable. "You'd better do it. The (hic) way I'm feeling, I'll just make things worse."
Harry kissed his forehead and pulled Bob's shirt tail up to expose his stomach. He placed his hand just below the ribs and concentrated. He felt Bob sigh and relax against him. "It must be really difficult having hormones for the first time in six hundred years. Give yourself time, Bob. You're gonna be fine. I promise." Then Harry asked, "Bob, what on earth made you think that I'd send you away? You know I could never do that to you. I'd be lost without you."
Bob looked embarrassed again and replied, "Harry, you live in a society that, though it has improved, still has problems excepting homosexuality and bisexuality. Few heterosexual men would tolerate a roommate who was constantly having fantasies about him."
"Then I guess its a good thing that I'm pretty much bisexual. And, just so we're clear, all those things you want? I want them, too. I've always wanted them. I've always wanted you."
Bob looked at him in bewilderment. It was just starting to sink in that Harry had not only accepted Bob's feelings for him, but that he actually returned them. Although he had often fantasized about such a thing, he had never really believed it was possible.
Then Harry sighed and straightened up. "Come on, Bob. Let's go down to the living room. Sitting on this floor is making my butt fall asleep."
"Oh, we mustn't let that happen. It's such a lovely butt."
Harry smiled and blushed a little as he helped them both climb to their feet. It was gonna be nice not having to hide his feelings about Bob. And he could listen to comments like that all day long.
(To Be Continued.)