Story - Thunder, FRAO
Title: Thunder
Author: Fabrisse
Pairing: Peter/Nathan, Peter/others mentioned, Nathan/other in flashback
Rating: ADULT - Explicit
Word Count: ~3600
Category: First time
Prompt: Day 36 for theyreitalian
Spoilers: Pre Season 1
Summary: Peter returns from a long trip and reunites with Nathan.
Warnings: There’s some blurred consent issues with a barely of age Nathan and another male character in a flashback. Mentions of prostitution.
Prompt: Rain
Notes: Sorry, gang. Unbetaed again. It's nice to have internet access again.
Nathan couldn’t believe how excited he was when he got behind the wheel of the car. Peter was coming home today. He had called Nathan at his office yesterday and asked whether Nathan could pick him up - if they could have Saturday together before surprising their folks with his return at lunch on Sunday.
He hadn’t thought twice, just said "yes" and taken his brother’s flight information.
It had been a year since Peter took his graduation trip. No one in the family knew that he’d planned it. None of them had an inkling how long he’d been saving money for this dream. Peter had just hugged everyone close at his graduation. As salutatorian, he’d given a brief speech about volunteering to help those less fortunate. In Nathan’s opinion, it completely eclipsed the wandering platitudes of the valedictorian, but Nathan knew he was biased.
It was a complete shock when, over dinner at Le Cirque, Peter announced that he’d deferred his college entrance by sixteen months because he was going to backpack around the world. A week later, he’d come to Nathan. His parents wouldn’t sign the paperwork that would let him purchase his ticket. Seventeen still made him an unaccompanied minor for international flights. He needed their permission.
Nathan cross questioned Peter for an hour. He got a good idea of Peter’s plans, his financial status, and his specific requirements. He then went to their parents and gave them one of his best closing arguments which he ended by pointing out the university had already deferred the admission. Angela and Arthur had listened politely, looked at each other, and said ‘no’ nearly simultaneously.
It took Nathan a few days to work out the logistics, but the solution finally came to him, perfect in its simplicity. He went to the judge he was clerking for and asked if he could finish the opinion he was currently working on and then end his clerkship a month early. He pointed out that otherwise there would be only a weekend before he started at the District Attorney’s office, and he knew that once he started it could be years before he got a break. Judge Cunningham smiled and approved.
Nathan bought two tickets to London on the overnight flight of his last day. Peter wasn’t unaccompanied for his initial trip. As long as he stuck to Europe and places he could reach by rail and ferry, Peter could travel as much as he liked. Once he turned eighteen, he could activate his international tickets to anywhere he wanted.
Peter had been overjoyed. Nathan’s offer to take the next flight back to New York as soon as they landed was turned down. They’d gone to Ireland and Scotland together since Nathan could rent a car and Peter couldn’t. They spent several days in London and took the Chunnel to Paris. Nathan’s last gesture was to take Peter to dinner at La Tour d’Argent before he flew home with a week to spare before his new job started.
There’d been postcards and letters.
Nathan flew to meet him twice, once was over Christmas. He’d ended up with ten days off because the State legislature refused to pay the bills. The State government closed down, and New York City government relied so heavily on State subsidies that they’d been forced to close as well.
They met in Frankfurt on Peter’s birthday and flew to Aswan. Ten days travelling through Egypt with his brother made Nathan grateful for governmental posturing and inefficiency.
The other time was after one of Peter’s extremely rare phone calls. Nathan had worked several Federal holidays so he was able to ask his boss for a Thursday, Friday, and a Monday off. It was near Nathan’s birthday, and they’d celebrated it in Bangkok. Peter was down, a little distant even, but he wanted to finish his journey. His face lit with joy when he saw Nathan and three days together seemed to give him strength.
On the return, Nathan had never been so happy to be able to afford first class.
Now, Peter had come home to Nathan
***
"I'm glad you're back." Nathan's arms tightened like he would never let go.
"I'm happy to see you." Peter felt safe standing here, holding Nathan and being held.
"Let's go pick up your bags. My car’s in the lot to get you home." He noticed Peter startle at this and continued, "Do you still want to stay with me until next Sunday?"
"Yeah. If having a roommate won't interfere."
"Heidi knows you're coming. I told her I wouldn't see her tonight at all. I’ll let her know at lunch tomorrow that it will be the whole week"
"You and Heidi seem pretty serious."
"I want you to meet her. Tell me what you think. Because unless you see something I've missed, I want to marry her."
They didn’t talk much on the drive. Peter would occasionally glance at Nathan, but he mostly kept staring out the windows drinking in that he was home.
After getting Peter’s clothes sorted and sent out for laundering, Nathan was at a loss. Peter was never this quiet unless he needed to talk. In this mood, Nathan was never certain how to get the talking started.
“Is there anything you’d like to do? We could grab food or something.”
“I’d really like to go for a walk. My last flight was stuck on the runway for nearly an hour and that was before the really long flight.”
“It’s raining.”
“Yeah. We’ll have the park to ourselves.”
Nathan grabbed a raincoat and decided against an umbrella. He smiled as he ushered his brother out.
***
They walked side by side, arms barely brushing for half an hour before Peter finally began to open up.
“Those friends of yours in Antwerp helped me out with a couple of jobs when I needed money. I probably wouldn’t have gotten to South Africa or India without them.”
“Diamond courier is not a bad way to travel.” Nathan looked at him a little warily.
“I saw the mines in South Africa just before I did my last job for them. It had to be my last job, the mines…”
“They’re pretty brutal.”
“I wish I’d seen them earlier. Before I did my first runs.”
Nathan gave a little nod in acknowledgment. “I guess pub jobs kept you in shoe leather for the rest of the trip.”
Peter looked at his feet. “Not exactly. I mean, yeah, I worked an espresso machine and got paid under the table in a couple of bars, but I couldn’t have done everything I did with just that money.”
“Okay.”
“I met this girl in Amsterdam. Since I was short of funds she took me to see the woman she worked for, and I worked there for a week. It paid for most of the rest of my travelling.”
“What kind of work did this girl do?”
Peter couldn’t meet Nathan’s eye. “She was a prostitute. I worked in the red light district.”
Nathan nodded. “I don’t suppose you played the piano or acted as the bouncer.”
“No. Mostly call outs to older women in hotels. There were a few guys, too. In house. And later in my trip, someone stole my wallet. I got the credit cards cancelled and all that stuff, but it was a three-day local holiday and I needed to eat. So, I worked on my knees near the docks that night. It gave me enough to get through until I could be the good little American tourist again.”
"I'm sorry. You weren't hurt?"
"No. The... people I was with in Amsterdam were nice. The other… I just tuned out for those few hours."
"I meant emotionally. I can't imagine anything worse for you."
"I've slept around."
"You always connect though, right? Even with a one night stand you never see again?"
Peter nodded.
Nathan continued, "I don't think your paid partners probably allowed that connection, no matter how well they treated your body."
"No judgment?"
"Did you want me to? I'll prosecute prostitution because it's illegal, but I'm in favor of legalizing it. You didn't do anything in my jurisdiction, right?"
Peter quirked a smile. "I was a long way from New York."
"Then my only concern is that you're okay. Do you need tests?"
"I’ve had most. I'll take care of any follow-ups when I get my school physicals. If there are any problems, I'll let you know."
"Please."
“You’re mad at me.”
“I’m furious you didn’t call me and ask for the money. If you were worried about being independent, I’d have found a way for you to pay it back.”
“I know, Nathan.”
“But… I’m proud of you for sticking to your guns. And I’m worried about the consequences, especially that second round. I’m sure your Amsterdam job vetted the customers.”
“I’ve already been to a clinic in Australia. They think I’m clean. I still need the HIV follow up, but otherwise nothing at all. And I asked them to check for everything.”
Nathan smiled and changed the subject. “So. You went away to find out about yourself. Any conclusions?”
"I'm bisexual."
"Don't tell me that's your big revelation from travelling around the world because I could have told you that." Nathan looked amused.
"You're not disgusted?"
"I wouldn't recommend sharing your orientation with Dad, but why would it disgust me? Peter you love people. You always have. Even people who aren't usually lovable, like me. Why would their..." Nathan groped for a phrase and finally settled on, "genitals bother you? As long as you make that connection."
"I've been scared to tell you." Pete blinked away some rain.
"Pete.” Nathan sighed and shook his head. “I'm bi. I'm glad you've figured out what you needed to, but I'm a little hurt that you thought I'd be a bastard about it."
"You were in the military."
"Which just meant I wasn't a practicing bisexual. I lived within the regs. And I want a political career, so I still do. You do understand that going into the Navy was my way of soul-searching."
Peter looked at him blankly. "I never put it together. Did you ever take money for sex?"
Nathan shook his head. "Never needed money that badly. But I've traded sex for protection. It's intangible, but it's still prostitution."
***
Nathan hoped Peter would never know. He couldn’t have been more than six when Nathan came across their houseguest, Mr. Linderman, looking in at Peter while he slept.
“Get away from his door. You have no right.”
“Ah, Nathan. Ever the protector. I can assure you, my taste has never run to children.”
“And yet, you’re staring in to my little brother’s room while he’s sleeping. I don’t think you look at him and see a sweet little angel.”
“I look at him and see potential for the future. I wonder what he means for you, Nathan.”
“I love him. I’ll protect him from anything or anyone by any means necessary.”
“It would be so satisfying to hurt me for besmirching your brother’s innocence, wouldn’t it?”
“I don’t think you’ve had the time to do anything to him. My worry is that you want to.” Nathan’s eyes narrowed as he stared the older man down.
“How old are you?”
“I just turned sixteen.” His expression remained wary.
“Since you won’t take my word for it that I’m not a pedophile, perhaps I can interest you in an exchange.”
“I’m listening.”
“I will never be alone with Peter, never look in on him during the night, if you’ll let me come to your room instead. As your mind automatically went to the gutter where I’m concerned, I can be reasonably certain you have little or no innocence left to sully.”
Nathan clenched his jaw. “No. I don’t. But you can’t come to my room. It’s too easy for you to be caught. If I come to you, I can be bringing you an extra towel or blanket should anyone ask.”
“You plan for all contingencies, I see. Your mother may be right that you’ll be the one to lead us.”
“I’ve agreed to your terms. Get away from Peter’s door.”
“When will you be joining me?”
“Were you planning to rejoin my father?”
“Yes, but I’ve changed my mind. I think bed would be more my speed.” Linderman’s eyes positively twinkled.
“Then I’ll see you in your room in ten minutes.”
Nathan had gone to Linderman every night that week. The first night Linderman had him on his knees for nearly two hours. Anytime Nathan thought the man might be on the brink, he pulled himself back and resumed his light thrusting into Nathan’s mouth. His jaw had ached the next morning, but seeing Peter running around in the garden, full of joy took some of the hurt away.
The night before he left, after he’d sated himself in Nathan’s body, Linderman said, “You want to believe the worst of me, I know. But I would never have touched Peter. Children hold no appeal for me.” He ran his fingertips over Nathan’s face, and Nathan jerked away. “Young men, on the other hand, do. You can’t let Peter remain your weakness, Nathan. Your destiny is big, bigger than his, I’m afraid. You’ll be President one day, mark my words.”
Nathan finished putting his pajamas back on. “Maybe I will, but Peter will be with me when I do it.” He started to walk out the door, then turned back to look Linderman full in the face. “I think you should start inviting my father to Las Vegas to conduct business. And when Peter’s sixteen, I don’t want you coming anywhere near him.”
“You’re threatening me? After all we’ve been to each other?” Linderman clutched at his heart, mocking Nathan.
Nathan had him flat on his back and pinned to the bed, one arm across his windpipe before Linderman could speak again. He rested his body weight on that arm for a second. “I could kill you right now. But you’re a guest in my parents’ home. So take the advice I offered. Don’t come back here, send for Dad instead. Because next time, I won’t care if you are a guest, and I’ll find a way to make it look like an accident.” He stayed put until he saw fear in the pale blue eyes, then he was off Linderman and out the door.
Linderman never stayed at their house again.
***
"I go the other way too. When I have that emotional connection, I want to make it physical."
Nathan just nodded.
"There's no one I feel closer to than you." Peter’s voice sounded distant.
Nathan reached out and put an arm around his shoulders. "Have you had enough exercise? I think your lips are turning blue."
“You could warm them up for me.” Peter’s need was clear in his eyes.
Nathan’s hand dipped down to his waist and tugged him back toward the apartment without saying a word.
Peter let out a deep sigh and walked a little faster, out of Nathan’s grip. They walked briskly side by side all the way to Nathan’s building.
“Let’s take the stairs, Pete. The elevator’s always slow this time of day.”
Peter reluctantly followed Nathan to the stairwell to begin the seven story climb. When the door shut behind him, he found himself pinned against the wall with Nathan’s lips hot on his. He gave in to the sensations of swirling tongues and fevered lips. His hips felt Nathan’s broad hands holding him in place while the kiss deepened.
Finally, he pulled away. “I thought…in the park, you didn’t…”
“Never in public, Peter. It’s the only rule we have to have. We can’t work any other way.” Nathan bent in to recapture Peter’s mouth.
“So you’ll marry Heidi and have kids and I’ll be the dirty little secret?”
“If you hate her, I won’t marry her. And yes, I’d like to have children. But the only reason you’ll be a secret is because it’s illegal. If it weren’t, I’d shout it from the rooftops.”
Peter pushed rain-wet hair out of Nathan’s eyes and pulled him in for a slow kiss. “You would, wouldn’t you?”
Nathan nodded. “I’d never dared hope… not for this.”
“I’m not certain I can make it up seven flights of stairs.” Peter looked mischievous as he said it.
“Not even if I promise that when we get to my apartment, all you have to do is lie back and relax while I worship your body?”
“Bet I can beat you to the seventh floor.” Peter ducked under Nathan’s arm and took the stairs two at a time. Nathan ran after him and caught him on the third floor. Peter dragged Nathan toward him and scraped his teeth down Nathan’s neck. “I’m not going to let you have all the fun, you know.”
“Get upstairs, now,” was the reply.
They made it through the front door of Nathan’s one-bedroom apartment before falling into each other’s arms again.
Nathan began taking Peter’s coat off and noticed him shiver. “You’re still freezing, Peter.”
“I thought you were planning to warm me up.”
“How about a shower? All the hot water you could want after those third world countries.”
“How about sex?”
“The one does not preclude the other.”
Peter laughed. “Only a lawyer could have said that. And only you could make it sound sexy.”
They took off their clothes hesitantly. This wasn’t the neutral territory of the locker room, but it also wasn’t the easy appreciation of long time lovers. Nathan blushed when he realized Peter had caught him looking and went to set the temperature.
Once they were both under the running water, Nathan pulled his brother close and began to soap his body. His hands felt knots and rubbed them loose. When Peter turned, his skin finally pink with warmth, and gazed up at him from under wet lashes, Nathan gave in and pushed him against the wall.
It was hard to find a comfortable position to kneel in. Nathan looked at the water streaming down Peter’s body and licked a long stripe up the thick vein of his cock. There was a twitch, and Nathan gazed up to find Peter’s eyes closed and head thrown back. He thought he heard a whimper over the sound of rushing water. He swirled his tongue around the crown and then slid Peter’s erection into his mouth.
This time he knew there was a whimper because it came from him. Nathan sucked and lapped at the hard flesh, his hands continued to stroke Peter - long gliding touches over his thighs and ass that helped ease him back. He felt a small thrust and took Peter deeper in his mouth. One hand slid behind Peter to brace him and the other cupped and warmed his balls.
Peter’s breath caught and Nathan heard his name chanted like a rosary over his head. He tried a couple of times to remember the trick to opening his throat, and then suddenly it worked and Peter thrust deep. Nathan felt the flare and thickening as Peter poured down his throat.
With a final kiss to the tip, Nathan released Peter and began to stand up. Peter’s knees buckled, and he grabbed Nathan and kissed him fiercely.
“I think we’d better dry off and get you to bed. You’re exhausted.”
“Yeah, it couldn’t have anything to do with the best blowjob I’ve ever had.” Peter stepped out of the shower and began to towel off. There was a crack of thunder and the lights failed.
“Stay here. I’ve rearranged the furniture in the last year.” Nathan wrapped a towel around his hips and went out to find his emergency candles.
He returned with a candle in a plate to light Peter’s way to bed. Once he placed it on the nightstand, Peter playfully knocked him onto the bed.
“My turn.”
“Peter. I can wait.”
“I can’t.”
“You’re going to get chilled again.”
Peter thought for a moment. “Can I borrow your bathrobe?” He walked back to the bathroom and unhooked it from the back of the door without waiting for an answer.
Nathan was sitting on the edge of the bed. Peter nudged his legs apart and bent down for a long slow kiss.
“Peter…”
“Don’t say anything. I know, we have all night, but I want you right now.” He knelt.
Nathan clasped his head and brushed their lips together. “You know I love you, right?”
Peter ran the back of his hand over Nathan’s jaw. “Yes.” He lowered his head to Nathan’s dripping cock.
His tongue rasped against the thick head and swirled up all the fluid pooling at the slit. Peter grasped the shaft and began to move his hand strongly in counterpoint to the motions of his mouth.
“I’m not going to last, Pete.”
Nathan’s statement was met with an increase in the speed of Peter’s hand. He looked up to see Nathan’s mouth drop open. His mouth was flooded with thick bitter fluid.
“Oh, God, Peter.” He flopped back on the bed.
Peter stood and draped himself over Nathan.
They held and kissed each other for a long moment before Nathan said, “Get under the covers. I don’t know how well you’ll sleep in a thunderstorm…”
Peter rubbed his cheek over Nathan’s chest. “I’m home and safe. I’ll sleep just fine. You’d better sleep, too, because when I wake up, I want you to fuck me.”
“Will you return the favor?”
“I promise.”
“Sleep, Peter.”
There was another clap of thunder and one last kiss before they both drifted off to sleep.
Author: Fabrisse
Pairing: Peter/Nathan, Peter/others mentioned, Nathan/other in flashback
Rating: ADULT - Explicit
Word Count: ~3600
Category: First time
Prompt: Day 36 for theyreitalian
Spoilers: Pre Season 1
Summary: Peter returns from a long trip and reunites with Nathan.
Warnings: There’s some blurred consent issues with a barely of age Nathan and another male character in a flashback. Mentions of prostitution.
Prompt: Rain
Notes: Sorry, gang. Unbetaed again. It's nice to have internet access again.
Nathan couldn’t believe how excited he was when he got behind the wheel of the car. Peter was coming home today. He had called Nathan at his office yesterday and asked whether Nathan could pick him up - if they could have Saturday together before surprising their folks with his return at lunch on Sunday.
He hadn’t thought twice, just said "yes" and taken his brother’s flight information.
It had been a year since Peter took his graduation trip. No one in the family knew that he’d planned it. None of them had an inkling how long he’d been saving money for this dream. Peter had just hugged everyone close at his graduation. As salutatorian, he’d given a brief speech about volunteering to help those less fortunate. In Nathan’s opinion, it completely eclipsed the wandering platitudes of the valedictorian, but Nathan knew he was biased.
It was a complete shock when, over dinner at Le Cirque, Peter announced that he’d deferred his college entrance by sixteen months because he was going to backpack around the world. A week later, he’d come to Nathan. His parents wouldn’t sign the paperwork that would let him purchase his ticket. Seventeen still made him an unaccompanied minor for international flights. He needed their permission.
Nathan cross questioned Peter for an hour. He got a good idea of Peter’s plans, his financial status, and his specific requirements. He then went to their parents and gave them one of his best closing arguments which he ended by pointing out the university had already deferred the admission. Angela and Arthur had listened politely, looked at each other, and said ‘no’ nearly simultaneously.
It took Nathan a few days to work out the logistics, but the solution finally came to him, perfect in its simplicity. He went to the judge he was clerking for and asked if he could finish the opinion he was currently working on and then end his clerkship a month early. He pointed out that otherwise there would be only a weekend before he started at the District Attorney’s office, and he knew that once he started it could be years before he got a break. Judge Cunningham smiled and approved.
Nathan bought two tickets to London on the overnight flight of his last day. Peter wasn’t unaccompanied for his initial trip. As long as he stuck to Europe and places he could reach by rail and ferry, Peter could travel as much as he liked. Once he turned eighteen, he could activate his international tickets to anywhere he wanted.
Peter had been overjoyed. Nathan’s offer to take the next flight back to New York as soon as they landed was turned down. They’d gone to Ireland and Scotland together since Nathan could rent a car and Peter couldn’t. They spent several days in London and took the Chunnel to Paris. Nathan’s last gesture was to take Peter to dinner at La Tour d’Argent before he flew home with a week to spare before his new job started.
There’d been postcards and letters.
Nathan flew to meet him twice, once was over Christmas. He’d ended up with ten days off because the State legislature refused to pay the bills. The State government closed down, and New York City government relied so heavily on State subsidies that they’d been forced to close as well.
They met in Frankfurt on Peter’s birthday and flew to Aswan. Ten days travelling through Egypt with his brother made Nathan grateful for governmental posturing and inefficiency.
The other time was after one of Peter’s extremely rare phone calls. Nathan had worked several Federal holidays so he was able to ask his boss for a Thursday, Friday, and a Monday off. It was near Nathan’s birthday, and they’d celebrated it in Bangkok. Peter was down, a little distant even, but he wanted to finish his journey. His face lit with joy when he saw Nathan and three days together seemed to give him strength.
On the return, Nathan had never been so happy to be able to afford first class.
Now, Peter had come home to Nathan
***
"I'm glad you're back." Nathan's arms tightened like he would never let go.
"I'm happy to see you." Peter felt safe standing here, holding Nathan and being held.
"Let's go pick up your bags. My car’s in the lot to get you home." He noticed Peter startle at this and continued, "Do you still want to stay with me until next Sunday?"
"Yeah. If having a roommate won't interfere."
"Heidi knows you're coming. I told her I wouldn't see her tonight at all. I’ll let her know at lunch tomorrow that it will be the whole week"
"You and Heidi seem pretty serious."
"I want you to meet her. Tell me what you think. Because unless you see something I've missed, I want to marry her."
They didn’t talk much on the drive. Peter would occasionally glance at Nathan, but he mostly kept staring out the windows drinking in that he was home.
After getting Peter’s clothes sorted and sent out for laundering, Nathan was at a loss. Peter was never this quiet unless he needed to talk. In this mood, Nathan was never certain how to get the talking started.
“Is there anything you’d like to do? We could grab food or something.”
“I’d really like to go for a walk. My last flight was stuck on the runway for nearly an hour and that was before the really long flight.”
“It’s raining.”
“Yeah. We’ll have the park to ourselves.”
Nathan grabbed a raincoat and decided against an umbrella. He smiled as he ushered his brother out.
***
They walked side by side, arms barely brushing for half an hour before Peter finally began to open up.
“Those friends of yours in Antwerp helped me out with a couple of jobs when I needed money. I probably wouldn’t have gotten to South Africa or India without them.”
“Diamond courier is not a bad way to travel.” Nathan looked at him a little warily.
“I saw the mines in South Africa just before I did my last job for them. It had to be my last job, the mines…”
“They’re pretty brutal.”
“I wish I’d seen them earlier. Before I did my first runs.”
Nathan gave a little nod in acknowledgment. “I guess pub jobs kept you in shoe leather for the rest of the trip.”
Peter looked at his feet. “Not exactly. I mean, yeah, I worked an espresso machine and got paid under the table in a couple of bars, but I couldn’t have done everything I did with just that money.”
“Okay.”
“I met this girl in Amsterdam. Since I was short of funds she took me to see the woman she worked for, and I worked there for a week. It paid for most of the rest of my travelling.”
“What kind of work did this girl do?”
Peter couldn’t meet Nathan’s eye. “She was a prostitute. I worked in the red light district.”
Nathan nodded. “I don’t suppose you played the piano or acted as the bouncer.”
“No. Mostly call outs to older women in hotels. There were a few guys, too. In house. And later in my trip, someone stole my wallet. I got the credit cards cancelled and all that stuff, but it was a three-day local holiday and I needed to eat. So, I worked on my knees near the docks that night. It gave me enough to get through until I could be the good little American tourist again.”
"I'm sorry. You weren't hurt?"
"No. The... people I was with in Amsterdam were nice. The other… I just tuned out for those few hours."
"I meant emotionally. I can't imagine anything worse for you."
"I've slept around."
"You always connect though, right? Even with a one night stand you never see again?"
Peter nodded.
Nathan continued, "I don't think your paid partners probably allowed that connection, no matter how well they treated your body."
"No judgment?"
"Did you want me to? I'll prosecute prostitution because it's illegal, but I'm in favor of legalizing it. You didn't do anything in my jurisdiction, right?"
Peter quirked a smile. "I was a long way from New York."
"Then my only concern is that you're okay. Do you need tests?"
"I’ve had most. I'll take care of any follow-ups when I get my school physicals. If there are any problems, I'll let you know."
"Please."
“You’re mad at me.”
“I’m furious you didn’t call me and ask for the money. If you were worried about being independent, I’d have found a way for you to pay it back.”
“I know, Nathan.”
“But… I’m proud of you for sticking to your guns. And I’m worried about the consequences, especially that second round. I’m sure your Amsterdam job vetted the customers.”
“I’ve already been to a clinic in Australia. They think I’m clean. I still need the HIV follow up, but otherwise nothing at all. And I asked them to check for everything.”
Nathan smiled and changed the subject. “So. You went away to find out about yourself. Any conclusions?”
"I'm bisexual."
"Don't tell me that's your big revelation from travelling around the world because I could have told you that." Nathan looked amused.
"You're not disgusted?"
"I wouldn't recommend sharing your orientation with Dad, but why would it disgust me? Peter you love people. You always have. Even people who aren't usually lovable, like me. Why would their..." Nathan groped for a phrase and finally settled on, "genitals bother you? As long as you make that connection."
"I've been scared to tell you." Pete blinked away some rain.
"Pete.” Nathan sighed and shook his head. “I'm bi. I'm glad you've figured out what you needed to, but I'm a little hurt that you thought I'd be a bastard about it."
"You were in the military."
"Which just meant I wasn't a practicing bisexual. I lived within the regs. And I want a political career, so I still do. You do understand that going into the Navy was my way of soul-searching."
Peter looked at him blankly. "I never put it together. Did you ever take money for sex?"
Nathan shook his head. "Never needed money that badly. But I've traded sex for protection. It's intangible, but it's still prostitution."
***
Nathan hoped Peter would never know. He couldn’t have been more than six when Nathan came across their houseguest, Mr. Linderman, looking in at Peter while he slept.
“Get away from his door. You have no right.”
“Ah, Nathan. Ever the protector. I can assure you, my taste has never run to children.”
“And yet, you’re staring in to my little brother’s room while he’s sleeping. I don’t think you look at him and see a sweet little angel.”
“I look at him and see potential for the future. I wonder what he means for you, Nathan.”
“I love him. I’ll protect him from anything or anyone by any means necessary.”
“It would be so satisfying to hurt me for besmirching your brother’s innocence, wouldn’t it?”
“I don’t think you’ve had the time to do anything to him. My worry is that you want to.” Nathan’s eyes narrowed as he stared the older man down.
“How old are you?”
“I just turned sixteen.” His expression remained wary.
“Since you won’t take my word for it that I’m not a pedophile, perhaps I can interest you in an exchange.”
“I’m listening.”
“I will never be alone with Peter, never look in on him during the night, if you’ll let me come to your room instead. As your mind automatically went to the gutter where I’m concerned, I can be reasonably certain you have little or no innocence left to sully.”
Nathan clenched his jaw. “No. I don’t. But you can’t come to my room. It’s too easy for you to be caught. If I come to you, I can be bringing you an extra towel or blanket should anyone ask.”
“You plan for all contingencies, I see. Your mother may be right that you’ll be the one to lead us.”
“I’ve agreed to your terms. Get away from Peter’s door.”
“When will you be joining me?”
“Were you planning to rejoin my father?”
“Yes, but I’ve changed my mind. I think bed would be more my speed.” Linderman’s eyes positively twinkled.
“Then I’ll see you in your room in ten minutes.”
Nathan had gone to Linderman every night that week. The first night Linderman had him on his knees for nearly two hours. Anytime Nathan thought the man might be on the brink, he pulled himself back and resumed his light thrusting into Nathan’s mouth. His jaw had ached the next morning, but seeing Peter running around in the garden, full of joy took some of the hurt away.
The night before he left, after he’d sated himself in Nathan’s body, Linderman said, “You want to believe the worst of me, I know. But I would never have touched Peter. Children hold no appeal for me.” He ran his fingertips over Nathan’s face, and Nathan jerked away. “Young men, on the other hand, do. You can’t let Peter remain your weakness, Nathan. Your destiny is big, bigger than his, I’m afraid. You’ll be President one day, mark my words.”
Nathan finished putting his pajamas back on. “Maybe I will, but Peter will be with me when I do it.” He started to walk out the door, then turned back to look Linderman full in the face. “I think you should start inviting my father to Las Vegas to conduct business. And when Peter’s sixteen, I don’t want you coming anywhere near him.”
“You’re threatening me? After all we’ve been to each other?” Linderman clutched at his heart, mocking Nathan.
Nathan had him flat on his back and pinned to the bed, one arm across his windpipe before Linderman could speak again. He rested his body weight on that arm for a second. “I could kill you right now. But you’re a guest in my parents’ home. So take the advice I offered. Don’t come back here, send for Dad instead. Because next time, I won’t care if you are a guest, and I’ll find a way to make it look like an accident.” He stayed put until he saw fear in the pale blue eyes, then he was off Linderman and out the door.
Linderman never stayed at their house again.
***
"I go the other way too. When I have that emotional connection, I want to make it physical."
Nathan just nodded.
"There's no one I feel closer to than you." Peter’s voice sounded distant.
Nathan reached out and put an arm around his shoulders. "Have you had enough exercise? I think your lips are turning blue."
“You could warm them up for me.” Peter’s need was clear in his eyes.
Nathan’s hand dipped down to his waist and tugged him back toward the apartment without saying a word.
Peter let out a deep sigh and walked a little faster, out of Nathan’s grip. They walked briskly side by side all the way to Nathan’s building.
“Let’s take the stairs, Pete. The elevator’s always slow this time of day.”
Peter reluctantly followed Nathan to the stairwell to begin the seven story climb. When the door shut behind him, he found himself pinned against the wall with Nathan’s lips hot on his. He gave in to the sensations of swirling tongues and fevered lips. His hips felt Nathan’s broad hands holding him in place while the kiss deepened.
Finally, he pulled away. “I thought…in the park, you didn’t…”
“Never in public, Peter. It’s the only rule we have to have. We can’t work any other way.” Nathan bent in to recapture Peter’s mouth.
“So you’ll marry Heidi and have kids and I’ll be the dirty little secret?”
“If you hate her, I won’t marry her. And yes, I’d like to have children. But the only reason you’ll be a secret is because it’s illegal. If it weren’t, I’d shout it from the rooftops.”
Peter pushed rain-wet hair out of Nathan’s eyes and pulled him in for a slow kiss. “You would, wouldn’t you?”
Nathan nodded. “I’d never dared hope… not for this.”
“I’m not certain I can make it up seven flights of stairs.” Peter looked mischievous as he said it.
“Not even if I promise that when we get to my apartment, all you have to do is lie back and relax while I worship your body?”
“Bet I can beat you to the seventh floor.” Peter ducked under Nathan’s arm and took the stairs two at a time. Nathan ran after him and caught him on the third floor. Peter dragged Nathan toward him and scraped his teeth down Nathan’s neck. “I’m not going to let you have all the fun, you know.”
“Get upstairs, now,” was the reply.
They made it through the front door of Nathan’s one-bedroom apartment before falling into each other’s arms again.
Nathan began taking Peter’s coat off and noticed him shiver. “You’re still freezing, Peter.”
“I thought you were planning to warm me up.”
“How about a shower? All the hot water you could want after those third world countries.”
“How about sex?”
“The one does not preclude the other.”
Peter laughed. “Only a lawyer could have said that. And only you could make it sound sexy.”
They took off their clothes hesitantly. This wasn’t the neutral territory of the locker room, but it also wasn’t the easy appreciation of long time lovers. Nathan blushed when he realized Peter had caught him looking and went to set the temperature.
Once they were both under the running water, Nathan pulled his brother close and began to soap his body. His hands felt knots and rubbed them loose. When Peter turned, his skin finally pink with warmth, and gazed up at him from under wet lashes, Nathan gave in and pushed him against the wall.
It was hard to find a comfortable position to kneel in. Nathan looked at the water streaming down Peter’s body and licked a long stripe up the thick vein of his cock. There was a twitch, and Nathan gazed up to find Peter’s eyes closed and head thrown back. He thought he heard a whimper over the sound of rushing water. He swirled his tongue around the crown and then slid Peter’s erection into his mouth.
This time he knew there was a whimper because it came from him. Nathan sucked and lapped at the hard flesh, his hands continued to stroke Peter - long gliding touches over his thighs and ass that helped ease him back. He felt a small thrust and took Peter deeper in his mouth. One hand slid behind Peter to brace him and the other cupped and warmed his balls.
Peter’s breath caught and Nathan heard his name chanted like a rosary over his head. He tried a couple of times to remember the trick to opening his throat, and then suddenly it worked and Peter thrust deep. Nathan felt the flare and thickening as Peter poured down his throat.
With a final kiss to the tip, Nathan released Peter and began to stand up. Peter’s knees buckled, and he grabbed Nathan and kissed him fiercely.
“I think we’d better dry off and get you to bed. You’re exhausted.”
“Yeah, it couldn’t have anything to do with the best blowjob I’ve ever had.” Peter stepped out of the shower and began to towel off. There was a crack of thunder and the lights failed.
“Stay here. I’ve rearranged the furniture in the last year.” Nathan wrapped a towel around his hips and went out to find his emergency candles.
He returned with a candle in a plate to light Peter’s way to bed. Once he placed it on the nightstand, Peter playfully knocked him onto the bed.
“My turn.”
“Peter. I can wait.”
“I can’t.”
“You’re going to get chilled again.”
Peter thought for a moment. “Can I borrow your bathrobe?” He walked back to the bathroom and unhooked it from the back of the door without waiting for an answer.
Nathan was sitting on the edge of the bed. Peter nudged his legs apart and bent down for a long slow kiss.
“Peter…”
“Don’t say anything. I know, we have all night, but I want you right now.” He knelt.
Nathan clasped his head and brushed their lips together. “You know I love you, right?”
Peter ran the back of his hand over Nathan’s jaw. “Yes.” He lowered his head to Nathan’s dripping cock.
His tongue rasped against the thick head and swirled up all the fluid pooling at the slit. Peter grasped the shaft and began to move his hand strongly in counterpoint to the motions of his mouth.
“I’m not going to last, Pete.”
Nathan’s statement was met with an increase in the speed of Peter’s hand. He looked up to see Nathan’s mouth drop open. His mouth was flooded with thick bitter fluid.
“Oh, God, Peter.” He flopped back on the bed.
Peter stood and draped himself over Nathan.
They held and kissed each other for a long moment before Nathan said, “Get under the covers. I don’t know how well you’ll sleep in a thunderstorm…”
Peter rubbed his cheek over Nathan’s chest. “I’m home and safe. I’ll sleep just fine. You’d better sleep, too, because when I wake up, I want you to fuck me.”
“Will you return the favor?”
“I promise.”
“Sleep, Peter.”
There was another clap of thunder and one last kiss before they both drifted off to sleep.