A Fluffy Tale 2: Warm & Fuzzy (21 page)

“You mean apart from worrying about you?”
Daniel poked him in the side. “Stop that, brat. Not much. I try to stay offline
on the weekends, give my brain and eyes a break. If
Mum and Dad are going somewhere, sometimes I head out with them. Or I find a
coffee shop and read the papers. Go for walks. Visit friends. You know,
ordinary stuff.”

“What about when you were with Rob?”

“You really want to talk about that,
Danny?”

Danny looked up into his eyes. “Um...maybe
not. I, uh...haven’t been with anyone before. This is all new.”

“Hard to believe when you’re such a cutie.
Ow.”

“I am not a ‘cutie’.”

“You definitely are. All that lovely hair,
and those big green eyes, and that pretty way you walk. Ow! Stop it.” He rubbed
his side. “Can’t a guy compliment his boyfriend?”

“‘Pretty walking’ isn’t a compliment, you prick.”

“Maybe not. You didn’t hook up with anyone
at school? What about Uni?”

“No. I was always busy. There were other
gay guys around, and some of them were friends, but...they were nerds, which
was great, but other than that, and the fact we were all gay, I didn’t have a
lot in common with them. None of them....”

When he realised Daniel wasn’t going to
finish, Spen poked him. “What? None of them...?”

“Made me feel like you do,” Daniel said in
a rush, then turned pink.

Spen grinned, then decided the only response
to that was to kiss him. Daniel’s arms went around Spen as he threw himself
into the kiss. For someone who claimed he hadn’t done it before, he was a fast
learner.

“Guys, can you knock it off? You’re
embarrassing.”

Daniel didn’t even turn around to look at
his brother. “An hour ago you couldn’t get enough of this and now you’re
complaining?”

“Yeah, cos it’s outside now. People can
see. It’s so not cool.”

“Spen, shall we stop?” His lips tickled
Spen’s neck as he spoke.

“Hmmm, I don’t think so. Go play with your
friends, Alex. We’re busy.”

“I hate you,” Alex said. “You’re horrible.”
He stomped off.

Daniel chuckled. “And before it was all,
‘ooh, Spen’s so great, he’s sooo tall and we love him sooo much’.”

“I’ll try to struggle on with my
disappointment. Now where were we?”

They kissed a little longer, but mindful
that Alex wasn’t the only person who might find a couple pashing on a park
bench a little much on a Saturday morning, Spen eased back to just holding
Daniel. Daniel didn’t seem to mind, and when Kani and Myko came back for
cuddles and petting, he held them on his lap while Spen kept his arm around
him. “I wasn’t really expecting you to be so comfortable with me,” Spen said,
smiling at Myko splayed out on his back along Daniel’s thighs, inviting a tummy
rub while Kani groomed his tail. “Not after what Fuckface did in the office.”

“You don’t remind me of him in anyway. You
look different, sound different—smell different.
If I never had to smell that stinky cologne of his again, I’d be grateful.”

Spen froze. That was what that smell had
been that night. The smell on Daniel.

“Is something wrong, Spen?” Even Myko had
sat up to look at him.

He made himself relax, and nuzzle against
Daniel’s hair. “No, nothing. But I can promise you I’ll never wear anything
like it—I’ve never even liked aftershave.”

“Good. I think I’d be sick if I smelled it
again. Shoo, you two. Go find Veen and pester him.” He put the two kems on the
ground and they ran off in search of Alex’s kem. Alex himself had apparently
recovered from the shame of his brother’s public display, and was attempting a jump which made Spen wince a little in concern. Daniel
didn’t seem too bothered though.

“Um, Spen?”

“Yes, Danny.”

“Does it bother you that I, uh,
haven’t...you know...been with someone before?”

“No, why should it? I’m more worried that
you might think we have to do stuff before you’re ready. Which
you really don’t. Now what’s wrong?” Daniel’s smile had disappeared and
he was now staring off into the distance. Spen stroked his hair. “Danny?”

“I don’t know how I’ll feel. This is
lovely, being with you. I could do this all day. But I don’t know what’ll
happen if we...I mean, when we sleep together.”

“We already did and it was fine.” Spen
kissed him again, and held him closer. “Nothing will happen until you want it,
and nothing will happen that you don’t agree to. We have plenty of time, and
I’m in no hurry. It’s not like I don’t know what it’s like.”

Daniel flushed. “What if I suck? Compared
to Rob?”

“He sucked quite often, actually.” Spen
watched Daniel’s face until he got it, and grinned when the poke arrived on
cue. “You don’t have to be the world’s greatest lover to make me happy. Or the
other way around, I hope. I just want to be with you, hold you, let things happen when they’re ready to. Neither of us know
how much what happened to you will affect things, so we need to take it slow
and easy. I’m all for easy.”

Daniel smiled, a little tremulously for
sure, but he looked less miserable. “I don’t want to be the poor
pathetic—”

“Yeah, yeah, orphan victim blah blah. I
don’t want you to be either because I’m not really into sleeping with pathetic
people. Be yourself, Danny, even if that means being neurotic or uncertain or
scared or whatever. I like
you
. All of you, even the sad, bad parts. Okay?”

“Okay. Wow, you’re really good at this,
aren’t you? Being a boyfriend, I mean.”

“I took a class and everything.”

Daniel grinned, and Spen stole another
kiss. There would probably be rocky times ahead, but Julian was adamant that
talking about things was much, much better than not talking about them in a
relationship with an inexperienced partner. The clincher came when Zachary
agreed with him. Even Leo had sat up and given his nephew a startled look for
that admission. Spen would bet half his savings that Zachary had started out a
lot more fucked up than Daniel would ever be, and now he was comfortable and
happy in a stable, loving marriage. There was plenty of reason to hope Daniel
would cope with this new change in his life, even with the crap life kept throwing
at him. Spen planned to do his best to keep the crap levels down. Daniel could
do with the break.

Just as Spen was thinking a nice cup of tea
would be nice, Alex came over, flopped onto the bench and declared he was
“starving”.

“You had breakfast two hours ago,” Daniel
said.

“Three,” Alex corrected, his bottom lip
drooping. “And I’m thirsty.”

“Water fountain over there. Off you go.”

“You’re mean.”

“Yes. Go get some water, and then we’ll
find somewhere cheap for lunch. Which means back on the High street, not here
because they charge a fortune in the park.”

Alex heaved a sigh but did as Daniel said.

“I’d be happy to pay for—”

Daniel held up his hand. “Thanks, but no,
Spen. Alex knows I don’t have a job and we have to adjust our budget until I
find another one.”

“But I—”

“Besides the food here is all fried
rubbish. We’ll have a better, cheaper choice outside.”

“Oh. See, that’s why you’re the parent, not
me.”

Daniel sagged. “I don’t know how Mum and
Dad did it. Thinking about all this—what they should eat, where they
should go, are their friends safe, and so on and so on—wears me out. And
that’s before I wonder if that weirdo over there who’s been watching the kids
for the last half hour is a spy for Tony or not.”

Spen hadn’t even noticed. The guy wasn’t a
tramp but he was wearing the kind of eccentric clothes that indicated either a
mental disorder or other incapacity. “I think he’s harmless.”

“Yeah, so do I. But I don’t
know
.”

“Did you warn them?”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t explain about
all the charges, but I said I would be a witness and Tony has a screw or two
loose. Dee got it without needing any more explanation. Alex was happy enough
when I said all I wanted him to do was make sure he was always with his
friends, and not to go off with anyone unless they were a police officer with
proper ID, or you, me or your parents. He’s pretty sensible, though it doesn’t
always look that way.”

“He’s sensible compared to most adults I
know. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

“I’d be happier if I knew Tony wasn’t being
set free some time today. Why can’t they keep him in jail?”

“Because he doesn’t have a criminal record,
he’s not a flight risk and he hasn’t threatened anyone. I asked Zachary. He
said intimidation is pretty rare, and it’s more common in violent offences. Anyway,
sending them away for a while will be good for all of you.”

“For them, for sure.” He climbed to his
feet. “Come on, Alex. I thought you wanted lunch.”

Alex hopped on his skateboard and propelled
himself over to them on the pavement, the three kems giving chase. “Edward
asked me if I could come back this afternoon. Please, Daniel?”

“When?”

“After one? Just for two hours. Please?”

“Do you mind, Spen?”

“Me? No. I’m all yours.”

Daniel kissed him. “I told you to stop
that,” Alex said, folding his arms and glaring. “It’s girly.”

“Hmmm, Spen, do you want to tell Dee he
said that, or shall I? Alex, if I were you, I’d start running now.”

“Girly girly girly!” he shouted as he made
his escape through the trees.

Daniel did nothing whatsoever to chase
after him, though he did begin to walk at normal speed in the same direction.
“I have no idea what my parents would say to him right now.”

“Something like what you did,” Spen said.
“The more fuss you make, the more he’ll play up to it. He’ll get tired of it
eventually, and I have no intention of not kissing you in public because your
little brother might be slightly bothered.”

Daniel put his arm around Spen’s waist.
“Good because I have absolutely no intention of letting you stop.”

~~~~~~~~

By three o’clock, Alex’s friends had grown
tired of skateboarding, and wandered off to other pastimes. Alex clearly wanted
to go with them, but to Daniel’s relief, he didn’t put up a fight when Daniel
told him they needed to go home instead. He had got over his snit about Spen’s
remarks in the morning, and he and Spen walked together a little ahead of
Daniel, talking about skateboarding—about which Spen knew a lot more than
Daniel—and about powering up some of his mechanical models, about which
Daniel knew a lot more than Spen. Daniel didn’t interrupt. He wanted his
brother and Spen to get on, so Alex could see Spen as a trusted friend in case
anything happened to Daniel himself. He also, selfishly, wanted Spen to get on
with his brother and sister because that would bind him to them, and to Daniel.

Spen didn’t resist the process at all. He
listened to Alex as seriously as he would to any
adult, while happily teasing him like the kid he was when Alex left him an
opening. He could say things that would lead to sulks and badly hurt feelings
if Daniel said them, simply because Daniel shared so much history with Alex.
Spen didn’t have that, so Alex looked afresh on what he said, assessing them
without prejudice. Alex had eagerly seized on Spen’s father as a wise,
objective adult he could bounce ideas off. Spen offered someone else, someone
closer to his age, Alex could use as a sounding board.

They gathered up the ingredients for the
cheap but delicious pork and apple bake, Spen insisting on buying the cider
which wasn’t strictly necessary but which would add an extra fillip to the
meal. Some reduced price custard and half price bananas would make a tasty
dessert for after. Daniel grabbed some other bargains, and refused to allow
Spen to pay for any of it. “After all the meals your mother’s made for Dee and
Alex, you must be joking.”

Spen held his hands up. “Just trying to be
polite.”

“Thank you, but so am I. You can help me
carry the bags, though.”

“I thought that was why you brought Alex.”

Alex’s kem squeaked in amusement as his
human pouted at the remark. Still, Alex grabbed two bags without being asked,
and Daniel ruffled his hair, thankful there wasn’t an ounce of real meanness in
his body.

Though Daniel and Spen insisted they were
preparing the supper, Dee came in to watch. “My brain’s full. I keep looking at
the words, and nothing’s going in.”

“Then stop,” Spen said. “I get like that at
work. I stare at code and it’s gibberish. The only thing to do is go home, try it again the next day with a fresh brain. You
can’t force it.”

“You know the stuff, DeeDee,” Daniel said.
“You’ve had good results in these subjects for two years. So it’s in your head.
Spen’s right.”

“I know. It’s about psyching myself.”

“Even top athletes rest the day before a
big competition,” Spen said. “Can’t do your best if you’re tired. So you
shouldn’t work so long tomorrow. Stop earlier, do something different, go to
bed early.”

“You sound like Mum.”

“There’s a reason for that. She was right
and so’s Spen.” Daniel put his arm around her shoulders. “Why don’t you make
some tea, and watch how this is made so you can remind me next time.”

She glanced in the direction of the stairs.
“I should be packing....”

“Next weekend. Relax. Talk
to Spen. Poor guy’s had to listen to me and Alex bending his ear all
day.”

She grinned at them, before picking up the
kettle to fill at the sink. “Oh like
that’s
such a hardship. I bet Spen could listen to you talk all day and all night.”

“Not true,” Spen said, waving the paring
knife at her. “I need to sleep too.”

“Oh right. That’s why I heard Daniel
talking in his bedroom until one in the morning. Talking to himself, was he?”

“Oh,
burn
,
Daniel,” Alex said, grinning madly. “You’ve got it
bad.
”