Chain Reaction 3.1.22: Friendship Woes

     The late-night DJ attracts a small crowd, and a really cute blonde shows up. Chaz goes up and says something in her ear. Then he does a head movement to Trey, indicating that he should come over.

     It's like a role-reversal. It used to be that Chaz was the most awkward loser around girls, and now, he's playing wingman?
     As usual, Trey is an idiot, pulling out a clump of mistletoe, right in front of everyone.

     But lucky for him, the blonde sees his idiocy as cute. She giggles and leans forward to kiss him. Then she pulls back, and Trey really goes for it.

     It all just makes me miss Kate. She still has that ridiculous curfew, not to mention she really doesn't like hanging out with my friends. She can't stand Trey's antics, and Dirk is typically less-bearable when around Trey. And she says Chaz makes her nervous because he still has a tendency to stare.
     I'm thirsty, so I walk over to the little bar.

     Plus, I'm still dealing with that whole story about what happened when Trey and Chaz went to the sorority house. It's really hard to believe. He had to have been making some of that up, right?
     Right?
     Dirk has walked over here too, maybe thinking I had a good idea. "Well, it looks like Trey is happy." For some reason, I've always seen Dirk as kind of the leader of the group, the 'alpha' if you will. Sure, he can sometimes act like an idiot, but it's usually in order to do something fun. Trey is our actual village idiot. Chaz used to be our 'charity case dork,' but that doesn't look true anymore. Does that make me the charity case? I see myself as the gloomy introvert.
     "Yeah. I guess being an idiot has to work sometime." I glance back at the two of them. I miss Kate. I love her, but why can't she be the kind of girl that's comfortable hanging out with all of us?
     Dirk chuckles. "Yeah, he's a little high voltage, isn't he?" Dirk has been dating Lizette. He doesn't come out and say it, but I think it's starting to bother him how promiscuous she is. I've since learned that that was a fantasy of hers to interrupt a guys' night by having every guy there bang her--what she did at my bonfire party. Something's not right with that girl. And I worry about Dirk. It wasn't true at the bonfire, but I think he's developing feelings for her.

     We get our drinks, and Dirk looks at Trey again. "He needs to get laid."
     "Mhm," I say into my drink.
     "So, how's it going with Kate?"
     I swallow wrong in shock, and I cough into my glass. Dirk pats my back hard, trying to help. I didn't expect him to ask that.
     "Sorry, man. It's just we never see her. I'm, you know, wondering why."
     How do I tell my friend that my girlfriend doesn't like my friends? "Uh... She, uh, she feels like she doesn't fit in." That works.
     He shrugs. "I don't know. We're all so different anyway. I kinda was uh... just wondering cuz... Lizette wants to hang with us, but the idea..."
     "Of she and one of us getting together with her bothers you. Well, maybe not with me."
     He sighs, relieved I get it. "Yes."

     He buries himself in his stupid-looking, frou-frou drink.
     "I wish I knew what to tell you." Maybe find someone besides the town slut?
     He brings his glass back down. "I just thought, you know, if you bring Kate along sometimes, and she's obviously off-limits, maybe I could, you know, get that through to Trey about Lizette?"
     "Why not just tell him?" I pause. "Yeah. You're right. He'd see it as a challenge." I pause again. Since we're having an open moment drowned out by loud music, I have to ask, "Dude, why her?"
     He lets out a frustrated growl. "I don't know! Ugh! She drives me crazy. It's just she's so plumbing hot. And she has serious issues. She's incredibly nice and sweet if placed in the right, private, environment. I wanna help her, but dammit!"
     Looks like woohoo isn't enough for Dirk. I'd warn him to be careful, but I think it's already too late. Movies and musicals and books and plays and everything has been written about men falling in love with whores, and typically, the guy ends up really hurt.
     "I guess I can ask Kate again."
      Another relieved sigh. "Thanks, man."
      He's doomed.

     That conversation with Dirk inspired me, so I pull out my journal. A poem about frustration: it's freeform, and it's pretty bad. But it also helps me deal with my own problems by looking at someone else's. He has all the woohoo he wants, but he wants love. I have love, but I'm an incredibly-horny teenage guy.
     And Chaz just makes me mad! I scribble a long horizontal line on the page. Then another. Then another. Then I turn the page and just mash down the pen to make a bunch of lines. Meaningless woohoo! Dammit!
     With Kate and me, it would not be meaningless. But my every attempt at seduction fails in the presence of the ice princess. I hate that I'm even referring to her that way. Doesn't she have hormones? What is it that's lacking? What does she need? Marriage? Believe me, I'm all for it, but we're only teens.
     We're only teens. I sigh and faceplant on the page of my journal. Kate just isn't ready.

     We decide to meet out by some old ruins, and to my surprise, Kate decides to join us. Another surprise is that Chaz invites Kyra! She and I have hardly spoken the past six months or so, but we pick up being friends again like no time has passed.
     Chaz, who recently changed his hair, sighs happily. "I love the cold." Kyra walks over, holding the would-be head of snow over him, teasing like she's about to drop it on him. "Do it. I'm always soooo hot." This makes Kyra giggle.
     I stand up straightly. Uh... what? Is Chaz trying to flirt with Kyra? Did he just invite her here or are they on some kind of date? Since when does Kyra giggle like that? Since when does Kyra date? I remember clearly how she used to always giggle at me. I loved that giggle.
     Kate distracts me from my confusing thoughts. "So what are you going to name him?"
     Kyra corrects her. "It's a her." She pauses, considering. "And we're going to name her Granny Flowerpetals."
     I scratch the back of my head. "I've got no objections."
     "Chaz," Kyra says, "we need the stuff."
     "Huh? Oh yeah." He reaches into his deep pockets and pulls out 'the stuff.'

      After Kyra decorates the snow pal, Kate looks around at the ruins. "It's really getting cold."
      I get daring. "Well, don't worry, Kate. I can be hot enough for both of us."
      Both girls roll their eyes and make an exasperated noise. Chaz, the bastard, laughs.
      "Timing is everything, bro." He smiles at me while I think it's about 'time' I kicked him in the face.
     Kyra walks over to him. "Get outta the snow before you freeze, you big lug." She reaches down to help him up.
     "Lug?" He grins. "Me?" He reaches up for her hand--but only to pull her down on top of him. She lets out a little scream as she falls, and he laughs heartily.
     Why is he my friend? I watch in jealousy as he rolls her in the snow, on top of her now.
     "Chaz! Get off me before I un-man you!"
     I glance at Kate. She looks worried and like she doesn't know what to do.
     "Oh, baby, please try," Chaz groans and buries his face in her neck.
     Kyra starts getting really mad, and I start walking over to them. Chaz starts laughing and gets off her.
     "I was only playing." He stands up. "Here, let me help you up."
     "No thank you." She angrily gets herself up and walks away from us in a huff.
     Chaz looks at me and shrugs like he's saying 'whattaya gonna do' like he can't help himself. Then, he turns. "Kyyyyyrrrra! C'mon, I was only kidding!" He chases after her.
     Why do I have this insane jealousy? I have KATE, dammit. Just to make my jealous mind shut up, I walk over to Kate and surprise her with a kiss.

     A little while later, we all decide it is getting cold, and we want to build a bonfire. So we all go out looking for sticks and stuff to build it. I'm on one side of the wall when I hear something that makes me stop in my tracks.

     "Hey, Kate. I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you." Chaz is talking to my Kate. I can't exactly just dash out there and go all possessive, but I don't like it.
     "Um, okay?"
     "Did you know Kyra before today?"
     "I knew of her, but no, not really."
     "Well, she and Alaric used to be really close. Really close." What is he getting at? "And last summer, he tried to get her to go out with him, and she said no." How does he know this? I don't think I've mentioned it before. Did I?
     My wonderful Kate isn't stupid. "Why are you telling me this?"
     He sighs like he's a friend about to admit a hard truth. "Well, it's just... I was watching him earlier. A test, if you will. He still has lingering feelings for her."
     "What are you doing, Chaz? Why would you do that?"
     "I still care about you, Kate. I'm sorry. I can't help it. And I have to know if you're happy. And I have to do whatever I can to make you stay happy." I almost dash around the wall now, but I want to know what Kate will say to that.
     "I am happy, Chaz. Butt out." Yeah! Butt out! I knew I was right not to trust him!
     "You do realize she's his end-game, right?"
     It sounds like she's stopped walking and turned around. "What are you talking about?"

     "His 'end-game'? It means she's the one he's going to end up with." He sighs melodramatically. "It's written in the stars, and I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt."
     "You're full of it. And here I'd hoped you were past this nonsense. You're only doing this in a thinly-veiled attempt to get us to break up. Admit it!"
     I round the corner and see him look her in the eyes.
     "Of course I am. I have no trouble admitting it. I'll never stop caring for you, Kate. You're way too special to just let go easily."
     The ice princess is about to lay into him, but I beat her to it.

     "Really, 'bro'?! Hitting on my girlfriend? Trying to convince her I'm some loser who's going to break her heart? You can't stoop any lower! I oughta kick your ass here and now for trying to pull something like that."
     "Look, man. I wasn't the one turning green watching someone else flirt with the first girl to turn him down. Don't try to tell me you weren't jealous earlier. And yeah. C'mon. Kick my ass. I'd love to see you try." He really hates me. He's never gotten over Kate choosing me over him. "Admit it, Alaric. Watching me flirt with Kyra rattled you. Didn't it! And don't lie."
     But Kate doesn't give me a chance to respond. "I can't pretend to be the only girl he's ever liked, and I'm not going to. But contrary to your wildest dreams--because that's the only place it'll happen--that doesn't mean I'm going to break up with him. Or for that matter, he break up with me. Because I am secure in the knowledge that Alaric loves me. So I don't want to listen to any more of your crap, understand?" She grabs my hand. "C'mon, Alaric. Let's go."
     I flip him off as we walk away. And all he does is smile in an irritatingly-superior way like he got exactly what he wanted just now.

Chain Reaction 3.1.21: Dating Woes

    After our bath, Darrin tells me he's exhausted and wants to sleep. I smile and let him go to bed. Then I go downstairs to get a few hours' work done, never bothering to get dressed. I'm warm enough after all that activity--and knowing I have Darrin back warms my heart.
    I think I hear movement upstairs, so I go see if he's awake.

    He walks out of the bedroom.
    "Hey," I say happily.
    "Hi." He doesn't sound as happy. Maybe he has a hangover. I ask him if he needs painkillers. "Yeah, but I'll get them at home." He acts surprised I'm naked. "Mike, I don't know what came over me last night."

     "You got drunk and came over. Don't you remember?" Uh oh. What if he doesn't?

     He closes his eyes and exhales out his nose. "Oh plum." He wipes his forehead, keeping his eyes closed. "I really, really need to stay away from tequila." Pause. "I'm sorry, Mike."
    "It's okay. We worked things out. You told me I'm not a bad guy."
    "We f--ked, didn't we?" He finally opens his eyes.
    "Yeeeaaah... I guess you could call it that."
    "Oh, maker, Mike. I'm such an as*hole." He looks apologetic. "I'm sorry. I was out of line. I never should've bothered you, especially when all I needed to do was really think."

     "But you did think." I don't like this. "You decided." We got back together! Right?
     "I never should've said any of that. That was only half of me talking." He covers his eyes with one hand and sighs. "And with the morning comes clarity." He looks at me again.
     "What are you talking about?"
     "You're bad for me, Michael. I claim to be able to stop then can't. Then I don't let you get on with your life. Then I get drunk because I don't want to decide one way or the other."
     "But you did decide. You love me."
     "I love you like a heroin addict loves their next hit. The point is you're wrong for me, even though my physical attraction to you is incredible. This could never work."
     "I'm calling bullsh*t, Darrin."

     "Bullsh*t on what?"
     "This is more than just physical. You and me: we get along great. We have so much in common." I don't like his bland expression.
     "Maybe. Except for one key detail, a detail I have struggled mightily with. We're on opposing sides of the law. Now, as a way to prove how sorry I am to have done this to you, I'm going to forget everything you've told me." He means Landgraab. "Your record, according to the state, is still clean."
     "What are you saying? That you're breaking up with me?!"
     "We never actually got back together."
     BAM!

     I punch him square in the jaw, surprising both of us. Not ready for it, he staggers to the side.
     "You're right, Darrin. You are an as*hole." I back up, furious and afraid. Darrin is pissed off. "I don't know what's wrong with you other than you're crazy. How could you do this to me? You chase me around for weeks, saying you made a big mistake. Then, we have a night where I feel like we got back together, yet all it really was was you using me."

     "Out."
     "I can't believe you did that." He's still on the fact that I punched him. He looks much more shocked than mad now.
     "I mean it, Darrin. Get out."
     He shrugs. "Fine."
     "And don't come back. For any reason. At all."
     "No problem." He gathers his clothes and puts them in his inventory, not bothering to put them on.

     "I don't ever want to see you again. Even if, after whatever time has passed, you decide this was a mistake and want me back. Don't go chasing me around. Don't keep tabs on me. Don't interfere with my life."
     He says nothing, but I'm not done with my tirade.
     "IF I ever see you again, I will get a restraining order!

     "I can imagine that wouldn't look too good for your 'super-cop' reputation!"
     "I'm sorry, Mike."
     "OUT!"
     He shuts the door.

     How could Darrin do this to me? How could he screw with my emotions so much, torturing me, then act like he wants to be with me only to deny feeling that way in the early morning light? I can't believe him. He was so sincere last night yet so cold this morning. It's like he needed to get the lust out of his system, and now he has.
     I wipe my face. He deserved that punch. He deserves more. What I got was worse than a punch. I got used.
     And I fear he'll do it again. It may be weeks, months, a year, ten years, I don't know, but I fear it'll all happen again. He compared me to a narcotic! Lust.
     "Well," I say aloud, "I won't let it happen. I mean it. I've had enough. I'm done with him."
     I brush the remaining tears off my face and go to bed--where I cry myself to sleep.

     A week passes, and there is no sign of Darrin. Just in case, I've been keeping an eye out, paranoid. I meant it when I said I'd get the restraining order.
     Another month, and I hope that Ivy has forgiven me. The first week after I threw Darrin out of my house, she posted a rant video about her 'friend' getting pushed aside for an ex-lover and how that drove her up the wall--her catch phrase.
     This won't be easy.

     I get her voicemail. "Hi, Ivy. It's Mike. I was thinking about you and thought I'd give you a call. I was hoping that we could get together, maybe for dinner, sometime? We really need to catch up. Anyway, give me a call back."

      Am I a pathetic loser?
     Yes.
      Will she call me back?
      Not a chance. But I have to start somewhere.

Alaric

      With the heaps of snow on the ground, the skatepark is practically unusable. It seems just as soon as we get the concrete cleared off, more snow arrives.

     It's not a huge deal, though. The guys and I find plenty to do with our time.
     "Snow is cold." Trey has entertained himself by making a snow angel.
     "No sh*t, dumbass." Dirk laughs.
     Chaz sniffs. "These fumes are messing with my head."
     Trey can't resist. "Everything wants to mess with Chaz's head."
     I watch out of the corner of my eye as he rolls his. "Yeah." He sniffs again. "You know, if I'm gonna get dizzy from too many fumes, I may as well make it count." He means the 'bubble blower' on the other side of the wall. It's out of public view where some college guys 'donated' it.
     This perks Trey right up. "I'm game. C'mon, Alaric."
     Dirk glances sideways at me. "Go on, man. I wanna add the finishing touches myself."
     "K." I put down my spray can and join the guys going around the wall.

     We all have our turn 'blowing bubbles,' which makes Trey especially giggly. "Aw man! I just realized we never told Alaric the whole story from Fliik Nard!" That was the sorority Trey took Chaz to after Chaz and I fought in the gym.
     Chaz gives me a look I can't quite identify, kind of a superior, I'm-so-much-awesomer-than-you look, but I can't be positive. "No, I guess we haven't."
     I wave it off. "It's fine. I got the general gist of what happened."
     But it's like I'd not said anything. Trey can't stop himself. "You should've seen Chaz! He's a genius! He got so much p--sy that night it's going to be the stuff of legend!"
     Chaz rolls his eyes with a smile. "Don't exaggerate. It was the one girl that night."
     "Yeah, but she talked. What started as a pity f--k turned into the making of a god." I notice yet again how Trey has started acting like Chaz is his idol, the bro-of-all-bros.
     "You're dating a college chick?" I ask. Trey's right in that I haven't heard any of this.

     "Dating?" He smirks. "No, I'm not 'dating' anyone."
     "He doesn't have to!"
     He turns to Trey. "Dude, would you shut up and let me tell the story?" His eyes roll at Trey's hyper idiot laugh, and then he returns his attention to me. "So that was the evening of the day when you'd stolen Kate out from under my nose."
     I glare at him. Not this again!
     He puts his hand up. "Whoa. Man, I get it, k? Besides, after you hear what happened, you'll understand why I need to thank you for doing that."
     Trey can't keep quiet. "He was so pitiful! They ate it up! Then they ate him up!" I think he's had too many bubbles.
     "Trey! Shut the plum up!" Another eye roll. "Anyway, so we were at a party, and I was moping when Trey sent a girl my way."
     "The perfect wingman, I!" Trey will not be quiet apparently, but Chaz continues on anyhow.

      "Her name was Whitney, and the ass and tits on his girl were so big and round that I would have to be one-hundred percent gay not to get rock hard, especially when she came and sat on my lap."
     "You're making her sound fat. She was endowed," Trey cuts in.
     Chaz waves him off. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, so she starts asking me why I'm sad, and I tell her. And she's running her fingers through my hair with her cleavage so close to my face. I started having trouble breathing."
     "Then Chaz disappears."
     "Ugh! Trey! My story!" He takes a breath. "Well, yeah, next thing I know, she's leading me upstairs, and holy f--king plumbob, Alaric. She got naked, and I don't know what came over me, but all I could think was that if something this beautiful and hot doesn't get what nature owes her, then I may as well stop being a man."
     "Such a gentleman."
     "OMG, Trey, if you don't shut up...!"
     "What? I'm helping." He wears a big, stupid grin.

      "So you woohooed a college chick. Grats, man." I have to admit that Chaz is a different person than the one yelling at me in the gym that day.
      Trey does what could only be called guffawing. "Hardly."
      I look at Trey. "What do you mean then?"
      Trey looks to Chaz. "Tell him. PLEASE. I couldn't do it justice."

      "All I could think was thank the maker I'm not a virgin."
      "Lizette is a very generous woman." We've given up on stopping Trey's interruptions.
      I'm a bit confused. "So it wasn't woohoo?"
      Trey laughs, but Chaz clarifies, "Oh, it was, but... I don't know... something came over me, like I was pretending to be someone else... because I couldn't just let myself be the old Chaz. The best way I can think to describe it is I just... figured out how to move, kinda deep and slow, and she started going out of her mind."
      "She was so loud we could hear her downstairs." Trey laughs loudly. "A couple girls went upstairs to see if everything was okay, and they discovered the two of them. And they discovered the reason why she was being so loud because Chaz didn't stop."
      He shrugs. "Eh, I figured it wasn't the first time I had an audience, and I was actually scared to death that if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to figure out again what I was doing."

      Trey butts in, "And those two witnesses talked. To everyone. You know how girls love to gossip."
      "Trey, are you going to let me tell the story or not?"
      "I'm just making sure you don't forget the important bits." He looks at me. "So now, Chaz pretty much has a waiting list. He's Fliik Nard's best kept, or maybe worst kept, secret."
       I squint my eyes and purse my lips. "Be serious. That can't be true. We're just high schoolers." Those girls could get in trouble, but from the sound of things, Chaz has no problem with it. And if his parents know, they're not doing anything.
      Chaz looks at me, slightly ticked. "Why can't it be true? What, because I'm young and not built and don't have washboard abs that I can't make a woman lose her mind?"
      Trey looks at me, serious for once. "It's all true."
      I need bubbles.

      Trey keeps talking. "And it's all because you started dating Kate."
      Well, if Chaz were dating Kate and I wasn't, he certainly wouldn't be getting any. Kate and I have been dating for months now, and the most I've gotten is to grab her ass while I kiss her. I got to second base once, and just like that time in the library, she got all bent out of shape about it.
      I can feel Chaz staring at me. I don't know what he's thinking, but I can tell I'm still not his favorite person. We only get along on the surface.
      Music starts up at the DJ booth on the lot, and Trey insists we go and dance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Slightly strange place to end a chapter, I know, but it would've gotten out of hand otherwise.

Chain Reaction 3.1.20: Milk

A/N: Mildly NSFW
-----------------------------------------------------------

Michael

     Uncle Alex tries to hire a bodyguard for me, but I give him a vehement no. If Drake really wanted to kill me, a bodyguard wouldn't stop him or his hitman. And I don't want someone following me around all the time. Dad isn't happy, but I tell him to stop worrying.

     Besides, I have my stalker...

     I let him in, and he stumbles through the door, drunk. "So you decided to come see me?" I'd seen him earlier parked out on the street.

     "I'm a little drunk, Michael."

     I chuckle. "Tequila? Not the wisest decision." And I'd say he's more than a 'little' drunk.

     He places the bottle on the dresser behind me. "I'm losing my mind, Michael." He starts crying.

     I sigh. "Darrin..." I sigh again. "What am I going to do with you?"

     "I miss you, Michael."

     "Well, you know how to solve that."

     "I love you, Michael." His hands clumsily paw at my shirt and then touch my face. Then he wraps his arms around me, and I hold him for a minute.

     He pulls back and looks at me.

      He smiles in a lopsided way. "Michael Michael Michael. You really do have the most beautiful eyes. The second I first saw you, I knew I needed you." He licks his lips.

     I let out a quick grunt when he pulls my face down to his. "Kiss me, Michael," he whispers.

     "You're drunk."

     "Yes, I am." He stops waiting for me to kiss him and kisses me.

      Damn him! I'd wanted to go up to him when I saw him in his car earlier, but I told myself he needed space to think. That's what he'd said. Now, he's in my house and kissing me. And I'm kissing him back.

     No! I step away from him. "Why are you here?"

     "I need to think."

     I groan and turn away, rubbing my temples.

     He cracks up laughing behind me. "Oh, Mike. You're way too serious right now."

     "One of us has to be." Or this could get quickly out of control.

     He needs food. 

     "How about I fix you something to eat. Would you like some homemade waffles?"

     "I think I know what I'd like."

     I should've seen this coming.

     His arms wrap around me from behind, and he starts kissing my cheek. I say his name is surprise and hold his chin, pulling it away from my face. Then his right hand starts sliding... down... I gasp.

     "I want this," he tells me and starts stroking me.

     Oh plum! "Darrin," I pant, "this isn't what... you need... You need... to think..." Plum that's good. Sweet, blissful torture.

     His hand goes inside my jeans.

     "Oh, this is what I need, Michael."

     I whine. I don't want him to stop, but I need him to stop.

     Or go faster.

     Plum! No! "Stop it, Darrin." I jerk myself free of him.

     "Where are you going?"

     "You're not getting any of that until you've come to a decision. And then only if it's the decision that we get back together." I need space between us. And a cold shower. But I only have a bathtub.

     Darrin shocks me, again, but this time in a bad way. He grabs me and slams me back against the wall.

     I act like I'm going to duck down and to the side, but he puts his thigh between my legs.

     "Go ahead, Mike. Ride it. You're so hard right now." His one hand pins my arm to the wall while his other reaches up and gently strokes my face.

     "It's not happening. You hurt me once before." I'm talking about that time at the club--when I thought he'd take me back and didn't. "You get nothing until you've decided to take me back." No milk for free here.

     "What do you think I'm doing right now?"

     "Pinning me against the wall."

     "I'm trying to think."

     "You're drunk."

     "Not too drunk." His hand goes between my legs again, but I swat it away. He continues to scowl and stroke my face. "I know one thing for certain: I love you and living without you is the worst pain imaginable. Two things, I guess." His eyes search my face. "I miss you. I want you."

     "Then take me back." I could get free, but I keep hoping everything he's doing (as long as it's not driving me out of my mind) will lead him to the conclusion I want.

     "I'll take you." His mouth attacks mine. Did he? Did he mean it? What does he mean? 

     I break free of the kiss. "What do you mean?" Take me back!

     "I mean I think best when I'm active. And I'm trying to tell myself what I'd be missing if I don't take you back." He didn't mean what I'd hoped he meant.

     I shove him and go sit on the couch. Another trip up and down the roller coaster. 

     He sits in front of me. "What's wrong now?"

     Ugh! "The same thing, Darrin. Why must you do this to me?"

     "Okay. You're right. I'm drunk. Mostly drunk. All I can think is how badly I want you."

     "No."

     His hand slides up my pant leg. "I'm a man of action. Let me have it."

     I push his hand away. "You know my reasons." Oh plum! I want him! He's so hot, and he wants me! My leg starts shaking, and he leans down and kisses it. Then he moves up to try and kiss my lips, but I deny him.

      "I'm dying without you," he whispers, his lips caressing my temples.

      "You're just using lines to get what you want. You're drunk, and you're over here trying to seduce me." Am I talking to him or trying to tell myself that's what he's doing?

      He chuckles. "Don't you think if I were trying to seduce you then you would be the drunk one? I'm the vulnerable one here. I'm the one who can't resist you." I don't stop his hand this time. "You need it so badly."

      Damn him! I turn my head and kiss him deeply. He pushes into me, leaning me back on the couch.

     "Darrin-"

     "Shh. Just don't stop me." He unzips my pants.

     It's a good thing I don't have a bodyguard--because I've never been so loud. All the noise I make would surely freak out anybody charged with my safety. I'm not safe right now, but I don't want him to stop.

     I like drunk Darrin. Drunk Darrin has zero inhibitions. Drunk Darrin is wild.

     Yes, I plumbing needed it. It's been too long, and he knows it. I almost pass out it's so good.

     "What happened?" Okay, maybe I did pass out a little.

     "We're in your bedroom." He removes my shirt. Everything else must've been removed during my yelling and screaming fit.

     I rest my head against the mattress and close my eyes. That was incredible.

     Then Darrin flips me over.

     He yanks on my ponytail to bring my ear to his lips. "Yes... Now I can think... Now I can think..." He's being rough. "This is what I needed... You... I needed you... That's what's had me so messed up..." He pants. "My Michael... So good... You're so good..."

     "Good guys aren't murderers..." He changes his motions, grinding, and he has to hold me down because I spaz uncontrollably.

     "Darrin!" I scream, losing my mind.

     "Good guys are heroes." He cries out now, finding relief. Panting, he kisses my neck. "You're a hero, Michael. And I love you. And I can't bear to be without you ever again."

     He wants me back! That's what that was all about. I smile.

     I wake up. I'd only just shagged out because... yeah. I'd normally be awake now. And my--boyfriend--yes, boyfriend--is passed out.

     I'm so happy! "Darrin." I lightly shake him, and he moans a complaint. "Wake up." Another moan.

     After much cajoling and encouragement, I get him where I want him.

      I didn't used to often get this from him like he always would from me. Maybe that can change now. After all, I know a few more 'dance moves.'

     Next is the happily-anticipated bubble bath. My tub isn't as big as the one I had in the basement apartment, but why would I want more space? I have exactly what I want. The only thing that could make this more perfect is if Darrin weren't so tipsy and sleepy.
     We still need to discuss in a mature way where this is going, but that can wait until morning.