Josh and Matt
Josh sat at the bar and waved to Roger, the bartender. He looked around while Roger finished making his current drink. The club was about three quarters full. The styles and colours of clothing some of the people walking around made Josh's eyes hurt, so he turned his back to the crowd. At that point Roger joined him.
"What can I start you on tonight?"
"What ever you can come up with." Josh answered him, smiling. What made this club his favorite place to frequent on a Friday evening wasn't the guys, most of whom were posers, or the music, which at the best of times he could only qualify of 'noise', but Roger.
Roger had quickly learned of Josh's enjoyment of new smells and tastes so he delighted him by making him taste what ever new drink he could think to mix. A few of them had made it on the list of available drinks, most were best forgotten, but Josh had enjoyed all of them, and he sat in anticipation of what new taste Roger would bring him.
A sudden smell made him turn and scan the crowd; it had been musky and spicy. He closed his eyes and tried to catch it again. The smell had warmed his blood and he wanted to see who it belong to, but it had only been a passing smell, carried to him on the movement of the crowd. He moved off his stool, ignoring the drink Roger placed down.
He calmly walked a circuit around the club, stopping every few steps and taking a deep breath. He was almost halfway around from the bar when he caught the smell again, this time it was stronger and his blood responded with desire. He tracked it to the dance floor, discreetly breathing those he walked by to determine if the smell was theirs. He had enough practice at this that they never realized what he was doing as he danced his way closer to it's origin.
He found the owner, and the sight matched the smell. The man was dancing with a woman, he was dark skinned, at least a head taller then Josh and easily fifty pounds heavier, and by the way his clothes clung to him all of it was muscle. Josh moved to the music, not really hearing it, and then moved between the man and woman. The man showed surprise as he looked down on him, but smiled at him. He gave a wave to the woman and then his attention to Josh.
The man didn't have much training dancing, but he made up for it in enthusiasm. Josh initially kept enough room between them so he could get a feel for how his partner moved. He had no difficulties keeping up with his movement so eventually moved closer, and after a little longer even touching him, enjoying the feel of the man's muscle moving under the silk shirt. During all that time their eyes never left one another. And as the night progressed their dance became needier, more primal.
Even once the music ended, and the scenery changed their dance continued. Who led changed from one dance to the next, but the dancing only ended once they both fell asleep from exhaustion.
* * * * *
Matt opened up his eyes, looked up at the morning sky as he yawned and closed them again.
He sat up in the bed 'morning sky?' He looked around at the room. It was simply furnished, a desk and chair, three doors, one for the closet and one for the bathroom he guessed and the bed he was on were the only things in it. He looked up. The ceiling was painted to look like the sky, and not one of those fake ones either, with blue background and clearly defined white clouds, no this one was all in gradations of colors, from yellowish orange in the east, he guessed, and slowly becoming darker as his eyes traveled west, the clouds were only hinted at by varying shades of colours. The walls were done in a similar manner, but made to look like a forest. Again the shapes of the trees were hinted at by variations in the greens with the sunlight coming over them on the east wall. He looked down at the floor and, not surprisingly, the carpet was a lush grass green. He laid back on the bed, in the middle of his own clearing.
For a moment he wondered how he could have missed it the night before, or maybe it had already been morning by then, but he had been pretty much distracted.
When Amanda had called him after work, announcing that she was treating him to dinner and clubbing as an 'end of the week' present he tried to protest, after all he still had plenty of projects that needed work, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She flatly told him that if he wasn't properly dressed for Nails, she would be dressing him herself.
He had failed to take that threat seriously only once since he had known her.
So when she arrived he was dressed to a "T", but only after forcing him to get rid of his Cell phone and PDA did she nod her approval.
Dinner had been good. He would never have suggested Alphonse, but it was her paycheck she was burning. He still ordered conservatively when he saw that the prices were even higher then he had heard. Amanda for herself went wild on the menu, for such a slender woman she never failed to amaze him with the amount of food she could eat.
Nails was not THE club to be at, but only because the majority of the population was straight. They stood in line for over an hour, during which Matt suggested more than once that they could go somewhere else, Amanda gave him a withering glare and he dropped the subject for ten minutes. The last time he bought it up he even pointed out that it wasn't like she would be able to find a guy to go home with there. Her answer was simply "I'm not the one who needs to blow some steam." He would have replied, but they were let in at that point and the music would have made it inaudible.
He had been at this club a few times before, it was nice and spacious and they kept the crowd under control so it never completely filled up. He was aiming for the bar, but a few steps from it a waiter intercepted him and took his order. He didn't have time to sit down when Amanda dragged him on the dance floor.
Now, he didn't particularly like dancing, his frame was large and not exactly adept at the acrobatics that was called dancing these days, but Amanda had been right. He did need to spend some energy and after a song or two he'd managed to let the rhythm carry him around with her.
He was so zoned from dancing that he didn't immediately notice the guy interpose himself between Amanda and him, when he did he smiled while looking him over, he was shorter, white with blond hair going down to his neck and looked thin under his clothes. The guy smiled back him; it was a smile that said 'I know you like what you're seeing'. Seeing Amanda give him the thumbs up he though 'why not' and waved to her as she melted through the other dancers.
From that point on he and the other guy danced together. At first there was some awkwardness, but soon they were moving in unison, owing more to the other guy's skills. Once they were synchronized their bodies touched constantly. Matt lost track of the time and was surprised when the music became more romantic, announcing the end of the evening. The guy pressed himself against him and they moved slowly to the music, Matt gulped as he felt the man's groin press against his. They were both hard.
Before the last song ended they were kissing.
Matt vaguely remembered the kiss being broken as he entered a car. He also knows there was some driving done, but all he could remember of it was the feel of his hand on the other guy's thigh. Then they entered an apartment, the other guy's he guessed. He HOPED. And after that a lot of lovemaking.
Matt, always one to stay in shape, knew he had a good deal of stamina, but the shear amount of time they had made love through the night astounded him, actually he wasn't even sure how many times they had done it. There had been one as they entered, he had taken him on the kitchen table, he guessed. After that the guy had taken him in the stairs with such skills that Matt had cummed again, They had managed to make it up the stairs before being on the floor again, this time in a sixty nine position. And then they had made it to the bedroom . . . . . but not the bed directly.
Seven, maybe eight times by his reckoning. And they had both cum each time. Where had all that energy come from? Matt smiled as he looked at the ceiling, he had no idea, but it certainly couldn't be morning anymore.
He would have remained in bed longer, but his body had other ideas. First a trip to the bathroom was needed. The soreness in his body confirmed that he had done more exercise than he was used to, but it was a good soreness, the kind he'd get after a good workout at the gym.
He wasn't surprised when the bathroom turned out to be decorated in a similar fashion to the bedroom, but this time as an under-waterscape. While he was taking care of business he started getting a nagging feeling that he had forgotten something fairly important, but couldn't pin point what it was so he put it in the back of his mind for later.
After that food was on the order, but first he'd need to get dressed, which proved simple, his clothes were neatly folded on the chair. He only put on his pant since the room was already comfortable.
On opening the door he heard soft music, some classical piece, and smelled food. Heading to the stairs he came across an exercise room decorated as a mountain valley. Down the stairs put him in the dining area, the kitchen was to the right, where the guy was moving something from the stove to the counter.
Matt stopped there, suddenly uncomfortable, he realized he should have put on his shirt. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing would come out. What was he suppose to say after a night of wild sex to a guy who's name he didn't even know?
Fortunately, the guy saw him "Glad to see that you're awake. Have a seat, I didn't know what you'd like so I made a bit of everything." He pointed to the table with a fork.
"Good morning," Matt answered, sitting down.
The guy looked up at something Matt couldn't see and smiled "Late afternoon actually."
"Can I help with something?" Matt asked, needing to feel useful.
"No need, it's almost all done, but for the eating."
Matt sat and watched him work for a bit before the lack of conversation got to him. "My name's Matt by the way." He said, squirming in his chair.
"Mine's Josh." Josh answered, taking five plates in his arms with enough ease to make a restaurant waiter jealous. Matt swallowed hard as Josh came out from behind the counter. He was naked.
In the proper lighting he could see that Josh's skin was actually lightly tanned and well toned, but with the built of a swimmer or a runner, unlike Matt who's build showed him more to be a weight lifter. He couldn't stop himself from looking down Josh's body to his cock. It looked to be average. He couldn't seem to remember what it looked like hard, all he remembered of it was how nice it felt. Which made him hard, but that nagging suspicion he'd forgotten something helped take care of that.
Suddenly he looked at Josh who smiled "I said, would you like something to drink?"
Matt looked at all the plates now on the table "Orange juice, if you have some"
"Some OJ it is." Josh placed the tall glass of orange juice next to matt's plate, getting his face in the crook of his neck and breathed in deeply. As he waked to the other side of the table Matt noticed his cock stirring. "Dig in."
Matt looked at the food, each plate had something different, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, fruit salad, and one even had steaks, which Matt started with.
"You cooked all of these?"
Josh nodded while he swallowed, "Yes. I love the smells of food cooking as well as the taste of it afterwards."
Matt marveled at the food, it was all done to perfection. He looked back on the dancing, or what he could remember of it, the love making, and even how Josh had served the food. He was starting to think everything Josh did was perfect. But it was too delicious to be interrupted by further discussion so they both concentrated on enjoy it.
"I can't believe I ate all that," Matt commented once they were done. He'd offered to help clean the table but Josh simply told him to stay in his seat. "You must have taken a lot out of me last night."
Josh smiled as he came back to the table, but he didn't go back to his chair, instead he straddled Matt's lap, his hands caressing his chest while nibbling on his neck.
Matt's hands were doing traveling of their own down Josh's back "should we . . . . . shouldn't we . . . . " Matt couldn't complete any sentences as he panted.
Josh let go of Matt's neck. "your smell's really intoxicating." His hands moved down his chest and to his pants, which he undid. He moved off Matt's lap only long enough for the pants to be dropped to the floor. Giving him long enough to see that Josh's penis was about six inches long and slightly thin. Matt in comparison was close to seven, and thicker.
Matt followed Josh's hand as it went to first one side of the chair and then the next, unfolding a small knee rest attached to each side and then resting his knees in it, placing him at a perfect height for what was obviously to come.
Josh smiled, "What did you think they were for?" Matt hadn't even noticed they were there until Josh had reached for them, but he was spared trying to answer, Josh had reached for his cock and was now spreading the leaking precum over it. Before positioning it under him. He was about to sit down on it when Matt had him stop.
"Wait." That suspicion was back, but this time it had brought the entire family with it. "Oh my God, we didn't use condoms last night." That thought too his breath away, and his desire with it. What had he done, what would Josh think, he'd never been that careless before. He went to say something but Josh placed a finger over his lips
"I'm clean if that's what you're afraid of." He said softly, looking at Matt seriously.
Matt looked back at Josh, he had expected him to be at least a little worried. "How do you know I am? What if I give you . . ." Josh again silence him, but with a light kiss this time.
"If you have anything, I can't catch it." Matt raised an eyebrow. "It's a family thing, our doctor says we are pretty much immune to everything sexually transmitted." Matt was still worried. "But if it'll make you feel better I'll get one." Matt nodded and felt like a fool as Josh climbed the stair.
He was back before Matt had been able to work up his desire again, and dropped a handful of condoms on the table.
"You're thinking of multiple times?"
Josh straddled Matt's lap again and whispered to him "I'm planning on turning you on, and not stopping until one of us drops."
Matt's desired came back roaring.
* * * * *
Josh looked at his reflection in the windows of the office building where the architecture company Matt worked for was located. Everything was still in place; his earlier meeting with the custom officials hadn't messed up his suit. He had decided that after six month it was time for the rest of Matt's coworkers to know about him. Matt had told him some of the stories on how the secretaries kept trying to get him to divulge who he was seeing. The numerous flowers delivered directly to his office helped fueled the speculations. Matt would have happily told them, if only they hadn't been so pestering about it. It only made him clam up. Josh had laugh at that, and promised himself that he would give those secretaries something to really talk about.
Josh had timed his arrival for the end of office hours. He knew Matt would be in a meeting with his boss because of the amount of complaining he'd done. His boss always stretched the meeting past five O'clock. He surveyed the place as he left the elevator. The reception desk was in front of him, with cubicles stretching behind it as far as he could see, they were obviously going for an open space concept, and people were moving around between them. On the side walls were windowed meeting rooms, and in the fourth one back he could see Matt discussing with someone, while pointing at papers on a table.
All this took Josh only the time needed to make one step. The rests he kept his gaze on the receptionist. On seeing him she looked down, looked annoyed for a second, and looked back up, a radiant smile on her face. Josh admired her professionalism.
He looked on the wall clock, five to five. "Good afternoon, I have an appointment with Mr. Ricardson, if you could let him know that Mr. Joshua Brankard is here."
The secretary dialed his office, "I'm sorry, but he's not answering his phone. It's almost five pm, he might have already left. Are you sure that you were supposed to see him at this time?"
Josh smiled at her "I'm quite certain. Actually, why don't you check with him, He's in the meeting room there" He pointed at the one he meant. And Matt happened to look in his direction at that moment. Surprise crossed his face, and Josh smiled even more. Matt rolled the papers on the table and handed them to the other man, before leaving the room to meet him.
"Mr. Ricardson." The secretary started as he reached them, but her next words died as Josh grabbed Matt by the collar, pulled him close and kissed him, hard. There was no resistance and they both melted in one another. Somewhere outside the reality of the Kiss Josh heard gasps of surprise and even a cup shattering on the floor.
* * * * *
Matt still couldn't believe what Josh had done. Not that he minded having him show up at work, it forced his boss to let him go at five for once. But that he had kissed him, and what a kiss it had been, in front of the entire office . . . . He chuckled to himself; the gossip was going to fly on Monday.
Now, he was in Josh's car. Matt didn't take his car to the office; it was too much hassle finding a parking spot. Where Josh was taking him, he had no idea. All Josh had said was that they needed to get a few things first. Parking was easy for Josh since he didn't seem to mind paying the exorbitant fees. Soon they were stepping inside a clothing store.
The door hadn't even closed that a woman appeared; she seemed to be the only one in the store. "Joshua, my dear, where have you been hiding yourself, it's been ages" She hugged him and kissed his cheeks. He didn't have time to reply that she asked "Who is THAT?" looking appraisingly at Matt.
The woman looked to be in the fifties, and the only way Matt could think to describe what she was wearing was "glamorous." He'd heard it said that only drag queens could pull off that look, but if she was indeed a woman she would make them liars.
Josh smiled at her. "That's Matt. He's your canvas this evening. I need him dressed for the club"
She let out a squeal of delight and ran for the backroom while Matt looked at him dumbfounded "What?"
"I can't take you there the way you're dressed." Josh said, pulling him further inside
"In that case, take me home and I'll change. Josh, I can't afford anything in here!"
"Who said anything about you paying? I'm taking you out, so I'll take care of the bill. Magdalene is going to do her masterful work on you."
"No no, I can't have you spend that kind of money on me"
Josh got close to Matt, stood on tiptoe and nipped at his chin, in a way Matt found endearing. "Come on lover, indulge me and let me treat you for once."
Matt tried hard not to smile. "Don't all those meals you cooked for me count?"
"Of course not, they were partially for me. I did enjoy making and eating them too."
"Like you're not enjoying this right now? All right, all right. I give in."
Magdalene returned and took his measurements and then left again. He looked at Josh with a defeated look. Josh just grinned at him. She returned with half a dozen shirts and pants of varying colours. She moved him in front of a mirror and had him hold a pair of pants in front of his legs while she put a shirt against his chest, nodding or shaking her head as she passed judgment on the combination. Once they had gone through all of them she handed him one of the shirt and pants and pointed him to the changing room.
The room, more a booth, was barely large enough so he could turn around in it. Changing pants was almost a feat of gymnastic. And with the shirt he almost punched a hole in a wall. He was buttoning it up when Josh entered the booth, pushing him against the wall.
"Let me see what you look like" he said eyeing him. "Yeah, you look really good in that" He placed his hands on Matt's chest, under the shirt and slowly rubbed up and down.
"Come on Josh, this isn't the time."
Josh rubbed his entire body against him, letting Matt feel how hard he was "why not?" he said in a low and sensual voice. "No one can see us."
Matt gulped, being turned on in spite of himself, but grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him back "I said no. Not in a public place."
"Fine," Josh said abruptly, backing out of the booth and closing the curtain.
Matt leaned against the wall trying to get his breathing under control. He'd never said no to Josh before. He wondered if he'd screwed up what they had in doing it, and if he'd imagine the hint of pride he saw in Josh's eyes as the curtain closed.
When he finally exited the booth Josh had pulled a changing act himself. He was now wearing western wear, similar to what Matt had on. A cowboy hat and boots completed Matt's outfit.
Not quite believing what he was wearing, Matt followed Josh back to the car.
* * * * *
Once they arrived to the place Josh had in mind the clothing they were wearing made sense; it was a country bar.
Matt just had to stare at him. "You like country music?" He hadn't been prepared for that. All he'd ever heard Josh listen to was classical.
"Oh, it isn't bad. But I really come here for the dancing."
"You dance?"
"Of course I dance. You've seen me on the dance floor before."
"But that was at a club, it's not the same thing"
"And how do you think I got so good at dancing there? You think I just use my animal magnetism to know how to move?"
"Well, actually . . . ." Matt didn't add anything, Josh's raised eyebrow a clear indication that his foot was already deep enough in his mouth as it was.
Josh placed his arm in Matt's and pulled him toward the door. "I also do ballroom dancing, but line dancing is what I really like. You'll see, it's fun."
Matt stopped in his tracks. "Wait, you expect me to dance? I can't dance. I've never done this."
"You'll do fine. The first half hour is for beginners."
Matt frowned, not certain if that was suppose to comfort him, but he let Josh drag him inside.
* * * * *
Inside the club, the air was smoky and smelled of beer. It was definitively not the kind of place Matt envisioned Josh frequenting. But he was obviously known. The bartender waved him over and kissed him. Josh introduced them to each other. She looked Matt over and finally gave and appreciating nod. Matt didn't have time to say anything that Josh dragged him to the dance floor, where he spoke with the DJ, who also knew him.
They did some negotiating, which ended with the DJ looking at Matt in a way that made him rather uncomfortable, and the DJ agreed to start the music early. Josh pulled Matt to the front of the dance floor and started teaching him the proper steps. Before the second song ended half a dozen others had joined them.
At first Matt couldn't help blushing, but he soon realized that the others were also beginners like him, following what Josh showed. With a self depreciating laugh he threw his cares away and learned as best as he could.
This went on for over an hour, each song adding someone to the dance floor until it was full. The beginners kept to the back row, where to could keep looking at the other dancer's moves. Josh joined the experiences dancer once he was confident Matt could manage on his own, which he did, until he was out of breath.
He caught it back sipping a beer, watching Josh move with confidence to the rhythm of the music. When he joined him at the table, he had barely worked up a sweat.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He asked, indicating to the bartender he wanted a beer.
Matt looked at the dancers. "No, it was actually fun. I never thought I'd enjoy something related to country music. I always figured it was for . . ."
"Hicks?" provided Josh as Matt hesitated. He nodded and shrugged. "It's a common misconception from people who don't listen to it. The lyrics are actually quite accurate to the times . . . ." He stopped noticing the look of surprise Matt was giving him.
"I thought you only danced to country music."
"It doesn't mean I can't listen to what they say at the same time."
"I was barely able to focus on the steps, let alone the lyrics."
"I HAVE been doing this for years." Josh said, with a grin.
The music stopped, and Matt watched as the structure of the lines changed "What's going on?"
"They're about to start the couple's section of the evening."
Matt nodded watching as people did pair up. "are you going to join them?"
Josh gave him a sweet smile "I'd look rather silly dancing on my own, unless you feel confident enough to join me?"
Matt blushed, "I don't think so. But I'm sure someone else would be happy to dance with you."
Josh took Matt's hand in his "Maybe, but you're the only one I want to dance with now."
Matt Saw the hopeful look in Josh's eyes. And the rest of the dancing for the evening was done at Josh's place.
* * * * *
The phone rang. Josh reached behind him, searching by touch. Finding it he put the receiver to his ear and a woman could be heard screaming on the other end. Josh hung up and snuggled back to Matt, barely awake enough to register what had happened. It rang again. Josh grunted and picked it up. The same angry woman could be heard on the other end. He turned on his side, hung up and then took the receiver off, and curled against Matt again. He'd been slightly more awake this time, he knew who had called. He just didn't care to deal with her at the moment. Within the next thirty second he was sleeping deeply.
* * * * *
A noise tugged as his mind.
He was still too asleep for the noise to have any kind of meaning, but it was slowly rousing him.
The noise came again, now he was sufficiently close to consciousness for it to register as a knocking. He tried to push consciousness away.
The noise came again, louder this time. It was no longer a knocking, it was now a banging. Someone was banging on the door his stubborn consciousness informed him. "ok, ok. I'm coming," mumbled Josh, slowly pulling himself away from the comfort that was Matt's warmth.
The banging came again. "I said I'm coming," He said in a louder voice, now closer to a fully awakened state.
He opened the door ready to lay into who ever was there, but before he could say anything a woman pushed pass him
"How dare you hang up the phone on me? Do you have any idea how insulting that was?"
Josh took a deep breath, looking to make sure there was no one else there before closing the door. He turned to her and, in a counter point to her anger, he asked her calmly "Elizabeth, what are you doing here?"
"What do you mean 'what am I doing here?' What are YOU doing here?"
"I happen to live here."
She continued as if he hadn't said anything. "I hear that you were out dancing. DANCING with someone. Someone other than me. And when I call to find out if it was true you hang up one me. What did you expect me to do?"
Josh could feel his temper rising. He opened his mouth, but before he could talk he saw Matt coming down the stairs.
"Is everything ok Josh?"
Elizabeth spun on her heels, and looks at Matt, her face turning into a mask of disgust as she looked him over. "You were dancing with, with THAT?" She turned to Josh again. "How DARE you think you can replace me with . . ." she pointed at Matt, words not wanting to form
Josh's temper exploded. "How dare YOU come into my house and insult my Mate!" He poked her in the shoulder, hard enough to make her back away. "How dare YOU make assumptions on our relationship!" he poked here again. "I don't know what you and your family thought you were going to manipulate me into, but we WERE dance partners, nothing more! Now, get the hell out of my house before I get really angry and do something to you that you'll regret!"
Elizabeth took a step back, threw Matt a look of glacial hate and stormed out, slamming the door.
Josh was shaking in anger. Matt came to put a hand on his shoulder, but Josh flinched away. "Might be best if you left me alone today." He said through clenched teeth.
Matt looked at him, He'd never seen Josh angry. He'd always been the epitome calm. "Are you sure?"
Josh just nodded. Matt quickly dressed. He looked as Josh again, as he opened the door. He hadn't moved an inch, still shaking in repressed fury. "I'll give you a call later today." When Josh didn't respond, Matt left.
Josh waited until he couldn't hear Matt's foot steps anymore before letting loose his anger. Very little of his kitchen survived it intact.
* * * * *
Josh was making himself light lunch. The kitchen again looked to be perfect. It had been no problem for him to wake up the owned of one of the major home renovation store on a Sunday morning to have him send people over to fix up the damage he had caused to the room and things in it.
He put the steak in the pan, with the vegetables already almost roasted, a minute on each side and everything would be ready to be eaten. As he slid the pan's content on the plate as someone knocked lightly on the door.
He frowned, placing the plate on the table, it couldn't be Matt; they had talked on Sunday, as the workers were fixing the kitchen. Josh had reassured him that he was ok and they'd promised each other they would get together on Friday, still two days away.
He opened the door to find Elizabeth standing there, looking meek. He didn't move or say anything.
She looked up "I came to apologize for the way I acted"
Josh looked at her for a few more second before sighing and moving so she could enter. "I'll go put something on" He said as he closed the door.
"Please don't trouble yourself." She said softly. "If it hadn't been for my stupid behavior it wouldn't even have crossed your mind to get dressed."
Josh kept his reaction to himself, but she was right. And he had to admit that she was behaving better, on top of that there were protocols to respect since she hadn't barged in. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable while I get you some water." He managed to say it in an even tone.
He returned with the glass of water as she took off her shirt and hung it over a chair. She then took off her pants and underpants. Only once she was nude did she take the glass he was offering. Thanking him with a nod.
She took a sip and then placed it on the table. "I'm sorry for the way I acted on Saturday. I was just taken by surprise, and then I saw the . . . I saw your friend..."
"My mate," Josh interrupted her, making sure to keep his tone pleasant.
She hesitated, and then nodded, "your mate. I didn't know."
"Should it matter?"
She moved closer to him. "No, it shouldn't, but I'd always felt a connection between us when we danced." She placed her hand in his, "I admit I screwed up, I thought there was more between us then I had a right to, but I don't want to lose you as a dance partner."
Josh couldn't stop from frowning; there was something about her scent. Without realizing he was doing it he placed his other hand in hers and pulled her close. "How am I suppose to know that you're going to be able to control yourself?" There was a low growl in his voice. He smelled her neck. There were now moving across the kitchen floor, in sync with the music.
She pressed herself against him as they danced, and he couldn't help but react. "You can trust me." Her voice was low and husky. "I know my place."
His body seemed to have a mind of its own. Josh couldn't understand what was going on. He tried to pull away from her, but instead found himself pressing harder, forcing her back against a wall. He smelled her neck and the side of her face, looking for the smell that was making his blood boil.
The spell was broken by the sound of something shattering. Josh turned around, a growl of anger deep in his throat, part of him wanting to tear apart whoever dared interrupt them. Then the fog lifted as he saw Matt backing out and then turn down the corridor, as the door closed he noticed the broken wine bottle on the floor.
He looked back at Elizabeth and saw the wide smile on her face. He pushed himself away from her "You planed this."
She laughed "What did you think I was going to do? Accept that you'd prefer that thing over me? You're mine!"
He didn't even think about it, his fist connected with her face and she was lying on the floor. "I warned you not to push me." He said, his voice becoming less human as his face changed. Black and yellow fur grew across his face, his mouth stretching forward, soon looking like a muzzle. The rest of his body was undergoing a similar change, becoming covered in black rosette on short yellow fur, His hands becoming more massive, sharp claws extending at the end of his fingers.
"Oh, I'm going to push you alright. I'm going to beat you into submission if it's what I have to do." She answered before undergoing a similar change.
He roared and threw himself at her, swiping at her face savagely. She blocked most his attacks, giving him a good number of her own to worry about. This went on for a while, the smell of blood becoming stronger as time passed.
There was a gasp, and Josh turned, roaring in anger at the interruption and looked right into Matt's eyes as he turned sheet white, stumbling as he backed out in the corridor. Josh's blood froze as he realized what had just happened.
A low and raspy laugh brought his attention back on Elizabeth. Her face looked more human "how sad, it seems that you've scared your toy away."
Josh answered by slamming into her and pushing here against the wall, and then punching her in the face, repetitively. The scent of her fear driving him into a frenzy.
He only stopped when the look of fear in her eyes pierced the mist, and that it echoed the one he'd seen in Matt's. He backed up, trying to stop his stomach from escaping out of his mouth. He clamped down on his emotion as he forced his face to become more human so he could speak.
He pressed his face against hers, the smell of fear becoming even stronger as he came close "If I ever smell you on anything that's mine I'm going to track you down and finish what I started here. Do you understand?" she nodded weakly. "Get out of here." He growled menacingly. She crawled to the door, only stopping long enough to pull her coat off the chair.
Once the door closed behind her Josh fell to his knees, arms pressed against his chest, having trouble drawing in air. He finally was able to take a deep breath and what escaped then was a loud mournful cry.
* * * * *
Josh looked at the building. He was trying to work up the nerve to get out of his car and walk into Matt's office. He knew that if he could talk to him he could explain things, somehow.
The last two weeks had been hell for him. Josh could barely sleep, food tasted like ash, and what ever he drank tasted like piss.
He'd been sitting there for over two hours. At first he was going to simply march in there and make everything right, but he didn't move. He told himself that he was just waiting for the time to be right. He then started worrying about what might happen if it didn't work. He couldn't deal with freaking Matt out, at least not in front of so many people.
So he had decided to wait until the end of the day. Catch him when almost everyone had left, but five had come and gone, and he hadn't moved. When Matt left, he decided, He'd talk to him then, out here, that way he wouldn't feel cornered. And he almost got out of the car when he saw him, but he wasn't alone.
Josh's heart froze. Matt was there, talking with the receptionist, he was talking and laughing with her.
He looked happy.
He hadn't known what to expect. He didn't wish Matt any harm, in fact he wanted him to be happy . . . but . . . He'd thought, he'd hoped that Matt would feel the same need to be back with him that he himself felt.
He looked happy.
Had he misunderstood what he thought they meant to each other? Had he been someone Matt could get over so easily? He looked as Matt walked away, and felt himself dying a little with each step he watched him take.
* * * * *
Matt sat in his chair, head in his hands. The last . . . two months, had it already been two month since then, it had passed in a daze.
When he'd found the envelope on his windshield after work he already had a suspicion who it was from. Inside he found a key and a note reading only "tonight, 6:30" Yep, that was definitively Josh' style, even if they were due to get together on Friday.
Although he didn't know the specifics of what Josh was planning, he knew there would be dinner. So he bought a good bottle of wine, choosing something with a bold taste, trying to find a wine Josh might not have tasted before.
The security guard let him in with a smile; Matt had been over often enough that he no longer needed to justify his presence. During the ride in the elevator he looked at his clothes in the reflective metal, hoping Josh wasn't planning on anything fancy as he hadn't taken the time to change, his work clothes 'might' cut it, but Josh had described some of the parties he had had to attend, and they definitively sounded out of his league. And if he ended up spending the night, which he sort of hoped, he'd have to remember to get a clean set before heading into work. And plan on leaving some clothes at Josh's place for the next time something like this happened.
The key slid in without any trouble and the door opened soundlessly. The sight stopped him in his track, it actually took his mind a few second to register that he was seeing Josh's back, as he ground into someone else.
The bottle breaking on the floor, taking his attention off the activity he was witnessing and back to himself, prevented him from falling.
But is also caused Josh to turn around; Matt couldn't help but notice that he was hard, angry and that his partner was a woman, that woman who had burst in the other day. It was just too much for him, he backed up, and when his back hit the wall he quickly turned and walked to the elevator
How the FUCK could he have been such a fool. He'd believed Josh when he'd told him he loved him. And he could have sworn that when he threw that woman out it hadn't been an act. How could he have been such an idiot, again!
He stormed out, not even returning the security's goodbye. He fumbled with his keys, dropping them as he tried to unlock his car, instead of picking them up he slammed his fist on the hood. How could the bastard do that to him? He felt the tears come, but he pushed them back, he wasn't going to cry.
No . . . No he wasn't, what he was going to do was pick up his key and go get an explanation, and it had better damn be good if Josh didn't want to end up as a bloody rag doll. One guy had used him as a doormat, and he'd promised himself it would never happen again.
He picked up the keys and walked back in, controlling his rising temper and even smiling at the guard when he explained that he's only forgotten something in the car. On the ride up he kept stoking his anger, knowing he needed it to shield himself against what ever pitiful excuses Josh was going to come up with.
He opened the door, and looked where he had seen them, fully expecting them to have gone back to their fornication. He heard something break in the living room and for the second time he was stopped in his tracks by what he saw, but this time he refused to let his mind stop when it registered something it didn't think could be real.
"My god," he gasped. And the thing, there was no other word his mind seemed to be able to come up with for what he saw, turned and roared at him. He almost fainted, but fear forced him to move, if he didn't he'd die horribly. He back pedaled and ran to the elevator, hitting the call button repetitively until the door opened. He entered and looked down the corridor, expecting to see the creature come bounding at any seconds.
When the doors closed he let out a sigh of relief, and his legs buckled.
* * * * *
He didn't remember the drive back to his place, but as soon as he got in he locked the door closed all the blinds and huddled in a corner. He was terrified, that thing had scared the hell out of him, but he'd recognized the eyes, those had been Josh's; which meant that it knew where he lived. He should get out now, but he couldn't get himself to move.
Eventually he fell asleep, only to wake up screaming. In his dream the thing had been chasing him through the city, and eventually to his home.
He took the rest of the week off work, claiming to be sick, which he had no trouble selling considering his emotional state. During that time he stayed constantly on guard waiting for that thing (Josh, his mind kept insisting) to show up. He barely slept, each time he managed to close his eyes he'd dream that it was attacking him, except that sometime it was Josh who was doing it, his hands ending in yellow fur and claws.
When Monday came around he knew he had to go to work. The office needed him. He got as much sleep as he was able, cleaned himself up and put on the best facade for them. He wasn't going to burden them with his troubles.
The next few days were tough, every time someone asked him about Josh he almost broke down, but he kept it together, mumbling something vague. Fortunately he slowly found himself able to sleep better. The thing hadn't attacked him yet so he felt confident it wouldn't. (Josh would never hurt you, his mind kept whispering to him). With being more rested the act became easier to maintain in front of others, but when he was alone in his office, or at home, He could barely stand from the pain he felt.
More than once he attempted to call Josh. He needed to know what had happened, but each time he took the receiver he heard that thing roar at him. Instead he waited for Josh to call, surely he wanted to explain. But after days and days without that call Matt started to wonder, did Josh even want him around, now that he knew his secret.
So the days stretched into weeks and he kept acting like everything was ok at the office, even managing to joke with them, while slowly crumbling inside. His mind wouldn't let him drop the issue; it kept reminding him of how he felt when he had been with Josh.
And, amidst the pain, he'd remember something more about that night. The woman had been looking at him when he walked in the room, a satisfied smile on her face. She hadn't said anything at all as he'd react to seeing them. She knew he was coming he realized. That thought had started him looking closer at what he remembered. Could she have arranged it all he wondered? Except, why would Josh have gone along with her.
When he'd come back they were fighting, Matt shuddered as he remember the rage he'd seen in Josh's eyes, not the 'thing', as angry as they were those had been josh's eyes. He had been angry before he's entered, maybe he'd realized what she'd done, gotten angry and . . . and what, changed into . . . a jaguar, his mind provided.
That was crazy, no one could do something like that. That was something out of science fiction, it might as well be something of superstition or magic. He pulled book after book out of the bookcases, he knew he had one somewhere in there on animals. He finally found it and found the section on large cats, when he found the picture that fur matched what he remembered.
"That's insane," he told himself again.
But the thought wouldn't leave him. He knew it couldn't be, but he still couldn't get himself to disbelieve it. When he found himself going through bookstore after bookstore, asking on books about people changing into animals, he thought he might have gone crazy.
* * * * *
That was why he was sitting like this, dozens of books on all sorts of legends spread on the floor, and one about Inca Legends, opened to the story about the Jaguar Spirits. What the story said made little sense, except that it would explain what he'd seen. Stories about men and women chosen to protect, given the power to change by the Jaguar Spirits
He had to call Josh, he had to let him know he understood, but what would he think after all this time. Josh hadn't called, not even when he was out, he'd set his phone to store the numbers he'd missed. Maybe Josh wasn't interested in him anymore.
Matt decided he didn't care. He didn't' know how he was going to do it, but he was going to convince Josh that he needed him in his life. He was going to call him and say anything he had too.
He reached for the phone just as it rang, making his hand jerk away.
Josh carefully picked it up and put it to his ear, "hello?" he asked softly. Someone watching him might think he was afraid of it.
"Can I speak to Matt?" asked a vaguely sounding rough voice.
"Speaking."
The person didn't say anything for a few second. Matt wondered if the line dropped when the man spoke in an accusing tone "What the fuck did you do to Josh?"
Matt was shocked "What? Who is this? What are you talking about?"
"Who do you think this is? It's Roger."
"Roger?" Matt repeated, and then he remembered. The barman at Nails Josh had introduced them on their three month anniversary.
"Yes, Roger." He sounded angry now. "Stop fucking with me and tell me what you did to Josh or I swear I'm going to find out where you live and I'm going to beat the information out of you."
Matt was confused, "what are you talking about? What's wrong with Josh?"
"What the heel do you mean 'what's wrong with him?' you fucking broke his heart, that's what's wrong. The guy barely gets out, when I do manage to drag him out of his place all he does is mope at the bar, he doesn't even drink what I serve him."
Matt's breath caught in his throat with the implications. Josh hurt, Josh wanted him, Josh needed him. "Thank god," He said softly.
"What? You sadistic bastard, wait until I find you I'm going to make you pay for what you did to him."
"Roger, Calm down." Matt used the tone he used on unruly subordinates at work, "and listen to me." He gave him a few second of silence, "I didn't do anything to Josh, I can't tell you what happened, it's not my place," his eyes fell on something next to a closet, and then the calendar, "but I need your help to fix it."
* * * * *
Josh sat in the chair, he'd let himself sing in its cushions after coming back from the last time Roger had forced him to leave his home. The only time he'd moved form there was when hunger forced him to the kitchen, where he'd eat the first thing he'd see, He'd stopped caring about it, nothing had any tastes anymore, all he wanted was to sit in the chair and never move out of it. He hadn't even moved to go to the bathroom.
His hair was a mess, he had an unkept beard, he was dirty and he stank, and he didn't care. Even the living room was a mess.
The phone rang. He looked at it; it was on the table next to his chair, the only table still intact. It was the phone he was going to use to call Matt and explain things to him.
It rang four times and then stopped. A few second later it started ringing again. Josh didn't even look at it this time. It was on the sixth cycle that he had enough of the noise and answered it
"What?" his tome was listless.
"Hi Josh, it's Roger."
"What do you want Roger? It's too soon for you to torture me, you did that last week."
"Very funny, I decided I was going to take you out this Friday."
"That's nice. I hope you have fun."
"I'm serious Josh. You can't spend all your time inside. You need to get out and live a little."
"No, I don't."
"Fine, be that way, but I'm going to be picking you up on Friday and taking you to that bar you like."
"Excuse me?" Josh sat up straighter, irritated by Roger's presumption.
"You heard me, I'm going to pick you up. I'll even bath you and dress you if I have to."
"You will do no such thing."
"The only way you're going to avoid it is if you come to the bar of your own free will."
"Fine, I will." He figured that would be the easiest way to end the conversation.
"Good, so promise me you'll be there at four pm sharp."
Are you insinuating that I won't go?" Anger slipping in his voice
"Not at all, so I'll be at your place around three?"
"Fine, you son of a bitch, I promise I'm going to be there at four pm on Friday. Are you happy now?
"Very much."
"Good." Josh slammed the receiver down so hard the table broke.
* * * * *
As he had promised Josh was at there at four, sitting at the bar, an untouched beer in front of him. He didn't look like he belonged there. He'd showered and picked the first thing out of his closet he found. He'd promised he'd be there, not that he'd be presentable.
Music played, but he didn't pay attention to it. He looked at his watch wondering where Roger was. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.
"Isn't that one of the couple's song?" his neighbor asked him. Josh on shrugged. "I'm pretty sure it is 'cause that guy looks pretty silly dancing by himself."
Josh looked over his shoulder, and then back at his beer. It took a few second for what he saw to register. When it did he slowly turned around, fearful he might have imagined it.
No, there he was, dancing by himself.
There was Matt.
Josh stared at him. Matt's steps were tentative, his eyes were closed in concentration, but there he was, dancing, to a song he shouldn't be dancing alone to.
Josh walked to the dance floor. it didn't matter that he didn't have the right kind of shoes, or that he looked like hell.
Matt was dancing alone.
And he shouldn't be.
* * * * *
Matt felt the presence move next to him, and then heard him move in step with the music. He opened his eyes to look at him. Roger had been right, he was a mess. Josh's face lit up when their eyes met and Matt mouthed the words 'I love you' to him.
And as one they danced.