Chapter Six

 

 

CHRIS WOKE up at 3:00 a.m., starving, and headed for the fridge.

One of the fucking problems with living so close to the bone was that he couldn’t sleep a whole night without needing something.

Nuts.

Tuna.

Salad.

Brownies.

Oh God.

Chris groaned, looking for something to snack on. If Mom was here, he’d so get her to make him brownies.

With ice cream.

Yum.

Brian came padding up quietly behind him and wrapped his arms around Chris’s middle. A warm, slightly scratchy cheek rubbed against his shoulder. “Hey. Can’t sleep?”

“Hungry.” He leaned back, stomach growling. “Didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Brian’s fingers splayed over his stomach, stroking. “’S’okay. What are you hungry for?” Then Brian chuckled and bumped against his ass. “You should have had more noodles.”

“Brownies.” He hummed, leaned back against Brian’s heat. “And ice cream.”

“Mm… that sounds yummy.” Brian’s lips nibbled across his back. “I bet we have the ingredients. They’re pretty easy to make.”

“You know I’m not allowed to have brownies.” God, that felt good.

“Not even this once?” Brian’s mouth found the top of his spine, and his lips wrapped around the skin there, sucking.

“Uh….” His head fell forward, heart pounding, fingers gripping the fridge.

Brian made a soft sound around his skin, cock firming against his ass. The sucking kiss went on, Brian’s fingers sliding on his stomach and hips in counterpoint, teasing through the curly hairs around his prick.

He thought for a second about closing the fridge, but that required sense, which he apparently didn’t have at the moment.

“Sweet spot,” murmured Brian, licking, nibbling, and then sucking again, working Chris’s skin hard.

The tip of Brian’s cock slid over the lower end of Chris’s spine. So sexy. His cock and mouth seemed almost connected along that line.

“Uh… uh-huh.” It was almost enough to make him forget he was hungry.

God, Brian was so hot against his back, warming him even as the air from the fridge cooled him down. Brian’s hands curled around his hips, fingertips brushing his prick.

Chris spread a little, making sure Brian knew he wanted, needed, was more than willing. Brian whimpered, cock rubbing along Chris’s ass, releasing his hip to wrap one hand around his cock and cup his balls with the other. “Want you. God. Chris.”

“Uh-huh. Want.” Chris’s hips started rocking so that he was slowly fucking Brian’s hand.

“Got condoms and stuff in my room.” Brian’s thumb slid across the tip of his cock.

“’Kay….” Chris went up on tiptoe, thighs and balls going tight.

“Oh fuck, you do things like that and I’m gonna forget all about being safe.” Brian slid his cock along Chris’s crack, leaving wetness in its wake.

“You… you have my results, Bri.” He was clean, and Brian knew it.

A shudder went through Brian. “I’ve never… not without….” Brian whimpered, cock pushing past Chris’s hole over and over again. “You haven’t seen mine, but I’m clean too, I swear.”

“Then—” He pushed back just right, the tip of Brian’s cock nudging him hard. “—we need lube.”

“Olive oil?” Brian groaned and bit the back of Chris’s neck, the same spot he’d been sucking on. Then Brian backed away, the sudden loss of heat making Chris shiver. “Come on. Bed. I’m not fucking you over the counter with olive oil. Not the first time.”

“You have to feed me after.” Chris followed, reaching for Brian, that heat.

“After,” Brian promised.

Brian tugged Chris into bed, the covers still a little warm from their body heat but nothing compared to the heat of Brian pressing him into the mattress. They fit together, hand in glove, and Chris slid his hands down Brian’s spine, tugging them tight together.

Their tongues tangled as they fed each other noises: moans and groans that vibrated between them. Then Brian slid away and fumbled in the side table before turning back to Chris, eyes shining, lips swollen.

“Can we do it like this?” Brian asked, hand sliding between Chris’s legs, encouraging them to spread.

“Uh-huh. We can.” He stretched one leg out, opening wide.

Oh, that was a sweet noise Brian gave in response, made Chris feel sexy and wanted. Brian slicked up the fingers of his right hand and slid them along Chris’s crack, one staying at his hole, circling, playing. Teasing.

“You like?” Chris rolled his hips, pushing right back.

Brian nodded, swallowed, finger pushing hard enough to barely breach Chris’s hole. “You’re so sexy. So hot.” Brian’s eyes met his. “Want you. So much.”

“Take me, huh? I want.” He moaned, squeezed Brian’s finger. “More.”

A soft gasp met his words, his actions, Brian’s finger sliding deep, pushing right into him.

“Hot. God. Chris.” In and out it slid, mimicking what they both really wanted.

“Uh-huh. More.” Chris grabbed one knee, tugging it up to his chest.

“Yeah. Oh, yeah.” Brian laughed softly, the sound sexy, happy, as a second finger slid into Chris. In and out again, and then Brian started stretching him, scissoring his fingers apart, curling them. Moving them until Brian found it. His gland. Brian’s fingertips slid right across it.

“Oh!” Chris’s eyes flew open, heart jolting. “Do it again!”

Brian laughed, the sound husky and happy and sexy as anything. Brian took direction well too, because those fingers found his gland again and again, nudging it, making him fly. Another finger pushed in almost without him noticing, stretching him wider as Brian kept playing that little spot inside him.

Chris couldn’t catch his breath, his balls drawn up tight, entire focus on the pleasure pouring through him.

Then Brian’s fingers slid away and he was left so empty. “I can’t wait anymore,” Brian told him, panting a little, gasping. Kneeling between his legs, Brian rubbed the tip of his cock against Chris’s hole and then started pushing in, eyes on his.

“Oh God.” Chris arched and pushed, forcing Brian in deeper, harder, farther. More.

Brian pushed all the way in, one hand grabbing Chris’s hip, holding on. Finally Brian was seated fully inside. “Oh God. You’re tight. Hot.” A nod from Chris, and then Brian started moving, cock like magic sliding inside him.

They stopped for a minute, hearts pounding together. Then Chris groaned. “Move, man. Please. Let me feel.”

Brian started to move again, their bodies working against each other for a moment. Brian chuckled, grinning down at him, then bent to kiss him. As their tongues slid together, their hips got into sync, Brian’s cock slowly filling Chris, sliding deep and then pulling shallow.

There. Oh. Yeah. That worked. He could feel fucking everything—his sweat on his skin, Brian’s eyelashes on his cheeks, the swollen tip of Brian’s cock spreading him. The kisses got deeper as Brian’s thrusts got harder, pushed into him, hitting his gland. Every jolt dragged a cry out of him, a needy groan and grunt.

Brian’s fingers stayed curled around his hip, digging in as the thrusts got deeper, harder, Brian spearing him over and over again.

“Oh.” He ran his hands down along Brian’s spine, dug in and hauled Brian closer.

A sweet groan answered him, the pace increasing, their bodies slapping together.

“Gonna be soon,” gasped Brian, eyes wide.

“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I. Uh.” Chris wrapped one hand around his cock, jerking hard.

“Oh fuck, look at you.” Brian thrust into him a few more times, heat filling him deep.

Everything went tight and hot, spunk pouring from him in steady waves. Brian’s mouth met his again, this kiss whisper soft, gentle, Brian’s eyes smiling into his own.

“I…. Wow.” Chris was melty.

“Yeah.” Brian grinned. “I keep thinking wow, and then, the next time, it’s even more wow.”

Groaning a little, Brian pulled out and settled on the bed, one hand holding his head up as he smiled at Chris. Brian’s free hand slid on Chris’s belly. “You’re something else.”

His stomach chose right then to snarl and growl, as if trying to eat Brian’s hand.

Brian laughed and placed another kiss on his lips. “I seem to remember promising to feed you after we, you know, did this.”

“Uh-huh. You did. I might starve.” He started chuckling, nipping at Brian’s lips.

“You won’t starve. I’ll make you brownies.” Brian’s fingers covered his mouth before he could protest. “You just worked them off, Chris. So don’t argue with me.”

But.

He.

Brownies.

He kissed Brian’s fingers, nodded.

“Cool. Hot brownies, some milk. You wanna help me make ’em? We can lick the bowl together.”

“God yes. I’ve wanted chocolate all day.” Even if he was going to feel guilty about it tomorrow.

“If I can talk my contact at Mars into sponsoring you, I bet you can have all the chocolate you want for free.”

Right, all the chocolate he wanted for free.

Still, yum.

Brian got up and grabbed a pair of sweats, pulled them on. Then he held a hand out to Chris. “Come on. If we don’t do it now, it’ll be morning, and you can’t have brownies for breakfast.”

“I’m right behind you, man.”

“Like the view?” Brian asked, grinning over his shoulder.

“You know it.” Chris pulled on a pair of sweats. “I’ll like it better stirring brownie batter.”

Brian laughed. “Oh, now I see how it is.” After a brief stop to clean up, he headed for the kitchen, and Chris followed him.

Brian started pulling ingredients down onto the counter, along with the little notebook he had all sorts of recipes in. “I had a roommate who made these amazing brownies.”

“Yeah?” Chris dug out a block of cheese and some pickles and, oh….

Chicken breast.

Brian bumped their hips together. “What are you doing? We’re making brownies.”

“Uh. Snack? Prebrownie snack.” He grinned around the pickle in his mouth. “Want some?”

Brian smiled and nodded, leaning in to steal an end right out of Chris’s mouth.

Oh. Food and kisses. Good idea. “Keep stirring.”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you have a one-track mind?” Brian bit at his bottom lip and started putting the ingredients together.

“Oh yeah. Rob has the multitasking part of the brain.” Chicken… oh. Mustard. Lettuce. Sandwiches.

“I suppose I can’t complain; that focus is part of why you’re so good. Oh, that looks good. Make me one too.” Brian stirred, the chocolate concoction starting to look like brownie batter instead of goo.

“You want a glass of milk? Ooh… there’s coleslaw.” Chris started making them each a plate.

“Yeah, milk sounds good—but I want it with my brownies more than the chicken, so if there’s not enough, I’ll go with water for now.”

Brian poured the brownies into the pan, put the pan in the oven, and then held out the batter-covered spoon. “Preview?”

“Mmm.” Chris leaned over, balancing the plates, and licked.

Oh.

Oh hell yes.

His eyes rolled back in his head from the pure chocoliciousness.

Was that a word?

“Oh man. I’m not sure you look that blissed out when we make love.” Brian’s lips covered his, tongue sliding in briefly. “It does taste good, though.”

“Uh-huh.” Chris stole a kiss in return, then another. Sweet. Rich. Chocolaty. Chris approved.

Brian grabbed the plates from him and put them on the counter before running his finger through the batter left in the bowl. They feasted on it together, more chocolate, more Brian. Yummy.

Then they ate the sandwiches, leaning against each other, both starting to blink slower and slower, getting sleepy again. Brian licked Chris’s fingers clean, and Chris returned the favor, the cleanup turning into more slow kisses, the counter holding them up.

It was almost a shock when the timer went off, buzzing loudly.

The brownies were lopsided, one end a little… crusty, but the other end looked more than edible.

“Mmm. I’ll pour us some milk. Oh. Hot. Hothothot!” He sucked in air, cooling off the bite he’d stolen.

Brian shook his head. “Impatient.”

Chris put the glasses on the counter, Brian grinning at him as he cut the rest of the brownies and took a couple more out of the pan, hand waving over them to help speed the cooling process.

“Uh-huh. Good. Hot. Good, though.” Oh. Cold milk. Better. He followed Brian out into the living room, where they settled on the couch.

Brian nibbled, seeming more intent on watching him than eating. Oh, that grin was too much, Brian’s eyes dancing—laughing at him. Then Brian leaned in and licked at the corner of his mouth. “Tastes better from your lips.” Brian’s face got red. “Damn, that was cheesy.”

“Yeah, but I won’t tell.” He scooted closer, fed Brian a bite, and then kissed the man.

Mouth opening wide, Brian groaned and tangled their tongues together. The taste of the chocolate mixed with their own flavors, rich and good and sweet.

Oh. Oh, good. Chris crawled onto Brian’s lap, hands framing his face. Arms wrapping around him, Brian gave back as good as he got, the kisses going deeper, harder, the chocolate an added bonus instead of the point now.

“Mmm. Hey.” He grinned and pulled Brian onto the sofa, then dove back into the kisses.

Brian laughed, the sound muffled by Chris’s mouth on his until it turned into eager, hungry noises that matched the way their lips smacked together and the way Brian’s fingers slid over Chris’s skin.

God, Brian felt so good. This felt so good.

Chris wasn’t desperately horny, but it really was amazing to snuggle, to press in and rub. He’d missed this with his other lovers, this sort of… lazy touching. Smiles and sighs and happy noises filled his mouth again and again, Brian making no bones about how much he liked what they were doing.

Eventually their lips separated, Brian’s mouth sliding on his skin. “I love the way you taste.”

“Chocolaty.” Chris stretched and pressed, finding the perfect places he fit against Brian.

A soft laugh was his answer, Brian’s breath wafting across his skin and sending a shiver through him. “A little bit chocolaty. A little bit salty. And something else that I don’t recognize but is good.”

“Soap?” Brian’s mouth hit a hot spot at the top of his belly, and Chris jerked, arched.

That earned another laugh, and Brian scraped his teeth over Chris’s skin, tongue sliding to soothe and tease in their wake.

“Not soap. You.”

“You… you sure?” Oh, that was cool. Do it again.

“Of course I’m sure—soap tastes like shit. And I should know; my mom washed my mouth out with it once.” Brian chuckled and scraped over that hot spot again, this time nibbling it with his lips afterward.

“Bri. Oh shit.” Chris looked down so he could watch, hips rocking a little.

Brian hummed, reaching to push their sweats down far enough to release their pricks. Both hot and hard, they rubbed together as Brian’s mouth kept sliding over that spot, teeth nipping, tongue and lips soothing in turn. More hums and moans kept Chris’s skin vibrating, sensitive.

“I…. Damn, it’s…. Yeah.” Good. Good was what he meant.

Brian’s hands slid to his ass and encouraged him even closer, their cocks rubbing together as Brian’s hips matched Chris’s movements. More biting and licking and kissing, Brian straying from that hot spot but always coming back to it, seeming to know how good it was even if Chris couldn’t articulate it.

Oh damn. He was going to…. Yeah. Uh-huh. He blinked, loving the way Brian’s mouth looked on his skin. Brian’s fingers dug into his ass as their movements got faster and they rubbed together harder, quicker. Brian gave him a sharp bite, his low groan sounding like it came from deep inside.

The sudden zing made Chris jerk, made him cry out and shoot, spreading spunk between them.

“Chris!” Brian murmured his name, voice breathless, and pushed against him a few more times before more heat sprayed against their bellies.

Oh man. Chris was full. Sleepy. Comfy. Well-fucked.

Nap time.

Nap. Time.

Brian shifted them so they were lying face-to-face on the couch, their legs tangled, sweats back up where they belonged. Good thing the sofa was fair sized.

“Gotta get a blanket for in here,” muttered Brian, petting Chris’s hip lazily. A moment later and soft snores started, Brian’s breath wafting against Chris’s skin.

Yeah. A blanket. Maybe a pillow. Later.

After.

Way after.

 

 

BRIAN PARKED the car and all but ran up the walk.

He tried to slow down, tried to wipe the smile off his face. Just another day. Nothing special here.

He walked into the apartment, closed the door, and called out a casual hey.

The Mars bars in his pocket felt heavy. Could have been gold bricks for what they were worth. He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

“Hey.” Chris was standing on his hands, doing push-ups, skin sheened with sweat. “I put one of Mom’s casseroles in the oven.”

God, Chris looked good. Really good.

“Sounds great. Does it have chocolate in it?” He bounced a little on his heels.

“Huh? No. Chicken and cheese and those whole-wheat noodle things.”

“How many more of those do you have to do?” Brian asked. Not that he didn’t like the view, Chris’s muscles working as he did one push-up after another. But he had news to share, and for some reason that he couldn’t remember, he’d decided he wanted to surprise Chris with it instead of coming out and telling him.

“Four.” Up, down, up, down, up, down and then Chris’s legs slowly came down, under Chris’s control the entire way.

“Man, if the sponsors could see you now.” Brian shut his mouth, teeth clicking together. Hello—what happened to “just another day, nothing special here”?

“Yeah, yeah. We have to get us one or two of those before long, or I’ll be hunting for another job.” Chris rolled over but stayed on the floor, looking at Brian.

He nodded, pulled a Mars bar out of his pocket, and tossed it over. “Have a chocolate bar.” He grinned, back to bouncing.

Chris caught it, stared, started to open it. “I can’t have this, man….”

“Well, I don’t think they’re going to like that. I think they want you to at least pretend to like the product.” He waited for the penny to drop.

“They want….” Chris blinked, stared. “No shit? Bri?”

He nodded and laughed, pulled more bars out of his pocket along with the check that would be enough to cover them up to Chris’s first real competition in the fall.

“If you impress them at Regionals, they’ll stay on. They were really impressed by the video, by your drive.” And Brian had called in a lot of favors.

“No shit?” Chris dropped the candy, eyes glazed. “Really?”

“No shit. I almost took the check to the bank, but I thought you’d like to see it. You know, see it, smell it, take it to bed with us.”

“No. I don’t want to rip it.”

“Okay, okay.” Brian laughed and put the check into his wallet. “I could stick my wallet in the freezer. In case of a break-in,” he teased.

“No. The bank. Oh, man. Wow. So? What next?” Chris vibrated, staring at him, eyes lit up.

“What’s next is we keep doing what we’re doing. And you smoke the competition in October. That’s what’s next.” He laughed, thrilled to pieces.

“Okay.” Chris nodded, chewing on his bottom lip. “Okay. I’d better buckle down hard, then, huh? Win it.”

Brian grinned. Chris was damned focused already. Brian had to wonder how much more Chris could buckle down. “Tonight, though, we celebrate.”

“Yeah?” Chris looked at him, then jumped, landing right in Brian’s arms.

Brian staggered back a little as he wrapped his arms around Chris and held on tight. His back hit the door. “Yeah.” He grinned and pressed their mouths together, finally doing what he’d wanted to do ever since he’d picked up the check—kiss Chris hard, putting all his excitement into it.

Chris wound his legs around Brian’s waist, pushed his tongue deep into Brian’s lips. Oh hell. Somebody was stoked. Brian let the door support them and opened wide, letting Chris in, letting Chris have whatever he wanted. Those long, lean muscles felt so good against him.

Chris rubbed and rocked, tongue fucking his lips, on fire and wanting. Brian’s own hips thrust almost involuntarily, mirroring Chris’s movements. A low groan pushed up from his belly and filled Chris’s mouth.

“Want.” Chris shuddered, eyes huge. “God, I want you. I’ve been so worried.”

Brian squeezed Chris’s ass, would have shaken him if he could have. “I told you I’d take care of it. Your job is the gymnastics—the rest is mine.” He kissed Chris hard. “And I want too.”

“Then come on and take care of me.” The words were half challenge, half request, Chris diving back into the kisses as soon as they were uttered.

Brian managed to get himself away from the door, but damn, he and Chris were close in size, and there was no way he was going to make it to the bedroom. Instead, he staggered the three steps to the mat beside the couch where Chris did his exercises. He managed to make it and didn’t blow out his knee as he went down. Then he put Chris on his back and followed, not losing the kiss.

Chris moaned, tugged him in tight, rewarded him for his effort with a squeeze and a roll of his hips. Brian ground against Chris while sliding his hands up Chris’s sides, thumbs searching for Chris’s little nipples through his clothes. Need lit up Brian’s nerves, made everything seem so big.

“Bri….” Chris tilted his head, deepened the kiss, his lean body almost shuddering against Brian.

God, they were both wearing too damned many clothes. Brian sucked in his belly, getting one hand between them so he could push Chris’s shirt up. Oh, that was better, and he found Chris’s nipples and plucked at the hard little bits of flesh. He whimpered, hips pushing harder against Chris’s.

“Good.” Chris tugged at Brian’s slacks, fighting the fabric, zipper, and button.

Brian would have helped, but his fingers kept getting distracted by Chris’s skin as he slid them over the smooth warmth of Chris’s belly and sides, teased his ribs. His mouth slid down along Chris’s neck and over the collarbone, searching for that sweet spot. When he found it, Chris arched for him, fingers digging into Brian’s hips. Oh. Right there.

Brian grinned and stayed focused on that spot, using his lips and tongue and teeth, loving how each touch earned him a reaction, Chris going nuts beneath him. Finally he reached for his zipper and pulled it down, his cock pushing out eagerly as soon as it was freed. Chris was right there with him, wrapping his fingers around both their cocks, stroking and pumping good and hard.

“God. Chris.” Brian moaned, a shudder going through him as his hips kept thrusting, his prick sliding through Chris’s fingers and along Chris’s cock. So hot. So good. He bit down on Chris’s skin and sucked up a mark.

“Brian. Oh. Oh, do it again.” Chris dug his heels into the mat and slammed into him so hard it lifted him a couple of inches.

Oh damn, for a reaction like that, he’d do it again all right. He licked and sucked Chris’s skin, scraped it lightly with his teeth. Then he bit, nice and hard.

“Bri!” Heated come sprayed his hip, Chris wild beneath him.

Fuck, that was sexy. Brian drove hard against Chris, mouth sliding on the hot, marked skin. He cried out as his orgasm caught him, spunk shooting from him and joining the mess already between them.

Chris nuzzled into his throat, panting and gasping against him. Brian laughed softly, feeling amazing. Just amazing. God, making love with Chris was wonderful—it was like winning a meet. That same rush, same high, only better because it was shared.

“I…. Hey.” Chris kissed his jaw, his chin. “Oh bearer of great fucking news.”

He raised his head enough to grin down at Chris. “Yep, that’s me. Bearer of great fucking news, finder of the moneymen, coach, and all-around stud.”

“Yeah.”

God, he hadn’t known how stressed Chris was until he saw him really relax. Brian kissed Chris hard. He was going to have to make sure he didn’t let Chris get stressed like that again. Or at least learn to recognize it when it happened. Man, he’d thought all those tight muscles were from working out and the operation.

Brian rolled over to the side, using his shirt to clean their skin and then tugging Chris close. “It’s all clear sailing from here on in—Mars is looking to be the main sponsor for someone who’ll go all the way, so it’s yours for the taking, Chris.”

“Yeah? I hope. I want it. More than anything.” Chris stared, eyes boring into Brian’s, suddenly looking very young.

Brian stroked Chris’s cheek, smiled gently. “You can do it, Chris. You have no idea how truly good you are. I mean, I know you think you’re good, but you’re so much better than even you know. You take my breath away on the apparatus. You keep doing what you’re doing, keep practicing, keep pushing, give it everything you have, and you’ll come through.”

“Yeah. Pushing I can do.” Chris grinned, bright and sunny. Oh yeah. That was a great look.

He leaned in and gave Chris a soft kiss before relaxing back on the mat. It really wasn’t the softest or most comfortable place to lie, though it sure beat the floor.

“So where do you want to go for our celebratory supper?”

“We’re going out? I want steak, man. A nice thick steak.”

“You bet we’re going out. We’ll get you the biggest steak this city serves, courtesy of Mars.” His own stomach chose then to growl, and he chuckled. “I might have skipped lunch.” Too nervous to eat with that 1:00 p.m. appointment. So worth missing the meal, though.

“That’s bad for you.” Chris stretched, back cracking. “Should we jump in the shower? Mom’s casserole will keep for tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I think I can wait long enough to get wet with you.” Brian slid his hand along Chris’s belly. He did love the man’s skin. “And not to disparage your mom’s casserole, but even if it wouldn’t save, I’d rather have steak.”

“Oh God. Me too.” Chris turned bright red, and his eyes twinkled. “Don’t you tell Mom.”

He laughed at that. “Oh, I have blackmail material now!”

“Don’t you dare.” Chris goosed him hard, laughing and blushing.

Brian jerked and shrieked—an embarrassingly girly sound—and punched Chris in the arm. “I’ll try to remember it’s a secret.”

“Good man.” Chris rolled up, graceful as hell. “Come on. Water. Food.”

He nodded, admiring, hoping he looked half as good as he clambered up.

He tugged Chris into his arms and gave him a hard hug. “We’re on our way, Chris. We’re really doing it.”

“Yeah? You think?” Chris grinned, rubbing as he bounced.

“No, I know. This is the start of something really good.” He tugged Chris in a little closer. “Sky’s the limit.”

“Yeah. Yeah, Bri. I’m going to fly.”

 

 

HE’D BEEN here for almost sixteen hours, between working and working out, and Chris was beginning to get tired.

Maybe even snarly.

Maybe more than snarly because, damn, his back and shoulder were killing him.

Still. Competition in a couple of months, and Brian was out of town with the A team at a day meet, so he didn’t have anyone to tell him to slow down.

Don’t try that.

Don’t overextend that swing.

Endos, Kovacs, Super E’s. Over and over and around and around until he thought maybe the bar would bend in the middle.

Now that would piss the school principal right the hell off, wouldn’t it?

“Hey, Chris!” Brian’s voice broke through his concentration. He could see Brian out of the corner of his eye, waiting by the apparatus.

“H-hey.” He did another giant, looking for the dismount.

“I almost didn’t come in and check for you. Thought you’d have gone home. But I figured I was here anyway dropping the girls off, I’d double-check. Glad I did.”

Chris flubbed the landing, not quite strong enough to stick it. “How… how’d they do?”

“Almost that good,” Brian told him. “I hope that was simply me distracting you?”

“Shut up.” See him. See him stand up. “Not a great day, huh?”

“Just long. And not enough of those girls have your focus.” Brian came over, hand going to his back. “Damn, Chris. It’s like you’ve got bricks in your back instead of muscles. You haven’t been going at it since I dropped you off this morning, have you?”

“Huh?” Him? Going? What?

“I dropped you off here this morning at the crack of dawn. That was like… a really, really long time ago.” Brian shook his head. “Did you break for food at least?”

He nodded. “Power bars.” Those counted.

Brian snorted but didn’t call him on it. “Well, the bar work looked amazing until that landing. You’ve really stepped it up since we got the Mars sponsorship. Good work.”

“Thanks. I’m trying.” And stinky. Christ, he needed a shower.

“God, you look more tired than I feel.” Brian gave him a weary smile. “You wanna push it? Give me a couple vaults? Or go home and get a massage?”

“I….” Okay. He could vault. He could. “Okay. I’ll hit a couple.”

“Okay.” Brian put his hands on Chris’s shoulders and leaned their foreheads together. “Okay. Focus, yeah? Forget about it being a long day and forget about being tired. Forget about those tight muscles and fly. Just fly.”

“Yeah.”

He hit two, one fair, one well, and then he went around for a third. He hit the vault okay, but his right arm gave out and he crashed and burned, slamming into the mat. Fuck.

Brian was at his side before he could even start to shake it off, those warm, solid fingers moving over him. “Anything hurting?”

“No.” Not anything—everything.

“Yeah? Really?” Brian didn’t sound convinced, but he helped Chris up with his strong arms. “All right, then. Give me one more and make it better than this last one. Something simple, but clean. Shake off the fall and do it.”

Chris sat there a second, heart pounding. Then he shook his head. “No. No, I think I’m done.”

Brian looked shocked. “You’re saying no? Shit, what’s hurting?” Brian’s fingers started moving over him again, slowly, carefully, testing his skin, his muscles, his bones.

“Everything.” Damn, he shouldn’t be this rattled.

Brian leaned their foreheads together again, breathing with him for a moment. “Okay. It’s okay. It’s been a really long day, and we should go home. A hot shower. Muscle rubbing.” A soft kiss brushed his lips.

“Yeah.” No. No, it wasn’t okay. It wasn’t. He was giving up.

“Oh, I know that look. You’re already pissed at yourself for not doing it again. Look, Chris. Sometimes the right thing to do is to recognize that your body is tired, that pushing more right now is going to get you hurt.

“And if you get hurt—then what? Then you’re done until you’re healed, and that will mean we can kiss the sponsorship money goodbye, and you have to start all over again with the training.

“So stop whatever it is you’re thinking right now and let’s go home. Tomorrow morning, first thing, we’ll be right back out here, working and pushing as hard as ever because you’ve given your body a night to rest.”

“I hate quitting.” Chris stood, muscles shaking with fatigue. “I hate not being everything I need to be.”

Brian’s arm slipped around his waist, the support right there for him. “You’re not quitting. Quitting is not still wanting it. Quitting is getting up tomorrow and saying you’re too tired and need a break. And I know you still want it. And I know you’ll be here tomorrow morning, showing that vault who’s boss. So I don’t want to hear any more of this quitting business.”

“Pushy, pushy.” God, it felt good to hear that. To hope Brian believed it.

“Oh no. You’re the one who pushes, remember?” Brian squeezed his waist, and they left the gym behind them. “You want to get takeout or stop and eat somewhere?”

“Takeout? Burgers?” God, Brian was warm.

“Yeah, sounds good. Get you fed and then relaxed. See what I can do about those tight muscles.” Brian gave him a warm smile. “I missed you today,” he said softly.

“Yeah? It was weird working out alone.” Chris smiled back, let himself lean harder. “I’m glad you stopped by.”

“Me too.” Brian laughed and opened the car door for him. “I almost didn’t. I almost went home, because, come on, it’s late. Then I remembered it was you, and I knew you’d be here.”

“Are you saying I’m obsessed?” He groaned as he slid in, back killing him.

“You? Obsessed? No….” Brian shook his head. “No—you’re a winner, Chris. Through and through. Makes you push.” He got a quick kiss, and then Brian closed his door and headed around to the other side.

He leaned back, stretching out nice and slow, working his muscles.

Brian got in and squeezed his thigh before belting in and starting the car. “So, honestly, what’s only sore and what really hurts?”

“My back hurts. My shoulder hurts. Pretty much my right side. The rest is just achy.”

“All right, I’ll focus on that when we get home. Some deep massage, some stretching. Were they hurting before you took that last fall?”

“Are you going to bitch if I say yes?” They always hurt, sometimes a little, sometimes a shitload.

Brian shot him a look. “I need the truth, Chris, whether that means you have to put up with bitching or not. If they were hurting before, then that means it wasn’t because of the fall.”

Brian turned into the drive-through and placed their order, more than familiar with what Chris would eat and how he liked it.

“It was hurting before.” Chris took his tea, drank deep.

Brian grunted and passed over the bag, putting his Sprite in the cup holder. “Well, I’m glad the fall doesn’t seem to have caused any damage.” He pulled back onto the road.

“No bitching.” He picked at one of the hamburger patties, nibbling idly.

Brian gave him another one of those looks. “Am I bitching? And what you can’t actually hear doesn’t count.”

They pulled up in front of the apartment, and Brian turned to him. “And it’s my job to worry. But I’m not going to bitch. I am, however, going to massage you within an inch of your life.”

“Promise?” Chris could go for that. A long shower. A longer massage.

“I promise. No bitching tonight.” Brian winked and leaned across to kiss him once on the mouth. “Come on. We should go in before the snoop in eleven decides we’re necking.”

“We can’t have that.” Chris grabbed the food, his drink, and his bag. “Of course, they might like watching.”

“Almost as much as they’d enjoy gossiping about it tomorrow.” Brian shouldered his own bag and led the way.

“Shower first or massage?” Brian asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

“Food. Shower. Massage.” He might die after the massage.

Hell, he might die after the shower.

“Sounds like a plan.”

Brian sat close on the sofa, body warming his as they ate, Brian wolfing down his burgers like he hadn’t eaten all day either.

Chris pressed close, snarfing the food. “So? Did any of the girls place?”

“Suzanna managed to pull off that string of three Tkatchevs in a row you showed her, and then she nailed the landing. It was damned sweet. She placed second overall. Might have done better, but her beam is still shaky. The rest of the girls fanned out from middle to bottom. They don’t have enough all-around ability yet.” Brian grinned. “But not one of them would have even qualified when we first started working with them—we’ve done good work.”

“Go us and our bad selves.” Chris chuckled, shook his head. “You going to keep teaching once I start competing full-time?”

Brian shook his head. “No, I’m giving you one hundred percent of my attention as soon as we can afford it.” The answer was immediate and sure.

“Yeah?” Okay, that was a good answer. An excellent answer.

“Absolutely. I enjoy teaching the girls, but you I believe in. You are the real deal.”

Oh man. That felt damned good and sort of reverberated.

“Finish up,” Brian told him softly. “You need your fuel.” Shoving his burger into his mouth with one hand, Brian slid the other hand across his back. “God, you must be hurting.”

Chris was cramping up, the touch making him aware of each individual muscle.

Brian frowned, fingers digging in. “I can’t remember the last time your muscles felt this tight, this hard. Don’t move.” Brian shifted to sit behind him, legs on either side, crotch snugged up against Chris’s ass. But it was Brian’s hands that held his attention, sliding over his back, warming him before the massage started.

Chris actually whimpered, not sure if it hurt or felt good.

“I can’t believe you….” The words faded away. “Right. No bitching. But… next time don’t let it get this bad before coming to me for help, ’kay?” Those fingers never stopped working his muscles.

“Uh-huh. Don’t stop, please, love.” He damn near started shaking.

“I won’t. All night long if you need it, Chris.”

Brian did stop, but only long enough to help Chris get his singlet off, and then those amazing fingers were back on him, skin on skin this time, warming and rubbing, slowly encouraging his muscles to unclench.

Leaning forward, Chris let his eyes close, let Brian touch him. Every now and then a soft kiss would grace his skin, Brian’s lips and tongue hot where they touched him.

Chris’s shoulders began to loosen under Brian’s unrelenting massage. Brian focused on his right side and then moved down along his spine. At some point, he started talking, telling Chris how good he looked on the rings, how amazing his bar work was. One compliment after another in a soft, low voice.

Chris turned, stretched out on the sofa, floating, lost in it.

So good.

Brian’s fingers slid over his ass and down the backs of his legs, and—oh God—that was good too. He hadn’t even realized how tight and cramped his leg muscles were.

“Touching you’s one of my favorite things ever,” Brian said.

It was easy to spread out, almost asleep, almost lost to it. Eventually the touches stopped digging in, moved from massaging to stroking, and Brian lay half next to, half on top of him.

“Love you, Chris.” The words were soft; Chris felt them against the skin of his shoulder more than heard them.

“Um-hum.” Chris nodded, pleasure replacing the aches and pains. “You too, yeah? You know that?”

“Yeah? I do now.” He could feel Brian’s smile against his skin and the heat of Brian’s need not quite digging into his ass. The hand on his back moved down to his hip, pushed beneath his clothes to stroke and slide, fingertips warm, agile, as they danced on his skin.

“Yeah,” Chris repeated. His thighs parted of their own volition, hips rolling a little.

Brian moaned softly, lips hot and soft on his shoulder. Then Brian shifted, moving only enough to bring their mouths together, feeding Chris another moan as their tongues touched.

He twisted, pulled Brian close, and rubbed a little, letting Brian know he was tired but not dead. Brian served him happy little noises, rubbing back, fingers working to get them both free of their clothes now so that their cocks could rub together. Hot and solid and so damned good, it was the slide of silk on silk, heat and velvet.

They murmured into each other’s lips, quiet little love words that Chris’d never say out loud. It didn’t get desperate or fast; they rubbed and touched and loved on each other, the pleasure building in slow waves through his body. Brian’s hands cupped his hip, his shoulder, moving him, supporting his muscles so he could stay relaxed.

One of Brian’s legs slid over his, tugged him a little closer as their movements got a bit quicker. The pleasure grew bigger and bigger, Brian’s breath starting to puff into his mouth.

“Oh God. Chris….”

“Uh-huh. Need you, yeah?” He shifted, cock sliding alongside Brian’s, both of them leaking, the damp heat easing the way.

“Yes.” Brian nodded too, laughing softly. He rubbed Chris’s nose with his and dropped a hand to take their cocks together in his palm, thumb brushing over the tips, making sensation shoot up Chris’s spine.

He could see Brian’s eyes go dark, sliding from a lazy, sweet warmth to full-on hot.

“Uh-huh. Just. I. Oh….” His eyes wanted to close, but he kept them open, needing to see.

Brian’s hand stroked faster, pulling him along for the ride. “Wanna see you come.”

Chris nodded, heart pounding, toes curling. “Gonna. Love….” He bucked, hips jerking as he shot.

“Fuck yes.” Brian nodded, more heat spurting between them.

Hand still moving, Brian kissed him, his tongue sliding in Chris’s mouth as his hand dragged one sweet aftershock after another out of him.

“Good.” Chris’s eyes did close then, and he sank into the cushions.

“Yeah, good.”

Brian pulled the blanket they’d finally brought to the couch over him, Brian’s hands going back to those soft, warming, soothing motions on Chris’s back. He got another gentle kiss, and then Brian’s breathing evened out slowly.

Oh yeah. Good.