Chapter Six

“Move over. No, a little more.” Josiah smacked his forehead. “You're still in the wrong spot, Jonathan. Fucking move.”

Frustrated, he set the camera down and walked into the scene. In doing so, he left a trail of bloody footprints on the floor where they didn't need to be and he groaned as he stared at them.

“Can somebody please strike those prints?”

Those in attendance were frozen in fear in the background, having never heard Josiah raise his voice in such an agitated tone. When no one moved, it only fed his frustration. He pointed at Sara and motioned for her to clean the prints up.

When he turned his attention back to Jonathan, he was met by a face full of rage.

“You're getting to be a real ass today,” Jonathan stated.

“And you've been getting on my nerves since day one. Let's try again, shall we?”

Jonathan rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, boss.”

The tone elicited a grimace from Josiah who did his best to stay in the moment. It was about the film, not Jonathan. It was about getting this done within a reasonable time frame, not about being right. It was about making his cast comfortable instead of being a dictator. But he couldn't help himself. He was pissed and he needed somewhere to direct his rage.

“Why don't you strike that attitude from your tone? Let's do that.”

Jonathan growled. “Just because you're the director doesn't mean you get to be a dick.”

“And just because you're my ex-boyfriend doesn't mean you get to snap back whenever you want.”

“It's never enough to just be wrong. You have to make it all about you, don't you?”

Josiah's nostrils flared angrily. He pressed his face in as close as he could to Jonathan and pointed with a shaky finger. “And you can never just let it go, can you?!”

“I'm not the one who has a problem letting go of the past, Jo!”

“You're not allowed to call me that anymore!”

Jonathan raised his hands in defense. “Fine, I won't.”

“And you don't get to be on this project anymore!”

“I don't think that's very fair.”

“Doesn't matter what you think. I'm in charge!”

Jonathan laughed mockingly. “Oh, somebody is wearing his big-boy pants today. Real big move from a big-time director.”

“Jonathan, shut up!”

Just as Josiah raised his hands to shove Jonathan, Levi intercepted. He pulled Josiah away from the situation and dragged him across the theater stage. In the background of the auditorium, a few people had curiously gathered to see what the fuss was about. Josiah raised an angry fist in their direction.

“I think it's time we all took a break,” Levi suggested. “Sara, could you lead everyone out?”

Still furious, Josiah managed to break away from Levi's hold and stood in the center of the stage as everyone filed out the side door. He placed his hands on his hips and stared after them, his angry expression fading instantly into one of regret.

“Fuck,” he whispered. “Shit, Levi. I'm really sorry.”

He tucked his hands shamefully into his pockets, feeling the weight of his actions tugging his shoulders forward. It was dragging him to the ground and he was powerless to stop it. A mountain of shame and regret, all instant and all-encompassing.

“Fuck.”

Levi took a cautious step toward Josiah. “Just take a deep breath and find your center.”

“I don't even know what that is anymore.”

“Tune into your physical sensations. What do you see and hear? What do you smell?”

Josiah shook his head. “That sounds like too much.”

“Then, just sit down. Breathe. Listen to the sound of your breathing.”

As instructed, Josiah sat on the ground. He folded his legs as best he could, tucking his hands beneath his thighs in an effort to keep them from flying again. More shame tumbled down upon his shoulders. He could feel it tugging him forward again, slowly falling head-first toward the stage. He let it happen. This was fine as long as he wasn't causing harm.

“Shit, I did too much harm,” he stated.

“Don't worry about that. Find your center.”

Though difficult, he managed to force his lungs to inhale and exhale repeatedly. He listened to the whoosh of air leaving his mouth and filling the space between his face and the crummy floor. There was a speck of corn syrup in his vision. He closed to eyes to get rid of the image, returning his focus to his breath.

Over and over, breath after breath, he continued until the noise of rage in his mind died down. He repositioned his hands to the floor and placed them, palms down, to feel the coolness of the stage. It was momentarily relieving. A warm hand met his lower back and he smiled, realizing Levi was still next to him.

“Is that better?”

Josiah nodded. “I'm so sorry.”

“Shh, don't worry about it.”

“But I am going to worry about it. I never lose my shit like that. Never. Especially not on an actor.”

“Shit happens. We keep moving.”

Josiah sighed. “How do you know so much about this Zen stuff anyway?”

“Let's just say I practice what I preach.”

While sitting up, Josiah felt dizzy. He squeezed his eyes shut again to push away nausea, trying to keep localized inside his body instead of in the mistake he had made. He opened his eyes and stared at his hands in disbelief.

“I'll have to talk to Jonathan,” he whispered.

“Let's worry more about why you exploded instead of how you can make up for it.”

“I mean, is that really going to help?”

Levi nodded and sat down in front of Josiah. “I think it would help significantly to check into how you're feeling.”

“So, you really are a therapist.”

Levi smiled warmly and flushed red, raising a hand to block his lips for a moment.

“Sorry, I know you're trying to be serious right now.”

“It's fine. Humor helps.”

Josiah nodded. “Okay, so, go on.”

“What made you frustrated?”

“Jonathan wasn't standing where I wanted him to stand.”

“And?”

“And...he just wasn't. Am I supposed to control that?”

Levi grinned. “No, you're not. You have no control over the actions of the people around you.”

“But I have to. I'm the director.”

“You guide people, not control them. You give them direction.”

Josiah rolled his eyes. “Ugh, I hate this.”

“What, sitting in your feelings?”

“No, just...feeling like I really did something wrong.”

Levi nodded. “That's part of owning your shit. You lost your temper because something wasn't going your way. Now, you have to go and make it up to Jonathan.”

“I'm sure he's left by now.”

“So, give it a little time. I'm sure it'll be fine tomorrow.”

“I don't know. I think I just lost my best actor.”

Levi rested a comforting hand on Josiah's shoulder. It sparked a sensation to rise in that area, little flares of tension that seemed to grow the longer Levi's hand remained in that position. Josiah raised his gaze to Levi's soft features.

“Don't worry about it right now,” Levi assured. “Everything will be okay.”

“I don't really understand how you made me believe that, but I do.”

With a grin, Levi leaned forward. His lips collided with Josiah's and suddenly they were writhing on the floor of the stage. Corn syrup was getting everywhere. Props were knocking over. A few doors slammed in the distance, but Josiah didn't stop. He was heated. He was hungry. He felt his instincts take over the moment Levi's flesh met his, prompting him to roll Levi over and straddle him.

He noticed the hot lights of the stage above pointing directly down upon them. “Should we move somewhere private?”

Levi nodded excitedly. He popped up from the ground and grabbed Josiah's hand, leading Josiah through a side door that led into a dim hallway. He dragged Josiah down the steps, to the left, and through another unmarked door into a dim prop room.

Josiah caught a brief glimpse of the workshop. There were freshly cut boards leaning against nearly every wall, a workbench located in the back, a few tools scattered about, masks, acrylic paint, assorted brushes ranging from small to large, and a thin layer of dust covering every square inch that was visible. It might have looked messy to anyone else, but to Josiah, it looked beautiful. He could have even said it was incredible were it not for Levi's hungry lips taking him again.

Every inch of Levi collided with Josiah. His hands slid sensuously up Josiah's shirt, pushing Josiah into a heated shivering frenzy. Josiah was trapped between Levi and the wall. Being pinned like this ramped his desire to take control, to force Levi to the filthy ground for his own naughty purposes. Just like the stage, he felt compelled to direct every movement. He took Levi's hands and guided them down to his jeans where his cock was already hard and twitching. As Levi unhooked his belt, he rested against the wall and let his eyes close, waiting patiently for the sweet sensation of Levi's lips to transport him.

“Are you sure?” Levi whispered.

His warm breath was hitting Josiah's abdomen, just inches away from Josiah's leaking cock.

“Yes,” Josiah said breathlessly. “Yes, absolutely.”

He glanced around the shop again, checking the dark corners for any wandering eyes. If Levi thought it was safe here, then it was. Josiah had to trust that. He wanted to trust that. Every aching inch that Levi stole as he slid down Josiah's skin made it all the more apparent that Josiah didn't want to stop at all. Levi worked the belt open and then Josiah's jeans, peeling away the fabric to reveal Josiah's sturdy cock. Levi traced the shaft from bottom to tip slowly. He circled the head tenderly and rolled back down the front, stroking his finger with determination.

The mere sensation of cold air and touch on Josiah's cock made him flutter. Though the wall kept him up, he felt himself easily slipping. There was nothing to keep him standing. His knees shivered together, practically knocking his jeans the rest of the way down. He flailed around to find something—a shelf or a desk on which he could grab—but there was nothing but a switch. The dim lights immediately extinguished and left them in obscure darkness, pushing their secret deeper into the shadows.

As soon as they were hidden, Levi took Josiah's cock into his mouth. He suckled gently at the tip as he gripped the base with his hand, using only his lips to please the head of Josiah's cock. A groan erupted from him as he plunged down further by the centimeter and pushed Josiah deeper into his mouth.

Naturally, Josiah's hand found the back of Levi's neck. It was overwhelming to continue standing. His knees begged to buckle and his body ached for the ground, even if it meant getting dirty in the process. He didn't care. Levi's lips were making him wild, forcing him beyond the curtain of darkness around them and into oblivion. He watched various colorful circles dance before his eyes as he searched for Levi's figure in the black room. All he could feel were Levi's talented lips. And that was more than enough.

Levi traced his tongue over Josiah's shaft as he began to bob, creating a rhythm of stroking with his lips. He hummed and moaned intermittently as his hands traced up to find the small patches of hair decorating Josiah's stomach. There, he traced them gently with his hands, leaving his mouth to do all the work.

Josiah gripped the hair at the base of Levi's skull. He could hardly contain himself. Each stroke caused him to teeter sideways, to slide down, and to reconfigure his stance.

“I don't think I can stand much longer,” he whispered.

Levi, with Josiah's cock still in his mouth, giggled and guided Josiah's hips to the left. The legs of a chair creaked in the dark and Josiah found himself sitting. He relaxed instantly into the wood and bucked forward, pressing deeper into Levi's mouth. He nodded eagerly, gripping Levi's hair the more Levi stroked. Levi's lips were practically burning his skin, marking each inch of his cock with a passionate groan and a delightful lick.

Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a door shut loudly. The thud of it echoing through the shop door prompted Josiah to perk up, but Levi gently repositioned him. Levi became ravenous in his motions, sliding up and down in sloppy strokes. Josiah felt the sweet release approaching and gripped Levi's hair harder. He felt a moan take over his mouth and grow with every stroke. Were it not for his lips pressing tightly together, he might have broken the silence around them. His heart was racing, his hands were sweating, and his thighs were shaking violently. He was nearly there.

One more stroke catapulted him forward, gripping Levi's skull as his hips bucked uncontrollably. Cum shot from his cock into Levi's mouth and practically filled it. Some of it trickled down his cock and Levi lapped it up, prompting him to shiver again.

“God,” he gasped. “Good God.”

“Most people call me Levi.”

Josiah cackled. “You're a nut.”

“I think I caused one.”

Josiah laughed harder and curled forward. The serene sensation that had taken over made his limbs feel numb, prickling with electricity as if he had just reached the silver lining of his day. Realizing he was still gripping, Levi's hair, he released it immediately and took Levi's face. He pecked Levi's lips gently.

“You're probably sore.”

Levi giggled. “Only mildly. It's fine. Should I get the lights?”

“Yes, but be gentle with them.”

“I'll certainly try.”

Levi slipped away and shuffled somewhere to the right. All Josiah could hear was the sound of clothes adjusting and shoes shuffling. He shielded his eyes before the lights blinked on and sighed deeply. Such relaxation was meant for the end of the day in his bed, but he might have needed this release.

“I'm sorry. Maybe I should have taken you to dinner first,” he joked.

“It's okay. I quite prefer odd places.”

“So quiet, but so adventurous.”

Levi grinned. “Would you like a tour of my shop?”

“I'd love that.”

“Maybe you should, uh...” Levi gestured to Josiah's pants that were flat on the ground around his feet.

Chuckling, Josiah stood up and took his pants with him. Once his belt was secure, he wiped his hands on the thighs of his jeans and nodded toward the rest of the shop.

“This is where I spend most of my day,” Levi announced. “And most of my nights, too.”

“It's lovely.”

Levi chuckled. “Oh, I highly doubt that. It looks more like a disaster to the untrained eye.”

“My eyes are trained. I promise.”

“Really?”

“It's an organized mess. I can tell by the way things are arranged. I do the same with my bedroom.”

“Maybe I can see that sometime.”

While biting his lower lip, Josiah turned to Levi. “I'd like that. Maybe with dinner first, eh?”

“Yes, dinner sounds amazing.”

“Perfect. Let's do that.”