Tyler comes into his own and Robbie takes a chance in the third week of Volume 5. Volume 6 launches on February 11!

CHAPTER 11 - UNANSWERED

"Hunter and me?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Ben said, the concern in his eyes still reading through the dim moonlight. "When you were in your coma, he was listed as your... partner."

"That's weird. I mean, I don't even have him in my phone as my ‘in case of emergency'... "

"Well, he said it. To Dr. Nicholls. The night you were admitted."

"I can't think of why... "

"And he hardly left the hospital. Whenever I'd come in for my rounds, he'd be there, sitting by your bed."

"Eddy had mentioned that."

"So... is there anything going on between the two of you?"

Charlie turned to his side to face Ben full on. "We hooked up once. In the summer. Before he lived here or before I even knew who he was. It just happened. And that's it."

"And it hasn't happened again?"

"Nope."

Ben took a noticeable breath. "Do you... want it to happen again?"

"I think... for Hunter... it's always been this unanswered question between us, you know?"

"And for you?"

Charlie kissed Ben tenderly. "I'm with you. I want to be with you. Tyler seems to think I'm in ‘lesbians' with you... but that might be a talk for another night."

Ben chuckled. "I hope that's a good thing."

Charlie smiled and kissed him again, this time more passionately. As they made love, Charlie felt completely connected with Ben. Completely absorbed with every moment, every touch and taste and smell that was Ben. And when they finished, satisfied and content, feeling the warmth of each other, lost in the smell and taste of each other, Charlie felt lucky to be with Ben. And he was happy. But as his eyelids fell heavy, as he laid his head on Ben's chest drifting off to sleep... his heart felt heavy with a question he never asked himself, that still remained unanswered.





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CHAPTER 12 - KNOCK IT OFF


Tyler could hear Edward arguing with the office manager as he came into Haven.

"I've had it!" the office manager bellowed as he threw on his coat and stormed out the front door. Tyler had just been outside in the cold for eight hours trying to get people to donate to the HRC. Nothing could be worse than that.

Tyler knocked on the open office door. "Is everything ok, Edward?"

Edward looked up from his desk wearily. "Fine, Tyler. I just lost the only full-time staff member that I could afford to keep, but fine."

"Well... if I can help in anyway... "

Josh came rushing into the office. "Edward, I can't find Travell anywhere. We're supposed to be prepping for his GED but he hasn't been in all day."

"He's probably with LaTrice," Tyler said. "I helped her fill out a bunch of job applications and she said she was going out today to drop them off. They should be back before curfew."

"You helped LaTrice?" asked Edward.

"Well, LaTrice gets squirrely around anyone from the county, so she wasn't going to her job placement meetings. I figured I could help ease her fear. I hope that's ok."

"That's fine, that's just... "

Hooting and hollering echoed in from the lobby and they rushed to see what the trouble was. Two of the newer boys were fighting each other and the kids coming in for dinner were cheering them on. Edward and Josh pulled them apart and Tyler stood between them.

"All right, knock it off!" Tyler shouted.

"That motherfucker started it," said the younger one.

"Ima fuck you up!" said the older one.

"Stop it! Did anyone see?"

"Yeah, Tyler," said Travell's best friend Chauncey. "That ignorant shit over there... "

"Save it for the report Chauncey. Wait for us in Edward's office. Everyone else, head to the dining hall." He turned his attention to the two fighting boys. "You're new here, so we'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But we're on a three strikes system here. I take it neither of you want to be out on the street tonight?"

"No," they both said.

"And I can trust that this won't happen again?"

"Yes," they both said.

"Alright. Josh can you walk them to the dining hall please. I still haven't hung up my coat."

Edward smiled at Tyler as Josh took the boys to the dining hall. "Sorry Edward, if Travell or LaTrice aren't here, that means nobody started dinner. But I mean it, after that's done, if you need any... "

"Tyler," Edward said. "How would you like a new job?"







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CHAPTER 13 - THE GUEST


The Davids lay in bed with their Guest between them, covered in sweat and cum.

"Man," said their Guest. "That was fucking hot."

"Yeah," Other David, kissing his chest.

"Do you guys do this a lot?"

"Only a couple of times," David said, stroking their Guest's hair.

"Were they hot as me?" their Guest joked.

"Um... they were you."

"Oh." Their Guest lay their quietly for a moment. "I think it's cool, you know. What you guys got going."

"Oh yeah?" said Other David.

"Kinda wonder if my own relationship would've lasted if we tried opening it up, you know?"

"How long were you guys together?"

"Since college. I loved him, sure, but... I just got bored."

"That's how long we've been together."

"Oh. And you guys don't get... "

Other David looked at his better half. "I'd never really thought about it. You were just sort of... a happy accident."

"Well, I hope I'd be an accident you guys would do over again."

David laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "You're here now, aren't you?"

Their Guest chuckled and kissed David. "Alright, I should get cleaned up," he announced, leaping up off the bed and heading for the shower.

The Davids looked at each other a moment. Other David stroked his better half's cheek and leaned in for a kiss. David began to crack up.

"What?" Other David asked, full of concern.

"We've slept with this guy three times and we still don't know his name."



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CHAPTER 14 - APPROACH


Robbie waited in front of the school before first bell as instructed. As a sleek Masarti pulled up, his phone vibrated with a one-word text from Alex: "Approach." Robbie cautiously approached the shiny, expensive car. After a moment, the window rolled down.

"Ahem," Alex insisted, glaring at Robbie.

"Good morning, Alex."

"Well, don't just stand there gawking, open the door."

As Robbie opened the door for him, he noticed the guy he thought was Alex's dad in the driver's seat. He smiled courteously at Robbie and stared maybe a little too long at him. Alex gave Bruce a kiss on the cheek and go out, handing Robbie his books.

"Man, that car is SICK! My uncle bought one when his wife left him, it cost him six figures."

"Oh, well. You know." Alex said, too pleased with himself. He brushed his hair out of his face, deliberately letting the platinum bracelet catch the sun and shine in Robbie's face.

"Alex, that's gorgeous! Did he... ?"

"It's from Tiffany's."

"Get out! He bought that for you?!"

"Well I didn't get it from saving up my allowance!" Robbie held the door open for him and trailed behind as Alex power-walked to first period.

"Do you even like him? He's like ancient?"

"I like him enough. He treats me nice. And besides, what's the harm? It's just a little fun, right? He's so much more mature than these high school boys."

Robbie looked down, a little dejectedly. "What's wrong with high school boys?"

"Nothing, if acne and fart jokes are your thing. No, I much prefer the company of older gentlemen. I highly recommend it."

"Have you guys... you know... done it?"

Alex stopped abruptly, looked around for any interlopers, and brought him over to a deserted section of lockers. "Robert!"

"Sorry, I was just curious."

"It's alright, really, it's just... "

"Have you ever... done it?"

Alex looked around again to make sure no one was listening. "I have. Mind you, my affairs are always discreet. But I haven't with Bruce. I don't know, usually the guys I've been with are attracted to my assertiveness. But with men of a certain age... "

"Like Bruce?"

"Yes, like Bruce... I find it's better to be a bit more coquettish. Coy. So, no, we haven't done it yet."

"I've never. I mean, I've never even kissed... " The late bell echoed through the now deserted hall.

"Oh hurry up, Robert! I'm late for class!"

*

Robbie stayed in his desk after the lunch bell rang and waited for his classmates to leave the room.

"Is there something I can help you with, Robbie?" Charlie asked.

"Have you ever had a crush on someone, Mr. Parker?"

Charlie chuckled to himself. "Yes. Many someones."

"How'd it work out?"

"Well, I don't know. How do you mean?"

"The guy that I have a crush on... he doesn't even really notice me."

"I'm sure he does. Do you talk to him?"

"Yeah. I mean, I try. I just get so... nervous... you know? Around him? I just... "

"Is he gay?"

Robbie blushed. "Yeah."

"Well then go for it. Ask him out. Do something bold."

"Really?"

"Absolutely! You're a sweet kid and really nice. He'd be crazy not to... "

"But... you know... I just heard that... older boys like it if younger boys are coy or whatever."

"There are no hard and steadfast rules when it comes to love, Robbie," Charlie said, packing his bag and grabbing his coat. "If you like someone, you should go for it. When I was your age, there was this guy, Seabring... " Charlie turned and found himself face to face with Robbie. "Um, what are you doing?"

"Going for it." Robbie said, taking a deep breath, and kissing Charlie awkwardly and passionately.









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CHAPTER 15 - CUT OUT


"It's just so overwhelming," Hunter said, closing the Harold Washington class catalogue.

"Ooh, take Forensics as your lab science. That way you can make fun of CSI with me," Fitz said.

"Not helping."

"Sorry."

"And I don't know how I feel about getting dropped off in a squad car. Not the first impression I want to make."

"Hey, you were the one running late," Fitz teased. "I could easily have taken my lunch break with the other cops back at the donut shop."

Hunter held Fitz's hand and kissed it. "Thanks. I appreciate it, I do. I just... I haven't been in school for seven years. What if I'm not cut out for it?"

"Well... you could forgo your father's last wish and use your inheritance money for a cruise around the world with a dashingly handsome and charismatic cop."

"Again with the not helping."

*

Hunter was crowded in with the other late registrants. It was a cattle call of people waiting til the last minute to get their desired classes. Hunter looked at his class catalogue again, second-guessing his choices. His turn came up and he sat at a desk across from a man with thinning hair and tired eyes.

"You look familiar," said the registrar, taking Hunter's transcripts. "Are you a returning student?"

"Nope. First time."

"Well welcome. Now let's see here... Forensics. Art History. Psychology. Quite an eclectic class load you've got here."

"Still figuring out what I want to do. Plus, those are the classes that work best with my schedule. I work at night."

"Oh that's where I know you from!"

"You go to my bar?"

"You dance at Cocktail. Right?"

"Not anymore. I've moved on to better things."

"Lucky Horseshoe?"

Hunter sighed.

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Volume 6 launches on Monday, February 11! Just joining us? Catch up here:

Volume 1 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 2 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 3 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 4 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five


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