The moment that many fans have been waiting for in the fourth week of Volume 9. Where will it lead? Find out in the tenth and final volume, launching 7/29 on the GoPride Network.

CHAPTER 16 - UM... "Can I get you a cup of coffee?" Josh asked, sipping his mug while he stood in his boxers in the doorway. 

 

"What are you doing here?" Charlie asked. 

 

"Um, I live here," Josh responded. 

 

"I didn't know the Davids were selling their condo." 

 

"Um, they didn't. I live here with them." 

 

"They converted their office into a second bedroom?"  

 

"Um...no." 

 

"Wow. Ok. So...how's the working out for ya?" 

 

Josh smirked. "Would you like to come inside?" 

 

"I'm good thanks. Just...just tell David that I stopped by." 

 

"Which one?" 

 

Charlie paused. He never had to clarify before. "Um, Cuban David?" 

 

"Will do." 

 

Charlie shuffled off awkwardly. 

 

"Charlie?" Josh called. Charlie turned around. "You look good." 

 

"Thanks," said Charlie. 

 

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CHAPTER 17 - PROGRESS

Hunter sat in the middle of Progress, feeling the ghost of his old self still go-go dancing in what used to be Cocktail. Almost a full year had sped by since he'd danced his last here. So much had changed: the bar was full of life and invigoration. Progress lived up to its name. Hunter just wished that he'd changed along with it.

"Hunter Storm?" Hunter turned to look to find the mystery voice. It was Calvin, his childhood crush from back home.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Hunter asked, his voice heavy with eight pints and six shots of whiskey. 

"Well it's good to see you too!" Calvin joked, laughing with cornfed charm. "I really wanted to come up for the Fourth but I had to work, so I just figured I'd take a couple of days off in the middle of the week."

"Fun."

"You said to look you up if I ever passed through, but you never left me your number."

Hunter chugged his ninth pint and flung his arms open. "You found me."

"How've you been? I haven't seen you since your dad died."

"Oh you know. The usual."

"What's the usual?"

Hunter downed another shot. "You just said it. People dying on me. I get banned from the funeral. You know...the usual."

Calvin put his hand on Hunter's knee. "I am so sorry."

Hunter grabbed Calvin's hand and guided it to his cock. "Wanna help cheer me up?"

Calvin blushed.  "Hunter, I've...I've got a boyfriend."

"So bring him along."

"It's not like that..."

"Then fuck you then," Hunter said, trying to track down the bartender.

"I know you don't mean that," Calvin sighed. "It was good to see you, Hunter. I hope that...I hope that you heal." 

"Whatever," Hunter scoffed, downing his tenth pint as Calvin walked off to find his boyfriend. "Whatever." 

 

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CHAPTER 18 - GOT THIS

"This place is nice," Tyler said, touring the quirky Catalyst Ranch. 

"It's too... colorful," Mason said, crinkling his nose.

"But they do a lot of good programming," Tyler said, pointing out a poster in the hall. "They're hosting a ProjectMusic fundraiser to send the at-risk kids at Lydia Home to camp. It's perfect for our Haven fundraiser."

"Tyler, cutie, listen to me. The people who are going shell out all the big bucks for Haven aren't going to come all the way to the West Loop. Old gays like to be close to Boystown so they can go and troll the bars in their suits after an event." 

"But it looks like my Aunt Trudy's house. And they've got not-for-profit rates."

Mason rolled his eyes. "Would you stop worrying about money? You've got me and I've got a whole committee behind me. It will only be the swankiest for this benefit, even if I have to foot the bill myself."

"Isn't that the whole point of this? To make money, not lose it?"

"And if you listen to me, we will. I appreciate the effort you're putting in, really, but I've got this."

"I really appreciate what you're doing for the kids."

"I'm not doing this for the kids," Mason said coyly.

"Seriously, I am so grateful, I could never repay you."

"I can think of a few ways," Mason grinned

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CHAPTER 19 - DINOSAURThe bell rang and Robbie stayed in his seat as the other kids filed out. 

 

"Maybe we shouldn't be alone together," Charlie joked. Robbie blushed.  

 

"Mr. Parker, did you go to your prom?"  Robbie asked. 

 

"Sure. I mean, I rode a dinosaur to the dance but... " 

 

"Did you go with a boy?" 

 

"I wish. It was a different time, Robbie. I went with a girl friend of mine because... well, it's prom. You kinda have to go." 

 

"But going with a guy now won't be weird?" 

 

Charlie smiled. "If I were in high school now, I would go with a boy. If he asked me. Did a boy ask you?" 

 

Robbie blushed again. "Yeah. Alex did." 

 

Despite what Charlie may have felt about Alex, the thought of the two of them in tuxes, riding a limo, and dancing among their peers was sweet enough to make Charlie smile. "That's great." 

 

"You don't think people will give us crap for it?" 

 

Charlie leaned in close to Robbie and whispered: "Fuck 'em." 

 

Robbie smiled as he grabbed his books and stood up. "Thanks Mr. Parker," he said, as he walked out the door. "I'm so glad you're going to be my English teacher again next year." 

 

Charlie's smiled slowly shifted into a thoughtful frown. He sighed, took out his sack lunch, and got ready for his lunch-time Skype date with Ben.

 

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CHAPTER 20 - RANDOM

The Random texted when he was outside the front door per Hunter's request. Hunter snuck downstairs as quietly as he could, careful not to wake Charlie and Tyler up. Hunter let The Random in without a word and led him upstairs, motioning for him to not say anything. 

 

"What are you into?" The Random asked. 

 

"Whatever," Hunter said. 

 

This wasn't an ideal situation for Hunter. Steve had sent him home early from work  that night for being too drunk behind the bar and most of the door guys in Boystown refused to let Hunter in anymore. This Random he met off of A4A would have to do. 

 

There was something methodical about the way Hunter went through the motions of hooking up with The Random. Random's ears were a huge erogenous zone, as was the side of his neck. That's what Hunter, discovered, anyway, as he traced a path down it with his tongue, working his way down to Random's nipples (another mother lode of sensitivity,) all the way down Random's happy trail, down to his throbbing cock which Hunter quickly engorged in his mouth. It was all...predictable. Routine.  Mechanical.  

 

Random quickly returned the favor, sucking Hunter's cock with a lot more fervor and eagerness. Working his way back up to Hunter's mouth, Random smiled, pulled slightly away, spit on the palm of his hand and wet his hole with it. Slowly, he started to guide Hunter's thick cock into him. 

 

"Wait," Hunter said, snapping out of his apathetic routine. "Let me get a condom." 

 

"Fuck it," Random said. "I want you in me." 

 

"Seriously, stop. You don't even know if I'm clean." 

 

"I don't care." 

 

Hunter sat up and stared at him in disbelief. "I'm positive." 

 

Random pushed Hunter back down and started riding him. "I. Don't. Care." Random began to ride Hunter harder, faster. "That's it," Random said, grabbing Hunter by the back of the head. "Fill me with your poison." 

 

Hunter pushed Random off of him. "What the fuck dude. Don't you even care that you might catch it?" 

 

"It's inevitable," Random said. "That's the life we live. Might as well enjoy it while we can." 

 

"What kind of  ass backwards thinking is that?" 

 

"No need to get upset." 

 

"No. None at all. You just called what was inside of me poison. You just wanted me to give you a life-long sentence of a disease they have no cure for yet." 

 

"We all have to die some time, right?" Random said flippantly. 

 

It took every fiber of Hunter's being not to lash out with the rage boiling inside of him. Instead, he looked Random dead in the eye and growled: "Get. Out." 

 

"Not til we finish," Random said, trying to push Hunter back on the bed. Hunter knocked Random to the floor and stood above him. 

 

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" 

 

The sound of Random gathering his clothes and slamming the door as he ran down the stairs woke Charlie up. Charlie could've sworn he heard a scream from Hunter's room, so he rushed over. Charlie peeked his head into the door that was slightly ajar to discover Hunter sitting naked on the floor, knees to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. 

 

"What is wrong with me?" Hunter asked, looking up at Charlie. Charlie sat down beside him and held him tight, wiping Hunter's tears, stroking his hair as his head lay on Charlie's chest. 

 

"Nothing's wrong with you," Charlie said. "You're just grieving." 

 

"I'm a fucking piece of shit," Hunter sobbed. 

 

"No, you are not." 

 

"I was supposed to die first, not Fitz. I didn't fucking deserve him." 

 

"Hunter, you deserve to be loved," Charlie said, kissing him firmly on the head. Hunter pushed him away and covered his face with his arms. Charlie unfolded them and took Hunter's face in his hands. 

 

Out of instinct, out of reflex, and without thinking, Charlie kissed him. 

 

And Hunter kissed him back.

 

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