Men of Steel

by Ryan Loveless

  “Eight months, ten days, right?” Locke panted between thrusts.

  “And four hours.”

  Locke never got erratic before coming; he was steady and controlled right up to the end. Today was no exception. Kevin was hauled by his hair into the kiss as Locke slammed in hard, his load blowing deep in Kevin’s ass. “I love you, Kev.”

  “Love you too.” Kevin’s hand joined Locke’s on his cock. It didn’t take long till he came again, making Locke moan as his deflating prick was milked by a clenching ass.

  Locke’s body covered his only for a moment.

  Kevin protested as his lover pulled away, but the energy bubbles trapping his wrists prevented him from retaining Locke’s presence. “Where are you going?”

  “Get cleaned up, you look utterly debauched.” A rough kiss, and then Locke was out of reach, pulling his jeans up over his bare ass. The restraint bubbles vanished.

  Kevin popped his back and sat up, trailing fingers through the mess on his abs. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Don’t you have answers to memorize?” Locke unhooked the tank top from behind his head and pulled it down. “I’m going to go call my mother.”

  Kevin opened his mouth but the office door clicked shut before he could form the question.

  IV

  “ARE you ready for your interview, Captain?” Marlene was waiting in the conference room as he exited the elevator, her coffee in one hand as she flipped through a report with the other.

  “Yes. I reviewed the questions Ms. Poulson sent and the prepared answers you provided. I, um,” Kevin scratched the back of his head, “I wanted to thank you for handling the kiss part respectfully. For not having me joke it off.”

  “Yes, well, I thought that was the best approach to take based on the position you stated yesterday.”

  Kevin nodded. “Thanks. I also wanted to reiterate….”

  “Captain,” Marlene paused and put a smile on, “Kevin.” She stepped in closer and lowered her voice. “The team has been very successful under your leadership. Sponsorships are up significantly. Despite the destruction yesterday, we will turn a profit on the event. Your coming out could jeopardize that.”

  “Marlene....”

  “Hear me out.” One hand came up, blunt fingers splayed. “I am in a position to offer you a significant pay increase if you remain as team leader, but I can’t guarantee either the position or the salary bump if you insist on coming out. I wanted to make sure you had that information before you made your final decision.”

  Kevin stepped away, breaking the illusion of privacy for their little conference. “Thanks, but what I was trying to tell you is that I’ve already decided. It’s not fair to Locke, or myself, to continue this. I’ll play along for the next eight months, but then I’m done with lying about who I am.”

  Marlene took a step towards him, trying to close the gap. “A lot could happen in eight months, Captain.” She put the emphasis on his title. “We’re talking potentially doubling your current annual salary.”

  “Woah.” Kevin held his hands up. “I appreciate the offer, I think, but I know the reasons why I agreed to that clause in the first place. And I now know the reasons why I will never, ever, agree to it again. The subject is closed. Was there anything else?”

  “No.” This time Marlene stepped back. “We’re taking the limo to the station. Make sure you have everything; we’ll be leaving momentarily.” She turned on her heel and marched off towards her office.

  Kevin sagged against the table, shaking his head.

  “I’m proud of you.” Locke was dressed in a nice suit, a dark navy color with a bit of a sheen. He stepped into Kevin’s space and fiddled with his bodysuit, closing the zipper and tugging fabric into place. Locke’s fingers traced the inner angle of the chevron from collarbone to sternum.

  Kevin slid his hands down Locke’s sides, tugging his lover closer.

  “You heard that?”

  “Yes.” Locke was staring at Kevin’s throat and fiddling with the collar on his uniform. “That would be a lot of money. Were you even tempted?”

  Kevin bent in to kiss Locke, right there in the conference room. “Not in the slightest.” His finger traced Locke’s smile as he murmured, “You look nice in your suit.”

  “And you look....” Locke flinched and swayed into Kevin’s embrace.

  “Locke?”

  “I’m fine.” Locke plastered on a smile, but the lines didn’t leave the corners of his eyes. Kevin followed Locke’s gaze over his own shoulder. The only thing there was Marlene striding down the steps from her glass-enclosed office, her own suit coat firmly buttoned closed.

  “Ready to go, Captain? Mr. Marsh?”

  “Yeah.” Kevin made to slip his arm around Locke, but his lover pulled away. “Babe?”

  “I’m gonna, I need to go.” Locke was pointing vaguely upwards towards where their rooms were.

  Kevin caught Locke’s hand. “Aren’t you coming? You were going to wait in the limo during the interview.”

  “You’ve got an hour of prep and makeup, at least.” Locke squeezed his hand and tried to pull away. “I’ll be there waiting when you’re done.” Locke was rubbing his right temple, his thumb moving in tight circles.

  Kevin glanced over his shoulder at Marlene, waiting impatiently. He turned back, firmly pulling Locke into his arms. “Locke. What is it?”

  Locke’s hands pressed flat on his chest. Kevin could just feel the brush of his lover’s groin against his own. Locke’s gaze slowly rose up to meet his. “I just need a few minutes. I promise I’ll catch up.”

  “You sure you’re fine?” Kevin ran his thumbs over the creases at the corner of Locke’s eyes.

  Locke’s gaze flicked over Kevin’s shoulder, then back to his face. “Promise.”

  Kevin stole a kiss. “Okay. See you soon.”

  Locke nodded, standing his ground by the conference table as Kevin followed Marlene into the elevator. Locke was rubbing his hand over his lips when the closing elevator doors cut him off from view.

  “CAPTAIN Vector.” Ann Poulson leaned on the arm of her chair and smiled at him.

  Kevin tried not to think about the fact he was wearing white spandex on national television. And there was a big blue chevron on his chest pointing at his crotch.

  “I was worried we might not have this interview. That was quite a hit you took yesterday.”

  “Yes it was, Ann.” He tried to smile in what he hoped was a natural and unstrained manner.

  “Were you badly injured? The firemen brought you out on a backboard.”

  “That was a precaution they took with all the individuals they rescued yesterday. Thankfully, my injuries were minor.”

  “That’s good. Bet you’re still a little sore today, though.”

  “Oh yeah. Really sore.” Kevin relaxed, glad he didn’t have to fake his grin.

  “One of the main questions the public always asks is whether the damage caused was necessary. Could anything have been done to prevent the destruction of that apartment building?”

  “We ask that question ourselves, Ann. And we try to approach each battle with the thought that we need to keep collateral damage as minimal as possible. Sometimes it’s just not feasible.”

  “You evacuated the surrounding buildings prior to engaging the colossus in combat. Were you expecting something to happen?”

  “The junk golem we fought yesterday was nearly four stories tall, Ann. It could barely move without causing damage to its surroundings. While minimizing damage is always our goal, sometimes the odds are stacked against us. Our first priority is saving human lives. Everything else can be rebuilt, but a life can’t be replaced.”

  “A noble sentiment, Captain Vector, but what do you say to the people whose homes and belongings are destroyed because of one of these conflicts?”

  Kevin narrowed his eyes at her. She wasn’t exactly sticking to the prepared script.

  “That I’m sorry we weren’t able to
resolve the conflict without contributing to their personal loss. As you know, Ann, my teammates and I all voluntarily spend many hours constructing shelters that can be used as temporary housing for those displaced by a conflict such as this. We also personally assist in the rebuilding of destroyed buildings.”

  “That is true, Captain. And our great city thanks you for it.” She smiled at him, and Kevin managed to smile back. “So, that just leaves me with one more question.”

  Kevin tried to look interested, and not apprehensive.

  “Would you care to talk us through this clip?” Ann looked over her shoulder at the wall screen. The studio lights went dim as the monitor changed from the show’s logo to a video clip. It had the characteristic movement of a camera drone, not quite the crystal-clear quality of a handheld camera.

  In the clip, Vector was being carried to the ambulance on the backboard. He was put in place on the gurney, and then Lockdown pushed through, planted one on him, and pulled back in shock. The clip froze, showing the wide-eyed expression on Kevin’s face.

  It felt like the look currently on his face.

  “Looks like you weren’t expecting that kiss, Captain.” Her eyes and smile were bright as the studio lights came back up.

  “No. I wasn’t.” That question wasn’t in the script.

  “Did you know Lockdown was attracted to you? I mean, I’m assuming he is. You don’t kiss someone like that if you’re not worried about them.” That wasn’t in the script, either.

  “Yes. I was aware.”

  “Does it make you uncomfortable? What’s the shower situation like at hero headquarters? Are you afraid to drop the soap?” A titter ran through the audience. That was very, very not in the script.

  Kevin crossed his arms over his chest. “Miss Poulson, Lockdown is a valued member of my team. As with all my team members, I trust him with my life on a daily basis. He has personally saved countless lives in this city on multiple occasions, including yours. I can recall three incidents off-hand where he directly prevented your death. Usually because you ignored police barricades and went where you shouldn’t have.”

  “Captain, I resent—”

  “I resent your unfair and insulting stereotyping of him. You should be apologizing to him. And all the other gay men you just insulted with your little ‘joke’.”

  Ann was looking over his left shoulder, mouthing something that looked like “Go to commercial.”

  “I’m sorry, what was that, Ann?” Kevin put on his blandest smile.

  “I—was telling the director I think we should take a quick commercial break.” She turned to the camera, smiling. “Stay tuned, folks, we’ll be right back after this message.”

  “We’re live, keep rolling,” a quiet voice came from behind Kevin.

  “Damon,” Ann hissed at someone off camera, and then plastered her smile back on for the viewers at home.

  Kevin twisted in his chair to follow her gaze. A lean man in a tight-fitting silk shirt and black jeans was clutching a tablet computer and glaring back at Ann. “Sorry, Miss Poulson. Feed is live to our affiliates. We can’t cut early.” He cocked his head and poked at the screen of his tablet. His mutter of “bitch” wasn’t loud enough for the microphones to catch, but Ann flushed red.

  She shifted, pulled her lavender jacket straight, and smiled at Kevin. “My apologies, Captain. Equality is obviously a sensitive issue for you. I meant no disrespect to your colleague. I’ll have a chat with the writers after the show.”

  Kevin kept his arms crossed and didn’t relax his posture to reflect hers. “I thought you prided yourself on writing all your own interview questions. It’s one of your show’s taglines.”

  Her smile melted to pursed lips. “Everyone needs a little help, now and then. Any final thoughts, Captain? Anything else you’d care to get off your chest?”

  “Nope.” Kevin made the word two syllables and gazed blithely at her.

  Ann managed to only glare at him a moment before stretching a smile onto her face and turning out toward the camera and the audience. “Well, once again Captain Vector and his team have done their best to protect our city from those that would menace her citizens. Coming up in just a moment, we have the story of a local girl whose science fair cucumbers are earning her attention from the global scientific community. We’ll be back shortly.”

  This time the director did allow her to cut to commercial.

  “Cut the mics,” she shouted to someone.

  Kevin stood up, already pulling his off.

  “I have an exclusive contract, Captain. I will not be insulted on my own show!”

  “You do have a contract, Miss Poulson, one which will not be renewed if it isn’t mutually beneficial. I don’t want you to twist the facts.” Kevin held his hands up. “But you will be respectful to all members of my team, regardless of orientation or gender. I’ve heard your comments about Jitterbug.” Kevin dropped the microphone on his chair and strode toward the exit.

  “You’re supposed to stay till the end!”

  “Not a chance.”

  The production assistants got out of his way. Or maybe they were getting out of Ann’s way, since she came charging after him. She grabbed his bicep, spinning him around until she could get up into his face. “Don’t fuck with me, Vector. I know what’s going on between you and….” She glanced around. “I know what’s going on. I’ll spill it, if you won’t cooperate.”

  Kevin kept his face bland and bit back the “go ahead” that wanted to burst out. “And?”

  “And? And it will ruin you.” She poked him in the chest.

  “Maybe. But I guarantee if you do that without approval, Marlene will ruin you.” He poked her back.

  “Miss Poulson, we’re back on air in thirty.”

  She sniffed and stepped back, pulling her blazer straight. “Think about what I said.”

  “You too.” Kevin strode out of the studio, ignored the man in a suit hurrying toward him, and walked straight out of the building to the limo waiting at the curb. The newscast was being played on the small television screen mounted in the roof.

  He pulled the door shut and settled into the rear-facing seat, under the TV so he didn’t have to watch it. “She didn’t stick to the prepared questions.”

  “I noticed.” Marlene was crammed into the far corner of the back seat, as if she wanted to get as far away from its other occupant as possible. “Miss Poulson has been getting some national attention lately due to her reporting on you heroes, and I think it may have gone to her head. I’ll have a chat with her.”

  In contrast to Marlene, Kevin slid across the seat toward the person he shared it with. Locke’s gaze was steady and unreadable, but he didn’t pull away when Kevin draped an arm over his shoulder or when he kissed him.

  A clearing throat brought his attention to the fourth occupant of the limo.

  “Mrs. Marsh.”

  “Kevin.”

  She gazed at him as she always did, like he was an unpleasant insect she was about to dissect. “You were not truthful with that woman about the nature of your relationship with my son.”

  “No, I wasn’t. If I was, I would be in breach of contract. I’d lose everything.” And, as her own lawyers had pointed out to him that morning, probably end up an indentured servant to the HUB, rather than a contracted employee.

  “It upset Claudius when you lied.”

  “Mother!”

  “However, Claudius did appreciate it when you defended him.”

  “Mother! Stop it!”

  She shot Locke a very intense stare that Kevin recognized as telepathic communication. Marlene was also watching with interest.

  “It’s rude to talk like that when they can’t hear you.”

  “And who told you that?”

  “You did, Mother.”

  “Fine. Claudius is the name I gave you, and it is the name I will use. And as for your reactions, I did not read your mind. Your reaction was easy enough to discern from your face and your surf
ace thoughts.”

  “Thank you.” Locke settled more closely to Kevin, his hand resting high up on Kevin’s thigh.

  Locke’s mother glared at it, but said nothing.

  “I don’t like seeing my only son unhappy, Mr. Quinn.”

  “I don’t either, ma’am.” It was impossible to address Locke’s mother casually. Not for the first time, Kevin wondered if there was more than her stern appearance engendering the formality.

  “Then we’ll have to do something to fix this problem, and allow the two of you to be together. Miss Fields?”

  Marlene squeaked.

  “Is there room on your calendar for me today?”

  “I actually have an….” Marlene’s gaze went vague for a moment. “Please let me know what time. I will make sure my schedule is clear.”

  “Excellent. After Kevin changes, I will be taking him and my son out to lunch, and then you and I will need to have a long discussion.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Marlene was sitting primly, hands on her knees, staring straight ahead. Marlene always sat stiffly, but never like that.

  “Good. Now put some classical music on. And try not to think too loudly. Your mind is all sharp and prickly. Like metal shavings.” Mrs. Marsh leaned back in her seat, eyes sliding closed.

  Kevin leaned in, his lips close to Locke’s ear. “Why is your mother here?”

  “Because I called her.” Their whispering was pointless considering the confines of the limo and Mrs. Marsh’s powers, but they did it anyway.

  “You didn’t ask her to come when you talked to her last night.”

  “No. This morning. After.” Locke shot a look at Marlene.

  Kevin leaned his forehead against Locke’s. “Your sudden headache in the conference room was a thought spike.”

  Locke nodded, the motion rubbing his nose against Kevin’s cheek. Kevin sighed and pulled Locke closer in place of asking him what, exactly, he’d picked up that had brought his mother out so quickly.

  “But why is she here, acting like she’s trying to help us be together?”

  Locke turned to kiss him, softly and gently, the little force equations bursting like miniature fireworks with every brushing contact. “Because, no matter what else, she wants me to be happy. And being with you, Kevin Quinn, makes me happy.”