Whence He Came

by Payne, Jodi;

  “We’re all part of this town, Elliot. Jenny, me, the team, your parents. We were the quicksand.”

  Elliot sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

  Tony fidgeted, playing with the fringe on a throw pillow. “So, what happened?”

  “I grew up, and Victor found someone younger to replace me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Elliot shook his head. “Don’t do that.”

  “No, I get it, Elliot. I mean, I see the attraction.”

  Elliot snorted. “You don’t have to,” he told Tony, moving closer. “Look, what I’m really trying to do here, what I really need to do, is apologize to you.”

  Tony looked at him and Elliot entwined their fingers.

  “I broke a promise to come back after college.”

  Tony nodded. “Well, yeah. That hurt, but I’m over it.”

  “I need to make it up to you, Tony. It’s the one thing in my life I truly regret. More than the lies and the deception, it’s the one thing I feel deeply sorry for, and I need to make it right.”

  Tony grinned. “Well, the flowers were a good start.”

  Elliot smiled. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. And the coffee. But—” Tony swallowed and his next question came out in a nervous rush. “When are you going back to the city?”

  “Well,” Elliot said, tightening his grip on Tony’s fingers. This was what he’d wanted to say in the hardware store and he was going to say it slowly and make damn sure he was heard. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to. That maybe you’d give me a reason to stay.”

  Tony looked genuinely surprised. He opened his mouth like maybe he was going to say something and then shut it again and stared. Elliot reached out and touched Tony’s cheek. “You okay?”

  “You’re really not going back?”

  “I wasn’t going to tell you right away, I didn’t want to put pressure on you, you know? I didn’t want to make any assumptions. I know you have your own life now and I can’t expect to waltz back in and—”

  “Go ahead and make them,” Tony interrupted.

  Elliot blinked at him. “What?”

  “Make assumptions. Waltz in anywhere you like.”

  “Tony—”

  “Make assumptions, Elliot.” Tony licked his lips. “Make some big ones.”

  “Okay,” Elliot grinned slightly, leaning forward. His heart was pounding as he accepted what Tony was offering. “I assume you want me to kiss you,” he said softly.

  “Yes,” Tony breathed. He pushed closer and let Elliot kiss him. Their lips met for a moment and then their teeth and tongues wandered hungrily over each other until they were both aching and breathless.

  “I assume you’re going to take me upstairs now?” Elliot asked, his neck arched to Tony’s tongue.

  “Yes, yes.” Tony nodded. He stood and pulled Elliot with him, and Elliot followed easily, completely overwhelmed by Tony’s response and damn glad he’d made the right assumptions so far.

  Even with the longer spring days, it was long past sunset now and Tony’s room was dark. The bed was neatly made this time and the curtains were pulled back, letting the soft light of a waxing moon into the room. Tony stopped next to his bed and looked up at Elliot.

  “More assumptions?” Elliot asked, stroking his fingers over Tony’s cheek.

  Tony nodded at him. “You can assume anything you want.”

  Elliot’s breath caught at the offer. This wasn’t something he was used to but, damn, he liked it. Elliot wanted skin, wanted to see Tony, admire his body and the work that Tony had put into it. “I assume you want to take your clothes off?” He asked Tony, speaking softly. “Everything,” he added, and this time he heard himself growl with the words.

  “Yeah.” Tony breathed, obeyed readily, undressing and laying his clothing in a pile near the bed. Elliot watched him, also stripping slowly until they were both naked. Tony climbed up onto the bed, his smooth skin stretched tight over his muscles and standing out against the dark green duvet. Elliot sighed, taking in the picture. “I assume that erection is for me?” he asked rhetorically. Tony nodded and Elliot grinned at him. “I assume you want me to fuck you?” he asked.

  Despite their game, he wanted a real answer to that question. It wasn’t the sort of thing he wanted to assume and then be wrong about, so he asked again, differently this time. “Do you want me to fuck you, Tony?”

  Tony didn’t disappoint him. “Please?” he asked, lifting one knee and giving Elliot a money shot of his ass.

  “Fuck, Tony.” Elliot climbed up onto the bed and moved over Tony, slowly bending down to take his lips. Their kiss was slow at first as they lingered over each other, but it grew stronger and hungrier, more urgent as the minutes wore on. Elliot slipped his hand between their bodies, finding Tony hard and wanting, and he moaned. “Jesus, Tony. You grew up good.”

  “I want you, Elliot,” Tony told him, panting between thoughts. “It’s not rational, it’s been years I know, but I do want this.” He lifted his hips, forcing his cock through Elliot’s fist. “Want it bad. Oh, God.”

  Elliot tightened his fingers, making Tony groan loudly. The sound made Elliot shiver and his cock thumped heavily against Tony’s thigh. He lowered his mouth to Tony’s chest and drew a nipple in between his lips.

  “Ah!” Tony gasped. “Elliot, yes.”

  Yes, indeed. Elliot licked and sucked until the nipple was firm and pink and then he moved to the other one and offered his teeth, feeling Tony arch and writhe under him and listening to him gasp and moan. “Elliot,” Tony hissed. “Fuck, please.”

  “Got rubbers?” Elliot asked. “Lube?”

  Tony nodded. “Bathroom.”

  Elliot chuckled softly and slid away from Tony. “I assume you’re going to be right here when I get back?” He asked, grinning.

  Tony’s eyes were hooded and his voice was rough. “Fuck, yes.”

  Elliot wasn’t gone long, and he didn’t care that he’d knocked a bunch of stuff out of the medicine cabinet into the bathroom sink as he pulled out the condoms and lube with shaking fingers. Elliot approached the bed again, watching Tony, stalking him where he lay stroking himself and panting.

  “I assume you’re going to wait for me?” Elliot asked, laughing softly.

  “Elliot,” Tony moaned, but his eyes were closed and Elliot wasn’t sure Tony had even heard him. “Fuck, Elliot. Please!”

  Elliot climbed over him quickly and shoved Tony’s hand away from his cock. “Wait. Wait for me.”

  Tony’s eyes flew open and he looked at Elliot. “Oh, God. You’re really here.”

  Elliot suddenly found it hard to breathe against the crushing emotions in his chest. “Tony. Jesus, Tony,” he managed to whisper as he seated the rubber. He slicked his fingers and pushed two into Tony’s ass.

  “Oh, God. Elliot, yes!”

  Tony rolled his hips, begging for more without words. Elliot was mesmerized by the way his body moved and sat back on his heels to watch. Tony’s chest heaved, his pecs twitching now and then in response to the way Tony’s arms moved. Tony had a knuckle between his teeth and his eyes were shut tight. His other hand was tangled in the duvet and he tugged on the fabric urgently. The sounds he made were delicious; moans and grunts and soft whimpers as his ass clung to Elliot’s probing fingers.

  Hot need rocked Elliot’s body like a wave crashing against the shore and broke the spell. Elliot wasn’t content to watch anymore, he wanted to touch and feel. He moved between Tony’s knees and pushed the head of his cock against Tony’s hole.

  “I assume you want this?” he growled. It wasn’t really a question anymore, he was already pushing inside Tony before he got an answer.

  “Yes! Do it, Elliot. Fuck me!”

  Spurred on by Tony’s heated words, Elliot sank deep and when Tony settled he started to move, slowly at first but balls deep, one deliberate, solid thrust after another. Tony lifted his heels and Elliot felt them dig into his ass. “Faster,” Tony begged, and Elliot felt compelled to obey
. With a grunt he picked up the pace, fucking Tony harder and more purposefully, his own desires falling right in line with Tony’s.

  When Tony demanded more, Elliot groaned and nodded, putting more force behind his thrusts. When Tony coaxed him deeper, Elliot was determined to be what his lover needed. And when Tony lifted his knees and told Elliot he was close, Elliot gave it up, abandoning the romance of sensation and pounding into Tony, fucking his ass and reveling in the upward spiral of his own orgasm.

  Tony came first, crying out and arching off the bed, slicking his six pack abs. The grateful abandon on his face made Elliot’s eyes sting with hot tears but then Tony’s scent filled Elliot’s senses and his world tilted abruptly. His hips took up an erratic rhythm on their own until he felt his release take hold of him, consuming his thoughts and making him shudder.

  “Elliot. Elliot,” Tony’s voice cut through the haze. “So good, beautiful.”

  Elliot forced himself to take a deep breath and then shook his head, trying to clear it. “Tony,” he said, pulling out and settling beside the shorter man.

  He moaned as Tony’s heat abruptly disappeared, but the moment was brief and then Tony was back, washing Elliot’s stomach and chest with a warm cloth. Elliot felt Tony remove the condom and ditch it before pressing close again.

  “Tony,” Elliot said again, still floating a bit. Coherent thought wasn’t forthcoming.

  “Shh.” Tony settled beside him and everything went dark.

  * * * *

  When Elliot woke, he was alone in bed. The curtains had been drawn closed but he could tell it was light outside. He sat up slowly and swung his legs off the bed, smiling at the slight ache in his muscles. He felt great.

  “Tony?” he called, but he didn’t get an answer. He scratched his head and pulled on his jeans, then made his way downstairs. “Tone? Where are you?”

  The house was silent, but there was a note on the kitchen counter. Elliot looked at it for a moment and then picked it up and read it.

  Hey sleepyhead,

  I had to run down to the store and open it up. First time I’ve been late to work since I bought the place. I hope you’re proud of yourself. I’m going to have Kevin close up tonight, so I’ll be home around five.

  My ass is sore. You made some damn good assumptions, hot stuff.

  T.

  Elliot laughed and set the note down, then warmed up some of the coffee that was sitting in the pot in Tony’s microwave and toasted a leftover bagel. Not five minutes later the phone rang. Elliot stared at it, doing that thing people do when someone else’s phone rings and they haven’t asked whether or not they ought to answer it. He reached for it and then pulled his hand back, deciding to let it go to voicemail.

  Seconds later his cell phone rang but he didn’t recognize the number so he let it go. Then he got a text. Someone was really trying to track him down. Maybe it was Tony.

  Elliot?

  He squinted at the phone.

  Elliot, this is Jenny. I saw Tony a little while ago. I know you fucked him.

  His eyes widened. “What?” he stammered into Tony’s empty kitchen.

  Elliot, call me right now!

  Fearing Jenny might do something drastic like decide to drive over, he did as he was ordered and dialed the number.

  “Elliot.”

  “Jenny?”

  “Elliot! I expected you two to hit it off again, but I had forgotten what sluts you both were!”

  “Jesus, Jenny.”

  Jenny laughed in his ear. “Was it good? Was he hot? Was it better than it used to be?”

  “I’d never fucked him before, it was always just blow jobs and stroking off.”

  “So this was better.”

  “Way better.”

  “I knew it! He had this look and he was kind of floaty and I just knew it!”

  Elliot froze. “Wait. He didn’t tell you?”

  “Who, Tony? Oh God, he would never tell me.”

  “You bitch!” Elliot said with a laugh. “I thought he told you!”

  “Oh, quit it, El. You can’t keep a secret from me, you would have called me tonight anyway.”

  Sadly, Elliot realized, Jenny was probably right. “We’re not sluts.”

  “Well no, but Tony’s been waiting seven years for you to fuck him so I had to know.”

  Elliot blinked. “He did not wait for me.”

  Jenny snorted. “Yeah, Elliot. He did.” Elliot didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure he believed her. No one could keep a candle burning that long for someone unless…unless. Oh. Well, Elliot hadn’t forgotten Tony either, had he? So maybe it was possible. Jenny must have figured his long silence for what it was, finally speaking up again. “Hello? He wasn’t celibate or anything, Elliot. He just didn’t fall in love.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “Okay, so tell me about the sex.”

  “No way.”

  “Oh, come on. Don’t get shy on me now. If you could let me watch while you blew each other, you can tell me what the fucking was like.”

  Elliot blushed. He’d forgotten about that night. He and Tony were barely eighteen and apparently already on the road to kinky. Elliot had known she was there and Tony figured it out not long after, but neither of them had let on. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You lie, and badly. Talk.”

  “Tony asked me to drive,” Elliot said.

  Jenny gasped. “Really?”

  “He totally gave me carte blanche. It was hot as hell.” His cock shifted as if to remind Elliot of its presence and Elliot tugged on the fabric at the front of his jeans.

  “Elliot, that is so…wow.”

  “I know. I told him to strip and he did. He took everything off and stretched out on his bed like a statue with his cock standing up, begging for me.”

  “Jesus Christ, Elliot,” Jenny cleared her throat and Elliot could hear her shift around. “You’re getting me wet.”

  “That’s disgusting, Jenny,” Elliot joked.

  “I need to go find Taylor.”

  “Taylor?”

  “My boyfriend. I didn’t tell you about Taylor?”

  “No, you hussy, you did not.”

  “You’ll like him. He’s bi.”

  “I like him already.” Elliot laughed. “I’ll be sure to flirt with him to turn you on.”

  It was Jenny’s turn to laugh. “Sorry, Tony’s already got that angle covered.”

  “Man, the things you miss when you move away.”

  “You and Tony should come by the diner tonight. You can meet him.”

  “If we’re not otherwise engaged, we’ll be there.”

  “Good. Work up an appetite, then come eat.”

  “Will do! See ya, Jenny.”

  “Bye, bye.” Jenny hung up.

  Elliot finished his bagel and coffee and then flopped on Tony’s couch and turned on the TV. There was nothing on but soap operas and reruns and he quickly felt his eyes drifting closed again. He’d felt tired since before he left the city, just bone weary and beat. Hell, he was alone and had nothing better to do so he decided not to fight it.

  * * * *

  It was dusk when something woke him.

  After a moment’s disorientation, Elliot realized the something was Tony. He was kneeling on the floor beside the couch, his fingers tugging at Elliot’s fly and his tongue was drawing circles on Elliot’s belly.

  “Welcome home,” Elliot croaked. He swallowed and tried again. “Late?”

  “A little. About six,” Tony told him, tugging his cock from his jeans.

  “Jesus, Tony.”

  “Want you.”

  “Take your shirt off,” he ordered. He couldn’t help it, Tony’s body was too pretty to hide under clothing. To his great delight, Tony paused, tugged it off without batting an eyelash, and went right back to what he’d been doing. “Damn, Tony.”

  “Anything for you, hot stuff.”

  Tony swallowed Elliot’s cock to the back of his
throat and Elliot gasped, one hand going straight into Tony’s hair and the other settling on the bulging muscle in Tony’s upper arm. “Fuck!” He shouted. He tried to get a breath, tried to say something coherent to Tony but he was helpless to the blissful heat of Tony’s mouth and the luscious rippling around his cock. “Oh, fuck!”

  Tony had only just started but already Elliot knew he wasn’t going to last. He shivered as he forced his hips to stay down. He remembered Tony being good at this, but they were teenagers then and anything that wasn’t his own hand could make him shoot in seconds. This was skill, the way that Tony’s tongue scrubbed over his length and the controlled way that Tony took him deep into his throat. Fucking incredible skill and he planned to enjoy it.

  “Tony…fuck you’ve gotten good at this.” He groaned and his balls drew up, heralding the beginning of the end. He was almost embarrassed by how quickly Tony had him there, except that he knew it was exactly what Tony intended. “Now, now!” He warned, trying to shout but the words came out strangled by his need.

  In an instant he was coming, shooting down Tony’s throat and watching Tony swallow every last drop and then lick him clean all the way to his balls.

  “Fuck,” Elliot panted. “Jesus, Tony.”

  Tony moved closer to the end of the couch and smiled at him. “Liked that?”

  “Loved that. Loved every second of it.”

  “It only lasted seconds, so I’m glad you took notice,” Tony teased.

  “Thank you,” Elliot heard himself say suddenly, reaching for Tony and kissing him hard. Tony seemed surprised at first, but relaxed into the kiss just as he had the night before. “You didn’t have to make it this easy on me, Tony. Thank you so much.”

  “I love you,” Tony said simply, lifting one shoulder and smiling at him again.

  Elliot felt the sting of tears again. “I love you,” Elliot said, stunned by Tony’s quiet admission. “I’m so sorry, and I do love you.”

  “I know, Elliot.” Tony kissed him this time. “We’ll start something better. Something new.”

  Elliot slipped to the floor where he could pull Tony into his arms. “I missed you. I thought about you so much. All the time. I knew I was making a huge mistake, I was just…greedy and stupid.”