The Gilded Mirror

by L. M. Somerton

  “Oh, you look like crap!”

  “Thanks, Petey—just the motivational comment I need from my best friend.”

  “Well you do, and I don’t want Gage to shoot me—he has a big gun. You need to go to bed.”

  “No.”

  “Yes!”

  “Could you cut the decibels?” Landry knuckled his temples.

  “If you don’t go upstairs to your apartment, I’m gonna start singing some Kylie.”

  “You’re tone deaf. When you sing, animals start evacuating like there’s a volcanic eruption or tsunami on the way.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Fine. I’ll go make myself a sandwich then work upstairs for a while.” Tucking the mirror under his arm, Landry levered himself upright. “I think I did that too quickly… Why is everything moving?”

  “The ear infection is probably affecting your balance, you idiot.”

  “No kidding…” Landry made a grab for the edge of his table, missed and went to his knees, knocking his face on the corner of the table as he went. “Oh, ow!” He managed to save the mirror before it hit the ground, but the rear panel dislodged. He shuffled back on his ass so that he could lean against the wall and laid the mirror across his thighs. He rubbed at his face. “That hurt. Landry versus the table is not a good idea. At least it was me that got damaged and not my mirror.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that your priorities are completely wrong?” Petey scowled. “Gage is going to do bad things to me when he sees your face.”

  “Did you just whimper? Help me up, and I’ll go hide upstairs. By the time Gage gets home the redness will have gone, and you’ll have Carson to protect you. I don’t think it’s bad enough to bruise anyway.”

  “Sounds like a terrible plan.” Holding out a hand, Petey waited while Landry laid the mirror on the floor before heaving himself to his feet. This time, Landry waited a while before attempting to move. Petey bent down to pick up the mirror. “The wooden retaining panel has slipped a bit. Doesn’t look like any of the catches have snapped, though.”

  “Oh, that’s good. I was going to take the back off anyway, so that I could clean underneath. I don’t know what I would have done if the glass had broken. Apart from Lord knows how many years’ bad luck, I’d never have found a replacement.”

  “You’re not going to put a new piece in?” Petey ran a finger down the mottled glass.

  “No, I like the aged look. And besides, it’s more valuable with the original in there.”

  After reassuring Petey that he could make the trip unaided, Landry kept close to the wall as he made his way out of the storage room and around the back of the store to the door that led to the hallway. If he got giddy again, he wanted something solid to lean on. As a teenager he’d been on a school trip to Mount Rainier. The stairs seemed steeper and more of a challenge than the mountain ever had. By the time he reached the landing outside his apartment door, Landry was panting and giving thanks that he’d moved one floor down from the attic. “Going back to bed might not be such a bad idea after all,” he muttered. “You’re never too old to nap.”

  Leaving the mirror on the dining table, he grabbed a bottle of apple juice from the fridge before making his way to the bedroom. His head was pounding, and his vision dark around the edges. He managed to kick off his shoes and drink the juice before collapsing onto the bed with a moan. Sleep claimed him before his first sheep bounced over the stile.

  When he came to, Landry had no idea how long he’d been asleep. The room was dark, and the curtains drawn, something he couldn’t remember doing. The mattress shifted, and he realized he wasn’t alone. “Gage?”

  “You’d better hope so. Before you ask, yes, Petey is still alive, though it was a close thing. How are you feeling?” Gage laid cool fingers on Landry’s forehead.

  Landry lay still and thought about it. “Actually, I feel okay.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “Well… I needed a nap, and my head was hurting when I went to sleep. I kept getting dizzy but now the headache has gone, and I can move without feeling like I need to throw up.” He struggled into a sitting position. “What time is it?”

  “Nearly eight. I got home a half-hour ago.”

  “Wow, I’ve been asleep over six hours.”

  “Which you wouldn’t have needed if you’d done what I suggested this morning and stayed home to rest.”

  “Maybe?”

  “No doubt about it.” Gage stroked Landry’s hair. “Perhaps we need to formalize the necessity that you be obedient in a contract.”

  “Or I could admit you were right and promise to listen in future?”

  “Hmm. Sounds like deflection to me.”

  “You can spank me when I’m feeling better.”

  “Oh, I can, can I?”

  “Uh huh, if you want to of course…I mean, that’s up to you, Sir.” Landry gulped. “I’m so thirsty, could I have some ginger tea?”

  “More deflection.”

  “I slept in my clothes. I should take a shower too.”

  “You get a pass today and possibly tomorrow, but that’s it. By the end of the week your ass will be on fire and your dick will be in a cage.” Gage stomped off in the direction of the kitchen.

  Landry flopped back on the bed. “Phew. Lucky escape.”

  “I heard that!”

  “Do you have super-powered ears?”

  “All the better to hear you with.” There was a certain amount of intriguing menace in Gage’s tone.

  “I need to invest in a red cloak,” Landry muttered. “That man definitely has wolfish tendencies.”

  “Still listening!”

  “Damn it!” Landry stripped off his clothes then sprinted to the bathroom. At least with the shower running he could talk to himself in peace.

  Half an hour later, Landry was in the middle of inhaling a particularly good bowl of chili. “This is so yum!”

  “Don’t speak with your mouth full.” Gage grinned despite the admonishment.

  Landry waved his now empty fork around. “You love it when I compliment your cooking.”

  “I like to see you enjoying it. The compliments aren’t needed.”

  “Well, you need to accept them with grace because if you keep this up, there’ll be more. It really is good, Gage. Are there any seconds? I didn’t have any lunch.” Landry hid his smile as Gage pretended to be grumpy while he went to fetch more food.

  “Here you go. I made a big batch. We can freeze the rest.”

  “You’re not having any more?”

  “I’m full. I’ll watch you stuff yourself.”

  “That sounds naughty.”

  “Eat, Landry!”

  “I could get used to you waiting on me,” Landry said, finally pushing his empty bowl away.

  “You can dream. If you weren’t ill, you’d be tied to your chair by now. Naked, of course.”

  “Oh, of course.” Landry rolled his eyes. “And what would you be doing?”

  “I’d be clamping those pretty nipples then running a pinwheel up and down your cock.”

  The heat built in Landry’s cheeks and it wasn’t the fever returning. Being ill apparently had no effect on his ability to achieve an erection. He shuffled in his seat, scowling at Gage’s knowing grin.

  “Now see what you did!” Landry waved at his lap.

  “There does seem to be some swelling,” Gage observed, peering over the edge of the table. “Is that usually a side effect of an ear infection?”

  “It’s a side effect of a Gage obsession,” Landry muttered.

  “Then we should treat it.” Gage rose, stalked over to Landry’s chair then lifted it, Landry still on it, until it faced away from the table. He sank to his knees between Landry’s legs, yanked down his zipper and frowned. “Hmm, looks serious.” Landry shifted so that Gage could yank pants and underwear down to Landry’s ankles. “Kick them off then spread your legs.”

  Landry kicked frantically until the annoying garments flew
in various directions leaving him clad only in socks and T-shirt. He parted his knees as wide as he could, and his rigid dick bounced until Gage ducked his head, taking Landry’s erection into his mouth.

  “Holy fuck!” Landry’s voice rose between the first and second words. In a timescale he wasn’t proud of, approximately twenty seconds, Landry came. He rose an inch or so off the seat, until Gage shoved him down again, and let out a wail that was going to give Petey nightmares if he didn’t have his headphones on. Panting, Landry squirmed. Gage was still sucking, and it was too much, Landry’s dick was too sensitive. Gage gave the tip of Landry’s cock a final lick.

  “Feeling better? The swelling seems to have gone down.” He got to his feet and pulled Landry into his arms.

  “I’m a bit dizzy and my knees are shaking.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.” Gage hoisted him up, both hands beneath his bare ass. “I’m gonna put you back to bed.”

  “Wait! I wanted to show you what I’ve done to my mirror.”

  “Okay. Five minutes.” Gage didn’t put Landry down.

  “Uh, Gage?”

  “What?”

  “It’s kind of hard for me to show you like this.”

  “Oh…sorry. Got a bit distracted by the feel of your…never mind.” He put Landry on his feet. The mirror was still where Landry had left it, on the edge of the table. He reached for it but knocked it and the mirror tilted, swaying precariously. As it fell, Gage grabbed it. “Wow, good reflexes!”

  “I think the back panel might be broken.” Gage turned the mirror over then placed it on the table again.

  “I should put my pants on.”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “You don’t need pants.”

  Grumbling under his breath, Landry sat his ass down. “It dislodged a bit earlier when I almost dropped it in the store. I lost my balance. It’s even looser now, but I was going to take it off this evening anyway, to clean the catches and take the glass out.” Four metal clasps held the wooden backing in place, though three were now doing the job. Landry slid the panel free. “There’s something here!”

  “What is it?” Gage leaned over his shoulder.

  “A folded piece of paper—looks old.” Landry fumbled to get it out. He unfolded it, then smoothed it onto the dining table. He stared at it, trying to work out what it portrayed.

  “It looks like a map,” Gage said, leaning to take a closer look. “I think all the squiggles are contour lines.”

  “You could be right!” Landry traced one of the lines with the tip of his finger. “In which case, this is steep terrain. Some of these other marks look like they could be topographical symbols. There’s a very faint cross here, could be a church.” He fought back a yawn.

  “And there will be plenty of time to have a closer look tomorrow,” Gage said.

  Landry was torn between wanting to keep looking at his new treasure map and the draw of a comfortable bed. “It’s bedtime.” Gage’s expression suggested that it wasn’t the time to start an argument.

  “Okay.”

  “You must be feeling bad,” Gage said. “I was expecting much more of an argument. How did you get that red mark on your cheek, by the way?”

  “I caught my face in the store when I lost my balance earlier today. It’s nothing.”

  “Did you think I wouldn’t notice? It’s going to bruise.” Gage touched Landry’s face.

  “I got a bit dizzy, that’s all.”

  Gage scooped Landry off his chair and into his arms. “All the more reason to put you to bed.”

  Landry flailed then relaxed into Gage’s hold. He snuggled against Gage’s chest. “Promise we can spend time on the map tomorrow?”

  “No promises until I know how you’re feeling. You might need a day in bed.”

  “No!” Landry wailed. “What if it’s a treasure map? I need to find out if X marks the spot.”

  “You have an overactive imagination.” Gage gave Landry’s bare ass a pat then dropped him onto the bed.

  “And that is not a bad thing. You wouldn’t like me nearly so much if I didn’t.”

  “What makes you think I like you?” Gage stripped off his clothes then stood naked at the foot of the bed, hands on hips.

  Landry licked his lips. “Well, there’s one clue, right there.” He waggled his finger in the direction of Gage’s dick. “You love me. I am very lovable and impossible to resist. What are you going to do about that hard pointy thing?”

  “You’re sick. Take the rest of your clothes off. You need rest.”

  “I’m still capable of lying here with my mouth open,” Landry said. “An ear infection doesn’t affect my jaw muscles, or my tongue…” He yelped as Gage clambered onto the bed then crawled over him. He set about removing Landry’s remaining clothing as fast as possible until they were both equally bare. Landry grinned up at him, delighted at the reaction he had inspired.

  “So maybe I do love you.” Gage prodded at Landry’s lips with the end of his cock. “Open up and take your medicine.”

  “Yes, Doctor…” Any more words were cut off. Gage grabbed the headboard and bounced in place while Landry could only lie there and take it. There was no opportunity for licking or sucking because not gagging took all Landry’s concentration. He reached for Gage’s ass and managed to gain some purchase, digging his fingers into flexing muscle.

  “Fuck, fuck…” Gage came in a series of hot spurts down Landry’s throat, his face contorted into a grin grimace combination. He pulled clear but remained where he was while he took a few heaving breaths. Landry ran his tongue over his lips then let go of Gage’s backside.

  “I may have given you bruises,” he said happily. Gage frowned and rubbed at his rear. “I needed something to hang onto.”

  “Brat.” Gage shuffled to one side of the bed. “Lift your butt so I can sort the covers.” A lot of wiggling followed until they both made it beneath the comforter and Landry found his happy place spooned into Gage’s groin. “How are your ears?”

  “Ringing. I’m thinking of taking up campanology.”

  “Go to sleep, Landry.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Landry closed his eyes. The sooner sleep came the sooner the treasure hunt could begin.

  Chapter Six

  “Nooo!” Landry wailed as the bell above the shop door rang again and a crowd of soggy people herded inside. “Why does it have to be so busy today?”

  “Why? Do you have somewhere better to be?” Petey asked. “You’ve been acting like you have ants in your pants all day. Ooh, did Gage stuff something interesting up your… Good afternoon, madam, is there something I can help you with?”

  Landry withheld a snort as he watched Petey sweet talk his latest customers. Sadly, Gage hadn’t done anything nefarious that morning. They’d both overslept, and there had been no time for anything except showers and emergency coffee. Landry felt much better, with no headache or giddiness, but his hearing was still a bit muffled. Over the phone, he’d assured Mr. Lao that he was more than capable of handling the store for the day. Now, though, he was regretting his bravado. Not because he’d had a relapse but because they’d been so busy he hadn’t had a chance to examine his map. Rainy days at Treasure Trove seemed to go one of two ways. Either the weather kept everyone hunkered down at home and the store remained deserted or the entire antique-buying population of Seattle decided enough was enough and braved the downpour for a spot of retail therapy. Today, the world and his wife seemed to fancy perusing old furniture while sheltering from the persistent precipitation. Sales had been great and that meant good commission for Landry as well as plenty of room for new stock, but all Landry could think about was the map. He wrapped a set of champagne flutes on autopilot, nodding to the customer while not really following what they were saying. When they eventually left and Petey finished with the lady he was dealing with, Landry heaved a sigh of relief. The store was finally empty.

  “What’s up with you?” Petey asked. “You’ve been acti
ng strange all day. Should you go and rest? If your head is hurting, you need to say so because I value my dangly bits. Carson likes them, and I like Carson liking them.”

  “Way too much information there, Petey! I’m fine. Not caffeinated enough… But am I ever?”

  Petey gaped. “I have no idea how to respond to that.”

  “If you go get drinks, I’ll tell you a secret,” Landry said. “I’ll pay.”

  “What kind of secret? Is it worth my while because I know all about your illicit desire to stick your tongue up Gage’s…”

  “This is another secret… A better one, and you shouldn’t talk about the other thing out loud because I’m ninety-nine percent sure Gage has installed listening devices all over the store.”

  Pete’s eyes widened and he scanned the shelves. “He would so do that.”

  “Even more reason for you to fetch me coffee.”

  “Fine but I want extra gold stars for going out in the rain to satisfy your addiction.”

  “And you’re not going to enjoy the hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles I know you’re going to get for you?”

  “Well, it’s a hot chocolate kind of day, though we should also have an open fire and marshmallows to toast. Oh! I can get marshmallows in my chocolate… Give me the money.”

  Landry handed over some cash. “Don’t forget my vanilla shot.”

  “As if.” Petey skipped down the aisle and out of the door without stopping to put on a jacket or take an umbrella.

  “He’s gonna get wet,” Landry muttered. While Petey was gone Landry cleared some space on the cash desk, pulled up two stools then fetched the map from the storeroom where he had hidden it behind a particularly ugly bronze of a rearing horse. A horse that in his opinion looked more like a donkey.

  He smoothed out the brittle paper then fetched a battered angle poise lamp for better light. The lines and markings on the paper were faded from age and quite hard to see. The light was a distinct improvement but the more he stared at the map the less sense it seemed to make. He raked his fingers through his hair before trying to ease the crick in his neck. His joints gave a resounding crack just as Petey returned. The bell above the door jangled, and Petey came inside ass first, balancing two extra-tall cups. He shook his head like a dog, sending droplets flying.