Chapter 3
Everyone came streaming back in as the credits to the movie were rolling. ‘Great timing’, Jeremy thought as he got up off the couch and went out into the hallway to greet his lover. Everyone was red-cheeked and nosed from the cold outside. Travis greeted him with one of those slow smiles that always made parts of his body tighten traitorously. “We had fun,” he drawled as he removed his thick winter coat. “Did you, Jeremy?”
“Yeah, I did,” he replied.
Mary shook some snow off of herself briskly. “Ahh, I love caroling! I think we all need some hot cocoa now, though,” she added. “Let’s go into the kitchen and warm ourselves up!”
Jeremy shuddered at the mention of cocoa – besides, he had other plans for his tall boyfriend. He caught at Travis’s arm. “Hey, come upstairs with me Stretch,” he told the other man urgently. “I need your help with something.”
The artist blinked, but nodded after a moment. “Mom, I’ll take a rain check on the cocoa,” he called to his parent. “Jeremy needs my help upstairs.”
“Okay, dear. Just come into the kitchen when you’re done,” she called back.
“I will,” he replied as Jeremy began to tow him away determinedly by his arm.
“What do you need my help with, Jeremy?” the art student asked in bewilderment as they climbed the stairs.
He sighed. “Don’t be thick, Beanpole,” he chided his lover. “Now which one of these rooms has a working lock on the door?”
Travis’s brows drew together. “Well, the bathroom at the end of the hall has one…” he began.
“Great. Come on.” Jeremy pulled him toward the door he’d indicated.
He yanked Travis into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. Then he locked it with a feeling of relief, looking at his boyfriend. Travis was staring at him, obviously still a little unsure about his intentions. “Jeremy?”
He snorted as he straightened up from the door and pulled his shirt off over his head. “I’ll warm you up better than cocoa,” he said in a faintly sultry tone of voice. “And if you think that I’m gonna wait until tonight just because the lock on your room doesn’t work, you have another think coming, Long shanks,” he added as his hands went down to start at the fastenings on his jeans.
“But Jeremy…” Travis began to protest weakly. “What if somebody comes?”
“”Oh, yeah, somebody’s coming all right,” he replied with relish. “Two somebodys, if I have my way. As for somebody coming upstairs – there’s a bathroom downstairs they can use, and if they’re really determined you can just yell out and tell them you have diarrhea.”
Travis looked aghast at this and Jeremy wormed his way out of his jeans and underwear. “But my mom will want to treat it,” he said in horror.
“Your problem,” Jeremy replied with a shrug. He stepped toward his boyfriend. “Are you really telling me that you don’t want to fuck me here and now, Stretch?” he added incredulously.
The art student’s mouth opened, but nothing came out as Jeremy began to rip the clothes off of him. “Look at it this way,” the librarian added as he began to yank Travis’s pants down his legs, “It’ll add a touch of danger to the whole thing. We might get caught screwing in your parents’ bathroom,” he said as he began to sink to his knees onto the tile floor.
Travis might have made a last token protest – but just then Jeremy’s hot little mouth closed over his cock. He groaned instead, his fingers lacing into the hair atop the librarian’s head to hold him in place. God, Jeremy was a skilled cock sucker! His mouth should be classified a deadly weapon with the way he could use it. Fingers found his balls, stroking and pulling at them until poor Travis was completely lost. He forgot that his family was downstairs, and that one of the kids might come up here and catch them; all he knew or thought about was the way that Jeremy’s tongue was skirling around the shaft of his dick in a snake-like manner. His hips began to move as he pushed more of himself into that tight, hot space, until Jeremy’s nose was buried in his (dyed black) pubic hair.
The librarian briefly removed his mouth and began to suck on one of his fingers. His half-lidded eyes met his boyfriend’s as he did so, his pink tongue gliding over the digit in a manner designed to make Travis breathe very hard and fight back a loud moan. Then he resumed his fellation with a vengeance, even as he reached around and stuck the moistened finger deep into his lover’s ass. It burrowed inward, seeking his pleasure button as Jeremy sucked like a demon on the length of flesh in his throat. Travis began to make the sound a dying animal might, then he bit his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed as Jeremy’s finger reached its destination at the same time that he formed his mouth into a sealed vacuum and really blew his lover’s…mind. Travis’s knees threatened to buckle as he came in Jeremy’s mouth, and he fell back against the sink in a boneless heap.
The librarian licked at the softening cock like a cat with a bowl of cream, cleaning it off. He smirked at the dazed look in the lidded black eyes. Reducing Travis Burke to rubble with his tongue was a triumph or him, considering the fact that he’d never been able to get his boyfriend any other way. All of his sarcasm, nasty remarks, and spitefulness hadn’t put a dent in that placid armor. But when he blew Travis – then he got a reaction. A big one. He glanced up at his lover. “You still have any objections, Stretch?” he asked as he rose to his feet.
The art student shook his head silently. Jeremy grinned and looked around. “They got anything we can use for lube?” he asked. “Ours is still in the luggage. Unless you want to go out there like that and get it...” he nodded at Travis’s nakedness significantly.
Travis turned and opened the medicine cabinet. He handed Jeremy a jar of petroleum jelly. “Mm, that’ll do,” he said as he took it.
Jeremy opened the jar and dipped his fingers into it. Then he set the jar on the counter and walked past Travis to the toilet. He leaned over and set one hand on the closed lid, even as he looked over his shoulder at his boyfriend. He gave Travis a low-lidded look as he reached back with his slick hand and stuck a finger inside of himself. “Oh, yeah,” he breathed. “That feels good.”
Travis put a hand over his mouth to contain his groan as he watched Jeremy prepare himself. Fuck, it was the sexiest sight he’d ever seen! Two fingers were twisting and squirming inside of his own ass as the librarian stretched himself and rubbed his own prostate at the same time. His mouth hung open a bit, and his hips swayed as he opened himself up. “Ohh, Stretch, I can’t wait for you to fuck me,” he gasped.
Travis shuddered as Jeremy finally pulled his fingers free. “Come here,” he told the art student, who complied in a daze.
Jeremy reached back and grabbed his lover’s cock. He used the extra jelly to slick up Travis’s now renewed cock until it fairly glistened. He gave it a tug, liking the hardness and already anticipating having that inside of him. He spread his legs and lifted his hips invitingly. “Come on, Stretch, fuck me good,” he said throatily.
Travis did. They didn’t use condoms anymore, since both had been tested and found to be disease free. And of course he’d never cheat on Jeremy, not in a million years…and he trusted his lover not to cheat on him either. And because he did, because he had that simple but powerful child-like faith in Jeremy, the librarian couldn’t even bring himself to think about having sex with other guys. Besides, why did he need anyone else when Travis was such a good lover? So strong, so much stamina, and pretty good technique too. He moaned as his lover’s cock slid home and long-fingered hands grasped his hips to hold him in place.
His body shook a little as Travis began to thrust inside of him. “Ugh, ugh,” he gasped, little noises torn from his throat as he got what he wanted. Damn, this was good!
“You’re so tight, Jeremy,” he heard Travis moan behind him.
He pushed back a little against those hands to get more. “Yeah, do it,” he said. “Harder.”
The art student picked up his pace even more, practically driving Jeremy face first into the toilet tank. He reached down between his legs with one hand while steadying himself with the other, grabbing his own cock and beginning to fist it tightly. “Ahh, String bean, that’s it,” he moaned. “God!”
Travis made a near circle with his hips, and Jeremy saw stars. His body shook and his fingers tightened on his cock. A mouth began to kiss and lick at his shoulder blades, rasping a bit as it collected the sweat glistening there. Travis had leaned over and braced his long arms on either side of Jeremy’s. He drove into his lover even as he bit at the librarian’s earlobe. “You feel so good, Jeremy. I love doing this with you,” he groaned into his boyfriend’s ear.
This declaration set the librarian off. He gritted his teeth against a scream as he came, his hand furiously milking the semen out of his cock. He grunted as Travis continued to plow into him for a few minutes more, then the art student succumbed as well. He pulled his cock out and shot his load over Jeremy’s back, knowing (in a vague sort of way at this point) that it would be easier to wash his back off then clean him out inside. The feel of the droplets falling onto his skin made the librarian moan again. It was just such a sexy sensation.
Travis’s hands cupped his hips and stroked the skin. “Wow. That was great,” he breathed.
Jeremy nodded silently, still a little out of it from the intensity of his orgasm. After they’d both recovered a bit, Travis stepped over and turned on the shower. “We need to get cleaned up and go downstairs before they come looking for us,” he told his boyfriend firmly.
Jeremy was good with that now that he’d gotten what he wanted. He straightened up and turned to look at his naked lover, letting his eyes run over that fine body. Mmm, now that was something he wouldn’t mind seeing wearing nothing but a red ribbon at Christmas. Talk about a present. It was the gift that kept on giving.
They took a hurried shower together and got dressed, exchanging a last lingering kiss before they went downstairs again. Jeremy grimaced as they approached the kitchen, not wanting to go in there with all of those oh-so-happy people. But Travis was towing HIM this time, so it was inevitable that they enter the Land of Sugar Cookie Sweetness whether he liked it or not. Much to his chagrin, all the little devilish munchkins were there too. They were eating cookies and drinking cocoa, but they all eyed the two men with rapacious looks on their little faces. Jeremy had the strong urge to hide behind Travis’s taller form.
Mary smiled at them as they came into the kitchen. “Hello, you two. Did you manage to help Jeremy out, Trav?”
Jeremy had to resist the powerful urge to giggle helplessly at this question. He locked his teeth over it and looked away as though he found the sanded pine cabinets very, very interesting for some reason. Travis replied, cool as you please: “Yes, Mom. He only needed help with a little thing.”
‘Lie number one,’ Jeremy thought as the urge to howl with laughter grew. ‘He’s not little at all.”
“All right. Do either of you want some cocoa?”
“I’ll take some,” Travis replied happily.
“No thank you. Since I stayed in the house I’m not cold at all,” Jeremy said honestly. “I could use some water though.” And that was also the truth; since he felt kind of dehydrated after all the sweating he’d done not long ago.
“There’s a pitcher of water in the fridge if you want to help yourself,” Mary told him. “The glasses are in the second cupboard from the left, dear. But you must have a cookie,” she told him firmly.
“All right,” he left to get the glass, just glad that she hadn’t insisted that he drink anymore cocoa. Christ that stuff was so thick and gooey and sweet that it made him gag. Plus he’d never been a huge fan of hot drinks in general. The cold water would be much more to his taste.
He filled a glass and turned to see Travis leaning on the counter chatting with his siblings. The librarian paused for a moment just looking at his boyfriend. This, this was where Travis belonged. Among these people, in this place. But did he belong here? NO. Not at all. Would he ever? He highly doubted it. He just wasn’t all sweetness and light. His face got stiff if he smiled too much, and he was as big a misanthropist as Ebenezer Scrooge. How did he fit in among these unnatural people with their endless Christmas decorations, their caroling, and their sheer NICENESS? He sighed as he sipped at his water again. He didn’t. He just didn’t. And no matter how hard he tried he never would. He’d wanted to do it for Travis’s sake, to get along with his family. But it just wasn’t in him. He’d have to accept that fact, no matter how much it depressed him. So much for holiday cheer.
Travis happened to glance over and saw that his boyfriend was standing by the fridge looking morose. Instantly concern sprang up inside of him. He knew that look – Jeremy was brooding again. That look never meant any good. Most likely the librarian was beating up on himself mentally. He had a bad habit of that, one which Travis hadn’t yet been able to break him of. Although that wasn’t a surprise – Jeremy had good reason to be self-loathing, since his childhood had been completely awful. Children were far too prone to blame themselves for the behavior of those they looked up to and loved, like their parents. They always thought that it must have been something that they’d done to make the people who were supposed to love and protect them to treat them so badly.
He straightened up and walked over to his lover. “Jeremy,” he said softly, making the librarian break out of his funk a bit. “What’s the matter?”
Jeremy blinked. “Nothing,” he replied tersely.
Travis sighed. “There is something wrong, I can tell,” he said. “So what is it?”
Jeremy frowned up at him. “Anybody ever tell you that you’re annoying, Stretch?” he growled.
The artist smiled. “You. Every day,” he said sunnily.
A long suffering sigh. “Fine. I just don’t think that I belong here, that’s all. These people…” he waved a hand at the rest of Travis’s family, “They’re all just so…NICE! What the hell am I even doing here?”
Travis stared down at him. “Of course you belong here, Jeremy,” he said at last.
“No, I don’t. I’m not nice. At all. Not even a little bit.”
The artist stroked his cheek with one long finger. “But I like you just the way you are, Jeremy,” he pointed out. “And so will my family, if you just show them your true self.”
A disbelieving snort. “I highly doubt that, Stringbean,” Jeremy replied acerbically. “If I show them the real me they’re likely to run screaming – and tell you to get a new boyfriend.”
Silence at this flat statement. Then Travis remarked in sudden understanding: “You think that they’ll try to get me to dump you if you show them what you’re really like. But that’s not going to happen, Jeremy.”
“Why not?” the librarian demanded rather petulantly. “They’re bound to want someone better for you. Somebody NICE,” he snarled.
Travis smiled that slow, lazy smile of his. “Two reasons, Jeremy,” he replied. “One is that they know I wouldn’t listen to them anyway even if they did try to convince me to dump you. I know my own mind and I know what I want. My mom says I’m the most stubborn person she’s ever met. And the other reason,” he added with a twinkle in his dark eyes, “Is the fact that they know exactly what you’re like already. I talk to them on the phone all the time. I described you to them - and by that I mean I told them all about the way you were from the very beginning. My mom said when we went caroling that she was surprised at how quiet and well-mannered you seemed when you arrived, since they were expecting the real you from the beginning. They were kind of looking forward to it, actually, since they think you sound pretty funny.”
Jeremy’s mouth had dropped open at this statement. “What?!” he nearly shrieked. “You told them…did you tell them about…?” he began suspiciously, his eyes beginning to darken with anger.
Travis shook his head swiftly. “No, Jeremy, I didn’t tell them about your childhood I swear. I just said that it had been kinda bad, but I never told them why. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone about that and I meant it.”
His earnest words made the librarian relax a little. But he still felt bewildered. “You actually told them all about all the stuff I said to you? And did to you?”
“Sure. My mom laughed when I described you, because she said you sounded perfect for me. That I’ve always been a bit too laid-back, that I needed someone to wake me up. I got that in spades,” he added in satisfaction. “You always make me feel awake and alive, Jeremy. Its one of the things that I really love about you.”
Oh, God, he was going to turn into a puddle of mush right here in the kitchen. Damn it! Travis always did this – made all these sappily romantic statements that were only tolerable because he really meant every word. ‘I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry!!’ he chanted in his head. Not here, not in front of his boyfriend’s entire family.
“Okay,” he managed to say, and his voice only wavered a little. “I guess that’s cool. Umm…”
Travis reached out and patted his shoulder. “Come and have some cocoa, Jeremy,” he said. “And remember – just be yourself. Nobody will hate you for it.”
“I can be myself, but no cocoa,” the librarian replied as he clutched his water glass tighter. “I hate that shit.”
“All right. Come on,” Travis dragged him over to the rest of the family, who had been studiously pretending that they hadn’t heard a word of the conversation that had just taken place between the two of them. Travis’s arms went around him, and Jeremy found himself relaxing against his lover’s side. He didn’t hold back this time – and kept the rest of them in stitches with his snide, droll, or acerbic statements for the entire afternoon.
The week flew by after that, much to his surprise. Even the kids became tolerable, although only barely. And it was still annoying to have to sneak around looking for places to have sex in during the day, although at night he liked the rather narrow bed where he had to practically lie on top of Travis. That wasn’t because he liked to snuggle, no way. It was just he got to press himself against that gorgeous naked body all night long. He was beginning to think that he’d have to invite Travis to be his roommate in his dorm room after all. Before this he’d avoided that because he hadn’t really thought that he’d like sleeping with someone else at night.
He even ventured outside a couple of times, although it was so bloody cold that he never stayed out for too long. But it was nice to retreat to the warm living room and watch t.v., and sometimes Travis would forgo the planned family activities to cuddle with him on the couch. They’d drink egg nog (but no cocoa) and Jeremy would make fun of the clichéd and hideously sappy Christmas movies on the boob tube while Travis chuckled in his ear. As the week wore on, this turned into a new family tradition. They’d all gather to watch the movies and laugh as Jeremy’s sharp tongue and acerbic wit cut the holiday movies to ribbons. Some of the others even chimed in too, although never Travis. The artist was simply too quiet. He had a greater sense of humor, but only seldom displayed it. But that was all right. He was Jeremy’s cheering section.
Finally Christmas morning dawned bright and cold. Jeremy shuffled downstairs after his (far too energetic) lover and the other members of the family to open presents. He yawned and felt horribly crabby, wishing he were still in bed curled up on top of Travis. His boyfriend made a great warmed mattress. The children were screaming and shouting with excitement as the designated gift hander-outer (this year it was Paul) began to pass out presents. Their squeals were giving him a headache. He plopped down on the couch and sat with half-lidded eyes, watching as the children ripped the colorful wrapping off the presents.
Travis was sitting on the floor beside them, taking just as much glee in the presents as the hideous munchkins were. They all showed off everything to their uncle, who smiled at them sleepily. Jeremy rolled his eyes. God was he glad he was gay. No kids for him thank you very much! He’d rather put out his own eye with a red hot poker. That was bound to be less painful, definitely.
The adults talked and laughed among themselves at the children’s excitement. Mary looked over at him, seeing the disgruntled expression on his face. She leaned forward. “Jeremy, we got a present for you. I hope you don’t mind.”
He looked surprised. “That’s okay,” he said. “I just didn’t expect you guys to get me anything, and I didn’t get anything for you…”
“That’s fine, dear,” she replied, patting his knee. “Oh, here it is! Thank you Paul.”
Her son had handed her a gift with a red bow on it. She in turn held this out to him. “Open it, Jeremy.” She said with as much excitement as a little kid.
He did so, hesitantly, wondering what it could be. It was square and thin. He removed the paper slowly, seeing a wooden square appear. A frame. It was a photograph. He pulled the paper away, and when he saw the picture his face went very, very still. It was a photo taken a few days ago of all of them gathered in the living room. They’d all been talking, and he was sitting beside Travis on the couch. His boyfriend’s arm was around him, and for once there wasn’t a sour or irritated expression on his face. His head was turned a bit, and he was looking at his lover’s face. There was just a hint of a smile on his mouth as he looked up at the taller man. He looked – almost happy.
He blinked and looked away from her. “Thanks,” he said hoarsely, his fingers tightening on the frame a little.
“Welcome to the family, Jeremy,” she replied softly. “And thank YOU, for making my Trav so happy.”
He wanted to break down and bawl. But he wouldn’t, he wouldn’t. Not in public. He struggled mightily and after awhile the urge subsided. By then most of the gifts had been given, and Travis walked over to him. “Here, Jeremy. This is from me to you,” he held out a present to his lover.
He took it in blank-faced surprise, because he hadn’t really expected anything from Travis either. But he should have known, he thought wryly as he opened it. Then he forgot what he was thinking when he saw what was in the package. It was also a picture – although charcoal drawing in this case. In it, he saw the pair of them lying together on his bed. Both were naked, of course, because his boyfriend couldn’t help but do that kind of shit. He was curled up against his lover and Travis’s arm was around him. He was asleep, his face looking far more peaceful than he knew it looked when he was awake. One of his hands rested on the artist’s bare chest. In the picture, Travis had sketched himself looking down on his sleeping lover. It was clear from his expression just how he felt about the man currently dozing in his arms.
“I know you don’t like me to draw you naked, Jeremy,” he heard Travis’s voice say above his head, “But I just couldn’t resist this time.”
He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t speak. This second blow on top of the first was threatening to do him in. Seeing his face, Travis reached out and drew him to his feet. “Mom, Dad, we’re gonna go out into the hallway for a minute. We’ll be right back,” he told his parents as he steered an uncharacteristically silent Jeremy out the door.
He heard their answers, but Jeremy was still too out of it to actually pay attention. Travis steered him toward the front door away from eye line of the living room. “It’s all right, Jeremy,” he said quietly. “I understand.”
And he did. The librarian knew that. He took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up at the taller man. Those black eyes met his. “Damn you,” he muttered. “You fucker. Shit…I fucking love you. Okay?”
Travis’s eyes crinkled at the corners a bit as he smiled. “Yes, it’s great, Jeremy,” he replied. “The best thing anybody’s every said to me.” He reached out and set his hands on the librarian’s shoulders. “Should we test out the mistletoe again?” he asked with a nod toward the greenery dangling over his head.
“Sure, why not. Isn’t mistletoe poisonous? That’s appropriate where I’m concerned,” he said dryly.
Travis grinned. “Yes, but its also beautiful. Just like you. Merry Christmas, Jeremy.”
Just before the artist’s mouth closed over his, Jeremy replied: “Merry Christmas…Travis.” Then he couldn’t speak anymore, but as there were no more words necessary between them it didn’t matter anyway.
The End
Everyone came streaming back in as the credits to the movie were rolling. ‘Great timing’, Jeremy thought as he got up off the couch and went out into the hallway to greet his lover. Everyone was red-cheeked and nosed from the cold outside. Travis greeted him with one of those slow smiles that always made parts of his body tighten traitorously. “We had fun,” he drawled as he removed his thick winter coat. “Did you, Jeremy?”
“Yeah, I did,” he replied.
Mary shook some snow off of herself briskly. “Ahh, I love caroling! I think we all need some hot cocoa now, though,” she added. “Let’s go into the kitchen and warm ourselves up!”
Jeremy shuddered at the mention of cocoa – besides, he had other plans for his tall boyfriend. He caught at Travis’s arm. “Hey, come upstairs with me Stretch,” he told the other man urgently. “I need your help with something.”
The artist blinked, but nodded after a moment. “Mom, I’ll take a rain check on the cocoa,” he called to his parent. “Jeremy needs my help upstairs.”
“Okay, dear. Just come into the kitchen when you’re done,” she called back.
“I will,” he replied as Jeremy began to tow him away determinedly by his arm.
“What do you need my help with, Jeremy?” the art student asked in bewilderment as they climbed the stairs.
He sighed. “Don’t be thick, Beanpole,” he chided his lover. “Now which one of these rooms has a working lock on the door?”
Travis’s brows drew together. “Well, the bathroom at the end of the hall has one…” he began.
“Great. Come on.” Jeremy pulled him toward the door he’d indicated.
He yanked Travis into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. Then he locked it with a feeling of relief, looking at his boyfriend. Travis was staring at him, obviously still a little unsure about his intentions. “Jeremy?”
He snorted as he straightened up from the door and pulled his shirt off over his head. “I’ll warm you up better than cocoa,” he said in a faintly sultry tone of voice. “And if you think that I’m gonna wait until tonight just because the lock on your room doesn’t work, you have another think coming, Long shanks,” he added as his hands went down to start at the fastenings on his jeans.
“But Jeremy…” Travis began to protest weakly. “What if somebody comes?”
“”Oh, yeah, somebody’s coming all right,” he replied with relish. “Two somebodys, if I have my way. As for somebody coming upstairs – there’s a bathroom downstairs they can use, and if they’re really determined you can just yell out and tell them you have diarrhea.”
Travis looked aghast at this and Jeremy wormed his way out of his jeans and underwear. “But my mom will want to treat it,” he said in horror.
“Your problem,” Jeremy replied with a shrug. He stepped toward his boyfriend. “Are you really telling me that you don’t want to fuck me here and now, Stretch?” he added incredulously.
The art student’s mouth opened, but nothing came out as Jeremy began to rip the clothes off of him. “Look at it this way,” the librarian added as he began to yank Travis’s pants down his legs, “It’ll add a touch of danger to the whole thing. We might get caught screwing in your parents’ bathroom,” he said as he began to sink to his knees onto the tile floor.
Travis might have made a last token protest – but just then Jeremy’s hot little mouth closed over his cock. He groaned instead, his fingers lacing into the hair atop the librarian’s head to hold him in place. God, Jeremy was a skilled cock sucker! His mouth should be classified a deadly weapon with the way he could use it. Fingers found his balls, stroking and pulling at them until poor Travis was completely lost. He forgot that his family was downstairs, and that one of the kids might come up here and catch them; all he knew or thought about was the way that Jeremy’s tongue was skirling around the shaft of his dick in a snake-like manner. His hips began to move as he pushed more of himself into that tight, hot space, until Jeremy’s nose was buried in his (dyed black) pubic hair.
The librarian briefly removed his mouth and began to suck on one of his fingers. His half-lidded eyes met his boyfriend’s as he did so, his pink tongue gliding over the digit in a manner designed to make Travis breathe very hard and fight back a loud moan. Then he resumed his fellation with a vengeance, even as he reached around and stuck the moistened finger deep into his lover’s ass. It burrowed inward, seeking his pleasure button as Jeremy sucked like a demon on the length of flesh in his throat. Travis began to make the sound a dying animal might, then he bit his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed as Jeremy’s finger reached its destination at the same time that he formed his mouth into a sealed vacuum and really blew his lover’s…mind. Travis’s knees threatened to buckle as he came in Jeremy’s mouth, and he fell back against the sink in a boneless heap.
The librarian licked at the softening cock like a cat with a bowl of cream, cleaning it off. He smirked at the dazed look in the lidded black eyes. Reducing Travis Burke to rubble with his tongue was a triumph or him, considering the fact that he’d never been able to get his boyfriend any other way. All of his sarcasm, nasty remarks, and spitefulness hadn’t put a dent in that placid armor. But when he blew Travis – then he got a reaction. A big one. He glanced up at his lover. “You still have any objections, Stretch?” he asked as he rose to his feet.
The art student shook his head silently. Jeremy grinned and looked around. “They got anything we can use for lube?” he asked. “Ours is still in the luggage. Unless you want to go out there like that and get it...” he nodded at Travis’s nakedness significantly.
Travis turned and opened the medicine cabinet. He handed Jeremy a jar of petroleum jelly. “Mm, that’ll do,” he said as he took it.
Jeremy opened the jar and dipped his fingers into it. Then he set the jar on the counter and walked past Travis to the toilet. He leaned over and set one hand on the closed lid, even as he looked over his shoulder at his boyfriend. He gave Travis a low-lidded look as he reached back with his slick hand and stuck a finger inside of himself. “Oh, yeah,” he breathed. “That feels good.”
Travis put a hand over his mouth to contain his groan as he watched Jeremy prepare himself. Fuck, it was the sexiest sight he’d ever seen! Two fingers were twisting and squirming inside of his own ass as the librarian stretched himself and rubbed his own prostate at the same time. His mouth hung open a bit, and his hips swayed as he opened himself up. “Ohh, Stretch, I can’t wait for you to fuck me,” he gasped.
Travis shuddered as Jeremy finally pulled his fingers free. “Come here,” he told the art student, who complied in a daze.
Jeremy reached back and grabbed his lover’s cock. He used the extra jelly to slick up Travis’s now renewed cock until it fairly glistened. He gave it a tug, liking the hardness and already anticipating having that inside of him. He spread his legs and lifted his hips invitingly. “Come on, Stretch, fuck me good,” he said throatily.
Travis did. They didn’t use condoms anymore, since both had been tested and found to be disease free. And of course he’d never cheat on Jeremy, not in a million years…and he trusted his lover not to cheat on him either. And because he did, because he had that simple but powerful child-like faith in Jeremy, the librarian couldn’t even bring himself to think about having sex with other guys. Besides, why did he need anyone else when Travis was such a good lover? So strong, so much stamina, and pretty good technique too. He moaned as his lover’s cock slid home and long-fingered hands grasped his hips to hold him in place.
His body shook a little as Travis began to thrust inside of him. “Ugh, ugh,” he gasped, little noises torn from his throat as he got what he wanted. Damn, this was good!
“You’re so tight, Jeremy,” he heard Travis moan behind him.
He pushed back a little against those hands to get more. “Yeah, do it,” he said. “Harder.”
The art student picked up his pace even more, practically driving Jeremy face first into the toilet tank. He reached down between his legs with one hand while steadying himself with the other, grabbing his own cock and beginning to fist it tightly. “Ahh, String bean, that’s it,” he moaned. “God!”
Travis made a near circle with his hips, and Jeremy saw stars. His body shook and his fingers tightened on his cock. A mouth began to kiss and lick at his shoulder blades, rasping a bit as it collected the sweat glistening there. Travis had leaned over and braced his long arms on either side of Jeremy’s. He drove into his lover even as he bit at the librarian’s earlobe. “You feel so good, Jeremy. I love doing this with you,” he groaned into his boyfriend’s ear.
This declaration set the librarian off. He gritted his teeth against a scream as he came, his hand furiously milking the semen out of his cock. He grunted as Travis continued to plow into him for a few minutes more, then the art student succumbed as well. He pulled his cock out and shot his load over Jeremy’s back, knowing (in a vague sort of way at this point) that it would be easier to wash his back off then clean him out inside. The feel of the droplets falling onto his skin made the librarian moan again. It was just such a sexy sensation.
Travis’s hands cupped his hips and stroked the skin. “Wow. That was great,” he breathed.
Jeremy nodded silently, still a little out of it from the intensity of his orgasm. After they’d both recovered a bit, Travis stepped over and turned on the shower. “We need to get cleaned up and go downstairs before they come looking for us,” he told his boyfriend firmly.
Jeremy was good with that now that he’d gotten what he wanted. He straightened up and turned to look at his naked lover, letting his eyes run over that fine body. Mmm, now that was something he wouldn’t mind seeing wearing nothing but a red ribbon at Christmas. Talk about a present. It was the gift that kept on giving.
They took a hurried shower together and got dressed, exchanging a last lingering kiss before they went downstairs again. Jeremy grimaced as they approached the kitchen, not wanting to go in there with all of those oh-so-happy people. But Travis was towing HIM this time, so it was inevitable that they enter the Land of Sugar Cookie Sweetness whether he liked it or not. Much to his chagrin, all the little devilish munchkins were there too. They were eating cookies and drinking cocoa, but they all eyed the two men with rapacious looks on their little faces. Jeremy had the strong urge to hide behind Travis’s taller form.
Mary smiled at them as they came into the kitchen. “Hello, you two. Did you manage to help Jeremy out, Trav?”
Jeremy had to resist the powerful urge to giggle helplessly at this question. He locked his teeth over it and looked away as though he found the sanded pine cabinets very, very interesting for some reason. Travis replied, cool as you please: “Yes, Mom. He only needed help with a little thing.”
‘Lie number one,’ Jeremy thought as the urge to howl with laughter grew. ‘He’s not little at all.”
“All right. Do either of you want some cocoa?”
“I’ll take some,” Travis replied happily.
“No thank you. Since I stayed in the house I’m not cold at all,” Jeremy said honestly. “I could use some water though.” And that was also the truth; since he felt kind of dehydrated after all the sweating he’d done not long ago.
“There’s a pitcher of water in the fridge if you want to help yourself,” Mary told him. “The glasses are in the second cupboard from the left, dear. But you must have a cookie,” she told him firmly.
“All right,” he left to get the glass, just glad that she hadn’t insisted that he drink anymore cocoa. Christ that stuff was so thick and gooey and sweet that it made him gag. Plus he’d never been a huge fan of hot drinks in general. The cold water would be much more to his taste.
He filled a glass and turned to see Travis leaning on the counter chatting with his siblings. The librarian paused for a moment just looking at his boyfriend. This, this was where Travis belonged. Among these people, in this place. But did he belong here? NO. Not at all. Would he ever? He highly doubted it. He just wasn’t all sweetness and light. His face got stiff if he smiled too much, and he was as big a misanthropist as Ebenezer Scrooge. How did he fit in among these unnatural people with their endless Christmas decorations, their caroling, and their sheer NICENESS? He sighed as he sipped at his water again. He didn’t. He just didn’t. And no matter how hard he tried he never would. He’d wanted to do it for Travis’s sake, to get along with his family. But it just wasn’t in him. He’d have to accept that fact, no matter how much it depressed him. So much for holiday cheer.
Travis happened to glance over and saw that his boyfriend was standing by the fridge looking morose. Instantly concern sprang up inside of him. He knew that look – Jeremy was brooding again. That look never meant any good. Most likely the librarian was beating up on himself mentally. He had a bad habit of that, one which Travis hadn’t yet been able to break him of. Although that wasn’t a surprise – Jeremy had good reason to be self-loathing, since his childhood had been completely awful. Children were far too prone to blame themselves for the behavior of those they looked up to and loved, like their parents. They always thought that it must have been something that they’d done to make the people who were supposed to love and protect them to treat them so badly.
He straightened up and walked over to his lover. “Jeremy,” he said softly, making the librarian break out of his funk a bit. “What’s the matter?”
Jeremy blinked. “Nothing,” he replied tersely.
Travis sighed. “There is something wrong, I can tell,” he said. “So what is it?”
Jeremy frowned up at him. “Anybody ever tell you that you’re annoying, Stretch?” he growled.
The artist smiled. “You. Every day,” he said sunnily.
A long suffering sigh. “Fine. I just don’t think that I belong here, that’s all. These people…” he waved a hand at the rest of Travis’s family, “They’re all just so…NICE! What the hell am I even doing here?”
Travis stared down at him. “Of course you belong here, Jeremy,” he said at last.
“No, I don’t. I’m not nice. At all. Not even a little bit.”
The artist stroked his cheek with one long finger. “But I like you just the way you are, Jeremy,” he pointed out. “And so will my family, if you just show them your true self.”
A disbelieving snort. “I highly doubt that, Stringbean,” Jeremy replied acerbically. “If I show them the real me they’re likely to run screaming – and tell you to get a new boyfriend.”
Silence at this flat statement. Then Travis remarked in sudden understanding: “You think that they’ll try to get me to dump you if you show them what you’re really like. But that’s not going to happen, Jeremy.”
“Why not?” the librarian demanded rather petulantly. “They’re bound to want someone better for you. Somebody NICE,” he snarled.
Travis smiled that slow, lazy smile of his. “Two reasons, Jeremy,” he replied. “One is that they know I wouldn’t listen to them anyway even if they did try to convince me to dump you. I know my own mind and I know what I want. My mom says I’m the most stubborn person she’s ever met. And the other reason,” he added with a twinkle in his dark eyes, “Is the fact that they know exactly what you’re like already. I talk to them on the phone all the time. I described you to them - and by that I mean I told them all about the way you were from the very beginning. My mom said when we went caroling that she was surprised at how quiet and well-mannered you seemed when you arrived, since they were expecting the real you from the beginning. They were kind of looking forward to it, actually, since they think you sound pretty funny.”
Jeremy’s mouth had dropped open at this statement. “What?!” he nearly shrieked. “You told them…did you tell them about…?” he began suspiciously, his eyes beginning to darken with anger.
Travis shook his head swiftly. “No, Jeremy, I didn’t tell them about your childhood I swear. I just said that it had been kinda bad, but I never told them why. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone about that and I meant it.”
His earnest words made the librarian relax a little. But he still felt bewildered. “You actually told them all about all the stuff I said to you? And did to you?”
“Sure. My mom laughed when I described you, because she said you sounded perfect for me. That I’ve always been a bit too laid-back, that I needed someone to wake me up. I got that in spades,” he added in satisfaction. “You always make me feel awake and alive, Jeremy. Its one of the things that I really love about you.”
Oh, God, he was going to turn into a puddle of mush right here in the kitchen. Damn it! Travis always did this – made all these sappily romantic statements that were only tolerable because he really meant every word. ‘I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry!!’ he chanted in his head. Not here, not in front of his boyfriend’s entire family.
“Okay,” he managed to say, and his voice only wavered a little. “I guess that’s cool. Umm…”
Travis reached out and patted his shoulder. “Come and have some cocoa, Jeremy,” he said. “And remember – just be yourself. Nobody will hate you for it.”
“I can be myself, but no cocoa,” the librarian replied as he clutched his water glass tighter. “I hate that shit.”
“All right. Come on,” Travis dragged him over to the rest of the family, who had been studiously pretending that they hadn’t heard a word of the conversation that had just taken place between the two of them. Travis’s arms went around him, and Jeremy found himself relaxing against his lover’s side. He didn’t hold back this time – and kept the rest of them in stitches with his snide, droll, or acerbic statements for the entire afternoon.
The week flew by after that, much to his surprise. Even the kids became tolerable, although only barely. And it was still annoying to have to sneak around looking for places to have sex in during the day, although at night he liked the rather narrow bed where he had to practically lie on top of Travis. That wasn’t because he liked to snuggle, no way. It was just he got to press himself against that gorgeous naked body all night long. He was beginning to think that he’d have to invite Travis to be his roommate in his dorm room after all. Before this he’d avoided that because he hadn’t really thought that he’d like sleeping with someone else at night.
He even ventured outside a couple of times, although it was so bloody cold that he never stayed out for too long. But it was nice to retreat to the warm living room and watch t.v., and sometimes Travis would forgo the planned family activities to cuddle with him on the couch. They’d drink egg nog (but no cocoa) and Jeremy would make fun of the clichéd and hideously sappy Christmas movies on the boob tube while Travis chuckled in his ear. As the week wore on, this turned into a new family tradition. They’d all gather to watch the movies and laugh as Jeremy’s sharp tongue and acerbic wit cut the holiday movies to ribbons. Some of the others even chimed in too, although never Travis. The artist was simply too quiet. He had a greater sense of humor, but only seldom displayed it. But that was all right. He was Jeremy’s cheering section.
Finally Christmas morning dawned bright and cold. Jeremy shuffled downstairs after his (far too energetic) lover and the other members of the family to open presents. He yawned and felt horribly crabby, wishing he were still in bed curled up on top of Travis. His boyfriend made a great warmed mattress. The children were screaming and shouting with excitement as the designated gift hander-outer (this year it was Paul) began to pass out presents. Their squeals were giving him a headache. He plopped down on the couch and sat with half-lidded eyes, watching as the children ripped the colorful wrapping off the presents.
Travis was sitting on the floor beside them, taking just as much glee in the presents as the hideous munchkins were. They all showed off everything to their uncle, who smiled at them sleepily. Jeremy rolled his eyes. God was he glad he was gay. No kids for him thank you very much! He’d rather put out his own eye with a red hot poker. That was bound to be less painful, definitely.
The adults talked and laughed among themselves at the children’s excitement. Mary looked over at him, seeing the disgruntled expression on his face. She leaned forward. “Jeremy, we got a present for you. I hope you don’t mind.”
He looked surprised. “That’s okay,” he said. “I just didn’t expect you guys to get me anything, and I didn’t get anything for you…”
“That’s fine, dear,” she replied, patting his knee. “Oh, here it is! Thank you Paul.”
Her son had handed her a gift with a red bow on it. She in turn held this out to him. “Open it, Jeremy.” She said with as much excitement as a little kid.
He did so, hesitantly, wondering what it could be. It was square and thin. He removed the paper slowly, seeing a wooden square appear. A frame. It was a photograph. He pulled the paper away, and when he saw the picture his face went very, very still. It was a photo taken a few days ago of all of them gathered in the living room. They’d all been talking, and he was sitting beside Travis on the couch. His boyfriend’s arm was around him, and for once there wasn’t a sour or irritated expression on his face. His head was turned a bit, and he was looking at his lover’s face. There was just a hint of a smile on his mouth as he looked up at the taller man. He looked – almost happy.
He blinked and looked away from her. “Thanks,” he said hoarsely, his fingers tightening on the frame a little.
“Welcome to the family, Jeremy,” she replied softly. “And thank YOU, for making my Trav so happy.”
He wanted to break down and bawl. But he wouldn’t, he wouldn’t. Not in public. He struggled mightily and after awhile the urge subsided. By then most of the gifts had been given, and Travis walked over to him. “Here, Jeremy. This is from me to you,” he held out a present to his lover.
He took it in blank-faced surprise, because he hadn’t really expected anything from Travis either. But he should have known, he thought wryly as he opened it. Then he forgot what he was thinking when he saw what was in the package. It was also a picture – although charcoal drawing in this case. In it, he saw the pair of them lying together on his bed. Both were naked, of course, because his boyfriend couldn’t help but do that kind of shit. He was curled up against his lover and Travis’s arm was around him. He was asleep, his face looking far more peaceful than he knew it looked when he was awake. One of his hands rested on the artist’s bare chest. In the picture, Travis had sketched himself looking down on his sleeping lover. It was clear from his expression just how he felt about the man currently dozing in his arms.
“I know you don’t like me to draw you naked, Jeremy,” he heard Travis’s voice say above his head, “But I just couldn’t resist this time.”
He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t speak. This second blow on top of the first was threatening to do him in. Seeing his face, Travis reached out and drew him to his feet. “Mom, Dad, we’re gonna go out into the hallway for a minute. We’ll be right back,” he told his parents as he steered an uncharacteristically silent Jeremy out the door.
He heard their answers, but Jeremy was still too out of it to actually pay attention. Travis steered him toward the front door away from eye line of the living room. “It’s all right, Jeremy,” he said quietly. “I understand.”
And he did. The librarian knew that. He took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up at the taller man. Those black eyes met his. “Damn you,” he muttered. “You fucker. Shit…I fucking love you. Okay?”
Travis’s eyes crinkled at the corners a bit as he smiled. “Yes, it’s great, Jeremy,” he replied. “The best thing anybody’s every said to me.” He reached out and set his hands on the librarian’s shoulders. “Should we test out the mistletoe again?” he asked with a nod toward the greenery dangling over his head.
“Sure, why not. Isn’t mistletoe poisonous? That’s appropriate where I’m concerned,” he said dryly.
Travis grinned. “Yes, but its also beautiful. Just like you. Merry Christmas, Jeremy.”
Just before the artist’s mouth closed over his, Jeremy replied: “Merry Christmas…Travis.” Then he couldn’t speak anymore, but as there were no more words necessary between them it didn’t matter anyway.
The End