Author's website: http://writingonthewall.slashcity.net/~angelise7/toc.htm
This work is not intended as an infringement upon the rights of those that own these characters and is meant solely for non-profit entertainment purposes only. Original characters Sharrie, Dawn and Chloe belong to me and I'll play with them as I see fit.

'Light My Fire' 2004 Award Nominee for Best Non Jim/Blair Pairing
Young love relationship. James is in high school.

This story is a sequel to: Work of Desire, Chapter 16

"This sucks!"

"Excuse me?" Simon paused in the act of removing his robe and turned his head in the direction of his teenage lover. "What exactly sucks?"

"This fucking cast. Not being able to swim in the pool," James whined. "This damn itching that will not go away." He shoved the padded stick Marta had fashioned for him down the inside of his leg cast and groaned in frustration when it didn't quite reach the spot that desperately needed scratching.

"How much longer do I have to wear this cast?" James asked, throwing his crutches to the ground before collapsing down on the pool chair Simon had positioned next to his. "It can't be soon enough, that's for sure."

Simon finished removing his robe while answering his grumpy companion. "The doctor said it'll be another eight weeks."

"Shit."

Releasing Jeffery from his harness, Simon wisely hid his smile and changed the topic of conversation. "I can't believe I let you talk me into doing this." The blind artist folded his robe and placed it at the head of his chair. "All I can say is thank goodness the girls are gone to Seattle for the weekend. Dawn would never let me live it down if she found out I was sunbathing in the nude."

James looked up at his lover, and all thoughts of ripping his cast off with his bare hands flew right out of his mind. They were quickly replaced with ones of lust, love and -- guilt.

It had been exactly one week since he was openly propositioned by Blair Sandburg, and he'd be lying through his teeth if he said he hadn't fantasized about fucking the long-haired man. But that was as far as it had gone -- mental jerking off during the few times he had caught a glimpse of Blair. And because every time felt like an outright betrayal of Simon, James had made the decision to keep close to the main house and avoid both the pool and Sharrie and Dawn's cottage like the plague. No use putting himself in temptation's way, and Blair Sandburg was definitely a major ass-fucking temptation.

Another wave of guilt slammed into him, and James immediately put the brakes on his traitorous thoughts. It was bad enough he carried the cursed Ellison blood inside his veins. He damn well didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps and cheat on the one who loved him unconditionally.

James tenderly ran his hand up and down Simon's muscular thigh, taking several seconds to admire the man's physical beauty and the way the sun played over his broad shoulders and chest. Simon was a walking wet dream; and if James knew what was good for him, he'd tell Mr. Blair Sandburg to piss off the next time he tried to make a move on him.

Shifting his hand a little to the left, the teen grinned wickedly at the way Simon's knees nearly buckled when his naughty fingers embarked upon a thorough exploration of the older man's genitals. His lover was hung like a horse, and there were times when James just couldn't keep his hands, or mouth for that matter, off that monster piece of dark meat. To say he was addicted to Simon's dick was an understatement, and James was more than happy to spend the rest of his life impaled upon it.

"I say we do this more often, Si. You look damn good standing there wearing nothing more than your birthday suit."

Simon handed James the bottle of sunscreen he had brought with them. "I don't think Sharrie or Dawn would appreciate us running around naked in front of Chloe."

James guided Simon so that he straddled his chair. "Sit down, and I'll put some sunscreen on your back." He waited until Simon was sitting in front of him and facing the pool. "There's nothing wrong with a little nudity, Si, especially yours. You're beautiful, man."

Scooting forward, James slipped his arms around Simon's shoulders and anointed the back of his neck with several playful kisses. "Too bad we can't walk around nude all the time. Sure would save on our clothes when it comes time to fuck."

Simon chuckled. "I take it my housekeeper is not too happy about the number of buttons she has had to sew back on my shirts."

"Well, considering Marta has to do it on almost a daily basis, then yeah, I'd say she's just a tad bit put out about it."

"I'll have to see about increasing her pay." Simon caught the hand sliding south of the border and gave it a quick kiss. "The sunscreen won't apply itself, Tiger."

James laughed as he gently tweaked the head of Simon's dick with his free hand. "Spoilsport," he admonished his lover and lightly slapped Simon on the belly once both his hands were free to roam again. Collecting the bottle of sunscreen he had dropped beside his chair earlier, he liberally applied lotion to Simon's shoulders and back before working on his chest. He grinned when a large dab of lotion just somehow missed his palm and fell directly on Simon's groin, and his grin got bigger and naughtier when it became clear Simon was thoroughly enjoying the way James cleaned up his mess.

"Boy, you will be the death of me yet." Simon struggled to catch not only his breath but also the fingers determined to drive him insane.

"Don't worry, Si. I'm not ready for you to meet your Maker just yet. I'd say you still have another forty or fifty years before I let you take that walk upstairs."

"Forty or fifty years, huh?"

No matter how much he wished for his lover's words to be true, Simon knew when it came time for him to leave this world, James would not be by his side. Simon was a realist, if nothing else; and as much as he loved James and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, he realized it was only a matter of time before the teen turned to someone younger to fulfill his needs.

Closing the door on his morose thoughts of the future, Simon collected the ball his canine companion had dropped in his lap and threw it in the pool. "And just when did God put you on his team of angels?"

"The day I was born, of course," James snapped back with a chuckle.

"God help us all."

"And that's exactly why He sent me to you. Obviously, you needed some major help." James slipped his arms back around Simon's shoulders and nuzzled the area behind his left ear. "Simon? Do you know a Blair Sandburg?"

Fuck!

James pounded his forehead against Simon's shoulder and wondered why in the hell he had asked that particular question. What was it about Blair that had him so wound up, and why couldn't he get him out of his mind?

His lover's silence snagged his attention and he quickly asked, "Si? Is something wrong?"

Simon gripped James' hand before answering. "How do you know Blair Sandburg?"

James couldn't help the frown of confusion that appeared at the sound of sorrow in Simon's voice. "Uh, I met him last week. He's staying with the girls. Did you know he's Chloe's father and that he's donating sperm so that Red can have a baby?"

Dropping James' hand, Simon pulled away from his lover and would have stood up but was prevented by the arms tightening their hold on him. "Yes, I knew he was Chloe's father, but that was long after we . . . . "

"After what?"

Cursing the cast on his leg for the zillionth time, James shifted as close as he could to Simon. "Talk to me, Si." The muscles beneath his hands stiffened, leading him to ask, "Were you and Blair . . . ." James found he couldn't finish the question.

Simon dropped his head and kissed the arms circling his upper chest. "Yes, several years ago Blair and I were lovers. He was looking for a job, and I hired him to assist me in my studio."

"Hired him like you hired me?" Jealousy stabbed James deep in the heart, and even though he asked the question, he actually dreaded hearing the answer.

"James, I'm not going to lie to you. I enjoy the company of young men, and Blair became someone I grew very close to during the time he worked here."

"Did you fuck him? I mean . . . did you love him?"

"Yes."

James felt his heart plummet all the way to his toes. "Why aren't you still together?"

Suddenly James felt as if his entire future depended on Simon's reply. Did he still love Blair, and would he jump at the chance at resuming their relationship now that he knew the man was living right next door?

Simon picked up on James' distress and quickly twisted around so that he could gather the teen close. "The year Blair turned seventeen, he was given the opportunity to go on an archeological dig with one of his professors. I encouraged him to go. Unfortunately when he returned one year later, he informed me that he was no longer interested in fucking men, or maybe I should say he was no longer interested in fucking me."

"Why that son of a bitch!"

Anger quickly replaced jealousy; and if Blair Sandburg had been within reach, James would have gladly beaten the shit out of him. "How could he do that to you, Si? Didn't he know how much you loved him?"

"He did, but I guess that wasn't enough for him." Simon turned back around and faced the pool.

Even though he couldn't see them, James could hear the tears in Simon's voice, and he rushed to reassure his lover. "Si? You know I'd never do that to you, right? I love you, and there's nothing or nobody that could change how I feel about you. God, Simon, you're my man, and unless you say otherwise, I'm yours. You believe me, don'tcha?"

Simon hesitated with his answer, and suddenly James was swamped with the urge to escape -- to escape the pain that was knocking on the door to his heart. He reached for his crutches and awkwardly maneuvered himself off the chair, managing to take only a few steps before Simon's voice halted him.

"James, has Blair said something to you? Something that would indicate he's interested in a relationship with me again?"

Well, that didn't take ya long, did it, Si? James stepped closer to the edge of the pool and stared down at the crystal clear water. Should have kept my fucking mouth shut. Should have known Blair Sandburg was trouble with a capital T.

Scrunching his eyes shut, James fought back the threat of tears. Why do I try? Why do I even try? Hell, you'd think by now I'd get a clue and realize I'm not worthy of being loved. Who wants to love a freak?

The almost imperceptible sound of leaves rustling caught James' attention, and he looked across the pool at the border of bushes lining the walkway. A familiar pair of eyes gazed out at him, and without conscious effort James zeroed in on their astonishing blue color. His vision narrowed even more, and he noted the microscopic speck of dust floating in the clear fluid bathing the right eye. Tiny blood vessels in the white of the eye mesmerized him next, and he followed to where they converged deep inside. The rushing flow of crimson through their fragile channels was amazing and beautiful and --

Simon was startled by the loud splash of water, and he immediately looked toward the pool. "James? Please tell me you didn't just fall in the pool. James?" Rising to his feet, he cautiously took a step forward. "James?" Silence was his only answer, and the absolute lack of noise froze the blind man in place. It wasn't until Jeffrey started barking frantically and tugging on his hand that Simon began yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Marta, Marta! Anybody! Help!"

Praying his housekeeper would hear him, Simon ran toward the pool and dived in. Before his head sank below the surface, he heard the unmistakable sound of his Lab hitting the water beside him, and he grabbed hold of Jeffrey's fur the second the dog brushed up against him. Working together, the two of them quickly found where James' body was resting on the bottom of the pool; and with the rush of adrenaline augmenting his strength, Simon lifted his lifeless lover into his arms and pushed toward the surface.

"Here, give him to me."

A voice from the past greeted Simon at the steps that led out of the pool, and he almost refused to release his precious burden into the hands of the man who had shattered his world so many years ago. "We need to start CPR. He's not breathing."

"That's the understatement of the year." Blair grabbed James under the arms and assisted Simon in laying him down on the concrete. "You check his airway, and I'll do chest compressions."

Simon crawled out of the pool, and with Blair's help moved into position, hesitating only long enough to press a soft kiss to James' cold lips and urgently whisper, "Stay with me, Tiger. My life won't be worth a damn if you leave me now. Do you hear me, James? James, do you hear me?"

Before Simon could tilt his lover's chin and open his airway, the teenager jerked away and started coughing up the water he had swallowed when he fell into the pool. "St . . . stop . . . stop yelling, Si. I'm not . . . I'm not deaf."

Simon rocked back on his heels in stunned amazement. "James?" His shock lasted only a second, and with a cry of utter relief, he hauled his young lover into his arms and smothered him with kisses. It wasn't until he heard Blair clear his throat for the third time that he released James and carefully laid him back down on the ground.

"What happened? Did you trip on your crutches? God, James! You scared the living shit out of me."

"You and me both," the teen mumbled as soon as he comprehended what had happened. His senses had gone crazy again, and this time it had nearly killed him, not to mention put his lover's life in danger.

Looking past Simon, James saw Blair Sandburg standing silently next to an overly enthusiastic tail-wagging Jeffrey, and once again he was captured by the amazing depth of color in Blair's eyes. He watched as the left pupil constricted and then dilated with each blink of its eyelid and how the dark opening seemed to swallow up the light, focusing it on the --

"Simon, his breathing. It's becoming very shallow."

"James?" Simon lifted the limp teenager into his arms again. "Focus, Tiger. Take a slow, deep breath in and out." He placed his hand on James' chest as if to encourage him to follow his commands. "Do it again. Slow, deep breath in and out. That's it, baby. Concentrate on your breathing."

"We need to take him to the hospital, Simon. He could have hit his head when he fell."

"No!"

James surged upward, breaking free of Simon's hold. "No hospital. No doctors." Twisting around, he frantically clutched at his lover's upper arms. "Si, promise me. No hospital."

The teenager started shaking uncontrollably at the thought of the endless tests he would have to endure if the doctors got wind of his problem. He could still remember the horrors he had been subjected to when he was six, and his father had hauled him to every specialized medical clinic in the country. No way in hell was he going through that again.

"I'm fine, Si. Must have gotten a little light-headed from the sun, that's all." James took several deep breaths. "See, I'm breathing like a pro."

"James, your cast is soaked. It'll need to be replaced."

James tightened his grip. "No hospital, Si. Call Dr. Steele. I'm sure he can do it in his office." Ignoring the man squatting down beside him and covering him with the robe he had discarded earlier, James continued to plead with his lover. "Please, Si. I promise I'm okay."

Simon draped the robe Blair handed him over his shoulders and offered an awkward smile of appreciation. "Thanks." Returning his attention to James, he gently peeled the teen's fingers away from his arms. "I'll make a deal with you, Tiger. Instead of the hospital, we'll go to Dr. Steele's office, but the moment he's finished changing your cast, you have to promise me you'll let him check you over."

Knowing his lover all too well, Simon held up his hand and stalled whatever protest James was about to give to him. "Take it or leave it. It's either that or I'm hauling your ass to the emergency room."

"Okay. You win." James jerked away from the hand brushing through his wet hair. "Quit it," he growled and glared warningly at Blair. The man paid absolutely no attention to him, and grinning like a Cheshire cat, repeated the gesture. This time James slapped Blair's hand away before seeking the protection of Simon's arms.

"What's he doing here?"

"He has a name." Simon pressed a kiss to James' forehead and couldn't help the slight shudder of panic that coursed through his body at the memory of the day's nearly tragic ending. He hugged James close and sighed when his kiss was tenderly returned. "Blair helped me rescue you from the pool."

"Yeah? And I just bet you think I owe you something," James snarled at the longhaired man staring intently at him. "Well, think again, Hairboy."

Blair rose gracefully to his feet, and once he was sure James was watching his every move, ran his fingers slowly up Simon's right arm. "Call me, Simon. I'd like to get together with you and talk over old times."

"Old times, my ass," James shouted. "You just want to see if he still has feelings for you. Well, he doesn't. Simon loves me, and I'll sure as hell never hurt him like you did."

James searched for his crutches and when he couldn't find them, he lurched to his feet using Simon's shoulders as leverage. "So, Mr. Blair Sandburg, just march your butt back to where it came from and don't bother us anymore."

"Blair, wait." Simon slipped his robe on before rising and lending a hand to his wobbly lover. "Excuse James' rudeness. He's a little short on oxygen right now and doesn't know what he's saying."

James stared open-mouthed at Simon, and his jaw finished its journey to the ground when he heard what the man said next.

"It'll probably be a couple of hours before I get back home, but if you're willing, I would indeed like to talk over old times."

Blair's smile of victory did not go unnoticed, and James swore under his breath as he watched the man walk way.

"You can smile all you want, Chief. You missed your chance. Simon belongs to me and me alone."

End Work of Desire, Chapter 17 by Angelise: ldcldc@earthlink.net
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