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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Thank you, Kip!" Mira had tears in her eyes.
"You're welcome," I huffed and puffed. Ali had, of course, left the one manuscript he needed for his meeting at the publishers at home. I ran the entire way from the train stop because Mira had sounded so desperate.
"You didn't have to rush here, all out of breath." Ali was obviously grateful.
"If he is, it's your fault," Mira chastised him. "Really, thank you, Kip. Take one of the boxes of Bear Puffs in the editorial department down this hall."
"Cool. Bear Puffs make it all worth it, even if Ali can't say thank you." I threw him an eye roll.
"Come on, Alistor, let's go. We're late." She frog marched him to one of the conference rooms.
I stared around me as I went down the hall, taking everything in. This was the first time I had ever been here to the Penguin Books offices. There were posters of book covers and artwork everywhere. I saw the advertisement that I had seen on the train for Ali's book blown up.
Coming out into the hallway was a tall man with untidy black hair, a few day's worth of scruff on his chin, and was doing an amazing impression of a zombie. Because the definition of a zombie was an animated corpse, and this guy was exactly that. He made it a single step out of the room he was leaving, and he stumbled, barely grabbing the doorframe to keep him from falling on his face. Just about to ask him if he was okay, he saw me looking at him and he asked in a slow voice, "What's wrong?"
"Ugh, nothing man." I couldn't even see his eyes, his unkept hair was covering them. He shuffled off down the hall. I wonder what that was all about. He kind of looked like Ali after an all-nighter, but he was never that bad, even after several days in a row of all-nighters.
I found the sign labeling the editorial department a few doors down, and found what was apparently zombie storage. Several people had their heads laid on their desks, and the atmosphere was noticeable heavy. I hope they were paid well, because it did not look like working in the editorial department was anything but miserable.
I found the Bear Puffs on a table laden with all kind of goodies that must have been for gifts at the ready for authors and the such. I was no longer as impressed with Mira always bringing goodies when she dropped by, but however they came, I loved 'em.
"Hey, Shorty, it's you." Donnan came strolling in. I hadn't seen him since the party, so I wasn't exactly thrilled to see him.
"Donnan," I offered coolly, was the best I could do.
"What's up?"
"Ali forgot to bring his manuscript to the meeting, so I came to deliver it."
"Well, that was nice of you. While you're here, if there are any books that you'd like, feel free to take them." He indicated a massive bookcase with the most recent publications.
Since I wasn't much of a book person, I automatically declined. "No, I couldn't."
"Don't be shy. Take something." He practically dragged me over for a closer look.
"Oh, no, really..." And that's when I saw it. Galileo Galactic, Special Premium Deluxe Version, Comes with Galileo Ship Figurine. "Galileo Galactic! And it's the limited edition that sold out before I could get it! I didn't know you published graphic novels!" There was a chance that I was jumping up and down like a little kid.
"Yes. It's published through one of our imprints. We have our fingers in all kinds of pies, thanks in part to me." I was barely paying attention to Donnan as I read the back of the limited-edition book.
I soon found myself carrying an enormous shopping bag full of two of the special editions, the next volume that hadn't come out yet, art books, t-shirts, and everything Galileo Galactic that they had. I didn't know what to do with myself. There's a chance that I have never been this happy before. I no longer hated Donnan Dorsey.
He was asking me what I liked about that particular series as he walked me back to the bank of elevators, when a resounding crash came from a room we were passing by. "Sir, please calm down!" someone pleaded.
Opening the door with a sign reading, "Occupied," Donnan fumed, "What is it? What's going on?" Looking inside I saw a figure sitting in one of the chairs around a long table, halfway laying across the surface. Another man stood over him with a desperate look on his features.
"Mr. Dorsey, Mr. June is...struggling."
"Again?" Donnan went in and I hung around the doorway watching. "Look, it's alright. Please rewrite it until you're satisfied. We'll handle the printing house somehow," he implored in a soothing voice.
"You're lying!" the man accused, his head in his hands. "It doesn't matter. No one's waiting to read my novel."
"That's not true. Look, June!" Donnan pointed at me. "Here's a huge fan of yours!" I am? He came over and put an arm around my shoulders. "Shorty, this is the man who creates Galileo Galactic. The graphic novelist, Kiefer June!"
"What?!" And then I proceeded to totally fanboy out. I stammered, I mumbled, I stood there slack-jawed.
He looked up at me and I saw that it was the zombie from earlier in the hallway. "Huh, please," his tone was scathing. "There are so many graphic novels out there, mine's no better than anyone else's. I'm sure you have a dozen others that you're a 'huge fan' of."
"That's not true! I always look forward to your novels. At first, I only bought the books, but now I get the magazine with the extras, too. I've been reading Galileo Galactic for a long time now. You've been a part of half of my life! I absolutely love you!" My smile was threatening to split my face.
"Say what you will, I...I..." Unable to finish, he stared down at the table.
"See, Mr. June! You have true fans like him! You only have a little more to go. We can do this!" the other man told him.
Donnan began leading me out of the room. "I can't wait for your next issue! I'll be cheering for you!" I could not stop gushing. "I can't believe that just happened!" I marveled once we were out of the room.
"Man, you saved us there, Shorty."
Then with the intensity of a thousand suns, I felt before I saw, Ali standing there, fuming with fury. "A-Ali?" He snatched up my hand and pulled me away.
Before I had time to blink, he hauled me into the bathroom, caging me between the wall and himself. "What's going on?"
"That's my line," he countered. "What are you doing, loudly professing your love, and here of all places?"
"Professing my love? You mean Mr. June? But, he's the author of my favorite graphic novel."
"Getting stars in your eyes...I could clobber you!"
I knew Ali was the jealous type, but this was absurd. "If I meet someone who's work I love and respect, of course I'm going to be thrilled. You don't see me flipping out when women come up to you asking for an autograph, many of whom claim to love you. Crap! I should've gotten his autograph!"
His answer to this, as was to most things, was to kiss me. His tongue had just slipped in my mouth when we heard, "Okay, no office romance allowed," Donnan joked. I was mortified and turned every shade of red from hot pink to crimson.
"Alistor, we need to go! We have one more meeting." Mira peeked around Donnan into the men's room.
Ali, who had not calmed down a bit, charged from the bathroom. "Enough of this! I'm leaving!"
"Alistor!" Mira cried.
I chased after him, Mira and Donnan hot on my heels. "Hey, you need to do your work. You're upset over nothing!"
And with the terrible timing that seemed to be an innate part of him, Halston came walking up with Asher, Donnan's assistant. "Mr. Dorsey, Mr. Smoak has arrived."
For a moment, we all just stood staring at one another, the tension so intensely palpable that it was enough to make one nauseous. Donnan broke it by saying, "We're working with the Smoak Company and the movie studio on the distribution deal for one of our books that's being turned into a major motion picture. The meeting for that is starting soon, so I guess we better go Halston."
"We're leaving, Kip." Ali turned away.
"Alistor, the meeting," Mira pleaded.
"Like I said, you can do whatever you want."
"It's your job, isn't it?" Halston put in mockingly. "Do you lack even the ability to do that properly?" Ali, who had already been livid, looked ready to hit the roof.
I quickly stepped in. Placing a hand on his chest in an action that I would normally never do in public, I assured him, "Ali, I'll go straight home. I promise. Finish your meeting, and by the time you come home I'll have dinner ready." Sliding a hand down his arm to his hand, I added, "It'll be fine. I won't take any detours or stop at Starbucks or anything."
Mira saw her opening and took his elbow, leading him away. "Make sure to call me when you get home," he called over his shoulder.
"You got it!" I waved.
Starting for the elevators, I thanked Donnan again for the loot when he stopped me. "Shorty, I'll get June's autograph for you. Wait in here with Halston. I'll be right back." He grabbed my book bag and the shopping bag of swag from me and pushed me into an empty conference room, slamming the door shut.
"Wait! Donnan!" I tried the handle and found it locked.
"Keep your voice down. You'll disturb others." What was it with the Smoak men, the one's I didn't like, telling me to hush it?
"If I want to shout about being locked..."
"He said he'd be right back. Why not just wait for a bit?" So, being locked in here wasn't bothering him in the least. Something was up. God, please not another declaration of love!
That's exactly what it was. "I hear you ended up going to Atami with my father."
"What?!"
"He said you sat in the springs together and spoke of bears until the heat made you woozy."
"Well then your dad's a fucking liar." I love that I stunned him out of his stoicism.
"It's not true?"
"I went there with Ali, and Francois just showed up! We never once spoke about bears, and he did his best to ruin our first night there; he didn't, though."
And for the first time that I'd ever seen, Halston was smiling. I guess even he smiles sometimes. "My father has his own sense of right and that's where he's coming from, but there's no need for you to pay him any mind." Maybe I could be wrong, but, was he trying to be nice?
"That's what Ali said."
He whipped his head towards me, his smile gone. "I need you." He stood and came close to me. I backed up one step, but for some reason felt that I needed to stand my ground. He leaned in, "I love you." He grabbed me and forcefully pushed me down to the table.
I fought him. "Hey! Get off me you mother fucker!" Damn, these Smoak men were strong; he held me firm. He insinuated himself between my legs so that I couldn't kick him, and also, so I could feel his erection.
"The correct choice would be for you to choose me." He was an inch from my face.
"I've already made my choice! Stop asking me!"
Leaving my meeting, I found Donnan with his ear pressed to a door, obviously eavesdropping. "Hey! What are you doing?" He shouldn't be spying on authors.
He jumped a mile high. "Smoak! What, are you skipping out?" he asked guiltily.
"The meeting's over."
"That was fast." He was working hard at changing the subject. Just as hard as trying to hide something behind his back.
I recognized what it was. "Those are Kip's things, aren't they? Where's Kip?" I moved closer to him, looking down at him.
"Um, in the bathroom." His eyes were shifty.
"And where is Halston?"
"Uh, down the hall?" he asked uncertainly. Enough of this. I reached for the door handle. "I wouldn't do that."
"Move aside!" If he put Kip with Halston in another play for his affections, I would kick his ass and not care about the consequences.
Donnan changed his tune. "This is a good opportunity. Test him while you have the chance. See how Shorty reacts when another guy presses his suit."
"What are you thinking? This isn't funny!" I pushed him away and made to grab for the handle.
Grasping my wrist, he stopped me. "I'm thinking that if you don't let them clear the air once and for all, you know matters are only going to get worse. Let Shorty make the decision."
Halston finally stopped forcing me and let me push him off and get up. "I'm really sorry, but I'm with Ali. It really sucks if you really do love me, like you say you do. Though, I don't see how that's possible. I'm sure you're an okay guy when you want to be, when you're not locking me in closets, and trying to hold me hostage with your feelings. But you were really decent with the whole Karis situation, and I know you've had it rough from what you told me about your upbringing. I don't...hate you."
"What is it that Alistor has that I do not? Once I know what it is, I think I could rectify the situation."
"Halston, feelings don't work like that, and I think you know that. Is there someone else out there that you could give things to and change so that they were more like me? If so, then go be with them. But you know that's an impossibility.
"No, Ali isn't perfect. He can't do anything on his own, and if it weren't for me he'd probably disappear under a pile of books or something, so I worry about him if I'm not there keeping an eye on him. But I like worrying about him. I like that he needs me, because even though it aggravates me to no end, but I need him, too."
"You love him?"
I stood there a long time, my throat going dry, my face blazing like an oven. I'd never admitted it to anyone but Ali himself, but hopefully this would get Halston to stop pursuing me. And also, because it was true. "Yes."
As ever, his face was blank. At last he called, "You heard him. Satisfied?" Bewildered, I saw the door open to show Ali standing there, Donnan behind him. "I heard you outside the door trying to get in. Enjoy the show?"
"What the hell is going on here?" I was so embarrassed. Halston, Ali, and Donnan all heard me admit to being in love with Ali? I think I was going to throw up.
Donnan sighed. "Okay, now. We all good? Come Halston, we have business to attend to." And with that, Halston left without looking back.
The moment we got home, I began striping off Kip's sweater. "What are you doing?"
"A physical examination, of course. He better not have done anything to you." I went for his pants next. "So, if you don't keep an eye on me, I'll disappear somewhere?"
"Is that a promise?" He pretended to be mad about my manhandling.
I sat on the back of the couch, pulling his back against me, nestling his ass in my crotch. "Then please, stay close to me, so I don't disappear."
"The hell? I'm right here."
"I was so used to being alone, but after being together with you, I've become afraid of solitude. I want you to promise me."
"I'm here." He turned sideways, looking up at me. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I'm happy that you chose me."
I kissed him, my tongue delving into his mellifluous mouth. He wrapped his arms around my neck pulling himself closer to me. A few moments later he started grinding his hips against mine, our cocks rubbed against one another through our pants. I cradled his bottom and pressed him in harder. I broke off our kiss. "You have certainly become more aggressive lately."
His cheeks bloomed with blush. "I can stop if you want me to."
"Not at all. I'm loving it." I suckled an earlobe before I continued. "The reason I mention it is because there are certain things I thought we could do, but I've been waiting until you had grown more comfortable with our love-making before broaching them." I don't know how he managed it, but he looked terrified and intrigued all at once. I smiled at him. "Don't worry, we will never do anything you don't want to do. Shall I continue, or do you just want me to fuck you good like I always do?"
"Um, o-okay."
"Wonderful. First, a little quiz, so that I may ascertain a few bits of knowledge. Question one, that night in the shower, under duress from wanting to come and my not letting you, you admitted that you liked seeing my hand on my cock. Is that something that you would like, to watch me masturbate?" He began squirming, but I held on tight to him.
Kip buried his face in my shirt. I waited patiently. At last I heard a muffled, "Y-yes."
"Excellent. That can be arranged. Next question, would you like to touch me more? This is an aspect we haven't really explored because I have been busy worshipping you, but I thought I'd give you a chance to do the same, if that's something that intrigues you." This time he nodded his head. "Now, now. I need to hear an answer." I couldn't resist playing with him.
"Fine! Yes!" He threw his head back, but his eyes were closed.
"What kind of touching? You want to put your hands on my dick?"
His face was back in my shirt. "Yes."
"My balls?"
"Yes."
"And what about my asshole? Would you like to finger me?"
He shook his head. "N-no thank you. Are you mad?"
"Of course not! This is good to know. I'm sure you'll get there one day, and you'll let me know when you do. Now, on to your mouth. Are you interested in sucking my cock?" He unwittingly bucked his erection into me, his hands balling in my shirt, and I felt his breathing become more rapid. His reactions were positively delicious. "I'll take that as a yes, shall I?" He nodded. "How about come? Would you like me to come in your mouth? Or, if you like better, your chest and stomach. And there is always the option of my coming onto your dick and you use to jerk off, or I could jerk you off."
He leaned back, looking me directly in the face, his eyes savage. "Yes!" He climbed me like a tree, crushing his mouth against mine, while wrapping his knees around my waist. He was pushing at my shirt as he tried to get it off. I helped him discard it before picking him up and taking him to the ground. His jeans were already undone from my earlier onslaught, so I tore those off him as he pressed his mouth to any piece of my flesh he could get to. Working together we got my slacks off. He stared down at my erection for a few moments, and I saw the shyness creep back into his bottle-green eyes.
"Not sure where to start?" He shook his head. "Well, we did go over several options. Here..." I sat up, leaned my back against the sofa, bent my knees, and put my feet on the floor in front of me. "Come here. Put your legs through mine and scoot up here close to me. Yes, that's right, sit between my knees. Comfortable? Good." My knees bumped his shoulders as I made sure we were close enough; close enough to where I could reach out and grab his cock, but not so close that our dicks were touching. Wrapping my hand around my own phallus, I began bobbing it up and down. Kip's gaze was glued to my motions. I took it in stages, I started off unhurried, sometimes bringing my palm up around the tip, rubbing and squeezing it. I picked up the pace a bit and he started wiggling his bottom a bit. His teeth bit his bottom lip when I started varying speeds, going slow and then a little faster, and then back to leisurely.
When I brought my other hand into play, using it to knead my balls, he brought his hand to his member. "Nope," I censured him. "No touching." He made a whining sound, but obeyed, putting his hand back to the floor, his dick twitching toward mine. I had him right where I wanted him. Removing my hand from my sack, I concentrated on speed. My hand was a blur as I beat up and down. I watched his face as he fixated on my hand. "Do you like this?" I asked him. "Do you like that you do this to me? That you make me so hard that I want to touch myself?"
"Ali, yes! Oh, god, Ali!" His hips lifted off the ground reaching for me.
"This isn't the first time," I told him. He moaned. My hand hammered on. "I can't hardly think of you without getting hard. I must do something about it, don't I? I think about being inside of you or your dick down my throat."
Imagining his taste in my mouth was my downfall and my climax thundered through me. With a guttural noise from deep in my throat, I leaned forward, continuing to tug and aimed my finish onto Kip's cock. Strings of liquid pearls fell down onto him causing him to keen. Squeezing my last drop onto him, I went onto my knees and reached for his slick cock. One of my hands glided over him. With my other hand, I first made sure to rub some come onto my first two fingers before I slid them inside Kip. He fell onto his back, lifting his hips into the air. "Oh my god!" His words were quick, like he had to get them out. I matched the rhythm of the hand on his dick and the fingers in his ass.
He reached out for me. I leaned down as far as I could on my knees without my hands to support me. It was enough for him to tangle his fingers in my hair. Then they roamed further down over my shoulders, to my pecks, and then my nipples. He rounded them a bit before moving down to my stomach, fingering my abs. I had a feeling he was on his way to grasping my length for the first time, but I had already put the pressure on pulling and pushing, sinking and wresting him quicker. "Don't stop!" I hadn't planned on it, but I was pleased that he was compelled to say it. "Oh yeah! Fuck yeah! Ali!" His wetness joined my own as I wrung him until he was totally finished.
I laid down, pulling him to me in a spoon. I kissed his teal hair, his ear, his neck. Turning his mouth towards me, I took what he offered and drank deeply. And then we lay there, catching our breaths, my arms wrapped around him, his fingers laced through mine. We lay there so long, I thought he had fallen asleep, so I was startled when he whispered, "Ali?"
"Yes darling."
He sighed at the 'darling,' but continued. "Earlier today, with Halston, he...well, he pressed his...erection against me."
"He what?! I'll kill him!" I started to get up, having every intention to get dressed, drive to the estate, and beat Halston's ass into the ground. But Kip pulled me back to the floor.
"Will you calm down and listen to me? I'm trying to ask you something. Anyways, I could handle Halston myself; I don't need you to fight my battles for me."
I released a heavy sigh. "Touché. But I'll always fight for you, that's part of having someone love you. Please, continue. I'm listening." I took in a few deep calming breaths, striving to wipe the image of smarmy Halston rubbing his cock on my Kip.
"Okay, what I was trying to say is, when he did that, I didn't like it. In fact, it repulsed me. So, it made me wonder if it means I'm possibly not g-gay. I mean, you're still the only guy I've been attracted to. But also, I haven't thought about any girls either. I can't recall even seeing a girl and thinking about her looks, in that way...lately."
"Have you been watching any porn?"
He got squirmy. "No. I haven't needed to."
I hated that this was bothering him so needlessly. "Listen, you don't need to worry about this. You'll figure it out in time, and until then it doesn't matter one bit. You can trust yourself to just do what feels right. But if you want, I'll tell you what you are."
"What?" He turned his face towards me, listening intently.
"It's easy to see. You're an Ali-sexual. You want only me. You love only me. And it will be this way the rest of your life, so you don't need to worry about it. You're an Ali- sexual."
His head fell back against my chest. He let out a sigh that I couldn't tell if it was from contentment, or from my cheekiness. After a few moments, he whispered, "Ali?"
"Yes, darling."
"Can you... can we... will you please fuck me?"
My laughter rumbled through me. "Your wish is my command, you sexy man!" Using my hand as a guide, I rubbed my cock between his cheeks as we stayed laying on our sides. Pushing it in, I went gradually, listening to his moaning. When it was all the way in, I reached around and grasped his dick. I began swirling and grinding against his ass. Wanting something to do with his hands, he reached behind him and clung to my hip.
"Ali?"
"Mmm?"
"I-I love you."
I held him as close as I could, trying to tuck him into my heart. "I love you, too."