Chris and Jasper

The Fireman and The Librarian

Chapter 3

Growth - Jasper Adds Fuel to Flame Chris's Fire

When Jasper arrived at work Monday morning, he daydreamed about Chris all morning. His coworkers were wondering what was going on with him, why he seemed so distracted. At lunchtime, Jasper was in the break room, and one of his coworkers came and sat with him.

"Jasper, what's going on, you're not yourself today?" Sandra asked.

"I'm okay. I'm just thinking. How are you today?"

"I'm good. Come on, Jasper, aren't we friends? What's going on?"

"Yeah, we are. I'm just thinking about a guy I met."

"YOU MET SOMEONE!?!"

"Shhhhhh, gee Sandra, just scream it."

"Tell me about him, please."

"I met him through my brother, he's a fellow fireman, plus he comes here and checks out books. I didn't know he was gay, and we've all been looking and awing over him."

"Really, you're going to have to point him out the next time he's in. At least this one reads, the last guy you dated, he was dumber than a box of rocks."

"I know Carl wasn't that smart. I don't know how I made it for three months."

"Me either, I hoped at least Carl was good in bed."

"No, no, he wasn't." Jasper sighed and shook his head.

They talked throughout lunch and then went back to their areas to work. Jasper was working on weeding a section in History, so he was in the back of the library when Chris came in. Chris decided to go early to the library because he didn't want to oversleep. He returned the books he had read the last few days at the fire station, he had checked out four and returned three of them.

Chris went to the fiction area, and he was browsing the shelves looking for his next few books when a woman approached him. "Can I help you find anything?" She looked him up and down.

"No, just looking for some more books in the series I'm reading." He responded.

"Okay, well, if you need anything, I'm around." She walked away.

Chris just shook his head, almost every time he comes in, the same librarian comes up and asks if he needs anything, he's told her no, but she keeps approaching him. Chris found a few more books he hadnt read and had taken them over to the checkout desk. He sat down in a comfortable chair and opened one to read. He was turning page after page not even realizing how much time had gone by, he felt his phone vibrate in his jeans and fished it out.

"When will you get here?'

Chris smiled and responded. 'I'm here, been for a while.'

'Where are you?'

'Find me.' Chris responded and smiled, knowing Jasper would find him quickly, and he did.

"You're funny, Chris. How long have you been here?" Jasper sat down in the chair beside him.

"Not quite two hours." Chris smiled. He looked at his book and realized he only had a few pages left.

"How fast do you read?" Jasper was looking at the book, as well.

"Sometimes, a tad too fast for my own good." Chris closed the book and put it in his bag with the others and stood. "Are you ready to go?" Jasper nodded.

"Are you going to remember what page you were on?" Jasper asked as they walked out of the library.

"Yeah, I dog-eared the page." Chris smiled.

"YOU WHAT?"

"I'm just joking Jasper, it was page two hundred and eighty, I think, something about 'Mammoth Avenue in Van Nuys' I'll look for it when I go back to the book.

Sandra was behind them, and she noticed when they walked through the doors, Chris placed his hand in the small of Jasper's back, as a loving gesture. She remembered seeing this guy before and was hoping this was Jasper's new love.

"Would you like to eat and then go back to one of our places or order in?" Chris asked.

"Would you like to come up to my place, and we could order Thai?" Jasper asked.

"That sounds fun," Chris responded.

They arrived at Jasper's door, Chris held the food while Jasper unlocked the door. Chris would lean in to kiss him on the back of the neck, and it would frustrate Jasper, the first time he dropped the keys. When they finally made it in the house, Jasper turned, and they started to kiss, Chris bent and picked up Jasper, which frightened him, thinking he was going too far. "CHRIS?"

Chris put Jasper down quickly, almost dropping the bag of food. "I'm sorry Jasper. Maybe..."

"No, stay, let's enjoy dinner and watch a movie, talk or something."

Chris's eyebrows raised, "Or something?" They both laughed.

"Okay, let me rephrase, let's watch a movie, eat, and talk." Jasper smiled.

"Alright, we'll watch a movie or whatever on the couch, because really I'd like to get to know you a bit tonight before you kick me out," Chris responded, he knew he'd be heading home after a few hours.

"Would you like to pick out the movie?" Jasper didn't really care what movie they watched just as long as he was sitting next to Chris all evening.

"Sure." Jasper pointed to his DVD collection as he walked into the kitchen to retrieve some plates and a fork for Chris. Jasper didn't know if Chris liked to use chopsticks or not, Jasper loved them. He also got drinks for them.

Chris was looking through Jasper's collection there was your typical romance, action, and comedy and then he noticed one stuck behind all the rest like Jasper was hiding it. It was one of those 80s action adventure comedies all rolled into one, and since Jasper was still in the kitchen. Chris put it in the player and had it all cued up to go.

"Did you find something to watch?"

"Yup." Chris took the plates from Jasper and sat them down on the coffee table as Jasper sat the napkins and everything else he brought out with him.

"I didn't know if you wanted water, pop, or something else." Jasper handed him a bottle of water and a can of Coke.

"You worry too much, have a seat and relax," Chris responded. "But thanks."

Chris watched Jasper pour each of them out some noodles, chicken, and veggies. He handed Chris both a fork and chopsticks and started to eat with the sticks he had for himself. Chris smiled as he watched Jasper, then Chris picked up the sticks and started to eat as well. Jasper looked over at Chris and stopped. "What, you didn't think I could do it?" Chris smiled and continued to eat.

To cover the fact that he was impressed, Jasper asked a question. "Are you going to put the movie on, since you're holding the remotes hostage over there?"

"Oh yeah." Chris chuckled and started the movie and Jasper choked.

"Seriously Chris, 'Romancing the Stone'? How did you find it?" Jasper was a little embarrassed.

"What, I like sappy 80s action adventure too." Chris smiled at Jasper. "And it wasn't hidden that well Jasper." Chris laughed and leaned over and kissed him.

They weren't watching much of the movie, the volume was turned down low. They were using the TV more as lighting for the room. Chris had sat back on the couch, and Jasper was snuggled up beside him. Jasper was running his hand over Chris's chest, and Chris was kissing the top of Jasper's head, occasionally Jasper would look up, and Chris would steal a real kiss.

Jasper heard his phone ringing and jumped up to grab it when he saw it was Bill he walked into the kitchen. "Hey Bill."

"Jas, how's it going?"

"Everything is good, can I call you later?" Jasper didn't want to talk to Bill, he wanted to get back to Chris.

"Chris there?" Bill knew he didn't have to ask. It would be the only reason Jasper would want him off the phone, he had to smile to himself.

"Yeah."

"Well, don't forget to ask him to come tomorrow."

"You already did," Jasper responded.

"Jas, be here by six and ask him anyway."

"Yeah, I'll ask him to meet me at the library, so we'll be together when we arrive."

"Alright, love you Jas." Bill hung up after Jasper responded that he loved him too.

Jasper came back into the living room and found Chris leaning back with his eyes closed. "Chris?" Jasper didn't get a response. "Chris?" Still none, so he touched Chris's arm when he said it a third time. "Chris?"

"I'm sorry," Chris responded as he rubbed his eyes. "When I've got stimulation, I can stay awake. When I have nothing occupying my mind, sometimes it's hard."

"It's okay, I understand you're tired. You're still trying to catch up on sleep. Which I did find out through Mary, once we hung up Saturday, you were out on runs the rest of your shift."

"Jasper it's part of the job, I was lying in my bunk reading. I probably would've been reading still when the calls came in if we didn't talk. So, I was talking to you instead, believe me, I sleep at the station when I need it."

"Alright. Also Chris. Apparently, my brother already asked because he thought I'd be my forgetful self." Jasper looked down, and Chris reached out for his hand.

"I'd love to come with you to Bill's, only on one condition." Jasper looked at him. "I need a kiss and a hug from you." Jasper laughed as he leaned over and hugged Chris and then kissed him. "But Jasper, I hate to do this, but I better get going for the night."

"You don't have to leave, you could stay, and we could ride into the city together tomorrow morning." Jasper secretly wished he'd say yes.

"I don't have a toothbrush." Chris smiled, and Jasper laughed.

"I think I can find you a toothbrush."

"Are you expecting to sleep tonight if I stayed?" Chris looked at Jasper with a lopsided grin, Jasper looked a little worried. "I didn't think so." Chris pulled Jasper up, he started clearing the coffee table, and Jasper helped.

"Chris..." Jasper started to explain as he followed Chris into the kitchen, but Chris turned back after sitting his things down and bent to kiss him, taking what Jasper had in his arms.

"Come on, walk me to the door," Chris stated with a smile. "I'd love to stay, but it wouldn't be good for either one of us, and you know it."

"Thank you, please text when you get home." Jasper smiled. He knew it too.

"Don't stay awake just for my text, I'll text, just look for it in the morning please." Jasper nodded they kissed again, and Chris walked to the bus stop which the trip home seemed like hours but really was only one. Chris was true to his word and texted Jasper when he walked in the door, and he didn't wait or expect a response. He had stripped and was in bed a few minutes after entering, the only detour he made was to the bathroom.

The next day Chris lounged around until it was time to head to meet Jasper at the library to go to Bills. Jasper was thinking about Chris most of the day and wasn't much in the working mood, but he managed to do some work. Sandra snickered at him every time she'd walk by him.

****

Arriving at Bill's home, Jasper knocked and like always walked right in. "Hey Bill, Mary, we're here," Jasper called out. He walked into the living room and froze dead in his tracks. Chris came in behind and almost ran into Jasper, Chris had to grab hold of Jasper, so he didn't fall over him or make Jasper fall. "We'll wait in the kitchen," Jasper said in a flat tone and pulled Chris with him.

"What's going on?" Chris asked.

"That was my father." Jasper saw the pots of food on the stove and automatically stirred them, they were on low heat.

Chris could tell Jasper was nervous, he came up behind Jasper and put his arms around him. Jasper leaned back into him, and they just stayed like this for a while. Bill came into the kitchen and smiled when he saw Chris holding Jasper, he didn't want to interrupt, but he needed to talk to Jasper. "Jas, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Chris squeezed Jasper and then released him. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I'm sorry, I thought he would've been gone by now, he showed up out of the blue today, Jas. Mary had to wake me, he's been talking all afternoon.

"What's he here about?"

"He's been talking about Julie's wedding. Apparently, she's getting married next month. I thought maybe he had changed because he came here, but the moment he saw you, his whole demeanor changed." Bill walked towards Jasper. "Jas."

"Bill, I'm going to go, it was nice seeing you and Mary." Elliot turned to leave.

"Dad, you're not going to acknowledge Jasper," Bill asked.

"No." Elliot started to walk out.

"Dad, why can't you acknowledge your own son?"

Elliot turned around. "He's not my son, I told him that five years ago, when you two walked out of my house. I came here today because you're my son, and I'd like to have you back in our lives, but this... this..." He pointed at Jasper. "He's not wanted, I don't know how you could want him."

"Because he's my brother, because he's my twin, because we have a bond, which you'll never understand Dad." When Bill said twin, Chris looked from Jasper to Bill and back. "If you can't accept your own son for who he is, then I don't want anything to do with you Dad. I told you when I walked out of your house, and I'm telling you this now. If you can't accept Jas, then you can't accept me, I'm not leaving Jas for a bunch of bigots."

"I don't understand, I don't understand how you can love him, he likes men, he thinks he's a woman."

"I don't think I'm a woman." Jasper laughed. "I'm just in love with a man."

"Did I ask you to talk to me?"

Bill was getting angry. "Get out Dad, if you can't be nice to other guests in my home, you're not welcome."

Elliot huffed. "I don't see how these two can be guests, they're..."

"Don't even finish that, get out Dad. To answer your question; no, I'll not attend Julie's wedding. I choose Jas over all of you."

Elliot turned around, and as he was shutting the door, they all heard him say. "A bunch of faggots."

Bill looked at Jasper as Jasper walked out of the kitchen to the living room. "Jas, I'm sorry, I was hoping the reason he came was that he had changed. Please, look at me." Jasper turned around, Bill walked up to him and put his arms around him. "Jas, you're my family, we have a bond, and I'm never going to take them over you. Please understand this."

"I hate this, I hate that you have to choose me over them, I hate that you have to lose everything because of me."

"Jas, if they can't accept you, I don't want them. I'm not losing my brother, I'd rather have you than, Mom, Dad, Matt or Julie. It was you and me for the longest, Matt didn't come along until we were eight and then Julie when we were ten. They never understood us. Jas, I love you."

"I know Bill, and I love you."

Jasper and Bill walked back into the kitchen to a stunned Chris, Jasper walked over to him. "Chris, what's wrong?"

"Bill said, twins?" Chris said with his eyebrows raised. "I understand you're fraternal twins, but couldn't you've led with that when we met?" Chris laughed.

"Of all the things that happened tonight, you focused on the twin part?" Jasper laughed.

"I have an asshole of a father too, remember?" Chris responded in a flat tone. "Is it your whole family or just your Father?"

"It's all of them," Jasper responded. "If you could've seen the look on their faces when I finally came out to them. Bill was the only one who looked at me with love, all the others looked at me in disgust. I couldn't live a lie anymore. My mom was wondering why I couldn't settle down with one of the women I'd dated, I only dated them to appease her."

"I always knew Jas was different, I didn't know or realize he was gay at the time, but I just knew something was different. But I love him, and I'll always choose him over them any day."

"Jasper, you had more than I had the day my father found out, I'm glad you had Bill." Chris hugged Jasper from behind, Bill and Mary smiled.

"Come on everyone, let's sit down, eat and we can have the coming out stories later," Mary stated to the guys. "But, I get to tell my news first.

Mary sat everything on the table, and everyone started digging in. Bill decided to be a little mischievous. "Chris, did you like Jas' place?" He was sure, once they arrived, Chris didn't see anything other than Jasper.

"Yeah, he has a nice home." Chris smiled.

"How did you like the artwork in the living room?" Jasper even smiled on this one.

"Jasper has bookshelves full of books, but no artwork." Chris smiled. He did look around a little while he was holding Jasper. "If you wanted to catch me Bill, you should've asked something about the kitchen." Chris laughed. "All I remember is the door, bedroom, shower, and living room because we ate for a minute. If you want to know anything that happened, Jasper will have to do the honor, if he's willing to share."

Bill laughed because he looked over at Jasper, and he was blushing. "He's lying." Jasper got out. "Nothing happened, we were only in the living room."

"Jasper, you can still have sex in the living room." Mary pointed out, and Chris laughed.

"We didn't," Jasper stated.

"Okay, you didn't," Bill responded and laughed.

"Well, now it's my turn to tell you all something," Mary responded, Bill, leaned over and kissed her. "Jasper, you're going to be an uncle."

Jasper's mouth dropped open he looked from Bill to Mary and back again. Jasper got up and rounded the table and hugged Mary and kissed her then he hugged and kissed Bill. "Congratulations, you two are going to make great parents." Chris congratulated them as well.

When dinner was over, they cleaned up and went into the living room to talk. Bill wanted to talk about Jasper's exes. Bill knew Jasper wouldn't be too eager to talk about this, but he wanted Chris to know he'll be watching out for his brother.

"Have you two had time to talk about exes yet?" Bill asked.

"We really haven't had time yet Bill," Jasper responded.

"Well, can I tell Chris about your exes, so he knows if he ever hurts you, he'll have to deal with me?"

"I think you're going to, if I have a say or not," Jasper responded, and Chris looked a little confused but looked back at Bill.

"Chris, both Carl and Will were dicks, they never treated Jas right. Jas, of course, wouldn't tell me this, I found out because I had the unfortunate ability to show up at the wrong but right time. I'd stop in and see Jas unannounced for good reasons. I found Will hitting Jas, I punched him out cold, Carl was just an idiot."

"So, are you warning me that you'll show up, unannounced?" Chris asked.

"Yes, I warned them too. I have a key, and I'll be honest, I had shown up by accident a few times when Jas was having sex." Bill looked at Chris. "I'm protective over him, I don't want anyone to hurt him."

"Well, I'll never hit him, or be cruel in any way, but I'll make him feel great," Chris responded with a smile. "Bill, I like Jasper a lot."

"Well, I love my brother, and you better never hurt him."

Mary butted in, "Chris, just to let you know, I've gotten used to this, Bill is very protective over Jasper, and they have an interesting relationship. It takes a bit of getting used to, I hope you do because I can see how much Jasper likes you."

"I think I can handle it, as I said, I really like Jasper." Chris squeezed Jasper's hand and smiled.

Before everyone knew it, it was after eleven. "You two are staying, aren't you?" Bill asked.

"Staying?" Chris asked.

"It's too late to head back to the city. Jasper has work clothes here, I can loan you some clothes if you need to sleep in anything." Bill smiled. "So, are you going to stay?"

Jasper looked at Chris, Chris just nodded, and Bill laughed. "Probie just remember you come to my house, always bring a change of clothes."

Jasper got up and pulled Chris with him, they went up to one of the spare bedrooms. "Do you mind staying? If you do, we can go back to the city."

"No, it's okay, it's late, and you need to work in the morning," Chris stated. "Are we staying in the same room?" Chris asked as Jasper followed him into a room.

"Only if you want to," Jasper responded.

Chris looked at Jasper with a lopsided grin, he knew it wouldn't be a good idea. Chris backed Jasper up to the wall and kissed him. When they broke apart, they were both working hard to catch their breath.