House Cat

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Author's Note: This is a direct sequel to the previously published story "Stray Kitten."

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There's several distinct kinds of "exhausted," and we have all experienced several. There's "I just spent the last 18 hours on planes" exhausted, "I just finished cramming for an exam tomorrow" exhausted, and others, but for my money there's nothing quite like "I just finished football practice that went overtime" exhausted. I flopped down on my dorm's bed and didn't want to move.

I glanced at my phone. Did I really want to add "I just had a conversation with my boyfriend" exhausted on top?

I sighed. Apparently, I did, because I reached for the phone and tapped Bryan's contact. As much as he annoyed me sometimes, I liked having him around. He was the first person who I could really come out of my shell with.

It rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hey, big guy."

I smiled. "Hey Kitten. How's it going?"

"I'm doing fine. You?"

"Tired, but that's not why I called."

"Well, if this is a booty call, I'm flattered, but I have homework to do. You'd have to ask nicely."

I snorted. "Get over yourself. Anyway, what's your schedule Saturday?"

"Wide open."

"Good, because we're going on our first date."

"I think it's a little late for that, or have we not been dating for like two weeks?"

"We've been dating, but we haven't gone on any dates yet."

I swear I could hear his raised eyebrow in his tone. "Uh-huh, and that makes a lick of sense because...?"

"Well, think about it. We met at a party, fucked, and then we became boyfriends. There was no 'first date.' Since then we've mostly just fucked more, hung out, and ate lunch in the cafeteria. We haven't gone out on a date yet."

"You don't hear me complaining, hon. I don't need to be wined and dined."

"We need to do some dates eventually, Bryan. When do you want me to pick you up?"

He sighed. He's the more dominant, take-charge person outside the bedroom, but when I put my foot down he usually listened.

"Well, if you really want to treat me like the prince I am, I suppose I shouldn't stop you. 6-o-clock?"

"Sure. And I won't ever be able to afford to treat you as well you think you deserve to be treated. Don't get your hopes up."

"Aw, I love it when you're sweet on me, darlin'."

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe you should get back to that homework. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

I hung up.

*****

Bryan had given me the address of the apartment he was staying at and told me to meet him at the front.

I got there a little bit early, so I texted him to come down when he was ready and waited. I had time to check out my reflection in a window, but I wanted to be quick. Considering how often I called Bryan a narcissist I didn't want to give him any ammo.

I looked good: jeans, a Muse t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Nothing seemed out of order, so I just waited for my kitten.

He came down about five minutes later. He had a hoodie, jeans, and black cowboy boots. My member stirred a little just watching him come down the stairs.

Instead of saying hello, he went right for the kiss. I wasn't complaining.

He glanced around. "So, Jack, which car is yours?"

"None of them." I pointed to my motorcycle.

"You've ever ridden one of these, Kitten?"

"No, but if it's anything like riding a horse or an ATV I'll be fine."

I gave him a helmet and he hopped on behind me. The way that him wrapping his arms around me and scooting closer made me feel tempted me to just drive right back to my dorm so we could have sex, but I resisted. I was hungry.

*****

I had been living in the area much longer than Bryan had, making it a given that I'd be picking the restaurant. He'd told me he liked Mexican food in the past, so we went to a place I knew had great tacos.

We sat down, and it struck me that this really was the first date I'd been on with my first boyfriend. I didn't really need to fear any shaming or bullying from my peers, I was one of the biggest, toughest-looking guys on the football team, but it sure felt different. I looked at Bryan, who as usual looked totally comfortable, like he owned the place.

I swear, even after seeing his face so often, I could never get tired of it. His dimples, his spotless skin, the way his blond hair fell over his eyes, and of course that smug grin that drove me crazy in more ways than one.

We just talked about classes and other shit. I was glad that we didn't have to do the awkward small talk that usually accompanies first dates. Even for an introvert I hated boring conversations like that, and it wasn't just because of how horrible I was at it. I would rather talk about just about anything than what your major is or what superpower you would pick.

I asked him something a little more personal after we'd ordered.

"When did you first realize you were gay?"

He stirred the ice in his drink as he thought.

"I knew I was gay right around the time I learned what 'gay' meant. I guess I was about twelve, though me and my family had our suspicions before that."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm new to this, but that sounds really early."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm really,

really

gay. When you're a little boy who had a crush on Raphael from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles it's not hard to put two and two together." He grinned and I chuckled.

"Never saw that show myself. I preferred Power Rangers as a kid."

We laughed and talked some more, teasing each other like we usually did. As good as Bryan was in bed, I was startled at how good it felt to have somebody to just talk to. For most of my life, I'd avoid interaction and confrontation, but with Bryan, it came easy.

We got our food, and to a stranger it probably looked like we were both starving. I'm a football player, I have a lot of bulk to feed, but Bryan could put away a shocking amount of food himself. It was a spectacle the first time I saw it.

He got some tacos, while I got the carne asada fries, the best thing on the menu. Neither of us talked until we were done.

It felt weird when the check came, but I figured I was just overthinking things. I asked him the same question I asked any girl I took out to dinner.

"I'll pay, but we'll split if you want."

"Pay for it all, I won't stop you."

Yep. As usual I was overanalyzing the situation and Bryan didn't even care.

We walked out of the restaurant, me with my hand on his hip.

"So, Kitten, what do you say we keep the fun going?"

He rubbed up against me and purred. "That sounds nice, sir."

I got on my bike.

"What are we waiting for, then?"

*****

Ever since it became clear that I would be bringing Bryan in for sex regularly I've felt kind of bad for my dormmate Kyle. He says he doesn't care, but I know I would be uncomfortable in his shoes. I always gave him a heads-up text beforehand so he had time to leave or get his noise-cancelling headphones.

Once we got to our dorm we were raring to go. We were in my room and our clothes were off in a few seconds. Our tongues dueled each other in our mouths. I put my hands all over his perfect butt. He kept running his fingers through my chest hair.

We got on my bed and made out, him starting to purr again.

He went down on me, and given the position he was in, I couldn't help but rim his ass. I'd always liked giving oral sex to women, and it's the same basic concept. He moaned as I swirled my tongue around his hole, making my tongue into a point and jabbing it inside.

Once we were both ready to fuck, Bryan worked his way back up my body, eventually presenting his mouth for a kiss.

"Jack, darling?"

"Yes?"

"I do love being your meek little kitten, but I haven't been like that for most of my past lovers."

I cupped his cheek with my palm.

"Oh yeah? What are you normally like in bed?"

"Normally I'm a power bottom. I was thinking I could take charge tonight."

I liked the way I could be dominant with him, but I didn't see the harm in giving him the reins every now and then.

"Sure. Go ahead."

He flashed a grin and went right for my neck: kissing, sucking, and nibbling. His mouth was assertive and before long he had me moaning.

He got the lube and condoms from my bedside table. Once everything was prepared he got me on my back so he could ride me.

He got up, squatting so my cock head was right at his entrance.

"You ready, big guy?"

"Sure, kitty."

"Oh, I'm not your kitty tonight. Tonight I'm a ferocious tiger."

He got me inside of him and went into motion, fucking himself deeper and deeper on my dick. He eventually got all the way down, and started twisting his hips in a way that shot bolts of sensation into me. He got down so he could attack one of my nipples with his tongue and teeth. I had never thought of my nipples as an erogenous zone, but it was like there was suddenly a wire linking them directly to my cock.

He moved back up to my neck, searching around until he found s sensitive spot under my ear. When he bit down, I shot.

"Ooh, so tender right there, I'll have to remember that for later."

I thought he was going to stop, but instead he just took two seconds to replace the condom and got back on, now riding hard and fast on my over-sensitive member. I panted, stimulation so acute it was almost painful coursing through my body. Bryan noticed my reaction.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Bryan teased. "All fucked out already? That's a shame; I could do this all night."

That pissed me off, which is something he'd always been good at. Thankfully he didn't push further. Instead he adjusted his angle so he could bring himself to completion, dragging me with him. We both came, me for the second time in minutes. I could barely move. I just watched him dispose of the second condom and lick his spunk off my chest. He crawled back up, returning to kitten-mode. He nuzzled my neck sweetly.

"Fuck..."

He laughed. "Just because I'm smaller doesn't mean I can't take over, hon."

Bryan snuggled up to me and purred as my heart rate slowed down a bit.

"Did you not like that?" he asked me.

I pondered his question.

"I think I like being the dominant one better."

He kissed me. "If that's the case we don't have to do it again."

I shook my head. "I'm not saying never do it, I just like having my little kitten more."

He mewed cutely. "I'll keep that in mind."

I ran my fingers through his dirty blond hair. I had to admit, I really loved just holding him after mating, cuddling in the warm afterglow. He became this sweet little thing I wanted to nurture and protect.

I kissed him gently and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"You're so cute after sex, Kitten."

He purred. "I try."

We snuggled for a few more minutes.

"So, that's what you're normally like during sex?"

"Damn straight. I'm a rider that could tame even the wildest stallions back in Texas."

I laughed. "Oh really?"

"Of course. Due to my appearance, when people look at me, they assume I'm weak, passive in bed. It's always fun to turn the tables and show them who's boss."

I cocked an eyebrow. "I never thought you seemed submissive at all."

"You're different." His tone was neutral, not framing that statement as a good or bad thing.

I petted him some more. "Why let me take over, then?"

He shrugged. "I guess I just like feeling taken care of more than I anticipated. Usually, I can take care of myself, but I'm not made of stone."

I smiled. "I'm glad you trust me enough to show your softer side."

"Calm down, man. It's nothing that fancy." He was smiling, but something in his eyes told me that pushing the issue would be a bad idea, at least at the moment.

As I cuddled with him that night, I wondered if I did something wrong. He didn't seem mad at me, but I had taken the conversation in a direction he didn't like. Still, it seemed smarter to just drop the subject instead of probing even further.

I listened to him sleeping, breathing softly next to me. I liked the feeling of Bryan in my bed with me. I kissed the nape of his neck before drifting off to sleep.

*****

Bryan and I were eating lunch in the campus's Chick-fil-A the following Tuesday. I decided to ask him for some help with something.

"What's some advice you have about coming out?"

He finished chewing the food in his mouth and swallowed.

"In what context, exactly?"

"Like, tips for being less nervous, what to expect, that sort of thing." I introduced him to my two best friends Kyle and Topher, who I hung out with so much hiding a boyfriend wouldn't have been easy anyway, but since then kept I've quiet about it. I didn't talk about Bryan with any other friends, my teammates, and especially not my parents.

He drummed his fingers against the table.

"There's not really any one answer to that, Jack. Every single experience is different. I didn't exactly need to come out to my folks, they knew it already. When it came to school, most people could guess but it was a couple years before I was open about it. My sexuality isn't anyone else's business. When I officially 'came out,' nobody was surprised and nobody really cared."

His usually relaxed body language had shifted, tensing up slightly. I didn't know why, he had been loud and proud about being gay as long as I had known him.

"The story for you would likely be different. You're a big strong football player, all masculine and tough. If you come out as bi, it's more likely you'd be accepted, even lauded. It's not like there are a lot of people who could bully you even if they wanted to."

I cocked an eyebrow. "I mean, I guess that's good, but that doesn't make the thought any less unnerving to me."

He sighed. "I don't have any experience to draw from besides my own, but I would say that one bit of advice I can give is 'the earlier the better.' People are afraid to come out to people because they don't know what they'll do when they learn the truth, and that's something that only gets worse over time."

"That's quite the comforting thought."

"It doesn't have to be scary. Start small."

I nodded. "That's some advice I can work with."

*****

We had finished up with practice and I got my attention of some of my teammates, two juniors named Alejandro and Rick and a sophomore named Stephen. We weren't that tight outside of football, but they were my closest friends on the team and we hung out a lot over the past year. I asked them to meet up with me really quick after the showers.

As I cleaned myself in the gym shower I glanced around at the other naked guys in the room. Most people, myself included, are a little squeamish about locker-room nudity, especially at first, but over time I stopped caring. It wasn't sexual, it was practical. When you're soaked in sweat after a practice or a game, you don't care whose bare ass you see, you just want to take a shower.

I wondered if this would read differently now that I knew I wasn't completely straight, or when my teammates knew. It made me feel a little self-conscious. Still, I remembered what Bryan said. If I hid this from them, it would just make telling the truth harder down the road. Besides, they were my friends.

Once the four of us were less gross we gathered outside the locker room.

"What's the deal?" Rick asked. Rick was a black man even bigger and tougher looking than me, but he was a sweetheart.

I took a deep breath in and out.

"Okay, there's no way to lead up to this, so I'll just say it: I'm bisexual. I've been dating a guy for almost a month now."

From their faces I assumed it took them a few moments to decide that I was being serious.

Stephen's eyes widened. "Really?"

I nodded. "It's just something I figured I should tell you guys." Being on a college football team together meant we'd be in close quarters an awful lot. We knew each other well. I didn't want to be hiding something like that from them.

Stephen still looked shocked. "Oh..." Stephen was like my little brother. He was one of the smaller team members, but was quick as lightning. Most of the team liked him.

Rick put his hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for telling us. That took guts. I'm proud of you."

The other two nodded in agreement. Things looked good.

I smiled. "Thanks, guys."

Rick and Stephen didn't linger, heading home a few minutes later, but Alejandro stuck around, wanting to talk to me.

"So, is this a new development?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

He grinned. "So, who's the lucky guy? Do we know him?"

The thought made me laugh. "Probably not. He's a freshman."

"What's his name?" Alejandro was still going steady with his high school girlfriend Tori. He loved showing her off to his friends and teammates, so maybe he thought this would go the same way.

"Bryan Gardener."

He lived in the same dorm as I did, so we walked back together.

"Jack, you wanna talk a bit more about this?"

I blushed, thankful it was getting dark. "Not really. It's not like I'm a different person now. I just have a boyfriend."

He patted me on the back. "That's fine. But just know I'm all ears if you feel like talking."

We soon got to the point where our paths split. He gave me a quick hug.

"See you later."

I smiled. "Yeah, see you later."

*****

One of the funnier things that ever happened with Bryan occurred in mid-October, right around the point we'd been going out for a whole month.

Bryan got a cold one weekend and I didn't see him. He told me that he felt better on Monday, and when I asked him to meet up with me it took him about ten minutes to reply "sure", even though we had spent the past half hour texting back and forth.

We set up a common area to meet up in, and I was a few minutes late. When I got there I looked around and spotted him, but then I noticed something. I got closer, just to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

Nope, I wasn't.

Bryan was wearing glasses.

I was approaching him from the side, and when he first turned to look at me he turned pink and looked away. Smirking, I went right up to him.

"Hey, Kitten. What's that look for?"

He wouldn't answer. Gently I held his chin and turned him to face me. His glasses were contemporary, with thin frames and narrow lenses.

"I missed you, Bryan."

I gave him a peck on the cheek, and he finally seemed to relax a bit.

We sat down on a couch, me with my arm around him.

"So, what's up with the glasses?"

His blush intensified slightly.

"I...it's stupid," he muttered.

"Part of a healthy relationship is dealing with stupid every now and then."

His gaze went downwards.

"I usually wear contacts, some dailies that I can sleep in, but my eyes are still irritated and I can't really wear them yet."

"Is that why you're so wound up, you just didn't want me to see you in glasses?"

"No!" He said defensively. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you, I just sort of realized that you never knew, and...I told you, it's stupid."

I started laughing.

"You're damn right it's stupid!"

I ruffled his hair and gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose.

He didn't find it as funny as I did. He got annoyed.

"Would you mind telling me what's so fucking hilarious?"

I forced myself to calm down.

"Bryan, I'm not laughing at you, I promise. It's just sort of cute to see you all worried about this. It's nice to see that even you get nervous about things sometimes."

I brushed the hair out of his face.

"Besides, those glasses look good on you."

He gave me a little smile.

"I don't really agree with you on that."

I kissed him.

"Look, Bryan, you can wear contacts or wear glasses or whatever. I don't care. You don't have to worry."