If you are under 18 years of age, this is not for you.
If you are offended by male/male relationships, then do not read this work.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
To my editor Colandra, thank you so much for all your help!
This is a copyrighted work of fiction. All right reserved.
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Paul carried Derek piggyback up the stairs to the dorm room, setting him down before unlocking the door and letting Derek step inside first. Paul was surprised to find John inside the room reading a textbook. John looked up to regard the pair with a knowing smirk. "I see you didn't come home last night," he said while smiling at Paul and waggling his eyebrows. Paul began to get angry not appreciating John's mocking tone, and afraid that John would embarrass Derek. Paul had never once mentioned the times John stayed over at one chick or another's place.
When Paul heard Derek ask, "Jealous?" in a coy voice and saw the sexy smile his boyfriend aimed at John, he got angry for a different reason.
Paul watched John blush profusely and quickly dive back into his book before turning to notice the smile on Derek's face had disappeared. It was replaced with a scowling, almost angry look; Paul immediately realized how stupid his misplaced jealousy was. It seemed Derek had his own way of dealing with people who went too far. Paul watched as Derek rolled his eyes, sighed and turned his attention back to Paul. Paul nodded toward his bed, and Derek plopped down to wait. Paul picked out some clean clothes and stepped into the bathroom, conscious of John's presence in the small room.
Paul pulled on a fresh pair of boxers, faded jeans, and a tight black tee shirt that showed off his muscled body. He already knew that Derek liked his build, so he was going to use it to his advantage. Paul smiled as he realized it had been a long time since he had dressed with someone else in mind. He finished off with deodorant and a spritz of cologne. He wondered if he should shave when he noticed his stubble. He decided he didn't have time, because he didn't want Derek to be uncomfortable since he was stuck in the room with John. After one last check in the mirror, Paul exited the bathroom. Paul tossed his clothes in the hamper on his side of the room, slipped on his sandals, and put on a belt. He looked at Derek, who was still sitting on the bed, and said, "Alright Babe, if you are ready, I guess we can head out. I'm getting kind of hungry."
He held out his hand to Derek, and Derek took it, allowing Paul to pull him up from his sitting position. Paul waited until they were in the hall to drop down where Derek could get on his back again before they headed towards the stairs. Paul stood, Derek once again piggyback, and turned to pull the door closed behind him. John was grinning from behind his textbook and gave Paul a big thumbs up. Paul sighed and shook his head, pulling the door closed, trying to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It seemed John was over his earlier chastisement from Derek and back to his playful self. Paul had to admit that he really treasured John as a friend.
"So, what is the plan for today?" Paul asked Derek.
"What do you think about having lunch in the park today? We could get some sandwiches from the sub shop and buy some drinks and chips at the gas station."
"Perfect," Paul said.
They reached the truck, and once they were both settled and buckled in, Paul headed to get them some food. The sub shop had a drive-thru, so Derek didn't have to worry about getting out. Paul just asked him what kind of drinks and chips he wanted to keep him from having to get out at the gas station. Once they had their food he drove them towards the park.
"I noticed some nice, shaded spots at the park yesterday," Paul said.
"Near the stream?" Derek asked.
"Yeah."
"They were down a little bit of a hill. I don't know if I should risk that in my brace."
"If you can hold onto the food and blanket, I can carry you down the hill." Paul said. He was actually enjoying being able to carry Derek around. It ensured that anyone who saw them together would know they were a couple. When he looked at Derek and noticed his small smile, Paul realized he had been found out. He smiled to himself as he pulled into a parking spot.
A few minutes later they were spread out on the blanket, right next to the stream. Paul had kicked off his shoes and Derek followed suit, starting with his Converse and then gently pulling off his brace.
"Are you allowed to do that?" Paul asked.
"As long as I don't put any weight on it, it's okay. I was thinking about putting it in the water when we are done eating."
"That sounds good."
Paul spread out the food so Derek could easily reach it and they ate picnic style. Paul chuckled at the different amount of food that they had, Derek had ordered only a six inch sub while Paul had ordered two, twelve inch subs. Paul gathered the trash when they were done, and walked to the nearest garbage can to throw it away before retuning to lie down on the blanket. Derek was already stretched out on his back with his eyes closed.
"You better not go to sleep," Paul teased. Paul laughed when Derek only opened one eye to look at Paul. "You said you were twenty, right? So are you in your second year here?" Paul asked.
"Nah. It's my first semester. When I graduated I went with my parents to Europe for a year, they were working there at the time. I decided to go to school here because they have a killer Biology department, and it's my dad's alma mater."
"You lived in Europe for a year? That's pretty cool. I just came here because they offered me a great scholarship. There aren't too many of those for rugby, you know. They have a really good athletics department here, too. I always thought I would enjoy being a physical therapist, so that's what my major is," Paul said.
"That seems like something that would fit you," Derek said before asking, "What do your parents do?"
"Well, my mom owns a dress shop back home. She rents out tuxes and does a lot of alterations. Every now and then she will design and make a wedding dress. She really loves doing that, and she always says that she would do that exclusively, if the dresses weren't almost always attached to a pain-in-the-ass bride. With the dress shop and everything, I think she was hoping I would be a more stereotypical gay son." Paul laughed. " I've always liked guys, even when I was little. I guess I came out when I was in the first grade, because that's when I told my parents about the crush I had on the new kid at school. My parents are really great, they never once treated me like there was something wrong with me. I didn't really appreciate how amazing they were, until I got older." Paul paused, not sure if he should ask what he wanted to or not, Derek spoke before he got the chance.
"My parents took my coming out pretty well, too. I didn't come out until I was fourteen. It wasn't that I was ashamed, I guess I was just confused. I always liked girls, and I liked to hang out with them, I still do. I was never attracted to them sexually though. Now that I look back, I guess I liked then the way you might like those expensive porcelain dolls that people collect; they can be extremely beautiful and although you might like to look at them, you don't pull them down and play with them." Derek paused, "Also if you are up close and personal with them too much, they can be a bit creepy."
"That's actually a pretty good analogy," Paul said, laughing. Derek chuckled and continued talking.
"I realized I was gay when I went to see a friend play at a garage band contest. I remember thinking that even though they sounded horrible, there was something about the way Jay was sweating and dancing on stage. Looking back, I realize I was just attracted to him sexually, but I thought it was love. It turned out that he was bi and we dated for a while, we broke up when I got tired of him just calling me when he wanted to mess around. I decided to come out to my parents after that, since I hated the sneaking around. I had really worked myself up for the worst. It was anticlimactic really, they just told me that they loved me. Then my dad said he better not catch any boys in my room. We all burst out laughing, even though I think he was serious." Paul watched as Derek grinned at him widely. "I probably shouldn't tell him that you are spending the night with me now, he might try to beat you up. He's even shorter than I am, but that wouldn't stop him."
The two men laughed.
"If you were my son," Paul said, "I'd make sure that whoever you were dating was treating you right, too. Hopefully your dad will realize I'm not messing around when I meet him." It wasn't the subtlest hint Paul had ever given.
"I know he will, and yes, you can meet them when they come into town." Paul could hear the smile in Derek's voice. "My Dad only said something to me once about being gay, I was eighteen and had just graduated high school. The guy I had been dating had broken up with me because I told him I wasn't ready to have sex yet. He wasn't even willing to admit he was with me because he was still trying to act straight. I really cared about him, and when he dumped me I was devastated. I locked myself up in my room and refused to come out. After two days Mom got Dad to take the door off the hinges. Once he got it down he took one look in my room and he told Mom to go back downstairs. He came in the room with me. I was laying on the bed, just like I had been for days. He looked at me and said, 'Derek, just because you're gay, it doesn't mean you have to settle for whatever crap comes along. You are a man, have some pride. It's okay to hold out until you meet the right person. I know it may take longer than if you were straight, but good things are worth the wait. Now, for your mother's sake, get up get a shower and eat something. In that order.' When he was done talking he just walked out of the room and put the door back on its hinges. That was the last time I dated. I know my Dad will like you, especially when I tell them you are the same guy who rescued me."
Paul squeezed Derek's hand before saying, "I'd like it if you came home with me during our next break and meet my family. I know my parents will love you, they told me a long time ago that they would love who I loved, as long as that person loved me, too."
Paul looked at Derek, and Derek looked at Paul. When Derek scooted next to Paul and propped his head on Paul's arm like a pillow, Paul knew that all the pains from the past were through. He knew that life was never without struggles, but he felt ready to face anything with Derek at his side. He knew in his heart that Derek felt the same way. Paul absentmindedly played with Derek's hair and enjoyed the perfect moment he had been granted.
