Rebound

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Halfway through the month

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Saturday

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Nate

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"Where are you going?" Daruis mumbled as he stopped me from getting up. I frowned at him. He'd literally kicked me out before when I didn't roll out of bed fast enough.

"I dunno. Home, then the shelter." I said. He grunted and pulled me closer.

"It's Saturday. Stay." I pulled away from him and sat up to stare at him.

"Who are you?" I snorted, and continued trying to get out of his embrace. Darius stopped me and sat up with a sigh.

"Nate." He said quietly. "I wanted to talk to you anyway. Come here." He reached for me and I let him manipulate me into sitting tucked into his shoulder.

"This is weird." I mumbled as he put his arm around me, like he was so soft and loving and wanted to hold me. As if. He smiled and stroked my hair as he took a deep breath.

"I want you to stop fucking other guys." He said. I laughed.

"Yeah ok, you too, D."

"For real." He said. I glanced at him. He raised his eyebrows and held my gaze. He brushed a strand of hair off my face. "Let's be exclusive." He said. I had nothing to say to that. I sat, frowning, as he gently stroked my hair. "Nate?" He pressed me after the silence drew on too long.

"Why?" He laughed.

"Come on, you're over three times a week." God was I? I thought about it. Ooops. Guess so. "You're pretty and I get jealous." He said with a shrug. "I don't like thinking about you with other guys. And I guess that leaves me with suck it up or just... ask you out. You wanna go out?" I stared at him.

"What, on... like... dates?" He shrugged.

"Yeah."

"Us?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" Darius snorted.

"You sound like a stuck record, Nate. What do you want me to say?" I stared ahead, but I didn't move away.

"You are joking right?" I said eventually. Darius sighed and wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me onto his lap and I sat awkwardly straddling him as he looked at me. He ran his fingers over my shoulders and held my hands loosely.

"Ok, I just thought I'd ask." He said. "You got time for a quickie before you head?"

"Uhhh..." I shrugged and reached for my phone to check the time. "Can you drop me off at the shelter after?"

"Sure." He grinned and flicked my nipple. I rolled my eyes and flicked his hand away and he caught my wrist. "Nate." He said softly.

"What?" I grumbled. Darius rolled his eyes with a smile and moved my hand to his mouth. He watched my face carefully as he brushed his lips against my fingers before closing his eyes and wrapping his tongue around them. He moaned and I probably moaned in response. He pulled away and shifted a little beneath me, trying to move my hand behind me. I fought against him and he frowned.

"Nate." He growled. "Stop playing games...."

"I'm not!" I protested. "But if that's all I'm getting then-" Darius cut me off by rolling over on top of me and pinning me face down against the bed. "What are you..."

"Ass up." He growled. I turned to look over my shoulder and his face was there, and he kissed me before I could protest.

"Dickhead!" I tried to pull away.

"Ass up or do you not want me to rim you?" I blinked in surprise. I had fucked this guy a hundred? Two hundred times? And never once had he even suggested that was something he'd do for me.

"What?!" I tried to pull away. Ok. This wasn't Darius. He'd been... cloned or kidnapped by aliens or body snatched in some weird TOS Star Trek way... he held me down tight.

"Lie still." He held me down with one hand as he started to move and my stomach twisted in knots.

"Wait!" He paused and lifted his hand off my back.

"Nate?" He furrowed his brow and really softly touched my face. I winced as I looked at him. Not that I didn't want this. I REALLY wanted this. But ummm. You know.

"Uh.... D...." I murmured. "Can I shower?" He blushed furiously. Huh. Wow. Definitely a replicant. Darius didn't blush.

"Oh yeah." He mumbled. "Yeah ok. But be quick if you wanna make it to the shelter on time."

I leapt out of bed and threw myself in his dressing gown before practically running to the shower. I returned probably all of a minute later, still damp, and I jumped on the bed with a grin. Darius laughed as I got on all fours and arched my back.

"God, eager aren't you?" I smiled over my shoulder at him.

"Go on, stud."

"What's the magic word?" I frowned and bit my lip as I looked at him. I shrugged, wide eyed.

"Is it... hurry the fuck up D?"

"No." He laughed.

"Is it... seriously, this ass is a limited time offer, so hurry the fuck up D?" He grinned and knelt behind me.

"No, but you do have a point." I moaned as he bit my cheek and started teasing me with his fingers. He was slow and experimental- I mean he'd definitely never done this before. Maybe for his ex once or twice but... oh... I moaned as he started to use his tongue- soft and gentle, licking up my crack and making me shiver in anticipation. He probed me softly, moaning in response as I started swearing under my breath. I mean, he wasn't great- but you don't have to be great- you just have to show a little enthusiasm, and he really, truly was. He started to slip in a finger, starting gently, just twisting it and playing with me, but he got rougher, and slipped in another easily.... and then one more, and he sighed as he moved away. "Are you ready?" He whispered.

"Yes." I moaned. He sat back for a second and I mourned the emptiness as he wrapped up. He grabbed my hair before continuing and I pushed my ass out a little further.

"That's it." He breathed. "You might be shit at begging, but your ass sure knows how." I chuckled weakly as he held me tight and entered me painfully slowly. He knew my moans by now, he knew I was struggling and he took it slow. "Christ, you feel good." He moaned. "Your body was just fucking made for me, wasn't it? You soft little boy, my good little whore..." He wrapped his hand around my dick and started to thrust. "Yeah, you like that. Oh baby, you are such a good piece of ass. So needy, so desperate, so good for me aren't you?" I moaned as he humped me hard, using me because I was completely unable to set the pace with his arm wrapped around me and my legs spread as obscenely wide as they were. He slowed down and rolled over, somehow wrangling me on top of him without slipping out.

"Hey!"

"Come on slut, work for it. I love watching you bounce on my dick." I moaned and obeyed, hoping my legs weren't shaking too much as I started to ride him., He lay back, really making me do all the work, and he played with my nipples as I moaned whorishly.

"Fuck, D." I panted. He grinned and ran one hand down my chest.

"You close baby?"

"Yeah." I mumbled. He grinned and moved his hands to my waist.

"Jerk yourself off." he directed. "I love watching you touch yourself. That's it, good boy." I closed my eyes as I reached for myself and tugged furiously. "Aw baby, thats so fucking pretty." He moaned and gripped my waist tighter, holding me in place and taking over. "Keep going baby, keep going slut, lose it, cum for me you little whore...."

"Shit." I whined as I lost it, he grunted and fucked the shit out of my ass as I collapsed on top of him. He wasn't far off, thank god, because I couldn't take it, and hearing him grunt as he unloaded almost made me cum again. He pulled me tight against him and wrapped his arms around me, trapping me in his stupidly large frame. I lay still for a minute as my brain unscrambled itself before I started wriggling. Darius sighed and let me up, moaning as his dick slipped out. I sighed as I looked down at myself. "Well I guess I need another shower."

"Let it dry." He whispered. "Go to work covered in it." I laughed.

"Ew." He grinned and sat up.

"We'll shower together." He said firmly. "Come on." I stared at him as he got up and pulled a t- shirt on, throwing me his dressing gown again. Really, who was this? Rimming? Cuddling? Showering? I shook my head as I followed him back to the bathroom.

He insisted on washing me, touching me playfully as we took turns standing under the water and helping me keep my hair dry.

"What's going on with you?" I asked as he tried to dry me as well and I shoved him off. He shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"God, I didn't know you were so touch averse." He said. "Enjoying you, ok?" He threw the towel at me and walked out, shaking his head.

-----

He asked me to put on my music in the car.

"You hate my music." I folded my arms. "Just put on Slayer or whatever you listen to, it's fine."

"You hate Slayer."

"It's your car."

"It's ten minutes, I'll cope. Madonna right?" I winced as he found something on his phone and connected it up while still driving and completely ignoring the road. I grabbed his phone off him.

"Not Madonna." I sighed. "Jesus, just because I'm gay..."

"I'm gay too, dipshit." Darius laughed. "I thought you liked Madonna?"

"Not enough synth." I smiled. "I like stuff I can feel in my bones." He rolled his eyes.

"You can feel Slayer in your bones. Hell, you can feel Slayer in your blood."

"Slayer then." I fiddled with his phone and put something on. Ew. That was really just fucking noise wasn't it? Although I kind of liked the chorus. Put a proper drum beat behind it and drop the guitar and I could get into it. He smiled at me as I started singing along to the bits I could pick up and we rode in relatively comfortable silence, him headbanging and me tapping my feet.

As we drew up to the shelter and I pointed out my usual park I bit my lip.

"You could come hang out for a bit." I said slowly, looking at my phone.

"Really?" I glanced at him. I really didn't know what had gotten into him, but actually I did like the company.

"Yeah. It's just hanging with dogs and stuff, you can stick around." Darius smiled smugly at me.

"You want me to?" He asked. Ugh. Asshole. He made me beg every time. I shrugged and unbuckled.

"Really couldn't give a shit, D." Two can play at his stupid games. He rolled his eyes and put the handbrake on.

"I'd love to." He smiled sweetly.

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Jude

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"Hey quad shot!" I glanced up. Huh. Of all the people in the world to be here, I was delighted it was Nate... who was grinning at me, cradling a kitten in one arm that was sort of wrapped around his neck, and holding a tennis ball in the other. I smiled as I took him in. "Looking to adopt?" He asked, as a terrier ran up and started jumping for the ball in his hands. "Chill out Pepper." He laughed. "Alright girl- go get it." He threw the ball and the dog went racing after it. He grinned at me and shifted his weight to reach for my hand. He paused and winced as it fell to his side. "Sorry." He said. "Covered in slobber." I laughed.

"I don't mind." I said. "I love dogs." Pepper returned to his side and he leant over to pat her head.

"Good girl." He said absentmindedly. "You go entertain yourself for a bit." He smiled at me. "So looking for a dog?" I sighed.

"Na. Would love one." I glanced at my shoes. "Levi not so much." He nodded.

"Ah." He said. "That's a shame. You'd be a good home." I smiled at him and sighed.

"You?" I glanced at the cat hanging off him. "You look like you're planning on taking home the whole shelter." He laughed.

"Sort of. I volunteer here on the weekends. I foster a lot of these guys while they're waiting for a home." Ugh. His eyes met mine. God. Could he be any more wonderful? He smiled a little. I think for once I was the one blushing. "So did you just come here to play with the dogs?" He asked.

"Pretty much." I admitted. "Is that terrible?"

"It's lovely." He said. "You know, if you want you should come walk the ones at mine some time." He widened his eyes. "If that's alright with the husband."

"Why does he get a say?" I looked at him blankly and he went really, really red.

"Oh. Uh... you know." He said slowly. "Um. You know if he was a She it might be a bit different hanging out with me and the dogs but...."

"I think Levi and I are both aware we don't hit on every man we see." I sounded annoyed but that was really because I definitely did sort of hit on him, a little bit. He closed his eyes.

"Yuh." He said slowly. "I just... sorry I was sort of joking anyway... God but you know. Like I'm single... " He winced. "God, Jude, I made that weird. Sorry." I frowned at him.

"Oh." I said slowly. "Uh. I guess I didn't think about it like... actually.... You might have a point. I think I'll stick with hanging out here for my dog sessions." He smiled.

"Yeah, good call." He laughed, cheering up pretty quickly for someone who looked like they wanted to drown themselves all of 30 seconds ago. I wish I could rebound from emotional turmoil that quickly. "I'm too pretty." He joked. He caught me so off guard. I didn't laugh. I just sort of blushed and stammered. I didn't say anything, I didn't have anything witty lined up, but thankfully we were interrupted as a hulking guy showed up with Pepper in his arms.

"Hey D!" Nate grinned as the guy deposited Pepper on the ground with a grunt. "This is Jude, my favourite customer- slash- kind- of- boss. Jude, this is Darius."

"Hi." I held out my hand. Darius shook it limply. "You work here too?" Darius laughed.

"Absolutely not." He wrapped his arm around Nate's waist and grinned at him. "Just here to annoy Nate." Nate rolled his eyes, but he was smiling at Darius. I felt my heart beat faster. That was my smile. I'd never seen Nate give it to anyone else. Fuck this Darius cunt, whoever he was.

"Oh." I said stiffly. I cleared my throat quickly. Don't be an ass, Jude. Nate can smile at boys. Especially boys his own age or whatever. And he just said he was single so this Darius guy was probably only a passing... JUDE, I reminded myself quickly. Literally nothing Nate does is any of your business. "Nice to meet you." I smiled as warmly as I could muster. I checked my watch. Not that I was in any hurry, but I should make my excuses and leave Nate and this smarmy cunt to it. "Is that whiny Pomeranin still around?" I asked Nate. He grinned.

"Na, Tabasco got picked up last week." He said. Oh. My face fell and Nate caught my hand... and yeah, he really was covered in slobber.

"Oh." He said. "Was that your baby?" I shrugged and tried to put on a smile.

"Yeah." I said. I squeezed his hand. "But I knew it wasn't forever." I looked at Nate. He had a sad little smile on his face. He must go through that every week, falling for a dog he knew he couldn't have. My smile turned into a real one, because falling for things you can't have seemed to be a habit of mine, and Nate grinned back as he looked at me.

"There's a really fresh litter of puppies." He said. "They're not really meant to, you know, have visitors yet but I could make an exception..."

"Yes please!" I beamed and I heard Darius cough quietly. I glanced at him. Woooah, boy. That kid had a glare on him, didn't he? I raised my eyebrows and dropped Nate's hand. He raised his eyebrows back and I tried very hard not to roll my eyes. Still. Nice to be on the receiving end of some jealousy for once.

"Come on." Nate bounced away, completely oblivious to the unspoken conversation his friend and I were having. He strode ahead, because he moves at like 60miles an hour and Darius and I looked at each other as we trailed behind him.

"I'm engaged." I don't know why I said that. I wasn't even sure if I was anymore. Darius grunted.

"So stop making eyes at my boyfriend." He muttered darkly. I grinned to myself.

"Boyfriend?" I said quietly. "Oh, Nate said he was single." Darius' face turned purple and I quickly slapped myself mentally. I was so silly when I was hungover. I picked up the pace so I didn't say more things I'd regret and went to spend a blissful 20 minutes with the puppies.

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"Nice time?" Levi asked as I hopped in the car. About once a month he'd leave me at the shelter and I'd hang with the dogs for a bit while he went shopping, or gallivanting around town with other people, or whatever he did. I never asked. I smiled at him.

"Yeah." I said. "My baby has been adopted though." He sighed.

"Oh well." He said. "Sure you'll find something else to dote on."

"Maybe." He squeezed my knee.

"Definitely." He said.

I stared straight ahead. Well. He was right about that.

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Levi sighed as we got into the apartment and pulled out another bottle of wine. I checked my watch. Well. It was 5 o clock somewhere. I sat down opposite him and he poured us each a glass in silence.

"So." He said. "Now we're both sober I guess we should talk properly."

"Ew, do we have to?" Levi laughed at me.

"No? We can carry on lying and resenting each other if that's working for you?"

"Not really." I sighed. "Well. In the spirit of honesty, turns out you're not the only asshole with a wandering eye." Levi's eyes widened. I braced myself for another slap but suddenly he was... beaming at me.

"Oh my god." He said. "You didn't!"

"No I didn't!" I said hotly. "Jesus Lee, you want me to?" He shrugged, that smile still playing on his lips.

"Well, be nice if you were human." He said. "Who is it? Ethan?" I glanced up at him. How did he know about Ethan? He read my face. "Takes one to know one." He said slowly. "And actually I think you slept with Ethan long before I started...."

"Oh." My brain suddenly felt really muddled and confused. I tried to arrange the timeline in my head. I slept with Ethan a lot back at Uni... and then I got a job and met Levi... and then he asked me out... and then I slept with Ethan... Oh. fuck. I really had cheated. I'd forgotten. It was so long ago, and Lee was so much worse.... My face fell as I realised my victim card wasn't exactly the fucking strong suit I thought it was. Levi was looking at me placidly.

"Don't worry." He said. "I'm still the asshole. But I just thought you could bear to have a reminder I'm not the only asshole." I sighed.

"We were never really right for each other, were we Lee?" He shrugged.

"Actually, when I found out about Ethan I thought we might be." He said quietly. "Remember I used to push for threesomes all the time?"

"Yeah." I swallowed. "I remember."

"But you said no, l and I loved you. So I respected that."

"You RESPECTED that?" I laughed. Levi took my hand.

"I did." He said. "I really did. I know we got lost somewhere but back then... I really thought we were meant for each other Jude. I've never loved anyone like you. And I know I've fucked it badly. I know we can never go back. But I still don't think I'll ever love anyone the way I love you."

"Likewise." I muttered.

"So you met someone?" Levi sat back in his chair. I glanced at him. I couldn't believe I was sitting here, telling my... if he still was.... fiancé... that I met someone. Which, I hadn't, not really. MEETING someone implies that's going somewhere and this was absolutely not going anywhere. I bit my lip.

"Uh... no. I just... I have a tiny crush on... Nate." I winced. "He volunteers at the SPCA." Levi's eyes widened and he kicked me under the table.

"NATE?!" He grinned, delighted. "Your coffee boy? Jude!"

"Come on, he's so hot!" I laughed. Levi grinned.

"He's SO HOT." He agreed. "Fuck you guys would be hot together." He ran his hand up my arm. "You ever fantasise about him at work?"

"Lee!"

"Indulge me." He grinned and narrowed his eyes at me. Oh. He was really turned on. He was flushing a little bit and his breath was shallower.

"Sometimes." I whispered.

"Tell me." Lee breathed. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"This is fucked up." I muttered. Lee grinned.

"So fucked up." He moaned. "I'm imagining it. He gets your coffee order wrong and you give him that look, where you have had enough of his shit. He blushes and stammers and apologises... all 'please sir, give me another chance...' but you tell him he's fucked up for the last time and...."