Puppy for Sale
by James Matthews
Chapter 41
Powerless
The rain continued to beat down against the window as Dave, Steven and I sat on our beds in relative silence. I think we were each waiting for the other to say something, but in turn each of us didn't know what to talk about due to the situation concerning Dave.
The candle light was giving the room a gentle camp fire atmosphere as I watched our shadows dance on the ceiling in a gentle yellow hue. Despite the weather outside, there was something calming about the room which I was glad for. It seemed Dave needed calm right now.
"So, what happened tonight?" I asked Dave, my mouth speaking out of nervousness because my brain wanted the silence to end.
Steven lay down on his side and propped himself up on his elbow as if settling in for a good story.
Dave shook his head, looking at Steven. "You'll get fed up of hearing about this."
"It's ok mate, you can tell Jensen," Steven replied. Dave looked back at me and sighed.
"Well you know the background don't you?"
"About your mum, dad and stuff? Yeah, but what happened tonight, why are you so upset?" I asked.
"It started this morning, I was just getting ready for school and my mum comes in my room and says I need to stay home and look after my brother. I ask her why, and she says she needs to work... I mean, mum has never said she has to work that early, this place she works at isn't even open until twelve and..."
Dave stopped. I could see he was getting worked up just thinking about whatever had happened. I placed a hand on his leg. "It's ok, take your time."
"So, she heads out the door about ten thirty saying she's got a meeting with her boss first. She didn't give me time to ask what about as she was already out of the door before I could say anything."
"I'm gonna head down and grab a drink guys, do either of you want anything?" Steven asked, getting to his feet. I knew he'd probably heard this all before but it was a little bit rude just walking out in the middle of Dave talking.
"Coke please Ste," Dave muttered.
"No, I'm fine," I answered giving him a stern look. Steven just rolled his eyes at me and walked out. "Sorry Dave, carry on."
"Jensen, don't be hard on Steven, he's heard this all before, it's natural he doesn't feel the need to hear it again."
"He might have heard the others, but he still needs to be a good friend tonight and listen to you. Plus the fact, I am mad at him for the way he's been acting with you since you got here."
"No, don't be, I need him to be like that. In fact it's me that taught him to be like that when I came here in a state. I don't want people to feel sorry for me Jensen, that just makes me feel worse. I would rather people act normally around me. So yeah, don't think him acting like that means he doesn't care because I know he does."
I growled lightly. "Fine, but I still think he should show a little more empathy. Anyway you were saying?"
"Yeah so mum goes out and I'm at home with my brother and he wants something to eat. There is hardly anything in the cupboards so I call my mum and ask if I can have the code to the safe to get some money out. I call her cell but she doesn't answer, so I call the pub and her boss tells me she is not due to work today."
"Wow, so she lied?"
"Apparently so... and that's a new one for me to deal with because she has never lied before about work and stuff."
"So what happened next?"
"She rolled in totally drunk at around eight tonight and there is this guy with her I've never seen. She tells me to go to my room and then starts getting my brother ready in a coat and shoes. I'm like... where are you taking him, and she's just shouting at me to mind my own business, slurring her words."
"Did the guy say anything?"
"No, he just stood there like some statue. Big guy he was, arms full of tattoos. He had a grey beard and fat cheeks... he looked like a biker."
"A biker?"
"Yeah, you know, All leather, a little over weight, tattoos and stuff."
"Ok."
"Anyway, I kept asking her whatvwas going on and she just takes off into the rain and gets in this guy's car with my brother. By then as you know, we had no power, so I'm just sitting there alone in the dark. There is no food and it's getting cold. I just... I just cracked up, I can't take it anymore."
Dave's voice cracked as he finished his sentence. I so wanted to hug him, but remembered that was a bad move, so I just sat there giving him support with my expression. He soon gathered his composure and breathed out long and hard.
"You ok?" I asked.
"Yeah, just angry, I feel like the world is against me. I know it's not, it's just how I feel sometimes."
"Yeah, I know that feeling. I used to get it a lot."
"So you see why I wanted to take things slow, Jensen, I come with a lot of baggage."
"You only brought one, as far as I could see." I said looking over at his duffle bag. Dave gave me a strange look and smiled.
"Did I say something funny?"
"No, your innocence is just really cute sometimes, that's all."
I didn't know what he was meaning by that so I just smiled back. "You look really tired, do you want to sleep?"
"Soon yeah, I'll head down when Max and Susan go to bed."
"Oh, right... I mean, you could sleep with me if you wanted, I'm sure my bed will be more comfortable than the sofa. I don't mind sleeping on the floor."
"Hell no, I would never deprive you of your own bed Jensen." Dave replied, just as Steven walked in.
"Are you douche bags discussing sleeping arrangements?"
"Yeah, I said to Dave he can have my bed. But he said no."
Steven looked at Dave. "Take his bed, Jensen can sleep in mine."
"And where are you going to sleep?" I asked.
"In my bed, with you Bonehead. Let Dave get a good night's sleep without having your erect dick in his back."
"Really its fine, I don't mind sleeping on the sofa."
"Dave, that sofa is good for sitting, but no good for sleeping on, as you know. Just be quiet and do as you're told. It's sorted." Steven said, passing Dave his glass of Coke. "Now, I need a piss and then I'm going to bed. Seeing as we have no power there is not a lot else to do and I'm sick of that fucking essay for one night."
Steven left the room again and Dave got up and went over to his duffle bag, pulling out a tooth brush and tube of paste. He then came back to me and gently kissed me on the lips.
"Wha... what was that for?" I asked, a little shocked.
Dave shrugged. "For listening, and for being understanding."
"Cool, I'll be like that more often then, if you do things like that!" I remarked, licking my lips and grinning. Dave smirked back, but then went serious again, sitting on Steven's bed opposite me.
"Um... look Jensen, I um... I'm not sure if you were expecting anything tonight, and-"
"Whoa, wait... expecting? What are we talking about here? Do you think that's all I think about?"
Dave sighed. "No, not at all, I just didn't know... ahhhh, this is all sounding wrong. What I mean is, I would love for us to snuggle up in bed together and maybe see what happens, but I really just need to sleep. I feel awful saying that because I must come across as uninterested in you and that's really not the case, I just... it's been a rough night."
I looked at him in amazement, my mouth falling open involuntarily. "Dave, I don't give a shit about THAT side of things, it's not important. I just want you to be ok. Whatever happens later, happens, but believe me, I am in no rush to have sex... in fact, I'm dreading it," I said.
Those final few words I immediately regretted saying, thinking how bad they sounded.
Dave's eyes narrowed. "Dreading it?"
I let out a small chuckle of nervousness, before feeling a wave of bashfulness come over me. I looked away from his gaze and at the floor.
"Jensen? Dreading it?" Dave repeated.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do that's all, it's nothing to do with you," I muttered quietly, almost hoping he wouldn't hear.
"You don't know what to-"
"I'm scared I'll be hopeless and you won't want to see me again," I cut him off, rushing the words out.
Dave leaned forward and took my face in his hands before pushing his lips hard against mine. I felt his tongue force its way into my mouth and I helplessly whimpered quietly, as the taste of him jolted my senses. He ran his fingers through my short hair pulling me in harder. The feelings that were passing through me were almost overwhelming. I just wanted to merge with him.
He slowly pulled away and looked into my eyes leaving me seeing stars and coping with an almost painful erection. "I'm not going anywhere Mister!"
"Whoa, boner alert!" Steven cooed, eyeing my obvious bulge, returning to our room. "You sure know how to excite the boy, Dave... mind you, it's not hard, he's like a bag full of hormones anyway, I'm surprised you didn't make him blow a load in his pants."
My face was rapidly filled with heat "Shut up Steven, why do you always have to embarrass me?" I hissed.
Steven shrugged. "Meh, because it's easy." Dave grinned, looking at my crotch area.
"Awe," was all he said.
"Yes thank you, you two, Jensen the lab rat ." I commented, before adjusting myself.
"When I get a boner at school, I just push it under my belt. You'll be wise to remember that Jensen. You don't want any embarrassing mishaps happening when you start."
"I thought you were going to bed?" I asked, raising a brow at him.
"Oh how I wish I had a camcorder," Steven remarked.
"Oh, why?" I huffed, feeling this was gonna be another one of his amusing jokes, NOT!
"I would just love to film the look on your face when Dave takes his clothes off ready for bed... I mean, seeing his body almost makes me hard. I think there is going to be some serious leakage coming out of that pipe of yours."
Dave laughed out load for the first time in what felt like ages. I frowned trying not to find that funny.
And true!
Steven begun to get undressed for bed while Dave went to the bathroom to clean his teeth. Dad came into our room to let us know him and Susan were off to bed also.
"Keep the noise down guys, ok?" Dad said, pointing a finger at Steven.
"Dad, why is it always me you single out."
"Because I know damn well you are the ring leader and the other two will fall into line. If you behave, they behave. Dave needs a proper rest and I don't want him up all night because of you two... see, I'm including Puppy in that."
"Night dad," Steven said rolling his eyes.
"Good night."
"Night boys," Susan called from their bedroom.
"Night mum," We both called back in unison.
Dad closed the door and we heard him walk off down the hallway to his own room to join Susan. As Steven climbed into bed I started to take my own clothes off just as Dave walked into the room.
"Hellooo soldier!" Dave remarked, beaming a smile. I turned round and poked my tongue out at him.
"Oh shush, there is nothing to see here." I said.
"Oh I don't know, it's a pretty good view from where I'm standing."
"Will you two knock it off and pass out, I'm tired." Steven barked. He was also just about to blow the candles out when I stopped him.
"Wait!"
"What the fuck... why?"
"I wanna see this," I replied, smirking. Steven fell back into bed and sighed.
"And you say I'm shallow, Jesus!"
Dave stopped still and looked at me. "Oh hang on, I hope you are not just going to sit there and perv at me."
"Dave, I've been waiting for this moment since I met you, now drop em!"
"Just want me for my body then?" Dave asked, forming a sly grin.
"Of course he does," Steven chimed in.
Dave took off his hoodie jumper and started to unbutton a jet black shirt he had on underneath. Slowly the top of his smooth chest was revealed which gave a tantalising glimpse of what was to come.
As the final button was released his shirt fell open giving me a view of one (excuse me) mother fucking tight body. Dave was quite simply perfect. His well formed pecks bolted on to a small but tight frame like plates of armour, and sat above a well cut six-pack. To finish off the delight a thin line of wiry blond hair travelled down from his belly button to the treasure chest that was yet to be revealed to me.
Steven slapped me on the back. "Hey, close your mouth."
"I... I'm sorry... that is just fucking amazing!" I said, barely a whisper.
"See, I told you," replied Steven grinning at Dave. Dave seemed to be unfazed by our attention as he pulled down his jeans and took them off, almost sending me into a cardiac arrest. A well-toned set of hairy blond legs were revealed to me, and as I let my eyes travel up, they settled on a black pair of tight boxer briefs. The thick waist band revealed the name 'DIESEL' on them, and right in the centre sat a small bulge containing Dave's... well you know!
Dave was now standing two feet away from me in all his glory. "There you have it Jensen, a hundred and forty pounds of pure testosterone, all for you," Steven declared, his comment making me cough involuntarily.
"Are you satisfied?" Dave said jokingly, giving me an over the glasses stare. He then managed a giggle and slid under the covers of my bed. "Hmm, I can smell you," he declared, taking in a deep breath.
"What is it, sweat and spunk?" Steven said. I slapped his arm.
"I dunno, but it's nice." Dave remarked, taking hold of my pillow and shoving it in my face. I shook my head.
"Look can we stop this, I'm getting flustered," I said sheepishly. Dave and Steven burst out laughing.
"BOYS... NOISE!" bellowed Max.
"Sorry !" we all shouted back.
I awoke early on Saturday Morning, absolutely freezing. Steven's lamp had come back to life at some point indicating the power was back on. I looked over at the blind covering our window, which had been left open. Finally, the rain had stopped and the sky was a dark blue colour telling me it must have been around seven-ish. Looking up at the clock on the wall I was off only by a little it.
It was ten to seven.
At some point in the night I must have lost all my bed territory because I was balancing precariously on the edge, with Steven's hip pressing against me. He was sprawled out on his back, one arm behind his head sleeping peacefully. It was so tempting to take a tuft of his dark armpit hair in my fingers and pull, but then that was more his thing to do, not mine.
Looking the other way, I saw Dave was on his side facing the wall. His smooth back was on show to me and I just lay there staring at it, thinking for a moment how stupid I was, getting all worked up by a person's BACK!
"Steven?" I whispered, nudging him. "Steven!"
"Hmm, what?" he groaned.
"Would you mind moving over please, I am about to fall out of here."
"What? Oh, sorry... man you're freezing," he remarked, accidently putting his arm on my shoulder as he moved.
"That's because you have the entire duvet and I am practically out of bed here."
"Take what you need," he said, moving over so I could finally get off of the edge of the mattress. I rolled over onto my side, moving up close to him and placed my arm over his chest to warm myself. I thought he might push me away saying that was too much, but he didn't. He let me snuggle into him, probably aware that for once it was more for heat rather than anything sexual I was after.
He was my brother, after all. Hmm!
"Comfortable?" he asked, sleepily "You make yourself at home why don't you."
"Do you mind?"
"As long as you keep your hands away from my junk, no I don't mind."
I smiled and nestled my head into his shoulder and drifted back off to sleep for a bit, finally warm.
I don't know how long I had gone back to sleep for but I became aware that I was alone in the bedroom when I came too again. It was just gone nine and I could hear chatter downstairs. A sweet smell of something was drifting through the house and I dived out of bed wondering where Dave was. Had he gone home? Had he freaked out I'd cuddled Steven?
I rushed to get some clothes on almost ripping off my plaster when I pulled some socks onto my feet. My bladder was full but I had more important things to worry about. Running down the stairs, rubbing my eyes which were barely awake I scooted into the kitchen to find Max, Steven and Dave sitting at the table. Susan was standing by the back door shaking the hallway rug free of dust.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me.
"Honey? Is everything ok?" Susan asked as I stopped in my tracks staring at Dave.
"Bad dream, Puppy?" Max added.
"Something like that," I replied, feeling my shoulders relax. "Why didn't anyone wake me?"
"You looked peaceful, and I know you woke up early this morning so we left you," Steven stated, shovelling a pile of cereal into his mouth. Dave smiled at my bed head and went back to eating his toast.
"Would you like some breakfast Puppy?" Susan asked, washing her hands in the sink.
"Erm... uh, yeah... tha... thanks."
I sat down at the table and watched the others eating wondering why I still felt skittish somewhat. Dave was here, he hadn't gone anywhere.
I needed to calm down.
"Dave, do you want to tell Puppy the news?" Max asked.
"News?" I repeated, very curious.
"You can Max," Dave said, smiling.
"So, Susan spoke with Dave's mum this morning Puppy and-"
"Wait, she's home?" I cut in.
"Yeah, she called here asking where I was... I think she knew the answer to that anyway." Dave interjected.
"So anyway, Dave is going to come and stay with us for a couple of weeks while his mother seeks some help."
"Really?" I blurted. "But what about your brother? I asked, turning to Dave.
"My aunt is gonna take him in for a little while. She's the one who made my mum come home... it's a long story, but she's basically said that if my mum doesn't get help she is going to call social services and have my brother taken away. I think this is her last chance. I'm supposed to be staying with her as well, but..."
Dave stopped, staring into space. "But?" I asked.
"My uncle and me... well we don't see eye to eye."
"So we said Dave could stay with us." Susan finished.
"You're quiet." I said, looking at Steven.
"I was just thinking that's all."
"About what?"
"I know how certain animals feel now."
I nudged my head back and pulled a face. "What?"
"Well they slowly have their territory eroded by an influx of humans don't they. First I have the whole of my room, then I lose a little bit as a human takes over a part of it, and then I lose a little more as another human takes over it. Soon my kind will die out because we will have no home left."
I grinned. "Steven, you're such an asshole."
Susan drew in a quick breath. "JENSEN!"
"Whoops... sorry."
"BUSTED!" Steven cried, waving his hands. "See mum, I said he would slip up one day! Game, set and match, baby!"
Max as usual found this very amusing, much to Susan's displeasure.
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