"Stuff" Happens

I thank you for the reviews. Would love to hear from more of you. I am a bit late on my updating, but I think the wait will be well worth it.

Enjoy!

--Scribbles05


Chapter IV


When Austin returned home that afternoon, he was in a somber mood. When he walked inside the house, the place was quiet. “Hello?” He called out as he shut the door. Regina walked out from the den holding an open can of soda.

“Hi. Welcome back.” She smiled.

“Thanks. Everything go well?”

She shrugged. “Max IS something of a handful, but I didn’t have to go as far as to beat him with a stick, so I believe we did okay today. How about you? Work go well? You look pretty worn out.”

“I feel worn out too.” He removed his jacket and tossed it on the livingroom sofa. “Where’s Max now?”

“We had just finished his second set of exercises a few minutes ago, and I guess it left him pretty tired. He’s asleep in you all’s room.” Austin nodded. “Well, I guess my time is up. I should get going.”

“Thank you for your help, Regina. I really do appreciate it.”

She started to walk towards the door. “It’s no problem. That’s my job after all.” Before she left, she looked back at Austin. “Are you okay? I know you said you were worn out, but you just seem extra down this afternoon. Much different from what you looked like this morning.”

Austin could feel the tears returning. “Yeah. I’m fine.” He said shakily.

“Okay. See you tomorrow.” Regina left. She knew Austin was trying to reassure her that he was fine, but it was obvious he wasn’t. He looked like he needed someone to talk to or some type of comfort, and she hoped that Max wouldn’t be too blind to see that Austin needed him.

Austin walked into the bedroom and started to strip down to his underwear. He searched through his drawers to find himself some nightclothes when he heard, “Hey.” He turned around and saw Max rubbing his eyes and stretching his back.

“Hey. You ready for your shower?”

“Yeah.”

************

“Why are you so quiet?” Max asked Austin as he started to soap his shoulders and neck.

Austin shrugged. “I don’t have anything to say.”

“Then what are those tears doing on your face.”

“I don’t have any tears on my face.” He reached around and washed his back.

“The spray of the shower may be hitting you in the face, but I can tell real tears when I see it.”

“Well, nothings wrong with me.”

“Are you sure about that?”

The brunette moved the rag to his arms and began to soap. “Why? You all of a sudden starting to care?”

“Damn, I was just asking. Fuck it, then.” He turned his face away.

“Yeah.” Austin said as he began to rinse Max off. “Fuck it.”

************

Wednesday rolled around and Austin went to work. He certainly didn’t feel like going since his little ‘meeting’ with the boss, Mr. Cutlis, but it was still his job and he had to go. However, when he did, he noticed something different. Mr. Cutlis was out his office. Numerous times. Atleast twice every half hour, Austin would see him come out from his office in the back and do some chore. Normally, he’d just have one of the copy boys or copy girls run his errands. That was all they were there for anyway.

Austin knew Mr. Cutlis was only coming out to see him. He would catch the boss man’s eyes looking him up and down, he’d wink at him when no one was watching, even a few times he’d come up to Austin’s desk and ask him “How’s it going?” while placing a too firm hand on the younger man’s shoulder. Mr. Cutlis claimed he was just doing his rounds, checking up on everyone. The three years Austin had worked for this company, Mr. Cutlis never ‘made rounds’ to his employees. He barely left his office! The man’s uncomfortable touches were too much for Austin to hide from his co-workers. He grabbed his jacket and told Mr. Shutler he was ill and was going home early.

************

“You’re home early.” Regina said as she watched Austin walk in the house with two bags of groceries. “It’s only one o’clock.”

“I know. I’m not feeling too well and I left work. Thought I’d fix myself some soup and go to bed.” They walked into the kitchen.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No. I’d still like for you to stay if you don’t mind.”

Regina smiled. “Of course I don’t mind. Me and Max were just in the den watching Family Feud.”

Austin smiled as he started unloading his items on the counter. “Is he talking to you now?”

“Sort of. Only when I guess wrong on one of the answers, Max will chuckle and tell me ‘I should just stop while I’m ahead’.” Regina looked at all the cans of chicken noddle soup. “You want me to help with anything?”

“No. Thanks. I’ve got it.”

“Okay. I’m going back to the den then.”

Austin stayed in the kitchen and fixed himself a bowl of soup. He didn’t really feel like being bothered, so he opted to stay in the kitchen and eat at the table instead. He had just finished eating, when Max wheeled into the room. “Hey. I guess you wasn’t going to bother telling me you made it home, huh?” He said sarcastically. Austin didn’t reply. He only stared at Max with a tired looked for about a minute, before he got up to put his bowl in the sink and wash it.

“I just don’t feel like talking to anyone right now.”

“Why not?” Max asked. “What’s the matter with you, huh?”

“Please Max, I don’t feel like getting into an argument with you today. I’m not feeling good.”

“You’re avoiding the question. Every time I ask you what’s wrong, you always tell me it’s nothing......”

“Max.....” Austin said as a warning.

“.....or you just don’t want to talk about it! Well I want to talk about it!”

“Calm down......”

“Quit hiding from me, Austin!”

Austin finally snapped. He smashed the bowl down in the sink, breaking it to pieces. “DAMN IT, MAX!” His body started to shake and he glared at the raven haired man with tears rolling down his brown eyes. After hearing the crash of ceramic in the sink, Regina got up from the couch in the den and walked to the kitchen in just enough time to catch Austin hastily walking out the front door, slamming it closed behind him.

Regina had a shocked and confused look on her face. When she saw Max sitting in the corner with his head down and a hand running depressingly over his short hair, she knew WHO caused the commotion, but not HOW. “What did you say to him?” She asked.

“I didn’t say anything.” He murmured.

“Then, why did I just see Austin run out the house in tears?”

“......”

Regina stood in front of the soldier and looked down at him. “Max, you’ve got to stop with this evil attitude. I don’t know what your problem is -it’s not my business to know- but whatever it is, it’s pushing you and Austin apart. You must get a grip on yourself. If you don’t, you might lose Austin. Is that what you want?”

“It might be best.” He murmured.

“What?”

“I’m no good to Austin anymore.” He looked down at himself in the chair. “Not like this.”

“Are you saying, you were acting like this on purpose?”

Max nodded. “Austin deserves better.”

“Austin deserves YOU. The real you. Not this moody, snappish man he’d been seeing lately. Can’t you see he’s battling with something? Can’t you see he needs you by his side to help him? Help him, Max!”

“Well since you seem to know everything all of a sudden, answer me this! What type of help can I be, huh?! I can’t work! I can’t do shit on my own! I’m no longer a provider! I can’t protect him! My only contribution to this relationship, is my disability check I get every fucking month! You tell me what I’m good for!”

Regina shook her head. “You just don’t get it, do you? You are Austin’s lover. His other half. He loves you in spite of. You think that if he didn’t, he’d have stayed, taking care of you by himself? He’d have left a long time ago. He needs you, Max. Go to him.” She started to walk towards the front door. “I’m going to leave, because this doesn’t concern me.” On her way out, she stopped and looked back to the man in the wheelchair. “And Max? Do it.” She instructed.

************

Max didn’t follow Austin out the house. He figured he’d give his lover a moment to himself and calm down some. Plus, Austin ran out so quick, he had no idea where he went to.

When he finally did return, Austin walked into the house looking completely drained. The pressure of dealing with work and his obligations at home were wearing him thin. His once lively and sparkling eyes were red and misty, and his always neatly groomed hair was messy and unruly, from where he had ran his fingers through it repeatedly. The house suddenly grew an aura of unease and irritability. The evolving distance between the two lovers had become so thick, it was like a brick wall had come along and planted itself firmly between them.

Max hadn’t moved from the same spot he was in when Austin left. “Where’s Regina?” Austin asked. His eyes were looking everywhere except in Max’s direction.

“She left. She thought we needed some time to ourselves.”

The smaller man rolled his eyes. “Why would she think that?”

“Because maybe we do.”

Austin sighed. “Are you ready for your shower?” Max nodded and soon followed his smaller lover down the hall and into the bathroom.

Max wanted to say something to Austin. To apologize for being an asshole. But it never seemed to be the right time. Austin’s attention was nowhere near focused on talking to Max, but only to tend to the bathing at hand. His eyes stayed on the skin he was washing, not the least bit of sexual arousal coming from seeing the sculpted body before him, making sure every area was clean, before he cleaned himself off.

Max took a chance and placed an arm around Austin’s waist before he could step out the shower. “Let me talk to you.”

The brunette pushed his lover’s arm away. “Stop it, Max.”

“Austin...”

“No.” Austin said sternly. He dried himself off, dressed, then helped Max into his nightclothes.

************

Max laid in bed and watched Austin’s back slowly rise and fall with his breathing as he tried to sleep. He knew his younger lover was still awake.

Austin couldn’t get to sleep, so instead he decided to think about his upcoming, life changing decision he’d have to make on Friday to Mr. Cutlis. It should’ve been an easy answer to make. No. No, he wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t degrade himself that way. But when he thought about all that was at risk -which included Max’s life as well- he would get second thoughts. Austin curled himself into a ball and pulled the sheets closer around him. That’s when he felt a large hand touch his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder and saw Max looking back down at him.

“Would you talk to me, please?” Max whispered.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Don’t lie, Austin.”

“I’m not lying.” Austin snapped back.

Max decided to resort to other means. Using the swift military tactics he used in the service, he grabbed Austin by his wrists and turned him over on his back, pinning his wrists by his head. “Something’s going on, damn it. And I want to know what.”

Austin began to struggle. “Stop.” He whimpered. “Let go!”

The young brunette tried to use the muscle he had to push Max off, but a larger size and impeccable strength made that impossible. “No! Not until you tell me what’s going on with you. It’s work, isn’t it? Something happened at work.”

“Shut up!” Austin continued to struggle. His voice was becoming strained as the tears began to form.

“Talk to me, Austin!” That’s when his lover couldn’t hold it any longer. Austin turned his head away from Max’s view and sobbed uncontrollably. Max was stumped. Pulling his entire body into a side position, he grabbed Austin into his arms and held him against his body. Austin soaked the soldier’s shirt with his tears. “It’s okay. Shhhh. It’s okay. Just tell me what’s wrong.” He whispered in his lover’s ear.

“I was wrote up at work Tuesday.” Austin said as he tried to calm down again and control his breathing. “My boss, Mr. Cutlis, wanted to know what the problem was. I told him that I was just dealing with something at home and that I didn’t mean to bring my troubles to work. He told me he knew I was gay and he knew how to help me get back on track at work......”

“Wait. He knows you’re gay? Did you tell him? How does he know?”

“That’s the thing. He’s got this file. He didn’t let me see it, but it has everything about me in it. He knows our address, he knows we live together, he knows your name, he knows you were in the service and got hurt, he even knows how much our monthly payments are on the house. It was so scary listening to him tell off all these facts about us and no one’s even told him a thing. He only read a little bit, but I know that file has more on me and you than we know about.”

Max was silent for a moment. Unsure what to say. “What about this plan of his? What did he mean when he said he could help you get back on track?”

“He said that if I meet up with him at seven o’clock this Friday and have sex with him, he’ll toss out the grievance against me. He’d let me continue working at the company on a clean slate and give us $75,000.”

“And if you refused?”

“If I said no, he would fire me and prevent me from ever working in this city anywhere.”

“That’s bull. He doesn’t have that kind of power around here. He’s bluffing.”

“I don’t know. He seemed to have no problem getting that file on me in mere minutes. He also said he would let it be known that your accident was deliberate, just so you could get out the army.”

“What?!” Max found himself yelling. “That’s bullshit! You know I didn’t do this on purpose, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. I know you wouldn’t paralyze half of your body, just to get out the army. Joining the army was all you talked about when we were younger.” Austin looked away from Max’s eyes. “I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.”

Max tightened his grip around Austin and kissed his neck. “I don’t either. But whatever you decide, I will be right by your side.” Austin suddenly pushed him off.

“You mean like you’ve been all these days before?” Austin turned his back on Max, pulling the sheets back up to his neck and shut his eyes.


More to come.

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