Sweet As The Punch

Sweet As The Punch
Chapter 4

History classes were so boring. The teacher wasn't horrible but in all honesty, he had dealt with better teachers before. The man obviously knew Japanese History but once he was in front of the class, his speech was extremely monotone and in the end, it got insanely boring. Out of the nintey students, he guessed over a dozen slept through half the class.

At four o'clock, there was no one left in the classroom. The students had been prepared to go roughly ten minutes before the end of the class – they couldn't wait any longer. Adam was one of the first people out, in fact. He had fought against sleep all class long and he needed to focus on something else than dates and names he still had a hard time with. He climbed all the sets of stairs leading to the cafeteria on the double, hoping Mitch hadn't left the establishment. Since there was WiFi net access within the walls of the cafeteria, he expected the blonde man to be there still.

And there he was, sitting all alone, typing away on his laptop; a pile of book on his left and a tray of half-eaten, still warm, cafeteria food. Adam went towards him and hugged him from behind – if he didn't have glasses he'd have covered his eyes and made him guess who it was. "Hey hotstuff" he said, resting his head on Mitch's.

"Oh, hey. Class was boring huh?"

Adam's brown eyebrows furrowed, and he spoke sarcastically. "How did you figure that out?"

Mitch turned around slightly to face his "lover", looking at him over the rim of his black glasses. "Hmmm I don't know. Oh, wait. I was there last year and it was downright horrible..."

"So you coming home with me?" he inquired, letting go of him and sitting right beside. The last thing he wanted was to sound needy – he wanted to avoid making mistakes girls made with him in the past. One was to want to spend all of their time with him, 24/7. He'd make sure Mitch wouldn't find himself in the same situation.

"Yeah sure. Lemme finish typing that paragraph." Adam glanced at the text on the screen; it was the draft of an essay on one of the books he had read. "I'm on a roll here and I don't wanna lose my ideas."

The sound of the keys increased as Mitch typed faster. Adam was mesmerized by the fingers moving so fast accross the keyboard that he lost track of time for a few minutes. The blonde man didn't even look, and was focused on the characters appearing on his screen. Then he flipped the screen down – time to go.

"It's gonna take us about forty-five minutes to go back, I drop off at another station than you do, even though you don't live too far away from me," Adam warned Mitch, annoyance leaking into his voice.

Mitch smirked. "It's okay, just means more time to spend with you."

~ ~ ~ ~

The subway and bus rides hadn't been so bad, in the end. They stood very close to each other, sometimes elbowing the other or holding hands discretely. If someone was not too far from them, they'd only be seeing good friends; but to the trained eye – or the yaoi fangirl – they were obviously homosexuals.

They came to halt in front of a rather large white house; Adam took a deep breath before turning the doorknob. He had to introduce Mitch to his father and maybe his sister, if she was there. Something bothered him about it... what if they'd read through his mind and figure out he wasn't even gay? He had to pretend even more, and do a damn good job at it... yet not put too much effort.

"Hey dad!" he yelled upon entering the house, putting his backpack down. He didn't bother taking off his shoes, yet he saw Mitch doing it. Surprisingly respectful for someone even less shy than himself. "I brought someone over, so you better not bother me. Actually I'm gonna lock my bedroom door in case..."

His father appeared in the hall, coming from the kitchen where he was washing the dishes. "Well who's that handsome young man? Your boyfriend?" he cracked the joke. If it was Mitchell it would be right... if it was someone else it would still be funny to see his reaction.

Mitch waved at Adam's father and clung to his new lover's arm. "Yep, that's right. Nice meeting you Mr. Campbell" he spoke with confidence, as usual.

Martin Campbell smiled at the couple, then turned around and went back in the kitchen. "So who fucks who now?" he managed to ask, trying not to laugh too hard. It would embarrass his son just a bit and he'd have something to talk about with him after. It wasn't meant to be offensive at all.

"Dad!"

"Oh don't worry Mr. Campbell, he's been pretty gentle with me so far. But I wonder if he inherited it from his father..."

Adam punched him in the arm. "Mitch!"

In he kitchen, he could hear more laughter. "He's lucky if he did!"

"... Let's go to my room, Mitch."

Both men left the hall and climbed up the stairs and into Adam's deep blue room. The color hadn't changed much since he was a child, but the furniture needed had. A king-sized bed with a plaid-printed comforter and a computer desk had replaced the racecar bed and the toys. Another narrow, brown bookcase-desk was between the window and the bed itself; Adam's alarm clock had been put there for easy access. The current Literatture books were stacked on the desk itself.

Adam sat at the dark grey computer chair – not as expensive as Mitch's lime green leather chair – and checked his emails quick; nothing too important, he'd wait till later to reply to them. Mitch more important than the "Grow your penis up to 12 inches!" and chain letters his friends sent him. "If you need to check your emails too or something, go ahead."

The blonde man shook his head. "Not yet, thanks though. I checked them a bit before you joined me in the cafeteria, I doubt the world has exploded since then. That stuff can wait. So... did you want to talk about something?"

"Not really. Just wanted company." "Liar! You're turning gay!" his mind told him, but he mentally cringed at that. Mitch was a friend. A good friend – in fact, more than that. He was his boyfriend.

"Then I shall continue your corruption" Mitch said, smirking evilly. He sat on the bed, in front of Adam, and leaned on his lap. "So. I'm guessing you've never kissed a guy." The brown-haired man's head went from left to right, and back again. An obvious no. "But you've kissed girls."

"Plenty of times. Is it so different to kiss a guy instead of a girl?"

"I don't know... I wouldn't think so." Mitch had never kissed a girl – even before his tenth birthday, to him it had been clear. He wanted a boyfriend. "Wanna try?"

The question caught Adam off-guard. Sure he had kissed him on the cheek before, but then again he had kissed Jakob on the cheek as well, notably that time Jakob bailed him out of the jail without telling his parents. Kissing him on the lips, now, was different. Slightly uncomfortable, he switched his focus on the window. He'd have to do it sometime soon, so while there were no one around to bother him... maybe it was a good time.

"Okay, I guess."

Mitch grinned and sat on Adam's lap without any words of warning. The devious look on his face made him look like a predator, and in all honesty, it freaked Adam out. He started to argue with himself.

"Maybe you want him to kiss you. No you don't, you're not gay... but you wonder what it's like right? So go ahead. It doesn't make you gay right away. On the other hand you're not even attracted to him. Is it like lying to him or... You know damn well it is. But what would you do for Raelene?"

That last line was an epiphany. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Mitch's.

...

He had to admit it wasn't as bad as he thought. Mitch was a good kisser. The only big difference is that the man was rougher on it and weighed more than his last girlfriend – but he had to expect that. Mitch was only a few inches smaller than he was, and his last girlfriend barely made the five foot mark.

Adam could feel Mitch's body relaxing, but it didn't last long. The blonde man pulled off and blushed slightly before trying to sound as cool as he usually was. It didn't take a Ph.D to realize Mitch had really enjoyed the kiss. "See? Not as bad as you thought eh?"

And in the end, he had to be honest with himself; it had been good. However, his typical reflex was to push this kind of thought away. He was doing this to get it going with a girl. Not another man. If he wanted to sound committed to it. "You're right. It's kinda like kissing a girl. Just that it really isn't."

Mitch chuckled and wrapped his arms around Adam's shoulders. "Must be weird to kiss a guy you're not even remotely attracted to. I can't say I'm not enjoying this so it makes it fairly pleasing for me."

Deep inside, Adam hoped that Mitch wouldn't fall in love with him, because it would only result in drama. It's what he had feared from the beginning – him winning the girl while the poor gay man was left alone. "I told you to take advantage of it" he replied, hugging him closer. "It's the only thing I can offer for now."

For now.

"I say we watch a movie" Adam suggested, pointing at his computer screen and motionning in his bed's direction with his head. "The screen's kinda like my TV. Let's make popcorn and watch something."

The idea seemed to please his "boyfriend" and Mitch hopped from his lap, as excited as he was most of the time. "Hell yeah! My lover's the bestest!"

He let Adam up and stepped outside after him, not missing the chance to grab his ass.

And this time, Adam didn't think anything was wrong.

~ ~ ~ ~

During the time they had been upstairs, Adam's mother had came back home. She greeted both young men with a smile and offered to make the popcorn for them while they went over to the cornerstore and bought drinks. Mitch came back with a bottle of Bailey's, while Adam had a opted for good ol' beer.

"If you guys are gonna get drunk... do it slowly enough not to be sick in Adam's room. That's what the bathroom is for" his mother reminded them as she handed them the popcorn bowl. "And use protection. I don't want my boy pregnant."

"If anyone becomes pregnant it's going to be me, ma'am," Mitch answered, with a wide grin strapped on his face. "I've always required protection from my previous boyfriends just to avoid that."

"I dare you to call me "ma'am," again. Call me Emily."

"Emily. Got it. I'm Mitch. .... Hun I wanna watch the movie...!" He clung to Adam's arm again – he loved playing the clingy boy – and dragged him upstairs.

Adam spoke as he was pressed onwards. "Thanks mom!"

As he opened the bedroom door, Adam noticed Mitch's playful, devillish smile. "So we're gonna fuck? Sweet. After six months of having sex with my right hand...."

"Huh..."

"Yeah I know you're not ready for that. Probably never going to be, after all you're straight," Mitch continued. This hadn't been an attempt to make Adam feel guilty, but it was the result.

The brown-haired man sighed and looked at Mitch apologetically. "Let's say I've got my limits for now. See, that's what I keep meaning when I say I'm not really your boyfriend, and I feel bad for making you go through such a thing."

"Don't worry," Mitch added, a smile creeping on his face. "I'm not holding anything against you for that. I know you're doing everything possible to make me feel like I'm your boyfriend and there's not a lot of guys who'd have gone as far as kissing another, let alone hugging another... you're a rare specie my good friend. Now let's forget about the sex issue, I'll deal with this on my own.. and let's watch a movie! Movie! Which one are we going to watch by the way?"

Adam put the six-pack down and brought his right hand to his jaw, rubbing it in thought. Reminded him he needed to shave tomorrow. "How 'bout Survive Style 5+? Ever seen it?"

Mitch shook his head. "Nope."

"Actually it's got a gay guy in it, but the movie itself is so damn funny. Feel like watching it?" Adam asked, moving up to his computer and trying to find the file.

"Sure. I'm always up for a laugh."

"Alright, I'll boot it up."

Adam climbed on the bed and threw a pillow at Mitch, who had, thankfully, posed the Bailey's bottle on the floor beside the six-pack of Labatt. He was soon joined by the other man, who at first, kept his distance. Once again, Adam found it awkward. For all the things Mitch had done for him, maybe he could reward him...

He scooched closer to the blonde man and at first, didn't do much but make comments about the movie – the cast, the plot, the settings...

Mitch wasn't exactly surprised when Adam's arm brought him even closer. He lowered himself a bit so it would be more comfortable for the both of them and rested his head in the nest between Adam's neck and arm. Having forgotten about his own drink, he stole his friend's for a sip and gave it back to him, grinning childishly. It caused Adam to laugh, and after the kiss they had shared, he didn't mind drinking from the bottle again.

It had been quite some time since Adam held someone that close for so long. Even with his ex-girlfriend, it had become so hard to in the end. She had been cheating on him with a guy he had never even met, and when he learned it, he had grown distant from her to avoid being too hurt by their separation. He thought that he had taken it fairly well when she came clean to him – he had let her go. They had no reason to stay together if they didn't love each other.

As for Mitch, it was far from raining men. As much as Montreal is popular amongst gays, he found it hard to be able to find a boyfriend. Not everyone was as open as he was, and finding someone who he'd enjoy spending time with was nearly impossible. He had a few flings, even less boyfriends, and his last one had dumped him for a pretty, rich boy in the bar scene. Now that he had met someone possibly compatible with him... he had to be straight! It was so tempting to kiss Adam, request more of his time, but Adam was straight, not gay. He didn't know the other man's limits too well and avoided crossing them. He didn't to hurt him – or hurt himself. It tore him apart.

Both wanted to make the best of it all. When the movie ended, they didn't bother moving, nor getting undressed. They were feeling way too good.

~ ~ ~ ~

"Oh shit I'm late..."

"Hmmm?"

"I'm late. I have a Literatture class this morning... I'm so dead."

"Mmm... mmm no you're not... you're Mitch..."

"Adam wake up, how do you get to university from here? I suck with directions, I completely forgot to check as we came here.... Adam!" Mitch pushed himself away from his "boyfriend" and got up, knocking a beer bottle on the floor. "Shit! I'm sorry! Oh fuck..."

Adam, who apparently took more time than Mitch to wake up, waved dissmissly. "Don't worry about it. I've done worse. Anyways... where you going?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"To my class! Dude you gotta get me to the subway... please?" Mitch had gotten the big guns out: the puppy look, melting everything in its path and leaving Adam puddles all the way.

The other man stretched and finally got up – he was due for a shower. He had to say he was starting to like Mitch's scent on him, however... "Yeah sure. I'll grab a fruit for you so you can eat on your way." He hugged him briefly before heading downstairs. With his mother working, his father already outside working on the house and his sister gone at school, it was quiet. Adam wasn't used to quiet mornings. "Peach? Banana? Apple? Orange? Mango?"

"Mango! ... and gimme the banana anyways." Mitch stopped in his tracks and frowned. "How... gay of me. Don't you think?"

"Doesn't matter. Come on hun, I'll drive you to the subway." Hun. It had been said so normally. Was he getting used to Mitch as his boyfriend? It sure sounded like it. He watched calmly from the door as Mitch grabbed his backpack, and they were out within seconds.

The car, a dark red Jeep of the year, was parked in the driveway, behind his father's. Both men waved at Mr. Campbell before getting in the Jeep and driving away.

~ ~ ~ ~