Hope

Something gripped his hand in the dark abyss of his sleeping mind, jerking him awake. He blinked a few times, his eyes focusing on a blurry spot hovering above him, the cloudy shape sharpening slowly until it revealed a man in a police uniform, wiping away tears from his face while his other hand was wrapped around Matej's fingers. It wasn't just any police man, though.

He moved his head, blinking. "Eric?"

The man standing by his bed looked surprised, his grip tightening.

"Matej, you're awake", a hand wiping across Eric's face again, frantically removing all traces of tears from his cheek. "How do you feel?"

Matej tried to move, but couldn't bring his muscles to comply.

"I don't feel a fucking thing...", he whispered hoarsely. "Where am I?"

Eric pulled a chair closer and sat down.

"You're in hospital. You got stabbed. Do you remember?"

Stabbed? A weird throbbing in his lower abdomen gave Matej an uncomfortable feeling of Déjà vu.

"I remember a guy. He bumped into me. And blood. I survived?" Shit. Too many meds. Dumb question.

"You survived", Eric confirmed and gripped his hand tighter.

Matej watched him closely. His peaked cap resting in his lap, Eric's hair was wild as if he'd run his hands through it several times.

"I'm sorry I scared you. How's Sarah?", he said, stroking his thumb over the back of Eric's hand.

"She's alright. Sitting outside wanting to come in. She found you at school, unconscious, so she's still shaken." Eric shrugged and glanced toward the door.

Matej nodded.

"Bring her in. She shouldn't be scared for me", he said.

Eric reluctantly let go of Matej's hand and went to the door, opening it and gesturing to someone.

"He's awake, hon. Wanna come in?"

Sarah appeared in the door, her cheeks puffy and red, eye lids swollen worse than her dad's. She slowly approached the bed. Matej lifted his hand, surprised to see an IV tube sticking out of his arm.

"Sarah. How are ya, princess? A bit much action for us recently, huh?", he whispered.

The girl came closer and took his hand. "You're alive", she stated, her lips trembling.

"I think so", he smiled.

Eric appeared behind his daughter, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"The doc says you'll need to go slow for a while. No bodybuilding competitions for you anytime soon, young man", he joked.

Matej laughed, the motion sending a jolt of pain through his body. He grimaced.

"If only..", he said eventually. "I'll have to make a call to my family. I don't have anyone in Vienna. I'll probably move back home for a while."

Eric gripped his hand again, squeezing it.

"You have us. You can stay at my place as long as you want." Matej read the message between the lines. He wasn't sure if he was ready to take a leap and trust someone this fast - let alone move in with a boyfriend he only recently met. And as an invalid on top.




"I don't want to be a burden...", he began when Sarah interrupted him.

"Please stay with us, Matt. Please don't go back home." Those huge eyes again. Like in a Disney cartoon. How could he ever deny her anything?

"I..."

"Please don't leave." Eric, spoken with intense urgency, had Matej lift his eyes to meet his. He didn't say anything else, didn't share his daughter's tendency to overemphasize things.

"Okay", he said quietly, feeling a weird tiredness again. Resting his eyes for a moment turned into a dreamless sleep so sound, he never heard the door when Eric shooed his daughter outside to give Matej some peace and quiet. Eric. His last thought before Matej once again drowned in darkness.

Darkness

A quiet morning at school left Matej idle and contemplating after Sarah had arrived at 8 and strolled to the second floor with only a sad nod in Matej's direction instead of her usual bubbly greeting.

She was mad at him. No doubt about it. He didn't need to know much about a young girl's mind to understand that finding him in bed with her father would not go over well with her. It wouldn't with any child, he figured. Bad enough to have her parents divorce, but her dad replacing her mother with a guy was a bit more than a ten year old could stomach.


Was Eric actually doing that? Expecting him to become his partner after just one date? Okay, maybe two, if you counted the awesome sex that their first encounter had led to.

Did Matej want that? Be a boyfriend? A partner? A second father figure to a young child? Jesus, that was a bit much to take in for a guy who never knew anything other than frantic moments of passion in some dark corner. He didn't want to remember Andrej. Especially not now. After all that time he still felt guilty having romantic feelings for a guy.


In a few minutes, Elementary School would have another break and students would rush towards the canteen, flooding the reception area like a tidal wave rushing in. He glanced at his watch. Usually, Sarah would spend five minutes by his side for idle small talk before returning to her classroom. He wasn't sure if the girl would show up today. And if she did what would he say? Sorry that I'm sleeping with your dad? Not gonna happen.


He walked slowly towards the glass doors at the entrance, frowning at an usual exchange outside. A dark haired guy with olive skin and a slightly deranged look about him was talking to a group of 15 year olds right on the sidewalk outside the school.

The hairs on his neck stood up. The guy gave off a weird vibe. He was fidgeting slightly, Matej noticed when he stepped outside and approached the group.

"...any Americans in your school?", the stranger asked the children in accented English. The kids looked at each other, shrugging in confusion.

"Sure, we're an international school", a female Grade 10 student Matej didn't know by name answered.


"Hey!", he yelled, feeling his belt in a well trained reflex, the skin on his neck prickling when the hand grabbed thin air instead of a gun holster. Right, unarmed guard. Damn it!

The stranger - he was clearly Arabic - held up both hands in a soothing gesture.

"Alright, alright, no harm done, man", the guy said when Matej stepped into the circle and nodded to the students to walk back inside.

Turning to the man on the sidewalk he gestured toward him to walk on and leave the premises, but the man stood still when Matej walked up to him. Matej touched his shoulder and crowded the man, shoving him back to leave the entrance area of the school building.

The man bumped against him and smiled before turning around and walking away.

Matej followed him until he turned around the corner and entered a bus that just happened to arrive at this very second. Convenient. At least the asshole was gone. No harm done, but it still meant some paperwork. He neede to write a report and question the students about what the man had said to them. The whole standard procedure for such incidents. He should also give a description of the man to the police. Perhaps Eric could...

Matej scratched a sudden itch at his side. He pulled the glass door open and walked into the reception area when he noticed that his fingers came back wet. Wet and red. His eyes widened and he tried to make sense of it, looking down at his side.


"What was that all about out there?", Leo the receptionist said from behind his counter. Matej looked at his colleague who continued typing on his keyboard and then glanced over to the group of students who stood in a corner, chatting excitedly.


"Matt? What is that?" Sarah stood on the top stair and pointed toward the glass door. She did come. What did she say again? Matej turned around, a sudden pain in his side sending a blinding jolt through his body. A trickle of blood led from the glass door to the reception desk where he stood.

"Oh my God!", a girl screamed from the corner pointing at the growing stain on Matej's shirt, blood seeping through the tissue and pooling around his feet. Leo jumped up, looking over the desk at Matej's lower body. "What happened?!"

Matej felt cold all over. He gripped the desk with his left arm, his right hand pressing on his side.

"I think I got stabbed..", he whispered, sweat breaking out on his forehead. He sagged down on his knees, staring unbelievingly at a trace of blood on the reception desk. So much blood.

"Matt! Matt, please get up!" Sarah grabbed his cold hand. Feeling tired all of a sudden, Matej rested his head against the wood in front of his face. He needed to wait for help. Sarah's mouth moved, tears spilling from her widened eyes. Matej noticed how the girl suddenly loomed over him. Had he slipped to the floor? Leo appeared next to Sarah looking frantically at Matej, rearranging his numb limbs, settling him down on his back. Sarah held his hand tightly. She pressed the back of his hand against her tear stained face. Why couldn't he feel it? Why couldn't he move?

He was still contemplating these questions when darkness descended upon him and the world drowned in a sea of darkness.




***




"Sarah! What's wrong?"

Eric practically ran into the reception area, a growing sense of panic rising in his chest when he saw Sarah sit on a desk with the school's Social Emotional Support specialist holding her hand and talking to her in a soothing voice.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Mr Maisano", the lady said, getting up, her eyes glancing at his blue police uniform and the white peaked cap he wore. He had even come in a police car, wanting to show up as quickly as possible when he got the call.

"Have you found out something this fast?", the guy from the reception area walked up to Eric, his hands gesturing excitedly in front of him. "Your colleagues just left a minute ago."

What the hell was going on? He looked back at his daughter. Her eyes puffy and wet.

"What happened, hon?", he knelt down and took her hands, ignoring the two adults vying for his attention.

"Mr Maisano, Sarah is in deep shock after having witnessed an attack against our security guard...", the lady began.

"Security... where's Matej?", he looked around, frantically searching for a familiar face.

"He's dead, daddy", Sarah cried, tears streaming down her face.

"He's not dead, Mr Maisano. At least he wasn't when the ambulance picked him up fifteen minutes ago. He's on his way to the hospital. He got stabbed outside the building." Eric didn't hear the Social Emotional Whatever lady. The world tilted and he had to grab the bannister to keep himself from sitting down on the stairs.

"He was so cold dad. His hands were so cold", Sarah cried. This was a nightmare. Had he gone to sleep and was imagining his worst fears come to life? Sarah. She was alright, wasn't she?

"Are you hurt, Sarah? Did someone hurt you?" He grabbed his daughter and lifted her up in his arms, holding her toward his chest. Shit, she was way too old and heavy for this. But holding her in his arms, feeling her tremble, grounded him.

"What hospital?", he asked the lady, swallowing down the bile in his throat.

"Lorentz Boehler. Your colleagues went with the ambulance. They wanted to question our guard when he woke up", she stammered.

Eric frowned at her words, flashing his teeth in an angry snarl.

"Matej. Your security guard's name is Matej!"

He let Sarah down and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the police car waiting outside, leaving a shocked emotional support specialist and a stunned receptionist behind.


Securing Sarah in the back seat of the car, he switched on the siren and hit the gas. Regulations be damned. He would find Matej and make things right again. He couldn't lose him. He just couldn't.




***

First Date

"That movie was awesome!!", Sarah squealed happily as they left the theatre lobby and stepped into the cool air of a summer evening in the city. "Can I get a bunny and name her Judy?"


Eric huffed and smiled at the big man walking quietly beside him. Matej met his gaze and rolled his eyes, laughing.

Eric couldn't get the man he had met at the Kaiserbrundl sauna a few days earlier out of his head. Matej had seemed like a gay men's walking wet dream when he entered the room where Eric had decided to wait and see who would approach him for sex. He had sure been desperate that night and wanted to make the most of it, since Sarah had stayed at a friend's place for a sleep over, leaving him a full night off. The first night for himself since Denise had left Sarah in his care and moved to New York to pursue her career. Not that he minded. Sarah was the most important person in his life and raising her was a privilege, not a responsibility.


That night, Matej had walked up to him and seduced him rather aggressively, wearing only a white towel around his waist, pressing his huge muscled frame against Eric's lithe body.


Thank God Sarah's constant babbling distracted him enough not to sport another hard-on just feeling the man laugh beside him.


Sarah tugged on Matej's hand and made him bend over so she could talk loudly into his ear.

"If daddy won't let me have a bunny, will you get me a fox, Matt?"

Matej laughed even harder, his deep voice rumbling in his chest.

"Most girls want ponies. You want a fox. You truly are special."


Eric's heart warmed. Matej was a security guard and obviously trained to intimidate, but while most kids at school were afraid of the brooding Slovenian, Sarah had an easy friendship going with him, asking him for advice and keeping him company during her breaks. Eric was so proud of her for taking the initiative to care.


Walking towards a McDonald's restaurant, Sarah dragged both guys inside, not even starting a discussion about whether or not they wanted to stop for a last burger on their way home.

"I hope you really don't have other plans tonight. Once Sarah gets going, it's hard to stop her", Eric said, sitting down opposite Matej. The man glanced around surreptitiously, checking out everyone sitting nearby. Eric smiled, wanting to tease him all of a sudden. Working in law enforcement, he knew how hard it was to switch off his cop instincts on his days off.

"Seen anything you like?"

Matej jerked back, looking into his eyes, his face flushing slightly at the implication.

"Sorry, some habits are hard to shake off", he explained. Eric smiled.

"Don't fret it. I'm quite bothered about this guy wearing a hunting knife on his belt myself", Eric pointed his chin towards a guy sitting behind Matej's back. Matej's eyes locked with his instead of turning around to check out the 'suspect'.

"You're watching my back?", he asked, suddenly more serious than Eric had expected. Putting an arm around Sarah's shoulder next to him, keeping her from jumping up and running to the counter by herself, he met Matej's intense stare.

"Always am. I'm a cop. You're security. It's two uniforms, but basically the same job."

Matej looked down, obviously unsure what to say. He fidgeted with the menu in front of him.

"Thank you for coming with us tonight. It means a lot to me. Especially since we're dragging our little princess here along", he nudged his daughter playfully. Sarah jerked her head up when she heard the word 'princess'. She beamed at Matej with a smile that so clearly mirrored Eric's own.

"Yeah, thanks for coming with us, Matt. It's real good to see ya outside of school too", she said.

Matej dropped the menu and smiled widely at Sarah.

"Thanks for inviting me, hon. I totally enjoyed the movie. I know, it's a kid's movie, but I found it pretty grown up too", Matej explained. Eric hardly remembered the movie at all, being constantly aware of the handsome man sitting next to him in the theater, their shoulders brushing in the dark. Eric had looked at Matej's profile from time to time, seeing the screen's light reflect in the man's eyes. Matej had turned his head in the dark and looked back at Eric, one corner of his mouth lifting in a crooked smile. Eric was too shy to take his hand in the dark and he was sure that a kiss was not appropriate with all the families and kids around them. But he had wanted it all so much. He didn't want to end the night with a burger now.


"Do you know what you want?" Sarah's question had both men stare at each other again before they shifted their attention to the girl.

Sarah held up the menu and waved it front of their faces.

"What burger are you having, Matt?", she asked.

Matej smiled and patted his tummy or - as Eric remembered only too well - the rock hard abs he carried under his T-shirt.

"I try not to eat too many carbs, so I'll pass, Sarah." The girl looked at him, confused. Then she put down the menu.

"I hate carbs too. Mom eats them all the time. She loves seafood", she said, looking over her shoulder at the counter, obviously anxious to finally get something to eat.

Eric groaned inwardly. Why did she have to bring up Denise? He hoped Matej wasn't easily intimidated, especially not by the mentioning of Eric's ex - his *female* ex.

"That's crabs, hon. Matej means carbs, which is short for carbohydrates", Eric explained, silently appraising Matej's toned body, his muscles covered by smooth, fat-free skin.

"Sugar. Carbs are sugar. They're almost everywhere and they're not good for you", Matej elaborated.

"So what are you having?", Sarah insisted, looking at both her companions.

"I'll get a salad. Since you're so hungry, young lady, I'm gonna get you something. What should it be?", he directed the question at Eric.

"A small chicken burger for her. That should be enough that late in the day", he said ruffling Sarah's air.

Matej smiled, supporting his weight on the restaurant chair, his biceps bulging in front of Eric.

"And what can I get you, Sir?", he said smugly.

Eric looked up at his companion, smiling widely at the polite gesture.

"Nothing for me, thanks. I was actually hoping to have a coffee with you at my place to end the night." He knew he sounded a bit desperate but he wasn't ready to part with Matej without having had a more personal talk with him than Sarah's presence currently allowed. Matej winked at him, his usually determined and serious expression turning soft with a shy smile.

"I'd love that."


They ended up sharing the salad, Eric gladly accepting Matej's offer of using his fork in a surprisingly unexpected display of domestic harmony, while trying to keep Sarah's greasy fingers from tugging at her dress. Eric finally caught her hands and wiped them with a napkin, disposing of the cardboard container and getting the unusual trio to leave the restaurant.


The short walk to Eric's apartment was spent in silence, Sarah clearly being on the verge of sleep while Eric used the narrow sidewalk as an excuse to bump into Matej now and then while navigating his tired daughter around lamp posts and mailboxes. Matej looked relaxed and happy and judging from the way Matej treated his baby girl, Eric knew that he didn't want to say goodbye to him anytime soon.


Closing the door of the apartment behind them, Matej stayed in the kitchen, sliding out of his shoes while Eric steered Sarah toward her bedroom getting her ready for bed. No night time story was necessary this time. Sarah quickly brushed her teeth, obviously glad to finally be able to drop into her bed. A rare sight for Eric, but he welcomed it tonight more than ever.


Tucking her into her blanket, Eric was surprised when Sarah raised her hand and smiled across his shoulder.

"Thanks for coming with us, Matt. Tonight was awesome!', she ended with an outstretched yawn.


Eric turned his head to find Matej leaning against Sarah's doorframe, his arms tucked into his pocket, the posture relaxed and intriguingly sexy.

"Thanks for having me, Sarah. Sleep well", he waved toward her bed, for some reason not stepping into the room.


Eric switched off the light and closed Sarah's door quietly, suddenly face to face with the man who had mesmerized him this whole evening.

Eric stopped inches from Matej's face, noting how the man did not step back, but accepted him within his personal space. Eric looked at his face closely. The dark beard shadow gave him a slightly Mediterranean look, but the short crew cut screamed military - or gay porn star. Eric couldn't decide which image he preferred. The tight black T-shirt hugged his wide frame, putting his nipples on display, a sight that aroused him. How come he hadn't noticed those nipples before? He ached to touch them, or even let his tongue caress them and taste Matej's skin.


It was obvious that Matej saw the interest in Eric's eyes, but he just smiled and finally stepped back, turning around towards the living room, his socked feet ghosting silently over the linoleum floor.

Eric followed him, wondering how the night would proceed, painfully aware that his daughter's room was just a few metres away, no matter *what* they would end up doing.


Matej sat down on the sofa, looking at the white carpet underneath the couch table, his toes curling in on the plush material, trying to grip it before uncurling them again in what seemed like a nervous gesture.

Eric sat down next to him, unsure if he was allowed to touch the man.

"Thanks for taking me with you. I really like Sarah. She's a great kid", Matej finally said, looking up at Eric to make a point before dropping his eyes again.

"That's nice, thanks. I was surprised to see you at Sarah's school. You know, she did tell me about that awesome 'bodyguard friend' of hers at school, but I never thought that it was you. I wish I had gotten to know you much earlier." Eric joined Matej in watching the carpet as if a movie was on display there.

"Would you have invited me if you had?", he asked.

"Sure. I wouldn't have dared to make a pass on you, though. Would you have told me you were gay?", Eric countered.

"Nuh-uh. Probably not. Would you?", Matej looked back up watching Eric's profile.

"Outing myself to my daughter's security guard from her private school? I'm a cop, but I guess I don't have that kind of balls", he laughed.

"Nothing wrong with your balls", Matej smiled and nudged Eric with his large shoulder. Glad that the ice was broken, Eric put a hand on the muscled thigh next to his. Matej responded to the touch by leaning in, bringing their heads closer together. Eric licked his lips, waiting for Matej's mouth to find his, but he Matej buried his face in the crook of his neck instead, breathing in his scent.

Eric put his arm around the man's neck, stroking the hair on his nape softly, waiting for Matej's next move.


He felt the hard muscles relax under his grip, until Matej put his arm on Eric's waist and melted against him, the smell of his skin and some masculine cologne mixing deliciously. Eric felt the soft rasp of the short stubble on Matej's head tickle his lips, as he whispered to the larger man in his arms.

"Would you like to stay here tonight?"


Matej tensed slightly, eye lids tickling Eric's neck. Instead of answering, he nodded slightly and Eric pushed him back on the couch, straddling him with his knees on both sides of Matej's massive thighs.

"Then let's take this to the bed." He watched Matej's eyes widen like a deer's in a headlight as he closed the distance and pressed their lips softly together, coaxing Matej's mouth to open up, finally tasting the man, tongues chasing each other until Eric got hold of Matej's and sucked it tenderly.

Matej's strong arms closed around him and he stroked Eric's back, hands travelling lower to cup his trim ass, pushing up slightly to bring their groins together.

Eric couldn't suppress a moan when he felt the sweet friction turning his cock hard within the confines of his jeans. He freed himself reluctantly from Matej's embrace and pulled the man up, steering him towards the bedroom, sliding his shirt over his head and opening the belt on his trousers. When the door closed behind them, he was surprised to find Matej shed the rest of his clothes immediately, standing fully naked and sporting a huge erection in his bedroom. Matej's eyes wandered over the photos on the wall - candid shots of both Eric and Denise, with the more recent ones also showing their beloved daughter, wide smiles plastered on their faces, conserving the happy family moments on Eric's bedroom wall. He cursed himself when he saw a shadow run over Matej's face and he noticed him turning away from the wall and sitting down on the bed instead of walking over to finish undressing Eric.


He slipped under the cover and waited, smiling at Eric who still stood frozen near the door, not yet believing that Matej, the star of his recent wet dreams had settled down in his bed.

Eric dropped his clothes rather unceremoniously and slipped into the bed next to Eric, switching off the light, hoping that the sudden darkness would also swallow all memories of Denise and help Matej enjoy their time together.


Matej scooted closer, his mouth once again finding Eric's neck, while his bulging arms caressed the furry chest and his massive thigh draped over Eric's legs, the knee bumping into his balls every now and then.


"Thank you", Matej whispered, but Eric began kissing his way down Matej's neck and chest, the muscular planes sporting soft stubble that scraped against his tongue. Not naturally smooth after all, Eric mused. He found the stiff nipple in the darkness and sucked it into his mouth, coaxing a loud moan out of his lover.


Aroused by the response of Matej's pliant body under his mouth, he slid on top of Matej, who spread his legs wide to make room for him, hooking his massive legs around his waist.


Eric slid lower, feeling his cock slide against Matej's, their pre-cum pooling on Matej's stomach, until Eric's cock slid underneath Matej's soft balls, seeking friction on the skin underneath. Matej's legs pressed Eric's body closer, his legs opening up to welcome Eric's cock. When Matej's intention dawned on Eric, he stilled, trying to read Matej in the darkness.


"Are you sure?", he whispered, burying his face in Matej's neck, planting feathery kisses on the sensitive skin under his ears, his lips relishing the sharp stubble on the man's throat.

"Uh-hu", Matej moaned, opening his legs wider to welcome Eric's cock in his body, Eric's head seeking entry aided by pre-cum alone.


Eric opened the drawer beside the bed and grabbed a small bottle of lube and a condom, which he ripped open and put onto his cock - a demanding task in the near complete darkness. Once sheathed properly, he spread some lube on his fingers and started caressing Matej's puckered entrance, until he felt the muscle relax and slipped a finger inside, massaging the hot channel, sliding in deep enough to find the glans and massage it with the tip of his finger.


"Oh", Matej seemed to hold himself back, but couldn't suppress a groan, his hard body pushing up underneath Eric's, eyes wide and sparkling in the dark room.

Eric kept his finger inside, widening the soft muscle while he pressed his mouth on Matej's, sharing his ragged breath, teeth clicking together, devouring each other.


Eric soon added a second and third finger, twisting his hand several times, to spread the lube inside Matej. When he finally withdrew his fingers, he replaced them immediately with his cock, the engorged head sinking into the willing body, Matej's muscle clamping down on him, bringing him to the edge of orgasm before Eric had even begun move. Matej's legs closed again on Eric's waist and pressed him into him, sinking the hard cock deep into the warm channel.


Strained painting told Eric that Matej wasn't used to this kind of intercourse and his heart swelled for the man underneath him who had clearly remembered Eric's own hesitation to bottom when they first met in the sauna. He began to withdraw his cock slowly and rocked his hips to sheath himself deep into Matej's heat. Sweat trickled from Eric's nose down on Matej's cheek, while he fucked his lover slowly. The familiar tingling in his balls had Eric speed up, eliciting louder moans out of the man. Shit, he could only hope Sarah was fast asleep.


Matej's cock was leaking heavily, balls drawn up tight, pre-cum smeared all over his stomach as Eric rocked back and forth, pushing his cock into his lover again and again before withdrawing it until only the head was enveloped by the loosened muscle and sinking back in, balls slapping against firm muscles and pubic hair scraping against the tender skin behind Matej's balls. When Eric closed his hand around Matej's cock, the man came undone and jets of hot come splattered all over his chest, even up to his neck, ass muscles clenching in quick succession, sending Eric over the edge along with him, filling the condom with his warm seed.


Still buried deep inside his body, Eric collapsed on top of him and found himself in a tight embrace, bulging muscles pressing him tenderly towards Matej's rising and falling chest. Matej kissed his cheek and licked the sweat tenderly off his face, while Eric's softening cock slid out of his ass. Eric held on tight to the condom and put it into a handkerchief before throwing it out of the bed and returning to his place beside Matej's glowing, sweaty body.


Aiming in for a passionate kiss, a soft knock on the door made them freeze in mid motion.


"Daddy?", the door opened and Sarah peaked inside. As she had not bothered to switch on the light in the hallway, the room remained dark. Matej and Eric slid away from each other in a desperate attempt to regain some decency in front of the young girl. Eric prayed that she didn't walk around the bed to Matej's side and step on the used condom.


"What is it sweety? Can't you sleep?", Eric said softly, trying to calm down his sky-high heart rate.

"No, I dreamed about the movie and woke up. I think it scared me a little."


Great. Thank you, Disney. Where's the time when kid's movies didn't cause nightmares? Eric sighed.


"Honey, it's alright. But you can't sleep here tonight", he hesitated.

"Why not?", Sarah looked up inquiringly, clearly expecting to slip into the bed next to her father.


Better go with the truth.

"Matej is here." Eric was sure it was just a matter of seconds before Sarah would realize her friend's presence anyway.

"Hey Sarah", Matej provided rather lamely, grabbing Eric's hand under the blanket as if hoping for some kind of cue from him.


Sarah froze and glanced over at the huddled form next to her dad on the bed.

"Why are you sleeping in dad's bed?"


Whoa. A loaded question if Eric had ever heard one. How would he deal with this at the precinct?

I'm the one asking he questions here. So not gonna work with his daughter.


"Do you want me to leave?" Eric wasn't sure if Matej had aimed the question at him or at his daughter, but he knew that he did not want to send Matej away. Not after he had almost lost him once. He turned back to his daughter.


"Honey, I like Matej very, very much. He's a great friend and takes good care of you. I am hoping that he might want to take care of both of us, you know?" Eric felt Matej's hand squeeze his, clearly surprised with this new approach.


"But I want to sleep with you, daddy. I'm scared" Lips trembling, Eric could tell the first signs of his daughter starting to cry.


"It's okay. If you want me to stay, I'll stay either way. Hop on in", Matej said, scooting over further, so Eric could move with him to make room for his daughter at the edge of the bed.


Sarah was unusually quiet, but she finally slipped under the blanket. Eric noticed how Matej picked up his shorts from his bedside and slipped them on quietly, stepping out of the bed to dispose of the condom and pick up Eric's shorts as well, handing them to him underneath the blanket so Eric could slip into them without getting up.


Sarah had settled on her side looking away from her father, so Eric put his arm around her, hoping she wasn't mad or jealous and would be her usual self by tomorrow.


His heart skipped a beat when he felt a warm large arm wrap around his belly and a broad chest press against his back, shortly before the bed fell silent and the strange bedmates' breathing evened out, until one by one fell asleep. Eric's last thought was how much he loved the sensation of falling asleep in the warm embrace of the younger man's arms. He hoped to find a way to include Matej in his life with Sarah and he also hoped that this was what Matej wanted. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep to the man's warm breath tickling the hair on his nape and he felt tears sneak their way onto the pillow, hugging his daughter softly until the peaceful darkness enveloped him.

Family

'Eew, daddy. That's gross. Stop kissing Matt.'
Matej reluctantly pulled his lips from Eric's glancing down at the huddled sleeping form on the sofa between them. Not sleeping after all, it seemed. Eric laughed softly, his breath warm on Matej's cheek.

'Hon, time for you to hit the bed. You know the drill. Brush your teeth and jump into your pyjama. I'll be up to tell you a good night story in..', Eric glanced at his wrist watch, 'exactly 5 minutes.'

Sarah dragged herself tiredly off the couch, pushing herself on her feet, yawning.
'I want Matt to tell me a story tonight.'

Matej looked up from the sofa, surprised. Eric smiled at him, grabbing his thigh, squeezing the solid muscle.
"I don't know any good stories, Sarah. I'm sure your dad can..', he murmured, looking to Eric for help, but he just grabbed a beer from the couch table and smiled innocently.
'She's yours, Matej. Have fun. She likes unicorns and princesses', he laughed.

'Unicorns!!', Sarah yelled, but slipped into a yawn once more.
'You can tell me what happened to the two princes who fell in love that dad told me about", she added, walking toward the corridor.

Matej looked inquiringly at his lover. Eric shrugged, raising the beer bottle to his lips.
'I wanted to explain to her why two guys... You know', he lifted his hand from the thigh and beckoned his fingers between himself and Matej. Two princes in love. Matej hated to admit how the gesture moved him. He shook his head, smiling, covering Eric's returned hand on his thigh with his before he got up to follow Sarah and think of a story for her. A story about what happened to the two princes in love. If only Matej knew that one already .

Reconnect

Matej looked up from his seat near the reception area, acknowledging the increasing flow of parents arriving and students coming down from the upper floors to meet them. Glancing at his watch, he saw that school ended just a few minutes ago, leaving him two more hours to kill before calling it a day and heading out of the elite private school that employed his services since the terror attacks in Paris a few months earlier. He stood up and began walking around. He hadn't yet learned the faces of all the parents of the school's 500 students, so any visitor entering the building was a potential threat in his book. And besides, he wouldn't want to be caught sitting around, playing with his cell phone while he was hired to keep the school's students and staff safe. Nice joke. With him not wearing a weapon in school - thanks to the school owner's ridiculous preference -  he could only hope never to run into an armed aggressor or else he'd be the first dead body in the building if someone drew a weapon and he had nothing but his massive built to put between these kids and a potential threat.

A sudden impact on his lower back had him whirl around, switching from complete boredom into fighting mode within a quarter of a second, getting a wider stance and raising his arms to meet the unexpected force hitting him from behind.
"Matt!"
Matej recognized the steel grip around his waist as the arms of a young girl from Grade 5, his friend Sarah.
"Jesus!", he drew in a breath, lowering himself to meet the girl at eye level. "How many times must I tell you not to sneak up on me. I have to assume it's bad people who do this. You're not bad people, right?", he said, grabbing her shoulder, trying to make her understand. Her eyes dancing mischievously instead.
"School's out!", she laughed, not acknowledging his reprimand.
"As it is each day at 3, hon", Matej said patiently, getting back up, looking around, scanning the many faces now entering and leaving the building. He hated this time of day. People walked in and out in a never-ending flow and he could just rely on the receptionist knowing whether anyone coming in was a stranger or a parent.

"Any plans for tonight, Sarah?", he asked the girl standing by his side, while his eyes jumped from face to face, trying to find something that might be off the mark. He wasn't in this line of work for nothing. He had a knack for reading people's intentions, which often helped him diffuse a situation before it even started, back when he was still bouncing at night clubs in Slovenia,

"Watching a movie with daddy!", she said and began to shriek when she spied someone - probably her father - in the bunch of people coming in. Matej's attention shifted immediately to a man with a weapon entering the building. He quickly walked towards him, finding himself slightly relieved when he recognized the man's Austrian police uniform - so not an obvious terrorist at least - and was surprised when the man turned his back to Matej, going down on his knees to catch a blond whirlwind in his arms, hugging her tightly to his chest.

Sarah's joyous squeal relaxed Matej. That was just the girl's dad. And a cop on top. Interesting. Matej continued to walk around the reception area, stepping aside when people went for the door, his eyes simultaneously scanning anyone who entered in between. The parents were supposed to carry ID cards and he sometimes stopped a few of them randomly, asking them to show their ID, but he could not do a thing if they didn't carry the card with them. They were rich businessmen and employees of international organisations. They dealt with many things in their busy lives, a top priority being that their kids were safe and protected, but they definitely did not care about carrying a school ID card with them for Matej's sake. He figured with the amount of money they paid for their children's education, they expected to be recognized by school staff upon entering the school. So he kept shut most of the time and was determined to get to know people as quickly as possible.

"Daddy, this is Matt, our bodyguard", Sarah said behind him, obviously trying to introduce him to her father. Matej turned around, looking at the impressive uniform on the tall man in front of him.
"I'm not a bodyguard, Sarah, I'm a security officer", he said patiently, before raising his arm toward the man in front of him.
"Hi, my name is Matej. Sarah's the only one who calls me Matt. Nice to meet you, Sir" He grabbed the man's outstretched hand and found himself looking into a pair of familiar brown eyes, pupils widening in surprise, the grip of the hands continuing a second longer than was strictly necessary.
The officer quickly shook off his surprise and left only Matej flustered and shocked, his mouth hanging open and eyes wide with terror.

"Eric? You're a...", Matej began, suddenly running out of words, feeling a flush of heat rise in his face.
"A cop?", the officer prompted, flashing white teeth in a well trained smile that told of how many times Eric had to put on a poker face in his line of work.

Matej swallowed, painfully aware that a group of Al-Kaeda terrorists could storm the building now and he wouldn't even notice, not with the man in front of him smiling like this, the peaked cap on his head covering the dark hair that Matej had liked so much.

"A... a dad", he finished, spluttering like a fool. He squared his shoulders and narrowed his stance, trying to get into a more impressive posture to impress the uniformed man in front of him.

"You two know each other?", Sarah inquired, looking curiously up, her gaze jumping from one man to the other. "He's my friend, dad."
Eric fished a coin out of his jacket and handed it to his daughter. "Would you get me a bottle of mineral water from the cantine, hon?"

He called her 'hon', just like Matej did when none of the girl's friends were nearby. Bad enough she was socializing with the brooding muscle man that most student steered clear off, except for a bunch of the testosterone fueled Grade 12 boys who asked him how he got so big. He tried not to disappoint them too much. Due to his lack of a social life, he practically lived in a gym. No wonder he got big.

Sarah stormed off and Matej wondered if she was even able to walk in a normal pace. Left alone with her father, he carefully raised his eyes to Eric's, afraid of what the man might say to him now.
The security guard in his daughter's school cruising at a gay sauna? Not the message he wanted to send to people at all. But then, the guy had been there himself. So who's throwing the first stone?

"You didn't have to run", Eric said calmly, his brown eyes never leaving Matej's, who couldn't hold his gaze longer than a few second, before glancing down at the man's badge and weapon holster.
Looking back up, he felt the need to make a statement.

"I don't usually do this. I was there because of the gym, but their gym is shit, man, and then I thought... I thought...", he started to fidget, hating himself for appearing like an insecure teenager when he had acted like a confident porn star during their first meeting. Pretense, he always knew that, but he didn't want Eric to find out the truth.

"Hey, hey", Eric stepped closer, moving to touch Matej's arm, but stopped, aware of the people around them. What a weird sight they were.  A cop and a security guard staring at each other like long lost brothers meeting for the first time after many years apart. It was crazy.

"I've been there too. What should I say? I'm a cop and a dad. You think I'm proud of myself?", he laughed, the smile lighting up his face, crinkling his eyes.

"And Sarah's mother?" Matej couldn't help but ask.
"We're divorced. She's a department assistant at the UN in New York. Sarah stays with me to finish Elementary School", Eric explained calmly, tilting his head to check on the hallway behind Matej, searching for signs that his daughter was returning.

He lowered his head again, finding Matej's confused eyes. "You really didn't have to leave", he repeated. Looking at Eric's inviting smile, Matej didn't know what to say. You reminded me too much of a previous lover, was not exactly polite. And 'It was just a hook up' was a downright lie. Matej knew that much by now. He hadn't been able to get their kiss out of his head for days, wondering if Eric would be at the sauna again if he returned to look for him. He hoped that wasn't the case.

"I'm sorry I left so abruptly. I didn't mean to insult you. Cold feet, I guess...", he mumbled, hearing Sarah's soft but fast paced footsteps approach behind him.
She bumped into her father, gripping his leg. Eric took the mineral water bottle from her hand and unscrewed it, lifting it to his lips and gulping down the sparkling water. Matej watched his lips close around the bottle neck, suddenly feeling the familiar rush of heat in his face again, taking a step back to save himself from further embarrassment.

Eric lowered the bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes never leaving Matej.
"Hey, if you two know each other, why don't you come with us to the movie tonight? Karen says 'Zoomania' is really good", Sarah babbled excitedly.

Eric stroked her blonde hair back from her face and cradled her neck.
"Hon, I'm sure Matej has better things to do than watch a kid's movie tonight. But we're happy to have him if he wants to?" Brows rising in hopeful invitation, Matej felt himself cornered between the two pairs of brown eyes staring expectantly at him. Why hadn't he made the connection before? Standing right next to each other, it was obvious that they were father and daughter, judging from their eyes alone.

Going to a movie? With Eric? And his daughter? Speaking of weird.
"I..., I really need to hit the gym tonight", he lied. He always hit the gym, but that was mostly because there was nothing else to do for him.

"You sure? I know Sarah would love you to join us. And so would I." That warm smile again.
Matej stood up straighter, glancing around, just to make sure he at least appeared to be doing his job here.

"Please, Matt. You absolutely have to join us! No isn't an option", Sarah begged, practically jumping up and down with excitement.
Matej held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"You are a pushy young lady, Sarah. Okay, if I have to I have to. I'll be happy to come along, if it really isn't an imposition?" A glance at Eric.
"Absolutely not. We'll be at the Haydn Cinema at 7 p.m. Wanna meet for dinner at say 6 p.m. at Prater Stern?" Eric smiled, his white teeth shining in his tanned face, cheeks dark with stubble, eyes sparkling with excitement, just like his daughter's.

"I'd love to", he responded shyly, stepping another step back to let them pass.
"Awesome! See ya later, Matt", Sarah yelled, dragging her dad behind her who saluted Matej playfully and disappeared among a bunch of parents and kids leaving the building through the wide glass door.

Was this a date? Matej raised his hand to his forehead, wondering how he had stumbled into this situation. Eric. His Eric. Sarah's father. What were the odds?

Better not to dwell on that. Matej returned to his usual position near the wall, scanning the decreasing flow of people coming and going, suddenly anxious for 5 p.m. to roll around. He needed to get ready. For a date.

Encounter in the Dark

Walking into the establishment, Matej sensed immediately that something was off. The building had looked inconspicuously enough from the outside - a nice green wooden door in a beautifully ornamented wall on an old Viennese building next to a church - but the reception area led directly to a huge locker room with live porn show ads decorating the walls and condoms lying in a bowl for public use. Changing quickly into his gym shorts and muscle tee, Matej found the actual gym to be a rather small affair with only a few machines cramped into a tiny side room that seemed more like an excuse than an actual place to work out.

A gay gym his ass. The Gay Vienna app on his phone had clearly fucked up royally. No way was this ever meant to be a place to work out.

Stepping out of the gym room, Matej watched a bunch of naked guys with only white towels around their waists descend the stairs into a lower level to what Matej assumed would be the gym's sauna.
A spark of curiosity prompted him to walk towards the stair and look down into a black rounded staircase, with music drifting softly up to him.
An older guy emerging from the lockers glanced curiously at him, his eyes glued to the bulging pecs and biceps that his gym top revealed. He brushed Matej slightly when he stepped aside to let him  enter the dark staircase, looking back up at Matej for a second, a clear invitation in his eyes.
Matej quickly turned around, walking back to the lockers. A gay cruising sauna. Of course. He felt so dumb. Of all the places to get a gay friendly work out, this was probably the last place on the list where Matej wanted to be tonight.

He didn't mind a little fun and entertainment with a nice guy from time to time, but that certainly didn't include strangers in some steam room, where not even names were exchanged.

Matej grabbed his gym bag, getting ready to leave, when he found himself rooted to the spot, looking back toward the hallway and the mysterious stairs. The thought of a whole bunch of horny guys just waiting for him down there allured him somehow. He knew he was handsome. His muscles were a chick magnet, although he appreciated the longing stares of handsome men much more, to be honest.

He hadn't had a date in forever and he hated the guilt ride of a quickie or a one night stand that left him alone and brooding in his tiny apartment. He would never have come here, had he known. But walk out? He had paid the 15 euros for the night, intending to get a hard workout done tonight. And his virtue be damned, a workout was what he'd gonna get. Slipping out of his shorts and tee, he grabbed a white towel from a pile in a corner and put it around his hips, the tissue only barely covering his huge muscled legs. He usually hated how everything was tiny on his massive frame, but no one would object tonight, that was for sure. He closed his locker, slipped the key inside the attached wristband and put it on his wrist.

Walking down the dark stairs he emerged in a softly lit maze. Looking right, Matej stared into a dark room that was actually so dark that he didn't even see how big the room was or if it was open on the other side or not. The security professional in him felt his hackles rise at the notion of being in this room with a bunch of strangers and God knew what kind of things. He remembered how his colleague Dean had once stepped onto a syringe in a room as dark as this one. Only he was wearing military books that simply crushed the needle under his feet. Matej looked down at his bare toes, determined NOT to walk into that dark room tonight.

Walking left, he entered a shower room. A couple of men stood under the spray, taking an actual shower - and doing nothing else, to Matej's surprise. He felt their heads turn when he entered the area, removing the towel and stepping under a free shower, soaping his body up. Glancing swiftly around, he found the other men stare openly at him, not even trying to disguise their hunger.

Matej finished his business quickly, rinsing his body and putting the towel back on, not even bothering to dry off. Rivulets of water ran down his chest and legs, chilling his heated skin. He  left the showers and moved on to a small bar and a beautifully decorated lounging room. Huge colons and gay-themed wall paintings gave the room an ancient Greek atmosphere. Guys were sitting on tables, some in pairs, some alone, lifting their heads when they saw him walk in. Matej hated to be on the receiving end of their predatory stares and looked past the men, avoiding any eye contact as he walked through the room, aiming for another door at its end.

He felt a hand close around his biceps and turned to a handsome older man with glasses who had approached him from one of the tables.
'How much?', the man asked, smiling shily.
Matej drew his eyebrows together in confusion. 'How much for what?'
The man smiled at him a little wider now, his soft hands beginning to rub up and down his large arms.

'A blowjob, maybe? Or ...more?', he said.
Matej withdrew his hand quickly and looked down, excusing himself with a mumbled 'Sorry', walking on.

Shit. Did they take him for a rent boy? He felt a wave of disgust wash over him, almost breaking his mood.

He crossed the room in wide steps and left through a door to a small hallway that led to toilets - although Matej doubted they were actually used as such. Several guys were leaning against a wall outside of the bathroom and Matej noticed how a pair entered the toilet together. He looked at each of the remaining men and found their eyes lock with his immediately, except for one guy in a corner, who quickly looked down when he met Matej's stare. Matej glanced at the man's toned body and felt a pang of excitement pass through his body as he watched the dark nipples framed by a hairy chest, a delicious trail leading towards the v shaped center, covered by the white towel. He liked the man's swimmer's build, muscular, but slim, not massive and ripped like his own body.
He stared at the man's angular features, high cheekbones framing a straight nose, his eyes cast down on the floor, a stray lock of dark hair falling over his eyebrows. A few white strands showed near his temples, giving away that the man was clearly older than Matej.
He felt a rush of excitement in his stomach, a strange attraction he simply couldn't deny, pulling him closer to the only man who didn't try to catch his attention in the room.
The decision made, Matej walked over, ignoring everyone else and headed straight for his dark haired stranger.

The man's back pressed against the wall as he raised his eyes to meet Matej's, now standing directly in front of him. Matej raised his right arm placing his palm next to the man's head, supporting his body only inches from the stranger's face. Matej was amused when he saw the expressive brown eyes widen in surprise, a sigh escaping his lips, his breath peppermint. Matej stared at him like a predator about to devour a prey. No way was he gonna back out now, not with a guy as deliciously handsome and shy like this right there in front of him, cornered like a mouse by an intimidating tomcat.

Matej leaned in, whispering in the man's ear, making sure that his lips brushed slightly against his lobes. "Do you like what you see?"

Brown eyes cleared his throat, his restless eyes giving away the inner turmoil that left him out of words.

Matej leaned even closer. Both arms on the man's sides now. Thighs on thighs.

The man leveled his eyes to Matej's. Lips only inches apart. He felt his victory, when the man's lips quirked up. Matej flexed his muscles and lowered his right arm, reaching for the stranger's hand. The grip was warm and solid, albeit slightly slippery from sweat. He felt the hand tremble slightly in his big paw. No sense playing coy now. Matej placed the man's hand on his ass, as he ground his whole body against him.

"You like how I feel?", he whispered on the other's neck. Matej's cock hardened under the towel, feeling the other man's cock throb through the tissue separating them.

'I...'
The man leaned towards Matej, his lips closing in to meet Matej's, but he tilted his head to give the man access to his throat instead. Kisses were for lovers. This was sex.

Matej leaned forward, licking across the man's neck, the skin warm and salty under his tongue. Going lower, he enjoyed the rasp of chest hair on his lips. Dropping further on his knees, Matej sucked the left nipple into his mouth, worrying it with his tongue, before he continued south, following the furry trail to the tented towel. A soft tug and it dropped to the floor, the now freed cock jumping excitedly up, the blunt tip leaving a wet trail on Matej's cheek. His mouth watering with desire, Matej buried his nose in the trimmed hair on its base, his open mouth following the ridge of the swollen cock, before his lips parted wide to welcome the velvet head inside, lapping away beads of sweet precome that formed on his tongue. The warm liquid increased in volume with every swirl of Matej's tongue, dragging a loud moan out of his partner's body, as he slid the shaft deeper into his mouth, lips closing around the base, while the head brushed the back of his throat. Matej wasn't a passionate cocksucker, but he knew how to make a guy feel good, keeping his teeth away from the tender skin, while swirling his tongue around the sensitive head. His handsome stranger caressed his cheeks tenderly, his left arm touching the close cropped hair on his skull, urging Matej on to take his cock deeper. He finally did let the man go all the way, the hard shaft now slippery with saliva and precome, gliding into his throat. Matej tried not to choke on the intruding cock, releasing it a few times, coughing and spitting, before he got used to the long shaft closing his windpipe, letting the man fuck his throat slowly, until he was able to bury his nose deep into the silken hair, the throbbing cock logged deep in his abused throat. The man's moans grew more intense, as he fucked Matej's mouth slowly, the friction of the raw throat driving him insane with lust. Matej let the man tilt forward, supporting his weight on his broad shoulders, as the thrusts grew shorter and frantic. He held on tight to the man's furry thighs, strong muscles flexing with exertion under his touch.

'I..., I can't...', the man moaned. Matej responded by grabbing his hard ass and shoving the man into his face burying his cock deeper into his throat, until a loud cry echoed through the room, shortly before Matej felt the hard shaft tremble and warm liquid shoot down his throat. Matej milked the throbbing cock with his throat, swallowing around the head, before he released it and tasted the warm semen on his tongue. Strands of saliva and cum hang from the pink head when he released it from his lips, one last swipe of his tongue cleaning it, the cock slowly softening while Matej rolled and caressed the man's empty balls in his large hands.
Matej fell back on his haunches, as the man collapsed on top of him,  supporting him, letting his wide shoulders carry the exhausted man who grinned, panting. Matej felt proud  having put the satisfied expression on the man's face.
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, removing spit and cum from his lips, Matej got up fully, staring into the man's eyes, his own cock begging desperately for attention.

One of the men around them, watching, stepped closer, touching Matej's biceps, seeking to step in.
'I can take care of that..', the invader  said pointing to Matej's rock hard cock jutting out of the small towel.
Matej threw him a sharp glance before fixing his eyes once more on his partner's.
'Back off. I'm his', he said, grabbing his man's ass and letting his fingers caress the muscled ass cheeks, finding the crack and the warm entrance in its midst.
The man squirmed in his touch, putting an arm around Matej's shoulder, pulling his head down to whisper in his ears.
'Please don't. Let's get someplace more private', he begged and pulled Matej along with him, through yet another dark corridor, until they reached a viewing room with a large screen and several raised benches, like a theatre, with porn being broadcast in a seemingly endless loop.
Settling down on the soft bench, which felt more like a mattress than an actual seat, the man pulled Matej towards him, lifting his leg over his own, cradling his large thighs in his lap and removing the white towel to watch the cock jump in front of him.
He looked up, searching Matej's eyes once more.
'May I...?', he asked tentatively.' Matej nodded, fascinated by the beautiful eyes that seemed to dance while the man's big hands closed around his shaft, eliciting a groan out of Matej's lips. Slow jerking motions made him lift his hips a little, gradually sliding more of his lower body into the man's lap, enjoying the sensation of warm hands on the most sensitive part of his body.
'You're so beautiful', the man whispered. Matej felt the welcome tingling in his groin and pulled the man closer by the shoulder, almost leaning in for a kiss, but changing the motion once again midway, leaning his forehead against the man's temple, his eyebrows caressing the man's own, who leaned into the touch, their heads close together, breaths mingling, lips close enough to kiss if they only moved an inch forward.

Matej's breath grew frantic as the man's hands sped up their task, one hand repeatedly jerking his cock from the root to the top, his thumb smearing the emerging precome around the head to increase the slippery effect, while his other kneaded his balls. Matej sensed the man's smile on his face when he felt his balls draw up and a few more jerks finally sent him over the edge, breathing into the man's mouth, his moan vibrating through their embraced bodies, when his cock finally spilled endless jets of come on the man's hand and Matej's smooth abs.
Fingers closing in around his now sensitive cock, the man milked the last drops out of him, staring at the white strands on his hand, fascinated. Matej looked at him, his breath finally winding down from the climax.
He watched the man lift his hand to his mouth, taking a tentative taste of Matej's come, which drove him wild with desire.
'Tastes like you', the man said, his eyes sparkling.

In response, Matej closed the last few inches separating them, his mouth now flush with the man's moist lips, Matej's tongue invading, searching, ravaging the willing mouth, finding his taste on the man's warm tongue.  The frantic meeting of tongues suddenly slowed down to a more intimate kiss, lips closing, sealing their connection, turning the raw hunger into a tender gesture of affection. Matej pulled back slowly, intimidated by the sudden turn of things, but the man pulled his shaved head to his body and cradled him against the hollow of his throat, keeping him warm inside his arms.
Matej felt unwanted memories surface in his mind. A loving touch, a tender gesture shared in the dark. A deep loss in his heart, suddenly coming back to his mind.

'I'm Eric', the man said, his rumbling voice echoing through Matej, feeling the words on his face resting against the warm throat, just as he heard them.
He wanted to respond. Tell him his name. Ask him to see him again. But his fear cooled his heart as it always did when someone came too close too fast and Matej untangled himself from Eric's arms and got up.

'I gotta go', he said, not able to look into the man's eyes for another second. He didn't want to see disappointment in those warm brown eyes. Grabbing his towel and covering himself in one swift motion, he fled from the room, leaving Eric alone with the soft moans and whispers on the screen.

He practically ran through the many rooms in this unbelievable maze until he was back at his locker. Not bothering to put his security shirt back on, he just slipped inside his gym tee and shirts, grabbed his bag and left the establishment without sparing anyone a single glance. Finally closing the green door behind himself he dropped his bag and inhaled the cool night air deeply, a whiff of incense coloring the city smells of the night. He looked across the street at the old church building sitting there, like a silent reminder to all the sinners leaving the raunchy establishment. Matej buried his face in his hands, hating the sudden guilt that hit him now, as it always did when he gave in to his hunger. He felt the curious stares of several young men who entered the door while he still stood right next to it. Matej felt sick. He grabbed his gym back and ran down the street, no direction in mind. Just away from the place that made him feel so dirty, sinful and trying to forget the feeling of the handsome man in his arms and the tender warmth of their shared kiss. His huge feet hammering the pavement, he ran into the anonymity of the city, ignoring the trails of tears painting his flushed cheeks.

Tomorrow he would have forgotten about this incident and find a real place to work out. Tomorrow he wanted to feel normal again. As if that would ever happen...