Love Is A Long Road: Chapter 8

A few days later, while Sören was at work, Nicholas and Anthony went together to Blackheath to visit Anthony's parents for brunch. It had been awhile since Anthony had seen his parents, though he called at least once a week; it had been longer for Nicholas, who occasionally went antiquing or for coffee with Elaine, but had not done so since the end of last year. After brunch, while Anthony helped his father in the garden, Nicholas and Elaine went to Greenleaf, a nearby bookstore, and then to a couple of antique shops in the area. Nicholas found a purple carnival glass pineapple jar that made him smile, thinking of Sören, and on a whim, he decided to buy it to tease Sören with.

Elaine raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't seem to be your style."

"No." Nicholas smirked. "It's a gag gift for Sören." Then he mused aloud, "I normally don't do gag gifts..."

Elaine put a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to develop a sense of humor. J'approve." She patted him before she withdrew her hand. "You seem to be in brighter spirits all around, these days."

"I suppose so." Nicholas smiled. He felt happier than he had in a long time. It wasn't simply that Sören was back in his life, but now he had two men to love. His heart, and his life, felt very full.

When they got back to Elaine and Roger's house, Anthony needed a rest break from the gardening, and he joined Nicholas and Elaine in the greatroom for tea. Nicholas showed him the pineapple, and Anthony doubled over, leaning on Nicholas and putting his head in Nicholas's shoulder, shaking, tearing up. "Bloody hell."

After Anthony calmed down he picked his head up. He was still grinning, and looked so adorable that Nicholas couldn't resist gently tousling his hair. Elaine gave them a knowing look, and then Anthony glanced over at his mother and turned pink.

Anthony looked over at Nicholas, and then he straightened his posture, seeming a bit nervous. He glanced out the patio doors - his father was puttering around at a safe distance - but Anthony kept his voice low anyway. "Mum, I have something to tell you."

"Oh?" Elaine put her tea down and leaned back, steepling her hands. Nicholas observed that Anthony didn't just favor his mother in looks, but Anthony had gotten a lot of his body language from his mother as well.

"Nicholas, Sören and I are... together. All three of us."

"I knew that, honey."

"No..." Anthony pinched the bridge of his nose, frowning a little, and then he gave her a stern look. "You assumed and I let you assume because everything was awkward - Sören and I needed time to rebuild trust, and I didn't want to tell you 'we're not actually together', and even though Nicholas and Sören are in an open relationship this still took time to develop, and I just... didn't want the added stress of weird conversations about things that weren't really things yet, if things were going to happen at all. And I'm sorry for letting you assume, but I didn't know how else to handle it. But now that it's a lot more obvious, and things are hopefully good and stable..." Anthony glanced over at Nicholas, who took his hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. "I felt it was a good idea to finally confirm what was going on. Or to you, anyway. I didn't want to say anything one way or the other in front of Dad, just yet."

"Oh, do you think your father would have a bad reaction?" Elaine scowled.

Anthony shrugged. "I don't know. I had a feeling you wouldn't but I don't know about him. At the very least I think it would be awkward, I know it's hard enough for him that his only child is gay -"

"Well, I'm happy for the three of you." Elaine smiled. "Back when I was coming of age, my generation - and Nicholas's - talked about peace and free love, but most of us didn't practice what we preached, when we got older. But I think arrangements like yours are healthy and natural."

"Thank you." Anthony sighed; Nicholas rubbed his back, knowing Anthony felt a bit of relief.

"Actually..." Elaine shifted in her chair, looking a bit awkward. "Anthony, I have a confession of my own to make, and Nicholas, you might as well hear this yourself, even though you're not in the confession business anymore."

Nicholas's eyebrows shot up, wondering what it could be.

"I'm bi," Elaine said.

Anthony smiled. "Hi Bi, I'm -"

Elaine grabbed a pillow from the armchair and threw it at him; Anthony caught it, laughing. Nicholas chuckled too.

Then Elaine said, "Anthony, I apologize for not telling you until now, keeping it from you all these years. I know it probably would have helped when you were younger, to know that your mum isn't straight either. But despite my generation preaching peace and free love, we weren't very tolerant of same-gender relationships, especially not when the AIDS crisis started. And even in the 1990s when more celebrities began to come out, like Ellen... bisexuality was still seen as a phase, or that bisexuals are confused, or in denial. In fact, bisexuals are still disparaged by both straight and gay people, on a regular basis, that's still a widely held attitude."

"I know." Anthony nodded. "I've seen it."

"So, it's been really difficult, I didn't know what to think of myself, and it's only been within the last couple of years that I've been able to come to terms with what I am."

"It's understandable," Nicholas said, feeling for her. "As you know, I was closeted for most of my life because of the stigma of homosexuality. I've only been able to come out and finally allow myself to have male partners within the last few years."

"But... you've known for a long time now?" Anthony looked back at Elaine and raised an eyebrow.

Elaine nodded solemnly. "When I was at university in France, I had a lesbian relationship with my roommate, Simone, a French girl. It ended badly - neither of us were prepared to live together openly when school was done, because of societal attitudes in the 1970s, and Simone's own very Catholic family pressuring her to marry. And, well, eventually my path crossed with your father's again and he swept me off my feet. But I still look. I still think about it. I haven't acted on it, but..."

"Does Dad know?" Anthony frowned.

"Yes." Elaine laughed.

That was when the patio door opened and Roger stepped in. "Yes, she told me about a year ago."

"Oh god." Anthony swallowed hard. "How much of that have you heard?"

"Enough." Roger put a hand on his hip.

There was a long, awkward silence. At last Roger sat down in the armchair closer to the couch. "Anthony, I'm sorry you feel like you couldn't tell me. I'm... sorry... that you've felt any lingering discomfort from me about... the gay thing. I want you to know that I love and accept you as you are. You're my son. I'll admit, this isn't the life I'd wanted for you, when you were growing up I used to hope you'd find a nice girl and give me grandchildren. I used to be hung up on the idea that a person was a success if their life aligned with what the world thought was successful. But... most of those people are deeply unhappy, a lot of them are miserable in their private lives, they drink, they gamble, they cheat, because they were shoehorned into a life they didn't want. If you're happy, if you're truly happy, that's all that matters."

Anthony got choked up, and Nicholas teared up a little too. He knew how much this meant to Anthony. Nicholas had never gotten the same sort of acceptance from his own parents - they didn't know he was gay and they still didn't approve of him, it would have been worse if they had known. To hear this from Roger was monumental.

Anthony rose up on his cane. Roger got up, and Anthony walked over to him and gave him a hug. They clung to each other for a moment; Roger fought back his own tears, and slapped his son on the back, giving him a squeeze before he sat back down and Anthony returned to his place next to Nicholas. Nicholas put an arm around him and pulled Anthony onto his shoulder, rubbing his back again.

"I assumed too," Roger said. "It was a little weird for me, though that had more to do with this one's age." Roger's eyes met Nicholas's. Then he looked back at Anthony. "But I mean what I say. You're consenting adults, and if you're happy... it doesn't have to look like what society sells you to be a good life, and again, I'm sorry that you felt like you couldn't tell me, that you felt like I would judge you for this. That's on me, but I'm trying. I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things from me. Well, within reason. I don't want to know if you're into... BDMS or whatever they call it..."

"BDSM," Elaine corrected.

Nicholas had taken a sip of tea and almost ended up wearing it. Anthony turned bright red; Nicholas tried to keep a poker face.

"That would be too much information," Roger said. "Not the sort of discussion parents should have with their kids."

"No. Not at all." Anthony's tears were for an entirely different reason now, trying to contain himself and not explode with laughter. Nicholas continued to try to maintain composure, sipping his tea.

"As far as your mum goes... I'll be honest, it's because of your... arrangement... that I gave her my blessing if she finds a woman she'd like to spend time with. But she hasn't." Roger looked over at Elaine.

"Not yet. Maybe not ever. I'm picky, and I'm also not at prime dating age," Elaine said.

"Have you tried a dating app, like Tinder?" Then Anthony cringed. "God, I can't believe I just recommended Tinder to my own mother."

Now Nicholas had to put his tea down. He belly laughed, silent at first, then ringing out. The surreality of this conversation was too much.

"I haven't," Elaine said. "It's... an app? Like for your phone?"

"Yeah," Anthony said. "There's a few of them now."

"Sounds like you had some experience."

"I had a Grindr account and deleted it a few months before the accident." Then Anthony turned red again. "Jesus, I actually said that out loud."

Nicholas laughed harder. Anthony facepalmed, looking mortified.

"Hmm, would you recommend Grindr over Tinder, then?" Elaine asked.

Anthony's eyes widened. "NO. Grindr is for guys... oh god, why did I fucking say that." He winced.

"Cornelius Anthony." Elaine gave him a look.

"Mum, I'm thirty-seven, I can say fuck."

Nicholas wiped away a tear. Roger shook with silent laughter. "He's right," Roger said. "Besides, we all know where he learnt it from."

Elaine shook her head and rolled her eyes, but then she grinned.

When they calmed down, Anthony took a deep breath, looked at his father and said, "Thank you. Again. I... I'm really relieved you're OK with this."

"I'm sorry that I've a way about me that made you think I wouldn't be. I know I'm not the best with words, or feelings, and I know I can be a bit stodgy, but your old man isn't as uncool as you think he is, and... I'd like us to have a better relationship." Roger gave a sad, tight smile.

"Me too." Anthony nodded.

"As for you..." Roger glared at Nicholas. "Be good to my son."

"I try," Nicholas said.

"You'd better do more than try. If you break his heart, I'll wipe the floor with you."

Elaine's mouth dropped and then she burst into hysterical laughter. "Roger Geoffrey Hewlett-Johnson, I can't believe you."

Nicholas was amused rather than offended. "Duly noted, my good sir."








When they arrived back at the flat, they still had a few hours before Sören would get off work. Elaine had sent them home with an assortment of leftovers, so Nicholas had the night off from cooking. Roger had sent them home with seed packets and some seedlings from his garden, so after the cats were fed they went up to the rooftop garden to take advantage of what was left of the sunny day and do some work there.

They started by hoeing off weeds, taking out stones and bits of old roots, and sprinkling organic fertilizer into the pots and beds. Then they sowed - Nicholas had gotten the idea to finally start growing some fruit and vegetables, not just ornamentals, because it was nice to have things fresh from the garden. So there was spinach, strawberries, peas, potatoes, garlic and onions. Later in the spring, they would sow tomatoes and lettuces. They also had lavender, basil and spearmint seedlings from Roger's garden to transfer into pots, and they gave some fertilizer to the crocuses, camellias, and daffodils that were already blooming.

Awhile back Nicholas had made a space for cushions in the garden, kept under a tarp when not in use, since he and Sören were fond of cuddling, and other activities, up there. When the work of the garden was done, Nicholas and Anthony sat on the cushioned area together, looking out at the balcony over the view of Covent Garden. Anthony put his head on Nicholas's shoulder and Nicholas found himself petting him, marveling inwardly on how natural it felt, after being so reserved and shy about his feelings for months.

"Soon the cherry trees will be blossoming," Nicholas said.

"A couple of weeks yet." Anthony nodded. "Makes me wish I'd moved to Covent Garden years ago, but I liked Kingston, while I was there."

"You had a riverfront flat."

"Used to watch the swans." Anthony smiled.

Nicholas felt a little startle - he'd had dreams of himself in a younger, stronger body, with long, flowing black hair... and Anthony had been blond. In those dreams Anthony had lived in a palace by the ocean, and kept swans. He seemed to know each of them individually, even as alike as they were, calling them by name, and they loved him, allowing him to pet them, eating from his hand. A frisson went down Nicholas's spine. Those were just dreams, and Nicholas had explained it to himself as his subconscious longing for both Sören and Anthony, the romantic fantasies of someone who had been deprived of the usual rites of passage due to a lifetime in the closet. But the dreams had felt more real than his usual dreams, and hearing Anthony talk about swans now, with that light in his eyes...

"But here is better. My home is with both of you." Anthony gave Nicholas a little kiss. "And if I haven't said this in awhile, I really, really love gardening with you."

"I enjoy it too. It's nice to have someone to share that with. As you know, Sören sometimes participates -"

"But it's not a passion for him the same way it is with us, which is OK." Anthony nodded. "One of the nice things about... this... is the way we all seem to balance each other out. We get different things from each person."

"Yes." Nicholas looked out at the clear blue sky, the way the light was just starting to take on that soft gold quality in the late afternoon. He thought about the blazing sky over the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik. "Sören is my sunset, and you are my sunrise. The sun is the sun, and at your core you have the same fire. But it manifests in slightly different, but noticeable, complimentary ways."

"That's deep. Wow." Anthony grinned. Then he looked away, looking a bit wistful. He exhaled, shoulders falling.

"Oh no. Did I... did I say something wrong?"

"No." Anthony looked back at him, eyes sad, yet tender. "You... said something that reminded me of... something my first ex Mark said, a long time ago. Quoting Alice Coltrane."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve."

"You're fine." Anthony gave him another little kiss. Nicholas's stomach fluttered and his cock stirred - he could get very used to this. Then Anthony gave him a pointed look. "You're also fine."

Nicholas chuckled. "Oh, dear. Now your slang is making me feel old."

"You wear it well." Anthony grinned. "You know what you'd wear even better? Me."

Nicholas and Anthony laughed together; Anthony turned bright red, eyes shining. "Jesus, I'm making terrible pickup lines, what's gotten into me," Anthony said.

Now it was Nicholas's turn to tease. "If you want to know what's gotten into you, perhaps we should investigate your insides."

Anthony bit his lower lip. His blush brightened and he grinned again, laughing. "Is that so. It sounds like you're trying to get down my pants."

"There is no trying." With that, Nicholas kissed him, feeling bold... feeling giddy with the rush of new love.

They kissed and kissed, a full-blown makeout session with caressing, groping, as they kissed deeply, kissed and licked each other's necks, claimed each other's mouths again hungrily. Nicholas began to unbutton Anthony's shirt, and Anthony pulled back to catch his breath and look through the iron railing on the ledge of the rooftop. It was broad daylight, but they were unlikely to be seen up here unless someone was spying with binoculars or a telescope. Nicholas was willing to take the risk, urgently hard in his trousers.

"Here? Now?" Anthony breathed.

"Yes."

Anthony grinned. "Didn't know you had such a wild side."

"I've been with Sören all this time, you're surprised?"

Anthony chuckled. "Point." He kissed Nicholas back, and began to undo Nicholas's shirt as well.

Nicholas and Sören kept lube in a small storage box near the cushions, since they'd been intimate up here before. Anthony laughed appreciatively when Nicholas fished it out once they were naked. Then Anthony took the lube out of Nicholas's hands and gently set it down. "Not yet," he said. "Soon." He stroked Nicholas's face, his eyes soft. "This is our first time as just us... I want to love you."

It was, indeed. Nicholas couldn't blame him for that. As much as Nicholas wanted to take him, feel him, it was good to slow down and savor... to make love, not just fuck. Anthony kissed him again, and Nicholas kissed him back, taking Anthony's face in his hands, wanting that kiss to convey all the desire and longing and love he felt, deeper than words.

Anthony gently pushed Nicholas back against the cushions and settled over him. For a few moments they continued kissing, hands roaming over each other's naked bodies, hard cocks rubbing together. Then Anthony started kissing down Nicholas's neck, and began to kiss and lick Nicholas all over - chest, nipples, arms, stomach, hips, thighs. Nicholas felt utterly spoiled by such lavish pleasure... made all the more intense by the sultry look on Anthony's face, the lust in his eyes as he explored. Nicholas wanted him too, wanted to touch and tease and play, but he let himself bask in the glow and warmth of Anthony's care. He could better understand now why it had been so hard for Sören to lose him - just this simple act of lovemaking felt profound, Anthony playing Nicholas's body like a musical instrument.

He was especially skilled at sucking cock. Nicholas groaned as Anthony took him in his mouth, sucking slowly. Their eyes met and Nicholas reached to touch Anthony's face, pet his hair. Anthony pulled the cock out of his mouth to smile, nuzzle and kiss Nicholas's hand, and take a few licks at his cock before he resumed sucking, a little harder, watching Nicholas's reactions. One of Anthony's hands slid up Nicholas's thigh, to his stomach, and back down. Up and down, rubbing in slow circles. Nicholas moaned, arching to him, and when he saw Anthony's left shoulder moving and realized Anthony was worked up enough doing this to him to stroke himself, Nicholas was almost undone. He pulled himself together, not wanting to come just yet. He wanted to spoil Anthony too.

"Let's do this together," Nicholas suggested.

Anthony had no objection to that. They settled in the sixty-nine position, sucking each other gently and sweetly at first, then more hungrily, harder and faster. Nicholas felt himself push to that edge again, but he wanted to finish inside Anthony, so he decided to start readying him. He let a finger play around the crack of Anthony's ass, the rim of his opening, and when Anthony gave an "mmmhmm", Nicholas let the finger slip inside. He found Anthony's prostate right away and started to rub. Anthony's hips bucked and he gave a loud moan with his mouth full. Nicholas groaned in response, his cock throbbing at the feel of Anthony wrapped around his finger. Nicholas worked his finger in and out of Anthony, and after a few strokes, added a second finger. Anthony moaned and started to fuck himself on Nicholas's fingers, making Nicholas's balls tighten, cock throbbing again, desperate to be in him.

But before Nicholas reached for the lube, he let Anthony's cock slip from his mouth, and took a lick around Anthony's passage. When Anthony gave an encouraging moan, Nicholas pushed his tongue inside. Anthony tasted clean, a lingering hint of soap... which told Nicholas that his bathroom break before they went up to the garden had involved cleaning himself, as if he'd been planning to seduce him before Sören got home, preparing himself. That thought drove Nicholas mad with lust and he ate at Anthony ravenously, Anthony's moans around his cock, sucking harder, urging him on. Nicholas growled, tongue lashing away, craving this like it was a drug. All of the ache he'd had for months demanded relief now, no more pining, no more denying, only giving in, satisfying the savage need.

When Nicholas had his fill, he pulled back and grabbed the lube. Anthony lay on his back, and Nicholas got in place, Anthony's right leg hooked around him. Nicholas felt a sense of wonder as he began to move inside - Anthony was only the second person he'd penetrated. Once Nicholas was all the way in, they looked in each other's eyes, catching their breath, and then Nicholas leaned in and kissed him deeply. Anthony wrapped his arms around Nicholas and kissed him hard. Nicholas moved his hips back and then thrust forward, plunging into silken heat. Anthony gasped, and at the next thrust he moaned and Nicholas knew he'd hit that spot.

Nicholas fucked him slowly at first, kissing him, feeling a certain reverence about entering him for the first time... also keeping his own pleasure in check, keeping himself in control so he didn't come first. That was getting harder to do, with the way Anthony felt gripping him, rippling around him, the way they kissed and kissed as Nicholas thrust. Nicholas couldn't help it and started moving faster, and Anthony's hands slid down to Nicholas's hips, trying to get Nicholas to move even faster. Nicholas kissed Anthony harder, and Anthony worked his hips as best as he could, trying to match Nicholas's rhythm. Nicholas groaned and kissed Anthony's neck, moving a hand between them to stroke Anthony's cock. Anthony moaned, his hand covering Nicholas's, his other hand caressing Nicholas's chest. Nicholas grunted at the feeling of Anthony's precum flowing over his thumb and fingers.

They kissed again, and Nicholas kissed Anthony's neck some more, then Anthony kissed, licked, and nibbled Nicholas's neck, so sensitive that Nicholas had to steel himself not to come. Anthony kissed and nibbled Nicholas's shoulder, and took a few playful licks at Nicholas's chest hair, much like Sören was wont to do. Then, with a hungry look in his eye, Anthony lifted one of Nicholas's arms and nuzzled the armpit, licked him there too, breathing in the scent of him before kissing and licking some more. Nicholas was surprised by how sensitive he was there - and how much he enjoyed the primal act of one man enjoying another man's maleness. With a growl he thrust into Anthony harder, something animal in him unleashed, and started kissing and nipping at Anthony's neck. He knew Anthony was probably going to be bruised tomorrow, and he didn't care. He kissed and nibbled the shoulder, lovingly and tenderly traced the scar from Anthony's sternum to his armpit, and then took a cue from Anthony and kissed and licked his underarm, enjoying the clean musk, the hair tickling his nose, the way Anthony moaned louder and bucked underneath him. They kissed again and Nicholas's hand stroked Anthony's cock harder, faster, no holding back now, driving into him with abandon, moving to the finish, balls slapping against him.

Nicholas knew Anthony was there just from the way his eyes widened, then fluttered, giving a shuddery sigh. Nicholas kissed and licked Anthony's throat, kissed his mouth, tongues playing like their lives depended on it. Anthony gave a telltale urgent moan into the kiss and Nicholas tightened his grip, worked his wrist so fast it hurt, thumb rubbing the frenulum as fast as he could, and when the kiss broke Anthony cried out, shaking as his seed spurted over Nicholas's chest and stomach. Watching him climax, feeling him spill, sent Nicholas over the edge, giving a cry of his own before he kissed Anthony fiercely, shivering as the pleasure pulsed through him, a flood of relief, a burst of joy.

"I love you," Nicholas said, before kissing him again.

"I love you too." Anthony rubbed his nose against Nicholas's, and they shared another kiss.

For awhile they lay there, dazed. Nicholas's heart thundered, and the rooftop spun. Then there was just the feeling of floating... Nicholas's body feeling like it had been turned to jelly. The first peach clouds of sunset began to paint the sky, and Nicholas thought about going inside to go down to the lobby and see Sören upstairs, but he couldn't move, couldn't take his eyes away from the setting sun, or his body away from the closeness, the sweetness, the rightness of being tangled up with Anthony.

The door to the rooftop garden opened and there was Sören, in his scrubs. He got an eyeful of them laying there naked, and smirked.

Nicholas felt a twinge of guilt. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry I didn't get you for the lift. I hope it wasn't too bad -"

"I managed." Sören gestured to them. "That definitely takes my mind off the panic."

Nicholas chuckled. He sat up, and so did Anthony. Anthony had a cat-that-swallowed-the-canary look on his face.

"I figured you guys would be up here doing garden stuff after visiting Elaine and Roger." Sören snickered. "I didn't realize you'd be doing 'garden stuff'." He made air quotes. "But that's good. We should all do things as pairs, as well as the three of us together."

Nicholas nodded. "So you'd told me." He and Sören had talked about that earlier in the week.

Sören bit his lower lip. "Too bad you didn't get vids."

Anthony laughed. "You're incorrigible."

"Takk."

Once Anthony and Nicholas were dressed again, they followed Sören back down to the flat, then Sören went to change out of his scrubs. When he came back to the living room, Nicholas had gotten out the carnival glass pineapple and put it on the coffee table where the gold aluminum pineapple was cozied up to Anthony's barrister wig. "Now they're in a throuple, too," Nicholas said.

Sören gigglesnorted. He gave Nicholas a hug and a kiss. "I love you, Nick."

"I love you too." Nicholas booped Sören's nose before kissing it.

"I needed that." Sören sighed.

"Bad day at work?" Nicholas felt a twinge of worry; he didn't like Sören to be stressed out. He took one of Sören's legs and put it on his lap, rubbing his foot. Anthony started to massage Sören's scalp.

"Well, it's always a fucking circus, but..." Sören had a sour expression on his face, which softened for a moment as he melted into their touch, murmuring with pleasure, then he got serious again. Disgruntled. Nicholas braced himself, hoping it wasn't going to be news of hundred-hour shifts. "So I asked about taking a week to go on vacation for June or July, so we can all go to Iceland together and see the midnight sun."

"And...?"

Sören exhaled. "Elise Hansen is going to Denmark for a month to see her family. Since I'm on the path to become a consultant, I have to pick up the slack. It'll be my usual hours, unless something catastrophic happens..."

"Thank god," Anthony muttered.

"But... the earliest I'll be able to take a week off again is August. Like late August, not early August when there's still some midnight sun. We could still go, but..."

"We were hoping for June or July for the peak experience." Nicholas nodded. He paused rubbing Sören's foot for a moment and stroked his beard, considering. "Maybe we could take a holiday somewhere else in August, return to Iceland in the winter, and plan to see the midnight sun next summer. Sounds like you'd have to request that time very early in advance."

Sören nodded. "That's what I was thinking too."

"I'm OK with us going somewhere else in August. It would be fine if we went to Iceland too, but... it's a big world, we could see more of it." Anthony kissed the top of Sören's head, and rubbed more insistently.

Nicholas realized then that his urgency to go to Iceland to see the northern lights had been his "bucket list", not knowing how long he had left in what would be the sixty-ninth year of his life, after a particularly bad bout of flu had shaken him up two years ago. Now he was planning like he was certain to live at least another year, if not longer. He felt... alive. Sören's love was good for him, strengthening and nourishing him, and having Anthony too now seemed to put that on an amplifier.

Nicholas smiled to himself as he worked on Sören's foot. After a lifetime of denying himself, suppressing himself, he'd let himself taste the forbidden fruit, and now he wanted the entire damn tree. He wanted the forest.

Sören groaned as Nicholas kneaded a good spot. That groan made Nicholas start up again, even as good as his orgasm had been on the rooftop a short while ago. Their eyes met and Sören gave him a knowing look. "I hope you've still got an appetite," Sören husked.

"For you? Always." Nicholas smiled.

Sören crinkled his nose and bit his lower lip. "Come on, you guys can give me some stress relief." He sprang up from the couch, and Anthony and Nicholas followed him upstairs. 

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