Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:19:41 +0200 From: 510512@hushmail.com Subject: Picture The Scene This is a work of fiction; the subject matter of such will I think will have resonances for many. It contains strong language and references to sexual acts, therefore the usual warnings found at the top of the stories on this website apply, please leave if by reason of your age or laws of the land prohibit you from reading such material. If you have any comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at 510512@hushmail.com. Peace to you all. Kenny Picture the Scene Len finally arrived home. Exhausted & stressed out; it had been a long, long day and an even longer week. The weather was appalling, the Friday homeward traffic horrendous, his mood foul -- why - that bitch he had to work with had done his head in all day. "Now Len, I don't think this is quite good enough, normally you are so dependable. Therefore my dear, perhaps if you were to..." "Dear," he muttered under his breath, he remembered how her mouth always reminded him of a cat's arse as she reeled out her 'just a few tiny suggestions how you could improve.' Words seldom uttered from his lips during the working day flew threw his mind. "Arse face," this time shouting out loud. His shout relaxed him so he added, "arse face, bas -- TARD!" He threw his coat on the hallway chair, chucked his keys into the bowl where they were kept, "Well I'm not going anywhere tonight, that's me in for the night I'm not going back out there." Len lived by himself, he'd known since a teenager if not before that he was gay and whilst he had often dreamt of having a partner the right one had never turned up, not that he had ever really searched for one. And now, well it was probably too late and besides, if he did find one that would mean coming out to family and friends, not a scene he relished. For many years he had persuaded himself that he preferred being alone, now, maybe it was true. Sure there was the occasional encounter, a little assignation on holiday, the looks across a crowded room, the knowing exchange, or perhaps the park, the `cottage,' the `tea-room,' the -- well it happened, but not often. Perhaps the internet was his ideal partner -- always available, non - demanding and gone when you wished it so. But also, during the last few years Len had realised that what he desired -- with all the guilt associated with this, was strictly speaking, illegal in the majority of countries and the consequences of being discovered were -- well, as he often thought, "let's not go there!" His home was a simple town house -- a couple of rooms downstairs, a couple of bedrooms up plus the usual facilities. It was neat, tidy and unremarkable. He kept the window blinds drawn most of the time -- spoke to his neighbours when they spoke to him; but generally kept himself to himself. But for tonight after such a week he said out loud, "I know what I need," and his mind raced. He entered the kitchen, opened the fridge and poured himself a glass of Chablis, glugged half the glass, put the bottle back, closed the door, but then changed his mind and retrieved the bottle. Carrying the glass in one hand, the bottle in the other he climbed the stairs two at a time and on reaching the landing entered his favourite room, his den. Officially it was the second bedroom, but whoever came to stay overnight? Many years ago his mother had surprised him by arriving for a weekend but now, no-one. He put the glass down; switched on his laptop and made his way to his bedroom where he peeled off his work clothes before going for a pee. At the loo he slowly stroked his cock to encourage the pee to come, which it did. It relaxed him even further. "Mmm, that's better," he told the bathroom floor. He returned to the den after donning a worn sloppy and slightly ripped tee & a pair of old faded and somewhat shall we say `stained' dark cotton shorts; his underwear was left lying discarded on the bathroom floor. Back in his den he let out a long sigh as he sat down at his desk, gave his balls a good scratch and emptied the glass. Looking down at his shorts he spotted the tell tale dried stain -- "These need washing but they'll do for tonight." Len loved it in here; it was his haven, his sanctuary, his desert island. Simply furnished, there was an old comfy sofa which was long enough to stretch out, snooze, and, well you know -- find `relief' on. Also there his old pine desk, now aged to a mellow golden hue, the reclining swivel office chair, some `Billy' shelving from Ikea containing a wide selection of gay literature both classic and modern, and on the floor an old faded Turkish rug. He poured himself another glass. "Well now, let's see who's sent me any messages." He logged into his `Hushmail' email account -- Len enjoyed sending and receiving somewhat colourful, erotic and some would say kinky emails with similar minded men from around the world. He had no desire to meet them, none at all, but their common interest kept him amused and it has to be said, often aroused. Tonight there was only one and he smiled as he read:- "Thank you for emailing me, I'm pleased you enjoyed the story. It's a long time since I wrote that one for `Nifty' so had to re-read it. Even I got a good hard-on which meant I was able to enjoy a slow, slippery wank. (I love using lots of lube.) Why don't you read `The Boy in the Public Library?' It's my best. Keep sending me emails, I love receiving them from my kinky horny readers, tell me all, and I mean ALL! Yours, Dickie Luvtocum." The story in question had in fact been fairly crummy, poorly written with endless, improbable and impossible sex. But Len understood the type of reply required and regularly supplied them. At times he wondered why he engaged in this mindless activity, but he did and so -- `what the heck.' "The Boy in the Public Library," he mused out loud, "which section will that story be in `fiction' or `non-fiction'?" He laughed at his own inadequate joke. "Well, perhaps later; but for now what's it to be: some porn, gay chat or perhaps another glass of wine?" He shrugged his shoulders, as if unable to decide, but, surprise, surprise, another glass of wine won the day. Len often talked to himself, all the time in fact and sometimes even when other people were present -- an aspect that worried him in case he said something out loud that was perhaps, better kept to himself. He switched on the one lamp filling the room with a warm gentle glow, flopped down on the sofa, breathed deeply, sighed, and then drank some more wine. Spotting his latest paperback on the floor he leaned over and picked it up. It had arrived from the ever resourceful Amazon just a few days ago. This novel had been recommended to him by one of his more intelligent email acquaintances but it had to be said that he was finding the story a bit too much like his own life: too many hidden desires, not knowing who you really are and conforming to the society you live in. "Too much thinking about it and not enough doing it," he suggested out loud, "just fuck the lad stupid and get on with it." He lay back and opened the book at the folded corner; scanning down the page to find where he was up to he then started to read. He found it difficult to concentrate, bit by bit his mind wandered back to the events of the day, "Concentrate, damn you, concentrate!" One hand was holding the book but his other found its way inside his shorts and without being aware of it; he began to play with himself. He shuffled on the sofa to get into a more comfortable position and carried on reading. His spare fingers continued their dreamlike explorations, stroking his cock - not wanking you understand just smoothing and stroking, perhaps casually pulling back or twisting his foreskin, twisting his pubes and gently manipulating his balls in a stress relieving way. "Oh, come on, get to some action -" and with that he closed the book, dropped it back on the floor and closed his eyes, "no, not tonight Josephine, I just can't be fucking bothered." The house was silent apart from the cooling fan of his laptop and the rain pattering on the window pane. He listened to these gentle sounds, the mesmerising rhythm of the rain, the soporific whirring of the fan, slowly he felt himself beginning to slide into a gentle all -- encompassing sleep. Stretching out his legs all the way down to his toes he let himself slide -- such divine pleasure, he thought "two, well perhaps three glasses of vino and hey `snoozeville'." He allowed his slide to continue and for a moment or so his other hand continued its `manipulations' adding to Len's dream like state, but it too gradually ceased. His body felt both tired and heavy, it had, definitely, been a very long day. oOo Some unknown time later he woke -- not with a start, but full in the knowledge that something or somebody had woken him. His mouth was dry -- was that the wine or fear, his body stiff? With his eyes still closed he listened to the normal house noises, the rain was there but the laptop fan had switched off, `shut-down' he thought. He opened his eyes, it was darker, night was falling. He made to move, but there was a noise -- what was it, where was it, who was it? He listened again -- there it was again -- a scuffling noise and foot stamping, out loud he declared, "sounds like somebody in the garden -- what the fuck?" Slowly pulling himself up from the sofa he hobbled across to the window and flicked one of the vertical slats of the blind to look outside. It was still raining -- not heavy and torrential but the sort of persistent rain that; and I know this sounds really stupid, but the sort that really makes you wet through. The den was at the back of the house and looked out onto the communal garden that served the block of town houses. It was well tended in a functional way but he rarely bothered with it. The grassed lawn area was regularly cut, the shrubbery annually trimmed back and paved areas for barbeques or laundry drying were -- well, just that. Just as he was about to let go of the blind he noticed a movement. For in the corner of the lawned area, sheltering under the one tree was -- at first he could not make out who -- a boy -- yes a boy, but was he a neighbour or a visitor and furthermore what was he doing there? And yes, he was stamping his feet. He let go of the blind, "What the fuck, poor sod'll be wet through," he thought. Once again he peered through a gap in blind, but his `Clochemerle' twitch had been noticed for now the boy was definitely looking up in his direction. "What the fuck," this time very out loud. What was that kid doing there? He didn't resemble any of the neighbours' kids, he didn't look like a criminal; he didn't look like anything -- just a teenage boy. Once again he tried to peer through the blind but this time without moving it. The boy was still looking up at the window; he seemed to know that Len was there for he gesticulated with his hands in an almost religious manner, hands apart and palms turned upwards and inwards in a pleading way. His mouth opened and in Len's imagination he though the boy said, "Please?" Len drew back from the window and sat down on the sofa. "Jeez," was the only thing he could think to say. His heartbeat increased, his mouth started to dry even further. It was obvious; the boy was soaked through and wanted in from the rain. But why was he here? Who was he? What if...? Len's imagination raced through several possibilities, some worrying, some illegal. Between the devil and deep blue sea Len was at a loss, "But you can't leave him out there," he shouted to himself. Emboldened Len pulled on the cord that allowed the blind to open fully. Immediately the boy stepped out from the shadow of the tree and once again silently implored Len for help. Len stood motionless, staring out to the increasing gloom, suddenly, he moved away from the window. In darkness he quickly but silently made his way downstairs to the kitchen and without putting on the light peered through the slats of the Venetian blind. The boy was still looking at the upstairs window - Len watched him more closely. `Perhaps 14 or 15,' he mused, `soaked through no doubt.' He smiled wickedly to himself picturing himself helping that boy out of his sodden clothes. His naughty hand re-positioned itself inside his shorts. "Stop it, stop it now!" he whispered. (But his naughty hand disobeyed the command.) Rummaging through one of the kitchen drawers he found the key to the back door, inserted it, switched on the outside light and opened the door. The boy, about 20 yards away got a fright and almost fell into the wet grass. Len tried to say something then realised his mouth was now as dry as sandpaper and his heart beating far too fast, "Yu can come in..." his voice, thin, squeaky and barely audible over the rain. The boy looked across anxiously. "Eh," Len thought he said? "I said come in out of the rain," his voice a bit stronger, "if you like that is," he added cautiously. The boy crossed the lawn in a few strides, he spoke as he walked, obviously nervous, "I'm supposed to be meeting my friend from number 16, but my mobile's died on me then it started to rain and I don't know where he is and there's nobody in..." "Number 16, Oh, David you mean?" "Uh, yeah," for our boy was not really sure, he had after all only met him once before. The rain continued to pour down - "Well are you coming in or not?" The boy was stood in the pool of light from the kitchen door. He looked Len up and down, taking in his general attire and naughty hand. "Well, are you sure, I mean if it's no bother or...? "Just come in, you must be soaked through." The boy cautiously but thankfully crossed the threshold; Len closed the door behind him and in doing so caught the whiff of adolescent youth soaked in rain. Both collected themselves and viewed each other nervously. Len spoke, "I saw you in the garden and wondered..." Interrupting, the boy began again, "Yeah I saw the light on before you appeared and wondered about knocking on your front door but I don't know anyone here apart from the lad at number 16 and I don't know him that well and then it started raining and then my mobile phone died on me and then he didn't show and perhaps he didn't want to see me again and... " He stopped himself, "I was so hopeful that he would show... you see we..." He stopped himself, and after a moment of recollection his eyes welled up and the tears brimmed over. Len shuffled, uncomfortable and uncertain what to do or say, crying teenage boys were not part of his experiences. Furthermore, all wicked thoughts in his mind dissolved instantly. "Hey, no worries," suggested Len trying to sound light and casual but realising too late that it didn't , "no problems, you can, er, use my landline." "I just oh, so wanted to see him again and oh but..." But for now he could speak no more, his upset was stronger, audible and to Len, now very upsetting. The boy slumped to his knees. Len's heart broke, what was he to do, what was permissible, his whole human instinct urged him to comfort the boy, to hold him, to calm him, to say something of help, to... But... what if afterwards the boy said something to his parents, or a teacher; what if he, Len the dependable could not control himself...? There was a difficult moment, the boys sobs the only sound. Then allowing his natural human instinct to take over, Len knelt on the floor and, tentatively at first reached out a protecting arm to hold the sobbing boy's shoulder. This minimal comfort resulted in the boy breaking down even further. Now with both arms Len pulled him closer; the boy came willingly whilst his sobs and now heaving body continued. Len put all worries behind him and with both arms encircled him in a loving and supportive embrace. "Fuck society," he thought, for once not speaking out loud. For a moment neither said anything, eventually Len, whispered, muttered, croaked, "there, there, you're OK, whatever it was has passed, relax, you safe." He held on to him, rocking him like an infant. They remained on the floor, the boy's sobs gradually ceasing, and his heaving body relaxing. They stayed there for some time; Len gradually ceasing his rocking as the boy calmed and relaxed. Len placed his cheek on the boy's head, pulled him closer, and, without thinking he kissed the boy's head. Neither moved nor reacted, until finally, after a few further moments of silence and calm and almost by a mutual, sudden agreement they pulled apart. The boy, still on his knees visibly shivered, Len stood and said, "Look my name's Len but you need to phone somebody; your parents, a friend and secondly you should really get out of those clothes, you'll catch your death of..." "Sorry, I'm so sorry for all of, of that crying stuff..." he shrugged whilst rising to his feet, "I was just ...," he almost broke down again. Len quickly took control, became the adult, the person with all the answers, the knowledge. "Hey. I've told you, no problem, now let's sort things out, I'm only sorry that I did not come out earlier, it was foolish of me." "No, I should have left ages ago -- but I so wanted to meet him again -- and oh, thank you for opening the door, and by the way I'm Billy." Len relaxed, "Well, Billy. What do you want to do -- ring someone, change out of those wet clothes, tell me?" Billy looked across to Len dressed in his shorts and tee - the stain on those shorts was kinda obvious and the ripped tee -- was that a nipple showing? Billy shook his head both in confusion and negation," Neither, can I use your loo? I'm kinda desperate." Len's mind immediately went back into a whirl; uncertainties flooded back, should he let this youth, this hunk of everything he desired go to his loo? To say `No' would be -- well unthinkable, "Well er, no, just taka leak in the garden" went quickly through his mind and instead, "Sure, it's this way," was the reply. Len pointed to the door and led the way to the bottom of the stairs, "First on the right at the top." Billy climbed the stairs and left a confused and worried Len at the foot. Once again he overcame his desire to speak out loud, "he needs to go home, but I so want him to stay, come on, and get a grip, there is no way anything is going to happen. Stop it, stop it now." He almost wanted to sit on the stairs and cry -- "Jeez, what a day!" "What d'ya say?" "Fuck," thought Len, "what DID I say?" Len turned and saw Billy at the top of the stairs, "Oh, you've er... changed." For standing at the top of the stars was Billy dressed in Len's bathrobe. "I hope you don't mind, I found this hanging behind the bathroom door -- I've draped my clothes over the radiator, they might dry a bit." The view from Len's perspective at the foot of the stair was of legs -- legs that seemed to go on forever leading finally to the darkness where the bathrobe hid that which was hidden. "Jeez -- does he have idea what he's doing to me/" He could feel stirrings down below. "That's fine," he said," but better still bring them down here, I'll put them in the tumble dryer." "Okay -- not be a sec." And with a turn and a glimpse from under the revealing flap of the bathrobe he disappeared from view. Len moved back into the kitchen and sat at the table. The angel on one shoulder suggesting phone calls to thankful parents, whilst the devil on the other suggesting he should have him on the kitchen floor. "Ah -- there you are," once again Len's voice had lost power and had that squeaky sound caused by nervousness, fear or perhaps both. He quickly grabbed the wet clothes from Billy and once again trying to take control said, "I'll put them on the highest setting -- they should be dry enough in about twenty minutes or so." "I'm sorry to bother you with this, it's is not what I had in mind for this evening..." "Nor me," interjected Len! Len stuffed the wet clothes into the tumble dryer and switched it on. He turned to face Billy who was still standing dejectedly framed in the doorway. The effect of the boy -- framed in the open doorway, lit by the kitchen spotlights and against the darkness of the hallway was almost too much for Len, for this was one of her innermost desires. Picture the scene, a youthful, intelligent and hollywoodesque Len, is preparing a delicious light supper -- his aristocratic (nearly a `Royal') lover Simon, having just had a post coital shower appears framed in the kitchen doorway, he is wearing Len's bathrobe, just a little to short -- "Hey you've not bothered dressing then." "Well, you know, I thought we might...?" "What again? Now?" Len crosses to him, they kiss, his hands caressing Simon's body, finding all his favourite places, feeling their joint desires rise between them. Simon lets the robe drop to the kitchen floor and... "Are you OK?" Len, still on the floor by the tumble dryer shakes his head to dispel the dream. "Yeah, just..." He starts to rise, once again seeing Billy's naked legs and the loosely tied bathrobe, his angel and devil retake their places on their relevant shoulder. Glancing down Len realises he has the beginnings of an erection tenting the shorts and pointing embarrassingly to the tell-tale stain; quickly he attempts a cover up and sits at the table. ("Did he notice -- perhaps not -- bit I hope so!") "Come in, sit down, let's decide what's best to do." ("You'll say -- `fancy a fuck?'") Billy pulled out a chair and sat -- the robe gaped across his smooth hairless chest; Len gulped and tried not to stare. ("Is he wearing any underwear or is it in the tumble dryer?") "Do you want to ring your parents?" ("Hope not.") "No point, they're away for the weekend!" ("Interesting...") "Well, er..," Len suppressed an evil thought, "I suppose we can wait for the dryer to complete its cycle and then...," Len's voice trailed off. ("Fuck -- he is so gorgeous.") "Yeah, something like that." ("Well -- what do YOU have in mind?") "Perhaps your friend at No 16 will be back?" ("He could come along too.") "I don't think he'll want to see me again." ("...?") "But why, just a few moments ago you were very keen, is he your best friend, why have you changed your mind?" "Just cos...," Billy shrugged and looked crestfallen; he pulled the bath robe in more tightly almost as if cuddling himself, he stared at the table, uncomfortable and unsure. Len was equally unsure, not knowing what to say or do. Not wanting Billy to get upset again he sat quietly and waited; for once no other thoughts in his mind. Billy remained looking down at the table and in a voice not his own said, "I've only met him once, just last weekend at a birthday party of this school guy. Then things happened, on the way home, in the park." "What, did you have an argument or did you say something?" "No, things, other things just happened. We sort of arranged to meet tonight." They sat, the man and the boy, each uncertain, each confused, each deep in their own thoughts. Len looked across the table at Billy, "How old -- 15 -- 16 -- with his life in front of him and yet he seems lost, this friend -- what's going on, what's happened?" And then -- as if the clouds of confusion passed away Len knew, - well guessed what had `happened.' "Jeez -- I see -- err..." "Look, I've never said this to anyone before, and here you are a complete stranger and an adult, but I'm going to tell you something -- something I have to tell someone -- something I've known since I was a child, something..." Len interrupted this flow now certain what was going to come next and not wanting to allow this `thing' to be said, this `thing' that had plagued him for so many years, and here was a mere child about to confront him with it, " "Look -- would you like a drink, - I've got a bottle opened upstairs -- or you could have a coke or something or...?" "I'm gay!" "... I'm sure I've got some in the fridge -- let me look." Let stood abruptly and looked back at Billy looking up at him, he stood still, again uncertain of everything. "I..., I kinda guessed, and you should know that I too..." "You don't have to say it -- but I too guessed -- the way you looked at me -- the er... stain on those shorts and the reading material at the side of your bed -- sorry I didn't mean to spy but..." "That's OK." Len sat down; he reached across the table still uncertain of what was going to happen next. He laid his hand on Billy's arm. "This is so difficult for me -- you are so, brave, so courageous, so right, so... It's something I should have done years ago -- and now here am I -- probably thirty years older than you, supposedly wiser, the adult - huh what does that mean?" He paused, Billy looked as though he was about to say something, Len held up his hand and continued. "But wow it's my turn -- and I have to say this out loud - you are the first person I have ever said this to -- the one and only -- for I too am gay." The two sat across the table from one another -- Billy reached out and he too placed his hand on Len's -- nothing was said -- nothing needed to be said and then Len started to cry -- the tears welled up from thirty years of hiding -- thirty years of fear and solitude. They sat, the only sound came from the tumble dryer. And then it stopped. The cycle was over. Len rose from the table and collected Bill's clothes. "There still a bit damp but better than they were." "Thank you, I'll just go and..." Billy indicated the doorway and the stairs. "Yeah -- that's fine." Len remained in the kitchen -- he knew he was going to do nothing with this boy -- this young man for he had too much respect for him. Yes the devil in him still wanted to climb those stairs and find him naked in the bedroom -- but no -- it was not to be. Billy reappeared -- now fully clothed. "Thank you -- I mean -- I don't know what else to say..." "No -- THANK YOU -- you've made me realise things about my life -- things I have not fully confronted before -- this has been..." he shrugged and his voice trailed off. Billy looked towards the front door, "Well I be off then." "How will you -- I mean I could give you a lift..." "No, I'll can catch a bus from the main road, it'll be -- better." "Yes, you're right." "So, I'll go...?" Len looked anxious -- old fears returning, "what if the boy said something?" Billy read the look on Len's face, "Hey, don't worry -- I'm not going to say..." "No, I should know that you are not that kind of young man, but thank you all the same." They moved to the front door, Len opened it. "Well its stopped raining -- at last, - shall I see you again -- or would that be unwise?" "Probably - for both of us -- my street cred, your reputation." "True." "But if you like -- I'm often in the Public Library most Saturday mornings." "Well, we'll see -- but for now `Ciao'." "Yeah -- Ciao."