Isaiah (16 page)

Bailey Bradford

98

into the other guy’s chest, bit broken nose’s ankle until it crunched—oh fuck,” Bae whimpered as he turned green. “I’m going to be sick!”

Isaiah tried to find a bucket or a bag or something, but Bae just opened the door, leaned out, and puked. Isaiah rubbed Bae’s back and murmured softly to him.

“That’s gross,” he heard Tim grumble. Someone else gagged. Otto, Isaiah supposed.

“Don’t you do it, too, Otto. Then we’ll have some kind of hysteric vomiting thing going on.”

Isaiah helped Bae sit back up then he pulled his keys from his shirt pocket and tossed them to Tim. “Don’t wreck it.”

Bae shut the door and Isaiah started the van. Hopefully he wouldn’t take anyone out driving the big thing. Maybe he should have told Tim not to get too close to him.

“You’ll do fine,” Bae assured him. “God, I feel like shit.”

“You’re sure there’s nothing major wrong?” Isaiah asked as he carefully changed lanes a minute later. He should have adjusted the side mirrors…

“My ribs hurt, my lower back, but it’s no worse than when I’ve been in a fight before.”

Bae hitched a shoulder at him. “The lepe has its bullies, and so does the outside world. Put a gay Asian man in the wrong gay night club and it can get hairy quick.”

Isaiah was confused. “What does being Asian have to do with it? And I’d think being gay in a gay night club was a good thing. Like an unspoken requirement, pretty much.”

“Well yes, but I was newly out, to myself, my lepe, and in the world beyond my lepe.”

Bae rubbed his hands on his thighs. “I was pretty innocent in some ways. Definitely when it came to things like racism. I mean, I was thrilled to find a place where other gay men were, and I was…I was more effeminate, kind of trying to find who I was as a gay man.”

“I’d have liked to see you then,” Isaiah said, smiling because he thought Bae had to have been adorable then, just as he was now.

Bae, however, scoffed at the idea. “Right. Do you know how many gay men want a

‘masc’ man? Have you ever looked at Grindr and other places for us to find dates or whatever? ‘No Asians no fems’, a lot of posters say, but usually not that politely. There’s also a lot of ‘no fats no olds’ and other hateful, judgmental shit. We can be so mean to each other.”

“We?” Isaiah asked as his heart ached for Bae. It was too easy now to imagine that innocent young man confronted by the hatred that existed in the world.

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ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

99

“People, gay men, anybody who thinks different or looks different or acts different.”

Bae groaned and thumped his head against the headrest. “I’m being a melodramatic moron now. I know it’s not everyone who is hateful, but there are so many people who think they have the right, and sometimes the duty, to judge others. I wish the world were a gentler place.”

“Me too, and for what it’s worth, I’d have fallen in love with you back then, mates or not, just like I have now.” Isaiah hadn’t meant to spill that, hadn’t known it was there waiting to spring off his tongue, but it was out now and he was glad, because Bae’s joy was flowing into him, and although Isaiah could only glance at Bae since they were on the highway, he knew he’d never forget the brilliant smile lighting Bae’s handsome face.

“You wouldn’t have been turned off by a less masculine me?” Bae asked, but he sounded so happy, Isaiah knew Bae knew the answer to that.

“No. I’ve chased more than one fem, as you called them, but I hate that word.” And if he snarled a little, he couldn’t help it. “People are people, not labels. To say a man is a fem and discount everything else about him is to be a total fool.”

“Wow,” Bae said softly. “You. That’s really an incredible thing to say.”

“I’m not just saying it, I believe it.” Isaiah signalled for their exit and hoped there was no one beside them. “I understand that there can be a certain type you’re interested in on a superficial level, but when it comes down to it, there’s so much more to a person. They aren’t just a fem or a masc or Asian or black or white. They’re a culmination of their experiences, their upbringing and—” Isaiah shut up suddenly, his cheeks flaming hot. He didn’t usually get into such deep discussions, but that didn’t mean he didn’t think about these subjects.

“And you thought you weren’t as smart as Tim? Isaiah, you’re the most intelligent man I’ve ever met, and you have these very well-thought out beliefs that you live by. You don’t preach them at everyone else, but you live an honest life, and that is the most inspiring thing I’ve ever seen.” Bae unbuckled and manoeuvred his way to Isaiah’s side as he pulled up to a stop sign. “And Isaiah?”

Isaiah’s heart thudded hard once then fluttered as he looked into Bae’s eyes. “Yeah?”

Oh fuck, he was so not romantic!

“I love you, too.” Bae rose up enough to kiss him, a gentle brush of lips and tongue that made Isaiah’s eyes burn. Bae ended the kiss and leant back. “What is that obnoxious noise?”

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ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

100

Isaiah laughed, so happy even though he’d been terrified a half hour earlier. “That’s Tim laying on the motorcycle horn.”

“Motorcycles have horns?” Bae asked as he glared towards the back of the van.

“Mine does. Just be glad I didn’t spring for the really loud one.” They’d both probably have pissed themselves by now if he had.

“Maybe you should get us home before someone shoots Tim for blaring that thing.”

That sounded like a good idea to Isaiah. He turned into the driveway ten minutes later.

Once he’d parked the vehicle in the garage, he and Bae opened the double doors at the back.

Tim and Otto joined them there.

Otto sniffed. “Whatever they are, they stink. It’s not the same as the poacher Tim and I crossed paths with in Mongolia. He reeked on a whole different level, and we figure that had to do with his shifter spirit leaving him for saner grounds.”

“Our spirits can leave us?” Bae’s eyes were impossibly wide as he stared back and forth between Isaiah and the other two men. “That’s horrible!”

Otto nodded. “Yes, it is. Luckily such a thing only happens when the shifter spirit is abused, neglected, or in a vessel that’s bat-fucking nuts. Or a combo of any of those things.”

“What happens then?”

“As far as I know, the former shifter goes even crazier and becomes a danger to themselves and others.” Otto tipped his chin towards the van. “May I?”

Bae stepped aside. Tim touched Bae’s shoulder and Bae looked at him. “Are you okay?

You’re kind of listing to the side.”

“I’m just bruised a little,” Bae said. “I’ll be fine.”

Isaiah slipped an arm around Bae’s waist. “He needs a soak in the tub, as hot as he can stand it. I’m going to get him settled in one and you two can lock the van and come in when you’re ready.” He made sure the garage door was secured then guided Bae into the house. In the bathroom, he helped Bae strip, enjoying every brush of skin, every soft sigh Bae made.

“You could get in with me,” Bae offered, then harrumphed. “Well, if I sat on your lap, maybe. Why did I get a place with such a small tub?”

“I think we should upgrade your bathroom,” Isaiah said. He started the water running.

It felt hot, good.

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ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

101

“You should move in with me,” Bae blurted out, babbling before Isaiah could so much as blink. “I mean, we already said the Big Three Words, and we’re mates on top of it. We won’t want to be apart, so it makes sense for us to live together, right? Unless you’d rather live in your place, but I thought you were renting and I’m buying and are you just going to let me keep going on?”

Isaiah nodded. “Well, I couldn’t get a word in, so I kind of had to. Plus, you’re really cute when you start babbling like that. In fact, it made me hard as a rock.”

“Oh.” Bae looked at his erection poking up under his jeans. “Oh. Well then, that’s okay.”

“And yes, I’ll move in, but we’re definitely replacing this bathtub. I want to be able to have you ride my cock in the tub.”

Bae groaned and pressed a hand to his now-erect cock, pinning it against his stomach.

“Aw, damn. We’d get water everywhere but it’d be worth it. So worth it.”

“Yes, it would.” Isaiah took Bae’s arm and helped him into the bathtub. “Now, you relax, and no beating off. I have plans for your cock and my mouth later.”

“Not helping,” Bae muttered as Isaiah turned to leave. “I am perfectly capable of getting hard again, especially around you.”

Isaiah stopped and faced Bae again, eyeing him hungrily. “But think how good it’ll feel to finally come after holding back for hours. You’re gonna scream from it.” He winked at Bae and left him to soak.

Tim met him in the hallway. “I was just coming to ask if you wanted pizza. We haven’t eaten, and I know Bae didn’t, since his lunch went home with Aubrey.”

“Pizza’s fine. There are some magnets on the fridge with phone numbers for delivery places on them.” Isaiah handed Tim his phone.

“I have mine,” Tim said but he still took Isaiah’s. “Never mind, Otto has mine. Didn’t have anywhere to put it when I was on your bike.”

Isaiah guessed Tim didn’t like sticking his phone in his jeans pockets, which was understandable. Isaiah had learnt not to do that after he sat on a cement bench with his iPhone in his back pocket. The results had been…tragic, for the phone and for his checkbook.

“Where’s Otto?”

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ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

102

“The guest bathroom,” Tim called back from the kitchen. “He’s washing up after cleaning the blood out of the van. We also picked up what we thought was salvageable and put the rest on a trash bag on the exam table for Bae to check through. And Otto borrowed some of Bae’s slides for samples.”

“Oh, okay.” Isaiah stopped walking. He’d had some idea of going out and trying to clean up the mess in the van.

“You should go back in and scrub Bae’s back. Or his front.” Tim winked at him.

Isaiah really didn’t want sex advice from his brother, but he sure wasn’t passing up the chance to spend more time with Bae.

“Just try not to be too noisy, I’ll be traumatised for life,” Tim half-shouted as Isaiah headed back to the bedroom. He flipped Tim off without looking at him. Tim’s answering laughter made Isaiah feel almost bouncy.

Isaiah undressed in the bedroom, not wanting to have to stop and do it once he got his hands on Bae. When he entered the bathroom, Bae was lying with his eyes closed, his breathing slow and steady. His cock had softened. Bae’s nostrils flared slightly and he cracked his eyes open. “You smell so good.” Bae reached down and palmed his length. “And just when I’d managed to get this to calm down.” Bae wagged his cock, leering as he did so.

Isaiah snickered and walked over to kneel beside the tub. He plunged a hand into the water, getting himself a handful of taut ass. Bae’s weight was nothing in the water, and he lifted Bae’s hips up. As soon as Bae’s cock was mostly out of the water, Isaiah used his other hand to hold it at the base then he licked the dripping slit.

“Ah, yes.” Bae threaded his fingers through Isaiah’s hair. “Suck me, sweetheart.”

Isaiah intended to. He opened his mouth and took as much of Bae in as he could considering the angle and the bathtub and Bae’s jerking as he tried to thrust. The position wasn’t ideal, and Isaiah pulled off with a lewd slurp.

“Bed?”

Isaiah stood and helped Bae up. “Too far. Counter.” He lifted Bae carefully, watching for signs he was causing him pain, then carried Bae to the small counter. Isaiah plopped Bae down and was pushing his legs apart and sucking his cock in seconds.

Bae hissed and moaned. Isaiah fitted a hand between Bae’s cleft and pushed his thumb into Bae’s ass.

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ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

103

“Isaiah, ungh!” Bae held onto his shoulder and Isaiah deep throated his cock, swallowing immediately then pulling back. He kept at it, speed and strength more than skill as he relished driving Bae to the brink in a few short minutes. He added a finger beside his thumb and Bae keened, hot spunk spurting over Isaiah’s tongue.

Isaiah’s dick was going to go off the second he touched it. He waited until Bae’s orgasm receded then he removed his fingers from Bae’s ass and used the same hand on his cock, the idea of having those digits on his skin after they’d been inside Bae was too much.

He came after one stroke, cum hitting the cabinets with a splat and his shout bouncing off the walls. Dimly he thought there was no way Tim hadn’t heard that yell, which meant Isaiah was in for some teasing. That was okay, loving on Bae was worth it.

“We should get dressed.” But Bae didn’t move, just sat there running his fingers through Isaiah’s hair while Isaiah rested his head on Bae’s leg. “We’re being poor hosts.”

“Nah, Tim was telling me to come in here and scrub your back or front. I don’t think he expected us out too soon.”

“Well, I’m sure your shout let him know you took his advice.”

Isaiah nipped the inside of Bae’s thigh. “Yup. He’ll want to brag about being the wise older brother when really it just boils down to being a guy. Of course I’m gonna be all over you when you’re naked and I get the chance to grope you.”

“Of course,” Bae agreed.

“But he was ordering pizza, and I’m hungry.”

Bae nudged Isaiah’s head with his fingers. “Me too. I tossed up breakfast, remember?”

Isaiah grimaced as he stood up. “Well, I’m a little less hungry now.” Bae popped him on the butt hard enough to make him yelp. “Ouch! What was that for?”

Bae pushed Isaiah’s hand away from the hot spot and rubbed the burning skin himself.

“I can’t help it. You’ve got such a nice bubble butt, it just calls for a spanking.”

Isaiah froze for a moment then looked at Bae, who was being very still as well. “Y-you mean that?”

Bae nodded, glancing down at his ass. He squeezed the place he’d smacked and Isaiah’s knees got wobbly on him. Bae’s voice took on a velvety tone, his words almost a purr when he spoke again. “I can do that sometime, if you really want to.”