Ray and Egon were driving back to the firehouse through the mid-afternoon traffic, fresh from an excursion to the electronics parts store. The front seat was crammed with bags of goodies for their new pet project.
They had decided to create something just for fun this time, something that didn't have anything to do with Ghostbusting. They wanted to take the roll-away cot that was currently in storage, and convert it into a combination heat and massage therapy bed, to ease the aches and pains of everyday life and their profession.
Ray looked over at Egon, who was busy rooting through one of the bags in his lap.
"Hey Egon," he ventured, "it's too hot to stay cooped up in the lab today. Let's go out and do something."
"Just what did you have in mind, Raymond?" the physicist asked absently, poking into yet another bag.
"Swimming," came Ray's casual response.
Egon blinked, and looked over at his friend. "I beg your pardon?"
"Swimming," Ray repeated, "like in a lake, or the ocean?"
"Well, there are no lakes nearby, so if you really wish to engage in swimming, we can always go to the beach."
"Good," Ray nodded, then spun the steering wheel, making a skidding U-Turn, and heading Ecto-1 into the opposite direction.
Egon was silent for all of two minutes. Then, in a quiet voice, said, "Um, Ray?"
"Yes, Egon?" the occultist answered cheerfully.
"I would like to point out the fact that we are now driving away from the firehouse."
"And?" Ray prodded.
"And the fact that we have neither swimming trunks, towels, nor sunscreen in the car," Egon mentioned.
Ray grinned. "Don't worry about that, Egon. Where we're going, we won't need them."
He glanced over at his friend in the passenger seat, seeing the blond eyebrows furrow together. Ray let Egon stew for a few moments, watching the scientist try to ponder out how this could be done. Finally, Ray decided to drop the other shoe.
"Gee, Egon, haven't you ever been skinny dipping before?"
Those same blond eyebrows, previously furrowed over the bridge of the hawk-like nose, now climbed impossibly high as realization dawned on the physicist. "You mean, swimming around in a public place completely naked?"
"Well, yeah," Ray nodded.
Egon folded his arms across his chest. "The last time I checked, the name patch on my uniform spelled, "Spengler," not, "Venkman."
Ray laughed. It would have been much easier to persuade Peter to do this, but he was interested in persuading Egon right now. "Well," he countered, "there's this area at the beach that is real private. Hardly anyone goes there." He glanced over at Egon again to see if he was listening. "We could swim around for a while, and dry off with the blankets in the back of Ecto."
It was clear that Egon was not liking the idea one bit. "You know how easily I burn, Ray. I do not wish to spend the night sleeping on my stomach, reeking of Noxema." Blue eyes regarded Stantz over in the driver's seat. "Not to mention having to explain to Winston and Peter how I got sunburned on my derriere."
But Ray would not be dissuaded. "I can guarantee you that there will be plenty of shade to swim around in," he assured his blond friend. "Nothing will get burnt, believe me."
Egon was silent, but still looked doubtful.
Ray decided to play his trump card. "How about I show you something that will pique your scientific curiosity?" he asked, looking over at the physicist with a hopeful look.
Egon raised one eyebrow this time, and looked askance at his auburn-haired companion. "And what might that be, Dr. Stantz?" he asked.
Ray shook his head. "I'm not telling, but I think you will enjoy the surprise."
Between the heat, and Ray's argument, Egon finally acquiesced; settling down into the seat to see where they were going. Ray sped up the car, and quickly drove to the secluded area he spoke of.
While Ray shut off the motor, Egon climbed out of the passenger side and looked around, breathless at what he saw. Instead of a sandy beach, like at Coney Island, the shoreline was a chaotic jumble of rocks and short cliffs. Waves crashed into the boulders sticking up from the water's edge, and water rippled through tidepools between the stones. Other waves pounded into the walls of the bluffs, sending water spraying upwards like a geyser. Seagulls and Sandpipers dotted the pebbled beach in search of food.
"You're right, Ray, this is quite out of the way," Egon finally managed to say.
Whistling happily, Ray went to the back of the car, and dug out a couple of emergency blankets. He spread them out on the hood of Ecto to warm in the sun while they swam. With a final grin at Spengler, he began to strip off his clothes.
"Come on, Egon, let's hit the water!" he exclaimed.
Egon looked around; looked at anything besides Ray. The occultist simply laughed, and ran for the water, diving in and surfacing for air a few yards out beyond the waves.
"Come on in, the water's fine!"
Egon looked around, as if he were expecting someone to show up at any moment. "Ray, you realize that if we're caught, we face some serious misdemeanor charges."
"Stop worrying, Egon," Ray told the balky scientist, "who's gonna know if you're naked if your lower half's out here under the water?"
"I will!" Egon answered dryly.
Ray laughed heartily. "You'll be fine. Come on, let's swim!"
With exaggerated care, Egon slowly removed his boots and socks, and peeled off his jumpsuit. As he was heading for the water, still clad in his boxers, Ray shook his head.
"You realize that you're gonna have to take them off anyway, unless you like wearing wet underwear all the way back home?"
After a moment of agonized indecision, Egon finally shoved his boxers off, and ran for the water. He dove in, spearing through the incoming waves, and surfaced next to Ray.
With long, lazy strokes, Ray began swimming towards one of the cliffs. "Follow me," he said with a wink, "I want to show you something."
Egon quickly caught up to his friend, his long arms and lanky legs propelling him through the water easily. They stopped and tread water close to a cliff face, grasping the nearby rocks to keep from being slammed against it by the incoming waves.
Egon looked about, clearly puzzled. "What is it, Ray?" he asked, "I don't see anything too far out of the ordinary here."
"We have to dive under the water for a minute. Take a deep breath, Egon."
Both Ray and Egon saturated their lungs with oxygen. Simultaneously taking a deep breath, they nodded to each other, and ducked down under the water's surface.
The salt water stung Egon's eyes momentarily, but he caught sight of Ray, swimming down towards the base of the cliff. He caught up to Ray just in time to see him disappear into a hole in the cliff face. He ducked in after his friend, swimming towards a light down the short tunnel. He surfaced next to Ray, taking in a gulp of sweet air as he shook the water out of his eyes. Removing his glasses, he shook them free of any clinging water droplets, and replaced them on the end of his nose. Egon's gasp of wonder as he looked around reverberated throughout the enclosed area, sounding loud against the soft background noise of the water.
They were inside a cave, a grotto formed deep within the cliff. A hole in the ceiling let light filter in, making the softly undulating water sparkle on the surface. The slow moving waves gently lapped at one wall of the cave, revealing a rocky shelf ground out from the stone; just perfect for sitting upon. The enclosed cave magnified the sound of the splashing water, and their harsh breathing as they caught their breath.
Egon tread the water in circles, looking around. "Utterly fascinating...Ray, how long have you known about this?"
"A few months. I accidentally stepped into the blowhole above us," Ray replied sheepishly, pointing upwards with a finger.
"Quite fortuitous, Raymond."
"Didn't I promise you warm water and shade? We've got it all here," Ray crowed.
"It's like...a private little hideaway away from everything," Egon breathed.
"Yeah, and it's all ours."
"Ours?" Egon repeated, looking back at him curiously.
"Sure," Ray grinned. "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to come back here to study stuff, but you should never come alone. It can be dangerous at high tide, or if a storm blows in."
Egon glanced up at the blowhole. "I can see why. This grotto probably fills up with water under high pressure from the cave entrance outside, and is forced up through the hole in the ceiling. Although I would wager it looks spectacular from the outside."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Ray agreed.
While Egon began exploring the circumference of the cave, Ray settled himself on the rocky shelf; feeling the water lap around his waist as he kept an affectionate eye on his friend. He knew that Egon would settle down eventually once his scientific curiosity was sated. For the moment, though, Egon was poking into everything; even dunking his head underwater from time to time to see something not quite visible from the surface.
"Egon, if you get tired, you can sit on this shelf, and rest, or float for a while," Ray offered helpfully.
"What a fascinating micro-ecosystem in here," the taller man mused. "I could study it for hours." He pointed down into the water. "Look, it even has small fish here."
Ray laughed, pushing off the shelf, and swimming over to his friend. "I know," he replied, "they swim into the cave entrance, curious, and the current prevents them from getting out again." He spread-eagled himself onto his back. "I'm gonna float for a bit, and enjoy the warm water. You have fun, Egon."
Closing his eyes, Ray drifted to and fro around the small grotto, pushed by the constantly moving water. The sunlight filtering in from the blowhole above made patterns on his eyelids as he floated past. He wondered if Egon were going to float along with him, or continue to study the scenery all afternoon.
When he bumped into something warm and yielding, Ray grinned. Near his ear, Egon's voice murmured distractedly, "Oh, pardon me, Ray," and firm hands lightly shoved him away again.
"You really should float around and enjoy this, Egon," Ray mildly chastised. "It's very relaxing. You can look at the fishies later."
Egon sighed, watching Ray push away from a wall with his toes. "I suppose you are right, Raymond. I can come back another day to study the grotto in earnest."
"That's the spirit," the occultist said, righting himself and paddling over to where Egon was. "You go ahead and float for a bit. I'll make sure you don't bump into any walls."
Rolling over onto his back, Egon spread-eagled himself for balance, and cast his eyes onto the roof of the cave as he floated. The softly undulating water soon relaxed him, and blue eyes slowly slid shut of their own accord.
"You know what this reminds me of, Egon?" Ray asked, receiving only a noncommittal grunt as an acknowledgment to his question, "Remember when Peter brought in that sensory deprivation chamber for use in his ESP studies back at Columbia?"
Egon chuckled, the water making small ripples around his body. "His theory was that being sensory deprived for an extended period of time would unlock any latent ESP talents the test subject may have."
"Then the dean found out that he was using it for making out with his prettier test subjects, and confiscated it." Another memory started Ray chuckling himself. "Then there was the 'Altered States' incident..."
A scowl marred Egon's features. "The Drama department made him up to look like a hideous mutant, and he hid himself inside the isolation chamber until I came back from the cafeteria with lunch for the both of us. I thought he was in great distress, banging and thrashing around inside of it, until he popped out of the chamber and lunged at me."
Ray snickered. "Peter said it was the only time he had ever seen you faint."
"I did not faint!" Egon growled, "I merely slipped and fell when I backpedaled away from him."
"Peter said you fainted."
"Peter exaggerated."
Ray grinned. "Then why did he say that he had to wake you with smelling salts?"
There was a 'harrumph' from the blond man, and Ray knew that Peter did not exaggerate as much as Egon said he had. Still chuckling, Ray swam over and studied his friend floating placidly in the water.
The long frame with arms and legs akimbo was nearly limp from relaxation, bobbing up and down with the water's motion. Ray appreciated a good body, and Egon had one that could rival the Greek god Hermes, himself; tall and wiry, built for speed. Everything on the man's body suggested 'long and lean'; legs, arms, torso...it was a runner's body, or a dancer's.
He had often watched the physicist at work or at play; he moved with the supple grace of a cat. Egon rarely tripped or stumbled, even sitting still at the lab table his motions were carefully controlled and efficient; no action was wasted.
The blond hair, free-floating in the water, rippled in the small waves, stretched out to it's full length. It was all Ray could do to rein in the impulse to comb his fingers through it, wanting to feel the lush, soft hair under his fingertips. Instead, he swam around to lightly grasp Egon's slightly bony knees.
"You're heading for a wall," he informed his friend when his touch startled him. "I'm gonna push you the other way."
Gingerly holding on to the physicist, Ray spun him around and pushed him away in the opposite direction. As Egon entered the patch of light coming from the hole above, Ray held his breath in awe. The sunlight accentuated his warm skin tones, giving him a slight golden hue. The pale blond hair shone brightly, making it seem as if Egon were not made of flesh and blood, but cast in precious metal. Only Egon's movements in the water, his arm turning himself in lazy circles, betrayed the illusion.
"You're correct, Ray, this is very relaxing," Egon's voice floated over to him.
Ray sighed heavily. It was now or never. "Egon," he asked, "may I conduct an experiment?"
"Certainly, Ray, but I thought you wanted to relax in the water."
A small knowing smile crept across Ray's features. "There are many ways to relax, Egon."
"I would appreciate any techniques you may have learned, Ray," Egon commented, his eyes still shut against the light. "Extensive lab work tends to take it's toll on me."
"Anything you say, Egon."
Slowly and deliberately, he swam towards Spengler, ducking underwater and coming up between Egon's spread knees. Reaching up, he splayed his hands over Egon's narrow posterior, and lifted his hips slightly out of the water.
Egon's eyes shot open, and the startled physicist windmilled his arms, his head ducking under the water from being off balance. He recovered quickly, however, and came up choking and gasping from the mouthful of water he swallowed. He looked down into Ray's concerned face. "What on earth are you doing?" he sputtered.
"Relax, Egon, go limp; I got you," Ray soothed.
"What kind of relaxation technique is this?" Egon demanded.
Ray smiled. "One that will make you feel very good once it's over."
Before Egon could say anything more, Ray lowered his head, and nipped at the tender flesh on the inside of Egon's thigh. Spengler squeaked, and tried to swim out of Ray's grasp, but the occultist held him tight. The hot, damp mouth traveled up the smooth skin, but when he nuzzled at the wrinkled scrotum, Egon wrenched himself away from Ray's hold with a supreme effort, and swam over to the far wall of the cave.
"I can assure you that this is not the least bit funny, Raymond!" Egon spat out at him. His face was red, but Ray wasn't sure if it was from anger or embarrassment.
"I'm not trying to be funny," Ray assured his companion, "I was only trying to help you relax, like you asked."
"I did not ask you to violate me," Egon said, a bit more calmer now.
Ray's eyebrows climbed up in surprise. "Violate you? Gosh, no, Egon, I was only trying to make you feel good. I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do, you know that."
He swam closer, knowing that Egon would not bolt from him now that the blond felt a little more in control. "Egon," he said softly, "if you don't like it, all you have to say is, 'stop', and I'll stop; simple as that."
Egon looked away from Ray's face, his blush turning darker. "Whether I liked it or not is not the point, Raymond, it's just...wrong."
"Egon, there is nothing wrong with taking a little pleasure in life. The water is warm, the company pleasant," he smiled over at Egon, "we have all the time in the world, and we are completely alone. Why not enjoy ourselves?"
"Ray, this is not the sort of pleasure I was envisioning us doing this afternoon," the blond stated.
"No? Were you in the mood for something else? I'm up for it..." he glanced down into the water at Egon's erection before the physicist could cover himself. "...and apparently so are you."
Before Egon could protest, Ray added, "All I'm asking, Egon, is if it felt good, why did you want to stop?"
"Because we're friends, Ray!" Egon blurted out.
Ray leveled a cool gaze at his teammate. "You and Janine are friends, but it doesn't stop you from making love to her."
Egon could only stare, open mouthed, at Ray. While he and Janine did not hide their love affair behind closed doors, to compare it to what Ray wanted to do was...was...wrong? No, not wrong, just different. And was different really so bad in retrospect?
"If you feel that strongly about it," Ray was saying, "we can forget the whole thing. It's okay."
"Ray," Egon whispered softly, "how can I forget it? Yes, it felt good, I'll admit that. But I also must admit that some small part of me wants you to continue, to...satisfy my curiosity, so to speak." He glanced down at himself. "Well, maybe a not-so-small part of me, anyway."
Ray smiled, a genuine grin that lit up his face. "You just relax, and I'll take care of everything."
He led Egon over to the rocky shelf, and sat him down upon it; the long legs dangling over the edge. Egon leaned back and propped himself up on his elbows, watching Ray with a combination of curiosity, anticipation, and a little trepidation.
Ray saw the look of nervousness on his friend, and said, "I meant it, Egon. You don't have to do this, if you don't want to."
"At least this...if nothing else, at least this for now," Egon whispered.
Blue eyes slid shut of their own accord as Ray's hands retraced the route his mouth had taken earlier. Gentle fingers cupped the soft, fuzzy sacs while the other hand danced along the warm shaft of Egon's penis. A low moan escaped the taller man's lips, and Ray tenderly explored the stiffened cock; feeling the pulsing veins along its length, the sensitive juncture under the rim of the flared head, the channel leading to the small slit in the tip. Throughout it all, Ray watched Egon's reactions on the long face as the anxiousness gradually gave way to a look of hazy pleasure.
Taking a firmer grip, Ray began stroking up and down the long shaft, listening to Egon gasp loudly with each pull. The gasps soon gave way to yips and moans as Egon was pushed that much closer to completion. The cock strained against his knowing fingers, and the lanky body arched in preparation for the inevitable.
"Please, Ray," Egon gasped urgently, "make me come...please..."
Ray sped up his movements obligingly, and fondled the soft testicles, squeezing gently. With a harsh cry that reverberated throughout the cave, Egon spilled his seed into the warm water; the current carrying the milky white fluid away to be devoured by the small animals that inhabited the isolated grotto.
Egon slumped down into the water, spent.
"Feeling better?" Ray asked.
Spengler nodded, working to get his breathing under control.
"Good." Ray surged up out of the water to sit on the shelf next to his friend. "Now we can move on to other things."
"Other...things?" The panicked look was back on Egon's face again.
"Relax, Egon," Ray soothed, reaching around to stroke the angular hips, "I won't hurt you. Trust me."
He pushed Egon backwards until the blond was nearly prone again, propped up on his elbows once more. Rolling to cover the slim body with his own, Ray used his knees to spread Egon's legs apart; insinuating himself between the open thighs.
"Ray," Egon began, "I don't think I'm ready for--"
"Shh...it's not intercourse, if that's what you're thinking. Just a pleasant body rub."
"I...don't know," Egon murmured.
"Trust me," Ray assured his friend. "If you have to, you can put your arms around my neck to keep your head above water. I'll stay propped up on my arms."
Looking into Ray's warm, brown eyes, Egon was reassured by the love and affection he saw within their depths. He nodded minutely, encouraging Ray to continue.
"All you have to do is lie still, and let me do all the work, all right?"
Before Egon could answer, Ray pressed his groin into Egon's, producing a sharp gasp from the taller man. Egon could feel Ray's firm erection sliding along his softened one, as the other man ground his hips forward. Although he had just orgasmed, he could sense the blood rushing to fill his penis again, as Ray continued his relentless sensual assault.
The water churned between them, and the grotto was filled with the sounds of mutual pleasure; sharp grunts and low groans, and all kinds of noises in between.
Egon clutched at Ray's body, trying to pull the stout man closer, eager for more sensation. His long legs lifted and wrapped themselves around Ray's waist, opening himself wider. The redhead lowered his face, and nuzzled at the skin of his friend's long neck. Egon responded with a groan and a tilt of the head, exposing more flesh for Ray to caress with his tongue.
Soon, lips sought one another out, and mouths locked together, muting the passionate sounds coming from both of them. Ray pushed, and Egon's body moved in time with the thrusting; each one taking both men a step closer to fulfillment.
Emotions spiraled high, and when Egon felt Ray's mouth leave his to nip at an earlobe, he moaned, shuddered, and emptied himself into the water. A few desperate thrusts later, and Ray followed suit, burying his face into the hollow of Egon's neck and shoulders.
With a groan of exhaustion, Ray sagged sideways off of Egon, rolling off of the shelf back into the water, coming up to lean against it with his elbows. He studied Egon's face carefully, looking for any signs of sadness or regret, but there was none, only sated happiness.
"Egon?"
"Yes, Ray?"
"Thank you for trusting me."
A tired smile lit up the fair features. "Thank you, Ray. It was a rather pleasant diversion after all."
As Egon pushed off of the shelf back into the water, Ray caught him up in a warm hug, which Egon returned affectionately.
"We should be getting back," the physicist said, extricating himself from Ray's hold, "we've spent far too long here as it is."
Ray nodded. "I agree. Let's head home."
They ducked back underwater and left the quiet grotto, emerging out into the waning sunlight. Looking around to make sure no one was nearby, they waded ashore, and quickly dried themselves with the blankets they left on Ecto's hood. They dressed quietly, and climbed into the car for the ride home.
They rode in companionable silence for a time, but after a while, Ray noticed that Egon avoided looking at him. From the reflection in the passenger window, Egon sported a look of anxious worry on his face.
"What's wrong, Egon?" Ray asked, worried himself. "Are you ashamed of what we did? You shouldn't be embarrassed. It wasn't shameful, it was fun."
"No, Ray, not at all," he hastily reassured Stantz, "I found it to be immensely pleasant. In fact, I wouldn't mind going back again, sometime." He threw Ray a forced smile that didn't fool the occultist one bit.
"Tell me what's bothering you, Egon. Something's on your mind, I can tell."
"Ray, may I ask you a favor?"
"Sure, name it."
Egon took a deep breath, and stared at the fingers entwined in his lap. "Would you mind if we avoided such pleasantries around the firehouse?"
Ray put on a mock serious look. "Darn, and I was just going to suggest trying it in a bed, next time."
Egon started to speak, then stopped. He thought for a moment, before he spoke again. "The idea does sound tempting, but I do not wish to give the wrong impression to...certain people."
Ray was quiet a moment, then gave Egon a measured look. "Do you think that what we did is going to change your feelings for Janine?"
"I...don't know," came Egon's hoarse whisper.
"You still like her, don't you?"
A blush darkened the fair features. "Yes, very much so."
"Egon, an afternoon of sex does not make you gay," Ray softly reassured his friend. "It means that you enjoyed yourself." He grinned over at the blond sitting next to him. "Nothing wrong with that."
"And what if I wanted more?" was the low reply.
"I can't see you falling into bed with any man you might meet," the redhead said, "but if it makes you feel any better, we don't have to do this any more."
"Ray," Egon began, but fell silent again.
"Be with Janine for a while. Then, we'll talk about it later if you want to," Ray stated.
"Thank you, Raymond, I appreciate that." Egon turned back to give Ray another smile, a genuine one this time.
Ray smiled back. "Don't give it another thought. You're still the same man, as far as I'm concerned."
There was another small stretch of silence, until Egon asked, "But Ray, you didn't answer my question...what if I wanted to have sex with you again? And again? Would I be considered gay then?"
Ray shrugged his shoulders. "Only if you gave up on Janine, I suppose." A sparkle lit up his amber eyes. "Of course, you could be bi..." he grinned.
"But we'll talk about that some other time," Ray continued. "Spend some time with Janine. I think you'll feel better if you do."
"Thank you, Ray. I'm sure we'll have that talk, someday." A sparkle soon lit up the ice blue eyes as well. "Of course, the idea of the bed is rather tempting, at that...maybe with Janine, too?"
Ray let out an affectionate laugh, and Egon grinned all the way back to the firehouse.
THE END
Back to:
Contact the archivists at : tobinsarchive@squidge.org