Begins With a Party...
A/N:
- - (-tangent-) is split thought of the character. You know your mind making little quips...
~* New Year’s Eve *~
Every year Aunt Hera and Uncle Zeus throw a big costume party for New Years. Joxer was rushing to get finished with his chores so he could go. This year’s party was going to be special, Xena’s older brother, Ares, was coming home on leave. Joxer had always liked the older boy and was excited to see him again. The teen had been away the last time Ares was home.
The one person Joxer was not looking forward to seeing was Gabby, Xena’s new friend from Uni. Joxer has known Xena since he was in diapers and, although she was two years older, they had always gotten on well. But lately, Joxer had been avoiding her when she came home because Gabby was always with her. Joxer couldn’t figure out what he had done but, for whatever reason, Gabby hated him—to the point of being viscous.
Joxer was just glad that Strife would be there too. Strife was Joxer’s best friend, has been since they were three, when Hera and Zeus took Strife in after his mom (Hera’s sister) died. There was a time or two when he was younger that Joxer wished Hera and Zeus were his real Aunt and Uncle and that they would take him in like they had Erin. That is Strife’s real name. Uncle Zeus used to call him his little mischief maker but Aunt Hera said he was more like strife on legs.
Joxer put the last dish away and ran up the stairs two at a time. He had to hurry so he could take a shower before the party. Strife was supposed to come over so they could get ready together and bring the costumes with him. Joxer hadn’t even seen them yet. His mind wandered through memories of last years’ party as he washed.
Last year, he, Strife and Xena had went in together on their costume. Xena wore a dark gray pinstriped Zoot suit with matching hat and a silver topped cane. Spike and Joxer went as flappers. They got matching gold and silver tiered fringe-y flapper dresses and even got high heels. Joxer ditched his after the first half hour but Strife wore his all night. Neither boy would wear the bobbed wigs but they compromised by wearing the sequined headbands and letting Xena fix their hair.
It had been fun, especially after he took off the heels. Joxer just didn’t have the coordination to wear high heels. Strife, of course, was graceful in his, but had paid the price for wearing them so long. He could barely walk the next day, his feet and calves hurt so much.
Joxer was just stepping out of the shower when he heard Strife come bouncing down the hall. He quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist before heading across the way to his room, where Strife was already waiting. Joxer paused outside the door and said a quick prayer that his costume would involve neither pantyhose nor plucking his eyebrows.
Strife was pulling things from his backpack and spreading them on the bed. Joxer came up beside him and looked at the array of clothes, he could only stand there and blink. "Pleather?"
"Yep." Strife confirmed dumping a jumble of makeup from the bottom of the bag.
"What are we going as? Rent boys?" Joxer asked; nothing looked like it could possibly fit. He was SO not letting Strife pick next year.
"No, we’re going for the ‘Cyber Clubbing’ look. Rent boys, hehe that’s good. Maybe we should tell Aunt H-"
"No way! You tell her that and I’ll claim that I thought we were going as Holmes and Watson." Joxer interrupted to inform his friend.
"Wuss." taunted Strife, butting their shoulders together.
"Ha! I’ve seen Hera chase you around with that wooden spoon." Joxer shoved Strife back.
"Whatever. Here, these are yours: pants, shirt, accessories. Wear your black hiking boots."
"What’s this?" Joxer held up a scrap of blue.
"Thong."
"Thong, oh no I’m not wearing this. I’ve got underwear." Joxer shoved the thing at Strife.
Strife pushed it back to Joxer "Yes you are. Your boxers won’t fit underneath."
"Fine! Then I won’t wear anything." He threw the offending garment at his dresser. Strife just snickered.
Ares was finally starting to relax. Not a big party person, he had been less than thrilled that his flight home had been so late. His leave had started the day before but he couldn’t get home till today. Worse, there were guests all ready gathering when he arrived. He’d barely had the chance to say hi to Mom before she was shooing him up the stairs to shower and change. Lucky for him he remembered to pack a costume or he was sure Hera would have been after him with her wooden spoon, guests or no.
Ares was dressed as that monster hunter... Van Helsing, great character -hot actor-. He settled his hat lower and stopped at the trio of steps down into the den. Ares’ gaze slid across the guests trying to match costumed creations with formal names. Some he recognized, others were new. A chuckle escaped at the sight of his cousin Strife teasing some spinster aunt or another wearing something that looked like it involved a lot of safety-pins. Ares shook his head at that. Strife has always had a thing for sharp pointy objects.
Ares gaze caught on the sight of a gorgeous -bitable- ass encased in blue pleather. With a predatory grin and a twitch of his duster Ares stalked through the guests and toward his -prey- objective. He had to see if this guy looked as good from the front as the back.
Joxer couldn’t believe he let Strife talk him into wearing this. He had finally conceded to wearing the thong and skinned into a pair of electric blue pleather pants. They were tight and cut so low his hip bones peaked out. The shirt was black and sleeveless with a mandarin collar. The bottom fell just short of the top of his pants leaving his stomach to peek out when he moved around. The only redeeming thing about it in Joxer’s opinion was the Chinese dragon embroidered in metallic blue on the front.
Strife had gone all out with accessories too. He had bands of some stretchy black material, with scales stitched in blue ‘bout the center, wrapped around his upper arms, plain black leather cuffs for his wrists and a pair of blue lensed sunglasses that Joxer was sure belonged to Xena. The most bizarre -inventive- part of the costume were the pieces of plastic reminiscent of cyborg electronics that looked like they had been pirated from either a Lego set or model kit, maybe both, stuck to his temples and neck with some sort of glue.
Joxer couldn’t remember last year’s costume getting this kind of reaction. Then again there were a lot more people here. Xena had invited her whole sorority and some of the frat boys. It made for a much rowdier party. He’d had to flee from the ballroom earlier. Between Gabby -spiteful hag- and a groping frat boy, Joxer had been *way* too uncomfortable. So he had retreated -run away- to find Strife. Too bad Strife was busy trying to scandalize his relatives ’cause Joxer had reached that point of boredom where he was willing to brave the skanky frat boy to find something entertaining.
Joxer turned from setting his empty glass on the sideboard to see a stunning figure cut it’s way around the chatting guests. The man was broad and moved with a powerful stride and single-minded intent and appeared to be coming his way. Joxer was tempted to turn and see who was behind him, ’cause there was no way this focus was for him. Unless he’d pissed someone off. Joxer tried to remember if he had done anything lately to warrant trouble. Maybe this guy was frat boy’s lover? Oh crap, just his luck to piss off Mr. Big and Butch -and was it really wrong and twisted to be turned on by that?- not that he was afraid of getting hurt, Hera wouldn‘t stand for fighting, but he didn‘t need anymore hassle tonight. *sigh* -Should have just stayed home.-
Standing his ground and hoping he was wrong the brown eyed boy fiddled with his cuffs as the man in the duster drew near. Joxer’s heart leapt when the stranger pulled his embroidered facemask down. It was Ares! He’d been hoping to see him all night but he and Strife had just missed his arrival home. Oh wow! Ares looked different then he remembered. The Ares of his memories was leaner and still a bit baby-faced. This Ares was built. He had powerful looking thighs and thick biceps and no fat in evidence anywhere. And he’d better quit looking at all the places Ares had notable bulges before he did something embarrassing... like drool.
As Ares got closer to the guy who had caught his eye he realized there was something familiar about him. He stopped in front of the younger man and slowly slid his gaze up taking in the swimmers build and the flash of hip bone that begged for his hand to cup *right* there. "Ares! It’s Joxer! Oh man is it good to see you! How have been, are..." the brunette teen threw his arms around Ares shoulder and back startling the older man. Reacting without thinking, his hands went around the teen’s waist holding him closer. Noting the warm play of muscles even as he struggled to keep up with the spill of words. Their meaning sinking in he struggled to connect the vision in his arms with his memories of Joxer.
Before he could do more than marvel at how the boy had grown up -stunningly sexy-, dinner was announced and Joxer was dragging him off to where the buffet had been set up, still chattering away, oblivious to the silence of the stunned man following dazedly behind.
They had taken plates of food out to the enclosed deck, sitting in the light of paper lanterns to eat. Both enjoying the cooler air and muted light. Ares had insisted Joxer wear his duster to keep from getting too chilled. The teen had smiled widely at the gesture and slid into it, reveling in the scent of the older man and the feel of the leather against his skin warmed from the heat of Ares’ body.
While they ate, the soldier tried to ignore his attraction to the dark haired teen but his restraint couldn’t hold against Joxer’s shy flirtations. He had hoped to mask the temptation, hiding it beneath the folds of his duster, but Ares had not been ready for the swell of possessiveness at the sight of him like a shining innocent begging to be debauched.
Plates cleaned, they moved to rejoin the festivities going on inside, walking so close they brushed against each other. The contact was like a constant tease, driving Ares mad with caged passion. The teen pushed his sunglasses up to the top of his head and turned warm brown eyes to Ares. He sent the older man a seductive look that broke the last of Ares’ resolve.
He pushed Joxer into the alcove beneath the stairs pressing his larger body in to the slim frame, trapping it between him and the wall. So ready to take what was being offered, desire raging hot through his blood but something, maybe a part of him that remembered the boy from long ago, tapped at his conscience. He couldn’t pull back, didn’t have the will to let go, but he had to ask. Had to be sure.
Ares leaned down to nuzzle behind Joxer’s ear, pulling the smaller man tighter to him. "How old are you lovely? Hmmm, you’re the same age as Strife right, eighteen?" Joxer had a hard time focusing on the questions those sinful lips were speaking into his skin. He struggled to get his mind and mouth to work together, to give some response other than a hitching moan. "NnnO. My Birthday *unnn* end of April. I’ll be then."
Joxer felt teeth tighten on his ear before they released the lobe they had been nibbling. Ares took a shuddering breath and slid a hand down Joxer’s leg and gently pushed it away from where it had hooked around his hip. He tried to take a step back but didn’t get far with Joxer’s hands still fisted in his shirt. The teen looked at him in confusion "Ares?" He didn’t understand why he had stopped. Hadn’t Ares been enjoying it? Had he done something wrong? "Did I... are you ... What’s wrong?" Insecurity making Joxer’s voice crack.
Ares had his eyes closed and his hands kept fisting and relaxing as if he were trying to keep himself from reaching out. Joxer tried smoothing his hand down the soldier’s cheek but Ares jerked back from his touch. Ares wouldn’t answer him and Joxer was starting to freak out. If the other man didn’t speak soon he might cry.
"Don’t Jox, not right now. I -- god! I’m sorry we can’t do this. Fuck!" Ares opened his eyes to see a tearful Joxer shrink back into the corner away from him. "No, no shhh Joxer. It’s just that your *Seventeen*, not even *legal* and I’m eight years older than you. I’m in the army, hell I plan on re-upping in a few months. Not that I don’t want you. *Fuck*, I want you. I practically took you against the wall. Under the stairs in my *parents’* house in the middle of a party." Ares ran his hands down Joxer’s arms trying to calm the younger man. Calm himself back from the urge to press Jox into the wall and plunder his mouth again. "I just can’t do this. I won’t take advantage like that."
"Take advantage? You wouldn’t be... don’t treat me like a child all of a sudden. Is that what you think I am Ares? A child? I can’t make up my own mind?" Joxer shoved at Ares, hurt and upset.
"No. I think you’re a gorgeous young man that’s too sexy for his own good. That deserves so much better than a quick shag under a stairwell for his first time." He lifted a hand to caress Joxer’s cheek, wiping away a stray tear. "That could do so much better than some S.O.B/ home on leave. I let myself get carried away Jox, but it would tear me up if we did this and you regretted it come morning."
"And what if I wanted this, wanted you to be the first?"
"You don‘t even know me."
"Then let me get to know you, after I’m eighteen-"
"After you’re eighteen, if you still want me, then it’ll happen. You’ll be an adult, and no one can say anything, not even me. I won’t turn you down, ask me again then Joxer, I’ll say yes." Ares slowly leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on Joxer’s lips. "If you want to know me then let’s go talk. We’ll learn about each other, it might turn out we have nothing in common and can’t stand each other for more than an hour. Then this will all be moot anyway."
Joxer nodded yes though he didn’t think that was likely to happen and let himself be pulled from the shadowed alcove. He’d show Ares he could be mature and accept his request. He was capable of as much restraint as the older man. Besides, Joxer had truly missed him all these years and looked forward to spending time with him.
It was almost midnight and Ares had spent the whole night, over three hours, talking to Joxer. Longer than he had spent talking to anyone save Than, his best friend since high school. The young man enthralled Ares. Joxer was just so full of life; he talked endlessly about everything. Sharing his opinion, regaling Ares with stories of him and Strife. Sharing his dreams.
They had made their way from downstairs amidst the partygoers and seasonal music to the quiet upstairs hall. They had started out sitting at opposite ends of the window seat, watching the stars and occasional fireworks. But as the night wore on, they moved and shifted ’til Ares was leaning against the side wall, one leg on the seat, knee pressed to the window, and Joxer nestled back against him, his arms wrapped tight around the pale teen.
They had decided to spend as much time together as they could before Ares’ leave was up, and to write to each other after. It wasn’t going to be easy, but both were determined to make a go of it. There was a connection between them that seem to sizzle beneath the skin. The hot instant attraction had become more, something binding, soul deep and forever. If they could just hold on to it.
~* Shift forward to the last weekend of April *~
The Cross Fandom Scifi/Fantasy Con would last Friday through Sunday. They had left Thursday evening and would fly back Monday after a day of sightseeing. Strife and Joxer had been looking forward to it since summer. Their first con, their first trip as adults, the first trip to another country-not that Toronto, Canada was much of a trip from New Castle, PA, but still an adventure.
There had been an introductory presentation and luncheon earlier, and then they had hit the sellers’ booths. Each had spent a good chunk of their money on fanzines, art, t-shirts and other neat things. After dinner and a quick nap Strife decided he wanted to go to the party but didn’t want to go by himself. "Come on, let’s go. We can laugh at people’s costumes, dance a bit, maybe get felt up by some fanboys." Joxer had laughed and refused. Undeterred, Strife whined ‘til Joxer agreed to go to the cosplay/karaoke/dance thing they were holding downstairs.
Joxer had tried to argue that he didn’t have anything either dance-ish or cosplay-ish to wear. Strife -bastard- had packed the costumes from new years. Left without excuse, Joxer had folded and once again skinned into those blasted pleather pants but refused to put on the cyborg bits. The damn glue had been too hard to get off last time.
Joxer was standing near the side of the room out of the crush of costumed bodies, chugging a bottle of water. He had left the dancing throng to get a drink and lost track of his cousin. He tossed the empty bottle and was just contemplating trying to find Strife again when he felt large hands grip his hips and a warm body step into his personal space. Joxer tensed as he felt some kind of heavy material -leather?- brush against his back as the person bent their head down. "You look good babe." Joxer let out a shuddering gasp at the familiar voice. Still tense, hardly believing that the man behind him was real and not just a wistful fantasy, "Ares?" Joxer breathed.
"Turn around and see." The voice tinged with affection urged, hands nudging at the hips they held but not letting go. Slowly, Joxer turned around in Ares’ arms, his hands coming to rest on the wide chest as their eyes met. A myriad of emotions swirled through him, shock and confusion at the forefront. "How did you? What are you doing here? Not that I’m not excited that you are, in all your sexy Helsing glory but I don’t understand?" Joxer asked eyes begging for an explanation.
"I decided to take a friend of mine up on an offer." Ares smiled down at his hopefully soon to be lover. "Instead of re-upping" he clarified lips brushing Joxer's, unable to resist that luscious mouth. One kiss turned to three and Ares’ hand slid from Joxer’s hip to his tempting ass, the other stole up briefly under the teen’s shirt before continuing up to twine in that riot of dark hair tilting his head to deepen the kiss.
They finally broke apart panting, Joxer dropped his head to a broad shoulder, turning his face to nuzzle Ares’ neck, breathing in the scent of the older man. The bigger man ran his fingers through the teen’s hair, glancing around, he growled possessively. They had started to gather stares. "Let’s get out of here. Come up to my room with me?" Ares pulled back waiting for Joxer’s response.
"Yeah. Alright, but I have to find Strife first. Don’t want him to worry."
"No worries Joxer. He knows I’m here. Look." He pointed to the side where Strife was watching them over the shoulder of a shirtless tanned fanboy. He kissed Joxer’s forehead taking his hand and leading him out to the elevators. Ares kept his arm around him the whole time they waited for the elevator, and on the ride up. Unwilling to let him go after so long. When they reached the right floor, he once again twined their fingers together to lead the way to his room.
Ares opened the door and ushered Joxer in ahead of him, making sure the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign was out. The younger man sat on the bed having already kicked off his shoes and socks. Throwing aside his duster and laying down on the other side of the bed, Ares turned to face him. "What exactly did you mean before, about your friend’s offer?" Joxer asked settling down on his side as well.
"My old friend Than is taking over his dad’s security business. He wants me to come on as a consultant. Its only part time but it’s not like I have to work. It’ll give me something to do while my lover is at school." Ares teased. "I decided that I wouldn’t mind settling down if I had someone to share it with." He rolled over, trapping Joxer beneath him. Leaning down, Ares rumbled deep and warm in his ear "What do you say?" His voice was light, but he had a serious look on his face as he waited, almost holding his breath for an answer.
"Yes. Oh yes." Joxer had tears in his eyes, overwhelmed with happiness. He reached up and pulled Ares to him their lips meeting in fervent kisses. The older man licked a trailed along his jaw and nipped at his lobe. "Wanted this so long. Going to have you. Open you up slow, be so gentle when I slide into you. But not the first time, the first time is going to be rutting, quick and messy. Skin on skin, take the edge off. Cause later I want to taste you all over. Leave a mark right here for every one to see." Ares bit into the cord of muscle on his neck above where a collar would cover. "And one here on your hip. Love your hip bones. Drive me wild in these pants." He shoved himself up, rearing back to pull off his clothes.
When Joxer sat up to take off his shirt, Ares stopped him pulling it up and tossing it aside himself. Sliding his hands down the tender skin on the inside of the teen’s arms before he could lower them continuing the caress across his shoulders and down his chest, pushing gently to get him to lie back down. Fingertips tracing lines and swirls as they moved down his abdomen. The bigger man moved to settle farther down on Joxer’s legs, bending forward to nip at Joxer’s navel, fucking it with his tongue.
He popped the snap on his pants and pulled the zipper down, nuzzling the sides apart to kiss the skin beneath. He urged the pale man to raise his hips and drug the pleather down smooth thighs and tossed them over the side of the bed. He mouthed a wet kiss on the join of hip and thigh, a promise to explore later. Rubbing his cheek up Joxer’s erection, tongue flicking out to taste a drop of pre-cum, savoring the flavor of his beloved. More wet kisses up his belly and a hard suck to one nipple before latching his mouth back on Joxer’s. Ares settled his body on top of his lover’s, rocking against him.
The teen arched up moaning at the sensation. He wasn’t going to last long. Couldn’t with Ares moving against him like that. Talking so seductively in his ear, his voice sending shivers down his spine as it painted visions, promises of the future. His breath was coming faster and he was whimpering and moaning almost constantly. Ares’ growling voice was panting endearments, peppered with curses.
They moved faster against one another, skin slicked with sweat. Straining against one anothers hands, grasping and sliding along backs and sides. Joxer shuddered, his orgasm building, and came with a shout. "Ares!" The older man thrust once, twice more and came gasping.
After their breathing slowed back down, Ares cleaned them off with a corner of the sheet and snuggled the younger man into his side. "Mine. My beloved." Joxer shuddered at Ares’ words. He didn’t know if they’d have happily ever after, but this was a good start.
-END-
Re-upping (reenlisting) is when you sign on for another term in the Army. (Info courtesy of the most wonderful Ed Becerra. *Hugs Ed* ^__^ )
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