A GATHERING OF GATHERINGS

Danny Harbison

(Please read author's note for a request.)

Pairing: OMC/OMC SUPERHERO

PG-NC17

CRIT: If this means critique, then yes. Please

Archive: Fine with me.

I would like feedback.

E-mail address for feedback:: cobalt-blue@rockemail.com

Other websites: none yet

Disclaimers: This is my own stuff. I do own it. It deals with gay love/romance and sex. If you don't like that, don't read it. If you live in a state or region where reading this illegal: Leave and come back after you've helped change those kind of repressive laws.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like feedback though. Mainly on whether there is enough information in these first few pages to catch the reader's attention. Also I'd like to see what kind of information about the world you might be able to glean from these pages. In other words: I want to know if I'm accomplishing what I've set out to do.

SUMMARY: A super hero team find it's the US's last best hope for survival against an evil incarnation of the UN. Two old teammates finally get together. A story about individuals verses the group.
 

A GATHERING OF GATHERINGS

By Danny Harbison

Seth answered the door, a large mixing bowl of potato salad in his arms. "Hey little bro," Sara kissed him on the cheek, and came in, her son, Lee in tow. Behind them, Robbie was carrying a huge watermelon.

"Put it on the table," Seth nodded toward the table ladened with barbeque supplies. "Everybody's out back, and Dusty's having a ball at the grill." He looked down at his six year old nephew, "Hiya, Lee." Whatcha' got there?"

The dark haired little boy looked up at his uncle with serious eyes and held out the toy he was carrying, "It's Feral!"

Sarah was blushing a deep red, "Don't look at me. Robbie gave it to him. I'm still trying to figure out why he has it."

"Because they just re-released the whole series of action figures, and I figured Lee would like to have the complete collection." He winked at Seth, "Feral just happens to be his favorite."

Seth laughed and nodded his head, "Feral's one of my favorite too."

Looking down at the little boy, he told him, "The rest of the kids are out at the pool. You did bring your swim trunks didn't you."

"Uh huh," the boy nodded, and ran toward the back door.

Seth turned to Robbie, and tried to keep the worry from his voice, "When did they re-issue the Academy action figures?"

"They hit the market this morning." He smiled, "I've had this one on special order for two weeks." He smiled wickedly, "every boy should have their own action figure of their mommy." Robbie's demeanor changed, "Why? What's wrong?"

Seth just shook his head sighed, "I'm just worried, that with everything going on right now, it might remind the UN that we exist. They might come looking for us now." The two men returned to the kitchen where Seth continued with the barbeque preparations.

"I think it might just be somebody trying to recapture some of the old glory," Robbie told him, "After all, whether the President wants to admit it or not, there's nobody out there who can stand up to the UN Team anymore." Putting the watermelon down he continued, "To be honest, I think that most people think we're not around any more."

He smiled and teased Seth, "that is except for Moonwind- everybody remembers him from his days with ParaForce-1. The rest of us have just faded into obscurity."

Seth couldn't force a smile this time, "I know. Sometimes I worry that I might end up leading UN to you guys." He didn't tell his old friend that he'd been having nightmares about what had happened to ParaForce-1. The past few nights they'd expanded to include his old friends from the Academy. He really didn't think it would be long before the US found itself at war with the rest of the world for not turning it's parahumans over to the International Parahuman Resource Registry."

"Did you register when you left ParaForce-1?" Robbie asked.

Seth shook his head and then looked around for any of the half-dozen
of his friends' children, "Hell no."

"Then you aren't going to lead them to us." Robbie replied, "That is unless, you go out and announce who you and we are." He gave him a sly smile, "You didn't do that did you?"

Seth threw a potholder at him. "Okay, enough worries. Today is not for worries."

"Right," Robbie told. "We're here to celebrate that fact that you and Dusty have finally got this monstrosity you call a house built." He threw the potholder back, "So when are you and he going to start trying to fill up all those bedrooms?"

"That's what we've got you guys for," He handed Robbie a plate of steaks, "We get to be the favorite uncles who spoil your kids. You guys get to change the dirty diapers."

"Nah, haven't you heard the latest?" Robbie took the plate out the door.

Following him onto the patio to join the other six adults Seth asked, "Heard what?"

"I don't know about the state-run adoption agencies, but the one the firm I work for deals with has had an upswing of same-sex adoptions.

With all the chaos going on in the world, I guess the courts are finally deciding that a loving family taking care of a child, even if it is same-sex, is better than no family at all."

"What? Are you guys thinking about adopting?" Tabitha asked.

Seth shook his head, "No. I think Robbie's trying to drum up some business, though."

"Hey, we've got some very special needs kids that need families," Robbie said, as he picked up Lee. "Little guys who really need mommies and daddies and mommies and mommies, and even daddies and daddies that can meet the challenge of raising them."

Dusty wrapped his strong arms around Seth from behind and pulled him close, "Right now, Seth and I would rather play uncle than daddy," his lover repeated Seth's earlier comment.

"Just thought I'd mention it," Robbie said, putting Lee down.

"So, you two finally finished with the house?" Lionel, asked, trying to change the subject. "No more disappearing for whole weekends at a time?"

Dustin grinned, "I can't guarantee that, Lionel." He chuckled and squeezed Seth tighter, "Just, we won't be building the house."

Everyone chuckled and the darker mood was broken. "Tell me something Dusty," Miguelena shooed her and Richard's oldest daughter back toward the sandbox.

Dusty raised an eyebrow, "what?"

"When did it start?" She indicated Seth setting up the table, "Seth won't give us any details. When did you two really start seeing each other?"

Seth watched as his lover seemed to consider the question. Finally, Dusty answered, "I guess it was at Tabitha's mom's wedding."

"Don't you mean Tabitha's wedding," Sarah said indicating their Asian friend.

Dustin smiled and laughed aloud, "No. Tabitha was just the one taking the vows. That wedding belonged completely and wholly to her mom. That woman could single-handedly run a small country."

"My mother does run a small country. It's called my family, just ask Lionel," Tabitha told them.

"Okay, let's just say when Tabitha and Lionel got married." He picked up the plate of steaks and put them on the grill.

Mouthwatering smells wafting through the air as he continued, "You know, we were all sitting around and wondering if Seth was even going to make it in for the wedding."

"Hey, I made it. I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Seth told him defensively.

"Yeah, but we didn't know that. You hadn't really been in touch with anyone for over four years." He looked over to see if the children were listening, "That was while you were still off being Moonwind on ParaForce-1. We didn't even know if you'd gotten the invitation. At the time Tabitha's dad was just sitting around with this dumb smile on his face and didn't say anything to anybody." Actually, it had been right after Seth had tendered his resignation to the team. He had asked that the team delay the announcement of his resignation for a few days. He didn't want anything to take away from his two old Academy friends' wedding.

"That wasn't a dumb smile," Lionel interjected, "That was pain. He was starting to get the bills."

FIVE YEARS AGO

Dustin opened the door to allow Lionel to escape while Robbie and Richard distracted the girls. Dustin couldn't help but think to himself, "how in the world do I get myself into these things?"

"Well, look what the cat drug in," Lionel said in surprise.

"No, my sister hasn't drug me anywhere in a long time," a voice Dustin hadn't heard in over four years said.

"Seth!" There was a roar of excitement at the sudden appearance of their old Academy friend. Forgetting himself for a moment, Dustin too pulled the smaller man into a hug. Smaller really wasn't the word for it. Seth had never been big, but even as an adult, it seemed like he was still waiting for that proverbial final growth spurt.

"Woah there big guy!" Seth told him. "I need those ribs."

"Ah they'll heal," he replied.

"Yo! Bro!" Sarah called from the door. "Glad you could make it." Dustin turned to see Sarah standing in the door. "Forgotten how to write? How to use a phone?" There was a half threat to her voice and Dustin realized that his friend had failed to stay in touch with even his sister.

"I know how to write," he smiled. "But wasn't sure you could read."

She threw a diaper at him. Dustin thought it had been considerate of her not to use a dirty one.

He watched as the small blond rushed forward and swept his much larger sister into a hug. "It's good to see you, sis." Dusty couldn't help but notice that the man seemed much more sure of himself. He guessed four years on ParaForce-1 had helped him find his way in the world. He felt a twinge of jealousy for whomever had been able to finish what he'd started. "Now' where's that nephew of mine?"

Dusty saw a look of surprise cross Sarah's face, and realized that although Seth had not been in touch, he'd at least kept up with family news. Maybe he knew something the others didn't- like the identity of the baby's father. "He's inside bird-brain," she told him. "And who told you?"

Seth just smiled, "Mom never could keep a secret."

The two left the room talking. For the millionth and a half time, Dustin wondered at what quirk of genetics had created such opposite looking twins. Dustin- with his tiny frame, blond hair and blue eyes contrasted his sister's more traditional Native American appearance with dark hair and eyes. The two could never be mistaken for being the twins that they are. Nor could the bond they shared as siblings be mistaken for anything else.

Ten minutes later though, Seth was being pushed out the front door by that very same twin along side the rest of the men. "This is a hen's only night, bro," she'd told him. "You go out with Lionel and the boys, and entertain him on his last night of freedom, while we girls give Tabitha a good washing down." Dustin got the distinct feeling that on both sides, the most washing that was going to happen was of the internal variety, and it would involve large quantities of alcohol.

Dustin watched as Seth glanced over at the other four men and seemed to blush. For just a moment his and Seth's eyes held each other and Dustin felt something old and familiar stir inside him. "Very well, sister dear," there was a playful threat to Seth's voice, "but don't come to me looking for a hangover cure tomorrow. I know what that cheap rum you like so much does to your rather sensitive noggin."

"Ah, no cheap rum for me tonight. I'm the designated driver," she gave him a wicked look, "You know, breast feeding mommies and all."

Seth closed the door behind himself and shook his head at Dustin, `THAT was an image I did NOT need."

"Think that one is bad, try walking in on her," Dustin told him.

Seth grinned up at him, "what you two been playing I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours again?" The smaller man reminded him of the prepubescent games the three played many years, and a lifetime ago.

"Not quite. She lived with me for a little while when she first got back from where ever it was she disappeared to." Dustin told him.

"Oh?" Dustin could hear the unasked question in his old friend's voice.

"She and the baby needed a place to stay and I had the extra room.

Everybody else was living in apartments. I bought the old Cooper place." Dustin told him, trying to head off any misunderstandings. "She didn't want to live with your folks, and I had room."

Seth and just like old times, took his place at shotgun in Dustin's `vette. "So where we taking Lionel?"

"The one place in town where if our mothers knew we were going, even today they'd turn us over their knees," Dusting told him. "The Purple Pirate."

"God," Seth said in surprise. "That place still open?"

Dustin nodded, "Yeah, Richie and Robbie want to buy him a lap dance.

They want to find out just how faithful to Tabitha he really is."

Seth just shook his head. "I know, I know. They haven't quite figured out the obvious yet. Lionel and Robbie did the same thing to Richie when he and Miguelana got married- and they'll probably do the same thing to Robbie when he gets married. It's sort of a payback thing."

Two hours later, Dustin found himself sitting alone at a table with Seth. The other three were engaged in a drinking contest that Dustin just didn't feel like joining. Funneling beer was not his idea of a fun way to spend the night. It wasn't even a fun way to spend the night even when he was in college. "So how long did you get leave for?" he asked Seth.

The smaller man just smiled for a moment then laughed as he leaned back in his chair, "Permanent."

"You quit the team?" he asked. "Why?"

Seth shrugged, "I got tired of the politician trying to tell me how to do my job," he shook his head. "Besides, there was one part of my contract that they were insisting on renegotiations and I'm not negotiating."

"Good for you," Dustin told him. "Those are your inventions, not theirs."

"Anyway," Seth leaned forward, "The administration was going out of its way to make life difficult for us. Our esteemed President has always made clear his disdain for anything military." Dustin heard Seth mutter under his breath, "that draft-dodging son of a snake."

"So what are you going to do now?" Dustin asked.

"I don't know yet. I've had a few offers to do some serious research here in San Medilla." Seth replied. "Really, I don't have any plans for right away, except catch up with old friends." He looked over at the other three- Robbie and Richie pouring Coors into a funnel leading to Lionel's mouth. "Let's see, Lionel and Tabitha are finally tying the knot, and Richie and Miguelana ran off and eloped last year." He smiled, "I half-way suspect Robbie is already considering asking Sarah out again." Leaning forward he put his beer down, "so that leaves you. Anybody special in your life?"

"No, not right now," Dustin had told Seth. "Life's been pretty empty the last few years on that front." He shook his head, "Just can't find anybody I'm really that interested in." Turning the tables on Seth, he asked anxiously, "How `bout you? Anybody caught your eye in DC?"

Seth had smiled ruefully, "I thought so for a while." He shook his head and took another sip of his beer, "but it didn't work out. He and I were just different." Dustin could see the wait in Seth's eyes. He knew Seth was expecting some kind of recrimination for revealing his not-so-secret secret.

Dustin drained his beer and smiled, "Well since you're not attached, how about dinner tomorrow night after we get him safely married off," he thumbed toward Lionel.

He watched the surprise race across Seth's face, "You asking me out on a date?"

"No, I'm asking you to come play GI Joe," Dustin replied sarcastically. "What do you think?"

Seth laughed, "Wasn't sure. Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't getting any wrong signals." He gave Dustin a wicked look, "Besides, I've still got my GI Joes. Shipwreck's still in his original packaging."

"Well, I got mine too," Dustin told him. "But I also went out and bought the bigger and better versions."

"Bigger and better versions?"

"Yeah, the anatomically correct ones," Dustin told him blushing.

Dustin let his voice go serious, "So, did you know in high school?"

"Know what?" Seth asked him.

"That you were gay?"

Seth nodded his head. "You wouldn't believe how horrible it was."

"It couldn't have been that bad," Dustin teased him.

"Wanna' bet. You ever noticed Robbie and Richie's butts in spandex?" Dustin told him.

As a matter of the fact he had. He'd never told anyone before though, "Oh yeah man."

"Well, toss in showers after practice and it was everything I could do to avoid staring."

Both men laughed, and something passed between them. Dustin blushed deeply, "Theirs wasn't the only butts I noticed at the Academy too," He ordered another beer.

"Yeah, Lionel was real beef-cake material," Seth told him.

"Wasn't talking about Lionel, Rabbit," Dustin told him using the old nickname that he'd used since they were in elementary school. "You managed star in quite a few of those teenage fantasies."

Dustin watched Seth turn several shades of red, his usually light skin showing the deep embarrassment. "Well, I guess you realize you've starred in more than a few of mine as well. Then again, Mr. All-American-Boy starred in the fantasies of most of the girls at school too, so I'm guessing you're pretty used to that idea."

"Oh please," Dustin told him. "I was never fantasy material."

Seth raised an eyebrow and upped the ante, "Oh yes you were. Right after you got your Challenger uniform, I must have gone through a bottle of hand lotion in a week."

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: 2nd WEEK OF FRESHMAN YEAR AT THE ACADEMY

Seth stood meekly between Sarah and Dustin, hoping not to be noticed by the others. Everyone else on the team towered over him like giants- even petit little Tabitha Nokamura was taller than he was. On the dais before them stood Dr. Green- headmaster of the Academy and their taskmaster. "You eight represent this year's beginning class of parahumans. Ahead of you is four years of hard work and instruction. You will be given one of the finest educations in the world alongside intense training in the use of your parahuman abilities." Seth found himself caught up in the enthusiasm she obviously had for her job.

The Stryker/Norris Academy for Advanced Academic Studies was known throughout the world as one of the finest private secondary schools that money could buy. What was not known to the general-public however, was that the school also took on a small number of parahuman students with each class and trained them in the use of their unusual abilities. Ironically, this year's class was entirely from the local population of San Medilla. The woman continued, "When you graduate you will walk out of this school with the academic credentials to qualify you for entrance into any institution of higher learning in the world. You will have a level of skill and understanding of the use of your powers, both individually and as a group to qualify you for both the US National Para Team, or any of the numerous Corporate teams across the country." She let her eyes slowly meet each of the students. It did not escape Seth's attention that she missed him in her sweep. "Any questions?"

"And if we don't want to go on to ParaForce-1 or any of the corporate teams?" Tabitha had asked.

"Then you will have the academic background to go into what ever field of study you should desire." Dr. Green came off dais, "Don't misunderstand me. This is not parahuman high, and we're not some exclusive private school in upstate New York, catering to only to those with powers. We want you to be able to choose any life path you might want. Mainly we don't want you to become a slave to the gene that sets you apart from general population."

"So that's why, for the next four years, you're going to put us spandex?" Lionel had asked.

"Part of your training will involve a certain amount of contact with the public. The spandex, as you call it, is a way of protecting the identities of not only yourselves, but that of your classmates as well. It also helps protect the school from too many prying eyes."

She casually walked over toward the table where several large boxes were stacked neatly. "For your first few months you will wear the standard uniform of a first year class. As your control develops, and your own understanding of who and what you are becoming is clearer, you will be able to modify your costumes to fit your own tastes." She took a second to look over to her assistant as if considering an inside joke, "within the boundaries of acceptable dress for young ladies and men."

She gave each student a box, with the codename they'd chosen on it. "You have twenty minutes to change and be back here. She indicated the direction of the locker rooms, "Boys through there," then pointing to the opposite side of the room, "girls over there."

As they turned to leave she called out, "Oh, Seth and Sarah,"

Seth turned to face the woman, "Yes, ma'am."

"I want you out here in full costume. I know you've spent a great deal of energy hiding the physical manifestations of your powers.

However, during these training sessions, I want you to grow accustomed to those manifestations."

"Yes, ma'am," he and his twin replied simultaneously.

*
Ten minutes later, he found himself in the locker room with four other well-developed young men, in various stages of undress.

Fighting to keep his eyes down, and not be noticed by his teammates he pulled on the black and gray costume. "Whoa there, check out half-pint over there," one of the two brothers, Robbie or Richie -he couldn't tell the apart yet- said. He wondered at what twist of fate had put two sets of twins on the team.

Seth felt himself turning bright red as every eye in the room turned to him. "Man, what a waste," the other of the two twins had said. "It's not like he'll ever get a chance to use that thing."

Seth turned his back to the group to hide the tears that were threatening to well up in his eyes. "Shut up you assholes," he heard Dustin's voice behind them.

"Just because he's got more down there than you two got combined, doesn't give you the right to pick on him. Remember, he's on our team too. One day he might save your lives," he Lionel say.

"Hey we're just having some fun, we didn't mean anything," one of the twins said. "It's just he's so small otherwise. It looks freakish."

"You don't know freakish," Seth said under his breath fighting back tears. That last comment had cut right to how he'd been feeling lately. How different he felt from the other kids at the Academy.

"Leave him alone," Dustin said, stressing each word separately.

"Just take it for a fact that some of us developed differently that you two." Lionel said.

""It's all right Lionel," Seth told them as he turned around. He relaxed the part of him that kept his more prominent features out of sight. He felt a sense of relief- both physical and psychological- as his wings grew and unfurled from his back and ankles. "Their bedroom attributes isn't the only place they are lacking," he walked out of the locker-room hiding the hurt he felt beneath a veneer of apathy.

(3)

PRESENT DAY

Dustin set the last of the steaks on the table and sat next to Seth. Looking around the yard where the children of his friends were playing and eating, he felt a long missing sense of contentment. Something deep inside him though knew that it was going to be short lived. There was too much going on the world, and he knew it was only a matter of time before the UN decided to come after them. Someone was going to have to do something, and he had a bad feeling about who it was going to have to be. Next to him, Seth's sister asked, "So, when are you two going to take that trip to Vermont?"

Dustin felt himself blush, "We'll get around to it," he replied.

She waved a fork at him, "Just make sure that you do. It's about time you made an honest man outta' my brother." Lately Sarah had been really pressing him with making his and Seth's relationship official- or at least as official as it could be.

"Did you ever stop to think that I may not want to be an honest man?" Seth asked.

Sarah shook her head, "Doesn't matter Rabbit. You need to be legal. If for no other reason, to make sure that if anything happens to Dustin the force can't shut you out."

"Can we talk about something else," Dustin asked. "Nothing personal, but this is supposed to be a celebration, not a discussion of my benefits on the police force."

Sarah blushed with embarrassment, "Sorry, I guess that was kind of a downer wasn't it."

"Not a problem sis. We'll get around to it eventually." Seth told her.

"So what are you two planning for the summer?" Richie asked.

"Don't know yet," Dustin could hear Seth trying to keep his voice neutral, "I might take a trip to DC."

"What for?" Tabitha asked, an underlying concern in her voice.

"I've been asked to speak to a Special Presidential Commission on how to deal with the UN situation," Seth told her.

"Since when did you become an expert in dealing with international affairs?" Robbie asked.

Seth shook his head, "My part has nothing to do with politics."

"You'll be in Washington, every thing there has to do with politics," Sarah told him sarcastically.

"You're right," Seth smiled and looked around. Dustin could tell that he was making sure there were no children to hear. "But they want my input on how long it would take to rebuild ParaForce-1."

"You mean if you could find enough paras willing to stick their necks out to get them chopped off by the UN?" Lionel's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I don't think they're going to have choice. I think that this country has become the last stand for parahuman rights. If the US capitulates, then I'm afraid our rights will be the just the first lost. The UN has made it clear, that it doesn't like the concept of our Constitution." He shook his head, "It's become a question of individual rights over group rights. According to the UN, the individual's rights have to take second place to the group."

"No, that's not what I'm talking about," Lionel said. "What I mean is that the paras out there that want to help, can't because some little non-para shrink who knows nothing about the stresses of being a para says we're unstable." He smiled and cut into his steak, "that would like me telling you that you can't be a physicist because I don't understand what the job is." He shoved the piece of steak in his mouth and began to chew. Smiling at Dustin he said, "Good piece of meat."

"Don't tell me you're still bitter after all these years about us not making the national team?" Robbie asked.

"Not bitter. It's just that that one psyche profile has followed me to every interview for any team I've ever applied for." Lionel told him. "Because I'm not on a national or corporate team, they won't give me a new one to find out if the first one was wrong."

Dustin watched Seth shake his head, "At the risk of getting slammed through the back gate here, Lionel. You ever thought that maybe it wasn't wrong?"

"Right or wrong, shouldn't I get the chance to try? Should one person keep me from helping out?"

Seth shook his head, "That's not what I mean. Look at us, we're sitting here doing exactly what that shrink said we would." He indicated his friends, "Ten years after graduation we're still together. We've paired off inside our group, and probably would have trouble with anybody from the outside trying to get in. We really don't play well with others. At least not deep down."

"When you've gone through what we did together, then being tight is something unavoidable. It's not every Academy class that went to Hell and back- literally- and survived." Robbie reminded them of the one mission that changed their world-view forever. It had also made them so reliant on each other that the bonds between them would forever be forged in the hardest steel.

"What good do you think you can do in Washington?" Miguelena asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

Seth sighed, "Somebody's going to have to stop the UN team." He shook his head, "there's no question about that. The military can't move fast enough to bring enough fire-power to bear to stop them. There aren't many of us left who even stand a chance against them. Those paras that could have either been killed or taken into UN custody and sent to re-education camps in Riyadh."

"You volunteering us?" Sarah asked.

Seth sipped his soda, "No. I don't have that right."

"Then what?" Dustin suddenly had a bad feeling, "'Cause I got news for you. You're not going against the UN team without me. So you can just put that notion right out of your mind."

Seth turned and looked at him, "I couldn't ask that of you. I've been there. I've seen what they can do, what they're willing to do to bring the US under their heel." Dustin watched his lover take a deep breath, "I won't let them do that to Lee and the others. I can't ask the rest of you to risk yourselves. You've got too much at stake.

The kids need their parents. I'm expendable." Before Dustin could reply, "And, I'm faster than you are. They'll have a hell of time catching me." He held up a hand to stop Dustin's protests, "If I fail, you'll be needed here. I've always known that I was just the back-up muscle for you." He smiled, "Besides, I already know that Moonwind is on their list to bring down. They've forgotten about the rest of you."

"So we use that to our advantage," Dustin told him.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing here," Robbie protested. "You are not going out and getting yourself killed just to keep those bastards off our backs." The man stood, "It's too dangerous. We won't let you do it."

"And just how do intend to stop me?" Seth asked defiantly.

"By going with you and making sure you don't get yourself killed," Richie told him.

Seth shook his head, "that won't work. That'll just remind them that this team exists." He winked, "I went to a lot of trouble to erase you guys from the official records when I was on PF-1. That's the only reason I took the job. I'm not about to see you put yourself back into danger and undo all my hard work."

"As I see it," Tabitha told him, "You don't have much choice in the matter. You either take our back-up, or you don't go."

Seth smiled and played his trump, "And just what do propose to do with the kids while we're gone?"

"Hide them in Little Tokyo or out on the Res." She smiled. "They spend half their summers shuttling between the two anyway." She gave him a wicked look, "And pity the fool that goes out that Reservation or into Little Tokyo looking to kidnap a group of children, especially from our parents. It took them too long to come grips with some of our relationships. I don't think they're willing to give us up just yet." Dustin remembered Tabitha's father's reaction to the idea of her marrying Lionel. At first, everybody thought it was because he was African-American and she second generation Japanese. It turned out that the man just didn't think Lionel worked hard enough to support his daughter the way he thought she should be supported. Of course, when Lionel finished college, he changed his tune completely. Then Lionel made detective, and the man spent a month bragging about his son-in-law the police detective. As for Dustin's and Seth's relationship, it took a while for the two of them accept it, much less let anyone else know about it.

FIVE YEARS AGO

Dustin had picked him up for their first date, with his usual punctuality. Seth was reminded how the bigger man had planned their missions down to the second when they'd been in the Academy. Today he'd been thankful for that obsession with time because it made sure that they got Lionel to the chapel on time. It had been close but they'd managed it. Seth couldn't help but think of a Georgia Satellites song popular on the country charts at the time, about a groom being late for his own wedding.

Sitting at the restaurant, he caught himself watching Dustin. The bigger man was as usual his competent commanding self, and Seth had to be careful not to get caught up into being a follower again. He'd spent a great deal of the past five years forcing himself out of the habit of trying not to be noticed, and of going along with whatever anyone else suggested. It'd been difficult, but with Brandon's help, he'd managed to learn to go after the things he wanted without feeling guilty about it. "So, since you retired, you planning on staying in town or moving up to LA or down to San Diego?"

Seth shook his head, "Planning on sticking around for a while. Like I said, I've had a few offers here in San Medilla. I think I might go into research for myself." He smiled, "Besides, this is home.

This is where my family is."

"You told your parents yet?" Dustin asked.

"Told them about what?"

"That you've retired," Dustin replied.

Seth nodded, "Yeah. They support the idea. Dad's just glad to have me back around the house."

"Found a place to live yet?" Dustin asked.

Seth nodded, "I'm staying with Sarah until I can find a place I like." He smiled, "She told me if I didn't, she'd hunt me down and pluck me."

"You looking for an apartment or a house?" Dustin asked.

"Haven't decided yet," Seth told him, "A lot depends on which job I take."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if I take a short term position just to get established, then I'll get an apartment. If take a long term one, I'll buy a house. If I decide to go into research for myself, I'll get the apartment for a while, until things settle down and then buy a house." Seth laughed and indicated himself, "Let's face it, I don't need a lot of room."

"Question is, do you want a lot of room?" Dustin was getting at something, but Seth was unsure of what.

"A lot of room for me, can be shoebox, Dustin." Seth told him. He leaned in closer, "I've gotten much better at that particular aspect of my abilities."

"So what you have your whole apartment from DC packed into a shoe box at Sarah's?"

"Something like that," Seth told him. Actually it was all packed into a suitcase- furniture and all.

"Remind me to come and talk to you the next time Lionel and I have to go undercover."

"Do that." Seth told him.

"So you told your mom that you're seeing guys yet?" Seth knew the question would catch Dustin off guard, but at least it would get him away from what ever it was that he was driving at.

"That's not a subject that mom and I discuss. She's still in deep denial." Dustin told him.

"And your dad?"

"Dad's following the advice of your former boss. You know, "don't ask, don't tell, don't bring it home." He smiled, "and above all else, never let them answer the phone. Not that I've brought anybody home in the last four years to answer the phone."

"Not my boss," Seth told him. "He was just somebody who ran the government while I worked for it."

"Did you love him?" It was Dustin's turn to catch Seth of guard.

"Who? The President?"

"Whoever it was that was in your life in DC," Dustin replied.

Seth thought about it, "In a way I guess. He'll always have a special place in my heart. He helped me come to grips with being gay." Seth looked and smiled, "He also helped me finish the job you started."

"What job was that?" Dustin asked, although Seth already knew he knew the answer.

"Learning that my size didn't make a difference in my value as a person." Seth chuckled and continued, "Learning to assert myself, and not let people walk all over me." He couldn't help but smile, "learning to use that combat training Dr. Green drilled into us all those years in the Academy."

"I never thought your size did make a difference in your value as a person," Dustin told him.

"You didn't. Sarah didn't," Seth told him, "But I did. And because I believed it, other people did too. I had to learn that using my abilities to defend myself wasn't cheating."

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Dustin asked. Seth could sense something important in Dustin's voice.

"Sure?"

"Why you?" Dustin asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did they ask you to join the team and not the rest of us?"

Seth looked down, "Because I was easy to run roughshod over. Because I was the team joke, the one everybody had to rescue all the time.

They needed a brain, and I fit the bill. Because my own self worth was so far in the basement, they figured I could be molded to be part of their team without you guys." Seth shrugged, "I guess they didn't expect me to show my talons every now and then. I have you and Brandon to thank for that."

"Brandon?" Dustin asked.

"Brandon, the person who helped me finish what you started." He blushed, "My former lover." Seth wasn't comfortable talking about a former lover to a prospective future one. He smiled at Dustin, "And to answer the question you want to ask, but won't because you're too polite: he's a very former lover. It's been over for a long time."

"You really did come into your own in DC didn't you?" Dustin smiled at him, and Seth wondered how he could get him to do it again.

Seth nodded and smiled back, "I had to spread my wings and fly on my own. It made me grow up. Take responsibility for myself, and not expect someone to come and save me all the time. I finally realized that there were innocent people counting on my being able to do my job. If I didn't, then there was nobody else to do it, and those people could die."

"You sound like Dr. Green now," Dustin told him.

"Is it any different than what you do as police officer?" Seth asked.

"Well, I don't usually face people who juggle Buicks," Dustin told him.

"If there's anything you taught me Dustin, it's not to denigrate the contributions of other people. No matter how small, they all make a difference." He smiled, "And if for nothing else, and trust me there's plenty more, you'll always hold a special place in my life for it."

He saw Dustin's face fall, "But would I be someone you'd be interested in having a relationship with?"

Seth was shocked at the idea of him having a chance at a relationship with this man he'd secretly loved since he was thirteen. Momentarily, he was caught off guard, and all the progress he'd accomplished over the past few years just crumbled. He felt the blood rise in his face as he looked down at his meal, "I'll be anything you'd want me to be." he half-whispered.

"What if I just want you to be yourself?" Dustin asked.

Seth screwed up his courage and looked his best friend in the eye, "Are we having two different conversations here?"

"I think so," Dustin told him. "Why don't you tell me which one you think we're having. Because I know which one I'm having."

"Well, at first I thought you were hinting at maybe us getting together as… a… a… couple." He felt himself blush.

"Well, that's the conversation I thought I was having," Dustin told him. "But it seems that the conversation has taken a weird turn somewhere along the way."

Seth sighed, "Do you want to see if we can be a couple?"

"Would I have asked otherwise?" Dustin told him. "You may not have spoken to me in five years, but I haven't changed all that much."

Seth thought about it for a moment and realized that Dustin was right, "No you wouldn't. You always did go after what ever it was you wanted." He sat and stared at his steak for long moments.

This was it. His chance beyond chances to have what he'd always dreamed of, but believed out of his reach. He was about to blow it and knew it. He could sense Dustin's gaze on him. Finally he looked up said decisively, "I want this." He was surprised at the growl he heard in his voice.

Dustin smiled at him and pointed to the steak, "Eat your dinner. You're going to need your strength."

Seth looked down at his food and then back up at Dustin, "So, if you were interested in me, then why didn't you say something in high school? I'd have done anything you wanted then."

"Because once I had you, I wasn't going to let you go," Dustin replied, "and I knew neither of us were ready for that yet. Because you would have done anything I wanted then, and I want you to do it because you want it."

Seth smiled at him, "That's some compliment."

*

Two hours later, Dustin was nervously leading Seth into his living room. "Seth, I've got just one quick question."

The smaller man looked up and smiled, "Yeah?"

"You a top or a bottom?" he felt the blood rise to his face.

"What do you think?" Seth answered.

"I'd say versatile, but give me an answer." Dustin told him.

Seth smiled, "I've done both." Dustin could see him considering something, "But to be honest, I prefer to be the top."

Dustin found himself both surprised and relieved, "Good." He took the smaller man and led him to the bedroom in the back of the house.

"I take it you're a bottom then?" Seth asked.

"For the most part," he smiled over at Seth. "But if I remember correctly, this may take a little getting used to." He pulled the smaller man into his arms and kissed while running his hand over the large bulge in the front of Seth's jeans. "It's been a while since I've bottomed." He began to undress the blond, "and never with anything that big."

"Dustin," Seth kissed across Dustin's neck while running his hands under Dustin's shirt, "we don't have to go that far if you don't want to."

"Bite your tongue," Dustin told him. "I've been waiting to get my hands on you since high school."

Seth pushed the shirt up and gently locked his teeth on Dustin's nipple, "How `bout I bite this instead?"

The effect sent a shiver of electricity down Dustin's spine directly to his groin. He heard a tearing sound at the front of his jeans as he sprang to hardness. He realized this was one of those times when parahuman levels of strength were not an advantage. "I hate to break your stride here, but I need to get out of these before they start chaffing."

He felt Seth's hand encircle his now exposed manhood. "Looks like you're already out of them." Seth pushed him back onto the bed. Before he stopped bouncing he felt something warm and wet slide over him. He was surprised at the smaller man's aggressiveness in bed while small hands worked rapidly to remove the rest of his jeans.

Lying back he was content to let Seth set the pace. For just a moment, he wondered if he would be able to keep up. Seth's warm mouth never left the throbbing pillar that was Dustin's groin, yet he managed to completely undress the bigger man. "You know this is supposed to be a mutual grope session."

Seth pulled off Dustin's dick for a second, "I've wanted to do this since I was thirteen. Shut up and enjoy it. I know I am."

Then plunging back down, he took Dustin's entire into down his throat.

"Then do us a favor," Dustin told him. "Swing around.

You're not the only one who's been waiting years for this."

Dustin heard the sound of ripping cloth, as Seth adjusted himself. He felt something light tickle him as a large mass brushed across his face. Looking up, he saw that Seth had lost his concentration and let his wings unfurl from their normally shrunken places on his back and ankles. A sharp musky odor met his nostrils as the object of his quest hove into view. It was even more massive than he'd remembered it. Long and thick, the head of Seth's manhood peeked out from his foreskin, and dripped precum onto Dustin's chest and ribs.

Dustin reached out and stroked Seth's length, gently pulling foreskin back to expose the dark purple head. Long thick veins snaked backwards from the flaring glans down the length to disappear into the fine soft hair at the base. He ran his hands backwards to gently cup the massive balls in his hand. They were heavy and hot.

He could feel them begin to contract upwards, and then relax to fall back into their smooth sack.

He felt his own passion rising, as Seth pulled back and licked under his glans. There was a soft probing pressure at the opening of his rectum. With a gentleness that hid the passion he was otherwise demonstrating, Seth slowly pushed a finger into Dustin's opening, while licking him from base to opening. He could feel a need rise up from deep inside him, and a dull pleasure/pain begin to build in his balls.

Pulling the mass of flesh in his hand to his face, he ran his tongue around its purple head. He slowly pulled forward burying his tongue between the glans and foreskin. Running his tongue around the massive head, he let it slip from its entrapment and plunged his mouth forward to take as much of Seth into his mouth as he could.

For long moments, he and Seth rocked back and forth. Each rising to meet the need in the other, the lovemaking was everything he'd ever dreamed and more. Slowly he felt the pressure in him rise, and just before he'd go over the edge, Seth would back off, and lick and nibble along his length. Finally, when he was sure he could take no more, he felt Seth's length grow even larger and suddenly begin to pump liquid fire down his throat. Suddenly the pressure in his own balls released itself to explode down the hot moist cavern that was Seth's throat. As he felt the body over him spasm in ecstasy, something lashed out over them and struck the light, plunging the room in darkness. "Ooops," Seth said, as his wing settled back down.

"I guess that's the hazard of making love to an angel," Dustin told the smaller man pulling him up to snuggle on top of him to allow the wings to unfurl. Off to the side, he heard his alarm clock swept from the night stand by an errant wing.

Seth snuggled in close and wrapped his wing over Dustin, "I'm no angel."

FOURTEEN YEARS EARLIER: THE ACADEMY

Dustin watched as the rest of his team closed with the sophomore class. They'd been practicing their combat maneuvers for several weeks, and Dr. Green was finally letting them go toe to toe with live targets. Now was his chance to try out some of the tactics they'd been practicing. The only problem was that their targets had a year's experience on them.

Today's mission was a simple one: search and destroy. The sophomore team was to avoid detection and capture across the simulated city block while his team was find and subdue them. He'd sent Moonwind into the air for aerial recon with his twin Feral on the ground. He had Morn, Edge and the twins Eclipse, and Scream fanning out behind her. Stride had stayed back with him to act as quick back-up as they made their way through the simulated concrete canyons of a major American city.

Up above him, he saw a flash of dark as Moonwind left what they commonly called stealth mode- which was in reality a size reduction to only a few inches tall- and went into a stoop- their pre-arranged signal to let the others know he'd spotted something. At the last minute, Dustin saw the smaller boy pull out of the dive and disappear again.

"Eclipse, you and Scream give Feral some back up." He directed the others to flank the target. His plan was simple, keep his people together- he knew the opposing team had a shape shifter with them- and pick off the sophomores one by one.

Suddenly, a scream of energy cut the air, and he looked up to see a dark winged form spiraling out of control from above, smoke trailing behind him. "Stride, Moonwind has been hit, check him out!" Before sound of his words had died away, the tall black boy who would one day become his police partner was gone in a streak.

A second bolt of energy split the air. He dove for cover as the electrical charge passed harmlessly overhead and punched a hole through the concrete wall behind him, "What the hell! They're using live fire! This is supposed to be a training exercise!"

Coming out of his roll, he looked up to see Feral standing behind Red Scorpion, the sophomore team's blaster. The tall Hispanic boy was collapsing to the ground with a rather satisfying thud.

"oonwind's down for the count, bossman. Looks like he took one of Scorpion's blasts full force in the face." Lionel's voice came over their com links.

"See if you can get him to safety, and then get back here. This is not supposed to be a live fire exercise. Somebody changed the rules on us, and I'm going to make them pay for every second Seth's out."

"Yes sir," and before the static in his earpiece cleared, Stride was back beside him. "Seth's at the infirmary station. Dr. Green looks fit to be tied."

Suddenly something came barreling out of a nearby building.

Shoving Lionel out of the way, he turned and faced the charging form of the opposing team's brick. The tall girl, code named Granite, with her rock-hard gray skin had built up a lot of momentum with her charge. Dustin used it against her. Ducking the rather clumsy feint to his head, he side-stepped and blocked the more dangerous blow to his midsection. Clamping down on her wrist, he twisted and whip-lashed her into the metal door of the warehouse off to his right. It made a satisfying clang as she went through it leaving sparks to fly from her skin as she skidded across the concrete floor.

Before she could get up, Lionel was on her with a length of nearby heavy duty cabling. In a matter of seconds, he'd wrapped her from head to toe in the stuff. "Count her as down and captured, bossman!" Lionel gave him a satisfying wink.

Another flash of darkness caught his attention. Turning back toward the building where the others had been closing he saw it now completely hidden from sight. "Eclipse, if the rest of your team can't see then the darkness doesn't help!" he sent over the com.

"Chill out Challenger, we got it worked out," Eclipse's brother Scream radioed back. "We got them right where…" he never finished his statement. There was an intense of flash of heat and cold, and then the darkness dropped. Looking over he saw Scream lying on the ground, along with the rest of Sophomore team. Feral, Morn, Edge, and Eclipse were all standing there looking rather pleased with themselves.

Feral leaned down and helped Scream to his feet. Dustin got the impression that he didn't like what ever it was she told him, because his eyes went very wide, and the color drained from his face. Looking closely at the scene he noticed a thick coating of ice all along the floor and walls. Embedded in the ice were the remaining members of the Sophomore Team, all immobilized by Morn's ice-wall. "Good work Team. Top marks. You are the first freshman class to ever survive this exercise intact." Dr. Green's voice came over the com links. "Now if you would kindly release your captives, we'll proceed with the debriefings."

The next several hours were spent discussing what tactics had been successful and what hadn't worked. Dustin kept looking around for Seth, but the smaller boy never appeared. Finally, at the end of the session, he'd approached the headmistress, "Ma'am, I've got a team member missing. How's Seth?"

"He's been taken to the infirmary. He took a pretty hefty blast to the face, and then a very long fall," she'd told him.

"Is he hurt bad?" Dustin asked afraid of the answer he would hear.

"We're not sure. We don't think so. He heals pretty fast. Doctor Wells wants to keep him over night for observation though."

"What happened today, Doctor Green?" Dustin shook his head, "This wasn't supposed to be a live fire exercise."

The tall woman put a hand on his shoulder, "No it wasn't. Someone didn't understand their instructions. I'll take care of it though. It won't happen again." Dustin got the feeling that someone on the sophomore team was going to be in for some serious trouble.

"Thank you ma'am." He turned to go back to his team.

"Oh, and Wallace?"

`Yes ma'am?"

"You did good out there. I've never seen a team come together this fast," She told him. "You guys have real potential."

"Thank you ma'am."

(4)

Present Day

"You're not going alone," Dustin told him flatly, as they entered to the kitchen.

"I can't take anybody with me, Dusty." Seth replied. "Especially you."

"Why not?" Dustin demanded.

"Because, somebody has to stay here and look after the children. Like it or not, you're the team leader. They'll look up to you. They'll follow you in case I fail." Seth told him.

"Without back up you will fail Seth," Dustin took a deep breath, "You can't do it alone. That UN team will eat you alive."

"I have to do it alone. If they have any inkling that you guys are still around, they'll come after you. They'll come after Lee, and the rest of the children. You know what Riyadh is like. I won't subject my sister and the rest of the girls to becoming that."

Seth had seen the reports of what it was like for women, even paras in the Saudi concentration camp the UN used. He would not allow his sister to become breeding stock.

"It won't come to that," Dustin told him. "Besides, if you're captured you know what they'll do to you." Seth did know.

His features were particularly popular in the breeding program run by the radical Muslim regime in Saudi Arabia. When his particular genetic code came to light, and they realized he neither could nor would perform with a woman, then he had no allusions as to what would happen to him.

Seth took a deep breath and looked Dustin in the eye. This was one subject he couldn't lie to his lover about. He owed him that much, "I know this is probably a no-win scenario, Dusty. I also know that there is no way I'll ever let them take me alive." He drew his shoulders back, "If it comes down to it, trust me, you guys won't have to rescue me this time."

"And it won't come to that either," Dustin was almost shouting. Seth hated to do this to the man he loved more than life itself. It was because of that love that he knew he had to this. "I won't let it. You're not going alone."

"How do you intend to stop me?" he asked coldly.

Whatever Dustin's answer might have been it was lost in the sound of the doorbell. Dusty gave him a "this isn't over look" and answered it, "What?"

A tall balding man in his late thirties wearing a three-piece suit was standing at the door, a small black briefcase in hand. "Is this the residence of Seth Plainwalker?"

Dustin nodded, `Yes."

"I'm James Knox. I'm from the Office of Homeland Security. Can I speak with Mr. Plainwalker?" The man had the definite appearance of someone who'd come hat in hand to ask a favor, he didn't want to ask.

"You're ride's here," Dustin told Seth angrily.

"I don't understand," Knox said. I'm not here to pick up anyone."

"You'll have to excuse my partner, Mr. Knox. You've come at an awkward moment."

The man looked at both of them, "It would seem so. But I have to speak with you tonight, Mr. Plainwalker." He looked around nervously, "Is your partner fully aware of your previous employment?"

Seth smiled, "Mr. Plainwalker, I take it you're from the Commission?" Seth waited for the man's nod. "Trust me Mr. Knox. My partner knows all about it."

"Good. Then this won't be as difficult as it could be. He probably needs to hear this too." The man said as he looked past them and out toward the back area of the house. "Is there some place where we can talk in private?"

"How about the study," Seth told him. He took Dustin's hand, hoping to call a truce until they were in private. He hated airing dirty laundry in public.

"That would be fine," he followed the two men into the large room, he and Dustin had designated a study, mainly because library sounded too ostentatious. It was simply a quiet cozy room with a stone fireplace, several comfortable chairs, and walls lined with books.

Knox went over to one of the low tables at the edge of the room and opened his briefcase. Pulling a laptop from it, he went about setting it up. "You understand that what is said in this room, must not leave this room, don't you. Until you are told otherwise, this conversation never took place."

Seth and Dustin nodded, "We understand Mr. Knox."

"Good," turning he faced the two, "I wont' be doing the talking however. What has to be said, has to come from the top. I'm just a messenger of sorts." Behind him the screen of the laptop leapt to life to reveal the Seal of the President of the United States. He turned back to the laptop and spoke into the microphone on its side, "Go ahead sir.'

The seal cleared to reveal a man to whom he never in a million years would have considered speaking. "Hello Mr. Plainwalker," the man said in a soft Texan drawl.

"Good evening Mr. President," Seth told him. "This is an honor, and something of a shock."

"I'm sorry about that, and please forgive me for interrupting your barbeque, but this is urgent. Short of flying you out to DC, which would have tipped my hand, this was the best I could arrange. I understand that you developed the encryption codes that make this a secure line."

Seth nodded, "yes sir."

The man smiled, "Good work. Now, on to the business at hand. You've been asked to attend that Conference day after tomorrow. I want you to turn it down. I have another favor I need to ask of you."

"Go ahead Mr. President."

"Knox tells me that your Academy class is the only one that has so far evaded being captured by the UN''s forces. I have my suspicions as to why there is no record of your class's graduation or even existence in Dr. Green's files. But for now that's a good thing."

"Yes sir, it is." Seth told him. Then nervously he continued, "I wonder why you consider it such though."

The man on the screen smiled, "I like that. You're cautious, you don't even trust me. That's good."

"With all due respect sir, under the circumstances I don't trust a whole lot of people. It's not like certain members of the other party were willing to protect people like me from the UN. The wife of your predecessor went out of her way to try and turn us over to Riyadh."

"That's completely understandable."

"What can I do for you Mr. President?"

"I want you to head up your old Academy Team. We need somebody to stop that God-forsaken UN team before we're forced to stop them in a matter that could bring the whole world to the brink of war."

"Mr. President," Seth began slowly "Surely you've read my ParaForce-1 psyche profile. You know I'm not a leader."

The President laughed, "Never did trust those damned things. Too many people trying to mull around in your head can cause no end of trouble." He returned to the subject at hand, "Mr. Plainwalker, I'm asking you to contact your old teammates. On behalf of the American people I'm asking you put that team back together and help us kick the UNs collective butt into next Tuesday sideways."

"Mr. President," Dustin spoke before Seth could answer, "I'm Dustin Wallace, Seth's partner. What kind of support would this team get from the US Government? I mean, will they be sanctioned as law enforcement officers or as a military unit? Will they be given access to intelligence files on the UN team?" Dustin stepped forward, "Most importantly, what kind of accommodations for the safety of their families can the government offer? I mean we're talking about a group of paras who've been denied the right to serve so they've gone on with their lives. They have families, including children to worry about."

Seth watched as the President considered Dustin's questions, "You raise a good point, Mr. Wallace. The team will be treated as a paramilitary branch of the FBI, with broad law enforcement powers. They'll be given access to the latest technology, and intelligence information. As for the families protection, we've considered that." The man gave both him and Dustin a broad smile, "We are prepared to move in a crack team of MI agents to protect their families."

Dustin looked over at Seth and smiled. "May we have a few a few minutes, Mr. President." He glanced over at Seth, "We need to talk."

"Of course," Seth got the impression that the President knew exactly what was going on. No matter what the opposition might think, the man was not stupid.

"Please wait here Mr. Knox," Dustin asked their visitor while leading Seth from the room. Reaching the kitchen, "you have to give the others a chance at this. You don't have the right to turn it down for them. The government is willing to protect our families while we do what needs to be done."

Seth knew his lover was right. He didn't have the right to take this away from them, even if he thought it was wrong. "Very well," he turned to sink, "you ask them. You explain it to them."

"Okay, I'll be right back," Dustin replied but he stopped at the door. "Why are you fighting me on this Seth?"

Without turning he answered, "Because I love you. I don't want to see Sanchez do to you what he did to Block."

He felt Dustin's arms encircle him and pull him close, "I have my own issues with Jorges Sanchez. I know he was responsible for hurting your friend, but I've got a much older grudge with Red Scorpion. He won't do that to me or any of the others." Dustin squeezed him tight, "Let's talk to the others." Seth nodded his head.

FIVE YEARS AGO

Dustin lay with Seth's slight form atop him. He marveled at just how little Seth actually weighed, but realized that it was a side effect of his aerial nature. "You know this changes everything," Seth whispered into his ear.

Dustin nodded, "Uh huh. Any regrets?"

"Nope, you have no idea how long I've waited to get you right where you are now," Seth told him snuggling in close. "I'm not about to regret it."

"What now, then?" Dustin asked him.

Seth began kissing across his face and down his neck, "Oh, I think we can probably think of something." Dustin felt himself begin to respond to the little kisses and bites.

Dustin pulled Seth's face up and kissed him feeling his lover harden against his stomach. Reaching down, he grasped the length and stroked it, eliciting a slight groan from Seth. "I want this inside me," he whispered to Seth. Finally breaking free, he rolled to his side and pulled something from the bedside drawer.

Seth raised himself up and looked down at Dustin, "Are you sure about this Dusty."

"Oh yeah," Dustin told him. "I want this."

Seth smiled, "Okay, but let's at least take advantage of the situation." He took the lube and condom from Dustin. Squirting some out onto his hand, he rubbed it between his fingers for a few seconds to warm it. Reaching down, he inserted a well-lubed finger, while gently stroking Dustin's own rock-hard length.

"What do you mean?" Dustin asked as he responded to Seth's ministrations.

Seth smiled and told him, "trust me love." Dustin felt him insert a second finger stretching him in the most pleasant manner.

"Always," Dustin realized he meant it. "With my life," he took the condom. Pushing Seth's foreskin back, he began to roll the rubber across the huge purple head.

Seth pulled back with a look of discomfort. Smiling down he whispered, "Foreskin forward."

"Sorry," Dustin apologized, and pulled the length of skin forward to cover the head before rolling the latex sheath down. One of Seth's fingers brushed his prostate sending a wave of pleasure through his groin.

"Like that huh?" Seth chuckled. Dustin nodded. "Just wait." Seth pulled his fingers from Dustin, and moved down between the larger man's legs. Dustin pulled his knees up and forward to rest them around Seth's neck, his ankles brushing against the feathered surface of the large black wings protruding from Seth's shoulder blades. A moment of fear and anticipation washed over Dustin as he felt the huge mass that Seth's manhood probe against his opening.

Seth shifted and blurred. Suddenly the small man became even smaller until he was no bigger than a lawn-gnome. He felt the pressure below increase slightly as Seth entered him. Then slowly, Seth began to return to his normal size, stretching Dustin to accommodate the length of flesh buried inside him. It was the most erotic experience of his life.

Dustin had bottomed before, but it had always taken time after the initial pain of entrance to become pleasure. This had been a smooth transition, with a simple stretching that left him with a satisfied feeling of being full. He felt Seth twist over him shifting his angle slightly, and pull back until only the huge head was trapped behind the tight ring of Dustin's sphincter. With a long sensuous stroke he pushed back into Dustin, brushing along his prostate. A gasp of pleasure escaped Dustin's throat, as waves of pleasure pulsed through is body. "My God," he found himself half-shouting.

Seth smiled above him, "vocal aren't we." Twisting in an almost impossible angle he bent down and kissed Dustin, his tongue probing deeply.

Slowly Seth withdrew to the head, and then entered him again, each stroke brushing lightly against Dustin's prostate. When it became almost too much for Dustin to take, the smaller man would stop or shift his angle to hold back the rising wave of pleasure that threatened to break too soon. Dustin was amazed at how well this man could read his responses, answering his every need, almost before Dustin knew what they were himself.

He could see a reflection of what he was feeling reflected in Seth's face over him, as their passion rose. Dustin found himself thrusting upwards to meet Seth's strokes. He felt/heard Seth groan loudly into his mouth, as the blond began to increase the power and speed of his thrusting. Something crashed around them as he felt himself suddenly explode into the most intense cum of his life. He felt the mass of flesh buried inside him begin to pulse and throb, and knew that Seth was filling the condom with his own release.

Collapsing on top of him, Seth whispered into his ear, "You know I've always loved you."

Before he could answer, the phone rang on the floor.

Looking around the bedroom he realized it was a wreck. The bed had collapsed and the ceiling fan in the room was rocking back and forth wildly. "This is Dustin," he said into the phone.

"This is Joe Martin," his neighbor's voice came over the phone, "Is everything all right over there? It sounds like somebody's throwing the furniture around."

Dustin blushed, "Everything's fine Mr. Martin. I'm sorry to disturb you. It won't happen again."

"As long as you're having fun," the man chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a fire fight or something."

"Thank you Mr. Martin." Dustin told him. "Goodbye Mr. Martin." Dustin hung up the phone and burst out laughing. "We get a little too loud I take it," Seth rolled off him, and Dustin suddenly felt empty.

"Mr. Martin thought I was tossing the furniture around." He looked around the room, to see the wreckage. "I guess this is what happens when two people who can juggle Buicks make love." Dustin realized that he'd never been able to cut loose with a lover before.

There had always been that sense of holding something back for fear of hurting them. With Seth, he'd let himself go without even realizing it, because deep down he knew that he'd never hurt him.

"Sound proofing for the bedroom sounds like a good idea," Seth told him.

"Better yet, move the bedroom to the basement," Dustin

replied and kissed him. "That trick with your shrinking…"

"What about it?" Seth asked.

"It was the most sensuous thing I've ever felt." Dustin told him. Then he smiled, "And by the way, the feeling's mutual."

Seth smiled and kissed him again.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: SOPHMORE YEAR AT ACADEMY

Seth stood in the shadows watching his teammates on the dance floor. For the most part, his friends had already paired off. His sister had surprised him though, by dancing with Robbie Parker and not with Dustin. Seth, Sarah, and Dustin had been friends since they were in kindergarten, and he had always thought that the two of them would become a couple. Instead, Dustin was dancing with a shy red-headed girl with a Scottish accent from the visiting school.

Lionel and Tabitha were dancing alongside Richie and Miguelena, and Dustin and his partner were off in a corner. He savagely crushed the brief flash of jealous hatred for the young Scot that welled up inside him. "You always sit in the darkness and watch your classmates?" a voice said from behind him.

Turning he found himself staring directly into the rather prominent chest of one of the chaperones from the visiting school.

Looking up he saw that she was a pretty woman with flaming red hair, and green eyes. "No ma'am." He smiled, "I'm just not a very good dancer."

The woman leaned back against the wall, crossed her arms and looked out on the dance floor. "Some how I get the feeling there's more to it than that," the woman told him.'

Seth shrugged, "There's a limited number of appropriate partners with which to engage." Seth found himself hiding behind the dictionary that was his vocabulary.

"Or perhaps the one partner, isn't available?" the woman smiled at him.

Seth found himself blushing deeply. When the woman looked at him, he got the feeling that she was looking directly into his soul, "Perhaps I'm just not accustomed to the rhythm and style of the selection," he lied.

"Maybe you should ask someone else to dance and see if you get a reaction out of your quarry," she told him.

Seth shrugged, "who'd want to dance with me?"

"Who've you asked?"

"Nobody,"

"How do you know that you don't have thousand of partners out there waiting to dance with you," she smiled at him.

"Because there are less than two hundred participants in this particular event," Seth told her.

"Okay, then maybe tens of potential partners." She smiled, "I'll tell you what, let me introduce you to someone." She gently guided him out of the shadows to where a brunette girl about his age was standing. Seth got the impression that she wished she was somewhere else entirely. "Seth, this is Katherine. Katherine, this is Seth, he's looking for a dance partner. I thought you might like to oblige him."

"Hi," she said shyly, as the teacher moved off.

"Hi," Seth told her, "Sorry about that. She found me trying to hide in the shadows. I'll go away if you want."

"You too huh?" She told him. "No, this is a time when I think there might be safety in numbers."

"You might be right," Seth told her shyly. "You look about as comfortable here as I am."

"So how did you get drug into this?" She smiled, "Me, it was kicking and screaming."

"This is where my friends are," Seth shrugged. "I didn't have any where to be." He looked off to where Dustin was talking to the little red-haired girl.

"Don't worry. Your friend's all right. She's harmless. She wouldn't know what to do with a boy if one bit her."

Seth blushed deeply, "So, you … wouldn't want to dance with me would you?"

Seth watched her think about it a second, "Okay, but I've got to warn you. I've got two left feet."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Seth told her.

"Will it keep the chaperones from stalking us?"

"Maybe," Seth told her.

"I'm willing to give it a shot." she replied leading him out onto the dance floor.

Seth was surprised at how much he enjoyed the dancing. He wished he was dancing with Dusty instead of this girl, but at least he was dancing. Katherine was a safe alternative to what he wanted, and after a few minutes he found himself lost into the strains of "Bat Dance". "Why don't you go get something to drink shrimp," a male voice with a Spanish accent interrupted his dance, just before he was shoved to the side. Looking up from where he landed on the floor, he saw a tall dark skinned boy standing over him. Before he could get up, the boy lifted Seth off his feet and carried him to the edge of the dance floor to a large garbage can, "Better yet, why don't you just sit this one out." Seth was rather ungraciously dropped feet-first into the plastic can.

As he climbed out of the can he felt himself steadied by someone else, "Why didn't you wipe the floor up with him?" Dustin asked.

"Because we're not supposed to use what Dr. Green is teaching us at the school," Seth told him trying to hide the humiliation he felt.

Seth felt Dustin pull his head around to face him, "To hell with Dr. Green. The next time someone picks on you, you defend yourself. Because if you don't, they'll just keep doing it. Dr. Green doesn't have to live our lives."

Seth just nodded and looked around. "I'll try to remember that."

First chance he got, he slipped from the party. Returning to his room, he cried himself to sleep that night- hating what he was, and what he was wanting.

THREE YEARS AGO: