Standard Disclaimer. I'll return them eventually. Please send comments, questions, compliments, and otters to sdelcul@mail.com

This is the sequel to Burn Baby Burn (Acer Canadensis). This won't make much sense and it won't be half as much fun if you haven't read that first. Have fun, be careful, and play well with others.

Take Two

Getting out of the hospital the next morning was an interesting ordeal, especially since it was only five a.m.. He'd gotten into the ambulance wearing only Renny's boxers and after being treated his first priority had been to find clothes. He managed to score some scrubs from a nice doctor, but he had to resort to a pair of shoes a size too small from the hospital's homeless closet. Wearing this lovely ensemble he'd managed to get a taxi to the Consulate, after promising Renny that he would clean up the Queen's bedroom.

It definitely needed cleaning. The Queen's bedroom looked like a tornado had touched down; or two otherwise involved hormonally driven men had. The sheets were completely off the bed, Ray's boxers had somehow found their way to the ceiling fan and somebody's undershirt, it was difficult to tell whose from his vantage point by the door, was casting interesting shadows on the walls near the lamp it half covered. Amazingly even the portrait of Her Majesty that hung on the wall was crooked, perhaps from some enthusiastic banging of the headboard against the wall.

It took several minutes for him to return the room to its original condition. Perhaps only because it was so recent, he still believed he could tell that something different had happened in the room. It seemed almost energetic, not staid and dull like it previously had. When there was nothing else to do he let himself out, making sure to lock the door.

Back in his own car he considered returning to the hospital but visiting hours were not till the afternoon and Renny hadn't seemed to want to talk. Beyond asking him to clean the Queen's bedroom, Turnbull had only nodded to his comments. Ray decided to take the hint and wait until Renny was ready to talk. Walking in the door of his apartment, he was shocked to realize that everything looked the same. Somehow he'd expected that the trauma of the day would be visible everywhere he went.

While in the shower he dreaded the phone call he was going to have to make to the consulate explaining that Turnbull would not be in. 'What do I say?' he thought, 'I don't want to say anything but if I don't say something one of them might go over there and- oh dear.' He could just picture Thatcher going to the hospital and forcing Turnbull to explain how he had been injured.

Luckily or unluckily he got Fraser instead. "Canadian Consulate, Constable Fraser speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hey Frase. It's me."

"Good morning Ray."

"Yeah, whatever. Listen Frase, Turnbull won't be coming in this afternoon for his shift."

"Is something wrong with him?"

"Uh, yeah, sorta. He's in the hospital. Wait." He said, forestalling the questions he knew were coming. "He's okay now. They just want him to stay another day or two."

"What happened?"

"Uh, It's rather personal, I think. He just wanted me to let you know and uh . . . "

"Will he be all right to return?"

"Sure. He just had um, a reaction to uh, something and he'll be back to normal real soon."

"That's good news. What hospital is he in? I'd like to visit him."

Shit! That's the worst thing . . . "Uh, I don't think that's such a good idea right now. You know how Turnbull can be and all. I'm sure he'd much rather forget the whole thing ever happened." I know I would.

"Of course. Well, give him my best."

"Okay." If he'll ever talk to me again that is.

With that over with he almost wished that he was scheduled to work himself. Might as well read those pamphlets, he thought.

If you're going to try this at home: 10 things to do during anal intercourse.

1. Wear a condom, even in a monogamous relationship.

Yep, could'a lived without seeing the after shot from that one. I had a UTI once, it was enough . . .

2. Use proper lubrication; don't be stingy.

Ouch. Had someone really tried Elmer's glue? That's even worse than this. Somehow that made him feel better. We may have been dumb but we weren't that dumb. Maybe I'll tell Renny about this one.

There were several key points about comfortable positioning but he didn't think they would need that part for a long time. Many of the other pamphlets were also well done and thought-provoking but he did have a few questions. Calling the hospital he learned that Nurse Silvina was off duty but Nurse Young was able to answer his questions politely, without a hint of giggling.


Renny was released the next day. Ray waited for him to call or come by but he didn't. He knew from Fraser that Renny went to work and did his job, blushing furiously and stammering whenever anyone asked if he was feeling better. Exactly a week later he stopped at the consulate to take Renny home and talk. He convinced Renny to accept the ride but nothing was said until he pulled up to the curb and Renny began to open the door.

"Renny, wait." He put his hand on Renny's arm.

The glance Renny threw at him matched his tired, "What is it Ray?"

"I'm sorry Renny. I never meant to hurt you. I hope you can forgive me."

He expected shouting or yelling, Renny telling him that he never wanted to see him again. Instead Renny looked like he was either going to cry or faint or somehow attempt both simultaneously.

"Forgive you? I thought you blamed me. I mean you never called or came to see me and-"

"-I didn't think you wanted me to. I was waiting for you to tell me it was okay."

"Okay? I was the one who chose the cream for the lubricant. This was all my fau-"

"Oh, shut up and kiss me."

And he did. In the car. In public. Until a honked horn interrupted. Embarrassed Ray pulled away from the curb and into a parking spot in the lot behind Renny's apartment building. He was hard pressed to keep the traditional two feet of personal space as they climbed the steps to Renny's 6th floor apartment building.

As soon as the door opened, they were inseparable, like two bodies trying to become one. When they were finally naked and together they were too far gone to do more than press against each other. Ray's fingers were moving constantly, dancing over pectorals, brushing over abdominals and moving down to rest on a hip. But he was not alone, for Renny lay beneath him, stroking a path, paying special attention to the back of Ray's thighs, moving teasingly close before sliding down, a touch just heavy enough not to tickle.

Very little rational thought now occurred in either man's mind, for if anal penetration was not something they had truly been prepared for, this was something they could do which required no special equipment and no thought beyond a mad rush to oblivion. Climax came suddenly and they fell into an exhausted sleep, tangled together on the bed.