"You've got five minutes." Rolf said sternly.
"Yes, sir." Matthew replied meekly as he gingerly stepped away from the truck and headed up to Marc's front door. He had driven Marc's truck back over and Rolf would take him to work. He knocked softly, then opened the door. "Marc? You around?"
Marc was in the middle of shaving, and entered the room with a mostly white coated beard. "Yeah, getting ready for work. What's up?"
Matthew looked at the floor, hands behind his back, feeling shame. "I...I'm sorry I messed up your date last night."
"I am too. I was looking forward to a much longer and pleasanter night."
"I know it's no excuse......but I was jealous."
"Jealous? Why?" Marc asked in surprise.
"Because you weren't paying attention to me. Luke had ALL of your attention."
"He didn't have it all, though I must admit that it was a lot. Do you blame me?"
Matthew smiled. "No, not really. He's pretty cute." Matthew could admit to that, but he STILL didn't like him for the trouble he was in. "You do deserve someone. He....you two aren't over because of last night, are you?" Matthew asked, worry apparent.
Marc smiled, knowing no harm was meant by Matthew, and that he did care that Marc was happy. "No fruitcake, things are very much still good. We will set up another date, jus-"
"Just promise me to wait until the weekend AFTER next? I'm sort of grounded for the next seven days, since......I can't behave in public." Matthew looked down again.
Rolf honked the horn, Matthew jumping in response. "I've got to go. Just wanted to apologize. Forgive me?"
"Yes, you're forgiven. You sure make it hard for a guy to pay attention to you when you're in solitary for a week." Marc said laughing.
"No kidding. I'll be in touch." Matthew ran back out to the truck.
Marc smiled, thinking how Matthew's brattiness changed the entire evening into something of which he had no idea. Marc was going to remain quiet, and let things progress slowly, Luke setting the pace.
Marc finished shaving, and went back into the bedroom.
"Who was at the door?" A groggy Luke asked.
"Matthew. He came to apologize for last night." Marc responded with a smile.
"Oh." Luke said completely out of it.
"And you, young man are going to do the same thing. I will give you Matthew's work number, and you will call this afternoon. Understood?"
"Yes sir." Luke said, waking up.
Marc sat down on the bed next to Luke, rubbing his bare back.
"As much as I would hate to kick such a gorgeous man out of my bed, I have no choice. I've got to get to work early."
Luke just stretched, enjoying the attention. Finally, Marc smacked Luke on his brief covered ass.
"I said up and at 'em."
Luke winced as his butt was still tender, having not been spanked in ages. "Alright I'm up, I'm up." Luke said as he sprung to his feet. He gathered up his clothes and got dressed quickly and followed Marc out into the driveway. "I just wanted to say....I mean....."
Marc smiled brightly, amused at Luke's loss of words. He handed over a note paper. "Here is Matthew's number. CALL him."
"I will. Thanks Marc, it was wonderful. Everything." Luke flashed a quick smile and dove into his car and sped off. He was still too overwhelmed at the strength of his feelings around Marc.
Marc whistled happily and took off for work. It was going to be a great day.
Luke didn't have to work. He got home and spent most of the morning in a daze, rethinking the events of the past 12 hours. After lunch he sat staring at the paper in his hand, the one with Matthew's phone number on it. He had no ill feelings towards Matthew, but he was sure Matthew wasn't going to be the least bit interested in talking with him. He thought he owed it to Marc to at least try. He picked up the phone and dialed.
"Hello?" Matthew said in a rushed and irritated voice.
"Matthew?"
That voice sounded familiar, but Matthew was unsure yet who it was. "Yes, you've got him." He said, sounding a little more professional.
"Hi, it's Luke."
_d_a_m_n_. The rat from last night. Matthew wasn't sure yet how he wanted to respond.
"Hello? Matthew, you still there?" Luke asked when the phone remained silent.
"What do you want and how did you get my phone number?" Matthew spat, in the middle of a rushed project at work and none too keen on speaking to Luke. He had a million things he wanted to say, and none of them were fit for human ears, most especially because he was still very much feeling the effects of yesterday's spanking from Rolf.
"I...I am sorry, is it a bad time? Marc gave me the number, and told me to call." Luke replied stammering around.
Matthew decided to lose the attitude since Marc's name was mentioned.
"No, it isn't a bad time, just work as usual. What can I do for you?" Matthew's tone was still cool, but the best he could do.
"Well I," Luke took a deep breath, rather nervous. "I am sorry about last night. It was wrong of me to provoke you the way that I did, knowing full well what would happen to you. I apologize."
Matthew listened quietly to Luke's apology, and then got steamed as he now knew Luke *knew* that he WAS spanked. He was sitting there in open mouthed fury when it dawned on him something was different. But what was it? Then it hit him. That forced apology could me mean only one thing.
"Hello? You still there Matthew?" Luke asked as the line had been quiet.
"Marc spanked you last night didn't he?" Matthew asked point blank, intent on shocking Luke.
Luke was more than shocked. The spanking was still too new to him, and he wasn't sure how *he* quite felt about it, and wasn't anywhere NEAR ready for anyone else to know, most especially Matthew. He stammered "Whaaaaaat? N..no........................listen, I've got to go." Luke quickly hung up the phone, upset.
Matthew died laughing when the phone clicked off. Chalk one up for him he thought smugly. Something happened that embarrassed Luke, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. He still had a payback to deliver.
Two days later Matthew called Marc to join him for lunch. He was grounded, but "accidentally" seeing someone in the restaurant wasn't against the rules. After they ordered lunch, Matthew started in on Marc. "So, how did things go after we left that night?"
"They were alright. We had our food wrapped to go and returned to my place, since *someone* had to take my car because someone else was being a brat...." Marc teased.
"Stuff it. You could have just said no when Rolf asked for the keys, saved us both some trouble." Matthew replied.
"You'd say no to Rolf?"
"Drop it, alright? It's.....still a sore subject with me."
Marc had to smile at Matthew's attempt at humor. "Alright."
Matthew waited a couple seconds, then decided Marc wasn't saying anything more. "Well?" He prompted.
"Well what fruitcake?"
Marc wasn't being any help at all, and Matthew was tired of playing games. He cut right to the chase. "Did you spank Luke?"
Marc was taken aback, but didn't let it show. He didn't think Luke would have volunteered that information. "Now that would be between Luke and myself, wouldn't it?" Marc asked gently, to take the sting out of the words. "Rolf doesn't tell me about spanking you, nor does he tell you about spanking me. So why would I tell you if I spanked Luke?"
"I guess you're right." Matthew said, and then steered the conversation in another direction, leaving all thoughts of spanking behind. He had his answer. Marc DID spank Luke. He was going to use *that* to his advantage in the next meeting.
The remainder of Matthew's grounding flew by rather quickly. As the weekend approached, Matthew was more than ready to set his plan in motion. First up was getting Rolf to agree to another double date. Matthew opted to wait until bed time to raise the question.
Rolf had just turned out the light and rolled over to kiss Matthew goodnight.
"Goodnight little one, sweet dreams." He said with a passionate kiss.
"Goodnight love, sweet dreams to you too." Matthew replied. He waited a minute before raising the question. "Rolf? Still awake?"
"Of course. What do you want?"
"I was thinking maybe this weekend, we could double date again. What do you think?"
Rolf leaned over and turned the light back on, and sat up.
"You want to what? Are you insane, do you remember how the last one ended?"
"That's exactly my reason for wanting to do it again. I owe it to Marc. He deserves to be happy. And I now know Luke makes him happy."
Rolf sighs deeply, sensing pending doom. "If you can get Marc, and more importantly Luke, to agree to another date, I will go. But should thinks fall into place, so help me Matthew if you behave in any way, shape or form as last time, that last spanking will feel like a love tap, compared to the one I will give you."
Matthew cringed at those words. Rolf really lit his butt up good last time, and Matthew certainly could not imagine anything worse than that. But he agreed to Rolf's terms, not planning on being implicated this time.
The date was set up for next Friday. They were going to play miniature golf and reservations were set for 7 at a local italian restaurant. Matthew was making plans.
Luke was excited at the prospect of seeing Marc again. They'd talked on the phone, but nothing more as they were both working opposite schedules. He wasn't too sure about seeing Rolf and Matthew, but he knew how much Marc wanted everyone to get to know each other better, so he didn't say anything. He just hoped Matthew would be a little less mean, and a LOT more quiet on the subject of spanking. And he did want to know Rolf more, he seemed like a great guy.
Friday arrived. Marc was picking up Luke, and Rolf and Matthew would meet them at the golf course.
Things in the car with Rolf and Matthew were following their usual course. "You ARE going to be on your best behavior, right?"
"Oh Rolf, come on." Matthew replied in exasperation.
"Don't 'come on' me young man. I'm totally serious about this. Lock that brat up and throw away the key. One wrong move, and we'll be going home, is that clear?"
Matthew knew the only answer that would end the conversation. "Yes, sir."
Things in Marc's car weren't as comfortable. They were both glad to see each other, but had to get used to each other all over again.
"How come you are so quiet Luke?" Marc asked.
"I don't know."
"Oh don't give that line of crap. You can tell me, what's bothering you?"
Luke remains quiet for a moment, want the words to come out just right.
"I haven't seen you in two weeks. And now that we have time together, we have to spend it on a double date. It's not that I don't want to get to know your friends, but I would rather be with just you."
"Oh Luke," Marc starts, putting his hand on Luke's thigh. "I know a quiet night at my house would be more practical, but this means alot to Matthew, he wants to make up for last time."
"I bet he does." Luke responded quietly.
"And what exactly do you mean by that?"
Luke thought back to the last date and decided he needed to steer Marc in another direction. "I just know that he does. He was very nice on the phone when I called him to apologize."
"I'm glad you two made up."
In your dreams, Luke thought, as he replied "I am as well."
They arrived a few minutes after Rolf and Matthew had parked. "There they are, over at the entrance." Marc said as he and Luke headed over to join them.
"Hi guys" Marc said, startling Matthew who had been looking the other way.
Rolf and Luke warmly shook hands, then Matthew made a great show of being warm and welcoming to Luke as well when they shook hands. Then Matthew made an even better show of affection by hugging Marc. "Hi, long time no see."
Marc hugged Matthew back, a bit surprised by Matthew's display of affection. "Great to see you as well fruitcake."
"Let's get signed in before the crowds get any larger."
Everyone followed Matthew to the registers. The miniature golf course was one of the more intricate ones in the city. There were two eighteen hole courses, both of which were built on and surrounding two hills, with waterfalls and ponds galore. Every single hole had something different, some obstacle or other intricacy build in. In between the two courses stood the entrance building, on a small island. There was a snack bar and an arcade also connected. Rolf paid for both courses, and Matthew went to choose one of the brightly colored balls.
Opportunity Number One presented itself to Matthew, to be a brat while looking nice. "Hey Luke, what color do you want?"
"I'll take purple." Luke said as he put his money away.
"Oh, sorry, that's my color. You look like a pink person, or do you want something else?" Matthew replied, the mischief dancing in his eyes unseen by the powers that be.
"No, pink was never a good color for me. I will take the aqua one."
Matthew handed over the aqua ball to Luke, the red to Rolf and the pink to Marc. When Marc took hold of the ball, an unpleasant feeling came to the pit of his stomach. He was unsure what it was, but knew better than to take the ball, he might not win with that kind of feeling. Instead he opted for the orange. The foursome took to the greens, following Matthew's lead.
"We'll go in alphabetical order." Rolf said, wanting to put any possible arguments to rest before they started. "Luke that means you first, then Marc, and Matthew and I will wrap up."
Matthew groused to himself, but knew not to sound ungrateful. There were SO many ways he could one-up Luke here. He was a pretty good putt-putt golfer, at least when he was on his game. And today felt like a good day.
Luke set his ball down on the first green. The hole was a pretty simple one, the green L shaped with the hole in the middle at the end. Luke stood for a moment or two doing practice swings. Matthew rolled his eyes and groaned at the theatrics. Luke finally stepped up to the ball and as he brought his club back to hit it, the ball rolled out of the dimple it sat in and off into the grass.
Matthew was unable to contain himself, and let out a thunderous laugh. Fortunately, Marc too found that higly amusing and began laugh at Luke's misfortune.
"I guess that says something for taking too much time to align the perfect shot." Marc said, not wanting to make his date feel bad.
"Yes, ha ha very funny. Now you can see why I don't enjoy the golfing." Luke replied.
Luke put the ball back into it's place, and took an immeadiate and hard swing. The tiny ball sailed thru the course and landed directly in the hole. Luke turned and smirked at Matthew.
"But I suppose I could learn to like this game."
"Lucky shot!" Matthew replied, very unhappy at Luke's good fortune.
"I'll say. Let's see if I can repeat it." Marc said as he lined up his ball.
"Yeah, don't forget to take like sixty practice swings. I think that was the trick." Matthew couldn't help but throw that quip in.
Marc was not the most cordinated person. His first swing was a wiff, but did his best to pass it off as intentional. Luke just stood glaring at Matthew, trying to figure out what was going thru his head, and how he could beat him at his own game. Meanwhile, Marc did not make his a hole in one. Or five for that matter. Six times was a charm though. Matthew felt embarassed for his friend. How was he going to make Luke look bad, with that sort of playing?
"Don't worry Marc you will warm up." Matthew said.
Matthew stepped up to putt. He layed his purple ball on the dimple and began to take aim. As he pulled back to putt, he glanced up at Luke. Luke chose that moment to put his arm around Marc.
"Don't worry Scooby, it was a tough hole. You will nail the other ones." Luke said to Marc, glancing at Matthew occasionally.
Matthew didn't like that at all. He was the ONLY one who called Marc Scooby. Matthew cringed and wailed on the ball with all his might, causing it to ricochet off the mini barriers, and bounce directly into the hole!
"Woo hoo! Give me a high five on that one Marc!" Matthew said, making a beeline towards Marc.
Marc obliged, amazed at the little parlor trick.
"Your turn Rolf." Luke said clenching his teeth, attempting to sound completely unimpressed.
Rolf was an expert putter, but he didn't want to make Marc look bad, particularly in front of his new friend. It took all his might, but he managed to tie Marc with a six putt hole.
"Someone is off on their game. Thought you would have been all warmed up going last. Glad to know I have some competition for last place here." Marc said with a chuckle.
"The night is young Marc. We may be in competition for FIRST place." Rolf replied rubbing Marc's shoulders.
Matthew smiled at Rolf, knowing that he could never be THAT off. But his happiness was short lived as Luke began to paw Marc again. It wasn't the affection that bothered Matthew, it was the motive. He KNEW that Luke was doing it just to get him off his game.
"Come on Lucky...er Luke. Let's see how you do on the second hole, it gets a bit tricky."
Matthew bounced to the second hole, the one with the upward incline, and the first water hazard. Luke took his time coming to the next hole, hanging onto Marc the entire way. Once they made it to there, Matthew immediately came up between them.
"You can do that later, get up there and putt."
Luke glared and set up his ball. Matthew decided to give Marc a few pointers on his putting, speaking quietly, until Luke was ready to putt.
"...then, you just *spank* the ball right up the incline." Matthew made sure he emphasized 'spank'.
Luke slammed the ball when he heard that word, and looked at Matthew, who watched Luke's ball sail up the incline, past the hole and into the water.
"Ooooohhhh. Tough break man. I told you it gets a little tricky." Matthew replied to Luke's misfortune. "There it goes!" Matthew pointed to the aqua ball going down the man made creek.
Luke jumped off the green and went to chase his ball. Just as he was about to grab it, it slipped down a waterfall into a big pool of water, unreachable. "_d_a_m_n_ it!" Luke fumed as he stalked back down the way they had come to get another ball.
"Marc, go ahead, we've got people behind us." Rolf grabbed Matthew and pulled him close. "Remember what I said."
Matthew nodded quickly to Rolf and stepped back.
Marc put his ball down and shot. He managed to miss the water hazard and get the ball in the hole in three shots. Matthew was just stepping up to shoot when Luke returned.
"I think it's my turn." Luke said rudely.
Matthew picked up his ball and stood back, knowing that Luke was angry enough now to hurt his chances at this hole. He bit back the smile and watched as Luke quietly fumed and took three shots to get it in the hole.
"Looks like a six for you." Matthew said calmly.
"It was FOUR, can't you count?" Luke whirled around.
"Four shots, and a two shot penalty for going out of bounds. It's in the rules." Matthew kept his voice neutral, giving Rolf no cause for yelling.
"Come on, let's go on to the next hole, it's free." Marc pulled Luke along, not wanting things to get out of hand.
Matthew placed his ball down and shot, making the hole in three shots. Rolf followed that up with three of his own. They came up to the next hole.
"Oh, thrill. This one looks boring." Matthew groused. Instead of the twists and turns and hazards of some of the other holes, this one just had a wagon wheel that you had to shoot through.
Marc had played it first and got through the wheel and into the hole with two shots. Luke put his ball down and shot once, the ball striking one of the spokes of the wheel and bouncing back to him. Matthew started to snicker when a look from Rolf caused him to stop.
Luke turned around to Matthew. "Shut UP asshole."
Matthew's jaw dropped. He looked at Rolf, and back to Luke. Then he looked at Marc, and back to Rolf. For he know, had he spoken like that, Rolf wouldn't have been able to find a bar of soap fast enough. Rolf clenched his jaw, simply abhoring that sort of language. AND taking personal offense since it was directed towards his Matthew.
"Luke!?!" Marc shouted, both stunned and appalled.
"I am sorry." Luke said. He then turned his attention back to the ball. Took aim again, ready to swing, and then turned back toward Matthew an Marc.
"You know what? I am NOT sorry! I am not sorry at all. I didn't even want to come here." Luke continued as he walked away from the tee area, and stood in front of the three men, who all stood speechless.
"Luke this isn't..." Marc began to speak, before an ugly scene broke out.
"No, you don't speak!" Luke said as he pointed at Marc. "I am tired of standing here smiling and trying to make small talk with this little _f_u_c_k_! He has been nothing but a jealous, arrogant, asshole. He has done nothing but make smug remarks and suggestive phrases about our personal relationship. Apparently the tall one is too oblivious to see that, otherwise the little _s_h_i_t_ would have had his ass blistered by now." Luke paused to watch Matthew's reaction. "Don't look so stunned you little _f_u_c_k_, you knew I knew. I thought I could make peace with you, but you aren't worth it! And frankly Marc, while you were a wonderful lay, you aren't worth it either! And furthermore..."
Rolf's eyes narrowed. His jaw continues to clench. And his teeth were grinding so hard, he nearly chipped a molar. He was at wit's end. Ready to teach this little snot a thing or two about manners. Unfortunately, that chance never arrived. Just as Luke was ready to finish his nasty little rant, tragedy struck.
"HEADS UP!" A warning from off in the distance yelled.
Luke heard the yell thru his own rave, and turned around, looking up into the sky. His eyes didn't even have a chance to focus, as a stray, pink golf ball fell from the sky. It landed square in the center of his forehead, knocking him thru a loop. He stumbled forward, tripped over his dropped golf club, and landed on a rock, hitting his head again.
"Call 911!" Rolf yelled towards the stand.
A group of people soon gathered around Luke's unconscious body. Marc knealt down besides Luke and took his hand. Marc was somewhere between disbelief and rage. Matthew stood behind Marc, and bent down close to him.
"You had _s_e_x_...with HIM?"
"Matthew, I don't think this is the time or place." Marc responded.
"When?"
"I don't know, just not now."
"NO! When did you...have _s_e_x_?"
Marc was silent for a moment, replaying the recent events in his head. "That night!"
"You slut! Putting out on the first date?! Ugh! And you could do SO much better than him!"
Matthew's words hit Marc like a mack truck. His feelings for Luke were true, but not mutual. Luke's words weren't out of rage, they were calculated and heartfelt. And that hurt, Marc knew this was it. He let go of Luke's hand, and stood to his feet. He walked away from Luke's still unconscious body. Matthew followed behind.
"Marc? Are you alright?" Matthew said, really concerned.
Marc nodded. Before he could speak, he watched as two paramedics rushed by, and thru the crowd. He watched as they worked on Luke feverishly, before finally loading him into the ambulance. Marc watched as the ambulance sped away, Matthew on one side, Rolf on the other.
"He was right about one thing!" Marc said after a few minutes, in a quiet tone.
"What's that?" Matthew asked hesitantly.
"He was a great lay!" Marc said with a smile.
Rolf applied a quick, sharp blow to Marc's prosterior. "Have some respect." Rolf said.
Marc rubbed his bottom, and gave Rolf a pouty lip before smiling. "I think this proves that I only have two options left in finding love."
"And what's that?" Rolf asked.
"Well, I can either sit on a bar stool down at the local gay bar."
"Yeah, and pick up someone with an alcohol addiction." Matthew added.
"Or, I can hit on my existing friends. So which one of you two wants me first? The 'tall one' or the 'jealous, arrogant, asshole'?" Marc said.
The three men enjoyed a short laugh, and then hung their heads for a moment of silence. Rolf gathered the golf equipment, and returned it to the rental shack. The three exchanged goodnight hugs. Rolf climbed into the truck, giving Matthew a moment with Marc.
"You gonna be alright?" Matthew asked.
Marc remained silent for a moment, then nodded his head. "I will be just fine."
Matthew smiled, and joined Rolf in the truck. Marc climbed into his truck. He watched as Rolf and Matthew drove away. Marc sat at the wheel, staring off into the distance. A single tear streamed down the right side of his face. He wiped it away, and started the ignition.
"I will be just fine." He said to himself, before driving home.