Bonds of Love

going crazy. It wasn’t the first timehe’d thought that since the powers had manifested in him. But ashe’d told Matt when he first learned of them, he would live withthe super strength and telepathy and whatever else decided to cropup, as long as he had Matt by his side. He loved that man too muchto let a little thing like superhuman powers come between them.
He was alone in the lot. The night beyond the vaporlights made his bones ache with weariness, and thinking of Mattstirred in him a sudden desire to just crawl in bed to cuddle up tohis lover in the darkness. A half hour more and he’d be home. Whatposition gave him the ability to fly again? If he had that now, hecould cut down the commute to fifteen minutes or so. Or, hey,teleportation…didn’t someone in the comics have that? To just thinkabout going home and poof! He’d be there. He’d had it oncebefore, but after a while all the positions ran together in hismind and he didn’t remember which gave him what power.
If he weren’t so damn tired tonight, he’d suggestthey try to find out.
* * * *
After clocking out, Vic crossed the now-empty parkinglot to where his car sat alone in one far corner. As he approached,he saw a piece of paper stuck under his windshield wiper, and heglanced around as if to find the person responsible. The parkinglot was secured at all times, so it couldn’t be a parking ticket orpamphlet of any kind—Vic got enough of those downtown, religiousnuts posting flyers about finding salvation, or a new clubadvertising karaoke night, or a call center looking for students towork throughout the summer. But in the overhead light, Vic couldread his name scrawled across the piece of paper, and a feeling ofdread dropped into his stomach as he picked the note off hiscar.
Saturday, it read, in a hand he didn’trecognize. My place, 4 PM, cookout. I checked the schedule,you’re free. See you there!
Unsigned, but Vic groaned—it was from Kyle, ithad to be. Not for the first time, Vic wished the weeklywork schedules were kept private instead of being tacked to thecorkboard above the time clock for the whole terminal to see. Nowhe’d have to come up with some other excuse why he couldn’t hangout with Kyle. Maybe Matt had a swim meet that day, or maybe one ofthem would get sick, or hell, maybe the world would end. Vic couldonly hope. The last thing he wanted was to see Kyle outside ofwork—bad enough they frequented the same gym. He didn’t need tomeet this new guy in Kyle’s life, if one existed, and he didn’tneed to watch Kyle fawn all over Matt for an evening.
He balled the note up in one angry fist and droppedit on the ground. Then he stepped on it for good measure and groundit beneath the heel of his boot as he climbed behind the wheel ofhis car. Maybe he could avoid Kyle the rest of the week and thenconveniently forget about the cookout.
As he started the car, a voice that soundedsuspiciously like Matt’s laughed inside his mind. You wimp. Justtell him no.
But Vic shook that thought away. Despite hismuscle-man appearance, he didn’t like direct confrontations. He’drather let minor irritations blow over than bring them to a head.The only reason he took a stand yesterday was because he’d thoughtMatt was threatened by the gunman. If it’d just been himself there,Vic would’ve dropped to the ground with everyone else. He wasn’t apush-over by any means, but he didn’t need to show off to proveanything to anyone.
Bring Matt into the picture, and things changed. Vicwould move heaven and earth for that man, and he didn’t care whoknew it.
Besides, this was Kyle. The guy didn’t hearthe word no. He’d laugh off any objection Vic might have; hewas that oblivious. Better to just ignore him and hope he wouldlose interest and wander away.
Because if he didn’t? The next time he so much asthought of Matt, it wouldn’t be the handrail Victhrottled.
It’d be his fleshy neck.
* * * *
Vic’s car squealed to a stop in front of theirbrownstone apartment building, the sound disturbing the quietnight. As he put the car into park, he felt a familiar presenceawaken in his mind. ::There you are,:: Matt mumbled sleepilyinside Vic’s head.
::Did I wake you?:: Vic couldn’t stop the slowgrin that spread across his face at Matt’s stifled yawn. ::Getback to bed. I’ll join you in two minutes.::
::I’m up now.::
An image flashed through Vic’s mind—their bedroomdraped in red satin, a mass of flickering candles holding back theshadows and Matt, naked, spread-eagle on the bed. The candlelightgave his flesh a burnished glow that made his olive tone golden.The dark curls on his head seemed to absorb the light, and thehairs that covered his arms and chest and legs all pointed to theblack knot kinked at his crotch. When he spread his legs fartherapart, giving Vic a glimpse of the thick length between them, thebed rustled, and Vic dropped his keys before he could get them inthe door of his apartment building. ::Look what you make medo,:: he chided.
Matt’s reply was a throaty laugh that vibrated behindVic’s ears.
Inside the building, Vic latched the door and startedup the stairs to their apartment. He felt Matt’s anticipation riseas each step he took echoed off the stairwell. ::Since when didwe get satin sheets?:: Vic mused.
In an instant, the image was extinguished—the candlesblew out as one, the red drapes fell to the floor in a satiny rush,and the bed with Matt on it disappeared into darkness. Slowly, theroom came into focus as Vic’s mind adjusted. One sole lamp was lit,illuminating his bedside table and giving him enough light to seeby when he came in. In its faint glow, Vic saw Matt curled up onhis own side of the bed. Vic teased, ::Ah, so now the truthcomes out. No candles tonight?::
::Sorry,:: Matt replied. There was an impishundertone to his voice that made Vic take the last few steps two ata time to reach the door to their apartment. As