Music and animated laughter floated out the screen door from the party indoors. The sound softly echoed on the outdoor speakers at the back of the garden, behind the fire pit where Anton and a few of Derrick’s friends were sitting.
“Hey, Anton! While you’re up, can you dig me out another beer from the cooler?” shouted a silhouette from down by the fire.
“Sure thing man!” Anton called back, smiling to himself in the dark. He and Derrick had decided to throw the party a few weeks back. Derrick had left Anton in charge of food and beverages. Derrick said he would foot the bill, which, as a broke-ass Master’s student, Anton was grateful for. Derrick had asked if he wanted to invite any of his friends, but he’d declined.
He’d just graduated from undergrad at a school the town over the year before and recently started in on grad work at a new university. Most of his good friends from undergrad had moved away, whether to start their careers or, like Anton, to start their Master's degrees at other places.
Although he had been a bit daunted when Derrick said he was going to be inviting around 30 people, Anton was more than willing to pitch in. He’d spent the previous evening and most of the day prepping hors d'oeuvres and running errands. Derrick had been out of school and aggressively climbing the ladder at his firm for a few years, and he liked to be generous with his friends and family because he could afford to be.
Derrick laughed, “Oh yeah boy, we’re going to throw a banger. I usually do one every summer, last year we’d only just started going out, well, let me rephrase. We had just started casually hooking up and were not really dating yet. My friends can be an acquired taste, so I decided to spare you. But after almost two years now you’re not so lucky, and after a year and a half of dating, I’m pretty sure I can safely call you mine. He said beaming. “Likely can even introduce you as my boyfriend, versus that guy I keep chained up in the basement”.
Anton shot a look over his glasses, looking up from notes he was jotting down on his plan of attack for the menu of snacks he would be making for the evening. He still wasn’t sure if Derrick’s friends knew about his proclivities, based on the way Derrick teased with that info, some of them must, but he also liked keeping Anton guessing, and Anton liked the rush he felt when Derrick said things that showed his dominance.
“You want a Wellington Farouk? Or…” Anton dug through the cooler, it was dark out and the fairy lights Derrick had hung were not bright enough to easily tell what was a cooler and what was a beer “Look like all we’ve got left for choice is Bud Light Lime”.
“Ha! Gimme the Welly man, that’s not even a choice,” Farouk called back from the glow of the fire, the alcohol softly rolling the words into one another a little longer than it should have. Anton had met Farouk once before when he had been over to Derrick’s and he’d been invited to grab a drink on the patio. This was a few months back, on one of the first really nice and warm spring days. Anton was a social guy, but with so many people he barely knew, he had been grateful for Farouk rescuing and introducing him to others the few times throughout the evening as he’s lost Derrick in the ebb and flow of the party.
Anton jogged back down to the fire pit and took the seat beside Farouk, handing him the beer.
“So how did you and Darrick meet Anton? ” asked an older woman sitting across the fire pit.
Farouk cut in before Anton could even start “You must have missed Derrick telling the story earlier of how he was at the Starbucks, and when rushing to get to the office careened into this dashing young man, spilling hot coffee all over his shirt. When Anton removed it to stop the scalding beverage from disfiguring him, Derrick cleans the macchiato off his rippling abs with his tongue falling madly in love, and they fucked happily into the ever afterglow?”
“Oh Farouk - you’re so bad!” she shot back, taking a sip of wine, and looking back at Anton. “You guys didn’t meet on one of those apps did you?” Her voice peaking with a strange curiosity.
“So what if they met online, Cheryl? It’s what gays do, let's get you over this obsession Cheryl. Do you want to come to flip through the Grindr Grid with me? I’m not going to let you put Anton through this. You keep driving off our man candy at these parties, Derrick would kill me, remember my trick last year?” Farouk fought playfully back over the fire pit as it crackled and shot a fan of sparks up into the night.
“Oh no, Cheryl’s at it again” Someone from the group in the hot tub on the back patio exclaimed. Anton briefly thought of what the neighbours must be thinking if they could hear Cheryl's booming voice.
“A Trick? Really? You can’t mean that…can you?” Cheryl asked, her tone indicating she was backing off.
“Umm.. I’m going to go check what Derrick is up to” Anton said “Cheryl, would you like another glass of wine?”
“That’s a good idea, she’s relentless, don’t engage. I wouldn’t have encouraged the wine. It just emboldens her. Go, save yourself while you still can. It’s too late for me.” Farouk whispered loudly. He certainly had a flair for the dramatic Anton thought shaking his head.
“I’d love one hun, red if you still have any, who knows with you thirsty lot!” Cheryl called after him, purposefully ignoring Farouk’s jest.
“That doesn’t mean what you think it does Cheryl!” the hot tub voice shouted.
#
Inside the music was blaring, and the heat of the summer day had not left the house with all the bodies, despite all the windows being open. Anton politely pushed his way through the hallway, passing two shirtless guys making out against the wall, and into the living room/dining room.
Anton unbuttoned his shirt a bit further as sweat collected under his collar. He scanned the kitchen off to the right, looking for Derrick, and then through the crowd in the living room. He eventually found him sitting and talking with a man that Anton didn’t recognize.
As Anton made his way across the room and got closer he noticed the man was older than most of the crowd Derrick had invited. He was very handsome and had an air of confidence about him, wearing a very pair of calf-high leather boots, jeans, and an inky grey shirt with bright floral accents through the collar and cuffs, accenting the abstract pattern splashed across the chest that was filled out in all the right places.
“Ah, speak of the devil,” Derrick said with a smile as Anton saddled up beside him.
“James, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Anton,” said Derrick, wrapping his arm around his waist.
“Pleasure to meet you, Anton,” said James, extending a hand. “I hope this devil is treating you well?”
“Very nice to meet you, and yes, of course. Derrick is awesome.” Anton replied.
“You enjoying fire? Farouk’s not hassling you too much is he?” asked Derrick.
“Yeah, it’s a really nice evening out, and no, I was actually just coming in to grab myself and someone named…Cheryl, I think it was a drink. Can I grab either of you gentlemen something while I am at it”?
“Bring us each a whisky, boy. Cheryl can wait.” Derrick ordered, shooting him a look he knew well.
Before Anton could even think, he instinctively replied with a “Yessir”.
He blushed and removed himself from the situation quickly, heading for the kitchen to grab glassware, embarrassed by the slip-up. They both had been drinking. Derrick probably didn’t mean to have called him boy, and Anton certainly hadn’t meant to call Derrick him by his private title they used in the bedroom. James probably hadn't noticed he rationalized with himself. Ugh, nope not buying that bullshit. How could he not have? If you could judge a book by its cover, he did seem pretty edgy and probably wouldn't care. And those boots. Anton was still trying to get a better feel for how far Derrick wanted their relationship dynamics to bleed into their more public lives, especially knowing Derrick had a decent number of openly kinky friends and acquaintances.
He dismissed it and composed himself as he cut through the crowd toward the bar cart across the room. He could feel James and Derrick watching him, but refused to give in and look over. Derrick hadn’t specified a label. Still off his game and a bit tipsy, Anton wracked his brain. Derrick had a sizeable. collection and he’d walked Anton through them before indicating which ones he like to save for guests and friends, versus those he’d have Anton fetch him on a Friday night when they were just kicking back and staying in. Anton had done his best to listen and take it in, but it was a lot. He grabbed a dark bottle that looked familiar and hoped he was right. Pouring a finger into each glass as Derrick had shown him was an appropriate amount.
“...I want it to feel real for him” Anton caught the tail end of Derrick's sentence as he brought over the drinks, Handing an old fashion crystal lowball, the dark amber shadows swishing behind the intricate pattern cut into the glass, to James first, followed by Derrick.
“And what did you end up selecting for us tonight,” Derrick asked, switching his attention and the topic of conversation, it was clear from his tone this was a test.
Anton drew in a quick breath. “The Bushmill Single Malt” and stopped short of the “Sir” which danced on the tip of his tongue, wanting to be spoken. He wanted to say it so badly, reading the look in Derrick's eyes and a feeling of ardour sparked deep in his abdomen. Blood pumped, and he could hear his heart racing in his ears.
“Good choice, country of origin?” his dark eyebrow raised. The test continued.
“Fuck…I didn’t realize this was going to be a test. Umm. The UK?” He asked.
“C’mon Derrick, you gotta admit that’s pretty good, the poor guy looks like he’s going to shit a brick,” said James.
“You wouldn’t chalk that up as a cop-out if you were grading? I was only going to accept the constituent country of Northern Ireland” Derrick said, smirking back at Anton.
“Ah see, but I am not grading, so I’ll leave that decision between you and Anton” he replied, taking a sip.
“Well, I’ll have to consider it further I guess. Thank you, Anton. You were grabbing yourself a glass of wine, and one for Cheryl were you not? James and I are going to enjoy these and then we’ll join you and Farouk out by the fire. Ask him if he can get rid of her before we get there. I have to invite her or she’ll call bylaw on us. He’ll know what to do.” Derrick asked.
“Sounds good, I think Farouk might have already started on that, it would explain the chaos that was going on when I left to come in. Will see you shortly I guess, Enjoy,” he said cocking his head curiously, then excusing himself to go pour another glass of red.
#
“Double-fisting bud? The silhouette of Farouk illuminated by firelight called out as he walked across the grass. The night had cooled to the point where dew was starting to form, wetting his bare feet, the coolth a refreshing change from the heat of the party inside.
“No, Cheryl had wanted a red hadn’t she, she gone?” Anton asked.
“Yup. Finally got tired of my raggin’ on her I think. She’s an absolute terror.”
“Derrick mentioned. He and James will be out to join us in a few. She didn’t seem that bad.” Anton said, filling the silence and sitting beside Farouk, leaving two chairs opposite for James and Derrick.
“Guess this one is yours if you want it,” Anton said, handing the glass to Farouk.
“Gladly my friend. By the way, the lock on your collar is showing” nodding to Anton’s neckline. His dark brown eyes sparkled in the firelight.
“Of course. You know as well, eh? Whatever. Rolling with it. What a night” Anton said sighing and letting the warmth of the drink roll across his tongue. Unconsciously he reached up to the chunky Cuban link necklace locked around his neck. “I think I’ve slipped up and let this bad boy show unintentionally when I unbuttoned this shirt.”
“Accepting yourself and not caring what others think is a good thing man, let it ride. That chain locked around your neck is freedom in a way. Plus I think it makes you look hot as hell.” Farouk said with a wink, turning back to his wine and staring back into the fire.
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