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The desert was surprisingly cold at night. It didn’t help that it was early February and a cold snap had allowed the wind slip through every crack of the tool shed and had made its way under all three layers of Michael Guerin’s clothes and his sleeping bag. His muscles ached with how long he’d been shivering. This was the third night in a row and he was no closer to sleep than he had been the previous two nights with how hard his teeth were chattering. He looked through the dirty window of the shed towards the house and tried to decide if he thought it was worth the wrath of Jesse Manes to go ask Alex for another blanket or a space heater or something. It was well past midnight and the house looked dark and still. Michael knew which window was Alex’s because he’d pointed it out to him the first day he’d found that Michael had taken him up on his offer to in the shed occasionally.
“If you need anything, Guerin, just tap on the window. I’m right there. But be careful, my dad can’t know you’re staying here.”
Another gust of wind rattled the windows and sneaked under the collars of Michael’s multiple shirts. Deciding it was worth it this one time, Michael slipped out of the shed and clung to the deeper shadows around the fence line until he was at Alex’s window. He peaked in and saw Alex sitting at his computer desk with headphones on. Cursing silently, Michael decided to take his chances with breaking and entering. He worked his numb fingers along the edge of the window screen and as silently as possible pulled it off from the outside of the window. He tried to push up the window sash, but after a few grunting pushes realized Alex must have it locked. Nervously, he darted another look at Alex hoping that he’d seen him at the window, but Alex hadn’t moved from his spot at the computer. Michael pushed out with his mind to find the window catch so he could unlatch it. He found it and slowly slid over the mechanism so the window would unlock and then he pushed at the sash again. It slid open easily and without further ado he hoisted himself as noiselessly as possible through the window. This part he was good at from his frequent late-night visits to certain girls whose daddies would not approve of him.
He fell onto the bed with soft thump that he immediately froze after. He didn’t know how thin the walls were at Alex’s house, so he laid still and listened for all he was worth. No noise. No sounds of midnight stirrings or snores or anything but the hum of the heater. The heater. Michael almost let out a moan at the warmth that was soaking into him. He sat up and closed the window as quietly as he could before rolling off Alex’s bed and onto the floor. Curious as to why Alex wouldn’t have heard him or noticed all the movement in his room, Michael walked up behind him and checked out the computer screen that had stolen all his attention.
There were two guys on the screen, bodies ripped and naked, their skin gleaming with oil, and they were…. Yep, they were definitely fucking. Michael watched in fascination and shocked arousal as one of the dudes pounded into the other one, cock bigger than anything Michael had ever seen in the locker rooms at school, and the bottom guy apparently moaned and panted in appreciation. Michael gave a quick, wide eyed look towards Alex who he could now see was stripping his cock under the computer desk for all he was worth, eyes almost closed in concentration, and bottom lip caught between his clenched teeth. That was hotter to Michael than anything happening on the computer screen, but it wasn’t right that Alex didn’t realize he was there. He also had no clue how to make Alex aware of him without giving him a heart attack, but there wasn’t much Michael could do about that. He wasn’t about to climb back outside unless Alex made him.
Michael laid a hand tentatively on Alex’s shoulder and even though he’d braced himself for it, Alex’s subsequent jump and small yelp still made him reflexively jump back and hold his hands in front of him. When he opened his eyes from the protective squint he’d instinctually adopted, he saw Alex looking at him in shocked horror, half turned in his chair to face his intruder, ear phones tossed onto the desk and browser window gone. Michael tried not to note that his hand was still wrapped around his cock, but it was no use. Alex’s brain seemed to finally unfreeze, and he followed Michael’s eyes down and then yelped again, turning quickly and presumably stuffing himself back into his sleep pants.
“Dude!” Alex hissed in the darkness after he’d righted himself. “What are you doing in here?”
“I wanted to ask for a blanket. It’s fucking freezing tonight. It’s been freezing for the last week and my sleeping bag isn’t doing the job. I’m sorry to barge in, but you had your ear phones on and I didn’t want to risk waking your dad,” Michael explained in a rushed whisper, stepping closer to Alex so he could keep his voice as low as possible. As he got closer, he could see the faint sheen of sweat on Alex’s upper lip and the flush in his skin. He didn’t know if it was embarrassment, arousal, or both, but it looked good on him. He also smelled like musk, Irish Spring, and the red clay undernote that he seemed to always have on him. Michael licked his lips unconsciously as he looked him over. Alex watched him and licked his own lips, mirroring Michael’s actions unconsciously.
“I don’t have an extra blanket,” Alex replied finally, his voice so soft that Michael almost couldn’t hear him. It was more that he breathed the words than vocalized them. Michael’s heart sank as he contemplated having to go back out into the cold without something extra to keep him warm. Already he was starting to feel hot in the house from his multiple layers of clothes and he wanted to cry at the thought that the warmth he was feeling now would be leeched from him far too soon once he was back outside. Alex seemed to see his dilemma and his face fell in sympathy.
“Look, you can stay in here tonight. Only tonight. This is a huge risk. If my dad catches us we will both be buried in the desert by daybreak. But you’re right, it’s too fucking cold. I’ll see about getting you a space heater out there tomorrow. Do you want to sleep on the floor or do you mind sharing the bed?” Alex asked nervously eyeing his unmade covers. He had a full-sized bed so they wouldn’t have to be pressed together…not that Michael would have minded if they had.
“I’ll share the bed. I’m very good at looking like a pillow as long as the lights stay off,” Michael said, throwing Alex a wink and a grin to try and lighten the mood. Alex smiled back and rolled his eyes but nodded his head towards the bed in silent invitation for Michael to go ahead. Michael stood, eying Alex nervously, and stripped off his jacket and all but one of his overshirts. He pushed down his jeans and sweats until he was left in only his thermal underwear. He looked over to see Alex was watching him intently as he stripped, and Michael felt heat travel through him at being under scrutiny.
“Do you want the wall or the door?” Michael asked, trying to avoid Alex’s eyes and very aware of how little his threadbare thermals left to the imagination. Alex shook himself and looked up at Michael who was hugging himself now that he had so little on. As warm as the house was, he was getting a chill standing in only one thin layer of clothing.
“Uh… I better take the door in case someone comes barging in,” Alex mumbled, standing up finally. He was wearing a black zip up hoodie over his bare chest and soft looking black sleep pants. He unzipped his hoodie and threw it over the back of the chair. Michael had to physically pry his eyes off Alex’s dark pink nipples before scrambling onto the bed and shoving his body as close to the wall as possible without touching it. It radiated cold towards him and he shivered, glad he wasn’t still out in the shed trying to sleep. Alex turned off his desk lamp and shut his laptop down before crawling into bed after Michael. He laid on his back and both boys stared up at the dark ceiling, tense in the unfamiliar situation.
“I don’t think I snore but—” Michael started at the same time as Alex who said, “Look what you saw on my laptop—”
“You go first,” Michael said after they both stopped mid-sentence after interrupting each other. He rolled onto his side and scooted his body closer to Alex’s so they could keep their voices to a minimum volume. He also liked the warmth radiating from Alex’s bare skin and the smell of him. While he waited for Alex to start talking again, Michael felt himself with the wild urge to bend over and kiss Alex’s shoulder. Alex was surprisingly fit for someone who didn’t play sports or seem to be inherently athletic.
“What you saw on my laptop… I’m sorry. Obviously, I didn’t know I’d be having guests. I hope it didn’t make you feel…. Uncomfortable,” Alex finished the sentence lamely. He avoided Michael’s eyes and his fingers picked at the edge of his comforter while he spoke.
“Oh, that? While those dudes aren’t my type, it looked like they were having fun,” Michael joked, trying to let Alex know that he was cool with it. He hoped he’d pick up exactly how cool with it Michael was, but at Alex’s snort Michael decided to continue talking, “Looked like you were enjoying the show.”
Michael could see the flush of blood infuse Alex’s face even in the darkness of his bedroom. Alex brought his hands up and covered his face and Michael could hear him breathing an embarrassed sounding litany of “Oh God, oh God, oh God”s. Michael poked him in the rib gently and Alex squeaked, elbow coming down to try and block the move but hands staying firmly over his face.
“Alex, it’s fine,” Michael whispered, moving his body until there was only a scant inch between them and pulling at the arm nearest him to uncover Alex’s face. Reluctantly, Alex let Michael tug his hand away and he looked at him through the corner of his eye. He was still beet red and Michael basically thought it was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen in his life. “Seriously. Like you said, you weren’t expecting visitors and… it looked like they were getting to the ‘climax’. I just hope I didn’t ruin your appreciation of what I’m sure was an amazing piece of American cinema.”
“You did not just make that terrible joke,” Alex said scathingly, trying and failing to look offended at Michael’s corny sense of humor. They shared a long look and started snickering quietly. “Besides, it was German.”
“Shh. It’s late. I’ve had maybe three hours or sleep in the last two days. Give me this one,” Michael sighed, head dropping onto the edge of Alex’s pillow. Alex shifted his body until he was on his side facing Michael from across the pillow top.
“I’m sorry I didn’t realize how cold the shed got. I really will get a space heater out there tomorrow. We’ve got an extra one in the garage that I don’t think anyone’s used in a couple years,” Alex said, looking apologetic.
“It’s okay. As long as you’ll let me stay here tonight,” Michael said with a small smile. Alex nodded and they stared at each other for another long moment in the dark. Michael knew this was when he could make his move. He could reach out and touch Alex’s cheek. He could brush his hand down his waist. He could do so many things that with a girl he might not hesitate over, sure of his reception, but laying in bed with Alex he was frozen. He didn’t want to press his luck or offend his friend. More than getting kicked back into the cold, he didn’t want Alex to think Michael expected things from him because he knew he liked guys.
“Goodnight, Michael,” Alex whispered finally, closing his eyes and letting his body start to relax. Michael kept watching him, yearning to lean over and kiss his forehead or cheek or nose or anything. Sighing at his own cowardice, he too closed his eyes.
“’Night, Alex.”