Homeschool

The needle spun on the ice, and as it rotated, it turned into Chazz's Verticoli, then back to a syringe, then again to a brush. I watched, fascinated. It really DID have magical properties.



Then a hand, Hector's hand, reached out and snatched it up. He flipped it over onto the back of his fingers and made the needle/brush walk across his knuckles, the way a magician would work a coin. His lips stretched in a macabre smile, revealing bloody shark-like teeth.



"Repent," he hissed and threw the brush at me. I looked down and was horrified to see the Verticoli had pierced my chest and was protruding from my ribcage.



I flinched and jerked awake. Coach was there. I sucked in a shaky breath and clumsily grabbed at his collar.



"Hector!" I shouted. "Hurry!"



"It's okay, Jimmy," he said, pushing me back down on the bed.



Bed?



"Chazz! I've got to warn Chazz!" I struggled to sit up again, and Coach put a firm hand on my chest.



"It's okay, Jimmy. You're safe now. You're in the hospital."



I slumped back, my heart still pounding. "But, what about … Hector?"



Coach patted my arm. "You won't have to worry about him anymore."



"Is he … dead?" I hadn't thought I'd killed him, but there seemed to be a large chunk of time that I couldn't remember.



"Dead? God no," he chuckled, "but after Chazz was done with him, I'm sure he wished he was!"



"Chazz was there?"



"Well sure, Jimmy, we both were. You don't remember?"



I shook my head. I seemed to have a vague recollection, but it didn't seem real.



"And I want to tell you that you did a heck of a job back there, kid. I'm really proud of you. Chazz is, too."



"I think he hates me." I said, a lump rising in my throat. "We had a … I said some terrible things to him."



"I know," he said squeezing my arm, "he told me what happened."



"He - What?"



"Oh yeah," he laughed, "I just about killed Chazz when he told me what he'd done to you."



"He … told you?" I squeaked, "Everything?"



"Well sure. The drinking. The fight. The head butt. The fact that you ran off." He looked me over, warily. "Was there something else?"



"No!" I said, giddy with relief. "That's everything."



"You know, when two people get as close as you guys have, you have to expect a certain amount of tension, and the need to release some of that pent-up energy. What happened between you is only natural."



"Um … are we still talking about the fight?"



"Of course, Jimmy, what else would we be talking about?"



I shrugged. "Where is Chazz, anyway?"



"Shhh, listen." He said, holding up one finger. Sure enough, within a second or two, we could hear Chazz's elevated voice, demanding better quality care for his 'brother'. Did they not know whom they were dealing with? Olympic Gold Medalist Jimmy MacElroy! America's sweetheart.



Coach gave me a lopsided grin and nodded. "I'll go tell him you're awake; I'm sure he wants to see you."



"Wait," I said, my mental wheels slowly turning, "how did you guys find me?"



"The Verticoli," said Coach, tipping his head to the bedside table, where, beside a pitcher of ice water and a vase of flowers, sat the fabled brush. "It has a GPS unit in it."



"GPS?" I asked, still not understanding.



"Global Positioning System." Coach held up a small black unit that closely resembled a cell phone. "This little puppy will track that brush anywhere. Once we realized that you were actually missing and not just cooling your heels, it led us right to you."



"Neat!"



Chazz stormed in the room, still yelling over his shoulder at whatever unfortunate nurse was the target of his tirade, but stopped in his tracks when he saw me.



"Well," said Coach, "I'm uh … gonna go to the cafeteria and get myself a coffee. I'm sure you two have plenty to talk about."



We both watched his retreating form, then pointedly did not look at each other when he was gone. Chazz looked like crap, I noted, when I snuck a peek at him while he fiddled with the flowers. He also looked really pissed off. I didn't know if it would help, but I needed to let him know how sorry I was for the terrible things I had said. If he couldn't accept my apology, then I'm not sure what I would have done, but I certainly wasn't above begging.



"Chazz," I began, but he held up a hand and promptly stopped me.



"Not now," he said, lips pressed into a tight line. "Let's just work on getting you out of here, and we can deal with the other shit later."



He was standing beside the bed, but his gaze was still directed at the door. The main reason that I had survived that whole ordeal was so that I could apologize to him, and he didn't even want to hear it. My throat closed up, and I could feel the prickle of tears behind my eyes. Oh God, why did I have to be such a woman sometimes?



"Look at me," I said, my voice thick with emotion.



"I can't," he said, his expression stony, "not yet."



He turned to leave and I clasped a hand over my mouth to stifle a sob.



STUPIDLOSERANDAFREAKNOBODYWILLEVERLOVEJIMMY

STUPIDLOSERANDAFREAKNOBODYWILLEVERLOVEJIMMY



I counted all afternoon until the police came to interview me, and then I counted all night after that. I was still counting when Coach came to get me and take me home.



~*~*



I sat on the counter beside the sink while Chazz fiddled with the shower taps, getting the temperature just right. He'd been cold and distant ever since I'd arrived home with Coach a few hours earlier, but had immediately offered to help when I mentioned that I was dying to have a shower.



Chazz closed the curtain to let the steam build up and began to unbutton my shirt. My hands were still useless and swollen. I took a deep breath. It was now or never.



"Chazz," I began, "I really suck at this, but I have to tell you how sorry I am."



He gave a curt nod and continued working my buttons.



"The things that I said to you the other day were inexcusable. They were hurtful and untrue, and if I could un-say them, I gladly would. I just hope … I mean, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."



I closed my eyes and did my best to not count myself into oblivion.



"Jimmy," he finally said, and I peeked through my lashes at him. His expression still looked angry, but his bottom lip quivered tellingly, "you had me at 'suck'."



I let out a sigh of relief. Yes!



"You don't hate me?"



Chazz looked confused. "Me? Hate you? Shit no! I thought you hated me."



I shook my head gravely.



"Oh Jimmy, I effed up big time. I hurt you, man, and you are the one person that I'd never want to do that to. You're my brother. Okay, that's gross, but I mean, I love you, man. And not in a girly-faggy way, but in a," he pounded his chest, "in a big, burly he-man way."



I choked out a laugh.



"I'm serious, Jimmy." The lip quiver was back. "I'm tired of being the lone wolf. Things were going so great between us, and I had to go and ruin everything. I promise that I will never, ever hurt you again. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"



I nodded and wrapped my arms around his big, stupid body. After a moment, he hugged me back.



"Now get in there," he said, motioning to the shower, "you smell like a slaughterhouse."



I laughed again and shrugged off my shirt. I hopped off the counter, but almost crumpled to the floor when my legs buckled. Chazz held out a hand to steady me.



"You okay?"



I nodded, but wasn't sure. I still felt pretty weak and shaky.



"You need some help?"



I shook my head, but then reconsidered.



"Yeah," I said, "that would be great."



Chazz took a towel off the rack and folded it into a square, placing it in the center of the tub.



"There you go, you can sit instead of stand, and your precious ass won't have to touch any germs."



"Do you really think my ass is precious?" I asked, shedding my pants.



"Well, it doesn't hold a candle to mine," he joked, helping me into the tub, "but I suppose it'll do."



I sank down onto the towel and let the soothing spray rain down on my sore, bruised body. After a moment, the shower curtain flew open and a completely nude Chazz stepped in and sat behind me, long legs stretched out on either side of mine.



He didn't say anything, but put his arms around me and held me tight. I closed my eyes and leaned back against him. We might have stayed that way until the hot water gave out, but eventually he laughed and kissed the back of my head.



"Dude, you're rank! Hand me the Mane and Tail before I blow my groceries all over you."



He uncapped the shampoo and began to work it into my hair, being careful to avoid the more delicate areas. He washed my ears and my neck, then began to rub the strained muscles in my shoulders.



"That feels great," I sighed, and let my head fall forward, as he ran his soapy thumbs down along my spine, then back up to trace around my shoulder blades. He poured more shampoo into his palms, and washed my underarms and chest, working in slow circles.



"Give me your hands," he said, and I obediently placed them in his grip. Chazz used his fingers to work around the base of my thumbs and I moaned my approval. I leaned back into the circle of his arms and rested against him. He massaged each finger, starting at the base, then twisted and rubbed each knuckle and joint, sliding his soapy hands around and between, then tugging gently on each finger-tip.



Between the soothing water and Chazz's magical hands, I began to relax for the first time since my ill-fated ordeal with Hector. Well, parts of me were relaxing. Other parts were definitely getting keyed up, and judging by the massive torpedo stabbing me in the back, Chazz was experiencing the same thing.



He drizzled the Mane and Tail over my front and pressed his fingers into the sore flesh, across my chest and stomach, then in ever-increasing circles, working lower and lower on each pass, until I was arching back and up, straining for his touch. A hand grazed my aching cock, and I gasped.



"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling his hands away.



"Yeah, I'm more than okay."



"But … are you sure you want this? You want me to-"



"I'm sure," I said, taking his soapy hands and guiding them lower, until they slid across the part of me that was yearning for his touch. We both hissed as his fingers wrapped around me, and I pressed into the tight circle of his hands.



"This isn't going to take very long," I said, gripping his knees.



"S'okay," he breathed into my neck, "Iron Chef's on in a minute."



I was about to laugh, but choked on it when his hand slid back up my length, and his other arm pulled me back against him, pressing his hardened cock between us. He rolled his hips beneath me, pulling me closer and working my cock at the same time.



I arched up and let my head fall back on his shoulder. That delicious pressure was back, and I could feel it coiling deep in my belly. I wanted to touch him like he was touching me, but he was pressed so tightly against me, and I was already so close, that all I could do was lean back into him and moan my encouragement.



His lips brushed my neck, his breath hot and jagged against my ear, and that hand, that slippery, hot, delightfully wet hand, rubbing and twisting and pulling and I pushed into it, Ohgodsoclose, and he gripped my hips and pressed against me, breathing whisper-soft grunts against my neck. One more tug, and I was over the edge, crying out as it pulsed through me.



His hand slowed and became a gentle caress, tracing slow circles through the soap and my release. 'Creamy Tribute,' my mind supplied, and I laughed.



"What?" he asked thickly.



"I think you're going to have to wash my stomach again."



"Yeah," he replied, wriggling his softening cock against me, "and your back too."



I smiled and slumped against him.



He twisted a finger around one of my wet curls and pressed his face into the back of my neck.



"I thought you were a goner," he said, rubbing his stubbly chin across my shoulder.



"Yeah," I replied, turning my face towards his, "I thought I was, too."



"Welcome back, Homeschool." Then he kissed me, slowly and thoroughly and I kissed him right back. When we broke apart, I leaned against him again, and his chin returned to my shoulder.



"I guess we should tell Coach," I said.



"I already did."



"What? You mean, about … us? This?"



"Well, yeah. When you went missing, I told him everything."



"That bugger! He knew the whole time and he never let on."



Chazz laughed, and rubbed his hand across my chest and stomach, rinsing away the remains of what we'd just done. "Come on, let's get out of here, the water's starting to get cold."



~*~*



When I came out of the bathroom, Chazz was already waiting for me in my bunk.



"Is this okay?" he asked.



"Yeah, I don't think I'd be able to sleep if I was alone."



"You wouldn't be alone, I'd just be right up there," he said, pointing to the bunk above us.



"Not the same," I said, crawling in next to him and pulling his arm across my shoulders. "Hey," I asked, "what happened with Hector? Coach said that you beat the snot out of him."



"Worse than that," Chazz said, miming a karate chop, "He suffered my fists of furry."



"Did you just say 'furry'?"



"Yeah, you know, when your hands move so fast that they look all furry!"



"If you could move that fast, your hands would look blurry."



"Exactly," he said, nodding against my neck.



I rolled my eyes in the dark.



"Goodnight, Chazz."



"Goodnight, Princess."