Drawing Parallels

[everest]

It’s been a while since I last posted a story. In the time since then, I’ve gotten a new laptop to replace my old one that finally died for good, and as a result, lost all progress I had on unfinished stories. So, while I do fully intend to finish at least some of them at some point… I don’t know how long that will take me. Excuses aside, I do feel a little bad for posting this while I have so many unfinished stories up… forgive me?

This story is a little different, to the point where I feel the need to explain it a bit. It’s about a writer and the story he is writing- I intend to post that story as well. Both will be sneezefics. I wouldn’t necessarily call the author (in the fic, not me, obviously) a sneeze fetishist, but if you like to picture him that way, go for it. Oh, and this story will contain both M/M and M/F.

Sneezing will take a while to appear. This part and the next contain absolutely none. Sorry for that, but I feel like if I put it in any sooner, I’d be rushing it. Again, I apologize!

Anywaaaaay, I really hope you guys like it and that nobody finds it too confusing!

Part One:

Shoulder length black hair, thick and layered, swayed in the breeze of the early autumn day. Blue eyes swept the area briefly, looking for a spot to sit down. The place was without human noise, save for his own; it was a sand dune he was on, surrounded by trees. Secluded, perhaps. But human interaction was not what Gabriel sought.

The long-legged man sat down slowly, settling his jean-clad bum into the sand. He pulled out his laptop from his bag, resting it in his lap and pressing the power switch. His knees were bent in front of him, bare feet resting in the sand as he hear the familiar sounds of his computer humming to life.

He shivered briefly; the air was crisp, the wind carrying a bitter chill. The brightness of the day was contradictory to the weather, and that was perhaps why he dressed in only a thin sweater. He thought of returning home for warmer clothing, but shot down the idea without a second thought. That would be counterproductive, to say the least.

Gabriel’s fingers danced across the keys, the smooth music of his ideas flowing out onto the screen. A case of the writer’s block was always remedied by a trip to the lake; he only wished it was closer to home. An hour drive stopped him from frequent visits, but whenever he was blocked beyond helping, he traveled to the dunes. Somehow, the tranquility of the forest around him mixing with the ocean in the background always seemed to stimulate ideas.

-----

Matt pushed hard against the pain in his chest, willing his body to keep moving. The forest floor below him crunched as he ran, each step causing his foot to bend in a slightly different direction as he adjusted to the uneven ground. Focusing on the light before him, he kept his pace, working toward the forest’s edge. When finally Matt reached it, he allowed himself to slow to a walk.

The struggle of finishing up his trail was one of Matt’s favorite parts of running. He loved the challenge, loved pushing his body to its limits. After twelve miles, he was beat, but somehow felt completely energized. Runner’s high, some called it. Matt considered the metaphor. If running gave you a high, he was definitely an addict.

He never could quite wrap his head around how amazing he felt just after a run. He didn’t understand it because that was only one side of it; he also felt completely and utterly drained. Somehow, though, he still saw the world around him with an awesome clarity. Colors seemed brighter after a run; sounds clearer. Matt gazed at the mountains around him, breathing in the natural air. Feeling entirely dead, yet irrefutably alive, he smiled as he hiked over the rocky terrain.

Roughly half an hour later, Matt settled himself on top of a rock formation, eating the lunch he had brought in his backpack. He enjoyed eating in the mountains; it was soothing to him. The perfect way to unwind after a run. His school-lunch style PB&J sandwich tasted incredible; somehow Matt hadn’t noticed just how hungry he was. Sipping from a Snapple after finishing the sandwich, still feeling a bit famished, he considered having one of the granola bars he had stashed in his bag. He’d packed a whole box, and he doubted he’d be needing all of them- he’d return home in a few hours, anyway. Pushing his two water bottles out of the way, (just in case, his mother had urged him years ago, forcing him to form the habit,) Matt located the box, ripping it open. Pulling the bar out of its wrappings, he wolfed it down, finally feeling satisfied.

He sprung to his feet, gathering up the remains of his lunch and stuffing them into his pack. Matt resumed his hike, feeling content. The only manmade structure within miles was a damn in the early 1900s. It was no Hoover Dam, not by any standards, but Matt supposed it was impressive. It was at least powerful enough to hold back tons of water and help create energy for the surrounding areas. And without it, Matt wouldn’t be able to hike as freely as he did; the river was easy enough to cross now, but he imagined that wouldn’t be so if it weren’t for the damn.

Sometime later, the sky grew menacingly dark. Matt should have taken the dark clouds as a warning, but the idea of turning back now was upsetting. He looked forward to his weekends more than anything; a medical intern, he hardly had any time to himself Monday through Friday. Hell, half of his weekends he spent at the hospital. He didn’t mean to complain- Matt loved his job, or at least the job he was working towards, but with all the craziness of his work life, some alone time in the mountains was much appreciated.

So, dreading his return to the real world, Matt kept on, even as the wind began to whip his thin t-shirt around his muscled frame. Only when the rain hit did he consider turning back.

Fat drops raced down from the sky, hitting him hard as the wind jerked them about. The sudden downpour soaked Matt instantly, chilling him where he stood. Turning now would mean a long walk back through the storm- though he certainly knew the way, it would take a good couple of hours to return. The idea of sticking it out was far outweighed by his desire to get out of the rain. Matt knew there were many caves in the area; he figured he could just wait out the storm in one of those.

Sure enough, Matt found one, though it took him a good forty minutes. Shivering miserably, he commended himself for at least making the trip in the direction of his car. He still had a ways to go, but he’d take any help he could get at this point.

Wasting no time running into the rocky shelter, Matt breathed a sigh of relief as he no longer had to endure the harsh whipping of splattering raindrops. Dropping his pack, he let himself relax- until he realized something.

He was not alone in the cave

-----

The warning beep of a low battery startled Gabriel out of his writing trance. Had it been four hours already? He longed for a better laptop, and for a longer battery life. Although, he reasoned, ideas were practically flowing through him. The lake had done its part; now it was time to return home. He had plenty in mind to keep him busy once settled at his desk.

Saving his work, and repeating the process just to be safe, he powered down his laptop just as a violent shiver racked through him. Suddenly, Gabriel realized how cold he was; he felt completely chilled, down to his bones. His body continued to tremor slightly, and he wondered how he’d not realized the discomfort sooner. He’d been so immersed in his writing…

Finishing the trek to his car, he set his laptop, safely stored in a bag, in the passenger seat. Turning the heat on full blast as soon as he turned the keys, the man began his drive home, teeth chattering.

I’d love to know what you guys think so far!

[Ciuty80]

wooow this is an interesting start!

i´m open for the second part

please more!

[Jamison Leigh]

I'm intrigued. Please continue. pretty please?

[everest]

I'm glad you two are interested! I have a good amount of this written, so I intend to update pretty frequently. Hopefully you guys like this next bit!

Part Two:

Gabriel could feel the heat coming out of the vents, but it failed to warm him. Still trembling from the chill, with a long ride home, he sighed.

Trying to keep his mind on driving and off writing, he watched the road before him. It was only two thirty; the day was still young. Gabriel looked forward to returning be able to get his ideas down on the screen.

Against his attempts, his mind slowly drifted back into his story. Soon, his mind was occupied with the world he had created. He let his mind be filled with its elements… The mountainous landscape through which Matt hiked, the rumbling storm he was forced to push through- he felt Matt’s frustrations, his feelings of hopelessness. He shivered, feeling his character, or maybe-

A heavy rumble caught Gabriel’s attention, scaring him out of his wits. He’d been careless enough to let the vehicle go off road. Images of him, trapped in a ditch pumped a surge of adrenaline through him. He quickly jerked the wheel, getting all four tires back onto the asphalt.

Unfortunately for him, his car was now speeding towards a deer in the road. The animal didn’t even attempt to move, only stared straight at him. Watching, waiting. As if it was a TV movie it was staring at, not a car about to freaking end its life.

Naturally, the breaks were pressed, or, more accurately, stomped. The tires made a loud squeaking noise as they skidded forward, and Gabriel could have sworn that his car was trying to do a summersault as it jerked to a stop. He sat back in the seat, resting his head against the leather with a sigh.

He’d been lucky. The car had stopped just a few feet away from the deer. Finally, the animal got it into its head to move, and leapt back out of the road and into the woods.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel tried to regain his wits. Nice driving, he thought to himself. Really nice.

Gabriel forced himself to continue moving down the road, not wanting to end up causing a collision. This time around watching the road wasn’t a problem- it was keeping his nerves in check. When he returned home, he was still shaking.

Unsure of whether it was because he was still cold from the lake, or because of the fact that he nearly ended an animal’s life (and quite possibly his own), Gabriel hugged his arms around himself in an effort to stop the trembling. He did still feel chilled, he realized. Gabriel briefly wondered why he couldn’t quite shake the feeling, but brushed it off. He’d have to move on, from that and from his almost-accident. He had a deadline, and he had ideas. He wasn’t about to let them go to waste.

Splashing his face with water, Gabriel pulled on a sweatshirt, located his laptop charger cord, and returned to his manuscript.

-----

He was not alone in the cave.

A woman sat with her back against the rocky wall, staring at him. She looked relatively dry; her hair seemed to be a bit damp, but the rest of her appeared fine. She must have gotten out of the storm as soon as it started. Lucky her.

“Uhh… hi.” Matt said, still recovering from the surprise.

She looked him up and down, studying him. Pausing her sweeping gaze at his face, she spoke.

“You look wet.” The words were flat, showing no sign of intended teasing or concern. Matt found himself fascinated, albeit a bit annoyed, by her calm demeanor.

“Yeah… I assume you’ve noticed, but it’s kind of raining.” Sarcasm dripped through the words.

“Actually, I didn’t notice. I just thought I’d chill in a cave for a while, you know. Make like a Neanderthal.”

“How the hell am I supposed to know why you’re here?” Matt’s irritability got the best of him.

“Chill.” She stood, her long short clad legs stretching out. “I’m not going to physically assault you or anything.”

Matt instantly felt guilty. “Sorry. I just spent over a half an hour trying to find a place to get out of the rain. I’m not in the best of spirits.”

Her face softened. “Understandable. I was lucky enough to be within sprinting distance of this cave when the apocalyptic downpour started.”

“It is insane, right? I don’t know if I’ve ever been out in a storm this bad before.” Matt shivered.

“I have.” She said, suddenly solemn. But she brightened up again quickly, whatever bothered her forgotten. “I’m Alice. I was out here hiking before god decided to flood out the human race.”

Matt smiled at her humor. “Matt. Nice to meet you. I’m here for the same reasons, actually. Well, not that I know of any reason, other than hiking, that someone would be out here… but whatever.” He shivered again, hard.

“You should get out of your clothes… Oh come on, you know what I mean.” Alice said, in response to the look Matt gave her. “You’re soaking wet. You would be smart to get out of those clothes.”

Matt considered her advice. She was right; he really shouldn’t hang around in soaked clothing. And if he were alone, he would likely take them off without hesitation. Survival 101-wet clothes would hurt him before they helped him. But Matt hardly thought his life was at stake, and he was sharing these quarters with a woman he’d never met before, so… he’d live with wet clothes.

“I’m good.” He told her. “I think we’d both be more comfortable with my clothes on. Though I appreciate your concern.”

“Suit yourself.” Alice said, settling back in. She reached into her bag, pulling out a bag of trial mix. “I know it’s kind of unoriginal,” she said, “But want some?”

I hope you guys are enjoying this. Sneezing will appear in the next part, I promise!

[Ciuty80]

this is good!!

i like your writing style

i´m waiting patiently for the sneezes in the next part!

[PaperThings]

Yay! I've missed your stories so much! This is quite excellent so far, and I can't wait for more. No worries about withholding the sneezes - honestly, I think it often works better when it takes a while to appear. More natural that way!

[Weirdo Girl]

I've also missed your stories so much! It's awesome that you've started a new one, and I am also waiting patiently for the sneezes.

[Jamison Leigh]

Still very interested. sounds good to me if you keep going

[Scion]

Ohgosh this is so cool and awesome and intriguing and I'm dying for more! Please update soon! I LOVE it. I'm really into the characters, too. And Gabriel's writing trance lol! I know how that feels.

[The Random Lurker]

I. But. Oh. I was really getting into that! You have an impressive style, I was captivated! Both the main story and the story, story are really intereresting, you've created some great characters. I can't wait to read more!

[obsessed]

How I enjoy your writing! Nice to see it again!

[ichixshiro14]

Your descriptions capture me and the storyline keeps me enthralled, I'm really enjoying this! I find the characters really relatable and your diction rather refreshing, thanks for sharing!

[Dusty15]

This is really neat. I love the parallel stories Looking forward to more!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Oooh, fascinating these parallel stories, really sucks you right into the story. You have a very captivating style of writing. Thank you lots for sharing and can't wait for the next part. *sits behind laptop staring at screen*

[everest]

Wow, guys. Thank you! I’m seriously really flattered you’re all liking this, even without fetish goodness. I hope that you’ll all keep enjoying my story!

Part Three

“Gabe?” Gabriel perked up to the sound of his boyfriend’s voice.

“In here,” Gabriel called out in response. He heard footsteps approaching the room, and then saw his lover’s head peek in though the wooden doorway.

“I’m not interrupting you, am I?” Brian asked.

“Well, yeah, a little.” Gabriel admitted. “But I don’t mind.”

Brian moved into the room, sitting on their bed and watching Gabriel at his desk, the black haired man’s back to him. “You’re wearing my sweatshirt.”

Gabriel automatically looked down. He actually hadn’t noticed that it wasn’t his; he’d just pulled on the first thing he found in the laundry room as he walked upstairs. “Yeah, I was cold. Sorry.”

Brian ignored the apology. “You look like you still are. You’re shaking, babe.” He walked over to his boyfriend, resting his hands on his shoulders. “You feeling alright?”

“Yes, of course. I’m fine.” Brian made a sound expressing his disbelief. “Well, I sort of… almost hit a deer earlier.” Gabriel spoke quickly, explaining, when he saw Brian’s surprised expression. “I didn’t, though. Everything is fine, I’m just a little shaken up.”

Brian nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe you should take a break for a while.” he suggested. “I know you’ve been struggling for a few days with ideas.”

Gabriel spun his chair around to face Brian, eager to share his success.

“Actually, I went down to the lake today. Worked like a charm, too- I’m absolutely full of thoughts. I can’t stop now.”

“I’m glad, Gabe. That’s really great.” Brian’s voice was genuine. Before speaking again, though, he hesitated. “Just stop long enough to eat, okay? Than you can get right back to it. I picked up some takeout on my way home.”

Gabriel agreed, albeit somewhat reluctantly, shutting down his laptop. He walked down the stairs, mind still trapped in the confides of his tale. Taking a seat, he heard Brian start talking, but didn’t bother to pay much attention. For some reason, it seemed much less important than his manuscript.

“Gabe? You with me?” Brian asked him suddenly. “You seem distant.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I just let my mind wander off, that’s all.” He turned his attention downward, to his barely-touched food.

The Thai food that Brian had brought home with him from work was great. Really, it was. Gabriel loved Thai. Usually.

At least, he loved it when he was healthy. Feeling another shiver caress his body, he had to admit, maybe he wasn’t quite well.

As much as Gabriel would like to deny it, he really should have warmed up by now. It had been hours since he’d left the lake. A healthy person would have been beyond recovered after all this time. Also, now that he thought about it, his head was hurting a bit, like it always did when he was getting sick. Not to mention…

“ihh’etcsh’uh!” Gabriel turned away from the table, curling his long-fingered hands over his nose and mouth to catch the sneeze. He sniffed lightly, apologizing, and then turned back to the table.

Brian was staring at him. Not just staring- watching. Observing. He was studying him. “Bless you.” He said, not dropping his gaze.

“Thanks.”

“You know what I’m going to say.” Brian stared into Gabriel’s eyes solemnly.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Okay, you’re right. Maybe I’m coming down with… ihh!… with somthihh- som-ETtsch!” Gabriel sniffled in recovery. “With something.” He scowled at the interruption.

“Maybe?” The other man repeated, doubtful.

Gabriel sighed. Did it ever end with Brian? “Let it go, okay? I’ve got work to do.” He stood up, chair scraping backwards over the kitchen floor, and carried his untouched dish to the sink but didn’t bother to rinse it before leaving the room.

-----

“I… sure. I’ve got plenty of granola bars, if you want any.” Matt said, a little awkwardly.

“Aw, look at us! Both bringing the cliché snacks. Oh well, food is food! I’d love a granola bar, I’ve been snacking on this stuff for hours.”

Matt chuckled a bit at her enthusiasm, then tossed her the box from his bag. He suppressed another shiver as he received her bag of trail mix. Alice frowned a bit at him, and then returned to being all smiles as she tore open the package.

The wind howled outside, treating each of the fat raindrops like pinballs. They danced back and forth, left and right as the wind couldn’t make up its mind on direction. For a minute or two, the drops were being blown directly into their shelter, and the two moved a bit deeper into the cave in order to avoid the sudden pelting.

The bipolar weather was enough to keep them talking, and even when that got old, their conversation lived on. They talked about each other, their families, and their upbringing. Matt was surprised at how different they were.

Alice was an army brat, having lived in a fair amount of towns and states, even countries, but the move to the mountains had been all her own. She was quite clear on that point, seeming rather proud, if not a tad bit bitter, on her decision to leave her family. She didn’t want to wait for them to move again, Alice told him. She wanted to be the one to leave for once, after having been dragged around by them all her life.

Matt could imagine how she must have felt, though he’d never been in a situation like her's. His parents were of the “American dream” group, having lived in the same suburban paradise for 30 years, only a few hours’ drive from Matt’s current location. They’d bought the property about a year after his older brother had been born, and Matt came a few years after that. The rest of his life, up until the end of middle school, was riding around on his bike, gaming in his basement with his two best friends, and late summer nights playing capture the flag.

High school, though, treated him about the same as it did Alice. As they both grew older, they both developed a growing need to escape from their lives as they were, to stray away from the path their families laid out for them.

Matt’s parents didn’t complain when he enrolled in medical school rather than pursuing the family business, save for a few comments on the price of tuition. Alice didn’t face the same support; her choice to attend art school had left her parents in an uproar.

They calmed down eventually, she told him, but the first few weeks after her announcement were hell. Alice still didn’t hear from them, apart from her birthday and national holidays.

Matt’s mother called him every week. She was overbearing at times, but he couldn’t imagine what it must be like, not hearing from his parents for months on end.

Lost in each other’s lives, the two fell asleep to the storm’s dramatic lullaby.

Lame last line Hopefully I didn’t disappoint!

[obsessed]

Disappoint? NOT ONE BIT.

<3

[Ciuty80]

ohhh how i love gabriel and brian

this is wonderfull

hopefully there will be an update soon, please!

[Scion]

No way! I love it! Your writing is so awesome and I can't wait for more!!!

[SweaterWeather]

No way that last line was lame! And this storry is...whatever the exact opposite of lame is. Not lame? This story is amazing!!! *is eagerly awaiting the next installment*

[Butch]

Love this story...it does not disappoint. Please continue soon!

[everest]

You're all so great, you have no idea. I definitely enjoy posting a lot more knowing that people are reading and enjoying my story. So thank you for all of your support!

Part Four:

Waking up was out of the question. No, there was no way that Matt was going to choose consciousness over the comfort of sleep. His body tried to rouse him, and he protested as best he could, shifting into different positions, not opining his eyes.

“Awake” meant feeling- and he wasn’t liking what he was feeling. The pain of his sore muscles brought him more and more alert, and finally, Matt gave up with a groan.

He opened his eyes, rubbing at his face with his hands. His head felt incredibly heavy as he lifted it, and as he tried to focus, a dull pain behind his eyes came to his attention. It felt as though he’d been cross-eyed, the strain of seeing too much for him to handle.

His eyes adjusted, though, and the pain faded, although not quite disappearing.

“Morning sunshine!” Alice said cheerily, jerking Matt out of his self-pitying thoughts.

“You say that like there is some.” He grumbled, feeling disappointed to still hear the angry splatter of raindrops. A violent shiver pulsed through him, and he realized (though he hadn’t ever really forgotten) that his clothes were still damp. He didn’t doubt that the cave climate also wasn’t particularly warm, though Alice didn’t seem bothered.

“Even if it weren’t a raging testosterone battle of weather out there, we still wouldn’t be seeing that golden star of ours. Happens in the nighttime, earth’s rotation and all that.”

The night! How long had he been asleep? “What time is it?” Matt asked frantically.

Alice checked her watch. “1:11 in the morning. Make a wish, Matty Boy.”

“Don’t call me that.” Said Matt, still feeling a little bitter. He waited a moment before continuing. “And it’s still raining?”

“Sure is.”

He had already known the answer, but even so protested. “You can’t be serious.”

“Ah, but I am.” She settled in against the stone wall. “Hope you like me, Matt. Looks like we’ll be roommates until at least daybreak. Unless, of course, you’re keen on skedaddling before then.”

Matt shivered in response. His head tipped back suddenly, and then bobbed forward with a sneeze that he caught in cupped hands.

“uh’kgGdSsh!uuh.” He sniffled, trying to somehow reduce the sudden flood of congestion, but only reigniting the irritation. “egsSHH!… ah’KSSH’hoo! Ugh.” Matt sniffled heavily behind his hands. A travel pack of tissues landed in his lap.

“My allergies act up every now and then when I’m out here,” Alice offered as an explanation.

“Yeah, uh, mine too. Obviously.” For some reason, he didn’t feel like telling her that he’d never had allergies in his life.

And he didn’t need too; Alice was no idiot. The perpetual downpour had likely washed out every allergen within miles of them by now. “Yeah.” She repeating, taking time to pronounce her syllables slowly and carefully. “Obviously.”

Matt felt his face flush, and thanked her for the tissues before turning away to blow his nose. He expected to be questioned on his health; it was what always happened whenever he so much as cleared his throat around his family. But Alice kept silent, merely looking away politely as he tended to his nose.

After he regained a bit of his pride, Matt asked, “Do you like storms?”

“Right now I just feel like they’re a pain in the ass.” She said, a little bit grim.

“Well, yeah. But this one aside. I’ve always liked storms. They’re exciting, you know? Sunny days are great for hiking, but every now and then, when I’m indoors, at home or at the hospital, I love hearing the dramatic sounds of a storm. You know?”

Alice was looking away from him, out of the cave, watching the rain. “I’m not a fan.” She said curtly. Pulling in a deep breath, she seemed to try and brighten up again to her usual high voltage, but didn’t quite manage. “We should go back to sleep. It’s the middle of the night, and it won’t do us any favors if we’re exhausted when we have to hike back out to our cars.”

She had a point, but Matt was hesitant. “I just woke up.” He said.

Alice didn’t hide her smirk. “Don’t try and tell me you aren’t tired. Sleep. You’ll thank me in the morning.”

Defeated, Matt eased himself back into a laying position, trying to find a comfortable way to sleep in his still-damp clothes. It seemed to take forever. He couldn’t stop thinking. About his car, his poor car, being beat up by the violent water. His mind then focused solely on the storm, with its thick cloud cover and raging winds… Alice’s eyes, he realized, were precisely the color of the sky as the storm had began.

It was the last thing Matt thought about before falling prey to unconsciousness, finally achieving sleep.

-----

Startling awake for no discernable reason, Gabriel squinted in the darkness. His whole body felt stiff. Groaning as he stretched, he soon remembered why. He’d spent the night on the couch in their living room.

It wasn’t a result of his frustration towards Brian- not really. Gabriel wasn’t usually even the type to overreact, and when he did, he certainly didn’t drag it out this long. Brian was just concerned, Gabriel knew that. He was just annoyed, at himself mostly, for coming down sick. He really didn’t have the time for illness.

Which brought him to the real reason he’d neglected to return to their bedroom that night. He didn’t want to pass whatever is was he was coming down with on to Brian.

His boyfriend was am elementary school teacher, and his immune system faced enough of a challenge defending itself against the germs of the little tykes without added strain from a contagious boyfriend.

As Gabriel sat up, he realized that “coming down” was not an accurate description of his current situation. The cold had settled in nicely, projecting its effects throughout his body. His head was the worst of it; it ached with the symptoms that had taken effect.

A clock on the wall glowed, and Gabriel realized that Brian would not be awake for another half an hour. He stood up, with the intention of making amends.

Stretching a bit in a useless effort to reduce the tension he felt throughout his body, Gabriel walked blindly throughout his home into the kitchen, where he turned on the lights.

Wincing a bit at the sudden brightness, Gabriel considered the possibilities. He was standing in the room in order to make breakfast, hoping to make amends over food with Brian. Feeling indecisive, he decided he’d start with some freshly squeezed orange juice.

Having already halved one of the oranges, Gabriel started on the second. His mind was cloudy from his cold, and he realized, too late, that he’d been being a bit too sloppy.

He’d carelessly left his hand in the knive’s path; it sliced through the orange and continued to his finger.

It was nothing serious; Gabriel hadn’t cut that deep. But it still hurt like hell, and he swore as he ran his finger under the sink water, and then dumped the knife and cutting board in there as well. He rinsed them quickly in frustration, retreating to the bathroom to wrap a Band-Aid around his wound.

Defeated, Gabriel was suddenly convinced that breakfast had been a stupid idea. He found his laptop on the coffee table by the couch he’d slept on, and returned, once more, to his story, letting himself forget the frustrations of the real world as he immersed himself into a new one, one that he could completely control.

So, I'm curious... which of the stories do you prefer? The first layer, with Gabriel and Brian, or the second layer, with Matt and Alice? I can't say you opinions will have that much of an effect on the direction the story is going, but, like I said, I'm curious.

[Ciuty80]

i really like m/m stories, so i ADORE gabriel and brian!

please more soon

[The Sneezster]

I can't get Gabriel and Brian out of my head now, so my vote is with them.

[obsessed]

BOTH.

<3

haha your writing is fantastic, so I see no need to choose.

[Butch]

I second the "BOTH" comment.