Breaking Up and Making Up

Julia grinned broadly, 'That's not what you say in bed.'

'Careful, or you'll embarrass Carl's new friend.' Siobhan mock scolded Julia.

'Oh, I don't think he'll be embarrassed by that. By this, maybe.' Julia moved around Danny and put her arms around Siobhan and pulled her into a kiss.

'Oi, you two, stop teasing Danny,' yelled Carl from the cooker. The two women giggled and Siobhan said, 'Sorry, Danny, no offence meant.'

'None taken,' laughed Danny. Glad they had stopped if only because he had started to feel his cock swelling as he watched them kissing. Carl came across and refilled glasses.

'Right, food's ready. I'll dump the bowls of chilli and rice on the table, and there's some garlic bread as well so you can help yourselves.'

They sat down at the table, Danny next to Julia and across from Siobhan. For a moment Danny imagined he was being presented to the two girls as if for approval. He shook it off as his imagination and offered Siobhan first go at the chilli. Their plates were soon full of food and Danny said, 'God, this is fantastic, Carl. There's a real kick to it.'

Carl smiled, 'Thanks, I like making it, makes me feel warm and safe in a funny way.'

'So, Danny,' Siobhan fixed him with those eyes again, he again felt her sizing him up, 'have you found a new job yet?'

'Nope, not yet, it's harder than I thought for out there, cutbacks all round in my business.'

'What do you do, Danny?' Julia joined in.

'I'm a graphic designer, mainly books and media stuff.'

'Isn't that all freelance?' Siobhan asked.

'A lot is, but that takes time to build up. I spent my time in agencies, didn't think I would need to go freelance.'

'But you are now?' Julia spoke this time.

'Yes, I've had to. I've picked up some work, but it will take longer than I thought to get it going.'

Carl said, 'OK ladies, you can stop the interrogation, Danny's here to enjoy himself.'

Carl had wondered if it would be alright to invite Danny to dinner with Siobhan and Julia. They could be mischievous if the mood took them and it seemed that was happening tonight. Carl didn't think Danny would have any problem with the girls being gay; nothing Danny had said led Carl to believe he would. Danny seemed to be laid back about everything. Carl felt he should celebrate the girls' marriage, as he had missed the wedding day, and with Simone no longer around, he wanted someone to be there with him. Danny seemed to be a good choice, and so far he appeared to be OK with it.

Danny still felt Siobhan's eyes on him again and tried to change tack, 'Carl, this is a fabulous apartment.'

Carl looked pleased at the compliment, 'Thanks, I inherited some money from an aunt. It gave me the opportunity to buy this place and to renovate it. I had an architect friend draw up the plans, including the extension for the kitchen and dining area.'

Siobhan looked at Danny and said, 'You know, Danny, for a guy, you have a lovely bone structure, and your eyes are so pretty.'

'Thank you Siobhan, but nobody has ever told me that before, I can assure you.'

'Do you keep your hair that long all the time?'

'Yes, I've always preferred longer hair, I keep it in the ponytail most of the time to keep it out of the way.'

'Mmm, let me see what it looks like if you let it out of the ponytail.'

'Siobhan, stop teasing Danny.' said Carl.

'Pretty please, Danny?' said Siobhan.

Danny laughed, 'No it's OK, Carl, really.'

He reached back and took out the scrunchie holding the ponytail and bent his head forwards so his hair fell down around his face.

He looked at Siobhan, smiled and said, 'Happy?'

'You have lovely hair. Let me try something?'

Without waiting for an answer, she stood up and moved behind him. Danny felt her gather his hair together and remake the ponytail, this time with it riding higher on the back of his head, level with his eye line. 'There, that's looks better.' she said, moving back to look at him.

'That's how girls wear their ponytail,' said Julia.

Danny felt himself go pink, and he quickly released his hair so that it fell back over his shoulders. Siobhan tilted her head to one side and said, 'You know, with the right makeover you could look stunning.'

'Siobhan, why are teasing Danny?' said Carl, 'let's go to the other room and have a drink.'

She looked a little put out, 'What? Why isn't it nice to say someone could look pretty?'

'You don't describe guys as pretty.'

'OK, he could look cute, is that better?' Siobhan fluttered her eyelashes at Carl who blushed a little.

Pretty? thought Danny. What the hell was she on about? He didn't quite know what to make of Siobhan and Julia. They were both extremely beautiful and by their words and actions, uninhibited. He didn't have any problem with gay people, he had worked with plenty in the design business, and he liked their company. They obviously knew Carl well, and he seemed comfortable with them. Danny realised he had been invited to make up a four, but he didn't mind that. It was good to see where Carl lived and to meet some new people, especially two as exotic as Siobhan and Julia. The apartment was much more luxurious than his rented flat, and that reminded him that if he didn't find some more work soon, he might have to move to somewhere cheaper.

They had all moved into a luxuriously decorated living space, Danny thought calling it a room wouldn't do it justice. It had enough room for two large sofas, each facing the other in front of an open fireplace, with a low table in between. Julia and Siobhan sat on one of the sofas as Carl motioned Danny to sit on the other one.

'OK, what does everyone want to drink?'

'Brandy, please Carly,' chorused both girls and Carl smiled weakly at the name. He turned towards Danny, 'They thought it was funny to call me Carly, as in Carly Simon, Carly and Simone? Only it's not so funny now is it girls, without Simone I mean.'

'Sorry, Carly, old habits are hard to break.' said Julia and giggled.

Danny thought she was a little drunk already.

'I'll have a brandy too, please Carl.' he said.

'OK, brandies all round, that's easy.' He went to fetch the drinks and Danny took the opportunity to ask Julia and Siobhan what they did for a living.

Siobhan laughed, 'See, Julia, not everybody knows who you are.'

Julia pouted, held her hair up behind her head and turned her head sideways and gave Danny a sultry look.

Carl returned with the brandies and said, 'Danny, Julia's a model. She gets cranky if you don't recognise her.'

'I do not,' pouted Julia.

'You so do,' said Siobhan.

Julia picked up a cushion and hit Siobhan with it. 'You're supposed to be on my side, wifey.'

Carl took a sip of his brandy and nodded his head at the two girls, 'Julia's a fashion model and Siobhan is a makeup artist. That's how they met, on some photo shoot.'

Siobhan lay back on the sofa, 'So, Danny, which way do you roll?'

Danny must have looked confused, because Julia jumped in, 'She means are you straight or gay or bi or something else?'

Carl started to object, but Danny held his hand up, 'Don't worry Carl, I don't mind. I'm straight, I like girls.'

Julia giggled, 'I like girls too, but it doesn't make me straight.'

Danny laughed, 'OK, let me change my answer, so far in my life I have always dated girls and got married to one.'

'Hey, me too,' said Julia. They all laughed at that.

Danny paused and then said, 'Let me put it this way, I have no idea what the future will hold, but I don't have any plans to change.'

'That's what I said before I met Julia,' said Siobhan. She put her arm round Julia's shoulder and pulled her close, 'It's a good answer, Danny. You seem to be someone who doesn't have a binary outlook.'

'I have no idea what that means, Siobhan.'

Carl rose to freshen everybody's drinks and Danny felt a little drunk now.

Siobhan took a sip of her drink before replying to Danny. 'All I mean, Danny, is that most people think that gender is male and female, that's binary. I think it's more complicated than that. Instead of having only two colours, black and white for instance, there's a whole palette of colours to choose from. You don't have to be restricted to two types of gender. It's almost infinite and very flexible.'

Danny sipped his brandy, and could see everyone watching him as he thought about what to say.

'So, I could decide to be gay tomorrow?' He aimed for sarcasm, but somehow it came out as a simple question.

'Gender isn't about sexual orientation, and anyway, I don't think being attracted to someone is a conscious decision. I didn't wake up one morning and say to myself, I think I'll be a lesbian today, I'll go pick up a girl. I met Julia and fell in love with her, I didn't set out to do it, but when it happened, I didn't fight it.'

'You couldn't possibly have fought me off, baby.' Julia tucked her legs beneath her on the sofa, 'Have you ever fancied a guy, Danny? You're a swimmer, right? All those sleek wet bodies in teeny tiny Speedos, did you ever get a stiffy when you were in the changing rooms?'

'Not fair,' Carl piped up, 'nearly every adolescent boy gets a crush on another boy.'

Three pairs of eyes swivelled towards Carl, who went pink, 'Well, yes, I did.'

'Come on Carly, you can't leave it there, give us the juicy bits.' said Julia.

Feeling the effects of the wine at dinner and the brandies, Carl opened up more than normal.

'Well, I spent a school summer holiday with one of my friends one year, when my parents were away in Africa, and it wasn't safe for me to go out there with them. He and I got close, and we, well, experimented a bit, I guess you would say. We used to go swimming in a lake near their house, and one day he suggested we go skinny dipping. There was nobody about so we dropped our shorts and ran into the water. It was fun but then he swam through my legs, came up in front of me, and suddenly we were kissing. We used to go there whenever we could and we kissed a few more times, but I think we both got a bit scared, and it kind of ended then.'

'Very hot Carly, How about you, Danny?' Julia asked.

Danny hesitated, but he had drunk enough for his inhibitions to have slipped away, and for some reason he had found Carl's story liberating. 'Yes, there was a boy back in school, but it was just a phase.'

Julia raised one eyebrow and drawled, 'Really? Just a phase?'

Danny felt himself getting pink this time. 'It was the school play, Romeo and Juliet. We were an all boys school, so they needed one of us to play Juliet, and well, I was pushed into playing the part. I had to spend a lot of the time dressed to get used to wearing the costume. The boy was playing Romeo, we clicked, and one thing led to another. I think he got turned on by me in the costume. He only wanted to do anything when I was dressed as Juliet. It was all adolescent stuff, we would kiss, and I masturbated him once, that's all. I think he wanted to go further, but that was enough for me.'

'Yowsa!' yelled Julia, 'Danny for the win.'

Danny laughed and then thought that he had never told that story to anyone. Why tonight? He didn't know, maybe it had been the brandy and the presence of Julia and Siobhan.

'So, both of you had gay encounters back then?' Siobhan sat back with a smug look on her face. 'I think I made my point.'

'Didn't you get crushes on a teacher? Isn't that what schoolgirls do?' Danny thought he should fight back.

Julia grinned like a cheshire cat, 'I did, but it was a lot more than a crush, as Sister Annunciata would be able to tell you. Then again, I knew I was gay from an early age, and precocious with it. I was expelled from one school for seducing the French Assistante. She taught me some French that wasn't in any phrase book. Although, I don't think we needed any translation for what we were doing together.'

Siobhan shook her head at Julia's story, then said 'Sorry, not me, I was so shy I didn't date anyone until I left school.'

Carl said, 'I can't believe that.'

'Nope, it's true, I would break out in spots if a boy came anywhere near me, and being a redhead, well, that put everybody off back then. I went to college to do my beauty course and there I had to overcome my shyness. By then my hair had become an attraction for a certain type of guy, the artistic types would love to come and tell me how beautiful my hair looked. I slept with a few, but it never amounted to anything. Then I met this creature here, who seduced me one afternoon as I was doing her makeup. She kept putting her hand up my skirt and asking me if she could see if I was a real redhead.' She grinned at Julia, 'Classy stuff, but I fell for it.'

She bent down and kissed Julia on the lips and they smiled at each other.

They turned back to face Carl and Danny. 'So, you two don't fancy each other, then?' said Julia.

'God, no.' both men spoke at once.

Siobhan and Julia laughed and Siobhan went on, 'We're only teasing you, but Carly does talk about you a lot, Danny.'

'I do not,' said Carl, a little too strongly thought Danny.

'Anyway you boys,' Siobhan stood up, 'We have to love you and leave you. Julia has a show tomorrow evening, and trust me, she needs her beauty sleep.'

'Cow,' said Julia, who got to her feet a little more unsteadily.

'Say goodnight to Danny and Carly, Julia.' laughed Siobhan.

'Nighty night, boys and girls.'

'Come on, babe, off we go.'

Before leaving, Julia gave Carl a hug and then Danny, 'I enjoyed meeting you, Danny. You're lovely.'

'Likewise, Julia, it's been a pleasure.'

As Siobhan hugged Danny, she whispered in his ear, 'If you ever want to be Juliet again, I can help.'

Danny felt an involuntary shiver run through him as he realised what Siobhan had said. He blinked and said, 'Thanks, Siobhan, but I don't think I will.'

Siobhan let go of the hug, locked eyes with Danny and smiled, 'You would look lovely, I promise.'

Siobhan promptly dragged Julia out of the door and it fell quiet in the room. Danny sat back down on the sofa and said, 'Wow, Carl, they are some pair.'

Carl smiled and said, 'Yes, they're wonderful girls. I hope they weren't too much for you, they can be a bit overpowering at times.'

'No, I enjoyed it, thank you for the invitation, but I guess I should be going too. Can you call me a cab, I don't fancy walking to be honest.' 'Why don't you stay here?' Carl said, 'I mean I have a spare bedroom, so it wouldn't be a problem. We could have another drink and then call it a night.'

Danny felt so comfortable on the sofa, and he didn't fancy getting up and going home, so he said, 'If you're sure, Carl?'

'Positive Danny, the bed is made up and everything.'

Danny thanked Carl again and lay back on the sofa. Carl refilled their glasses and sat on the other sofa opposite Danny.

'You look tired, Danny.'

'Yep, I guess I haven't slept that well recently, been worried about work. It's not coming together as I thought it would. But tonight has been a blast, and I haven't had so much to drink for a long time.'

'It turned out well, don't you think? Siobhan took a shine to you, didn't she?' said Carl.

'I guess so, but saying I could be pretty? I think not.'

'She can be very persuasive.' muttered Carl.

Danny's eyes were getting heavy, and he felt that if he didn't lay down soon he would fall asleep on the sofa.

'Carl, I'm sorry but I think I'm going to have to go to bed if you don't mind, I'm about to drop off here.'

'OK, let me show you the bedroom.'

Carl took Danny through to the back of the apartment and opened a door into a bedroom.

'There's a small en-suite bathroom over there, and there are clean towels there as well. Sleep well my friend, I'll see you in the morning.'

'Goodnight, Carl, and thank you again.' With that, Danny leaned forward and hugged Carl, startling him, but after hesitating for a moment, he hugged Danny back.

'Goodnight Danny,' said Carl, who looked at Danny curiously for a moment, and then softly closed the door on his way out.

Carl had been caught by surprise when Danny hugged him, but he had to admit it did feel good to have someone hold him again. Carl sat on the side of his bed and wondered if it meant anything more than simply a gesture of thanks from a friend. He shook his head, trying to clear out the effects of the evening's drinking, and decided that Danny had drunk a little too much. He turned out his light and fell asleep in seconds.

Chapter Three

Danny couldn't remember the last time he had felt this tired. The worries of the past few weeks and the amount he had drunk this evening had caught up on him. He had surprised himself when he hugged Carl, but it had felt the natural thing to do. Carl had been so generous to invite him to his place and then the offer of the bed for the night touched Danny, and he had reacted instinctively. It had felt nice to hold someone close. Hoping that he had not upset Carl, he undressed to his briefs, climbed beneath the duvet and fell fast asleep.

Carl was back at his school friend's house and they were down at the lake. He was standing in the water up to his waist and laughing as his friend dived beneath the water and swam between his legs. Carl giggled as he felt his friend's slippery body brush his inner thigh making his cock stir a little. He was still laughing as his friend surfaced in front of him making Carl close his eyes as water splashed up at him. A pair of strong arms reached around him, pulled him close and he felt soft lips brushing against his. He responded to the kiss, his own lips opening to allow a tongue to slide into his mouth. Carl's head spun as he felt himself melting into the embrace, and he opened his eyes to look into Danny's sparkling blue eyes.

He woke with a start, his eyes snapped open as he recalled his dream, and his heart began to race as he realised it had been Danny in his dream. God, had he actually been dreaming about kissing Danny? It must have been all the brandy together with the confessions he and Danny had made and the hug Danny had given him. Brandy had always given him weird dreams. He rolled over and tried to sleep again, but all he could think of were those blue eyes.

Danny woke up with his head throbbing and his mouth dry as sandpaper. He blinked once or twice as he tried to remember where he was. Everything came back to him in a rush; the dinner, meeting Siobhan and Julia, the confession, hugging Carl, and then staying over. Danny lay there and swore to himself. Why the fuck had he told everybody that story about the school play. His face began to burn as he remembered telling it in front of Carl and the girls. He thought he had buried that memory years ago, so why had it suddenly popped up in his mind and why, oh, why did he decide to tell it? Then Siobhan, whispering in his ear if he ever wanted to be Juliet again, she could help. He remembered the tingle he had felt as she said it. Danny rolled onto his back and put his hands over his eyes as all the memories came flooding back.

It had been the last year of school when they chose Romeo and Juliet as the big drama club production of the year. Danny had been chosen to play Mercutio, in his opinion, the best role in the play. He loved the Queen Mab speech, with its allusions to magic and fairies and fulfilling your dreams. OK, Mercutio gets stabbed early on, but Danny still thought it a better role than the namby-pamby Romeo. Danny could still recall the day when the boy cast to play Juliet broke his leg falling off the wall bars in the gym. He could never play Juliet with a plaster cast on his leg. The following day the drama teacher approached him at lunch break and asked if he would be willing to swap roles and play Juliet.

The teacher said that the costume for Juliet wouldn't fit anyone else, and they didn't have the time or the budget to get it altered. Danny had been unwilling to give up the role of Mercutio, but the teacher virtually blackmailed him into it, saying that if he didn't do it, they would probably have to postpone or even cancel the production. Danny protested that he could never learn the lines in time, but the drama teacher countered that he had arranged special study time for Danny, so that he could learn the part. In addition, a member of the local amateur dramatic society had offered to give Danny voice and movement coaching for the role. Danny felt it was unfair, but he knew they had boxed him in; if he refused, everybody would blame him for cancelling the show. Reluctantly he agreed, but he was heartbroken about losing the role of Mercutio