Fan Fiction ❯ Standing Outside the Fire ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Standing Outside

The Fire

Proluge

It should be illegal to look that sexy. Andrew thought to himself. Not that he wasn't fairly attractive himself, but the man three benches over was perfection. He was slender, almost petite if not for how lanky he was, his skin was pale and perfect as porcelain, his hair was a dark brunette, almost black with a reddish tint to it. Whoever he was, he either wasn't very bright or had a death wish.

Andrew always lifted alone and there for used the free weights only for smaller muscle groups, but the perfect man was intent on displaying his masculine prowess without a spotter and he was lifting what must have been near 125 lbs from what Andrew could tell. Setting the dumbbell down Andrew rolled his shoulders, giving his blonde ponytail a tug, telling his groin to settle down, sure it was a pretty package, but it was doubtful there was anything of worth inside. He stood raising his hands over his head in a bone cracking stretch as he surveyed the gym. Large hulking men looking impressed with themselves, gym bunnies simpering over them. The self-conscious slightly over weight women on the tread mills... he hated coming to the gym, but just running in the mornings wasn't hacking it any longer. He turned back to pick up his weights with a sigh.

He caught the motion out of the corner of his eye, a soft grunt of effort and the quavering of the bar alerting him to Pretty-But-Empty's distress. He had hit the wall, maxed out and that bar was stalled out, his right wrist was starting to give. It wouldn't be long before 125 lbs of weight crashed down onto his narrow chest. With out a second thought Andrew leaped over the two benches between them. He ended up straddling the man's chest as he muscled the bar up and onto its catches. It wasn't 125 Andrew saw...it was 150... He looked down to reprimand Pretty-But-Empty... and realized he was face to crotch with the most beautiful man he had ever seen.

"Ah...sorry, excuse me." Andrew swung his leg back over so he was standing, awkwardly, hands at his sides, trying very hard not to blush as the dark haired man sat up.

"Thanks." Pretty-but-Empty rubbed his right wrist wincing."You shouldn't lift alone, especially not that kind of weight. You could have really gotten hurt if that had dropped."

"You really could have skipped the lecture. I'm a big boy, thanks." Pretty-But-Empty snapped back. "Not that I'm not grateful, but I'm not a vacant gym bunny." Andrew tried not to wince as Pretty voiced what was so close to his own thoughts. "Believe me, if I had someone to lift with I would."

"Well... I don't have anyone to lift with either..." Andrew shrugged nonchalantly. He would not hit on him, he would not hit on him! Pretty but Empty, Pretty But Empty! He told himself again and again as he asked. "So maybe you and I can lift together... you know player doctor...I mean spotter, for each other." Andrew tried not to blush.

Pretty raised his eyebrows and slowly assessed the man in front of him. Tall, broad shouldered... good muscular build... narrow waist, narrow hips. Pretty continued to size him up, sapphire eyes blatantly appraising him. Long blonde hair... chiseled features, had to be Scandinavian. His clothes were loose fitting and modest... no this was no play boy... just a poor naive midwesterner, judging by the accent. No really trouble, and possible a quick lay if he needed one. Finally Pretty smiled brilliantly flashing two rows and perfect white teeth.

"The would be very nice...Mr...?"

"Andrew...just call me Andrew." Andrew offered his hand, unable to believe what had just transpired... the way Pretty had looked at him... made him feel like a piece of meat...and a little dirty... but a certain stirring in his groin suggested it was a good kind of dirty. Pretty took his hand, almost seductively and shook it loosely.

"My names Lyn Doren. The pleasure is all mine I assure you."

So Pretty had a name... a nice name. Andrew retrieved his hand watching the man carefully. Lyn was playing a game with him, Andrew knew it, and wasn't about to take the bate. Lyn was beautiful and he knew it. Andrew had no intentions of bedding this man. None. He had been celibate for the last two years, no reason to change that. None at all. Nope. none. Andrew tried to get control of himself before the whole gym knew exactly what he though of Mr. Lyn Doren.

He had met boys like this before. Arrogant, pretty, vain. These were not turn ons... then why the hell was he so turned on. He would not simper over this man would not ask him out. "Come have lunch with me?" Andrew internal dialogue gave up and went on coffee break. Lyn smiled.

"Your treat?" Andrew regained some dignity, shaking his head.

"Nope, its not a date... just a casual lunch. I don't like to eat alone." Something changed, Lyn didn't move perceptibly, but it was as though he had...switch personalities... like a character actor going from one impression to the next. A calculating look was back in his eyes.

"Oh...okay then. Sounds good. Meet you in the lobby in twenty minutes." Lyn stood, his frame unfolding to stand somewhere about two inches over Andrew's head, and sauntered off to the locker rooms.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He is different Lyn thought to himself as he stood under the heavy spray of the shower. He isn't attracted to me.... No, he is attracted, that much was blatantly obvious... but its like he doesn't care, like...hes immune or something. He frowned as he rinsed the shampoo from his dark hair. Maybe that's a good thing. Lyn thought with a wince. His body was still sore from last nights lover... well last nights fuck to be perfectly accurate.

Lyn had never had a problem picking up men... he was easy... a slut really if you came right down to it... but Lyn didn't let himself worry about that too much... he had gotten six hours of sleep last night... the most he had gotten in a month, and if he needed to have sex with every man on the planet he would do it. Sleep, precious sleep. Let people judge him, they didn't understand... didn't know what insomnia did to you. By himself on a good night he got maybe two hours of sleep... but with another warm body in his bed...any warm body, he could get as many as six or even eight! And he would do what ever it took to get somebody in his bed for the night. Anything. And he was talented... This Andrew was different though. Lyn had the nagging suspicion that even if he did a striptease, handed Andrew the condom with his teeth, bent over and said "Take me!" Andrew wouldn't do it. Odd.

Lyn turned off the shower and stepped out. He toweled off quickly and dressed right in the narrow confines of the stall. It was another ten minutes before he was full ready to step out of the locker room and face the word... which put him at ten minutes late. Andrew was waiting patiently for him in the lobby.

Sensual would have been the wrong adjective.... He was too earthy for sensuality. He wore common sense as good looks. A Mid-western corn fed white boy, he was tall and sturdy as an oak, with the look of a Swede. His shoulders were broad and even tapering to narrow hips and muscular thighs. His lithe muscle spoke of an inherent athletic ability. Something in his soft gray eyes, however, spoke not of conformity and ego, but of a quiet all consuming peace. He was a comfortable man who like comfortable things. Worn jeans and a well used backpack. Rugged and trustworthy. No he was not sensual, but there was so much more about him... so much more Lyn wanted to know about him... and it shocked him.

"Ready?" Andrew asked a small smile playing over his lips.

"Indeed... where are we going?" Lyn asked, slipping his messengers bag over his shoulder.

"Small cafe down the street, if that works for you, any dietary restrictions I should be aware of?"

"Vegetarian." Lyn responded promptly.

"Fine by me, I am too... well...accept fish, I eat fish."

"Good protein."

"Indeed." The small talk on the way to the cafe focused mainly around the health reasons and difficulties of being a vegetarian. Andrew found, very much to his surprise that Lyn was not the chatter box he had expected. His comments and conversation were soft and well spoken, and even more surprising, they were well thought out. Pretty was maybe not so Empty after all.