“Just kill me now!” Ty shouted to the universe and whatever deity deigned to listen. He sprawled on his couch dejected. The phone in his hand held the evidence of his utter defeat. Just three days ago his boyfriend, well, ex-boyfriend, texted that it wasn’t working out. Michael had said that he wasn’t in a “good enough place” to give Ty what he needed. Whatever that meant.
He’d had tried to call Michael to get clarification or to apologize for his mood swings. Beg. Anything. There was no answer, nothing. They had been together for about eight months. He thought it was going well, but they couldn’t even make it until Christmas. Apparently, Ty was shit at knowing if a relationship was going good or not. He tried to keep it together, but anyone that knew him could see that he wasn’t his normal peppy self.
One Friday night, Ty took an Uber to his favorite blues bar with every intention of getting slap drunk. There was a decent sized crowd there, but not big enough to pack the place. The music was really good that night and the beers had him feeling loose and carefree. Late in the night, the band covered “Born Under a Bad Sign” and Ty hit the dance floor again, this time though, he had company. But not just any company. This guy was sexy as hell and had “fuck me” written all over him.
They danced, but it wasn’t the kind you’d see at your average club with grinding and all that. This was the fun, embarrassing yourself kind while you sing along. Though, they did get close on occasion.
When the song was done, everyone applauded and whistled. Ty headed to the restroom, giving sexy-as-hell guy a quick sly look. He took care of business when he got there, and very shortly, his sexy guy met him in the bar bathroom. They wasted no time with chitchat. There were hands roaming over biceps and hips and biting on necks. There was a momentary grinding of crotches on thighs, before they went in search of skin.
Bulging denim flies were opened with clumsy hands. Strong fingers reached in to grip hard flesh. In a flash, Ty dropped to his knees and dragged sexy-as-hell guy’s shorts and jeans down and sucked on him. He took his cock down over and over with practiced ease pausing to let the head rest in the back of his throat. The other man grabbed Ty’s hair holding him there for several seconds before pulling him off.
Ty took three gulps of air before repeating the action. This time, he was rewarded with grunts, small thrusts, and bitter ropes of cum running down his throat. He popped off and swallowed, breathing hard. The way he was absently rubbing his own cock didn’t go unnoticed
“Come here,” sexy-as-hell guy said, licking his palm and fingers.
Ty stood close enough to brush skin. The other man’s wet hand gripped him and began stroking with a firm grip. Ty moaned at the sensations and thrust into the fist that was jacking him. They stared at each other, the alcohol somehow making it less awkward. More intimate.
When Ty could take no more, he shut his eyes and let go, not caring where his spray landed. His moans echoed loudly off the dirty bathroom walls as his cum landed in spurt after spurt on the gray tile floor. When Ty opened his eyes, the other man was moving towards the door with a mumbled, “Thanks.”
He was a little dizzy and a lot tipsy as the door swung closed but could just make out the bartender yelling for last call.
* * *
Christmas was dismal at best. Ty had spent it with his family and then went home and sulked. He heard from a friend that Michael was seen with another guy on Christmas Eve. That hurt, but at least that would help to get over him.
It was a week later, and Ty was standing in line at the coffee shop to get a latte on a cold morning. He was self-absorbed in his ruminations, until the melody from the overhead speakers broke his concentration. He began to hum along.
‘’Been on my own ever since I was ten. Born under a bad sign.”
He did love this song. Where had he heard it last? Right then he heard someone behind him in line humming along too. It was a classic after all. He glanced back at nothing in particular. Then it hit him; The blues bar and he was drunk.
In the same instant, he realized with shock, he recognized the guy in line behind him. They’d danced to this song.
Oh god. Did we hook up? Dammit…
Ty blushed beet red at the same time as the little lady directly behind him tapped his shoulder, “Are you gonna order or what?”
Mentally shaking himself, he stepped up to the counter, ordered a way too complicated vanilla soy latte, then paid the man.
When Ty stood to the side and waited, he had the opportunity to ogle, what was his name? He reached for answers from that night like a man grasping for something solid in the fog.
The guy was tall and full-bodied. He had thick hair and, damn, that beard. Whatever his name was, he was sexy as hell. Ty covered his mouth at the giggle. Right, that was his ‘name’.
The laugh did not go unnoticed by the man in line, nor Ty’s survey of him. In fact, he was having a similar experience of trying to recall the smaller man with light brown, wavy hair. He would have brushed it off, but the guy kept staring at him. In fact, he was blushing as he sat at a table by the window.
The heat from the mid-morning sun streamed in through the large window and threatened to burn Ty up as he sat sipping his coffee. Glancing at sexy-as-hell guy did not help. To Ty’s relief and combined horror, the guy picked up his coffee and approached his little table.
Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!
“Hi,” Ty managed to greet calmly. His smile was wide and barely hid the rising panic.
“Sorry but, do I know you?” Sexy guy asked with a frown.
Ty hesitated. This could be really bad. What if he was pissed when he realized. Ty looked past him at the exit. It’d be easy enough to make a quick getaway if he had to. “Well, sorta.”
Sexy guy raised an eyebrow. ”Sort of?”
Ty licked his lips, “Last Friday I saw you at the blues bar. We danced to this song,” he motioned to the ceiling.
Sexy guy’s eyes widened. “Oh!” he paused, “oh…”
Ty’s heart raced in his chest. “It was a blur, honestly. I had way too much.” He gave a nervous laugh.
“Yeah, me too,” he carefully shifted his cup from his right hand, then extended it. “I’m Cain.”
Ty stared for a moment at sexy gu… Well, Cain. He shook his hand, and the tension seemed to melt away. Ty invited Cain to sit, and they had a nice talk over fresh coffee.
Within a few minutes, they’d discovered they had some of the same friends. One in particular was hosting a New Year’s Eve party in a few days. Shina’s parties were always a blast. They frequently ended with her making breakfast for friends who slept over, because they were too drunk to drive home the night before.
“Will I see you there?” Cain asked casually, but there was something deeper in his eyes that Ty could hardly name.
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he smiled.
They said their goodbyes and parted ways.
That night Ty’s thoughts kept landing on Cain. Not just on what they’d done Friday night, but on the way Cain had talked to him. Then he had kind of asked to see him later. It bothered Ty that he hadn’t asked for his number, but he wasn’t going to stalk the man.
There was nothing to do about it but queue up some porn and fuck himself silly. As he flicked through the familiar videos, he inwardly wished that the thirty-first would come on already.
December 29th
Ty was working at the restaurant two days before the party. He’d been the assistant manager for a while now and had earned the respect of the staff. His high energy meant he was a step ahead of any crisis, and the customers loved his exuberance.
Around 4:30 p.m., Ty’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it and was transported right back to that coffee shop.
555-672-0132: Hi, I hope you don’t mind. I got your number from Shina. Cain
His fingers shook with barely contained glee as he typed out his response.
Ty: Hey, I don’t mind. How’s it goin’?
Cain: Things are good. I didn’t want to wait until the weekend to talk to you.
That made Ty smile more than a little. They texted back and forth as work permitted, long after his shift, and well past bedtime.
Ty woke the next morning feeling like a giddy teenage girl. He’d berate himself, but this was way too much fun. Cain seemed like a standup guy, and so much different than Michael. He hoped that even if it didn’t work out like he wanted, it would at least be fun for a while.
December 31st
Ty stood amidst the swirling crowd, seemingly in slow motion. He searched faces for those features he’d begun to memorize. Cain said he’d be here. Where the fuck was he? Ty checked his phone again; It was less than two minutes until midnight. This was not how he wanted to spend New Year’s. He could have stayed home for this.
Cain had been so sweet over the last few days; he didn’t seem the type to stand him up. Could Ty really be this bad at this? Could he have missed the signs again? Cain hadn’t texted back in about an hour. Ty sighed audibly and rubbed his hands through his hair.
Fuck this!
He turned toward the door and stopped mid-stride.
Cain was standing there frantically searching the crowd for him. Their eyes met across the room and wide smiles spread across their faces. Just as they started to press towards each other, there was a collective shouting,
“Five!”
Cain squeezed through and around the people as fast as he could.
“Four!”
Ty slid in between the backs of drunk friends.
“Three!”
They were within arm’s reach now, clothes and hair a mess.
“Two!”
Cain brushed Ty’s hair aside and gently gripped the side of his face.
“One!”
“Happy New Year!”
Ty’s eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into the touch and their first real kiss. They stood in their embrace as still as a sculpture as the people celebrated raucously around them. Immersed in each other, they did not withdraw for long sated moments.
When Cain released Ty, he leaned down and spoke in his ear, “Let’s get out of here.” Ty nodded gratefully and followed Cain out. They weaved through groups of friends and strangers until they left the party holding hands and seizing the chance at a new beginning.