So why are homophobes listened to?  Specifically Clergy homophobes.

We all saw the horrible situation that happened in Connecticut this past Friday.  And as a people, we came together, shed some tears, and raged against the maniac who took the lives of innocents.

What do major clergy come out and say?  That it’s because of “gay marriage” and “abortion” that the shooting happened.

Seriously - why are people given a stage to say these horrible, mean things?  And, to paraphrase a wonderful person I know, what kind of god would kill 26 people, including 20 children, just because two people come together to want to declare their love for one another, and be legally protected like every other married couple?

This is beyond sick.

Anyway, if you want to check it out, it’s called CatastropheCast.com.  You can find the website at this link and listen to the podcasts there, or you can even search for “CatastropheCast.com” in the iTunes store and find my podcast there!  Or just click this linkiepoo.

According to a new study, the number of LGBT characters on television has decreased this year. Yes, not increased, decreased. That pretty much sucks!  I mean LGBT people make up a good percentage of the population (like 5-8%), so why aren’t there more characters on television?

But you know what’s worse?  When they’re on, and they’re offed.  Let me explain.

One of the last bastions of television is the realm of Sci Fi.  Gay characters “just aren’t done” in Sci Fi, really.  I mean with a few exceptions here and there, it’s just not done on mainstream shows.  Gene Roddenberry wanted it before he died; he promised in the 5th season of ‘The Next Generation’ that we’d see all sorts of people, including gay characters, interacting in their day-to-day lives.  But of course that never happened.

This year, SyFy decided to add a new character to Warehouse 13, their highest rated scripted show, people were thrilled.  I was thrilled.  The addition of Agent Jinks was perfect; he balanced Claudia out, while Mika and Pete had their own thing.  It was awesome.  But I always thought it weird that they never added Jinks to the opening credits.  Like WTF?  Maybe they’re testing the waters or something…

And then the writers killed him off.  Color me surprised.  ::facepalm::

Here’s what I want: A gay character on a show, that’s part of the show.  And you know what?  Their “gayness” is just one aspect of them.  Like Jinks.  He was gay, but it didn’t define him.  That’s how it should be.  Gay characters shouldn’t be “sidekicks” or “comedic entertainment” or the like.  They should just be.  What’s wrong with that?

Yes, Brokeback Mountain mountain was beautiful – but of course it ends with a gaybashing death and unrequited love.  Longtime Companion?  A movie about AIDS where half the cast dies.  Philadelphia?  Hell, Tom Hanks and Antonio Banderas don’t even fucking kiss!  And oh yeah – AIDS again.

So come on, media.  You can add a gay character.  And they don’t have to be comedic relief a la Jack McFarlane from Will & Grace.  They can just be.

Steve enters Danny’s apartment and looks around for his partner. “Sorry I missed Gra…” his voice trails off. “What are you doing?” he asks when he sees Danny’s legs jutting out from underneath a childlike structure made of a box fan, two chairs, and lots and lots of blankets.

Danny’s legs retreat into the fort, his face peeking out for a moment. “She took my blanket,” he says, then adds, “for this,” as he gestures to the structure.

Steve just smiles, shaking his head gently. “You know I have plenty of blankets at my house, Danny,” he offers.

“Yes,” comes the reply, then Danny ducks in for a second, pulling out a hard plastic doll wearing a shimmering yellow gown and tiara, “but this one is for Princess Christina.”

“Princess Christina, huh?” comes Steve’s reply. “She’d better not be in there making me jealous.” He leans down and grabs a kiss, then disappears for a second out of view, coming back moments later with the pillows from Danny’s bed. “There room for me in there?” he asks. Without waiting for a response, he crawls in, stealing another kiss along the way.

Settling on his back, he puts the second pillow next to him, patting it gently. Princess Christina is abandoned at the portcullis as Danny settles in next to his partner.

Danny lays on his side, his broad hand settling on the smooth fabric of Steve’s shirt. The pair shares a smile, then Danny leans in to kiss Steve; a kiss with a hint of tongue and previews of things to come. As he breaks off the kiss, Danny puts his head down on Steve’s shoulder, Steve wrapping his strong arms around him, snuggling close. And the pair sits quietly, just sharing the moment.

~*~*~
 
The men lay there, content to stay in the fort and touching, holding each other, relaxing as the afternoon continues to draw on until Danny’s stomach starts to protest. “You want a sandwich, babe?” he asks Steve.

“Naah… I’m good,” comes the reply.

“Yeah, okay,” Danny says, then starts to get up.

“Wait, wait,” Steve protests, then pulls Danny back down, grabbing a kiss. “Just a few minutes more,” he says through a yawn.

Danny leans into Steve, kiss after kiss pulling him further from sleep. He lets one hand roam, swallowing the moan Steve lets out as he runs his fingernails over the thin cotton shirt that covers Steve’s chest, teasing the nipple within.

Steve tries to overpower Danny, pulling him on top and settling him on his chest, Danny’s powerful thighs pushing Steve’s legs apart. He arches his back, grinding his cock into Danny’s, then grabs his partner’s ass. As Danny raises his head, Steve asks, “You wanna fuck me?”

Danny almost instantly shuts his eyes, images of Steve already filling his head. He leans down to claim Steve’s mouth, licking his way down the jawline and sucks on Steve’s neck while his hands make quick work of his pants and boxers, then starts on Steve’s, only stopping when Steve raises his hips, pushing his clothing off in one quick motion. Happily naked, he pulls Danny back on top of him.

With a quick kiss, Danny licks a trail down Steve’s chest, stopping to lap at Steve’s leaking cock appreciatively. He brings one finger to Steve’s ass, playing with the tight hole, barely getting the tip of his finger in. Between gasps, Steve says, “We, ummm… We may need some lube.”

“Yeah, I got this,” Danny says, then grins at his partner before grabbing Steve’s legs behind the knee, pushing his legs up, giving him access to Steve’s ass. With a mischievous look, he leans down, first biting the soft flesh of Steve’s ass before licking a trail from just behind Steve’s balls, stopping to lap at his hole.

As the sensation quickly causes gooseflesh across his body, Steve leans up. “Danny…” he says, eyes glazing over as Danny goes back, licking and sucking Steve’s ass. After three minutes of it, he’s mumbling incoherently as Danny continues the magic with his tongue, using a finger or two along the way. 

Danny raises up, and Steve can see his cock leaking liberally. “You ready for this?” he asks as he puts Steve’s legs on his shoulders, Steve’s only reply is a near constant, “Fuck me, Danny. Come on, fuck me already!” and an urgent pulling of Danny closer with his powerful runners legs.

It takes Danny a second to get them lined up, but he finally puts the head of his cock against Steve’s hole. He pushes in gently, feeling the head pop just past the ring but stopping as Steve catches his breath at the intrusion. When Steve lets out the breath, he leans down and claims Steves mouth as he starts to slowly piston his hips, letting his cock enter Steve fully, teasing his prostate over and over with each stroke.
 
Leaning back up, Danny bites at the knees since they’re closest, then leans down, biting Steve’s nipple before nibbling his way back up Steve’s jawline before reclaiming Steve’s mouth. His breath starts to come in short bursts, and Steve can feel Danny trembling above him, so he moves his hand to his cock, matching Danny’s thrusts stroke for stroke.

“You close, babe?” Danny asks, his eyes glassy. Steve is on so much sensory overload that all he can manage is a nod of his head.

After half a dozen strokes, Steve finally manages, “I’m gonna come, Danny,” and Danny raises back up, increasing his thrust, deliberately hitting Steve’s prostate rapidly and purposefully. As his orgasm starts to bubble up, Steve straightens his legs a bit and feels the coarseness of the blanet-fort’s roof against the bottoms of his feet. With another quick pull of his cock, Steve lets his orgasm overtake him, come spilling out his cock and collecting on his chest, puddling in the lines of his abs. 

Danny’s cock is squeezed by Steve’s orgasm and takes him to the breaking point. He leans up, thrusting Steve’s legs higher as he pounds into Steve, groaning a heavy sigh as he starts to orgasm, spilling his seed deep within his lover.

The combination of Danny on his knees and Steve’s legs prove too much for the fort. Just as Danny starts to come back to reality, he notices the overwhelming warmth enveloping him as Steve starts an easy laugh below him. It takes a few seconds for him to realize that they’ve totally destroyed the fort, all that seems to be holding it up is Danny’s head and Steve’s feet.

“Jesus, babe,” Danny says, then lays down on top of Steve, feeling his stomach get wet as he does so. He claims Steve’s mouth, then slides off to Steve’s side, joining him in the laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation. With one more kiss, he leans up, pulling the blankets off them, and vows to make Steve help him rebuild the fort before Grace’s next visit.

“Whatever,” Lucy offered, abandoning her music practice and throwing her instrument down on her bed as if it burned her hands.

“Come on now, Lucy” her father, President Shepherd began, almost begging.  ”Can we talk about this?”  Shepherd ran his fingers through his hair.  He could negotiate with the Russian Federation for a proxy-war cease-fire.  He could deal a crushing blow to the Iranian nuclear program with just a speech to the United Nations General Assembly.  Why is it, he contemplated, he couldn’t get through to his teenage daughter about wanting to date Sydney Ellen Wade?  ”There’s ice cream in the mess.”  His late wife had never been able to domesticate him, Shepherd still using military terms for ordinary things.

Lucy threw darts at her father through her bang-covered eyes.  ”I’m not a child, father.”  She new calling him “father” instead of “dad” would tweak something within him.  Lucy 131, Dad 67.  Since this particular stage of teenage rebellion began, it seemed that Shepherd never scored a single point during their tete a tete matches.  Today seemed no better.

Lucy began to think of how her father had been more attentive as of late, and how the affairs of international relations had even escaped their daily tasks.  Talk of Sydney sprinkled throughout their conversation.  She realized it was better than being battered on the nations that made up the Baltic region.  Better for her, and it seemed better for her father.  She released an angst-ridden teenager sign, though determined not to allow her father see her smile.  ”Fine.”

President Shepherd smiled and put his arm loosely around his daughter’s shoulder, as they rounded the corner out of her room, aiming for the White House kitchen.  As Shepherd nuzzled his daughter’s hair lightly, three Secret Service agents sprang into action, flanking the president on all sides.  Lucy even ignored the reference to her and her father in the walkie talkies as they shared a quiet moment.

“Eagle and Little Bird on the move.”

Will scalded the room with a look.  The situation seemed to be so ridiculous that it infuriated him.  Would it be that he not loved these people so much, he would be furious enough with each to last several lifetimes.

Toby and C.J. just signed in unison.  ”I know”, Toby offered weekly.

“But if we fall for this stunt by the Republicans,” Will started once again, ” The President will look absolutely buffoonish.”  Will pulled at his hair, hoping for a solution to spring forth from his DHT challenged hair follicles.

“Look,” C.J. began.  ”There’s nothing we can do.  Why don’t you go for a run?  Or go kick a-”

“Republican?” Will offered weakly.

“Well, I was going to say a wall.”  C.J. smiled.  ”But I hear kicking a Republican during a mid-term can be quite therapeutic.”  It was just enough levity the room seemed to need, the tension releasing like a violently popped balloon.

Dan reached for Casey’s elbow, leading the two to up the sweeping staircase towards the somewhat noisy party currently under way in the massive hall.  The feel of Casey’s muscular arm, contrasted with the silkiness of the tuxedo material caused a miniscule smile, indicated by the slight hitch in Dan’s mouth.

“Daniel.  Casey.  So good to see you!”  Both men held their hands out to the opulently dressed black woman in front of them, minding the path and wake that the large hat perched on her head created every time she turned.

“Esther.  So good to see you.  What a beautiful service,” complimented Casey.

“Oh it was.  I have never seen a more beautiful wedding.”  Dan’s eyes cut to his boss, whose eyes were glowing with both the joy of a newborn’s father, and the consternation of a man with an unsolvable problem.  ”It was beautiful, Isaac.”  Dan fumbled with a large Williams & Sonoma bag in his free hand, a present for the newlyweds to be offered upon entering the reception.

“Where’s my present, Daniel?”  Isaac posed.  Esther shot him an unnerving look.

Casey and Dan looked at each other, then back towards Isaac.  ”I’m sorry, sir?”  Inside, Casey was panicking somewhat.  When he was married to Lisa, she had been in charge of all things social.  His new relationship with Dan had been uncharted waters for both of them, and the thought of breached wedding protocol started to tug at the gently unraveling yarn of his soul.  A yarn that Dan could usually bat at easily, as if he were an intrigued kitten, with just a look.

“Present?” Dan inquired.

“Yes.  My present.”

Esther dismissed the trio to welcome even more guests.  Out of earshot, Isaac continued.  ”I asked you for something very specific before this wedding, Daniel.”

Both men thought for a moment before the younger man’s face lit up, beaming at his boss.  ”Now sir-” he began to protest.

“Now sir me nothing.  Danny, she married a Republican.”

Contemplating their own predicament, Casey offered, “He’s a bright young man, sir.”  Casey turned to eye his partner as he continued.  ”And he loves hi- her, very, very much.”

“Be that as it may,” Isaac spoke broadly to both men,”he’s a Republican.  All I asked for was an assassination attempt before the darn thing could get underway.”  Isaac steadied himself on his cane.  ”Now what the hell are we supposed to talk about during family holidays and get-togethers”

Dan glanced back at the limousine that was pulling up, breath stolen momentarily from the wondrousness of the bride and groom carefully extracting themselves from the back.  He grabbed Casey’s hand and squeezed lightly, love beaming between the two men.

“Whatever it takes,” Casey offered.

“You do what you have to do for love,” Dan looked up into Casey’s eyes, conveying the emotions of the day between the two men, “Sir.”

Isaac dismissed the couple with a slight swath of his cane, making his way back to his wife.  ”Go get a seat, you two.”

As if prepared, the couple responded in unison, “Yes, sir.”