SquidgeWorld Archive

Snails - Patt

PattRose@cox.net

Blair sat and opened the package from his mother. She had been gone a long while, so his breath was coming faster and his heart was joining in for the dance. He wondered when a child got tired of receiving a present from his parent. All he knew was that whenever Naomi sent something it was usually wonderful. Something to make him think twice as hard as he had the day before.

He reached into his pocket for his knife and slowly and gently slid it against the tape. When it was open, he lifted the top and just remained sitting in place. Blair loved surprises, and would wait most of the day if he could. Sadly, Jim was due home soon, so he needed to get a move on.

Reaching in, he pulled out the first art print. It was very odd. A painting of a snail, surrounded by pillars that didn't seem to want to let it free. What the hell does this mean?

He pulled out the next painting and saw two snails. It was somewhat cute. They looked like a couple and you don't think about snails and couples very often. Leave it to his mother to make him think about that. He looked more carefully at the two snails and saw it was a type of embrace or sexual coupling. The more Blair looked at it, the more he loved it. The glowing smile on Blair's face was indeed what anyone or everyone would want to see. Naomi knew that her boy didn't smile enough these days. She hoped that these paintings would do the trick.

Blair reached in for the last one and pulled it out. Blair's mouth opened and his eyes watered. He wasn't sure why, but this one upset him. It was another snail with a stick and his belongings at the end of it, leaving home. Why does she do this to me?

Blair cleaned up after himself and continued to look at the art. He then made dinner and set it to simmer. He hoped Jim wouldn't arrive home too quickly. For some reason, Blair didn't want to see him or talk to him.

He went back into his room and closed the door. As he lay on the bed thinking he felt a tear slide down his face. Why in the world would a man be so upset about a painting of snails?

Okay, it's you leaving Jim. Mom is telling you that you're leaving Jim. Why? Why would she do that?

The dreaded sound of a key turning the lock was heard and Blair turned on his side to feign sleep.

"Chief, I know you're not sleeping. Come on out. Dinner smells fantastic."

"I'm resting. Go ahead and eat."

Jim opened the door and peeked in and whispered, "Would you like to talk to me about it?"

"Nothing to talk about, man. Just leave me alone, okay?" Blair pulled his super soft blanket off the end of the bed and curled himself into a ball. Jim had given him this blanket and that made him sadder. He had picked out a beautiful blue that he had told Blair matched his eyes.

"I'm going to eat dinner. I hope you join me. I'd also like you to watch the game with me tonight, but if you want time alone, I understand. Be well, Chief." Jim shut the door sadly. He knew there was something majorly wrong and there was nothing he could do.

Jim sat at the kitchen table and ate dinner all alone. He hated eating alone anymore. He had grown more used to being with Blair then he cared to admit to. Hopefully, his Guide would join him later for the game. It wouldn't be the same without his Chief.

Blair did a lot of thinking while he lay on his bed moping. First of all, how did Naomi know how he felt about Jim? She must have known. Her note said it outright.

Blair darling,

I'm sorry I'm not there to give you these in person. Instead I hope you understand them without me explaining. You're a smart man, Blair Sandburg. Use your brains. I saw them and thought of you and Jim. Enjoy them and think until you know what to do. I hope you both are well. I love and miss you.

Naomi

Why would she think Jim and Blair had a thing for each other? For Pete's sake, after four years, Blair was still sleeping in the little room underneath Jim's bedroom.

Blair stood up and decided he was going to talk to Jim. Instead he stood, silently, stolidly holding the Snails and didn't take one step.

Jim was into the second hour of the game, totally bored without having his friend there. He loved watching the younger man's hair bounce when he got excited. He treasured watching him smile and seeing his teeth sparkle. Everything about his Guide sparkled, making Jim most thankful.

Jim laid his head back and closed his eyes and thought of his Guide. His eyes were so beautiful and when Jim watched from the side sometimes, it was breathtaking. If he batted those eyelashes, anyone around him would be a goner. Yes, undeniably, Blair's eyes were to die for. But that was only the tip of the iceberg.

Even Blair's Adam's apple was sexy. The way it bobbed up and down when he was flustered or excited about something always seemed to make Jim hard. Instantly. Jim also noticed that when Blair was close shaved, he looked good enough to eat. And you weren't just thinking of his face, either. Stop dreaming, Ellison. You're not his type.

As Jim continued to dream about the magnitude of the beauty of Blair, his Guide walked out into the living room and stood noiselessly.

"Hey, Chief. Sit down. The games still on."

"No, thanks. I wanted to ask your opinion on something. If I showed you three pieces of art, would you tell me why my mother sent them to me?"

"Sure. Go get em, and sit down." Jim patted the couch, hoping that Blair would sit close enough for him to scent him. Jim loved doing that. Oh fuck; I'm getting hard again.

"Okay. What do you think when you see this one?" Blair held up the snail surrounded by columns.

"Well, I think this is a lonely person's piece. This isn't you, Blair. You're full of life and happiness. You would never be behind those columns. I don't know why she sent it to you."

"How about this one?" Blair held up the one with the two snails having sex or whatever they have.

"This one's interesting. I like it. I would buy this one."

"Jim... Why? Explain to me."

"Because I'm slow. I'm always the last one to find out how I feel about someone or something. I'm a snail. Are you sure these aren't for me?" Jim smiled over at his partner and saw a extremely distressed man standing there. "Blair, what's wrong? Talk to me. But let me tell you a few things about me first. When I met Carolyn, I knew she was for me. I just knew it. But I didn't ask her out for a year. Do you believe it? I didn't think I was good enough for her. And then once I did marry her, I never said things fast enough to please her. Again, I'm a friggin' snail."

"Did you always know you belonged with her? And when you divorced what happened to the snail?"

"I thought I belonged to her, Chief. I can't go into it all, but we weren't meant for each other. Some day I'll talk to you about it. All right?"

"Yeah. I'm going to bed. Night." Blair got up to leave and Jim reached out and touched his hand. "What is the last picture, Chief? It's scaring you, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Show me."

Blair showed him the runaway snail and sat back with a look of dread on his face. Jim glanced at him and saw the dread. He saw the pain and hurt. He also saw that Blair might be in love with him too. Who would have thunk?

"Chief, you would never leave me. Never."

"Yes, I would."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Jim... I can't talk about this."

"I love you, Blair."

"I know you do. I love you too, man."

"Not like that, Blair. I love you as in the snail copulating picture way. Do you understand? I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for years. You didn't seem interested. Tonight I see just a small spark of interest. Am I right?"

"I love you so much it hurts. I want you to want me forever."

"I do."

"I want you to need me forever."

"I do."

"I want us to love each other like those snails."

"We will."

"Can I tell Conner?"

"You can tell whomever you want. But first thing we need to do is tell your mom that we're all right. She must have been worried about us." Jim smiled over at his new love and knew this was going to be entertaining.

"Jim... Have you ever been with another guy?"

"Yes... Does that bother you?"

"No... Is that why it didn't work out with Carolyn?"

"She didn't make me happy, Chief. I wanted a man and married a woman. I was an idiot."

"Did you fool around on her?"

"Never..."

"Swear?"

"Swear. I never fooled around on anyone I dated. I love you and I'm not going to hurt you. Have you been with anyone before? A guy, I mean."

"No... Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. There is something about first times that is unforgettable. I wish it could be my first time also."

"It will be your first time with me, Jim."

"That's right. And you're going to make it something I will never forget."

"What do you mean?"

"When we get to it, you're going to take me first."

"Oh man... I'm as hard as a rock just thinking about it."

"Good."

"I know this sounds dumb, but can we hang the snails up to remind us of tonight? And if so, where do we hang them?"

"Sure can. We're going to put them upstairs, all right? And I'm going to make this evening very memorable." Again, Jim flashed a big shit-eating grin.

"More than all right, man. So... You're going to fuck me tonight?"

"Nope. Tonight is dinner and dancing at a place I know of. Get dressed. I want to show you off. We'll take it slow, Chief. Not to worry. We're snails."

"I love you, Jim."

"And I love you. Now get dressed."

Jim started to hang the art up as Blair was getting dressed. He knew he was going to owe Naomi for the rest of his life for this. It would be worth it. Blair was worth it.

The two men walked out of the loft that evening smiling, and dressed like two men in love. They slowly walked down to the truck and got in. Everything was going to be slow. They were going to make it all work. They were indeed snails. And loved it.

Little did the other snail know that they were both thinking about how soon the snails would be fucking? Woo Hoo.

The End.

Author's Acknowledgments: Thank you to Mary for the beta.