Vince Tranter looks out over the countryside, the sun is setting and is painting vivid hues of red, orange and gold on a canvas of cumulus clouds in the distance. Anthony would get so excited at seeing such a beautiful sunset. Vince remembers on many occasions Anthony would often drag him into the garden to watch them. They would hug, embracing each other at the beauty stretching out before them.
Anthony was such a beautiful boy, so full of life, always upbeat and positive about everything, even when he reached his 30th birthday he still acted like a 12 year old never wanting to grow up which is why Vince always called him his boy. How he missed him, Life is so ironic, how someone so full of life can have it cruelly snatched away from them. Vince looks down at the small shrine placed at the bottom of the garden, this was Anthony's favourite spot, it just seems fitting that this should be his final resting place. Vince knows that the flowers that are blooming around it have come from his Anthony's ashes, his dying wish to be part of the garden he loved so much, those flowers are special to Vince.
Vince walks back into the house and makes his way into the lounge. On the mantle above the fireplace is his favourite photo of Anthony, taken when he was just 21, those big blue puppy dog eye, his long swirling locks of blond hair, that infectious smile, that boy never stopped smiling. Vince can only remember one time when he didn't.
He remembers the day vividly, it's etched in his mind and recalls it like it was yesterday. Vince was in the kitchen drying the dishes when Anthony had returned home from the doctors. Vince had been concerned about him as he hadn't been feeling too good, Anthony kept telling him not to worry and that the tests would show he was worrying over nothing. As soon as Anthony entered the house Vince knew something was wrong, he always came bounding in full of joy and happiness to be home with his big ol' Vinny. This time he quietly closed the door behind him, Vince turned round from drying the dished and saw Anthony standing in the door way to the kitchen, his eyes were full of tears. Vince dropped the plate he was holding and it smashed on the tiled floor, he knew immediately that Anthony was going to be leaving him.
That was five years ago, he would have been 35 next week. Vince chokes back a tear and places the photo back on the mantlepiece, Cancer is such a cruel disease.
Vince is broken from his trance by the phone.
"Hello?"
"Vinny, is it alright if we bring over a guest tonight?" it's Rob his life long friend from school.
"I hope you're not trying to set me up again? You know what happened last time."
"No really I'm not, it's this new lad at work, I accidentally let it slip that we were having a poker game tonight and he's been badgering me to join ever since, I thought seeing as we're down a man then what the heck? To be honest I don't think he's your type, he's really cute but seems a bit of a wide boy." Rob explains.
Vince groans, "is he good for the stake?"
"Yeah, he's bringing 200 in cash," Rob replies.
"Ok but make sure you explain the rules."
"Great see you in an hour."
Vince hangs up the phone and shakes his head. Rob really is a dear friend and was there for him when Anthony passed away. Ever since then he has introduced him to lots of boys hoping that something may blossom, but Vince still hasn't let go of Anthony yet. Rob's biggest problem, or not as some people may see it is that he is too friendly with everyone, regardless of how much of an ass they might be.
Vince gets the dining room ready for the game of poker, he's been holding it every week now for the last four years, he enjoys the company, god knows he needs it now, lately he's been feeling quite lonely.
As he walks to the kitchen he passes the cellar door, he takes a deep breath. He rarely goes down there any more, especially not for what he set it up to be used for. When Anthony was alive they would spend hours down there, they certainly did have a lot of fun in those days.
On his way back to the lounge he looks in the mirror over the fireplace, he's starting to look old now, wrinkles are beginning to show around his eyes. At 52 he still looks good and people often mistake him for much younger but he can see the changes in his face, he knows life is slipping by.
Vince his a big man, at 6'4" he towers over most people and he works out regular keeping his large muscles in shape. He has a rugged face with a square jawline and piercing eyes and many people feel intimidated by him.
He sits down in the lounge with a beer and puts the TV on while he waits for his guests. It's the usual Friday night rubbish and there is absolutely nothing on worth watching. He switches to MTV and catches a Rappers special, he scoffs at the ridiculous outfits, hoodies and baseball caps and dripping with what they call bling. The big 'I am' attitude really gets up his goat too, he thinks that if these wankers are role models for the youth of today then society is on a slippery edge. Vince remembers the time he spent in the army, making it all the way to sergeant. 'Thats what these assholes need, some good and honest discipline,' he thinks to himself. He remembers some of the recruits he would get, wet behind the ears mommies boys, but he soon had them beat into shape to become very respectable fighting men.
He would often discipline Anthony, not that he needed it, Anthony was Vince's slave, a willing one. Anthony loved being dominated by Vince, letting him control everything in his life, both in and out of the bedroom. Vince too loved how Anthony would always be there for him, devoted, like a faithful dog always glad to see his master.
To Vince being in a slave in a relationship isn't part time, you either embrace it wholly or not at all. This is another reason why he feels he won't find anyone soon, most the wannabe slaves he's met so far are only interested in it part time and not giving up full control.
Although Vince is still single he hasn't given up sex, he often frequents gay bars or sauna's to get a quick fix and has bought back many young men but he never follows up any potential relationship from it.
Suddenly the door bell rings snapping him out of his trance, surprised that it's been an hour already since Rob called. He makes his way to the door and as he opens it he sees a handsome slim young man aged around 29. His head is almost shaved and he has a good 3 days worth of growth on his chin. He is ruggedly handsome and has a well defined chiseled body, the product of hours spent down the gym. He is wearing tight hugging T-shirt that defines his toned body nicely and a pair of tight levi's that hint at something worth investigating.
"Hello Nathan," Vince greets him.
"Oh please call me Nat, everyone else does," The man replies. Vince is not one for shortening peoples names, he prefers to use the name people were given at birth, to him its just being polite. Nathan is Rob's partner and they have been together for the last ten years although Vince can never fathom out what Nathan see's in Rob. Nathan gives Vince a peck on the cheek and makes his way inside, Rob is standing directly behind him.
Rob is the same age as Vince but nowhere near as in good shape, his beer belly is very prominent and has a lot more fat around him than he really should have.
"Hi Rob," Vince greets him.
"Evening, this is Lance." Rob says and steps to one side.
Vince has to do a double take, in front of him is a young man, probably around 20 dressed in a full tracksuit and trainers, he is wearing a baseball cap that is on backwards and has gold chains and rings almost covering him, It's like he's stepped right out of MTV and into his life. He is however very handsome with platinum blond hair, a fair complexion and what looks like very soft fuzzy stubble on his chin. His eyes are deep blue and have a puppy dog look to them, his nose small and slightly upturned. His body is slim but is well hidden under the tracksuit jacket and pants, those clothes certainly give nothing away as to what treasures lie beneath. For a moment Vince thought he was looking at Anthony.
"Ow do maaate," Lance says breaking Vince from his spell.
"Er, Hello Lance," Vince greets him.
Rob and Lance make their way past Vince into the house, the boy walks with such a swagger, just like the big I am walk that he saw earlier on the TV.
"Nice pad man," he says.
Lance starts picking up the odd ornament as though inspecting them to meet with his approval. Already Vince has taken a dislike to the boy, but Rob was right he is cute, very cute.
"So 'owdya afford a gaf like dis den? Ya pedlin' or summut?"
"Peddlin'?" Vince looks at Rob as if to say 'What the fuck is he talking about?
"Yeah, ya know, drugs n stuff," Lance adds.
"Good god no! This is all paid for by good and honest hard work," Vince replies a bit incensed at the suggestion he is living off ill gotten gains.
"Ya must have a real mint job den."
It is a good job, as a security consultant to the government it pays very well too but he's not about to get into a conversation about that.
"Anybody like a drink?" Nathan asks opening a bottle of wine that they bought with them.
