Simplicity

The next morning started earlier than I would've liked. I awoke to the closing of the bathroom door. Apparently Duke liked to shower before and after bed as well. The only reason that I didn't do so last night was because of how tired I was. That and little Luke had made getting out of the bed a little difficult.

Speaking of little Luke, he wanted some attention this morning and staring at a once more wet Duke wasn't helping.

"You ready to go get the rest of your stuff?"

He asked as he bent over to look for something in his row of drawers. I could tell from this angle that his ass was toned just as nicely as everything else that I'd managed to see thus far. I wonder what it would feel like to grip both cheeks from behind. Ok, let's slow that train of thought down before I have to sit here for another thirty minutes. I really need to get laid or this is going to be a long week.

"Sure, just let me get a shower and we can head out."

I decided that I'd make a sort of dash to the bathroom while he was still looking elsewhere. Gathering clothes at a speed never before seen, I felt confident that I could handle things if given some time.

What I didn't count on was the bag of candles that I had forgotten to unpack. Falling face first towards the floor, I just closed my eyes and waited for the pain. No use in fighting it and getting hurt worse. Suddenly, though, I was pulled upright and flush into a strong chest that I was now stuck against. I didn't know that chest hair could be this soft, almost like a thousand little feathers and god damn he smells good, like a forest, sweet and musky at the same time. Man, I hope he doesn't notice little Luke's not so subtle rise upon the scene.

Slowly, I looked up into hazel eyes that were once more filled with amusement, except this time there was something else there that I couldn't quite decipher. After a moment or two he stood me upright by pushing me at the shoulders and started to smooth the wrinkles down out of his shirt as he began buttoning it, turning away from me.

"You may want to watch where you place your feet as you go into the bathroom. There's a bit of a step up for some reason and I don't think I'd be able to run fast enough to catch you from over there."

"Uh... yeah, thanks, I had forgotten about that bag."

"Are those candles?"

"Yeah, they are. I kind of have a thing for scented candles. My mother used to light one every night."

"Used to?"

"She passed away when I was six."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's not that big of a deal anymore. For the most part I don't remember her, only certain things."

"Like the candles?"

"Like the candles."

"You mind saying how it happened?"

"She was mugged one night on her way home from work. She worked at the hospital on the night shift and someone liked here necklace I guess. My dad noticed it in a pawn shop few weeks later. The way he tells it, he nearly had to kill that pawnbroker to get it back. Now it sits in a box on his dresser. Sorry, I'm rambling again, I tend to do that."

"Rambling just means that you've got a lot to say; besides I don't mind."

I chuckled at that and walked on to the shower and yes, there was a large step up into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth as I let the shower warm up and started to think on where things stood. Am I attracted to him? There's still some half hard evidence of that. Now for the bigger question: is he attracted to me? So far I'm failing on that account. I don't even know if he's gay, straight, or has a thing for koala bears.

Stepping into the shower was heaven in a nutshell. Time to make little Luke go away for a while. Grabbing the head and working my way down my modest six and a half inches, images of that chest and those eyes filled my mind and I couldn't help but moan as I thought of how those long fingers might feel in the place of mine. Grabbing a little of the conditioner I'd brought with me and squirting that on my hand, I worked my shaft fast and hard until I came against the tile wall with the thought of laughing hazel eyes and what I imagined to be an impressive package.

Holy shit; usually I last a little longer than this. I may be eighteen, but that doesn't mean that I have a hair trigger, well at least not until now. I decided that some actual bathing might do me good and went about that while trying to get my knees to continue to support me.

I don't get how he's managed to get under my skin so quickly. I don't even know the first thing about the guy other than he likes organization and sounds like a soft meandering love song. Ok, maybe that was a bit of a self serving description on the latter, but I do like his voice. It's slow and soft, enchanting even, without trying. I'm really getting into deep water here.

However, there is hope. You see this is all physical attraction and more so deprivation. I haven't had a date since David, much less a lay, and that was nearly a year ago. Had to cut that off when I found the bastard with some other guy between his legs. Let's just say that I was pissed.

Point is, there can't be anything special about him, and even if there were, I don't need to go and fuck my roommate just to have something go wrong and make the rest of this year intolerable. I just need to get some action and I'll be fine. I mean, come on, I'm the definition of a twink. That may sound self-defacing, but I don't see it as such. In fact, I take pride in my looks, they've served me well. I'm not a whore or anything. Most of my relationships tended to go at least a few months. At the same time though, I was never more than a week or two without someone to keep me company.

Walking out of the bathroom, a sight greeted me that I certainly didn't expect. Duke was in his rolly chair by the window, with his feet propped up on one of the bookcases, reading once more with a toothpick in his mouth. What had stunned me were the candles arranged on my desk by colour and size, each looking as if someone had spent hours on their placement. Maybe I wasn't a hair trigger after all.

"Figured I'd do something while I waited; hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, thank you. Sorry that I took so long."

"You were only about fifteen minutes."

Well fuck.

"Oh, well are you ready to go?"

Without a word he closed his book and grabbed his keys from his desk, placing the book in its stead, as I started to gather my things. Also, it appears I was right about the glasses theory. He only grabbed the case and slid them in his interior jacket pocket rather than put them on. He locked the door behind us and we started our walk out to the parking lot. Guess now's my chance to delve into the mystery that is Jack Anderson.

"So, where are you from?"

"South Virginia, little town called South Boston. Doesn't look a damn thing like Boston before you ask."

"I thought that you were from somewhere down South. I'm from Milwaukee. Have you ever been there?"

"Can't say that I have."

"It's a great town, if a bit on the large side for me."

He just gave a grunt at that and we continued on in silence. In fact, we remained in silence, with the exception of a few attempts at small talk made by myself. I was beginning to think that I'd done something to piss him off, except he didn't seem angry. Instead, he was down right calm, as if he was just watching and not participating in life. I didn't like that.

It was quite unsettling, and if you want to talk about unsettling then you should see the way he would look at people from under his eyebrows, almost like he was sizing them up. Again though, none of it was menacing just mannerisms, which I later came to learn, were unique to him. That day passed innocently enough. He didn't want to go to the concert and I eventually gave up trying to convince him, and so I went alone. Figured that I could find a little entertainment to settle my nerves and christen my new college years with a bang.

At least that was the intention. The band sucked and I didn't manage to find anyone that tickled my fancy, so I reached in my pocket for my phone so that I could at least play a game of solitaire while I tried to think of something else to do. That was about the time I remembered that Duke and I had traded numbers and I took notice of the fact that I wasn't even ten o clock yet. So I called him as I walked to a coffee shop that I'd noticed on the way over to the common. The voice that greeted me was both slightly amused and questioning.

"Bored already Luke?"

"You know it Dukey."

"Did you seriously just call me Dukey?"

"I can go with Jacky or Johnny if you prefer."

"I take it plain old Duke is out of the question."

"Unfortunately so Dukey, it would seem that someone already claimed it."

"Who?"

"He starred in a few movies back in the day and I think he might object to the possibility of my getting the two of you confused, so Dukey it is."

"But it sounds like you're a two year old running to tell me that you managed to shit in the pot."

I nearly coughed up a lung laughing at that.

"Oh dear God... you just gave me all the reason I need to keep using your new name Dukey."

"Some of us are just blessed I guess. Did you want something besides my self-respect Luke?"

"Yes, meet me at that little coffee shop just to the right of the common."

"No please? And which way is the right?"

"I'm sure you'll manage. See you soon Dukey"

I heard him try to say something, but I turned him off before he could finish what was bound to be a refusal as I walked into the little café. He can't say no if I don't give him a chance right? I ordered up an espresso and grabbed the corner booth as I waited for my lanky country boy to come round.

Ten minutes and two espressos later saw the entrance of my new roomy and part-time obsession. He was dressed in a pair of somewhat tight blue jeans, black boots, a red flannel shirt, with a black leather jacket, a black stocking hat, and a light blue scarf. His hair was hanging out of his hat and partially hid one eye while falling down his shoulders in the back. I was suddenly very happy that there was a table to hide my lower half. He made a quick glance about the room before spotting me, which he indicated with a nod of his head. If I didn't know any better I'd say that he way on his way to some sort of deal. He wouldn't make a good spy.

He got a latte and a cinnamon roll from the waitress before joining me on the opposite side of the booth. He glanced down at my empty cups and then at the one in my hands before cocking his head to the side and laughing.

"Should I be concerned that you're going to bounce away before I can finish mine?"

"Not if you drink fast. Besides, this isn't even a lot."

Those hazel eyes held disbelief in them now and his jaw might need someone's assistance in being useful again for it now hung helplessly open. Eyes off of his lips Luke, eyes off of his lips.

"Just what is a lot?"

"Four or five."

"Do me a favor and slow down, for my sake. I don't want to have to explain to the good people around us why you won't stop shaking."

"Don't worry, I don't start shaking till the fifth one."

That earned another chuckle. We talked about the basics: how are you liking college life so far, hobbies, favorite movies, and the like. This is where I should explain. You see, I meant to say that I talked about those things. Duke merely sat there sipping on his latte while nodding, all the while staring directly into my eyes as if he could see into my soul.

That may sound exaggerated, but his gaze was the definition of penetrating. He'd just calmly hold your eyes, no matter the tale. You would get the same stare for telling him how you stubbed your toe that morning as you would for recounting the time you cured polio. It was unnerving.

At first I thought that he was just being polite, feigning listening while daydreaming. However, I soon got the sense that he just preferred to listen rather than add anything to the conversation.

The waitress eventually came over to tell us that they were closing since it was one o clock and we were the only people left. We gathered our things and left with the night shift, some glaring at us for making them stay this long. As we walked back to the dorm I decided to broach the question that was bothering me.

"Duke, do I talk too much for you? Because if so, I can tone it down."

He waved a hand dismissively and said "Not at all. You're quite interesting; I just didn't feel the need to interject."

"Are you sure?"

He stopped, turned towards me and spoke slowly. "Luke, talk all you want and I'll listen. If I should ever grow tired of doing so, you'll be the first to know. Until then, say what you like when you like." Turning back to the dorm, he left me standing there a bit awestruck. I felt as if I'd just been comforted, yet he didn't seem as if he had been going for that.

"Are you coming?"

I ran after him and we walked the rest of the way in silence. Still, it was a comfortable silence, the kind where it didn't feel as if anything needed to be said. We got back to the dorm and laid down to sleep like normal. Same routines, same pillows, and same room. There was a difference in me though. I felt determined to discover more of the mystery that was Duke and even allowed myself the privilege of some less than g rated dreams as I nodded off.

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Thanks for the comments on the first chapter and any in advance for this one. I can't promise that the next ones will be any longer but I will finish the story. That's pass time writing for you. Anyway, thanks again and enjoy.