The Unregenerate

Chapter One: Heaven’s Coming

I’ve never met someone quite like you

Sorry for what I’ve done and put you through

We were together that night, when it all went wrong

Heaven’s Coming.

“Heaven’s Coming” -Wakefield

It was dark.

The moon was hiding, turning its back on the world like an impetuous child. Only the stars, the celestial mediators, the only ones in Heaven that do not claim alignment to either polarities, shone in this night.

Joshua sat atop his usual perch on the high veranda of his parent’s loft. As usual, no one was home. Josh’s home was never chiming with the laughter of smaller siblings, never trembled with the harsh reprimands of raging parents.

He was not neglected however, though his situation precariously bordered it. He turned to look at his living room through the large sliding glass doors. The carpet was white and plush, and it felt so good against bare feet. The furniture was white leather, with silver, metallic lamps that seemed ripped out from a futuristic sci-fi flick made in the fifties. The kitchen was bright and the centerpiece of the room, shining with it’s marble countertops and its assortment of stainless steel pots and pans dangling over the stove on a copper wire-rack. The refrigerator was steel as well with black handles and a little depression where one could put their cup in and receive chipped ice.

The hallway was besides the large kitchen, adorned as it was with several religious icons. The Virgin Mary cradling the Baby Jesus against her breast, a massive palm with several, diplomatic-looking figures on each fingertip, and several dozens others with meaningless portraits of varying sizes.

Joshua hated religion.

The followers were infuriatingly close-minded, hypocritical, and laughably devoid of substantial evidence. They would preach for hours on end about the evils of men one day, then pick up a sword the next and slay his fellow man in the name of the Lord. Joshua would never kill at all, let alone on a possibility (the possibility that God does exists).

So when he looked up at the sky, he only saw what the naked eye could, and to the mind of a sixteen year old boy, that was enough.

Joshua returned his vigil upon the skies when he heard the phone bleat out its grating rings. Cursing loudly, Joshua went though the glass doors and onto the white carpet. His feet tingled with the pleasing sensation. He reached the cordless phone and clicked the “ON” button.

“Hello?”

“Joshua?”

“Hey Louis.”

“Where’re your parents?” “Away.”

“Can I come over?”

There was something in Louis’ voice. Joshua knew it all too well. Louis was his age, with ash-blond hair as opposed to Joshua’s raven tresses. His eyes were amber whereas Josh’s were navy blue. Louis was an attractive boy from a wealthy family like Josh’s own. And also like Josh’s own, the other boy associated parents with the vision of a door closing. The two boys, neighbors in the condominium, frequented each other’s apartments.

One day, when Louis was over, they had found a box of pornography in Josh’s dad’s closet. Explicit pictures with women and men in compromising positions caught their young eyes. Louis had suggested that they watch it ’just to see’. Joshua had popped it into the VCR and sat beside Louis on his bed. They skipped though the intro and stopped when the first signs of flesh revealed themselves.

There were two men, one lighting candles in some comfortable-looking room. The other entered, wearing a tight sports shirt, the type that bicyclists wear. The candle-lighter told the other to lay on the table. Once he turned around, the bicyclist smirked and removed his shirt, showcasing rock-hard muscles that rippled over his body. He removed his pants and lay naked on the worktable. He bit his lip while the pyro’s back was still turned and moved to accommodate his sudden erection.

‘What the fuck is this?’ Louis said. ’Where are the girls?’

Embarrassed for reasons unknown to even him, Joshua said, ’Just wait.’ Louis grumbled and continued to watch.

The pyro turned and placed a blue towel over the other’s buttocks. He spilled oil onto the bicyclist’s tanned body and dug his fingers deep into the bronze flesh. After a few moments, it became apparent that women would not be making an appearance on this video. Joshua waited for Louis to get up and shut the damned thing off but to his surprise, his neighbor’s breathing became shallow and his eyes slightly glazed.

The masseur’s hands moved down to the mound of the client’s ass, slowly removing the towel. At short length the masseur abandoned all professional dictum and turned the client over onto his back. He bent his head and his lips met the other man’s. Louis and Joshua gasped at the sight of intimacy between men, something unheard of.

‘They’re fags!’ Louis exclaimed, though his hands inched towards the crotch of his pants. There was an undeniable bulge poking through his khakis. The men on the television were forgotten in Joshua’s mind. His cheeks flamed and there was a tightening in his stomach. He felt a curious stirring between his legs, in that area of taboo. His palms were itchy and his arousal was beginning to ache. With one swift, stolen glance Joshua could see that his companion was fairing no better…

“Josh? Can I come over?”

Louis’ voice snapped him from his erotic musings. He was hard now.

“Yeah, come on up.”

“Great.” Louis hung up. Josh went to the door, removed the deadbolts and returned to his room. For some reason Louis liked coming into Josh’s apartment with Josh in the bed, as though he were waiting for Louis all along.

Josh buried himself beneath soft, thick blankets and held the smell of fresh laundry in his lungs. The vents poured out cool air, humming hypnotically all the while. Josh grinded against the bed, the sensations of fabric and the monotonous song of machinery too much for his adolescent hormones. He heard the door open and a sudden heat covered his face, a sudden hand seized his chest. Joshua looked up from his pillow and saw Louis coming to the threshold of his room. He was tall, nearly emaciated, and had a styled mess of straw-gold hair. His amber eyes were rich with expectancy.

He sauntered over to the bed, a look on his sharp face that denoted his self-imposed superiority.

“Been waiting long?” he asked.

“Too long,” Josh replied. He pulled back the covers to allow Louis in. Louis removed his yellow shirt, then the khakis he always wore. In flannel boxers, Louis climbed into the bed with Joshua.

“How long we got?” Louis asked.

“All the time in the world,” Josh sighed and snuggled up against Louis.

“Romantic,” the blond boy teased. Josh wrapped his arms around the other boy’s slightly larger frame and buried his face into Louis chest. The sweet smell of bare skin, soap, and ridiculously expensive cologne made euphoric chills quiver down his spine. Louis’ hand tussled Joshua’s hair, pulling and twirling the midnight strands playfully. Joshua felt Louis grow in body temperature and knew that he was becoming aroused.

Joshua snaked his hand down to the elastic of Louis’ boxers, walking the familiar path of youthful curiosity. Josh’s fingers pulled down the underwear and found the throbbing organ. It was stiff and tinged with red. Josh held it and squeezed.

“God you’re so big,” Josh said, stroking Louis’ penis as well as his ego. The blond boy closed his eyes and shifted positions, thrusting slowly into the black haired boy’s hands. His thin lips curled into a smile.

“Keep on,”

Josh moved his hand vertically, squeezing when he reached the tender head. The organ throbbed like a heart beat and the smell was delicious. Josh disappeared beneath the covers.

Louis moaned softly, Josh’s hot kisses leaving shining trails on the planes of his narrow chest. He inhaled sharply when his manhood was encased in heat and saliva, when cool lips ran down the length of his shaft.

“Oh fuck…oh God you’re so good…oh…suck it….”

The encouragement spurred Josh, increasing the speed with which he in took Louis’ arousal in his mouth. Louis arched his back, inadvertently choking the black haired boy. Joshua gagged and looked away, slightly embarrassed and worried that his coughing and retching would effectively destroy the mood. Instead, Louis took Joshua’s chin in his hand and led him up to a kiss. Their lips mingled, and Louis could taste himself. His hot hands seized Josh’s shoulders. He turned him around, made him lay spread-eagle on the bed. Louis pushed aside the plush blankets and lubricated his penis with his own spit. He coated his head with saliva and proceeded to find Josh’s point of entry. Josh aided him by spreading apart his buttocks with his hands. Louis tested the hole with his wet fingers and guided his erection in with the other.

Joshua winced but the minor pain was awash in intimacy and intense pleasure. Louis was always gentle, and his unsaid concern made sodomy sweeter. His thrusts were slow and deliberate, prolonging the sensations as well as teasing the recipient.

“You like that huh? How does that feel?” Louis slipped inside, burying himself into Joshua. Joshua gasped and gripped the bed sheets. Louis held his position, not moving for he knew that to do so would only increase the pain he was inflicting upon his partner.

Louis placed his hands on the small of Joshua’s back, right above the curving mound of his tight ass and gently thrust forward. He increased his momentum gradually. His testicles bounced against Josh’s skin. Joshua breathed in audibly, knowing that it would heighten the erotic mood. He began to rock his body in time with Louis’ moves. The bed creaked underneath the fast moving bodies now shining with a thin layer of sweat. The roughness and strength in every stroke made Joshua cry out in delicious, exquisite pain. Louis gripped Josh’s sides and pulled the black haired boy closer as he pushed himself up in to the hilt. Then, when the fires of passion threatened to consume them, Louis made an animalistic grunt and spilled into Joshua.

Knees weak, Louis collapsed besides his lover.

“Had fun?” Josh breathed.

“Always with you,” Louis panted.

“My turn?”

Louis closed his eyes and smiled beautifully.

“Give me a sec okay? I can barely talk as it is.”

Joshua chuckled, knowing full well the debilitating effects sex had. He curled up besides Louis and the blond boy shucked off the oppressive blankets. Josh kissed Louis’ neck, the tender area between neck and shoulder. He stroked himself while he did this, Louis watching and becoming stiff despite his weariness. His hand snaked down Josh’s narrow chest and relieved him of his erotic labor. He took the erection in his hands and pumped it, skillful hands making Joshua buck beneath Louis. He thrust harder into Louis’ hands and his moans were suddenly stifled by a hearty kiss. At length, Joshua spilled his pleasure upon Louis’ hands.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Louis said with a smile. He wiped his hand on the side of the mattress and went to retrieve his clothes. Joshua held him back.

“Can we…well…” “What? Again?” “Oh no,” Joshua laughed. His cheeks were deliciously flushed. “No, could we just lay here for a while?” Louis looked unsurely at the black haired boy but nodded. They lay together in a confusion of limbs and in a pool of body heat. They kissed each other lethargically, eyes closed and lips falling where they may.

Louis reached on the nightstand and retrieved a remote control. He clicked on the buttons and switched on the stereo system. A nice acoustic song came on, perfect for the quiet serenity of the moment.

After nearly falling asleep, Louis said,

“I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make you something,”

“Yes dear,” Louis said with a teasing smile.

Joshua got up and slipped into a pair of plaid boxers and no shirt. Louis couldn’t help but admire the lithe sinews of his body. Louis fully clothed himself and joined Joshua in the kitchen.

“So watch are you making?” Louis asked, propping himself atop the kitchen counter.

“My famous peanut butter and tuna fish sandwich.” Joshua said with a grin as he reached into the refrigerator for the ingredients.

“So where are your parents?” Louis asked conversationally, his mouth watering as he caught a scent of the tuna.

“Cambodia. Business or whatever.” Joshua shrugged, licking the mayonnaise off his fingers. “Would you want to go out later? I’ve got nothing better to do.”

“Sounds glacier,” Josh said, spreading the thick brown peanut butter on a slice of bread. He covered its twin with tuna fish and joined the two halves. He cut the crust off and handed it to Louis. He reached into the fridge and gave the blond boy an icy Coke. “Where do you want to go?” “Well Ultra’s at the Stitch with some of his friends. Said he had someone to introduce us to. Girl for me, guy for you.”

Joshua looked down and let his black hair veil his face. He didn’t want Louis to see his frown. He would be jealous if Louis found a girl he really liked. When that happened Josh was usually left to himself, feeling awkward and abandoned. As well, he didn’t like their sexual relationship to end outside the bedroom. He wanted to hold Louis’ hand when they were with their friends, to kiss him and cuddle like normal couples do. Their friends were bisexual or gay or open minded for the most part, but Louis still denied anything happened between them. Sometimes Josh wondered why he whored himself to Louis, allowing himself to be fucked but not loved. Didn’t seem like a fair trade.

“Yeah, just let me shower and get dressed.” Joshua left the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, dressed and clothed and smelling of Axe Body Spray, Joshua left his apartment with Louis, who reeked of tuna and peanut butter. Maybe he wouldn’t hit it off with that girl after all, Josh thought with a secret smile.