From: BeBeGrande <[email protected]>
Subject: Flashback Part 1--A story of brotherly love
Rating: NC-17, m/m, AU, consensual sexual activity
Summary: A past event causes the boys some hurt and comfort. The AU part of this rating is that Rick did go to college...sort of.

What follows is a fictional work about fictional television characters engaged in sexual activity. If, by circumstance of age, location, worldview (or any combination of the three) you are not allowed to read such material, do yourself a favor and stop now. This ain't your kind of story.............

Flashback
by
BeBeGrande

A bang and a whistle alerted him that the mail was in.

Looking up from the TV program he had been casually watching, Rick Simon called up the stairs to his brother, A.J:

"The mail's in. Do you want me to get it?"

"Yes, Rick, could you please? I'll be down in about five minutes."

"Okay."

Moving his dog Marlowe to one side, Rick got up off the couch, went out the door and came back momentarily thumbing through that days requests and replies.

A.J. came down the stairs, freshly showered and shaved wearing his favorite gray cashmere sweater and faded denims.

"Anything for me?"

Rick, as a joke, handed him a coupon book labled "Dear Occupant".

"If anything this would apply to you. Give me those!" A.J. said mock angrily.

Rick gladly gave them over, as most of what he could see were simply bills, and he traditionally left those for his brother to handle.

Taking a seat at the dining room table and still looking at the pile of mail, A.J. said over his shoulder, "Rick, what do you fancy for dinner tonight? I was planning on whipping up some Chicken Kiev."

From his reclaimed place on the couch beside Marlowe, Rick said, "That's fine A.J., but I didn't think anyone just "whipped up" Chicken Kiev."

"Oh, it's not difficult, really. You just take a pound and half of chicken and......Oh my Lord!"

Rick suddenly alarmed, looked over at his sibling. "What's the matter, what's wrong?"

"Nothing at all, but you won't believe what we just got in the mail. Oh my, this is scary you know. Has it really been that long? Mmmm, I wonder if we will be expected to where our colors? Hmmmm...."

Rick, who was by now beside himself with curiosity, came over to stand near his brother and sleuthing partner so he could better see what A.J. was reading.

"A.J., what in the heck are you talking about?"

"This," and A.J. put into his hands an engraved invitation on expensive light blue vellum.

Giving it a cursory glance, Rick said, "Who do we know that's getting married, A.J? If anything, all of our friends are getting divorces. Unless it's Sally Lindley up there in Oxnard. I think this is going to be her 3rd or maybe it's 4th...."

"Rick! Look at it again. It's not for a wedding. See? It's for a class reunion. Well, kind of. Alfred J. Crumsett Preparatory School is having some sort of 75th year celebration. Good ol' Crumsett. I had no idea the school had been there that long. Anyway, it's on the 5th of next month and they want an RSVP by the 25th of this month. Where's the appointment calendar?"

While his blond haired sibling was looking around the kitchen for the calendar, Rick perused the other materials contained the invitations' envelope, one of which was the alumni list. Rick's eyes stopped their scanning abruptly and his face colored in annoyance.

"Don't bother looking for it A.J., because we're not going."

A.J. was in mid-bend looking in the rear of a counter when he suddenly stood up straight and whirled around.

"What do you mean 'we're not going'? Have you made other plans for us that I don't know about...yet?"

"No. I just mean we're not going to this function. Period."

A.J. was standing in the middle of the kitchen in shock. Shaking his head as if doing so would make his ears work correctly, he said,

"Excuse me, Dear Brother. I don't think I am hearing so good. I thought I just heard you say that we were NOT going. PERIOD. Meaning, I take it, that what you are telling me is that YOU have decided that you and *I* are not going. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Brother Mine, that is what I am saying."

"May I ask why I am not going? Did I have one of your mushroom-induced hallucinations and only imagined that I went to Crumsett Preparatory for 5 years and am not entitled to go?"

"No, A.J. you went to Crumsett alright, just as I did."

"Okay, so why are WE not going and why do YOU get to decide?"

Rick turned and looked at A.J., who had moved to sit beside him on the couch. He opened his mouth to speak, several times in fact, and closed it each time. Finally he said,

"A.J. I don't think I want to talk about this right now."

"Oh, fine. So, now not only am I NOT going, I'm also completely clueless as to WHY I am not going. Well, tough noogies, Rick! I'm going, with or without you. God, what nerve trying to tell me....."

"A.J. that's enough!!" Rick said harshly. A.J. flinched and quickly shut his mouth as he always did when his brother took that tone.

Rick unceremoniously displaced Marlowe from his lap when he quickly rose from the couch and started to pace the room, running his hands through his thinning hair. "Look....just do what I'm telling you! Forget about that reunion, okay?" he shouted. Seeing the fright in A.J.'s eyes, he softened his tone and said,

"Awww, A.J....you don't seem to...I...I'll tell you later, alright? I'm...I'm going to go outside for awhile. No, don't come with me. And don't leave either. I...I just need a little time to myself." Rick slowly crossed the room and stepped through the open patio doors and walked towards his boat docked in the yard.

Rick Simon reflected on his life as walked along. The lanky detective was 42 years old and had never been married. Honestly, he never felt the need for a wife. He supposed it was because he always had A.J. around instead to cherish him, scold him, inspire him, nag him, comfort him, castigate him, order him, obey him, keep him and love him. And at this point, it seemed they were destined to stay together till death did them part. It may have been nearly impossible these days to find a mother's daughter left that was more suited for marriage to a guy like Rick Simon than his brother A.J. himself.

/////flashback/////
Cecilia Simon had always doted on her younger son and A.J., for his part, loved being in her company. So it was not a great surprise to Rick to discover that eventually some of her ways had rubbed off on him. He was always neat, polite and charming. He took personal delight in this and by age 7 he had become the standard for what the perfect little boy should be, according to all of the other neighborhood mothers. As a bonus, he was also blessed with a beautiful face and locks of golden blond hair. Rick was secretly very proud of his goodlooking brother. So goodlooking, in fact, that young A.J. was frequently mistaken for Rick's sister, who could not resist the urge to tease him at certain times by referring to him as "Andrea". Despite their differences in age and temperament, the boys were inseparable. His mother had no trouble getting Rick to take care of his little brother the way most mothers did. With their father dying so early in their lives, Rick's protectiveness toward his young brother only deepened as did A.J.'s tendency towards nurturing and nesting, with almost all of such resultant activities being dedicated toward the care and feeding of his older brother Rick. They were each others whole world and had developed behaviours and habits in their youth that stayed with them into adulthood---the on-going tradition of their afternoon naps in the sun was a private joke amongst all that knew them well. Playtime often consisted of role playing games that would sometimes go on for days at a time: Rick was the Camp Commander at Fort Charles and A.J. his wise and loving scout, the Indian maiden Taya. Or A.J. was Young Prince Jamir Sahn and Rick his devoted and fearless slave, Rasneesh, catering to his masters every need and desire. Their mother used to worry that their almost obsessive playing of these types of games would lead to trouble, but stopped when she realized that one of the benefits from the inherent training they gained by doing it could be a useful one if sometimes circumstances were such that all they could rely on was instant unspoken communication.

Over the years, Rick watched as A.J. changed from an angelic looking little boy to even cuter teenager and became the local object of lust in the hearts of many of his female classmates. The rumor was that the most common cause for detention amongst that set was for skipping class in order to ogle A.J. in practice at gymnastics. In short, at 17 years old, his brother A.J. had developed into an absolute stunner!

But despite his cultural studies and overall familiarity with almost all walks of life, A.J. had virtually no experience with the vagaries of intimate interpersonal relationships between the sexes and Rick wanted to keep it that way for as long as he could. He had learned early in life that sometimes the wrong woman could ruin a right guy. He treasured his comely brother's innocence and naivete about certain things and was proud of the fact that A.J. took only his word for most anything very important. Because of this, he was very careful to never lie to or mislead him about such matters. With their father long dead, Rick had taken responsibility for A.J's education on the more intimate details necessary for balanced male growth, seeing that his mother could not see her way clear to do it. He took these duties very seriously and would get extremely upset if he found A.J. talking to anyone else about such things. /////

Rick sat on the deck of his boat, drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette from his seldom used pack of Lucky Strikes. He knew he should not have snapped at A.J. the way he did. But at that moment he was overcome with an anger that he thought had long been buried. He could not believe how strongly he still felt it. What upset him also was the fact the A.J. did not seem to remember. How could he not? But he supposed it was like the old adage said, "Time heals all wounds." In looking over the alumni list, Rick saw the name of a person he had tried his best to erase from his mind. A person he never wanted to see again as long as he lived.....

/////flashback//////
It was the summer of 1968. A graduation party was in full swing at the home of Norton and Camille Sawyer, located in one of the tonier parts of San Diego. The music was grooving and the food was catered but geared towards the teenage palate. A large area for dancing had been made on the hard top cover the family swimming pool and a large crowd of kids took advantage of it. After watching the gyrating mass for a while, Rick discovered he had incorrectly guessed that A.J. was somewhere in the thick of it. He had not seen him for almost 45 minutes and was getting just a bit worried. He had lost track of him when he ran into several of his athlete buddies shortly after they got there. Deciding that he should at least try to find out what room he was in, Rick made a casual but thorough search of the large residence. Going upstairs, presumably on his way to one of the bathrooms, he saw a light peeking out from under a bedroom door and heard conversation coming from within. Not conversation actually, but more just the sound of human voices. Humans that sounded like they were getting to know each other very well. As he listen more closely, it dawned on Rick that he recognized one of the voices. It was a voice he knew quite well. It was his brother A.J!

Rick Simon went through a gamut of emotions as he stood on the other side of the door: surprise, shock, wonder, followed almost immediately by fear, anger and...and....he could not really pin down what he was feeling but suddenly he decided that he needed to see what was going on. Opening the door quietly and looking in, what he saw there engrained itself in his memory evermore.

His eyes bore witness to what his ears had heard. In looking beyond the bedroom door he had opened, Rick had indeed located his missing brother A.J., but what came as a great shock to Rick who was in there with him. It was someone Rick knew evidently not quite so well: the captain of the swim team, Roger Sawyer. The son of the man who owned the very house the party was being given in. The one for whom the party was actually being thrown. A guy who Rick called his friend.

A guy who Rick found was only a few minutes away from "deflowering" his beloved young brother.

Rick could not remember how long he had stood there but the next thing he clearly recalled was being held back by several of his friends who were doing their best to try to keep him from murdering Roger Sawyer with his bare hands.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Roger Sawyer, the hazel-eyed, dark haired son of the wealthy head of Sawyer Manufacturing, was a soon-to-be graduate of Crumsett Prepatory School and had long ago developed a sexual taste for young, male, scholarly types, young men like A.J. Simon, the pretty teen-aged brother of his fellow swim team member. He had actually had his eye on the attractive and fair-haired student for quite some time. In the written invitation to the party, Roger had encouraged his fellow swim team member "Richard L. Simon" to bring a "Guest". So, as he had fully expected Rick to bring one from a bevy of beautiful "Senior" girls Rick had listed in the seemingly bottomless pit of his "little black book", he could hardly believe it when Rick walked through the door accompanied by a "Freshman", his breathtaking younger brother A.J. Simon, due to start classes there in the fall and looking more ravishing and wide-eyed than usual. He was wearing dark blue Levis, a snug fitting yellow henley shirt, and tan deck shoes all topped off with Rick Simon's blue Letterman sweater. Roger had long ago concluded, after much thought given to the subject, that the only way he was ever going to have a chance to get to know the enchanting blond better was to get him alone and away from Rick, who even now had his arm possessively around his sibling's shoulders and looking for all the world like a hip young rock'n'roll star parading around with the coolest chick in the place. Roger Sawyer had noticed the magnificent gifts Mother Nature had bestowed on the younger Simon and he craved the chance to run his fingers through those soft golden tresses, taste the sweet lips that smiled so wonderously, hold that supple, beautiful body in his arms and claim it for his very own. Roger felt he finally had his opportunity when a gang of Rick's buddies from the waterpolo team swooped down on the pair and started to engage in some mild roughhousing and lively conversation with the elder Simon. Roger sauntered up to the perimeter of the group, nearest to A.J., but out of Rick's line of sight and struck up a conversation with the youth.

"Surprised to see you here, A.J. I thought Rick would have brought one from his stable of cheerleaders."

"Hi, Roger. I thought he was going to do that too. In fact, some very pretty girl named Becky came by our place earlier but left rather quickly. I could see she was quite disappointed when Rick said he already had a date. I was quite surprised when a few minutes later I find him poking through my closet, pulling out clothing combinations and telling me to 'hurry up and get dressed. We've been invited to a party'.

'What party was I invited to?' I asked and with that, he shows me this engraved invitation with *Richard L. Simon and Guest* printed on it. I could tell he was really looking forward to this. He even made me change clothes three times before we even got in the car."

"He did?" Roger remarked with surprise.

"Yeah. And he absolutely insisted that I wear his letter sweater tonight. He said he wanted me to look just perfect--something about wanting to make everyone green with envy."

While they were having this conversation, Roger had started them slowly walking away from Rick's circle and toward the back of the house. *You were so right, Ricky.* Roger thought to himself. *You knew everyone was just gonna cream in their jeans when they got a look at the piece you stepped in here with. I understand why Gloria looked daggers at you when you came in. A long-legged redhaired cheerleader cannot hope to compete with an intellectual blond athlete who can attract cattle from both sides of the pasture. Well, that blue wool "brand" you have on him will only be there temporarily, if I have anything to say about it.*

"I honestly did not know I was even coming here until about two hours ago." A.J. continued. "And now that I am here I have to tell you, Roger, this is really a beautiful house you live in. Just lovely. I'm going to have me a house someday. Right on the water."

"Why, thank you, A.J. Would you like to see the rest of it?" Roger asked seizing the handle fate had turned his way.

A.J's eyes went wide at that. "Oh really, could I?"

"Sure you can. Let me take you on the grand tour." Roger slowly walked him through the large residence, A.J. thrilled at the sight of the restaurant-sized kitchen, the herb and flower garden, the small tennis court and covered swimming pool. The conversation took several turns during the course of the walk. After a short while, they reentered the house through a side door into the library which had many old and rare books and a small bar. The leather bound tomes really fascinated A.J. and the older boy encouraged him to take a closer look at them.

While A.J's back was turned, Roger had gone behind the bar and poured a measure of his dad's good brandy in a flask and secreted it into his hip pocket.

"Wow! All these books, Roger. I would love to be able to have the time to read everyone of them. Have you read many of them?"

"Honestly only a few of them. I use them mainly for research."

"However you used them, it must have worked out pretty well, though. I understand that you're graduating with very high marks."

"Who told you that?"

"My mother did. Not directly, of course, but I heard her yelling at Rick about his grades. She had just come back from the grocery store where she had been in a conversation with Mrs. DaMato, your family's next door neighbor. And she was bragging that her son Tony and the neighbor boy Roger had the highset marks in this year's graduating class."

"Well, it was hard work trying to keep up my studies and swim team duties at the same time. In the long run it paid off. My dad was so very proud of me. He gave me a very nice present for graduation. Would you like to see it? It's upstairs in my room."

"Yeah, I think I would. Let me just tell Rick wh......"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Rick right now. He seems to be having a lively time with the guys out there. Besides, we won't be gone very long."

"Well, okay."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the time Rick found his brother in a back bedroom of the large house where the party was given, Roger had a mostly inebriated A.J. down to a bare chest, spread legs and was subjecting him to some serious necking and nipple licking which produced some heartfelt moans from the young student. He was going for the third button on A.J's 501's when Rick walked in. Rick could never remember before or since being so angry, embarassed and, deep down, not more than a little jealous.

It had not gone unnoticed by Rick that his young brother was still, to put it politely, "sexually indecisive" despite having hit puberty long ago. A.J. Simon was a walking mass of hormones even at his current age. Rick realized, from hindsight observation, that A.J. had inherited another one of his mother's traits: a fascination with male jock-types. A.J. was always waxing rhapsodic over some sports figure or another. Rick thought to himself that it was probably just a phase he was going through, caused by his early lack of a father figure and a fair amount of wish fulfillment. Nothing to be really worried about. *Well, what young boy didn't want to believe that his dad was some great combination of Joe Namath, Cassius Clay, James Bond and Albert Einstein all rolled into one?* he told himself.

When Rick qualifed for the swim team, it was hard to tell who was more proud or excited: Rick or A.J. The brainy beauty went to as many practice sessions with Rick as his studies and the coach would allow. His constancy in attendance made him a familiar sight and soon he became acquainted with a number of the buffer team members. Now, there was always a fair amount "slap-and-tickle" that went on between jocks, but Rick began to notice things that sort of set off little warning bells in his head: the lingering gazes these athletes would give his fair sibling whenever he came to visit, how A.J. emotionally revelled in the attention these boys would give him and how excited A.J. would get if any of them would do anything even remotely physical to him. Rick was not sure how he felt about it and supposed he should do something about it, although he was not quite sure what.

Roger Sawyer had noticed the younger Simon, too, and wasted no time in making his plans to try and seduce him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rick had succeeded in hauling his unresisting younger brother into a closet before turning to take action on Roger. Their raised voices brought in the rest of the team and the ensuing brawl did not last long despite the fury of it all. He eventually got A.J. dressed and spirited him out a back entrance before anyone saw him and figured out what had transpired. That night was the beginning of nearly two decades worth of many changes in the lives of Rick and A.J. Simon that would eventually lead them to the place where they were now.

///////////////

The chill of the San Diego night air caused Rick Simon to stir from his reverie. Standing up slowly on the bow of his boat, the Hole in the Water, he stretched his bones and after disposing of his empty beer can, climbed down from the craft. He made his way back across the small yard and let himself into the kitchen of A.J.'s house. He noticed a plastic wrapped plate sitting the spotlessly clean stove and that it had a note sitting on it. "It's Chicken Kiev, Rick. I suppose you'll talk to me later?" It touched Rick at times the faith that A.J. had in him. He had made dinner anyway, knowing that Rick would eventually come in. He sat and ate the food his brother had cooked, which was delicious as always. When he finished he washed and dried his plate and put it back in the cupboard. He stood in the kitchen debating with himself: If A.J. did not remember the events of that summer night a little more than 20 years ago, Rick thought that it may be better to let well enough alone. But, then again, maybe confronting the past and finally burying it was what was needed. After all, the brothers' tight knit relationship had been threatened by someone who had proved to be a false friend and Rick had silently vowed to make sure it never happened again.

/////flashback/////
They were riding in Rick's used Dodge convertible with the top down as Rick thought that some air would help to clear A.J's head. Added, too, was the fact that he did not wish to bring him home drunk for their mother to see. She had not really wanted A.J. to go in the first place, but Rick had assured her he would take very good care of him. They had driven down to one of the local beaches. When A.J. insisted that he would be sick if he did not get out of the car immediately Rick pulled over and let him "vent" as he liked to call it. After a time, they decided to walk up the beach a little. Rick bought A.J. a couple of bottles of 7up from a hotdog stand to help settle his stomach and they found a secluded spot to sit. It was around 1:30 in the morning but this being the San Diego area and the height of the summer season, vendors plied their trade till the small hours. After settling themselves down Rick asked A.J.

"Are you alright"?

"I think I am. I didn't know good brandy would make you feel like that."

"Well, you drink enough of anything and you'll feel like that. Do you know what kind it was?

"Roger said it was Napoleon Brandy. What does that mean?"

"It means that it costs around 50 cents a sip."

"Well, I think I might ask Mom for some when I get older. That was really good up until a few minutes ago." A.J. lolled his head on his arms and started to giggle.

"A.J.!" Rick shouted. He was still a little angry about the results no matter how good the feeling may have been. And he could not get the picture of Roger's actions out of his head. "There is nothing good about anything that would make you lose control of yourself like that."

A.J. stopped giggling immediately at that. He slowly sat up, turned himself around and faced his older brother. "Rick, are you okay? I'm sorry I haven't asked yet."

During their drive to the beach he was sobering up a little bit and he had looked over at Rick and noticed that he had a bruise over his right eye. It took him a few minutes to remember that while they were still at the party he could hear the noise of Rick's voice taking part in a very loud argument or fight while he was in "the next room". Soon he realized he was inside of a closet. A.J. would have gone out to help Rick but he couldn't seem to negotiate the door. He could not then nor could he now figure out why his shirt was off and pants had been open. The last thing he had recalled clearly was going into an upper floor bedroom with Roger, one of Rick's buddies, to look at a very expensive watch that had been given to him as a graduation present.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A.J., are you cold? You're shivering over there. Button your shirt."

"Okay." He started doing them up clumsily as his coordination was not quite together. Rick scooted up closer and helped him with the buttons and after doing so he rubbed started rubbing A.J.'s shoulders and arms to ward off some of the chill.

"Rick, why were you so mad at Roger tonight?"

Rick stiffened a little at the name, but said in a calm voice, "You didn't hear any of that argument from the closet?"

"No, not too much. And how did I end up in there anyway? The last thing I think I remember was Roger asking me to try that brandy of his and saying that he was wanted to tell me something."

"Did he let you drink from his flask?"

"Oh, Good God, no!" A.J. huffed "What do I look like, some back alley wino? No, I insisted that he get me a glass. It's after I had a few sips that everything kind of went sort of fuzzy."

Rick by this time had turned A.J. around and had him sitting back to chest between his knees, still slowly rubbing his shoulders and arms.

"Well, the argument was a little bit about you."

"It was? What did I do?"

"Nothing, nothing really. A.J., let me ask you something. Do you trust me?

"Yes, Rick. You know I do."

"And do you usually believe what I tell you?"

"Yeah, some of the time. Well, probably most of the time. But you joke around so much Rick, it's hard to know when you're serious or not." A.J. had to admit honestly.

"Well, yeah I understand that. Do me a favor A.J. Stay away from Roger, okay?"

"Is that what you were arguing about? I thought Roger kind of liked me."

Rick was glad at that moment that A.J. could not see his face. It reflected the seething kind of hate for Roger that he had not felt for anybody. Rick realized now that the younger Sawyer must have spiked A.J.'s glass with some kind of drug. Up till then a small part of Rick thought that maybe A.J. had wanted to be with this boy and had willingly allowed him free reign of his body.

"How do you mean, A.J? How do you think he likes you?"

"Well, I dimly recall him saying something to the effect that he thought I was cute and how he had always thought so. Rick, do you think I'm cute?"

Rick's heart leaped in his chest. "Yeah, I think you are. But then what do I know. I am only your brother."

"It means a lot to me, Rick. I know you kid me a lot but I put a lot of stock in what you say. Rick, did Roger say something to you about me?"

"I'll tell you one thing he did say, A.J. He said he wanted to take you away from me. He thought I was not the best influence on you."

"What!? How can he say that? And who is he to judge you? Why does he think that someone who loves me is not the best influence on me?"

"You think I love you, A.J.?"

A.J. took both of Rick's hands and pulled them so that he was held in a loose embrace by his older brother.

"I hope you do. Because I love you, Rick."

Rick could have cried at the simplicity of A.J. words. But he simply held A.J. a little tighter and kissed the top of his head.

"I do love you, A.J., very much"

"That's good. Roger hasn't got a chance."

//////////

Having finished his dinner, Rick walked slowly over to stand in the living room of the seaside house. As he was stood thinking of what might be the best way to talk to A.J. about all of this, Rick spied a note taped the screen of the recessed television that was in the wall of A.J.'s beautifully appointed living room. Walking closer to it, he saw that his name was written on the folded memo. He took it up and read it.

'I hope you enjoyed your dinner. I did as you asked and did not leave. I am upstairs.'

Rick turned and looked at the stairs. He laid his hat and coat on the sofa and went up the stairs. Deciding he needed to do something to calm his nerves, he entered the bathroom, stripped off, had a shower and brushed his teeth. He put on the clean undershirt and pajama bottoms he kept in the cabinet. He was looking deeper into the cabinet when he heard A.J. say through his open bedroom door, "I have your slippers in here, Rick."

"Damn he knows me so well." Rich muttered under his breath. "*I* didn't know I wanted my slippers until a few seconds ago."

The elder Simon straightened up, took a deep breath and walked barefoot towards the bedroom. A.J. had flicked on a bedside lamp and sat propped up on the pillows. The top button was left open on the blue silk pajamas he was wearing. They were a present Rick had given him last Christmas. He looked up at Rick with a chastened expression on his face.

"You remember, don't you?" Rick said.

A.J. blushed and looked down quickly at his hands which were nervously toying with the blankets and said, "I didn't until I read the alumni list more carefully."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I'm sorry I didn't remember about him sooner."

"That's okay. I'm just glad you did without me having to say his name."

"Can you ever forgive me for almost putting you through that torture again?"

"Oh, Baby, I can forgive you anything." A.J. looked up again at his brother, seeing the sincerity of his kind words shining in his eyes. He felt the beginnings of tears form in his own.

"Oh, Rick. Thank you so very much." A.J. said in a very choked up voice.

Rick Simon, who had been standing in the bedroom doorway, stared at his beautiful brother for a long moment. A.J., he had noticed, had been laying on the left side of the bed. Rick slowly walked over, lifted the bed covers on the empty right side, slid into the bed and took A.J. into his arms. The blond sibling sighed gratefully as he pressed himself against the lean form of his mustachioed older brother. A.J. ran his hands over the sinewy muscles of his brother's arms and was confessing himself into the undershirt covering his lightly furred chest.

"Oh Rick, I wished I had just listened to you the first time. I won't ever doubt your word again. Please don't be angry with me. I don't like it when you're mad at me, Rick. Please forgive me. I love you. I love you so much."

Rick was almost moved to tears by his adored brother's emotional outburst. He loved his brother too and he felt the honesty and passion in his words and touch. It felt so good to touch him. It was usually after episodes of extreme tension that they came together this way, seeking comfort, reassurance, and release. He held A.J. for a little while and then cradled his brother's head gently between his palms and kissed him once tenderly on the lips.

"Oh, A.J., my sweet A.J." Rick sighed.

He proceeded to kiss him again and then once more. His kisses were being returned by A.J. in kind. The gentle bussing soon turned more passionate when A.J. parted his lips, subtly encouraging his brother's tongue to gain entrance. Rick groaned deeply when his tongue touched A.J.'s, sending a wave of emotion through his body that he had not felt in quite awhile. A.J.'s body responded with equal fire as he tried to practically fuse himself into his brother by pushing up ever closer into him. After a few minutes of this, they reluctantly pulled away from each other gasping for breath and found themselves laying streched out on the bed.

Lying prone beneath his older sibling A.J. said quietly

"We haven't done that in a long time"

"We haven't had a need to do it in a long time."

A.J.'s eyes had practically turned indigo and were glittering with passion.

"Are you still mine, A.J?"

"You know you are still the only one, Rick. Nobody could ever take your place. I don't think anybody could ever make me feel the way that you do."

"We'll go to the reunion if it will make you happy.

"The only reunion I want to know about is the one between you and me. Rick do something for me?"

"Anything, Baby, anything."

"Make love to me again, like that first time. Do you remember?"

"How could I ever forget......"

/////flashback/////
Rick and a now 21-year-old A.J. were returning home to San Diego from one of their early unofficial cases: a now wealthy woman who was an old time friend of their mother had hired them to track down and positively identify a man she believed was the impoverished runaway father of her 12 year old granddaughter who needed a transplant from a matching bone marrow donor to combat her leukemia. They found him in a town that was almost 80 miles south of the Washington State Line and after a few explanations put him on a plane bound for Southern California. No matter what the outcome of the case, they had decided to treat themselves to an afternoon of fishing at Lake_________. They were on their way back in the used Ford F-150 Truck that Rick had bought a few months before when the early evening drizzle they were enjoying had suddenly turned into a thunderstorm, which flooded streets, closed highways and all but destroyed most alternate routes. Rick, tired of driving is such dangerous weather, pulled off the road and decided to find a room for the night. They finally found one at The Tiffany House, a cozy bed and breakfast inn. But as it was off-season and they were not expecting many bookings, the only room they had available had only one bed in it. A.J. was a little put out about this and said that he did not want to stay there. But Rick --- after quickly considering the facts of the situation, chiefly, 1) that in this kind of weather *any* rooms would be hard to find, and 2) that, despite his protests, A.J. was starting to look more and more panic-stricken as the storm continued raging outside----decided that they would take the room.

Rick thought of how very ironic for him to be sharing a bed with his brother on such a night like this as they had so often done when they were children. A.J., as a young boy, was very fearful of thunderstorms and on many such nights had sought safety and comfort in the bed of his older brother. After stepping through the unlocked door to the hired room, Rick saw that it indeed had only one bed. A king sized four poster. He stared at the bed.

That beautiful four poster bed.

He kept seeing a 17 year old A.J. writhing sensuously with his legs akimbo, his bare pecs being caressed, and lustfully moaning under the ministrations of his ex-friend Roger. In spite of how angry he was with Roger at the time, Rick could not help but realize how very attractive his brother was. A.J.'s hair was little longer then and he looked so very wanton with it hanging in his face, so much like all those glamorous pinup queens from the the forties and fifties that Rick used to watch on tv movies late at night.

Rick shook his head vigorously to clear the image from it. As he came back to himself he saw that there was a fireplace in the room, which some overly friendly employee named Freddy was lighting. The room was tastefully decorated and was equipped with a bathroom containing a Jacuzzi and tub built for two. There were even bathrobes provided. All in all he had to admit it was a very nice room and was glad he was going to share it with someone he loved very dearly.

In looking around, though, he realized that he may never get the chance to experience any of that at all. Freddy, who had long since finished with the fireplace, seemed ready to spend the rest of the night explaining the history of the house to A.J., who had a tendency to eat this kind of information up with a spoon. Rick was 98 percent sure he could probably guess what Freddy's real motivation for lingering was from the way he was wolfishly looking his brother over.

'Right, I have had just about enough of this' Rick said to himself and stepped between the two men and hurridly tipped the guy and practically pushed him out the door.

After staring at the closed door for a few seconds, A.J. turned around to glare at his brother and say "God, Rick. You could have let him finish. He was about to tell me all about the mysterious circumstances of the death of the original owner of the house. He even offered to take me on a walking tour of the grounds in the morning."

"I don't think that was all he wanted to take, Kiddo." Rick mumbled as he put away the fishing gear.

"What did you say?" A.J. said from the other side of room as he slowly walked around the space.

"Nothing. Have you seen that bathroom yet?"

Rick took first shower in the large bathroom. Now clean and relaxed, he wrapped himself in one of the two robes he found on the back of the bathroom door. While A.J. was tending to himself, Rick took a few minutes to take a closer look around the room and was very happy with its amenities.

Rick turned on the stereo that was installed in the room. The radio was already tuned to a station playing classic love songs. Nat King Cole was crooning a hauntingly romantic tune. Rick laid back on the bed. This whole place was seduction in itself and Rick found himself getting turned on by the whole atmosphere settling in.

The bathroom door opened up a space and A.J. said,
"I really like some of these songs they're playing on the radio."

"Yeah A.J., they really knew how to sell a song in those days."

"I don't know that I have ever heard some of them before."

"Well, you might just be a little too young to appreciate some of them."

"I don't know, maybe. Who is that singing anyway?"

"You really don't know who this is?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't."

"You know, Little Brother, I think I might have fallen a little short in your education."

"Oh I don't know. You've done alright, I think, Big Brother."

"You think so."

"Yeah and there some things I am particularly glad you taught me."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"You taught me how to mix the perfect margarita, how to pick up a date in a bar and the crucial importance of wearing a good jock strap while playing raquet ball."

"Well, that's true up to a point but as far as that last part goes, even if *I* had never mentioned it, that's a lesson you would have learned very quickly at the wrong moment."

A.J. was laughing as he emerged from the bathroom. Rick found himself staring and nearly caught his breath at what he saw. A.J. had slipped on the other robe. It was a bit too large, but it looked just fine on A.J. for some reason. It was of white satin, with a quilted collar and turned up cuffs on bell sleeves. It was cinched at his waist and billowed enticingly around A.J.'s ankles. A.J. looked like nothing less than an angel.

A.J. had walked slowly across the room and eased himself down onto one of the cushions near the foot of the bed in front of the fireplace. The flickering flames reflected in his drying golden hair.

The storm, outside had sent another bolt of lightning streaking across the sky. A.J. kneaded the other pillow beside him nervously. "Rick, you may not believe this but you know after all this time thunderstorms still sometimes scare me. I hope you don't think me too silly but would you mind coming down here to sit with me?" A.J. said shyly looking over one shoulder.

"No, I wouldn't. In fact, it might be kind of nice." Rick said and got off the bed, sat next to his younger sibling on the floor and leaned his back against the bed's padded footboard.

"Thanks, Rick."

They sat for a few minutes not speaking and just watched the crackling logs in the grate.

"This is the nicest room I think I have ever stayed in." Rick said after some time had passed.

"Sorry that you're here with me?" A.J. asked.

"No." Rick smiled. "I share nearly everything else in my life with you, A.J. Why should I mind sharing a beautiful hotel room?"

"I don't know. I would have thought you would have found that waitress Rebecca from the Howard Johnson's or Mrs. Green's daughter Kimberly more welcome here. Or at the very least I would have figured you for wanting some attractive blonde with no last name and plenty of time on her hands rather than waste a moment like this on your brother, you know?."

"I am glad that it's you that it is here with me. I don't think Rebecca or Kimberly or any of them could make me as happy as I am now."

"No?

"And besides, I'm already with the most attractive blond in the place now."

Rick slipped his arm around A.J.'s shoulders and pulled him in close. A.J. snuggled against Rick's chest. The fire crackled, the music played, and the rain beat softly on the windows.

"I have to admit, though, that there is something about a hotel room that does seem to obligate one to have the right company." Rick said.

A.J. pulled away a few inches to turn and look into his brother's face,

"Yeah? Just how many hotel rooms have you been in?"

Gently pulling A.J. back into the circle of his arms once again, Rick answered:

"Not nearly as many as you'd think. And this is not the kind of place I would have come to had it not been by accident."

"Yeah, I can believe that."

Rick was really enjoying this perfect moment of loving contact with his blond sibling.

After a few minutes, A.J. got up to poke the logs a little. When he was done, A.J. took Rick's offered hand and found himself once again sheltered in his brother's arms in a loose, comforting embrace. Rick said after he was settled, "I gotta tell you A.J., and I know it's a little big but, I really like the way this robe looks on you."

"Yeah, it was very nice of management to provide them. I'll bet this is probably one of the perks that come with staying in the honeymoon suite."

"You think that's what this room is?"

"I know for a fact that it is. That's about all Freddy did have time to tell me about this room. He said that this is the chamber a Princess Bride occupied on her wedding night. He was about to tell me the rest but that was about the time you unceremoniously threw him out."

"Well, that's about the same point in time any new bridegroom would have done the same thing. I was not in the mood to watch my little brother become a mental midnight snack to some small town wolf." Rick leaned his head forward, touching his forehead to A.J.'s and said "Besides, this little Princess Bride is already spoken for."

A.J. flushed pink with surprise.

"Oh Rick. What a romantic thing to say."

Rick said, after turning his head to look around the room briefy,

"Well, if this room is what you say it is, I think I have been affected by the Spirits of Bridegrooms Past."

A. J. stared into his big brother's eyes adoringly.

Giving in to a sudden whim, Rick lightly grasped the back of A.J.'s neck and pulled the younger man into a quick and gentle kiss.

A.J.'s eyes widened in great surprise and he gasped audibly. But he didn't move.

Realizing that he had just betrayed himself, Rick got a little scared. As bad as he wanted he had always wanted to do that, he had always hoped he would be able to give A.J. some clear warning before he ever did it. He watched the curious expression that had crossed his beloved brother's face and did not know how to interpret it. He worked up his nerve and asked the question,

"What are you thinking, A.J.?"

"I'm not really sure. I'm thinking I liked it. In fact, I'm thinking I loved it. I'm thinking that I really want you to do it again."

Greatly relieved and now beginning to get aroused Rick simply said,

"Okay."

Rick gently pulled A.J. into his lap and kissed his brother's forehead, then both brows, and then both eyelids. Rick rubbed the tip of his nose along A.J.'s in an Eskimo kiss, and then gently pressed his mouth to his beautiful blond sibling's. Rick sought and captured A.J.'s tongue, who softly moaned at the sensation. A.J. brought his hands to the back of Rick's head. The kisses deepened and went on for several minutes.

"You know what, Rick?" A. J. asked after they finally had to pull away for oxygen.

"What?"

"The last bride to occupy this suite could not have been any near as happy as I am right now."

"And you in that white robe makes this situation just so perfect, you know?"

A.J. looked puzzled and then looked down at his robe. Then, after he realized the reference Rick was making, he blushed a deep crimson and lowered his eyes. "I take it you're making fun of me because I'm still a virgin?"

"No, no, I'm not, I'm not. No, not at all. Although, I wasn't even sure until just now."

"Rick, I want to tell you something. The only thing I had to keep me going while you were overseas were the letters we exchanged. I know it may seem silly but in my mind you were always the brave and fearless Captain Simon off fighting to save the country from our oppressors and I was your one true love left behind to watch over the small principality we lived in. I was so frightened that you would never return. You'll never know how much I missed My Captain. You spoiled me for anyone else."

"Oh A.J. You don't mean to say that....."

A.J. cut his words off with another kiss. He had never felt so much passion in his life. He wasn't sure what to do but he knew that he could not be happy with anyone if his brother was not part of his life. His brother had always been first in his life and he could not see that changing....even in this.

"I love you and I am yours, My Captain. Your Princess Bride awaits you."

Rick kissed A.J.'s mouth and nibbled hungrily at his throat. Rick gently slid his hand inside the white robe A.J. wore and started softly stroking his defined pectorals. He ran his fingers over his tight stomach. A.J. moaned sensuously and held him a little tighter. As they continued kissing, Rick untied the sash and opened the front of A.J.'s robe. He was gloriously nude underneath. His brother, because of his workout regimen, had a nearly perfect physique. He could be described as essentially the male equivalent of a Raquel Welch. Rick was very turned on and he felt damned lucky to have someone as beautiful as A.J. to share this evening with. Rick felt himself getting harder by the second listening as his brother's groans got a little louder while he toyed with A.J.'s nipples.

After a few more minutes of this, A.J. stood up and lead them both to the bed. Before they got in it, Rick gently pulled A.J.'s robe from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. A.J. then turned and pulled the tie on Rick's robe and exposed his tall naked body.

"A.J., Baby, are you sure about this?"

"It seems I have waited all my life for this. There is no going back now, Rick." A.J. pushed the robe from Rick's shoulders and gently lowered them both onto the bed, settling on top of him.

Rick surrendered to A.J.'s tongue as the younger man reclaimed his mouth. They kissed ardently for several minutes When they separated for a few seconds of necessary air Rick breathed deeply. He said quietly,

"A.J. I think I have always been in love with you. I don't think I could ever bear the thought of you being with someone other than me. Please be mine."

"Oh Rick, I don't think I have ever been anyone elses."

Rick rolled them both over reversing their positions. Now poised above A.J., he found himself looking down into a face glowing with a passion and need that matched his own. Whatever lingering doubt he might have had about his young brother's willing participation vanished when A.J.'s legs parted, letting him slip in between which allowed their hardened cocks to align and truly touch each other for the first time. Rick let out a small gasp as his body seemed to meld with A.J.'s. They fit perfectly together as if they were made for one another. A.J. moaned loudly and Rick was frightened at first that he had somehow hurt his brother.

"You alright, Baby?"

"Oh I am just fine. It's just...it just...it just feels so damn good, Rick."

A.J. surprised Rick when he thrust up hard, and the jolt of pleasure he felt as their cocks rubbed sensuously against each other, caused Rick to utter a heartfelt groan.

"Oh baby, baby, ooooh...my sweet A.J., baby....ooooh love, yes, lover, yes"

Rick kissed his beloved sibling again and again as both men continued moving to an inborn rhythm, up and down, up and down, the need instinctual in both of them. A.J.'s hands grasped Rick's hips encouraging more thrusts and giving into this biological reaction to his brother's natural dominance of him. This dynamic of their relationship wasn't something either of them consciencely thought about. It was just instinctual in both of them. Rick did think about what A.J. had told him and he became more aroused as he thought of A.J. as his submissive and willing bride, letting herself be taken by her hero. It seemed his brother was thinking about the same thing as he spoke softly from beneath him,

"Yes, yes, Oh Captain, yes, take me, love me, yes, I love you so, oh yes, harder, harder please. I love you so much, do it, do it, I want it, I'm yours, yours, yours......."