Berzerker, p.12
Berzerker,
p.12
“Be cool, man, be cool,” Lucky sidled away to take his place back in front of Priest.
“I’m going to need to ask y’all some questions.”
It was endless questioning until they could leave. They were on their way back to town; Landon was tucked under his arm and quickly on his way to sleep. He stared down at Landon’s tousled hair and his relaxed features. What the fuck had he done right? He didn’t know and he sure as fuck wasn’t going to question it. The streetlights illuminated Landon in equal intervals until Priest turned onto their street.
Priest parked at the curb and they said their goodbyes. He led a sleepy Landon into the house and towards their bedroom. He gently stripped the man and then tucked him under the covers. Removing his clothes, he joined Landon in bed. Zerk laid on his back as he stared up at the ceiling Landon turned and slung an arm and leg across his body.
“I love you,” Landon’s whispered.
The man’s breath ruffled his chest hair.
“I love you too.”
He barely got the reply out before he heard Landon’s soft snores. Zerk smiled to himself, he traced Landon’s ribs with his fingertips and down to his bare hip in slow lazy patterns. This was more than he’d hoped for when Ron left him and Landon offered him a place to live.
His parents were ecstatic and swore they’d come for a visit again soon. Their crew hadn’t even batted a fucking lash when Landon and he made the announcement. What happened between him and Landon was natural—the way it was meant to be. No more doubts or insecurities, he turned his head and brushed a kiss to Landon’s brow. He’d make sure his man never questioned his feelings and gave Landon everything he’d dreamed of for them.
Twining his fingers through Landon’s he lifted his hand, pressed a kiss to the ring finger and swore he’d put his mark there soon.
Epilogue
Just Call him the Twirled World Matchmaker
A year later…
Landon looked down at the inked band of black around his ring finger and stroke it with his thumb. It looked so right there better than the actual ring, even a year later his heart still sped up at the sight of it.
He leaned heavier into Zerk’s side as they curled up on the end of one of Scary’s sectionals. Their usual Sunday chill day was already in full swing even Tank showed up for once.
“I’m not going to get the fucking beer,” Trouble whined from his position laid out flat on the floor.
If Trouble weren't a grown ass man he’d say his friend was having a tantrum.
“Yes, you are. You’re the only one who hasn’t been drinking.”
“Why don’t you call Priest?”
“Why are you being such a baby about this? Get your ass up, it’ll take you thirty minutes tops.”
Priest wouldn’t mind stopping on his way over, but Trouble was avoiding his little crush. The man worked as a cashier at Granger’s Market. Weekly the man turned Trouble down.
Trouble and him were friends forever and Trouble couldn’t hide shit from him. His best friend was exceptionally handsome, one of those guys that made other men self-conscious. The guy just needed to see what a great catch Trouble was, but that wouldn’t happen if Trouble didn’t keep trying.
“Fine, but if I—” Trouble huffed and curled to a sitting position.
“It’ll be okay, it’s a beer run, not a walk to the fucking electric chair.”
He chuckled as Trouble stormed off.
“I hope you know what the fuck you’re doing.”
“He’s getting cranky and I’ve noticed he’s drinking more and not dating. Something has gotta break. The guy is super cute, but extremely shy.”
“What the hell are you plotting,” Scary and Tank flopped down on the opposite side of the L-shaped couch.
“Trouble’s been hitting on—”
“Brody, sweet kid, not really Trouble’s type. That kid screams commitment. Definitely not no-strings talent.”
Scary knew more than Landon thought he did. He never thought Scary paid attention to the mundane details of his friend’s lives.
“Yea, yea, but Trouble will never know until he tries and he’s giving up. It’ll do him good to learn a bit of humility.”
“He does get ass a little too easily. That cute, perfect smile and the dimple, they can’t fall to their knees fast enough,” Scary sounded disgusted.
“Jealous, Scary, not getting any,” Landon asked.
Tank snorted his beer and leaned forward as he coughed and laughed. He loved the silent man to death. He assumed the scar hidden beneath Tank’s beard attributed to the silence.
“That’s what you get, asshole, I get more than you do.”
Tank shrugged like it didn’t matter and earned a hard shove that sent him sideways.
“Children, children, no need to fight over who gets the most ass.” Landon checked the time. He knew Trouble would be parking any minute. If Trouble followed his usual MO of a pep talk before he went inside Landon had time to torture Trouble some more.
He shifted and stretched out his legs to dig his phone out of his pocket. He scrolled through his messages to get to the conversation between Trouble and him. He typed out a quick message and hit send.
Landon: Beer! Now! - The Guys
“You just love to cause trouble.”
“Would you prefer to be a target of my exceptional matchmaking skills?”
“Fuck you, man, the only thing permanent I want is ink, so keep your lovey dovey happy relationship bullshit to yourself.”
“Aw, someone sounds so bitter.”
Scary growled and Zerk wrapped his arm around him as he laughed. He lifted his hands to run his fingers along Zerk’s hairy forearms. Tracing the muscles and veins. His phone beeped, but Zerk picked it up first.
Landon snickered as he read the reply.
Trouble: Shut up!
“He’s so cranky, man needs someone.”
“I’m sure you’ll find him the perfect boyfriend. If anything you’re stubborn as fuck.”
Yes, he was and he wanted his best friend happy and Trouble hadn’t been that in a long time. He was happy and he wanted that for the rest of them too. It had nothing to do with the way Zerk made him feel, but had everything to do with knowing his friend’s past, well, most of it. Trouble kept too much to himself.
“Quit worrying, Trouble will be all right.”
“I know.” He shifted his body and turned his head to give Zerk a kiss. “But I have a good feeling about this one.”
The conversation dropped as Priest and Lucky came down the steps. Those two were something all their own. He could only work matchmaker magic one at a time. First Trouble then he’d work on the rest. He was going to find these crazy shits boyfriends if it killed them.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
By day, J.M. is an introverted cook hiding out in her kitchen in the middle of nowhere Ohio, by night and any free time she may have, she is a writer of mainly LGBTQ Fiction and Erotica. Although. she's equal opportunity when it comes to telling a story, she'll even write a bit of straight erotic romance when the mood strikes.
She has been writing for years in old notebooks. At the age of eight, she wrote the worst poem in the history of poetry, but it sparked her love for writing. She reads too much and loves to get lost in other worlds and her favorite stories have to include laughter and having the reader doing at least one double take. Thirty-something, forever restless she uses her stories to ground herself, and find her place of peace.
WHERE TO FIND J.M.
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J M Dabney, Berzerker
