Double The Fun

Written By: LJ


“Do we have to, Den?” Dusty asked.

“No, we don’t have to,” Dennis assured his partners. “But I thought you boys would enjoy spending a few days at a camp ground with Dominic and his partners.”

“We would love to go any other weekend, just not this one. This Friday is Canada Day and we want to be here for the festivities, especially after what happened last year,” Dusty explained.

“Yeah, last Canada Day was lousy. First, the parade was rained out and then high winds made the organizers cancel the fireworks display. Man, that really sucked!” Skyy grumbled before waving the carrot he had in his hand to emphasize his next comment. “But the weatherman has said there’ll be good weather this weekend.”

“That’s if he’s got it right, Buddy. He is usually wrong more times than not,” Dusty reminded his younger partner.

“Actually, guys, we weren’t planning to leave until very early Saturday morning,” Dennis informed them and knew from the expressions of their faces that they found this idea a lot more appealing.

“Hey, that’s all right then, isn’t it, Dusty?” Skyy was starting to get excited about the prospect of going on another trip. He had discovered a real penchant for travelling.

“Yeah that should work. Where are we going exactly and why?” Dusty wanted all the particulars before letting any final agreement get cast in stone.

“Skyy, you wouldn’t know anything about this but, Dusty, you must remember the time when Jayden and Slade attended the Community College about three years ago and took a course in Landscape Designing.” Dennis waited until he got a sign of affirmation before continuing. “The instructor was a lady from the United States: Maine if I’m not mistaken. Anyway, Jayden and Slade became good friends with her and they have been keeping in touch with each other. Apparently, Devon, and her partner, Amber, purchased a campground last year in Missouri. They’ve invited Jayden, Slade, and Dominic for a visit. The invitation also included any friends they might like to bring along. So what do you say, boys? Are you interested?”

“I sure am!” Skyy said while chewing on a piece of raw carrot.

“Skyy, how many times do I have to tell you not to speak with your mouth full?” Dennis admonished.

“It’s not all the way full, Den.” Skyy’s cheeky response was met with a warning glare.

“I’m all for it, Den, now that I know we won’t miss out on our own National Holiday.” Dusty hoped his speaking up would take their older partner’s disapproving attention off Skyy, but that hope was in vain when Skyy laughed and started choking.

Dennis jumped up from his seat, grab his youngest Brat, bend him slightly and hit his back to dislodge the food stuck in his throat. Sitting down in Skyy’s chair, he pulled him closer to check and make sure he was all right.

Skyy blinked back tears as his breathing returned to normal and the redness faded from his face. “Owww!” he howled as Dennis’ big right hand landed on his backside.

“Now you know why you’re told not to laugh or talk when you’ve got something in your mouth.” Dennis softened the rebuke by hugging the chastened young man before setting him on his feet.

“Come on, you guys. Let’s go check out this campground on the Internet,” Dusty suggested, leading the way down the hall and into the study.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You must have some pretty exciting plans for the day, Dusty, to be out of bed before eight o’clock on a holiday,” Dennis teased as he watched his partner shovel breakfast into his mouth. “You better slow down there, Grease-monkey, before you choke on that.”

“We do have lots planned today, Den,” Dusty spoke after swallowing a mouthful of scrambled eggs. “Where’s Skyy?” he asked, looking around for his fellow Brat.

“He’s already eaten and is presently outside putting a freshly-ironed Canadian flag on the pole in front of the house. I don’t think he expected you to be up so early.”

“Hey, good for him! But I sure hope the weather improves,” Dusty said as he put his dirty dishes in the sink. Glancing out the window, he added, “Looks kinda cloudy and dull. Have you heard the forecast for today?”

“Yes, and there’s a chance of rain but high winds are not anticipated. As long as it’s only overcast, everything should happen on schedule. Bring over the coffee pot, love, and have another cup with me,” Dennis requested.

“D, you’re up!” Skyy exclaimed as he burst through the back door and saw his partners sitting back with cups of coffee in front of them. He got a glass out of the cupboard and the chocolate milk out of the refrigerator. He sat down at the table and poured himself a drink. “What should we do first, guys?”

“I think we should get everything ready for our trip tomorrow so we won’t have to worry about doing it later this evening when we’ll be tired from the day’s activities,” Dennis suggested.

“How about you writing a list of the items we need to pick up. Then while you get things together here, Skyy and I will run the errands,” Dusty offered. “You okay with that, Buddy?”

“Sure!” Skyy figured it would give them the opportunity to pick up some junk food for the long fifteen-hour trip they were facing the next day.

“Sounds like a plan. We’ll need fresh fruit, bottled water, juice packs and healthy snack foods.” Dennis chuckled at the looks of chagrin that past over his Brats’ faces as he emphasized the word ‘healthy’. “I though I’d bake some cookies to take along with us.”

“Chocolate chip cookies!” Two voices rang out simultaneously. The three men laughed and enjoyed the bantering camaraderie of the moment as they continued talking over the day ahead.

Later that morning Dennis was putting fresh-baked cookies into a plastic container when his partners return from their shopping trip.

“We got everything you put on the list, Den!” Skyy announced, placing well-filled bags of groceries on the kitchen table.

“And how much extra stuff did you buy?” the older man questioned.

“Well you forgot chocolate milk so I had to add it, right?” Skyy insisted. He didn’t mention the pop, chips, and candy bars.

“Aaah-huh,” Dennis made his disbelief known. “Maybe I should just check through the bag Dusty is trying to sneak in the front door while you keep me occupied out here.” He rolled his eyes at the look of exaggerated innocence radiating from his Brat’s face. “Dusty, get in here!” he ordered.

“I didn’t say nothin’, D; he just knew,” Skyy said as Dusty trudged into the room with his forbidden purchases.

“He always knows,” Dusty complained and handed the bag to his older partner.

“Tell you what, boys. I’ll let you keep these with the understanding that you spread the consumption of them over the next several days. They will be confiscated and thrown out if you start eating too much at one time. Is it a deal?”

“Deal!” was the resounding agreement.

“What’s next?” Skyy asked once the table had been cleared off.

“I’m going to paint a flag on your face, Buddy, and then you can paint one on mine. Want your face painted, Den?”

“No, thanks; I’d rather wave my flag than wear it.”

“HA! We’re doing both! Right, D?”

“You got it, kid!” Dusty assured him. He left the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with paint supplies in hand.

“Let’s get started ‘cause we’re going to have to leave soon if we want a good spot to watch the parade.” Dusty insisted, placing a small bottle of red paint and one of white along with a couple of brushes on the kitchen table.

“Don’t forget, we still have to pick up Uncle Earl,” Skyy reminded the other men. “Man, I can’t wait to tell him about our trip!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Boys, go and wash the paint off your faces, please,” Dennis instructed as they walked in the kitchen door.

“But, Den, we want to keep the flags on for later. Is it okay?” Dusty asked.

“All right! Skyy, will you throw together a salad while I warm up the bar-b-cue?” Dennis requested. “And, Dusty, you can sit at the kitchen table and do your lines. You better get them finished before we head out for the fireworks display.”

“Aaah, Den,” Dusty complained. “You’re just trying to ruin my day.”

“If anyone is responsible for your day being ruined, young man, it’s you!” Dennis admonished, heading out to the back deck. “And you better watch your attitude if you want to accompany us this evening.”

Skyy was pulling fresh vegetables out of the refrigerator while Dusty went in search of paper and pencils.

“This really sucks!” Dusty gripped, slumping down in his chair. “Some holiday this is turning out to be.”

“But, Dusty, you shouldn’t have taken off with Slade and Jayden. It took almost an hour to find the three of you,” Skyy reminded his fellow-Brat of the infraction of their rules. “Man, was Dominic ever pissed off!”

“We just wanted to talk to a couple of our friends who had been on one of the floats. There was no need to make such a big friggin’ deal about it.”

“There certainly was reason to make a point of your leaving like that, Dustin,” Dennis said, coming back into the kitchen. “You boys inconvenienced more than your partners, which was discourteous in itself, but to keep Earl waiting when he was already getting over-tired, was just plain thoughtless. Added to the fact that you were all instructed to stay together as a group and the three of you chose to disobey. You should count yourself lucky that you only have lines to do in addition to apologizing to Skyy’s uncle. I had to drive him home before returning to continue the search for you.”

“I’m sorry, Den; you too, Skyy. What do you want me to write, Dennis?” he asked resignedly and sat up straighter.

“I think this should do it; ‘I will not disappear and leave my partners worrying about my whereabouts’ one hundred times, Dusty,” Dennis instructed, softening the rebuke implied by putting his arm around his Brat’s neck and kissing the top of his head. Going over to the counter where his youngest partner was chopping celery, he asked, “How are you coming along with that salad, Sport?”

“Finished! Can I cook the meat? Please, Den! I promised not to burn anything.” Skyy knew the older man wasn’t in favour of his younger partners cooking over an open flame because they had burned themselves on more than one occasion.

“Including yourself?” Dennis laughed at the piqued expression on the young face in front of him. “Okay, grab the spices and sauce while I bring the chicken breasts out.”

By the time supper was ready and the table had been set, Dusty had finished his lines, or so he thought.

“Dustin, these are almost illegible. You know I expect better than this. You’ll do them over again while Skyy and I are cleaning up after we’ve eaten.” Dennis held up his hand to forestall any argument. “You would have saved a lot of time by doing it properly in the first place,” he patiently chided, ignoring the pout on the young man’s face.

It was almost eight o’clock when Dusty handed his rewritten lines to Dennis. “Are these okay now, Den?”

“Yes, babe, they’re perfect,” Dennis assured his partner after quickly glancing over the sheets of paper. “The fireworks will be starting in just over an hour. But before we meet up with Stephen and Dominic and their partners, we have a stop to make.”

“Where?” Skyy inquired, slipping on his sandals. “I hope it won’t take long or we’re going to miss things.”

“We’re going to drop Dusty off at the hospice for a few minutes so he can apologize to your uncle.”

“I’ll be quick about it, Buddy. We’ll still be at the park in plenty of time. That’s a promise!”

Thirty minutes later, Skyy shifted restlessly as he looked out the car window in hopes of seeing Dusty reappear.

“What’s taking him so long, Den? Do you think he’s lost or something?” Skyy asked.

“No, I don’t think he’s lost, Sport.” Dennis smiled at the antsy young man sitting behind him. “Here he comes now!”

“Man, you’ll never guess who I almost ran into!” Dusty breathlessly exclaimed as he jumped into the passenger seat and slammed the door. “Thank goodness I was able to duck into a storage closet so I wouldn’t have to talk to him.”

“Who?” Two men asked in unison as Dennis put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Curtis! He was walking towards me and pushing a scrub bucket with a big mop in it. I don’t think he saw me though,” Dusty breathed a sign of relief. “What do you suppose he’s doing there and how come you don’t seem at all surprised, Den?”

“It was part of his sentencing,” Dennis informed them.

“How d’ya know that?” Skyy asked, astounded that Curtis would not only be in a home caring for gay men, but apparently doing manual labour as well.

“If I remember correctly, neither of you boys wanted to attend his court hearing. In fact you preferred not to even talk about it.”

“Did you go, Den?” Skyy quietly inquired.

“Yes, honey, I did. Are you ready to hear what happened?” Seeing Skyy’s nodding head in his review mirror, Dennis asked his other partner, “What about you, Grease-monkey?”

“Yeah, I’d like to know what went on.”

“Well, it was very low-keyed. Everything went according to the agreement drawn up by our lawyer, Bloyce Jefferson. Skyy will not be pressing a civil suit in exchange for Curtis pleading guilty to the charge of assault causing bodily harm. It was handled this way so Skyy would not have to testify but I was afforded the opportunity to give a Victim’s Impact Statement on Skyy’s behalf.”

“Did anyone show the pictures of Skyy’s face to the judge?”

“Yes, Bloyce handed them in as evidence. The judge wasn’t at all impressed, especially when Bloyce told him about the age and size differences between Curtis and Skyy.”

“The judge didn’t think it was a bit…ah…..unusual for you to have two partners?” Skyy hesitantly asked.

“If he did, it wasn’t apparent in either his manner or speech.”

“So what was Curtis’ punishment?” Dusty wanted to know.

“Being as it was Curtis’ first offense; he was sentenced to two hundred hours of community service and ordered to attend an Anger Management Course. He also has a restraining order against him stating that he is not to go near any of us until the course has been completed to our lawyer’s satisfaction.”

“Wow, two hundred hours! Slade and Jayden only got forty hours and it took them over a month to do them all.” Dusty was amazed at the results of his brother’s trial. “Man, it’s going to take him forever to finish it!”

“Does he have to do all of it at the hospice, Den?” Skyy wasn’t exactly sure of his feelings on the matter. “Do you think he will find out about Uncle Earl living there?”

“Yes, Skyy, all his time will be put in there as the judge felt that Curtis needed to develop some tolerance for those he feels nothing but disdain for. I don’t think he’ll be expecting any of us to have a family member there as we have never mentioned your uncle to him.”

“Hey look, Skyy! There’s Aaron and he’s holding a parking space for us.” Dusty’s enthusiasm succeeded in taking the younger man’s mind off the conversation of the last few minutes. “We made it in time just like I said we would, little buddy. The fireworks haven’t started yet. So come on, let’s go!” Dusty called out, hopping out of the car as soon as it stopped.

Skyy wasn’t long following in the other man’s footsteps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Here you go, Dusty!” Skyy laughed and tossed the sports bag he was carrying over to his partner.

Dusty neatly caught it and threw it into the rear of Dennis’ Hummer.

“What part of the display did you like best, D?” Skyy asked as they packed the Beast for their trip in the morning. “I liked the way the fireworks went off in time to the singing of ‘O Canada’ at the end of the show.”

“Yeah, I have to agree, little buddy, it was fantastic! But I also like the volley of loud bangs from the final half dozen or so rockets. Man, that was almost enough to damage our eardrums!” Dusty laughed and chucked the last piece of luggage into the car and slammed the trunk door. “Okay, Skyy, all that’s left now are the perishables to be packed in the morning.”

“It’s almost midnight, D, and we have to get up at five o’clock and be ready to leave by six,” Skyy reminded the other man. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. “It was a real fun day but I’m tired!”

“And we still have to get this paint washed off our faces,” Dusty grumbled.

“Come on, you two. We’ve got a long trip ahead of us and we need to get some sleep,” Dennis called from the veranda. “What’s the holdup?”

“We’re coming, Den. Keep your shirt on!” Dusty hollered back as he and Skyy raced towards the back door and their waiting partner.

Half an hour later Dennis was still trying to get his Brats settled enough to sleep.

“Too much excitement today, boys. Maybe going for ice cream with Stephen and Aaron wasn’t the best thing to do, especially when so many people had the same idea,” he commented loudly enough for the other men to hear. “And I don’t think either of you need another drink of water. What’s it going to take to get you two out of the bathroom and in here with me?” he asked from where he was lying in the middle of their big bed.

“Hmmm, I know what activity usually helps us to relax and fall asleep real fast,” Dusty suggested seductively, wiggling his eyebrows at his older partner as he turned out the light in their en suite and walked across the room with Skyy.

“Great idea, D!” Skyy exclaimed and jumped onto the bed next to Dennis, who smiled as he opened his arms wide and reached for his two young lovers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time they left the driveway Saturday morning, Dennis could feel a headache coming on. They were already running late after wasting more time than necessary with getting up, dressed, breakfast eaten and the last minute loading of the Hummer done. Fortunately the fresh morning air was invigorating and the forecast was more than favourable. The morning’s traveling went smoothly. Dennis doing all the driving while the younger men sat together in the back seat and poured over the information about the campground that they had printed off the Internet.

It was noon when they finally caught up with Dominic and his partners. By this time Dusty and Skyy were getting restless and starting to complain of boredom and hunger.

“Where do you want to stop for lunch, Dom?” Dennis asked into his cell phone.

“There’s a Shoney’s just up ahead. They usually have an all-you-can-eat buffet thing going on.”

“Lead on, McDuff!” Dennis laughed and ended the conversation.

Dominic’s partners proved to be even more short-tempered than Dennis’ were. Neither of them could decide on what to eat. They only knew they weren’t interested in the buffet.

“If you can’t make a choice, I’ll do it for you,” Dominic threatened.

“I’m not even hungry!” Jayden complained a little too loudly and slammed down the menu.

“Jayden, lower your voice and adjust your attitude right now or else!” Dominic sternly admonished. “I want you to eat but it doesn’t have to be a lot; just enough so you won’t be traveling on an empty stomach.”

“I don’t feel like eating either, Dominic,” Slade muttered, siding as usual with his fellow-Brat.

“That does it! Here are the keys. Go and wait for me in the car!” Dominic sharply instructed before calling over the waitress. He then ordered three meals to go. “I’m sorry about this Dennis. You have the directions to the campground so we’ll meet you there this evening, all right?”

“That will be fine, Dom. No problem! We’ll see you later,” Dennis assured him and as his friend left the table, he turned his attention back to his own partners. “Have you boys decided what you’re having?”

“We’d like to check over the buffet before we make a choice,” Dusty requested. Getting a nod from Dennis, he pulled Skyy out of the booth and over to the large display in the center of the room. “Look at all this, Buddy. See anything you like?” He chuckled as Skyy’s eyes lit up at the wide variety of food in front of them. When their plates were filled, the young men joined their older partner who had ordered off the menu.

“It’s good to see your appetites are healthy, guys, but don’t make yourselves sick. We still have a long way to go,” Dennis gently pointed out. He was grateful that his partners were much more complaisant and undemanding than Slade and Jayden. Dominic’s Brats had a tendency to team-up and challenge their Top.

“This is only light, Den,” Skyy responded while stirring cherry Jello into a pile of cottage cheese that he had already mixed green grapes into.

“Not in public, Dusty,” the older man reminded his partner when he saw him reach across to help himself to something on Skyy’s plate. He smiled and shook his head at the exaggerated frown that was sent his way.

“I just wanted to try a bit of that concoction Skyy has created.”

“Go get some of your own then.”

“Not on your life! What if I don’t like it?” Dusty turned up his lip at the colourful mixture on the younger man’s plate before returning Skyy’s infectious grin.

An hour later they were back on the road again and the two younger men were starting to feel rather sleepy. Being unable to get comfortable due to their over-full stomachs caused their moods to rapidly deteriorate. Dennis had to stop and separate them by making Skyy sit in the passenger seat.

Trouble escalated when they stopped to refuel later that afternoon. Dennis had taken advantage of the stop to use the men’s room.

“Come on, D! I want a turn at putting gas in the Beast,” Skyy pleaded.

“Tough luck, kid; I got it first,” Dusty responded. He put the pump nozzle in place and squeezed the handle just as Skyy yanked on his arm, causing the gas to pour out over their clothes and shoes. “Now look at what you’ve done, you little…..”

“Dustin! Skyylar!” Both men turned to see a very angry Top standing behind them. Dennis took the hose from Dusty and demanded. “What do you two think you are doing?”

“Skyy wanted a turn at filling the gas tank.”

“Then why didn’t you let him since you’ve filled it every other time?” Not getting an answer, Dennis quietly but sternly ordered. “Get yourselves over to the trucker’s lounge and make arrangements to use the showers. Then get out of those gas-soaked things and wait for me in the shower room you are assigned. I’ll be in as soon as I fuel up and get parked. Be careful not to go near anyone who’s smoking or lighting up.”

“I’m sorry for grabbing the hose from you, Dusty,” Skyy softly apologized. The naked Brats were sitting on a bench and leaning against the cold tiles of the shower stall. A pile of dirty clothing sat in the corner of the small room.

“It’s my fault, little buddy. I should have let you fill up the tank this time,” Dusty admitted.

“We’re in big trouble, aren’t we?” the younger man groaned his resignation of the dilemma they now found themselves in.

“Yeah, you better believe it! Dennis sure is ticked off,” the other man muttered. Both were aware of the consequences for breaking the rules and both knew two major rules had been broken. They were pretty sure their older partner would be very succinct when going over these latest infractions.

“Man, we’re really gonna get our butts blistered this time, aren’t we?” Skyy murmured. “Maybe Dennis will go easier on us when we tell him we’ve made up. What d’ya think, D?”

“Humph! I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”

“Do you think he’s going to punish us in here?”

“He’s never done it in a public place before, Skyy.”

“Oh, yes he has! He smacked me in the Toronto airport,” Skyy indignantly reminded the other man.

“We’re in for a lot more than a couple of smacks, kid, so I’m sure he’ll want to be somewhere a little more private to read us the riot act.” Dusty jumped up to unlock the door when Dennis called out to let them know he was there.

“Here are some clean T-shirts, boxers, and shorts, boys. And here are your sandals. Get under the water and soap up. You’re not to come out until the gasoline smell is gone, got it!” Dennis was still annoyed and his Brats were definitely aware of it. He started gathering up the soiled clothes and putting everything into a large, plastic bag.

“What are you going to do with those?” Dusty asked.

“I’m tossing it all in the garbage.”

“But my new sneakers are in that pile!” Dusty pointed out.

“That’s unfortunate because they are ruined now and will be going out in the trash. You’ll both have to buy new ones later. I’ll be waiting in the car so don’t take too long. You certainly don’t want to make me any angrier than I already am.” With those parting words, Dennis left his partners to get showered and dressed.

“You smell okay, D.” Skyy sniffed his partner’s body in a number of places. “Am I smelling any better?”

“Yeah, you’re fine, Buddy,” Dusty assured Skyy after returning the favour. Seeing the look of anticipation in his fellow-Brat’s eyes, he added, “Forget it! We don’t have time because we don’t want to keep Dennis stewing out there any longer than we have to.” He did, however, take the time to make sure his younger partner had dried off properly before getting dressed.

Fifteen minutes later, two freshly scrubbed Brats got into the back seat of the Hummer. They decide a little distance between them and their older partner might not be a bad idea.

Dennis drove for several minutes until he found a suitable turn-off and pulled onto a deserted dirt road leading into a wooded area.

“All right, boys, out of the car!” Dennis ordered as he turned off the motor. Leaning against the hood, he silently watched his two Brats shuffling from one foot to the other before calmly asking, “What do you think you should have done differently to avoid finding yourselves in this predicament?”

“I-I shouldn’t have grabbed the nozzle from Dusty’s hand,” Skyy murmured with his head down.

“Look up when you’re talking to me, Skyylar!” Dennis almost wished he hadn’t made that demand when watering, violet-blue eyes gazed up at him. Fortunately he was still perturbed enough not to let them get to him. “What about you, Dustin?”

“I should have let him have a turn like he wanted,” Dusty answered, looking directly into Dennis’ brown eyes. His own eyes were starting to fill up and he had to blink hard to hold back the tears.

Undeterred by the pleading look in the soft, gray eyes, Dennis steadfastly got down to business. “That was an extremely dangerous situation you put yourselves in back there. That and your quarreling are not going to go unpunished.” Taking Skyy’s arm, Dennis led his youngest partner around to the rear of the vehicle.

“Wait here, Skyylar, while I deal with Dustin first. I’ll be back for you shortly.” Dennis quiet voice was firm but at the same time provided a sense of security.

Returning to his other partner, Dennis ordered Dusty to lower his shorts and boxers. Placing his foot on the front bumper of the Hummer, he pulled the other man up and over his raised knee, causing Dusty’s feet to leave the ground and his hands to grab onto Dennis’ pant leg to keep his balance. Heavy smacks started raining down as Dusty kicked his legs as much as the pants around them would allow, trying to lessen the heat that was rapidly building to an unbearable level. After delivering a hard, thorough spanking, Dennis landed six final swats to his Brat’s scalding backside to give him a lasting reminder that this kind of behaviour would not be tolerated.

Dusty was crying uncontrollably by the time Dennis set him back on his feet. His hands crept around to his hurting bottom and rubbed tentatively. He melted against Dennis’ chest as the older man stroked and comforted him until he was calm enough to listen.

“Ssssh, Grease-monkey, it’s over now. You’re going to be all right.” Dennis’ reassuring litany of words continued as Dusty’s cries gradually quieted and only the occasional whimper or sniffle could be heard. “You realize, young man, had we been at home, you would have been paddled for putting yourself and Skyy in danger like that.” He felt the nodding of the head resting on his shoulder. He gently wiped the last few tears from his lover’s face, kissed his forehead and softly inquired. “Are you okay, babe? I can’t keep Skyy waiting any longer.”

“I’ll be all right, Den,” Dusty replied, getting another bone-crushing hug from his bigger partner and then rearranging his clothes. He asked for and received permission to go for a short walk down the dirt road.

Dennis steeled himself and walked to where his youngest Brat was nervously waiting for his turn with his Top. He let out a sigh of compassion as he tugged Skyy’s hands down from his ears. It didn’t take long before he had the young man face down over his thigh, a bare-bottom poised for that first spank. Locking his squirming Brat firmly in place with one arm, Dennis made sure Skyy understood what he had done to earn this punishment and started to administer a sound spanking.

Skyy managed to get one hand back only to find it relocated to his side as Dennis’ hand continued to teach a lesson in what behaviour was acceptable and what wasn’t. Tears started to flow faster as a flurry of swift, painful smacks landed on the tender underside of his already very sore bottom. A heavy-handed wallop landed dead center to end the spanking and Skyy found himself safety enfolded in his Top’s strong arms. He wrapped his own arms around the other man, rubbed his eyes and nose on Dennis’ shirt and cuddled into him. Eventually glancing up through red and swollen eyes, Skyy’s mind was set at ease by the expression of love and concern on Dennis’ handsome face.

“I-I’m s-sorry, Den,” Skyy hitched a quiet apology. His hands were still clinging to the bigger man’s clothing.

“I know, little one. It’s over and it won’t happen again, right?” Dennis softly asked with a comforting squeeze.

“Right!” Skyy concurred, finally letting go of Dennis’ shirt to reach back and rub at the heat radiating from his backside before pulling up his boxers and shorts.
Dusty returned to find his partners patiently waiting for him. He was relieved to have missed hearing or seeing his fellow-Brat’s punishment and knew Skyy would have wanted to be as fortunate.

“Are we ready to leave now, Den?” Dusty asked, wanting nothing more than to get in the back seat and cuddle up with Skyy.

Knowing what his partners wanted and needed, Dennis encouraged them to get in the car while he got bottles of water out of the cooler. “Here you go, guys,” he said as he handed them each a drink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m tired of telling you to stop kicking the back of my seat, Skyy. Dusty, you stop badgering him. One more time and I’m going to pull over to the side of the road. You won’t like what follows!” Dennis scolded an hour later. His Brats’ moods had continued to deteriorate since leaving the wooded area to continue their journey.

A strained silence followed the threat. It lasted all of fifteen minutes before Dennis felt another hard thump on the back of the driver’s seat.

“That does it!” the older man muttered, pulling into the lot of an abandoned, dilapidated gas station. Stopping the car behind the empty building, Dennis got out, opened the back door and undid Skyy’s seatbelt. Taking the younger man’s place in the back seat, Dennis hauled him across his thighs and proceeded to lower Skyy’s shorts and boxers for the second time that afternoon. He did not let either Skyy’s whimpers or his bare-bottom still bearing the signs of the earlier spanking, deter him. He raised his right hand only to feel its’ descent impeded by Dusty’s hand on his arm.

“It wasn’t Skyy’s fault, Dennis. He had his feet on the seat. I pushed them off and accidentally knocked them against the back of yours. He didn’t do anything.”

Dennis stared at the other man and as Dusty’s words registered, felt the blood drain from his face. He had almost punished one of his partners for something he hadn’t done.

Gently rearranging Skyy’s clothing, Dennis gathered his youngest Brat into his arms while offering his sincere apologies. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Why didn’t you say something, little one?” he softly asked.

“You-you didn’t ask; you-you didn’t give me any time to tell you,” Skyy hesitantly accused and nestled deeper into the bigger man’s arms.

“I can’t apologize enough, baby. Thank God Dusty prevented me from making such a horrendous mistake!” Dennis looked over at his other partner, his heart-felt gratitude evident in his warm, brown eyes. Taking a deep breath, he softly requested. “Would you two mind waiting here? I really need a few minutes to myself.”

Dennis got out and walked several yards away from the car. He suddenly realized that his Brats weren’t the only ones over-tired, cranky and short-tempered. He wasn’t faring any better and as a result had lost control and almost committed a reprehensible act. He knew it was his responsibility to get things back on track before something irreparable happened.

Pulling out his cell-phone, he dialed Dominic’s number. “Hello, Dom. There’s been a change in plans and we won’t be meeting up with you tonight.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dusty and Skyy silently watched their older partner walk away.

“That’s for saving my butt, D,” Skyy whispered, wrapping his arms around the other man’s neck and hugging him.

“Yep, that’s me, kid; the butt-saver!” Dusty gently teased as he returned the hug. “Speaking of which….” He reached into the back of the vehicle to pull out two pillows. “Here, this should make sitting a little more comfortable.” He handed one to his fellow-Brat and sat down on the other before doing up his seatbelt again.

“You know, I think Den needs a nap!” Skyy quietly commented. “I mean, we’ve been up since crow’s piss this morning and he has done all the driving. He’s probably gotten himself a little out of sorts.”

“Are you’re going to tell him when he gets back?”

“Yeah! Sure! Right! You must be a couple short of a six-pack, man, if you think I gonna suggest that.” Skyy looked at Dusty as if the other man had lost his mind. “I’m not saying anything; like mum’s the word.”

“Smart thinking, Skyy!” Dusty agreed. “Better buckle up, Buddy, ‘cause Den’s on his way back.”

“Wonder who he was talking to?”

“Probably Dominic.”

“At least he doesn’t look so mad anymore.”

“Yeah, but just to be on the safe side you better not start anything to get him stirred up again.”

“Hey, I’m not taking all the credit for us getting into trouble, D.”

“I know, Buddy, but I’m just saying that we have to pay special attention to what we say and do for a while.”

“Got it! Exercise due care and attention, right?” Skyy tried to joke but couldn’t quite pull it off.

Dennis slid into the driver’s seat, turned to look over his shoulder and saw two apprehensive, young faces.

“Are you boys okay?” he gently asked, getting uneasy nods in reply. He sadly shook his head when he realized they were obviously wondering what was going to happen next and preparing for the worse. “We’re going to a hotel for the night and continuing our trip in the morning.”

Back at the highway, Dennis turned in the opposite direction than they had been traveling in. Dusty and Skyy believed they were heading back home but neither of them uttered a word of protest. After driving for about twenty minutes, Dennis took the exit he had been watching for and pulled into the parking lot of a Hampton Inn.

“You wait here, guys. I’ll be right back after I’ve made arrangements for a room.” Returning a few minutes later, Dennis opened the car door and requested, “Get your overnight bags and follow me.”

“This is really a nice room, D,” Skyy whispered, putting his backpack on the chair.

“It’s sure big enough! Whoa, Buddy, get a load of the bathroom!” Dusty said, softly calling over his fellow-Brat.

“Hey, that whirlpool tub is the same size as ours but check out all the extra hardware in this shower,” Skyy exclaimed as quietly as possible.

Not wanting to displease him, both young men took care to avoid getting in Dennis’ way as they left the en suite and headed for the double glass doors that led to a large balcony overlooking the pool.

“Come back in here, guys, so I can talk to you,” Dennis ordered. Their scurrying movements had not escaped his attention and while he understood their reluctance to disturb him, he was still bothered by it. He sat down on the foot of the bed and watched as his partners hesitantly walked over to stand in front of him.

“Skyy, I want to apologize once again for losing my temper and not taking the time to find out what had happened back there. I should have given you a chance to explain, little one. Dusty, my love, I can’t thank you enough for preventing me from making such a terrible mistake.” He tenderly gazed into the faces of these two young men who were more important to him than his next heartbeat and solemnly declared. “I love both of you so very much and I’d like to be able to put your minds at ease by promising that something like this will never happen again, but I can’t. I’m far from perfect and all I can promise is to do the best I can at any given time and beg your forgiveness when my imperfections rear their ugly heads.”

“We don’t expect you to be perfect, Den,” Dusty stated. “And we love you just the way you are!”

“Dusty’s right!” Skyy vigorously nodded to emphasize his agreement.

“Okay, boys; here’s the game plan,” he said, pulling them down to sit one on each side of him and placing his arms around their shoulders. “We are going to get changed into our swimsuits and go cool off in the pool for awhile. Then we’re ordering room service and eating supper up here. You can count on an early night, as we are all overtired and can do with the extra sleep. We’ll be leaving first thing in the morning. If all goes well, we could still make it to the campground in time to have lunch with Dominic and his boys. How does that sound to the two of you?”

“You-you mean we’re not going home?” Dusty was almost afraid to ask in case he had misunderstood and would be disappointed again.

“Are we’re still going to have our vacation?” Skyy hopefully inquired.

“We’re continuing our trip as planned, my loves,” Dennis sighed and kissed the heads leaning against his shoulders. “We’re just having a little time out because I think that we really need to reconnect and get back on track.”

“Sooo, you’re not still mad at us?” Skyy asked, looking up at his oldest partner.

“No, sweetheart, I’m not at all upset with either of you and it’s my hope that you can get pass being upset with me.”

“Then, everything’s okay, right?” Dusty just wanted to make sure.

“Yes, everything’s fine, babe,” Dennis assured him. Kissing them once again, he lightly caressed their backsides and suggested it was time to get on with this evening’s agenda.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Can I do that, Den?” Skyy requested. It was mid-morning and they had stopped to refuel.

“Sure, Sport, but I thought you had to use the washroom.” Dennis handed the nozzle to his youngest Brat.

“I already did!” Skyy stated as he started pumping gasoline into the Hummer’s tank.

“Where’s Dusty?” Dennis asked a few minutes later. “The two of you went into the service station together.”

“He’s still waiting his turn. There’s a long line-up for the men’s room.”

“Then how come you got out here so fast, Skyy?”

“I had to go real bad, Den. I couldn’t wait, so I use the women’s bathroom.”

“You didn’t!” Dennis exclaimed as he replaced the hose and retrieved his credit card.

“But the lady said I could!”

“What lady?” Dennis got into the driver’s seat while Skyy climbed into the back.

“The one who was in there before me.” Seeing the look of astonishment on his partner’s face, Skyy quickly set his mind at ease. “Don’t worry, Den, I put the seat down when I was finished.” He grinned as Dennis closed his eyes and bowed his head in a silent pray for strength.

“You’ll never guess what Skyy did in there, Den!” Dusty blurted out as he slid into the passenger seat.

“He’s already told me,” Dennis informed him, still shaking his head in disbelief.

“Ha! It’s because he can pass as a girl with those long blond curls of his,” Dusty teased.

“Dustin!” Dennis warned. “Don’t start!”

“Sorry! I was only joking. Here, little buddy; I got something for you when I was in the store.” Dusty opened the plastic bag and handed an item to his younger partner. “It’s a book of variety puzzles ‘cause I thought you might be getting bored with doing just crosswords. I got you some pamphlets on tourist sites near where we’re going, Den, and a magazine on big rigs for myself.”

“Thanks, D!” Skyy started rummaging through the large pocket on the back of driver’s seat, looking for a pencil.

“Thank you, Grease-monkey,” Dennis smiled over at Dusty.

“How much further, Den?” Dusty asked impatiently half an hour later.

“Probably in an hour or so, love. Getting restless?” Dennis inquired as he reached over and took Dusty’s hand.

“Kinda. It’s been a long trip,” he answered with a sigh. “But I’m glad we decided to make it.” He glanced at the big man sitting beside him and lovingly squeezed the hand holding his.

“Hey, guys, get a load of those three men in that pick-up truck! They’re sitting on bales of straw!” Skyy piped up and pointed to a vehicle some distance in front of them. “I thought it was against the law to ride in the back like that.”

“It is, Buddy. They must be nuts to pull a dangerous stunt like that,” Dusty exclaimed as they passed the people being discussed. “Wow, did you see the size of them! They’re huge! I bet each of them weighs in at over three hundred pounds.”

“Well, at least they’re taking some safety precautions. Bungee cords appear to be their seat-belts of choice,” Skyy dryly commented, causing his partners to roar with laughter.

Less than an hour later, Dennis turned off the highway to head down the last leg of their trip.

“The Beast is sure going to need a good wash by the time we get there. Someone should have warned us that we had to drive down two miles of dirt road to reach the campground,” Dusty complained as he read the sign nailed to a tree that said, ‘Last mile to The Rainbow Family Campground and fun, fun, fun!’

Even though Dennis was driving as slowly as possible, enough dust still managed to get into the vehicle to make them cough.

“It’s probably not always this bad,” Dennis explained after clearing his throat. “There’s been very little rain lately so everything is extremely dry.”

“Look!” Skyy leaned into the space between the two front seats and pointed excitedly. “There’s Slade and Jayden coming out of that building over there.”

Dennis stopped at the side of the lane and gave one short honk on the horn to attract their friends’ attention. The other two young men immediately ran over to the Hummer.

“What took you so long?” Slade demanded as Dennis lowered his window.

“We thought you’d never get here,” Jayden groused.

“Hello yourselves, fellas!” Dennis said pointedly, reminding them of their manners.

“Sorry,” came duel mumbled replies before proper greetings were extended.

“Hi, guys!” Dusty called out, having also rolled down his window. “It’s so good to finally arrive.”

“Dominic’s at the cabin heating up the barbecue for lunch,” Jayden volunteered this information.

“Follow us! It’s just down this road a piece!” Slade hollered as he and his partner started to run ahead.

Dominic looked up as his Brats noisily announced the arrival of the other threesome. His friendly smile was a welcoming beacon after the long drive.

“Hope you’ve got enough food for everyone, Dom, because we’re starving!” Dennis joked, shaking hands with his friend and slapping him on the back. He turned and grabbed Dominic’s partners to tightly hug the two of them, only to get crushed between them. He kept forgetting how much huskier these men were in comparison to his own Brats.

“There’s plenty so I’m glad you brought your appetites,” Dominic laughed as he embraced Dusty and Skyy.

“Did we miss out on anything last night?” Skyy asked once they were all seated and enjoying the abundance of food the older man had prepared.

“Nah; just movie night at the Rec hall with free popcorn,” Slade answered.

“But we didn’t get to watch it ‘cause we weren’t allowed to go,” Jayden pouted at his oldest partner. “Three guesses as to whose fault that was?”

Nobody even bother to respond to the taunt. They all had a pretty good idea as to who was responsible for the two young men’s early bedtime.

“There’s a dance tonight, right?” Dusty chimed in; hoping a change in the subject might avoid some unpleasantness.

“Yes, and in about twenty minutes they’re having a hayride. Anyone interested is to meet at the Rec hall at one-thirty,” Dominic reminded them while getting up to clear off the table. “But first I could use some help with the dishes, please.”

“Guess what, Den!” Skyy shouted as he bounded into the cabin later that afternoon, letting the screen door slam behind him. “I picked the winning number!” He held up a white poker chip with the number three written on it in black marker.

“Winning number for what, Sport?” Dennis laughed at his Brat’s enthusiasm. He wondered again how long Dominic would be able to put up with all the door slamming that went on when Skyy and Dusty were excited about something.

“For the chicken-drop! Amber gave me first choice of whatever number I wanted ‘cause I helped clean up after the watermelon-eating contest.”

“A chicken-drop?” Dennis glanced quizzically at Dominic who turned away to hide the smile threatening to split his face in two.

“They’ll do it during the dance. They’re selling these tokens for a dollar each and there’s a hundred of them; one for each square. The winner gets all the money; neat, eh?” Dennis still had no idea what his Brat was talking about as the younger man continued to chatter. “Don’t bother buying one though, ‘cause you’ll just be wasting your money. I’m going to go find Dusty and the other guys to let them know,” Skyy informed his older partner and headed out. The two older men cringed as the door slammed shut once again.

“Do you know what he’s talking about, Dom?”

“Yes,” Dominic chuckled. “There is a large square painted on the Rec room floor and divided into a hundred smaller numbered squares. Above it hangs a wire cage that can be lowered to cover the entire area. They turn a chicken loose in the enclosure and whichever number the thing craps on, wins. I wonder if anyone told Skyy that the winner has to clean up the chicken shit.”

“So chicken-drop means…..” Dennis couldn’t say more because he was laughing so hard. “This I’ve got to see,” he said, getting himself under control and wiping his eyes.

Looking over the schedule in his hand, Dominic remarked, “There’s a bingo game starting up in a few minutes. Think we’re up for it?”

“Why not? We’re on vacation and want to participate in as many of the activities as we can, right? Besides, I haven’t had a chance to visit with Devon and Amber yet.”

Dennis and Dominic casually made their way over to the Rec hall while discussing various topics of mutual interest. They arrived just as the first numbers were about to be called.

“Thanks for saving seats for us,” Dennis said quietly, sliding into an empty chair between his two Brats while Dominic took the other seat left unoccupied next to Jayden.

“We bought you a couple of cards,” Skyy whispered as he pushed them over to Dennis.

“Are you going to be able to manage all those?” Dominic laughingly asked his partners. Each of them had a dozen bingo cards in front of him.

“Sure we can!” Slade and Jayden answered simultaneously, broad grins on their young faces.

“Here are yours,” Jayden informed Dominic, handing him four cardboard squares.

“Now this is a more reasonable amount,” he teased as they settled down to play.

“Bingo!” Dusty hollered, successfully ending the fifth game.

“Yippee! You won the S’more package, D!” Skyy held up his hand to hi-five his fellow-Brat before turning to Dennis to explain further. “That means Dusty gets that little pile of firewood over there, a fire-starter kit and all the items needed to make a treat for later. This is the best prize ‘cause all the others are only money.”

“Hell, I’d rather win the money!” Jayden said as he added his two-cents worth.

“Well that was a fun hour,” Dennis commented as he, Dusty and Dominic leisurely walked back to the cabin. He was carrying several small logs under his arm while Dusty carried the rest of his winnings.

“I wonder where he’s off to now?” Dominic asked when Skyy went racing by them.

“Grab him!” Slade bellowed, tearing down the lane in pursuit of the youngest one in their group. Jayden was hot on his heels. “He put a big, slimy frog in the top drawer of our dresser so it could jump up and scare the shit out of us.”

“They’ll never catch him!” Dusty gleefully stated.

“I’d like to know where he got the frog,” Dennis wondered out loud.

“It was in the pond next to the office,” Dusty informed him.

“Guess we now know why he wanted to get back to the cabin before the rest of us,” Dominic chuckled as he watched his partners disappear around the bend in the road. “Do you think this is a sample of how the rest of our stay here is going to go, Dennis?”

“I’ll talk to him but I’m not making any promises,” Dennis answered, trying not to laugh outright at his friend’s groan of feigned indignation. It was bad enough that Dusty was finding the situation so darn funny and Dennis didn’t think he should add to his oldest Brat’s entertainment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is it safe yet?” Skyy quietly asked an hour later as he squeezed into the hammock beside Dennis. His cheeky grin was evidence that he wasn’t at all worried about the repercussions to this latest act of mischief.

“Brat!” Dennis said as he affectionately swatted the young man’s backside. “You are going to apologize to Slade and Jayden as soon as they get back and that better be the last stunt you pull on them. Got it, Sport?”

“I thought a person is supposed to have fun when they’re on vacation.”

“Yes, but not at someone else’s expense,” Dennis patiently admonished.

“And how did I know you’d say something like that?” Skyy complained and rolled his eyes. He turned over until he was lying on top of the bigger man. Violet-blue eyes gazed into warm, brown ones. Both men’s faces radiated the love they had for one another. Skyy tenderly stroked his fingertips down Dennis’ cheek. “Okay, it’s going to be hard but I’ll be good.”

The tongue-in-cheek declaration brought forth hoots of laughter. Even Dominic, who was sitting nearby, snickered out his disbelief.

“Where’s Dusty?” Skyy asked when things quieted down a bit.

“He’s over at the Rec hall with Dom’s boys. They’re watching the Thunder Creek Band set up for the dance tonight. Where have you been?”

“All over the place!” Skyy squirmed around to pull a piece of paper out of the pocket in his shorts. Showing the flier to the other man, he told him, “I’ve checked out the river, the fishing pond, the playground, the horseshoe pit, the volleyball and basketball courts, the baseball diamond, the picnic area, and the duck pen. We missed the rubber duck draw, but you can still see all the new baby ducklings, Den.”

“You’ve certainly been busy. Why don’t you head inside, Sport, and get into the shower before the others get back and start competing for it,” Dennis suggested, planting a kiss on Skyy’s forehead before gently pushing him out of the hammock.

After spending the better part of the last hour running around the campground, a chance to cool off sounded so appealing that Skyy didn’t mind being ousted from his comfortable position on Den’s chest.

Twenty minutes later Dennis was still trying to persuade himself to get up when Dominic appeared at his side. Looking up at the expression on his friend’s face, he wondered what the other man had found so amusing.

“Thanks, Dom! And just what’s got you grinning like a Cheshire cat?” he inquired, sitting up and accepting the cold beer handed him.

“It was too quiet in the cabin when I went in to get these, so I looked around for Skyy and found him in your bedroom. He must have just finished having a shower because he’s stretched out on his stomach across the bed, sound asleep, naked as the day he was born, and still wet.”

“I’ve been trying to get him out of that habit for over a year now,” Dennis laughed. “You’ve just seen ample proof of my failure to accomplish that.”

Both men were still chuckling when their three partners returned.

“What are you laughing at?” Dusty asked, throwing himself down on the hammock that Dennis had recently vacated.

“Skyy!” Dominic figured the one word would answer the question.

“What’s he been up to now?” Slade groaned, searching around for the younger man.

“He’s asleep!” Dennis informed them.

Dusty glanced up uncertainly at his older partner. Was his fellow-Brat being punished for the prank he had pulled earlier?

“He’s air-drying, love.” Dennis had correctly interpreted Dusty’s concern and knew the short explanation would set the young man’s mind at ease. They were both accustomed to Skyy’s habit of not putting bath towels to their proper use.

“Think I’ll go and have a shower myself,” Dusty said, getting to his feet and walking towards the cabin.

“Don’t use all the hot water,” Jayden yelled after him. “Slade and I need showers too.”

Skyy woke to the sounds of Dusty pulling clean clothes out of the dresser drawers.

“Hi, D!” he yawned and rolled over. “When did you get back?”

“About fifteen minutes ago. It’s going to be a fun evening, Buddy. You should have heard the band practicing. Man, they sound great!” Dusty exclaimed, throwing a pair of boxers at the younger man. “Hurry up and get dressed, kid. We’ll be eating supper as soon as Slade and Jayden finish in the bathroom.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skyy and Jayden were putting away the last of the clean dishes while Dusty and Slade played a game of cards. Their older partners were getting showered and changed when Skyy decided to tender his apology for the ‘frog’ incident.

“It’s okay, kid, but just watch out because we plan to get even with you,” Slade warned in a joking manner. Both he and his fellow-Brat had finally accepted the younger man as a friend and actually enjoyed having him around. Although they didn’t always appreciate Skyy’s sense of humour or his mischievous nature, they were surprised by the developing affection they felt towards someone whom they thought of as a little pain in the butt.

“Give it your best shot, guys!” Skyy dared, knowing he would not retaliate even though he suspected they took it for granted that he would. Skyy enjoyed playing practical jokes and never begrudged anyone getting back at him. “That frog sure gave you a scare!” he teased, hanging up the wet dishtowel.

“We weren’t scared! We were only surprised,” Jayden tried to convince him.

“Yeah! Right! You squealed like a couple of girls!” Skyy sat down next to Dusty and continued baiting the two older Brats.

“Well we don’t scare as easy as you do and we don’t suck our fingers,” Jayden was trying hard to even the score.

“Shut up, Jayden!” Dusty ordered.

“What are you talking about?” Skyy asked, a look of bewilderment crossing his face. “I don’t suck my fingers!” He stood up and glared at the other man.

“Oh, yes you do! We’ve seen you, haven’t we, Slade?”

Slade didn’t answer, as he didn’t like where this conversation was heading.

“What’s up, boys?” Dominic questioned as he walked into the room buttoning his shirt.

Dennis appeared from the second bedroom and quickly picked up on the tension in the kitchen. Immediately getting into his protective mode, he headed over to his two Brats. “Anything happening here that I should know about, fellas?” he asked, looking from one of his partners to the other and trying to determine which of them was more upset.

“I was just telling Skyy that we had seen him sucking his fingers and he doesn’t believe me,” Jayden answered accusingly as he returned Skyy’s glare.

Seeing Dominic’s expression of disapproval and knowing he would handle things in here, Dennis put his arm around Skyy and after sending Dusty a silent message of reassurance, he ushered his youngest Brat outside. The two men sat together on the lawn swing, neither of them speaking for several minutes. Skyy glanced up to see Dennis lovingly smiling down at him.

“It’s true, isn’t it?” he murmured and getting an affirmative sign, his shoulders slumped as he sighed dejectedly. “They must think I’m such a little kid.”

“You’re a grown man, Skyy; a grown man with an extremely unpleasant childhood. A childhood lost because of neglect and fear. You unconsciously handled the stress by sucking the two middle fingers on your left hand.” Dennis sadly shook his head as he watched Skyy examining his fingers. “You did it in your sleep, love. You’ve probably been doing it for years but were never aware of it. There is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about.”

“How come you didn’t tell me earlier?” Skyy inquired, beginning to feel more comfortable with the situation.

“Skyy, with the exception of one time, you haven’t resorted to that comfort mechanism in almost a year.”

“So how did those guys find out about it?”

“They saw you doing it the night of that party you and Dusty put on for my birthday. In hindsight, I realize I should have talked it over with you before something like this happened. It just never occurred to me that someone would think it appropriate to tease you about something you have no knowledge of or control over.”

“It’s okay, Den; Jayden didn’t really mean anything by it. He just gets frustrated real fast and doesn’t think things through. You know; like you say Dusty and I sometimes do.” Skyy grinned and moved to straddle Dennis’ lap, nestling against the bigger man’s chest. “I hope my fingers were clean when I sucked them!” he joked and both of them laughed at the idea.

As Dennis and Skyy left the cabin, Dominic snapped his fingers and pointed to the nearest empty corner. When his youngest Brat made no move to obey the silent directive, Dominic offered his assistance by taking Jayden’s arm and marching him over to the place he wanted him to be.

“Dominic, I…OW!” Jayden wailed when his argument was cut short by a heavy hand landing a painful swat on the left side of the seat of his pants.

“Don’t talk; think!” Dominic punctuated the order with another sharp smack, this time on the right side of his Brat’s backside. He watched as Jayden used both hands to rub the offended areas and waited for his older Brat to voice his disagreement. The only sounds in the room were Jayden’s intermitted sniffles. Dominic was pleasantly surprised to see Slade remain silent and stay seated. In the past when one of his partners was being chastised, the other usually sided with his fellow-Brat and they’d try to team up against their Top. He could count on one hand the number of times this had not happened and he had not ended up punishing both of them.

After waiting five minutes, Dominic softly called Jayden over to him. Pulling the younger man down to snuggle beside him in an over-stuffed armchair, he quietly asked, “What have you come up with, Pet?”

“That I shouldn’t have said what I did to Skyy,” Jayden murmured uncomfortably.

“Why?”

“Because I knew the kid didn’t even know he had that habit.” Jayden was too ashamed to look the older man in the face so he kept his head down and muttered into his partner’s chest.

“He’s not a child, Jayden. He’s a grown man, as much as you and Slade are. You are still using his smaller stature and his age as reasons for you to ignore that fact.”

“I didn’t mean to, Dom. I just got caught up in trying to get back at him for tormenting us with the frog. I know you expect better and I’ll tell Skyy I’m sorry.”

Realizing the young man in his arms understood what was or wasn’t acceptable and was remorseful for what had been said, Dominic decided to withhold any addition reprisal. He also realized it had been a give and take situation that had strayed only slightly over the line. He didn’t want to make a bigger issue out of it than was necessary at this time but was determined to watch things closely for the rest of their vacation.

Jayden squirmed out of Dominic’s embrace when Dennis and Skyy returned. Much to his oldest partner’s pride and delight, he walked over to the youngest Brat in their group and offered his sincere apology.

“Hey, it’s okay, Jay!” Skyy graciously accepted the expression of regret and suggested. “We’re even now, right?”

“You got it, little guy,” Jayden agreed and wrapping his arm around Skyy’s neck, rubbed his knuckles across the smaller man’s head. “Guess Slade and I won’t be putting a snake in your bed after all,” he teased lightheartedly.

“All right, boys! We better head out if we plan to attend the dance tonight. I think I hear the band warming up in the Rec hall,” Dennis announced.

“Come on, Buddy, let’s go!” Dusty exclaimed, grabbing Skyy’s hand and towing him out the door. “We’ve got some dancing to do!”

“And I’ve got some winnings to pick up!” Skyy laughed as he ran to keep up with his partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Man, I’m beat!” Dusty groaned as he dropped onto the sofa. “Too many early mornings,” he moaned, putting his feet up and stretching out to his full length. “Ahhh, this feels so good. I bet I could fall asleep right here,” he sighed.

“How can you be so bushed after only three solid hours of dancing, Dusty?” Slade laughed as he took a can of coke out of the fridge.

“Sorry, Sugar,” Dominic said, taking the drink and putting it back. “It’s almost midnight so you don’t need any more caffeine. Have some milk instead, please.”

“I’m hungry, Den!” Skyy informed the older man. “I’m gonna have some cereal. Anyone else want some?”

“Not me, Buddy,” Dusty answered. His eyelids fluttered as he started to fall asleep.

“Me neither, Sport, but thanks. Dusty, get up and go to bed,” Dennis ordered as he gently pulled his partner off the couch and took his place on the now empty sofa.

“I still say that contest was rigged!” Jayden pouted, accepting the bottle from his fellow-Brat and pouring himself a glass of milk. He was still put out at having lost his five dollars.

“Get real, Jay! How can anyone know ahead of time when or where a chicken is going to shit?” Dusty challenged. He sat down wearily, having only made it as far as the kitchen table.

“At least Skyy was stuck cleaning up the mess.” This seemed to provide Slade with a little satisfaction after having also lost money.

“It was worth it, guys. After all it was only a chicken, not an elephant,” Skyy mumbled through a mouthful of cereal.

“Skyy, don’t speak with your mouth full!” Dennis reminded the young man for the umpteenth time and turned away to hide the smile that resulted from the cheeky grin on his Brat’s face.

“But how come you were so sure you were going to win, little buddy?” Dusty softly asked.

“Because three is the best number!” Skyy insisted and got concurring nods from both of his partners.

“Got any plans for your unexpected windfall, Skyy?” Dominic asked.

“Yep; I’m buying souvenirs for all the folks back home. I already got a pacifier for Regan that blinks on and off when you push the button on the front of it.” After finished his bedtime snack and rinsing out his bowl to stack it in the drain board, Skyy curled up on the couch beside Dennis. “Can we go fishing first thing in the morning, Den?” he requested around a sleepy yawn.

“I don’t see why not, sweetheart, if we get up early enough. Care to join us, Dusty my love?”

“You’re kidding, right? Me, get up before the crack of noon tomorrow? Forget it, man!”

“Well that answers that question, doesn’t it, Sport?” Dennis chuckled. “You and I better hit the hay if we’re going to stick to our plans, don’t you think?” Dennis lightly patted Skyy’s backside to get him up and moving. Getting to his own feet, he walked over to Dusty and putting his hand under the other man’s arm, lifted him off the chair and propelled him towards the bedroom. “Good night, fellas! See you in the morning!” he called out to Dominic and his partners.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That’s an impressive catch you’ve got there, kiddo!” Dominic commented when Skyy and Dennis returned the next morning.

“We caught more than this but had to let some go. It’s the rules to only keep as many as you’re going to eat.”

“Good conservation plan!” Dominic nodded his approval. Glancing at his friend, he stated, “I don’t mind cooking or eating those things, but you’re going to have to clean them.”

The gang was just sitting down to enjoy the fruits of Dennis and Skyy’s fishing expedition when Dusty decided to put in an appearance. He was still in his sleeping attire, hair tousled, bare-footed, and in need of a shave. To his partners, he looked adorable.

“Nice to see you up early enough to join us, Grease-monkey,” Dennis said invitingly and pulled out the chair between himself and Skyy. “Have a seat, babe.”

“What are the plans for today, Den?” Dusty asked, helping himself to a portion of the fried fish.

“I believe Skyy has our copy of the campground’s schedule of activities.”

Dusty looked questioningly at his fellow-Brat and after being handed the list, read it out loud.

“At eleven o’clock there is a choice of basketball or a craft workshop for all ages. After lunch there’ll be a kid’s pool tournament and then one for the adults followed by a game of kickball in the softball field. This evening we can all gather around the Friendship fire outside the Rec hall and listen to music. The fireworks display starts after dark, probably around nine thirty.” Dusty folded the sheet of paper and glanced around. “It’s going to be one very busy day!” he stated.
“Wow! And a fun-filled day as well!” Skyy exclaimed excitedly, already anticipating the enjoyment that lay ahead.

“The pool tournament’s okay but I’m not too enthused about the craft thing,” Slade grumbled.

“I’d rather swim that play kickball,” Jayden groused.

“I pretty sure we’re not obligated to participate in activities that don’t interest us, boys,” Dominic assured his partners. “We should, however, keep each other informed about what we’re doing at any given time and try to have as much fun as possible as a group. After all, we did come on the vacation to be together.”

So it was decided that while Skyy attended the workshop, the others would take in a game of basketball. They’d all take part in the pool tournament and opt out for swimming rather than kickball.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Man, this was the best day ever, D! I kinda wish it didn’t have to end,” Skyy voiced dreamily. It was hard to understand him with the toothbrush sticking out of his mouth.

“All good things have to end sometimes, little buddy. Now stop hogging all the space in front of the sink!” the older Brat complained.

“All what space? We’re squashed in a four by four bathroom. There is no space!” Skyy justified himself after spitting out a mouthful of toothpaste.

“Are you boys just about finished in there?” Dennis called through the closed door. “Others are waiting to use the facilities.”

“I’m done!” Skyy yanked open the door and barely managed to avoid hitting Dusty with it. He ran into the bedroom and jumped onto the bed to patiently wait for his partners to join him.

“What did you think of the fireworks display, Skyy?” Dennis asked as he unzipped his jeans and let them fall to the floor. Stepping out of his clothing, he picked up the pants and put them neatly over the back of a chair.

“It was almost as good as ours. I never knew there were so many verses to The Star-Spangled Banner, did you?”

“They only played four tonight, Sport, but I believe there may even be one or two more.”

“I think everyone singing ‘America, The Beautiful’ made for a really neat ending,” Dusty commented as he came into the room and shut the door.

“I wish we had painted flags on our faces like we did back home,” Skyy sighed sleepily. He yawned and rolled out of the way to enable Dennis to turn down the cotton sheet.

“Hmmmm,” was Dusty’s only indication that he had even heard Skyy’s comment as he crawled under the covers on his side of the bed. He had hardly settled when raised voices could be heard from the other room.

“I don’t see why we can’t go somewhere tomorrow!” Jayden wailed.

“We’ve spent more than two days here and should be allowed to see some of the sights before leaving!” Slade pointed out argumentatively.

“I’ve already explained why we’re spending our last day at the campground. We’ll have a long enough trip home without doing any unnecessary additional driving. Now get in bed and I don’t want to hear another word about it!” Dominic scolded. His words not as clear due to him talking in a lower voice than his partners had been.

“They sure know how to ruin a perfectly great day!” Dusty muttered and turned over onto his stomach to get into his favourite sleeping position.

“Shhh,” Dennis soothed, rubbing his hand down the young man’s back and lightly patting the bare bottom. “It doesn’t concern us.” Moments later he heard the soft snore that indicated his older Brat had fallen asleep.

Skyy was plastered along Dennis’ left side, his head on his partner’s shoulder. He hypnotically traced his fingers through the mass of curly chest hair, slowly following its’ path down to the lower regions of the big man’s body. His hand was securely grasped and held as it passed Dennis’ navel.

“Not tonight, sweetheart, it too late,” Dennis murmured. He reached down to wrap his other hand around one of the perfectly molded globes of Skyy’s backside. He gave it a gentle squeeze and a pat before kissing his Brat’s head and firmly suggesting he go to sleep. Less than a minute went by when the young man’s steady breathing signaled it was time for Dennis to also get some shut-eye.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What the hell are you doing out here at six o’clock in the morning?” Slade crossly asked, his eyes shooting daggers at the young man reading on the porch swing. He resented not being able to get away unseen.

“I almost always get up before anyone else,” Skyy informed him. “Where are you guys going?” he asked, getting up and following the two men out to Dominic’s SUV.

“We getting away from here and taking in some of the tourist traps. You want to come?” Jayden invited, figuring they might as well make the best of Skyy being up.

“Ahh, no thanks!”

“Okay, suit yourself!”

“If Dominic asks, tell him we’ll be back in time for supper, okay?” Slade requested in as friendly a manner as he could muster.

“Why are you doing this?” Skyy asked bewilderedly.

“Cause we’re tired of hanging around here. We came to spend some time with Devon and Amber but they’re always so busy and we’re getting bored.” Jayden made an effort to explain the situation as they saw it while sliding into the front seat.

“This is the last day of our vacation and we feel we’re entitled to do a little sight-seeing and have some fun,” Slade added, getting behind the steering wheel.

“Den says not if it’s at someone else’s expense. I think it’s even more important that our enjoyment not take away from our partners’ who are also on vacation and deserve as good a time as anyone else.” Skyy quietly stated what he believed to be fair. He wasn’t consciously trying to influence the others.

“Well we don’t care what you think. See ya later, kid”

Almost an hour passed before Dennis and Dominic put in an appearance. “What a beautiful…….” Dominic stopped and stared at the empty space where his SUV had been parked. His lips tightened into a straight line when he realized his partners had deliberately disobeyed him. Sadly shaking his head, he walked back into the cabin.

Dennis and Skyy slowly followed him, wondering how their friend was going to deal with this latest flaunting of his authority; authority that had been given him by the two men who professed to love him.

Dusty was coming out of the bedroom just as Slade and Jayden were walking in the front door twenty minutes later.

“We went into town for some fresh bagels and muffins,” Slade exclaimed, holding out the bag from the bakery.

“Yeah! We thought everyone might like a change from cereal or bacon and eggs,” Jayden clarified further.

“Hey, great idea guys! I’ll put on a fresh pot of coffee,” Dusty offered.

Skyy shyly smiled his approval of the older Brats’ decision and held up his hands to give them the thumbs up. He quickly dropped his arms and put them behind his back when Dennis and Dominic turned to see whom Slade and Jayden were grinning at.

Warily approaching their Top, Slade and Jayden took turns stumbling through an apology as well as an explanation for their actions.

“Ahhh, we’re sorry if our not being here when you got up worried you, Dom,” Slade petitioned their older partner’s forgiveness.

“We also want you to know how much we love you and need you and-and want you,” Jayden softly added his plea, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

“You didn’t by any chance have a little help in reaching the right decision, did you?” Dominic quietly asked. A multitude of expressions had been steadily playing across his handsome face; pain, indecision, exasperation, understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness, until only the deeply profound love he felt for these two young men radiated from it.

“Sorta,” Slade murmured, uncomfortably shuffling from one foot to the other.

“Yeah, someone kinda nudged our conscience a bit,” Jayden admitted.

“Hmmm, maybe you should give this nudger first choice of the treats you’ve brought home,” Dominic smiled at his repentant Brats to let them know they had been forgiven. The three of them weren’t in any doubt of the discussion needed before the entire event could be put behind them. They also knew it could be put on hold for the time being.

Four Brats sat round the kitchen table making plans for their final day at the campground. This time tomorrow would find them heading home. Dennis and Dominic were sitting on the porch, enjoying their second cup of coffee.

“How does the little guy do it, Den?”

“I’m not sure!” Dennis understood what his friend was referring to but was unsure if he had the answer. “Every now and again he reminds me of a song my parents taught my brother and sister and I when we were children; a song about little flowers growing in a garden and striving to brighten their own little corner of the world. I only know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Skyy’s brightens Dusty’s and my world.” Even after explaining it to the best of his ability, Dennis still felt his words were inadequate in expressing his feeling for this special young man he and Dusty had been blessed with.

“It’s certainly been an interesting vacation though, hasn’t it?” Dominic chuckled.

“Yes, but was it double the fun or double the trouble?” Dennis joked.

“Either way, it was worth it!” Dominic declared. “Except for one thing; I was wondering if there was anything you could do about that damn door-slamming?”

“Not a chance!” Dennis replied and both men burst out laughing.

The End.