A Stranger's Kindness

The diner was empty, and he leaned on the counter, wondering if he might be able to get away with closing early? He rested his head on his hands, staring out at the blowing rain as it splattered against the big bay windows, knowing that if he did close early, it would be when old man Hendricks would show up. Ben sighed, as he looked out at the rotten night, watching the time drag on.

He was tempted to shut the grill off, but it was still over an hour till closing. Even the regulars seemed to have stayed away. Then too, most of them were either pan handlers or night shift workers from the nearby factory. The workers would head straight to work on a night like this, the pan handlers were off looking for a shelter for the night, most likely.

There was a dark blob by the window, then the door opened. He felt the cold race into the warm diner, and felt himself shiver a little as the soaked figure walked in, shutting the door hard. It was hard to tell what he looked like, he was so bundled up but as he came forward, Ben realized he was dressed in old clothes, not very warm one's either.

As he came closer, Ben was able to tell that he was a kid, no more than 19 or 20. More than likely he was maybe 18 but he looked so thin, it was amazing he hadn't been blown in by the wind. The kid had light colored hair, matted down from the rain, and his cheeks were a little sunken looking. The eyes thought, they gave Ben a slight chill as they looked so frightened, so tired and empty.

Ben could see how nervous he was too, which raised a bit of fear inside of him. They had been robbed just a few weeks back, by some hype, and he had looked the same. Well not the same, but just as skittish. He felt his hands reach under the counter, reaching for the bat that he had placed there. Damned if he was going to let some hype rough him up without a fuss, unlike what had happened to his boss, Mr. Hendricks.

It was why he was working the night shift. His boss was still recovering from the beating that he had taken, and it wasn't like he had resisted either. He had handed over the money, but still the robber had pistol whipped him, and Ben suspected that Mr Hendricks simply couldn't face working the nights anymore. He didn't mind himself, but now he sort of wondered, as the strange figure shuffled up to the counter.

There was no mistaking his fear, or his cold. He was shivering, and trembling just like he imagined a drug addict needing a fix would look. His face grew taut, as he couldn't find the bat, and he wondered what he would do if the kid pulled out a gun. Would he try to take it away, or would he do as he was told? Would that save him from being hurt?

'How much is the soup?'

The thin voice trembled as it spoke, which surprised him. Ben looked at the guy, saw him wipe his face with his sleeve, not really managing to dry it at all. He was soaked all the way through no doubt.

'$3.95 for a bowl'

'Oh, uh, how much for a half a bowl? I got about $2 I think.'

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, and Ben stiffened, afraid he was reaching for a gun or knife or something. Instead he saw him pull out some change, and lay it on the counter. It was a mix of change, dimes, nickels, and even some pennies.

Ben reached around and grabbed a bowl, filling it up and placing it in front of the kid. He reached under and pulled out a spoon, and some packaged crackers. His fingers brushed against the edge of the bat, which he ignored. There wouldn't be a robbery tonight, he felt as he placed the crackers next to the bowl.

The young man looked up, his eyes suddenly looking at him. Ben felt a small shiver inside, seeing the look of gratitude in them that made his heart skip a beat or two. It was unnerving really, as he also saw how hungry the young man was. He couldn't help but notice how his hand trembled as he gripped the spoon, and sipped at the hot soap.

'Want some coffee with that?'

The man looked up, the spoon near his mouth. Ben could see his pale lips quivering, the water still dripping from his hair across his face.

'I have no more money'

He said it so softly, so simply that it made Ben shake a bit. He had never known poverty, or known what it was like to not be able to have a full meal. He had seen many of the pan handlers who had come in, some with similar looks, but this seemed to touch him unlike the others.

'That's okay, it's almost closing, only throw it out if no one else comes in, which I think is a safe bet.'

'Thanks'

Glancing up at the clock, he realized he could safely shut down the grill, but decided he'd have his own dinner. One of the perks Hendricks allowed him, but as he thought about it, he decided maybe he'd make it for two. He took two large hamburgers out of the fridge, throwing them onto the grill. The sound made the young man look up, as he took a drink of the hot coffee.

Ben saw the look, knowing instantly that it had been a bit of time from when he had last eaten. Tossing the kid a fresh towel, he asked him if he wanted some fries or anything. The kid looked down, just nodding, seemingly embarrassed by it all.

'Kind of a shit night to be out, you from around here?'

'Huh? Oh, no, no I just got in, it sure is a big place.'

'Suppose, so where you from?'

'South, in the sticks.'

'Long ways from home then, you headed anywhere special?'

'As far as I can get from there, which doesn't seem to be far now, guess I should have waited, but… sorry, it's been a rotten night.'

'I can see, uh, I am Ben.'

'Hi, I am Josh.'

He flipped the burgers, and busied himself preparing the fries, and slicing up some onions and stuff to fry up. He managed to refill Josh's coffee, noticing how he held the hot cup, to warm his hands up. Ben couldn't explain it, but he felt sorry for him.

With everything cooked, he turned off the grill, and laid out the meal. He noticed how wide Josh's eyes opened, as he placed the plate in front of him, stacked high with French fries, and the hamburger hanging out the sides of the bun.

Josh mumbled a thanks, as he picked up the burger, his eyes glowing as he took a bite, and then another. It was clear to Ben, the guy hadn't eaten for a bit, as he nibbled at his own burger. It was sad, but at the same time he couldn't help but steal glances at the young man. The way his hair was so matted, dirty even, but yet seemed to give him a rather attractive look. Or maybe it wasn't the hair or any one thing, just the whole package?

He had a lean face, and a small nose that seemed to fit the rest of the face. The lips were thin and pale, but every now and then, when they trembled, or had some ketchup smeared across, it made him look like some farm boy poster. That wholesome look, fresh clean country type where they rode horses, wore jeans and Stetsons.

Watching him, Ben could see he was still shivering every few seconds. The clothes he wore were thin, summer type clothing and it was fall already. He wouldn't survive the fall dressed like that, let alone winter. As he watched him eat, he felt sorry for him.

'Uh look, uh but don't take this wrong, but man you can't go out in those wet things. You gonna catch a cold or worse.'

Josh looked up from eating, and his eyes looked hard at him. For a second or two, Ben felt like they were going to tear up, and then he just lowered his head as he whispered back.

'I don't have anything else, my back pack got stolen a few days back. I only got what I am wearing.'

'How old are you?'

'18, two days ago, when my stuff got swiped.'

'Hell of a birthday present, uh, you think about going home, calling them?'

'No, nothing to go home to, they uh, they don't want a… let's just say I can't, okay?'

'Sure, just that, you ain't gonna survive dressed like that, no money. You do anything but work on a farm? I mean, work in a store or anything?'

'Not that many stores where I come from, but I'll manage I guess, not like I got a choice, you know?'

'No, not really. Sure you can't call them, patch things up?'

'Sure, if I want to be something I am not.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Look uh, Ben? You been real nice to me, I appreciate it, really do. Thing is, even if I could go back, I wouldn't. Not with all they said, besides all the people there, they'll all know about me by now, and they will be the same as my own family, so no, no going back.'

'Shit, what you do, rob a bank or something?'

'Hell, that they would forgive.'

'Then what?'

Josh looked at him, leaned back and for a second or two, Ben thought that he was going to get up and run. It was like whatever he had done, was making him feel like no one would understand, or accept. For the life of him, Ben just couldn't figure it out, as he looked at Josh.

As he did, he saw the eyes flare a little, saw them look at him, then look away. Yet in that instant, he realized that Josh hadn't just looked at him, but had actually been checking him out. It felt rather odd, and then it hit him, like a ton of bricks. Josh was gay. It had to be that, nothing else could explain it.

'It's uh, nothing. You uh, you wouldn't want to know.'

'That you are Gay?'

Josh stared open mouthed at Ben. His eyes were darting all over, as if looking for a way to hide, to run to, and yet at the same time, they couldn't stop but come back to look at Ben. Ben just stood there, his eyes never leaving Josh's face once, as he waited, remembering how he had come out.

He could remember the look on his parent's faces, the shock, the dismay even, and then the understanding. His mother tearing up, yet never once making him feel like she loved him less. Even his friends hadn't seem all that surprised, nor upset. Well okay one or two weren't comfortable about it, and had sort of drifted away since, but as he waited for Josh to speak, he realized how lucky he had been.

'How'd you, I mean uh…'

'Been there.'

'You mean… I uh, I'd never… I mean…'

'Never mind, look uh they teach you how to wash dishes where you come from?'

'Yeah'

'Good, I hate doing dishes, so you can do these, meantime, we need to get you out of those wet ones. There are some whites in back, they should fit. We'll take what you got on, and dry them at my place.'

'Your place?'

'Unless you got somewhere else to sleep?'

'No, but uh… why?'

'Call it a gay thing, I don't know. Besides, if you want, I think I can get you a job doing dishes here, pay ain't hot, but at least its something. You can crash at my place for a bit, if you want.'

'Yeah, that would be, it is just, you don't know me, why? I don't get it.'

'Either do I, so let's not think about it, come on, I'll show you where to change, then we can clean up and get out of this place.'

Ben really didn't know why he had done it, or anything. Josh wasn't exactly dishwasher material, least at first, but he picked up on it quick enough. He did think Hendricks's would hire him, on his okay, so that would be okay. Besides, the place really did need a dishwasher, now that he was taking on the night shift.

Then too, bringing him home, letting him crash wasn't something he normally did. Hell, when he did pick someone up at the bars, he usually went to the park or their place, not his. He liked to keep his privacy. One of his flings told him he was worse than a penny pincher, when it came to giving out his phone number, let alone where he lived. Yet here he was, sitting in his only chair, while a strange 18 year old was in his bathroom, having a shower.

He had to be losing it or maybe it was the way his eyes had lit up, the way his whole face seemed to glow when he had suggested the job, and offered him a place to sleep. Ben shook his head, listening with one ear to the noises from the shower, unsure of what had come over him.

Sure Josh was good looking. Thin but that was from his leaving home. There was no doubt that after a few meals he'd fill out, making him more attractive. Yet, in his own way, he already was. Maybe it was that, though he had picked up cuter looking guys before Josh, never wanting to bring them home.

The sound of running water had stopped, as he thought about the whole evening, the ride home, and also the smell too. Josh obviously hadn't bathed recently, but in some strange way, Ben didn't seem to mind. Having him sitting next to him, felt strangely good. It was like it was supposed to be, though when they got back to Ben's he had sort of insisted on Josh taking a hot shower.

Course he had used the excuse that it would help ward off a cold, but still Josh seemed to have sensed the true reason. He had even laughed, as he had accepted the offer to use the shower. It wasn't a long laugh, but when he had, the smile was enough to simply die for. The way his lips seemed to gain color, curl up around his mouth, showing his teeth. It was unreal, and had given him a bit of an erection too.

That also was strange for him. Hell, he was 22 years old, had been having sex since he was 15, and no one had just smiled and gotten him excited. Yet, here he was, sitting with a semi hard on, all from just that one tiny smile.

'Uh, I didn't know what to do with the whites, so I uh left them in the bathroom.'

Ben looked up from his thoughts, to stare up at Josh. He realized that he was as tall as he was, about six foot. His hair was still wet, but all frizzed up from hand drying after the shower. It was clean too, and looked a dirty blond color, that hung down to under his ears. His face was obviously still a bit tanned from the summer, as was the rest of his body. He noticed the legs were white, but had some definition to them, as did his chest.

The towel was wrapped around his middle, and he sucked in his breath as he noticed the bulge at the middle. He couldn't help but stare. Quickly he pulled his eyes off Josh's groin, to look up at him again. The way the eyes seemed so much more alive, full of fun. The despair he had seen before was still there, lurking but the real Josh was shining through.

'That's okay, I'll do them with your other stuff in the morning.'

As he said it, he saw that look return briefly, then he saw the jaw set, the lips close firmly together. The eyes, which had been downcast, looked up at him and Ben felt his heart flutter a little. He saw the boy reach up and toss back some of his curly hair, from across his forehead. He had a strange determined look on his face as he did it, then he took a step forward.

Moving forward, Ben just watched as he saw him let the towel, around his middle, fall to the floor. He looked down, to stare at Josh's semi erect penis. Licking his lips, he couldn't help but look at it, to see the pink color of the shaft, the deeper purple of the head, as it seemed to be growing harder, before his eyes. His own heart was suddenly racing, as he watched Josh coming closer.

Finally he lifted his eyes up & away from the tantalizing vision of Josh's manhood. He saw that determined look, the way the eyes were so focused on him. While the room was warm, it wasn't super hot and yet sweat began to bead up on his forehead as Josh came closer, until finally he was standing right in front of Ben.

'Josh, you don't, I mean uh… you don't have to…'

'I know, I want to.'

'Why? You don't… really you don't…'

Josh kneeled down, stretching his legs out, resting his head on Ben's knee. His hands were also on his leg, as the face looked up at him. The eyes were dark, yet as they stared up at him, he felt them reaching out to him, talking to him in some odd way that his own mind seemed to actually understand. It was strange, bizarre even, but he let his hand moved down, to rest on Josh's head.

The touch was like touching an electric fence. His whole body suddenly seemed jolted awake, and he could feel his groin stirring, even more than it already was. The pounding of his heart was deafening to his ears, as he saw that face, saw the slow crawl of a smile, growing wider, more radiant, with each second.

'It's country tradition.'

'Huh? What is? I mean uh…'

'It's okay Ben, I am not a virgin, not a slut either, but I don't know, I am not good with words, but you feel it, so do I. I can tell.'

As he said it, he reached out and let his hand rest on top of Ben's crotch. There was no mistaking how hard he was, or that Josh had noticed it. He felt himself sigh, as he stared down at the young man, running his hand through his hair, feeling his words as well as hearing them.

His own body was quivering as he let his hand move down, to let his index finger curl around Josh's ear, to lightly trace a path along his cheek, towards his thin lips. As the finger passed across them. Ben felt his body tremble, then he felt the lisps curl and purse together, then lightly kiss his finger, before opening.

Ben felt his finger moving in, feeling the moist warmth inside of Josh's mouth. Part of his mind was telling him to stop now, to not let it go further, while his heart was racing faster with each passing second, with each tickle of his finger inside that warm mouth. He could feel the tenderness, as the lips held his finger, and as he pushed and pulled his finger in and out.

He looked down, to see Josh staring up at him, as he felt the hand over his cock, rubbing him lightly, but hard enough to feel. He felt his lungs drawing in air, as he struggled with the strange emotions that were running up and down his spine. It was unlike any experience he had ever had, as his finger pulled out, and he let it glide down and under Josh's chin. He felt his finger pressing upwards, to tilt Josh's face up further.

Looking down, into the young man's eyes he knew what he had meant, could feel it in himself, and he knew he didn't have the words either. He just felt it, as the hand now began to tug at his pants, to reach for his button and he felt himself smiling. He also felt a strange warmth inside, beginning to fill him up as he moved his hand to help Josh's hand.

As the button popped, the zipper slide down he felt light headed. The hand moved across his groin, as Josh shifted his position, and he felt the head move up and over. Josh shifted to lean into him, his lean naked body between Ben's spread open legs. The head was hovering over him, then slowly moved down. The eyes still stared up at him, and he watched as Josh rubbed his chin over his hard cock. He groaned, as he watched him tilt his head, still staring up at him. Ben felt the press of his lips on his cock, felt him tease it with his teeth, as he kept his eyes on him.

It was unbelievable, as he felt his body shake. Then he watched as Josh reached out to grab hold of his open pants, slide them down to just above his knees. He stood up, and Ben couldn't help but see the hard thick pole now jutting straight out from the body. Licking his lips he watched Ben bend over, and pull at his pants, taking them off and tossing them aside. Then his hands came back, to run across his crotch before grabbing the waist band of his shorts, and quickly pulling them off.

Ben felt the cool air pass across his crotch. He felt his cock sticking up and looking down saw the eyes looking up at him still. He saw them smile, felt them bore into him, as Josh reached out with his hand, to run his fingers lightly across the throbbing pole, then up and around his fat cock head. His body quivered to the touch, his nerves were all tingling, his muscles tightening as he stared back, feeling not just the lust, but more than that.

'Josh, you uh.. it uh isn't…'

Josh smiled again, and without saying a word, Ben felt Josh take his cock firmly in his grasp. Before he could mutter another word, his cock was enveloped in the warmth of Josh's mouth. He felt the lips wrap around his cock, and slide down as Josh took him all the way in. He felt his face pressing up into his groin, felt the warmth all around his cock, and he his body shudder.

The rolling waves of pleasure made him groan, made his legs stiffen as he felt the tongue licking at the underside of his cock. He felt the hand holding him, felt the fingers clasp his shaft tighter, as the mouth moved up and down, tasting him and making him squirm and shake. His eyes closed, with the image of the blond head popping up and down on his cock.

His hands gripped the edge of his chair, the fingers digging into the chair arms, as he felt the tongue raking his cock, the teeth raking the head of his cock. He was panting, while his pulse was racing. Ben couldn't believe how good it felt, as the head was moving faster and faster, The head twisted and turned, making him moan loudly, and he heard the gurgling sound, the slurping as Josh took him all the way. He would stop half way at times, then other times he would feel Josh's nose dig into the softness of his groin.

Ben was pushing back into the chair, as Josh sucked his throbbing dick. He cried out, feeling his balls swelling, feeling them suddenly explode. His eyes shut even tighter, brilliant lights exploding on the inside of his eyelids, as his body jerked and then shot upwards and out.

He felt the cock digging deep into the mouth, felt the head strike the very back of Josh's throat. He heard him moan, felt the throat opening even wider, as his cock head reared back, then shot forward. As it leapt forward, his heart thundered. He cried out, knowing he was there. He felt it, felt the flow of his cum as it went racing along his cock, to spill in a stream out into Josh's mouth.

Ben felt his body shake, felt the shaking in the chair, as his body arched upwards, as it emptied itself. He cried out a second time, feeling the explosion rack his whole body with its force. He felt the lips tighten, felt his hot milk coating the shaft inside of the mouth. It was too much, as he was panting hard, struggling to breathe, as his body gave its juice with as much force as it could.

He could hear him swallow, feel the throat contract with each swallow. His body was shaking as he sank back into his chair, exhaustion overtaking him as the last of his cum dribbled from his cock. He felt the lips loosen a little, felt his cock beginning to soften, as he heard Josh's heavy breathing.

Looking down, he saw the smile, saw the dried cum around the corners of the mouth and he watched as the tongue came out, licking the few remnants away, to once more be swallowed. He saw the eyes look up at him, glowing with even more desire than before.

Josh stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He now stared down at Ben, then he let his hand move forward, open to take Ben's own hand. He helped him stand up and then brought them both together. He held Ben tightly. His head was resting on top of his shoulder, as he felt the head turn. The press of the lips on his cheek made him tremble, then he heard the soft whisper.

'Thanks'

He felt his own desire growing, as he gently lifted his arms up, to grasp Josh's shoulders. He pushed him away a little, to look into his eyes. He saw the fire in them, saw the passion too as he smiled back. He then took Josh's hand, and began to walk towards his bedroom, his eyes never once leaving Josh's face.