Panel Work

Justin was our part-time workshop ‘go-for’. He was nineteen and while he was friendly and helpful around the floor, he wasn’t the brightest spark. He was never going to be allowed to have a paint gun in his hand.

No one knew he’d been sleeping at work, although from my tired arms perspective I was exceptionally glad he had been. I had no idea what John was going to say to him but then again, I had no idea what anyone of us was going to say to each other next week.

Given our clothes had been cut to shreds we dressed in what we could find, to go home. Old overalls, gear we’d had in our lockers and rags from the washed rag bin. As we made our way out to our cars, we must have looked like the homeless. At 11pm the place was as it should be, deserted.

* * *

On Monday morning, John kept the front roller door down and the ‘Closed’ sign out, as we all sat at the end of the workshop to talk about what happened. The physical remnants were still scattered around the floor as it had been left on Friday night.

“Any ideas on who, how or why?” he asked to start the ball rolling. That part of the conversation lasted about thirty minutes. There was general agreement on the mysterious beer as the ‘how’ but no one could fathom who or why. Some weird practical joke or revenge for a job gone bad were the best any of us could come up with.

After it became clear we were not going to find answers to the first three questions, John took the floor again.

“As for what happened in the cage, whoever has the mug talks and only him, I’ll start,” he said, given he had a white coffee mug in his hand. “I don’t know what happened, really, I was tired after the week, haven’t been laid in a month and bang suddenly I found myself super fucken horny, pressed up against skin in a fucken cage. After cumming the first time I just lost it and wanted to get off so bad a second round, I gave up control. I don’t really want to think about it too much, and I’d prefer after today not to talk about it, that’s all I want to say for the moment.”

The mug passed around the circle with each speaker saying more or less the same sort of thing. I went last.

“I just want to say it was weird, but to tell the truth,” I took a breath, “I know I’m only twenty but that was the best three blows in a row I’ve ever had. I mean I don’t want to do it again or nothing, but fuck I was full on horny”. It was the truth and despite feeling I might have let on more than I should, there was general agreeing half nods around the group.

Everyone had two or three goes with the mug, until there was nothing left to say. We cleaned the place up, put away the cage and agreed we wouldn’t accept beer unless we knew where it came from. At 11am we opened the front door and the usual heavy working week got underway.

* * *

A fortnight later I found myself with Justin, up in the loft above the workshop. It was a self-contained room with a simple bathroom, and a tiny kitchenette. The space had been used for office storage for years. It was packed with boxes and boxes of paperwork.

Shirtless, stripped to the waist, the pair of us labored for an entire day. I couldn’t believe a small business was able to generate so many documents. We filled two dumpers, before we could get on to the task of dusting, wiping and cleaning.

“Do you know why we’re doing this?” I asked, conversationally.

“Yeah,” replied Justin, surprising me. I stopped mid wipe to make eye contact.

“You know that night I found you guys locked in the cage.” He added as I nodded. “Well, you all know Julie and I are fighting a lot.” He paused. “I’ve been staying at John’s two or three nights since then. He thinks it will be better for both of us if I bunk up here.” I shrugged, it made sense.

“Can I ask a question?” he ventured carefully. I shrugged again, giving him the go-ahead. “John won’t talk about that night you guys were playing; he says it was a practical joke gone bad.”

“I’m not sure I’d call it playing.” I corrected. “Is that your question?” he shook his head no.

“Did you all get your rocks off? Was it like a circle-jerk?”

“No it wasn’t a circle jerk.” I paused. “but yes, we did get our rocks off a few times.” His eye brows shot up. “Why are you asking?”

“I thought if it was a circle,” his turn to take a breath. “I wondered why you guys didn’t invite me.” I finally saw where he was coming from.

“I’m so fucken horny!” he added, now the door had been opened. “Julie wont fuck! My balls are always full! I thought maybe I should see a doctor, my nuts ache all the time.”

“But you jack off?” I confirmed.

“Yeah, but its so boring after a while. As soon as I finish, I’m hard again. I thought if it was a circle, I could join in.”

“I don’t think you need to see a doctor.” I reassured. “all nineteen-year-olds are horny, I am, and I’m a year older than you.” I drew breath, “I promise if something like the cage comes up again, we’ll make sure you’re there.” He brightened exponentially; he was cute in his own way. 

We returned to our cleaning. i took a little more notice of his arse.

* * *

Over the next few months, it was clear the group dynamics had shifted. It was as if the crew had become tighter. There was much less stirring of myself, and of each other across the entire team. We seemed to have become closer, more tolerant. As strange as it sounds, we had more fun in each other’s company. The events of the cage night remained never discussed.

Three months on from the original night, John asked me to hold back after we’d finished our usual uneventful Friday night beers. He wanted to sign off my school work for mid semester break. The boys left for their weekend; things had been back to normal for weeks. In his office he handed me the papers after applying his autograph. He paused.

“You know the night we were locked up,” he started.

“Yeah,” I replied, unsure where this was going.

“You had your dick shoved up my arse.” He continued.

“Yeah, we all fucked someone, I thought we weren’t allowed to talk of this?”

“I know, I know and I’m not saying it to blame you, I just wanted to ask you something, that’s all.” He sighed.

“Oh, ok.” I said a little calmer, “what?”

“Well, how did it feel?” he asked. “Fucking me.”

“Ok, I guess.”

“Just ok?” He asked, “cause can I tell you, when I had my cock in Shane, it was fucken awesome!” He had his head down now, as if he was embarrassed, “I’m not gay or nothing, I’ve just never felt anything that good on my dick, that’s all.” He paused again, “I wondered was it the same for you?”

“Of course, it was!” I confirmed, “I just didn’t want to say that to the whole crew. I did say I’d never cum like that though.”

“Yeah, yeah I know you did,” he stopped, “That’s probably why I’m talking to you now.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, now confused around what he was saying, or not saying.

“Well, I just wanted to see if you would be interested in doing something like that again,” he finally asked. “I mean having something up my arse hurt, but me being buried in someone was so amazing, I could live with one, if I could get the other.”

Wow! This was blowing my mind.

“So, you want to fuck me?” I asked, just to make sure. “And I can fuck you?”

“I know you had Mike buried in you that night.” He continued, “I’m about his size, so I figure you can take it.” Silence descended, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

“So, you want to fuck?” He finally asked

“Yeah.” I replied simply. I saw his shoulders relax. He’d been really tense about this conversation.

“To tell you the truth. I haven’t had sex since that night,” he added, “I’m hornier now than I was back then.” I smiled at the admission. “I’m not planning on talking to the others, I just thought I’d trust you, and ask.”

“Are you really cool with this?” He asked seeking confirmation.

“If it’s just between us, sure, let’s do it,” I agreed. I think he was a little shocked at my keen and ready agreement. “but I want two things.”

“Maybe.” He said with a touch of suspicion.

“First, this is not just a one off. If we’re going to fuck, we fuck regular. So we get to know how each other’s body works, you know, make the sex better.”

“Ok, let’s hook up, half a dozen times over the next few months, then we’ll talk about it. Does that work?” he was quick!

“Ok, deal on the first.” I agreed. “Two, I want to get to put paint on cars, not just the preparation shit I have to do all the time.” This caused him to pause, we were talking about work now, not sex.

“All right, but not on the prestige cars, and no more arguments when you’re told to mask up the SUV’s.”

“So I don’t get to put paint on Roy’s Jaguar, but I can paint some general stuff.” I asked as confirmation.

“I’m the only one who touches that Cat. I don’t know what Roy’s day job is, but I’m not fucking with him, or his antique car!” He paused. “So, no Jag, but yes to Impalas.”

“Done!” I declared. He was good, but we had an agreement. Holy fuck, I was already hard!