The Aftermath
Once they got Brent to the ER safely, Scotty and Chet completed their paperwork. The County Coroner was called to collect Sue’s body. Shan knew where Brent kept the insurance and legal documents, and with Brent out of commission, she would do everything possible to make arrangements.
Brent was placed on suicide watch, and the VA was informed of his suicide attempt.
Chet knew right away that Scotty was upset but tried not to show it. Once everything was calm and they were about to head back to the station, he asked, “Scotty, what’s going on? You know that guy, don’t you? You called him Brent, but you also said you didn’t know your neighbors.”
Scotty didn’t want to lie to such a good friend, and he admitted, “Yeah, I do. He’s a client of mine from the spa. He’s had a few sessions with me. I had no idea he lived across the street from me.”
“He seems to mean something to you. Is there something going on?”
Scotty ruefully said, “I wish. He’s straight. I knew he was married, and I knew his wife was ill, but I didn’t know any details. Shit, he lost his wife and tried to kill himself. As far as I know, he doesn’t have anyone close to him. He at least knows my name. I feel like I should stay with him until he regains consciousness.”
Putting a hand on Scotty’s shoulder, Chet asked, “Do you think that’s a good idea? I don’t want to overstep my bounds here, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. You seem to have feelings for him already, or at least some kind of attachment.”
Sighing heavily, Scotty said, “You’re right. It might not be the wisest thing to do, but he’s also completely alone and just lost his wife. I think at least a somewhat familiar face might help when he wakes up.”
Chet said, “Ok, I’ll head back to the station and explain everything to Terry. I won’t give him personal details, and I’ll get one of the newbies to cover the rest of your shift. Just keep me informed, so I can let Terry know when you’ll be back.”
“Thanks, Chet.”
Chet pulled Scotty into a tight hug and patted his back, “No sweat. Call me if you need a ride later. Uber rates around here are through the roof.”
“Will do.”
<><>
His mind in a fog, Brent drifted in and out of consciousness. He held Sue, repeatedly reliving her last moment and feeling as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest each time. He cried, even in his sleep.
In a moment of lucidity, he heard a voice that he recognized.
“Brent? It’s Scott. I’m with you.”
He remembered feeling safe with Scott, but he also remembered the guilt he carried that was tied to the name.
<>
Scotty stared at Brent’s face.
Fuck he’s handsome. I knew he would be. So much for the gargoyle scenario.
Admonishing himself for focusing on Brent’s appearance, Scotty was genuinely concerned about his emotional state. He had just lost his wife and attempted to take his own life, and there was no telling how he would be when he woke up. As a precaution, Brent was in restraints.
Brent’s sedatives wore off enough for him to wake up, but he was still groggy. A nurse came in every fifteen minutes to check on him, but Scotty told them he was still asleep. When Brent tried to move an arm, the rattle of the chain alerted Scotty that he was awake.
Jumping up, he moved to Brent’s bedside. Brent looked at him, his eyes unfocused for a few seconds, then his brow furrowed. “Scott?”
He had never seen Scotty’s face, only felt his naked body — along with his hands and mouth – so he had no idea what he looked like. The name sewn onto his EMT uniform said “BRIDGER.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I was on duty when Shan called 911. I work at Station 14, that covers your neighborhood. Fuck, Brent, I’m so sorry about your wife. I know you said she was ill, but I had no idea.”
Brent stayed quiet, unsure of what to say.
Scotty stammered, “I know we aren’t buddies. I’m not even supposed to know who you are. My being here has nothing to do with the spa, other than I know your name and have a bit of a connection to you. You seem like a genuinely nice guy, and after what happened, I didn’t want you to be alone.”
“Thanks.”
“Is there anything you need? Anyone I can call? Should I contact your workplace?”
“No. Thanks for being here, but I think I want to be alone.”
Fuck. Not what I wanted to hear.
“Ok. I’m sorry again, especially if me being here upsets you. I wrote my name and phone number down for you. Another strange thing in all this is that we’re neighbors. I live a few doors down from you, across the street, so I’ll be nearby if you need anything once you get home. I don’t have much going on, so it’s no trouble. If you don’t want anything to do with me ever again, I understand that, too. Just know I’m here if you need me, ok? Take care.
Scotty patted Brent’s arm in comfort and turned to leave the room. Brent watched him walk down the hall, wishing he had asked him to stay. Once he was alone, the walls seemed to close in, and despite the guilt, something about Scotty made him feel safe.
<><>
Scotty called Uber but realized Chet was right, so he called Chet, who picked him up.
About 11:00 pm, Scotty’s phone rang.
“This is Scotty.”
“Mr. Bridger, this is Katy, the duty nurse at Gwinnett Medical.”
Scotty’s stomach lurched, and he asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Mr. Haddock asked me to call you. He’s still in restraints and can’t use his phone. It’s past normal visiting hours, but he’s asking to see you. I cleared it with my boss.”
“Tell him I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Terry was in the kitchen and overheard the conversation and said, “Go. Chet can take one of the new kids if we get any calls tonight.”
“Thanks, Terry. I owe you one.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Be safe and let me know in the morning if you need some extended time off.”
<><>
Brent lay in bed with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling, when the door to his room opened and Scotty came in. Scotty could swear he saw relief for a brief second.
“Hi, Brent. I got here as soon as I could.”
“Sorry to call you at work.”
“My boss is totally cool. I have all the time I need. What’s up?”
Brent started to stammer, “I.. I’m sorry. I just don’t want to be alone.”
“Hey, that’s fine. I understand.”
Moving to Brent’s bedside, Scotty took one of his hands and gripped it firmly, “I’m here, bud. I’ll stay as long as you want me here.”
Brent’s eyes watered, and he started to choke up. “I tried to sleep, but I see her every time I close my eyes. I was holding her when she stopped breathing. Fuck, I couldn’t do anything. That goddamned fucking disease. It took her from me, and there was nothing I could do.”
Brent broke down, sobbing heavily, and Scotty placed his other hand on Brent’s head to comfort him. He didn’t know what to say, nor did he know Brent well enough to say anything that wouldn’t sound foolish, cliché, or insincere, so he simply held him. He wished he could hug him, but the restraints prevented it. Instead, he gently moved his thumb, lightly stroking Brent’s forehead.
Scotty had nearly a decade of training under his belt and had taken courses in grief and how people handle it. Brent needed to release the initial surge of emotion instead of bottling it up. As a Marine, Scotty wasn't sure what Brent’s experiences were or what other issues he might have, so he relied on his best judgment to move forward.
First, he let Brent cry, simply holding and touching him until the worst of his tears subsided. He got a tissue and wiped his eyes for him, then lowered Brent’s bed and pulled a chair beside him so he could sit comfortably next to him while still holding his hand.
“What was your wife’s name?”
“Sue.”
“How did you meet?”
Scotty pulled Brent’s story out of him one question at a time, and slowly built a better picture of what he did for work, how he met his wife, when she got sick, and everything up to the present.
He asked more probing questions, like, “What did you like most about her? What did you do that most irritated her?” Brent smiled and even chuckled at some of his responses. Scotty kept him talking, and when silence fell, he asked something else. Anything to keep Brent from shutting down.
After a few hours, Brent said, “I have to pee.”
“I’ll get a nurse.”
“Can’t you help?”
“Well, yeah, sure, if you want.”
“It’s not like you haven’t touched me before.”
“Are you sure?”
“If you don’t do something fast, I’m going to flood this bed.”
Scotty quickly got the urinal and lifted Brent’s hospital gown. He had never seen Brent fully soft before, and it was obvious he was a shower. Gripping his penis, he held Brent and directed his flow.
“Damn, you did have to go.”
Brent filled the urinal halfway, and when he was done, Scotty got a clean tissue and wiped off the head. Surprised and caught off guard, Scotty’s eyes widened slightly as Brent started to get hard. Making eye contact, Brent blushed and mumbled, “Sorry.”
“No need to be sorry.”
“I… I just thought of how good your hands felt at the spa. That’s fucked up.”
Scotty hung his head and carefully chose his words. “Brent, my side job at the spa has nothing to do with me being here. This might sound weird, but I like you. I don’t mean in a gay way. I think we can be great friends. This is a terribly tragic way to meet, and I don’t want to take advantage of you. I don’t want you to think that’s why I’m here.”
Brent said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I can’t tell you how much your being here means to me. I don’t have anyone right now. I devoted my life to Sue, and apart from a few coworkers, I don’t deal with people often and haven’t for a few years. I don’t want to take advantage of you either. It would be great to be friends.”
Scotty grinned, “That makes me happy, Brent. Now, as one friend to another, and me being gay and all, I don’t mind helping a brother out. If you promise me it won’t make things weird. Maybe it’ll help you sleep better.”
Brent’s answer was the movement under his gown.
Scotty winked and said, “We just need to hold off for a few minutes. The nurse is due to check on you, then we’ll have fifteen or twenty minutes in the clear.”
“Fuck, ok. She’s gonna see me, though.”
Scotty moved the rolling table, the one used for patients to eat while in bed, to cover his hard-on.
“Thanks!”
On time, the nurse entered, checked Brent’s blood pressure, temperature, and other vitals, then promptly left.
Scotty said, “It’s a good thing you leak a lot. There’s no lube and I don’t like to use spit.”
Sliding the table out of the way, Brent’s gown was tented at full mast. There was already a wet spot on the gown. Reaching under the fabric, Scotty gripped his fully hard member, and when Brent bowed up slightly, he gasped in pain. “Fuck.”
“Shit, be careful. I forgot about your ribs. Sorry about that, it happened when I did CPR on you. It’s pretty common.”
“You fucker, if you broke my ribs, a hand job is the least you can do as payback.”
“I need to make this quick in case she comes back.”
Scotty was an expert, and he knew how to edge someone and how to get a man off quickly. Brent was surprised at how quickly he came. He was shocked when Scotty put his head under his gown and took his full length into his mouth to clean up all the cum, and licked off what was on his hand.
“Jesus.”
“Don’t tell me it grosses you out?”
“No, just the opposite.”
“Well, stay down, big boy. You need to get some shut-eye.”
Brent leaned back and closed his eyes, but he quietly asked, “Scott?”
“Call me Scotty. Everyone does.”
“Will you stay?”
“I’m not going anywhere, Brent. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Brent softly exhaled, and this time, when he closed his eyes, he didn’t see the image of his wife dying in his arms.
<><>
Brent was a tough Marine. His biggest challenge in the Marine Corps was adjusting to civilian life after the disciplined military routine. His two four-year tours in Afghanistan left scars, but he was a soldier and did what he signed up for. He served as a Marine for a total of ten years. He didn’t return to the States with PTSD, and Sue helped him find his balance to reenter civilian life, but he never let go of his discipline. He was an extremely regimented man.
Sue’s death broke him, shattering the peace he had found. Her slow decline gradually eroded the walls of his life until he broke apart when she died in his arms. He didn’t want to live without her and tried to end his life, and he would have succeeded if it hadn’t been for Scotty and Chet.
His connection to Scotty started when he went to Matthew and Sons spa for some sexual relief. He was already floundering when he met Scotty, but Scotty opened a door in him. He wasn’t sure where it led, but it was there. He had never given himself over to carnal pleasure before, at least not in that way, and Scotty pushed his limits. He didn’t submit, but allowed himself to be vulnerable with another person, and Scotty didn’t break his trust.
Scotty saved his life and then showed up at the hospital, not as the sex worker, but as the trained EMT that responded to Shan’s 911 call. Brent hadn’t known Scotty’s true identity, and Scotty never knew Brent’s full name or anything about him, but he was present when Brent desperately needed someone to keep him from drowning.
A few days after being admitted to the hospital, Brent was discharged. He was removed from suicide watch, and the VA sent a counselor to speak with him.
It was tough entering the house where everything had happened. Shan tried her best to clean up the bedroom, but the smell of feces and vomit was masked by air freshener and carpet cleaner. If he stayed in the room long enough, the odor seeped through, so he slept on the couch.
He had to get everything in order. Sue’s body was still at the County Coroner, and decisions needed to be made. The hospital requested that he turn her body over for research to help future victims with the same ailment, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. The idea of her being cut apart incited a fury he hadn’t felt since Afghanistan. He decided to cremate her. The idea of fire purifying her earthly remains so her soul would be unstained brought him comfort.
Everything was costly, and although he earned a good income and had solid insurance, Sue’s death and his own hospital stay were going to cost him a small fortune.
Scotty helped him out by coming over when he wasn't on shift at the fire station. Brent also went to Scotty’s house, and they cooked together. Scotty was a good cook and loved grilling. Over a beer and a steak, Scotty asked him, “Brent, no pressure at all, but you told me that you lost your workout partner. I’ve seen the setup in your garage. Would you be open to me working out with you? I could take that spot, and you could teach me a thing or two. I love lifting, but you put me to shame when it comes to physique training. It’s tough with my schedule, but if you’re up for it, I am.”
“Sure, man. I work out five days a week, and I really need a partner on the days I want to push hard. You want to know something weird?”
“What?”
“This is my old workout partner's house.”
“No shit? That is weird! You know I’ll be happy to drop my gym membership and give you the money to keep up the equipment or make any enhancements you want.”
“Fuck, no. That ain’t gonna fly. Just bring yourself, but if you want my help, you have to do what I say. No slacking.”
<><>
The two men became fast friends, although with Scotty, it was more than just friendship. His feelings for Brent grew daily, but he masked that part of himself and forced himself to be content with what Brent offered. But during the time he spent with Brent, his heart felt lighter, and he buried the sadness when they were apart.
Brent, true to his word, helped Scotty with his workouts, and Brent leaned down again to the shape he was in when they first met. One night after they finished working out, both shirtless and sweaty, Brent chuckled and said, “I think it’s about time I booked another session at the spa. I’m finally caught up on the bills and have the extra cash.”
Scotty blushed and said, “I’ve been waiting for you to bring that up. I don’t want to do anything that will hurt our friendship, but that’s something I can offer you if you want. I don’t want any money. I’ll be doing it as a friend. I know that sounds weird, and I’ll only do it if you promise me it won’t get weird between us.”
Brent wiped his face with a towel and said, “Has anything seemed weird between us? You’ve become a great friend, Scotty. I see it as we have history together, and I haven’t talked about it much, but you really helped me. I mean, in a way I couldn’t imagine. Even before Sue was gone, I was having a hard time, and you made things easy and special. I sort of thanked you for that, but I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“I haven’t felt any weirdness. I just want to be sure. I don’t want to fuck up our friendship.”
Brent stood up and Scotty noticed his erection in his gym shorts. Brent usually went commando when they worked out, and it was impossible to miss.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Do you want to shower? Or do you want to start now? We can close the garage door.”
“How about we start in here, then take a shower and head to the spare bedroom.”
Scotty grinned, stood up, and hit the button to close the garage door. The summer evening was warm, and the garage was hot, and between their workout, plus the heat and humidity, they were both dripping.
Brent sat on the flat bench as Scotty moved behind him, looking down at his muscular neck, traps, and shoulders. He also felt an extra thrill seeing Brent’s handsome face without the mask. He wanted to see Brent’s eyes roll back in his head.
Scotty scooted him forward, sat behind him, and pressed against him. “I’ve missed this.”
Brent moaned, “Me too.”
Their warm, sweaty bodies felt wonderful together. Both men had a pump, which elevated the physicality of their connection. Scotty slipped Brent’s shorts off so he was fully naked. Putting his arms around Brent’s thick torso, he held them together for a few seconds. Brent’s cock jumped as Scotty predicted. Moving his hands, he caressed Brent’s pumped-up chest and lightly teased his nipples. When Brent arched his back, pushing his chest out, Scotty said, “Lean back into me and keep your thighs spread.”
Scotty had jerked off so many times to the idea of what was happening. Brent was horny enough to let this happen, but it was just sex to him, and Scotty didn’t expect any reciprocation. That sucked, but he also got to fulfill his desire to bring Brent as much pleasure as he could.
Taking his time, Scotty worked Brent up. With no fear of anyone at the spa listening, their conversation could go anywhere they wanted. He spent a good half hour touching, caressing, and teasing Brent. Without the mask, Scotty was able to lightly touch the back of Brent’s head above the nape of his neck, and every time it elicited a moan and a tremble through Brent’s entire body. Before Brent started to beg, Scotty moved to his cock. His perfect, beautiful, big, thick, cut cock. With his chin on Brent’s shoulder, Scotty rolled his balls with one hand and started stroking him with the other, using his precum as lube. Brent let everything happen, placing his pleasure in Scotty’s magic hands. When Brent got close, Scotty moved off his balls and up to one of his nipples, which triggered his first orgasm. Scotty never asked him, but he wondered if Brent jerked off daily, or even at all. By the way he shot, he would guess Brent hadn’t gotten off in days at the very least. The same as the first time, his initial spurts were so powerful they shot over his shoulder and hit Scotty in his face.
Holding Brent afterwards, Scotty massaged his sweaty form while his breathing returned to normal. When his eyes opened and he looked in the mirror and saw Scotty’s face, he laughed.
“Fuck, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It tells me how good it must have felt that you shot that far. Besides, I like it. I usually don’t like the taste, but yours isn’t bad.”
Patting Brent’s solid chest, he said, “You know, since we can do this pretty much whenever you want, we don’t have to have a marathon like at the spa. I mean, I’ll get you off as many times as you want, but there’s no need to push it like we did.”
“That’s actually good. I loved those sessions. Fuck they were intense, but cumming five times in four hours was a lot, even for me.”
“Then let’s shower, and I’ll get you off again so you can sleep good. Is that ok?”
“Yeah.”
The two big men stood and walked into the house, Brent naked and Scotty still in his tented shorts. Brent led the way to the master bathroom, which had a large walk-in shower, and he started the hot water.
“Why don’t you shower with me. It will give me a chance to evaluate your progress.”
Fuck, you can evaluate me all you want. I wish you’d evaluate my dick.
Scotty took the lead and washed Brent thoroughly. He even washed his hair. Brent remained hard the entire time. Scotty washed himself, but before they left the shower, Brent took him by his shoulders and said, “Ok, let me have a look at you.”
Scotty nearly came when Brent’s hands started gripping him, moving him into different positions, feeling Scotty’s muscles and observing his symmetry. “You’re doing great, Scotty. You had a great foundation, but you’re gaining ground fast. It’ll slow soon, but take advantage. We should up your caloric intake, maybe three to five hundred calories a day if you can swing it. If you eat clean, you can gain lean muscle, so you don’t have to bulk and then cut. It’s slower in the long run, but I find it easier to do it that way.”
Trying to keep his dick under control and keep things light, Scotty said, “Yes, Obi-Wan.”
Brent laughed and lightly punched his arm before stepping out of the shower to dry himself. Scotty followed, and Brent threw him a towel. When they were dry, they walked naked together to the guest bedroom. Brent no longer slept in the master bedroom and didn’t talk about it. Jumping on the bed, Brent stretched out spread-eagled.
Scotty said, “Before we start, or finish… whatever, I want to thank you. I couldn’t have done this on my own. I’ve tried, and I always did what I read, but most of what I tried never worked for me like it did for the guys I watched.”
“That’s because most of those fuckers take gear, even though they deny it. They just want to milk clients out of money, telling them they can achieve their goals, while they cheat.”
“Probably, but I feel better than ever, and I like what I see in the mirror. I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
Grinning, Brent said, “You’re welcome. And we’re both getting something we want, right?” He nodded to his raging hardon.
Scotty chuckled, “Yeah, there’s that. How about a blowjob tonight?”
Brent knew that meant Scotty’s hands would be free. He had done that in their first session, and it was mind-blowing. Brent just smiled, and Scotty knelt between his thighs and reached for Brent’s nipples. Scotty knew exactly how to stimulate them, and he could almost make Brent cum just by playing with them. If he went on long enough, he might be able to get him off that way. Now that there was no time constraint, maybe he should ask Brent if he wanted to try it.
Scotty loved it when Brent groaned and his whole body bowed, pushing his chest up and widening his legs. Brent’s nipples were wired to his cock, so Scotty double stimulated him by teasing his cock head with his lips and tongue. Scotty had worked hard to overcome his gag reflex so that he could take Kit’s full length, and he was glad he could do that for Brent.
Taking his time, Scotty drew out Brent’s pleasure for a good while before he felt his cock thicken and bolt as he spurted his second load of the night down Scotty’s throat. When Brent was finished, Scotty crawled up beside him and rolled Brent onto his side to be spooned and held. Scotty wondered about Brent’s desire to be held. It was different, even though he loved it. Brent seemed to crave it after he got off.
He could tell Brent was fading fast, so he backed off a little and started using the back of his fingernails to lightly scratch Brent’s back. He kept his touch light and soothing, and in only a few minutes he knew Brent was asleep.
Quietly, Scotty rolled off the bed, got dressed and walked home. Alone. With a hard on.
Once in his bedroom, he jerked off and crawled into bed, wishing he were sleeping with Brent.
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