Hello again, all.. I've been rather quiet for the past few months, but I seem have the writing bug again. This is a rather different story than most of what's on the list lately, but that's how my bug/Muse/whatever works.. Note: Adult content warning. That doesn't seem to be a big deal on this list, but I'm just making sure nobody gets unnecessarily offended. If you're /necessarily/ offended, that's another matter. Just keep it to private email. :) Love is just Magic part one Beginning at the beginning is always a good place to start. I'm going to disappoint anybody, but the actual beginning comes just /after/ the sex scene. David and I were still naked, lying on our sides, facing each other across a few inches of crumpled bedsheets. He had a big, smarmy grin plastered across his face, and I'm sure I looked just as silly. "So..." he breathed. "So..?" I murmured back. My hand, acting entirely of its own volition, slid down from his hairless chest to toy with his pubic fur. His grin got a little wider, then he suddenly broke into a yawn. Naturally, I followed suit a split second later. We both chuckled, and David remarked "Isn't that just like a man.. falling asleep after sex." At which I grabbed a pillow from over my head and lightly swatted him. "Would you prefer I was a woman, then?" Thinking back on it now, I saw him turn stone-cold sober for a moment. But I didn't notice, since he grinned and fumbled around for another pillow. Since all of them but the one I was still bonking him with were mixed in with the covers on the floor, I managed to get in a few good whacks before he put his arms over his head and, laughing, said "I surrender, you win - I couldn't fall asleep on you now anyway." A little mollified, I let the pillow drop against the sheets. Peeking from between his fingers, his eyes twinkled... "Not that falling asleep, on you, is such a bad idea..." I should probably mention here that I was a good 6'2" and 220 pounds, compared to David's 5'3" and 130. Giving one more pillow-bonk for the pun, I laughed and hugged him close. We'd been lovers, in the physical sense, for just over a week then - but in the emotional sense, each of us trying to make the other happy, for years. I still couldn't believe I'd waited so long before letting him bed me; he'd been dropping heavy hints that he was interested in me since we'd first met in high school. I'd always taken his remarks as a running joke, until last Friday, when I called one of his bluffs. Only it turned out not to be a bluff, and we'd had sex, then made love... and now were making love 24 hours per day, even though sometimes we didn't see each other for, oh, hours at a time. David returned the hug, pressing his body against mine. "Maybe later, then. We've got a few things to do right now.. and I have a surprise for you after we clean up." I stretched against him, then smiled and shook my head. "I don't see how you could have gone anywhere without me knowing about it.. but you're right, we should clean up." After the mundane tasks of throwing clothes in the hamper (we've done more laundry in a week than I usually do in a month) and making the bed, tasks we both shared, and the more pleasant task of cleaning each other, we found ourselves in the kitchen, drinking tea and waiting for David's spaghetti sauce to simmer. "I believe I recall something about a surprise..?", I hinted subtly. David nodded, staring out the window at the house across the driveway. "That's true. Although, technically, it isn't really a surprise." Oddly, he wasn't grinning, like I expected. Usually when David pulled something like this, it's a lead-in to a joke, or a horrible pun, or something he knew I've been longing for but couldn't afford (With University tuition, room and board, I had barely enough money to see a movie every month. David never seemed to be short of cash, though, somehow.) I tried to think of anything he'd mentioned in the past few days that might make him look so serious, but couldn't think of anything. After a moment, he glanced at me, and.. studied me, is the best I can describe it. "Randy.. you know how I was kidding about bedding you last week, and you finally took me up on it?" I grinned and nodded, but couldn't see what this was leading up to. David chewed on his lower lip, and looked out the window again. "Well.. you know how I've been kidding you about that since grade ten or so. Um... how to put this.. have you noticed any.. themes I've "kidded" about, generally?" Tilting my head, I thought back... David usually joked about everything in sight - and out - with me.. I knew he was some type of 'New-Ager', and he often made almost-serious put-downs of most organized religions. And organizations, buerocracies, and governments in general. I was continually surprised when he managed to wend his way through the University administrivia each year. About the only other "theme" I could think of was that he usually tried to guess what animal each person he met was closest to.. Used car dealers were usually snakes or rats, most of the students were sheep, I was a stallion (until last week, I was just a simple horse), and he claimed to be a fox. "Um.. I guess religion, or animals, or buerocrats, maybe.." Grinning slightly, he nodded once to the window. "This has to do with all of those, really. Ah... oh, heck. You'll never believe me until I show you. Let's finish supper, and then go to the basement." More confused than ever, I shrugged and nodded, ladling out the meal. We were in David's 7-room house (I'd just finished moving in), and I'd never felt like looking downstairs. After going through the (delicious; David's a great cook) meal and stacking the dishes, David dithered a few minutes - and he /never/ dithers - before I put my hand on his shoulder. "Look, if this is something you don't want to show me, then that's okay. I respect-" David shook his head and interrupted - yet another thing he never does. "I want you to have this, but I'm not sure how you'll take it. Besides," he grinned, "respect is a terrible curse for somebody to bear. Love's a much finer thing, no?" I chuckled and kissed him. "Lust also has it's points.." "Mmmm.. that's true.. well, let's see what we shall see, shall we?" And he led me down the stairs. --- Love is just Magic part two Author's notes: Sorry for the anti-foreshadowing about TG, but I couldn't resist. :)