Co-written by: Myst and LJ
“Kadyn, remember me telling you about the reservations I made for next week in Vancouver?” Vincent asked with an innocent look on his face. “Well, I cancelled them yesterday.”
Kadyn rolled over onto his back. He was down on the living room floor watching TV. “What’d ya do that for?” Kadyn demanded. “I already got the time off; my dad is doing my shifts and has divided his between our part-time staff. And now we’re not going? This really sucks, Vincent.” He was unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.
Vincent couldn’t keep his face straight any longer and a big grin spread across it as he explained. “Hey, it’s nothing to worry about. An old friend of mine, Elliot Stone, and I were talking the other day and he thought you and I might like to stay on his yacht rather than in a hotel. It’s not huge, only a thirty-footer, and we can’t take it out of the harbor, but we can relax and sleep there. I thought it would be fun so I accepted. What do you think of the idea?”
“I like it!” Kadyn exclaimed excitedly. Deciding the conversation was more interesting than the show he had been watching; he turned off the television and got up to sit next to Vincent on the sofa. “Tell me more, please. Just how many surprises do you have in mind?” His smile widened and his eyes sparkled as he waited for a reply.
“I don’t have any more surprises lined up,” Vincent replied with a smile. “The yacht was just an idea that worked out when Elliott heard about our trip. As for the rest of the plans, I have a few places I think we might enjoy seeing, such as Granville Island, the tea house in the Stanley Gardens and maybe go to a show. However, nothing is set in stone. I’d like to do what you want as much as my ideas.”
Knowing that Kadyn had been looking forward to this short vacation for weeks, Vincent inquired, “What places have you got in mind? With us leaving in two days, I’m sure you’ve thought up a few things you’d like to do.”
“Well, I’ve been looking online. I’d kinda like to see the aquarium during the day and visit Gastown at night.” Kadyn gave his partner a smile of delight when the other man nodded his agreement.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The day of the trip dawned warm and sunny. Kadyn was up before the morning light on Thursday, much to Vincent’s dismay. The young man had dressed and eaten a quick breakfast of cereal, toast and juice while his partner slept. He was packing the car by the time Vincent stumbled down the stairs.
“Geesh, Vincent, you sure know how to waste time. It’s almost eight o’clock; we should have been on the road by now,” Kadyn exclaimed on his way out the door with his Game Boy and the picnic lunch the older man had packed last night. “I almost got everything we’re gonna need in the car already. You just have to eat and we’re outta here.” He voice rang with excitement.
“Kadyn,” Vincent moaned blearily. “There is no way I am going to be rushed out the door in fifteen minutes. We have plenty of time. Vancouver is not going to get up and run away if we aren’t there by noon.”
As soon as Kadyn came back in the house, Vincent gave him a good morning kiss. “Now that we’ve started the day off right,” he intoned pleasantly, “sit down and tell me what you’ve packed while I have my breakfast. I know I saw the Game Boy and we are not bringing that. I’m sure we can survive four days without it. Also, since you packed for me, and thank you for that by the way, please tell me you didn’t pack the teal or yellow T-shirts.” Vincent smiled at his Brat. Those shirts had been a matter of debate from the time of purchase. Kadyn loved them and Vincent thought they were fine for wearing around the house only.
“Oh, I thought you’d want those packed.” Kadyn sparkling eyes clearly showed he was teasing. “I hafta take the Game Boy, Vincent. There will be times I’ll need it. Like, when we’re having a coffee and you insist on reading the paper; or every evening when it is a matter of life and death that you watch the news. I’ll die of boredom without my games. They’re addictions, you know. Only difference is, while I’ll admit I’m addicted to my games, you won’t do the same as far as keeping up on what’s happening in the world. And right now with a federal election going on, you’re even worse. So, I’m taking the games!” Kadyn stubbornly declared.
“We are not taking the Game Boy,” Vincent firmly stated, but with a sigh. He really didn’t want to get into an argument with Kadyn about it. “I will not be watching the news or have time for reading the newspaper; we will be on a yacht, remember?” He got a cup of coffee then began fixing a bowl of cereal. “As for you ‘dying of boredom’, I’m pretty sure that won’t happen as I have ideas on how to fill any time we aren’t busy with sightseeing, going to shows or at dinner,” he informed his Brat with his best imitation of an evil leer.
Vincent finished his breakfast and looked questioningly at his partner. “Okay, since you packed for me, what is left for me to wear on the trip? Are my black jeans packed or not? If they aren’t, I think I’ll wear them. If you want, you can choose my shirt as long as it is not the awful lemon colored T-shirt.” Vincent grinned; he knew that Kadyn loved it when he could have the say-so about what Vincent wore, which wasn’t often as Vincent tended to be fairly conservative in his taste in clothes while Kadyn was apt to wear more cutting-edge styles.
Kadyn thought it over before giving way and accepting the olive branch of being able to pick out his Top’s traveling outfit. Racing out of the kitchen and up the stairs, he called over his shoulder. “All right, I’ll make the bed and lay out your clothes while you finish eating. That should save us some time.”
He was back in the kitchen within minutes, ready to badger Vincent into hurrying it up.
Vincent was rinsing out his bowl when Kadyn came back in the kitchen. As soon as he put it into the dishwasher, he turned to Kadyn and announced, “All done. I’ll be ready to go in fifteen minutes. Can you think of anything we may need on the way out of Jade Heights? I have plenty of cash, do you? If not, we can stop at the ATM before we leave town.”
As he climbed the stairs, Vincent looked down and smiled at how nice Kadyn looked. He had put on his favorite plaid shirt and faded jeans; an outfit that always made Vincent want to remove them.
“I got it all covered, Vincent,” Kadyn assured his partner. “Now get upstairs and put on that sexy outfit I laid out for you.” He whistled merrily as he scurried around doing a final check that all was in order. He gathered up a last-minute stash of treats and took them out to the car.
As Vincent entered the bedroom, he smiled at seeing the outfit picked out for him. His black jeans were on the bed along with a garnet-red, long-sleeved, cotton shirt that Kadyn insisted was the nicest casual shirt he owned. He shook his head as he saw the black vest. He always felt he looked like he was playing cowboy when he wore it.
Quickly changing, he had to admit his Brat had a good eye for color and he knew he’d be comfortable during the long ride. He pulled on the pair of black boots and surveyed the room, trying to think of anything else he might need. Deciding that if anything was missing he could pick it up in Vancouver, he went down the stairs, calling out, “Kadyn, I’m ready. Let’s lock up and getting going. With luck, we can be in Vancouver by one this afternoon.”
“Hey, hey, hey, lookin’ hot, man!” Kadyn leered and gave his Top a thumb’s up.
Minutes later, they were on their way and not a moment too soon for Kadyn. He chattered through out most the trip, taking advantage of having Vincent in a confined space to go on about the magnificent job Rene had done to the variety store’s front window, telling him of the many compliments they had received from customers. He also used the time to try and badger his partner into doing something to liven up the book shop’s dreary display casement, but Vincent wasn’t biting and Kadyn finally gave it up as a lost cause.
Between them they kept up a lively conversation, covering many topics of interest to at least one or the other if not both of them. Kadyn heard about the children’s story book author who was going to be paying the shop a visit and Vincent learned all about the latest happening and plans concerning the Jade Heights Boy Scouts and Cubs.
It was just minutes after one PM when the outskirts of Vancouver came into sight. They had made excellent timing due to them eating as they drove and making only one pit-stop.
“Do you know a shortcut to the marina, Vincent? It must be a good hour from here.”
“Well, I think I can get us there in less than an hour, but not a lot less,” Vincent replied when he realized he still had quite a ways to go to get to the other side of the city.
Finally, after forty minutes of creative driving, Vincent parked the car in the lot adjoining the marina. Luckily, the marina master had no problem finding the authorization from Elliot for Vincent to get the yacht keys.
Vincent called out to Kadyn. “Okay, we’re all set. Let’s take the suitcases to the yacht now. Once we get them put away, we can make one more trip and get everything else.”
As he and Kadyn got the suitcases out of the car and began to walk to the yacht, Vincent said, “We’re lucky. We’re three rows over and the eighth boat down; far enough away that we won’t hear everyone who walks by, but not at the far end of the pier either. There are ten rows with twelve boats on each side.”
Once everything was settled on board, Vincent turned in his Brat’s direction and smiled. “Okay, what do you want to do first? Explore the harbor; go to Gastown or shop? It’s your call.”
Kadyn had been exploring the boat. He had opened all the cupboards, inquisitively checking out every nook and cranny on the small yacht. “I’d like to go shopping,” he answered as he came out of the compact bathroom and threw his arms around his partner. “This is such a neat place; much better than a hotel room.” He lovingly kissed Vincent’s lips.
“Shopping it is then,” Vincent agreed. He knew how much Kadyn would enjoy the specialty shops in the area, to saynothing of what they would see when they went to Granville Village. He had an idea they’d be spending an entire daythere as it was the kind of place Kadyn would love to explore. “Why don’t we check out the shops here in the Marina area today? Then we can have nice dinner in one of the pier restaurants? I have someplace special I’d like to show you tomorrow.”
“Works for me,” Kadyn concurred, merrily going along with any proposal his Top made. Not a big spender, Kadyn did love to window shop and search for novelty items. He had few expectations, was rather undemanding and therefore very easy to please.
Much to Kadyn’s delight, he discovered a fun store where all the merchandise changed colour in the sun. He purchased a bracelet for his mom and a key chain for his dad. “Look at this, Vincent, even the bag changes from off white to deep pink when we come outside.” Kadyn held up the small parcel and watched the transformation. “Isn’t it neat?”
“Yes it is, and I think your mom will really like her gift,” Vincent replied.
“Where to next, now that we’ve got this area covered, Vincent?” Kadyn asked a couple of hours later. “Is it time yet to go back to the boat and get ready for an evening of excitement? Hey, how about we go to a gay bar? I read about a place called The Odyssey Nightclub. They’re open every night for dancing and have three ‘hot’ shows at midnight.” He glanced sideways at his partner to see how the older man would react to the suggestion.
“Well, I think we have time for another shop or two before we get ready for a night out.” Vincent glanced at his watch. “The bar sounds like a good idea. We can go there after dinner and take in some of the shows. But I also have plans for you of my own for later.”
Looking up, Vincent saw the sign of a store he wanted to visit. “As a matter of fact, I’d like to stop in here and look for a shirt.” Vincent pulled Kadyn into a store that had a wide variety of men’s shirts displayed in the window. A few minutes later he held up a long-sleeved, pale blue, textured linen shirt. “What do you think of this one, Kadyn? I like it but I want your opinion.”
“It is really nice, big guy; I like it. It’s a change from your usual style though, isn’t it? You’ll look good in it, trust me.”
Kadyn searched through the rack of shirts to see if he could find some others to add to his partner’s wardrobe. “Maybe we can find a couple more.” Kadyn was of the opinion that Vincent’s closet could do with a bit of updating.
Vincent was pleased with Kadyn’s response. He wanted to get the shirt for his beloved partner. The younger man had very few dress shirts, but Vincent wouldn’t buy him anything he didn’t like. He planned on spoiling Kadyn over the weekend. His partner worked hard and more than deserved a bit of spoiling in Vincent’s opinion.
After purchasing the shirt, Vincent sidled up to where Kadyn was checking out some T-shirts. “Find anything you want? If not, we’d better head back. I made dinner reservations for us on a floating restaurant; something different that I hope you’ll like.”
Once back at the yacht, Vincent smiled at his Brat when he saw him looking for the right shirt to wear. “Here, try this one,” he suggested as he handed Kadyn the new linen shirt. “I got it for you. I wanted you to have something special for our first night of vacation.” Seeing the look of surprise in Kadyn’s blue eyes, he stole a quick kiss. “Try it on. I know it will look great on you.”
Kadyn looked at his partner in surprise. “You bought this for me? I thought it was for you. Thanks, Vin.” He kissed the older man before slipping the shirt on and buttoning it up. Running his hands lightly down the front of it, Kadyn smiled his gratitude. “Wow, it’s a perfect fit and feels great. Imagine; a dress shirt and I really like it. Who’d have thought?” His blue eyes were sparkling.
He went into the small bedroom to look at himself in the full-length mirror, pleased with what he saw. “Okay, Vincent; if you’re ready to go, then so am I,” he proclaimed when he came out a few moments later.
“Give me just a minute more,” Vincent requested as he finished brushing his hair. Grabbing his coat, he eyed his lover. Kadyn looked even better than he expected as the shirt brought out the color of his eyes and his Brat’s grin lit up his young face.
“Okay, I’m ready to hit the town if you are,” Vincent announced. “I’m looking forward to a great time tonight.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kadyn climbed into bed and watched his lover getting undressed. “This was a great evening, Vincent. The meal was out of this world; I never had lobster before. It was delicious. I liked the nightclub too, but my favourite time was dancing with you. A lot of the guys there were giving you the eye. Man, you know some hot moves and you’re such a hunk.” Kadyn’s eyes lit up as he cheekily grinned at the older man.
Throwing back the covers, he impatiently requested that Vincent hurry up and join him. Once his partner was settled, Kadyn snuggled against his side.
“I know you have most of tomorrow’s activities planned, Vin, and it’s okay if ya wanna keep them a surprise. But I was kinda wondering if there’d be any chance of me getting my ear pierced” Kadyn yawned loudly. “It’s so late and I’m really sleepy,” he murmured as if it wasn’t blatantly obvious and fell asleep without hearing Vincent’s response.
Smothering his laughter with his hand, Vincent looked at his partner. He’d had other plans on how to end the evening, but with Kadyn falling asleep this fast and hard; he knew it would be best just to let him sleep. Oh well, they’d have plenty of time for fun and games in the next few days, Vincent was sure. It was well after two in the morning and Kadyn had been up since before dawn. He would probably be up and raring to go in another three or four hours.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Okay, wake up, sleepy head.” Vincent smiled as he shook his Brat awake. “It’s already after nine and if we want to get to both Stanley Park and Gastown today, we need to get moving soon.”
“Is that where we’re going?” Kadyn asked a little groggily. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “I was up earlier and after watching the sunrise, got bored on my own, so I came back to bed. See, I should have brought my Game Boy.” Getting up, he padded into the small galley. “I got coffee on if you want some.” He started banging around pots and pans as he dragged out the makings for scrambled eggs, sausages and toast.
“I’d love a cup of coffee,” Vincent replied. He always wanted coffee first thing in the morning and for some unknown reason the best coffee was what Kadyn made for him. “I thought we might do Stanley Park first. See some of the totems, maybe do the aquarium, take a walk and then have a late lunch. Then we could go to Gastown and shop before doing the town at night. I’d like to pick up some little gifts for my family. You remember we’re visiting them on our way home, right? What do you think? It’s not set in stone. Do you have other ideas or things you want to see instead? We can change it around as we are not leaving until Sunday morning; plenty of time to see and do everything we can think of.”
“Sounds like you got a good day planned, and I’m game. There is something I want to buy too and I am really looking forward to seeing the aquarium.” Kadyn chattered on while setting their breakfast on the table, sliding into his seat and indicating his Top do the same. “I hope when we go see your parents that hope your siblings are there, especially Daniel. I mean, I like Julie but your brother is closer to my age and we have more in common.”
He paused to shovel food into his mouth and wash it down with a slurp of milk. “Only thing I want added to your list, is getting my ear pierced. Hey, come to think of it, you never answered me about that last night. Is it all right for me to get a piercing? Maybe you’d rather I got a tattoo. I know; I can get both!” Kadyn grinned and his eyes lit up at the idea. “So, whatcha think? Huh?”
Vincent almost choked on his food at the word ‘tattoo’. After recovering, he spoke calmly. “Glad you like my ideas for the day. I’m sure we’ll find what we’re looking for in the wide variety of shops available. I haven’t been to Gastown in years, but I’m sure they’ll have plenty of great things to choose from.” He smiled patiently. “Kadyn, I think you’d look great with a pierced ear. The reason I didn’t say so last night is you were asleep as soon as you mentioned it.” Taking a breath, he added. “But I don’t want you to get a tattoo. They can get infected easily and you’d be sensitive wherever you got it for a few days at least. It is not a good idea.”
“So the piercing is a go but scrap the tattoo brainwave.” Kadyn nodded his compliance. “Okay, I can live with that.”
The two men quickly finished up their meal. After tidying up, they showered and dressed. Soon they were leaving the yacht for a busy day of shopping, sightseeing and adventure.
It was shortly after a relaxing lunch spent chatting about their visit to Stanley Park, when they entered a jewellery store. Kadyn walked up to the counter while Vincent browsed around. The younger man was fortunate to get an immediate appointment to get his ear pierced and ten minutes later was proudly showing it off to his partner.
“And it didn’t hurt at all, Vincent. Well, not much anyway.” He grinned, looking at his reflection in the mirror and tentatively touching the tiny gold ring. “The girl gave me a choice between a post and this sleeper. I thought this would be easier to care for. Do you like it?”
“Yes, I like it a lot,” Vincent replied. “It looks great on you!” The earring suited Kadyn and Vincent was glad to see how happy his Brat was now that he’d taken the plunge.
While Kadyn had been getting his ear pierced, Vincent had spoken with a sales clerk and purchased three more earrings that he felt Kadyn would like; one made of Tiger’s Eye, one of Onyx and for very formal occasions, one that was Sapphire. He also spotted a turquoise and silver bolo tie he knew his father would like, so he bought it as well.
They left the jewelers’ shop hand in hand with Vincent telling Kadyn of his latest purchase. “I got my dad a present, a bolo tie, and I have an idea of what to get my mom and sister. Julie told me not that long ago that mom really likes handmade soaps, floral scented ones. Let’s be on the look out for those, okay? I know Julie started collecting Wedgewood Demitasse, but only has a few pieces so far. If we see any we like, we can get a cup and saucer set for her. What do you think?”
“It’s a neat idea. I’ll keep my eyes open,” the younger man offered. “And don’t forget something for your brother.”
The reminder of the afternoon went by quickly as they strolled through Gastown, stopping in at various small shops. They had spent a great deal of time chatting about nothing in particular and just enjoying each other’s company. As evening approached, Vincent glanced at his watch and saw it was almost six pm. “What do you want to do about dinner, Kadyn? Do you want to find a place to eat here in Gastown or would you rather go back to the yacht, change and look for some place in Vancouver? I don’t care either way.”
“I’d like to try out this little café, Vincent.” Kadyn gazed up at the sign that read ‘The Annex’. They walked inside and smiled as they glanced around, liking what they saw.
“Hmm, smells good in here. It’s kinda funky too, isn’t it?” Kadyn mused as they followed the waitress over to a table and took their seats. He looked over the top of his menu at his companion. “You know, Vin, we covered a lot of ground today; saw lots of neat things, got gifts for everyone and had a really great time. Any chance of us just heading back to the boat and relaxing for the evening?”
Leaning forward, Kadyn wiggled his eyebrows and suggestively whispered. “Maybe we can play strip poker. You game?” He burst out laughing when the returning waitress overheard and his partner’s face turned beet-red.
As soon as they had placed their orders and the waitress left, Vincent regained his composure. He had to steel himself to keep from smiling as he feigned a growl. “I think I want to do something different tonight. How about a new game called ‘Spank the Brat’? After all, strip poker is a bit predictable.”
Seeing the startled expression on Kadyn’s face, Vincent smiled. “I think going back to the boat after dinner is a great idea. We’ve had a very busy day and since you’ve been a very good Brat, I think I’ll give you a surprise right now instead of waiting until tomorrow.”
Reaching into his pocket, Vincent pulled out the small package from the jeweler. “A little something for you,” he said with a smile that lit up his face as he put the little parcel in Kadyn’s hand.
Kadyn grinned and accepted the unexpected gift. Opening the box, he peered inside before glancing over at his companion with a look of wonder on his young face. “Wow, Vincent, these are beautiful!” he softly exclaimed, taking the sapphire earring out of the box to examine it more closely. “Man, I wish I could put this in now, but the lady at the jewellery store said I had to wait at least a month before removing the gold sleeper.”
He reluctantly returned the earring to its’ place with the others and put the tiny box in his pocket. “Thanks, Vin. I love you,” he murmured, blushing slightly. He questioned once again how he had come to be partnered with this wonderful man. Twelve years Vincent’s junior and fully aware of just how much a handful he could be, Kadyn marveled at the love and patience his partner had for him. He hoped he never took it for granted. “I’m anxious now to get back to the yacht so I can show you how much you mean to me.”
Vincent was touched by Kadyn’s obvious sincerity. “I love you too,” he replied quietly. “Glad you liked the earnings. I though you might want a few for a change of pace, once you are able to wear something other than the sleeper.”
A few seconds later, Vincent added, “I think your idea of going back to the yacht for the rest of the evening is a good one. Let’s enjoy dinner then head back.” Vincent smiled his slightly mischievous smile and whispered just loud enough for Kadyn alone to hear. “I have some ideas of my own on showing you what you mean to me, which I think you might enjoy.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Kadyn whole-heartedly looked forward to his partner’s plans and concentrated on eating the delicious smelling meal that had just been placed in front of him. Leaning back some time late, he rubbed his stomach and grinned across at his companion. “That was good. I ready to go back to the marina now.”
He had to wait several more minutes for Vincent to finish up; then they left the café and quickly made their way back to the yacht and an evening of intimate pleasure.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Much to Vincent’s delight, Kadyn actually slept in the next morning for the second day in a row. Well, eight-thirty was unusually late for Kadyn to rise but the older man wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Having decided to have brunch at a restaurant rather than making breakfast on the yacht, they quickly showered and dressed. It was shortly after nine when they left the yacht, intent on spending the final day of their holiday having fun at Granville Island. Their plan was to head for home early the following morning.
Vincent was really enjoying the time at Granville Island. He didn’t know which he was getting pleasure from more; the various booths and their wares or seeing Kadyn’s total fascination with everything.
As they walked, they watched a juggler perform as well as an artist doing pencil sketches. They listened to a strolling guitarist who played a surprisingly wide variety of music.
Vincent realized they’d spent a considerable amount of time checking out booths that had everything from jewelry, fresh fruits, paintings and baskets for sale, and they’d only covered about a third of what there was to see.
Seeing Kadyn regretfully put down a beautiful piece of handmade pottery, Vincent took him to one side and asked, “Did you want that? It would make a nice conversation piece for the lounge. We can ask them to hold it for us until we get back from brunch.”
“Yeah, it is nice, isn’t it? You know, I think I’d like to learn how to do pottery. I kinda like the feel of wet clay in my hands.” Kadyn grinned up at his partner. “Maybe if a course is offered in the next Community School session, I’ll take it. Of course, it will mean me needing to have every Wednesday evening free.” Keeping up his merry babbling, Kadyn added, “Yep, sounds like a good plan to me.” He managed to be quiet long enough for Vincent to make arrangements to pick up their purchase later.
Vincent was pleased that his Brat expressed an interest in taking up pottery as a new hobby. It would be good for him to expand his horizons.
“Look over there, Vincent. We can get breakfast sandwiches at the Market Grille. I’m starving!” He grabbed the older man’s arm and began dragging him towards the eatery.
Vincent nodded at the suggestion and allowed Kadyn to drag him into the Market Grille.
“Hey, maybe this evening we can return here to the Backstreet Lounge for a late supper and some live music. A great ending to our trip, don’t you think?” Kadyn requested excitedly, stopping long enough to read the signs in the bar’s window.
“Well, even though I like that idea for dinner, we don’t have to decide now. We still have plenty of time.”
Once they had purchased food of their choice and were seated, Kadyn tentatively made a request. “Vincent, I’d kinda like a bit of time on my own after we’ve finished eating. I got something I wanna do. I only need about half an hour and we can pick a designated place and time to meet up, okay? What do you think? Are you willing to turn me loose on the unsuspecting public?” He waited hopefully.
On hearing his partner’s request, Vincent was a bit puzzled about what he was up to. But knowing his Brat had always liked having some alone time, he gave the go-ahead. “Sure, I think the public is safe with you on the loose for a while. What do you say we meet back here in an hour? That way if something grabs your interest, you don’t have to cut your fun short.”
Stuffing the last of his sandwich into his mouth, Kadyn hurriedly washed it down with his coffee. “See you in an hour then,” he exclaimed as he tossed the empty cup in the trash and sent out to find the perfect gift for Vincent.
It took a bit of time, but he eventually found what he was searching for. Something he felt sure Vincent would like; a leather necklace with a handcrafted, sterling silver triangle pendant and a beautiful turquoise stone in the center of it. He had it gift-wrapped and after placing it safely in his pocket, began walking around and enjoying more of the sights the island had to offer.
Having realized he was running out of time, Kadyn had begun rushing back to the designated meeting place when a vendor’s stall he hadn’t seen before, waylaid him. It was here that a rather perturbed Top finally located him.
“Kadyn, are you all right?” Vincent asked anxiously, eyeing his Brat for signs of injury. Seeing no outward sign that Kadyn had been hurt, Vincent inquired in a deceptively calm voice, “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere for the past thirty minutes. We were supposed to meet back at the Grille forty-five minutes ago. I was afraid you’d been hurt.”
“Really, Vin?” Kadyn asked innocently. He glanced down at himself, a bit confused. “I’m just fine but I was wondering when you’d get here. It sure took you long enough. I wanted you to see something. Look!” he instructed, pointing to a big wooden crate at one side of the booth. “They are purebred Siberian huskies, only three months old. See their gorgeous blue eyes? Their owner is selling them for half price ‘cause he doesn’t have papers for them. I wanna buy the smallest one; he’s the runt of the litter and the cheapest of all. Can I get him? I already named him ‘Bandit’.” Kadyn was practically bouncing with excitement. His eyes were sparkling and he was merrily babbling away, completely oblivious to the flash of anger in his partner’s eyes.
“Yes, really! We were to meet at the Grille; I wasn’t supposed to have to wander all over looking for you!” Vincent replied sternly.
Looking at the puppies, Vincent saw immediately how they’d appealed to Kadyn, but he knew his Brat hadn’t thought things through; he’d seen cute puppies and wanted one, a true case of ‘puppy love’ if ever there was one.
“Yes, they are cute,” Vincent agreed. “But we aren’t getting one. We both work and our schedules don’t allow for the time a small puppy demands. Besides, we don’t have a place for it.”
Despite the look of shock on Kadyn’s face, Vincent continued listing their plans for the evening. “Now, we’d better get going. We need to get back to the yacht and pack, then clean up for dinner. After all, this is our last night of vacation and we want to have a good time before we leave tomorrow morning.”
“We don’t have to go out tonight, Vincent. I’d rather have the puppy. I’ll take care of him and cover all the costs involved. He’s already got his shots up-to-date and he is even housebroken.” Kadyn gazed down at the cuddly little dog and knew he couldn’t let this go without an argument. Digging his heels in, he stubbornly insisted he could spend his own money any way he wanted. Kadyn was capable of throwing an impressionable tantrum when he wanted something bad enough.
“You are right in one thing, young man,” Vincent responded grimly. “We don’t need to go out tonight. We can stay in and pack and have a quiet evening. But we are not getting a puppy.” As Kadyn opened his mouth to reply, Vincent went on mildly scolding. “It doesn’t matter if he had his shots or not. It doesn’t matter if he is housebroken. The answer remains the same. No puppy. As for you spending your money any way you want, that is true. But only within the guidelines we’ve set up as a couple. When it comes to something like this, I have the last word and in this case, the last word is no.”
Lowering his voice, Vincent murmured, “Now would be a good time to thank these people for the information about the dog and to say goodbye.”
Kadyn glared at the older man. “I’ll say goodbye after I’ve paid for my puppy,” he quietly declared through gritted teeth and pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, he spun around toward the vender to await his turn in line.
Fortunately, anyone close enough to have taken in the conversation had they wanted to, seemed too involved in their own interests. Everyone in the crowd appeared to have missed the heated exchange.
Vincent could hardly believe his ears, let alone his eyes. He grabbed Kadyn by the arm and half-marched, half-dragged him a few steps aside and whispered. “I will tell you just once more. We are not getting a puppy. And if you don’t want to be embarrassed in front of all these people, put a smile on your face and thank the seller for the information and leave. I’ve never disciplined you in front of anyone and I don’t want to start now, but if you defy me, I will.”
Kadyn blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing he had pushed as far as he dared. He nodded his compliance and went back to the booth to do Vincent’s bidding. Then he reached down and gave the puppy one last pat on the head. His eyes filled as his disappointment hit home. Pushing his way passed Vincent; Kadyn steadily worked his way through the throngs of people. Once he was out of the busy market place, he broke into a run and headed for the marina. He didn’t even turn to see if Vincent was following.
Vincent watched in silence as Kadyn petted the puppy and headed for the yacht. He didn’t try to catch up with him, knowing that Kadyn would want some time to himself.
Kadyn arrived back at the boat gasping for breath. He sat down on the wharf, wrapped his arms around his folded legs, laid his head on his knees and waited for his partner’s return. He used the time to think of the potential repercussions for his appalling behaviour.
As Vincent approached the boat, he saw Kadyn sitting on the dock, a picture of dejection, and his heart went out to him. He understood that his Brat’s desire for the puppy had almost overruled his good sense and was thankful that Kadyn had stopped short of defying him.
Vincent stood behind him for a few seconds, then gently reached out and began to rub the younger man’s shoulders without saying a word. After a few minutes, Vincent spoke up. “Hey, what do you say we go inside, relax for a bit and then have a shower? We can decide about dinner later on. We still have the rest of the day and evening to spend however we want.”
“Okay,” Kadyn responded quietly. He glanced up and gave his partner a sad smile. “I’m sorry for the way I acted, Vincent. I just wanted that puppy so bad, but I didn’t mean to ruin our weekend.” He hung his head rather than confront the disappointment he was sure he’d see in his lover’s handsome face.
“You didn’t ruin our weekend, love. You got carried away over the puppy, that’s all,” Vincent lovingly replied. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
Reaching down, he helped Kadyn to his feet and slipped his arm around the smaller man’s waist, pulling him up againsthis side. “Why don’t we go inside, take a nice relaxing shower and get ready to have dinner out for our last night,” Vincent calmly suggested. “I’d like to have some seafood tonight. What are you in the mood for?”
“Seafood sounds good,” Kadyn softly answered. He was still trying to come to grips with his disappointment in not being allowed to have the puppy as well as the embarrassment of having behaved so badly. But he trusted his Top to step in and do what the older man thought work best for them as a couple.
By the time they left for their evening on the town, Kadyn was feeling somewhat better. He managed to keep thoughts of the little dog at bay and actually enjoyed himself at the restaurant they had chosen. The music was lively, the service was friendly and the food was excellent.
The sun was just starting to go down when Kadyn asked if they could go back to the boat as he wasn’t feeling well and his head was aching. “I think I can do with an early night, Vincent. We have a long drive in the morning,” he explained.
“I think that’s a good idea, honey. It’s been a long day for the both of us,” Vincent kindly voiced his agreement. He signed the check and they were soon on their way.
As they walked back to the marina, it became evident that Kadyn wasn’t even close to his usual effervescent self. Arriving back at the yacht, Vincent patiently instructed, “Go on and get ready for bed. You don’t look too good, baby. I think that headache has really got a hold of you. I’ll get you an aspirin and some water.”
Once Kadyn was in bed and settled in his favourite position on his stomach, Vincent lay down beside him, petting and rubbing ever widening circles on his back for several minutes. Feeling his Brat relax and sensing Kadyn was about to fall asleep, Vincent softly informed him. “Listen, honey, I think I’ll pack some of our things and take them to the car now so we don’t have to do everything in the morning and while I’m at it, I may as well talk to the marina master. I’ll probably be in and out for at least an hour, possibly longer. I wanted to let you know in case you woke up and wondered where I was. Okay?”
“S’okay,” Kadyn sleepily murmured. Vincent’s soothing back rub had the desired effect and the younger man was soon sleeping soundly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning, Kadyn woke up long before Vincent. Pulling back the short curtain, he smiled at the sight of another beautiful, sunny day and quietly crawled out of bed. He quickly dressed and set out for Granville Island, tracing the route he and Vincent had taken yesterday.
However, today Kadyn didn’t take the time to look around. Instead he headed straight for the booth where the puppies had been. He wanted to see them one last time but was doomed for more disheartening news when the vendor informed him that the last one had been sold only a few minutes before closing last night.
Kadyn heaved a sigh of despondency and trudged back to the yacht where unbeknownst to him, an angry Top was waiting.
Vincent was fuming. When he went to bed, Kadyn was there. When he got up, his partner was nowhere to be found. Not a word or a note; nothing. He had no idea where the young man had gone and no clue where to start looking. Pulling on a sweater, he decided to ask the marina caretaker if he’d seen Kadyn that morning. He was just about to leave the boat, when he spotted his Brat looking decidedly dejected and walking towards him.
As soon as Kadyn was on board, Vincent grabbed him by the arm and demanded in a tightly controlled voice, “Where have you been? You disappeared on me without a word and didn’t leave a note! What is going on with you?”
Kadyn looked up at his infuriated Top’s face and gulped. “I-I went back to the island to see Bandit one last time, but he wasn’t there; he’s been sold.” He figured more of an explanation was needed when the older man’s expression didn’t immediately soften. “I-I know we have a rule to stay together during trips so I don’t get lost, but I knew how to get there and back, Vincent. I just didn’t expect it to take so long.” His face contorted as his backside shivered at the prospect of a spanking heading its’ way. ‘But we are on vacation so maybe Vincent will let it go this time,’ Kadyn thought, always the optimist.
Vincent was far from appeased by Kadyn’s reason for disappearing. “We keep each other informed where we’re going for one reason and one reason only: to stop the other from worrying,” Vincent said without any hint of his normal good humor. As they stepped down into the lower cabin, he continued. “I love you, but I won’t let you act as though we’re a couple when it’s convenient for you and have you ignore me when you have something you want to do that I might not like.”
Hearing no defense for his actions from Kadyn, Vincent seated himself and ordered, “Come here and pull down your jeans.”
‘So much for the hoped-for reprieve,’ Kadyn thought with a pout as he did what he was told. He knew he deserved the upcoming punishment, but it didn’t mean he had to like it. Then he heaved a sigh of acceptance and waited restlessly for Vincent to make the next move.
Vincent guided his Brat over his lap and began to spank him. There was no reason to go over what the spanking was for. Kadyn knew he’d broken one of their basic rules, one that applied no matter where they were.
He continued to spank until he felt the message had made it through. Then he lifted Kadyn up, gathering him into his arms so there was no weight put on his Brat’s sore bottom. Next he brushed away the younger man’s tears while whispering, “I love you and I’ll take care of you no matter what happens. It’s all right, I’m here for you.”
“That-that really hurt,” Kadyn hitched as he wrapped his arms around his Top’s neck while squirming to find a comfortable position. “But I still love you too and from now on I’ll try to remember to leave the notes you seem so keen about. But I’m not ready to get up yet.” He wanted more cuddle time and as was usually the case, Vincent was more than willing to indulge him. It gave them the time they needed to reconnect and for Kadyn to come to grips with what had happened.
“It was supposed to hurt. I trust you don’t need more to reinforce it,” Vincent responded somewhat dryly. “And I’m glad you still love me, as I still love you.” He softly kissed his lover’s hair.
Kadyn gave Vincent a watery grin. “We’re going home now?”
“Yes, Brat, we are going home now.” Vincent’s expression quickly changed to a smile as he got up. “The car is all packed. So what do you say; ready to head out?”
Kadyn got up off his Top’s lap and pulled up his jeans, hissing as they passed over his sore backside. He looked around the small room. He had enjoyed their stay here and thought it would have been nice if it could have been longer. “Yeah, guess I’m as ready as I’m gonna be for a while,” he mumbled and rubbed tentatively at the seat of his pants as he followed the older man out onto the deck. He ran ahead to the car while Vincent paid a last visit to the marina attendant and then waited impatiently for his partner to join him.
“Geesh, Vincent, we seem to be taking home more that we came with,” he commented as he gingerly sat down in the passenger seat. “Oh that reminds me, I got something for you. I want you to see it before we take off.” He pulled a small square box out of his jacket pocket and passed it over to his partner. He ginned in anticipation of the other man’s reaction.
Vincent carefully opened the box and gasped in pleasure. The necklace was beautiful; Kadyn’s taste was impeccable. It was as though he’d known what Vincent would have picked out if he’d been with him. “Sweetie, I’m practically speechless. This is beautiful. I love the arrow shape and the turquoise is such a lovely deep color.” Vincent reached out and pulled Kadyn into a hug and gave him a deep kiss. “Thank you, my love,” he murmured. “It’s wonderful. I’m going to put it on right now so I can show it off when we get to Mom and Dad’s house. I know they’ll wonder where I got such a great necklace! You do remember we made arrangements to stop by and visit with them today.”
Seeing Kadyn’s happy expression at his praise of the necklace, Vincent suggested, “Well, if you don’t have any more surprises for me, I think we need to get this show on the road. You ready to visit the family and then head for home?”
Kadyn nodded and buckled up. They had only been on the road for about five minutes when he gave his partner a questioning look. “Did you hear that noise? What do you think it is?”
“Noise? I didn’t hear anything,” Vincent innocently replied.
“There it is again. You musta heard it this time.” Kadyn looked around the vehicle and listened intently. “Hey, it’s coming from behind us!” he exclaimed, undoing his seat belt to facilitate reaching behind him and initiating a search.
“It’s…you...how come? I thought you said no.” Kadyn excitedly shuffled around and before Vincent could stop him, climbed into the back seat. Throwing aside the light blanket, he opened the carrier and freed the puppy that was inside it. Unable to speak, Kadyn cradle the animal in his arms and rubbed his face against the little dog’s furry coat.
Vincent pulled the car off the road before trying to answer Kadyn’s question. Turning around to face his Brat, he replied, “I know I said no, but I ended up changing my mind. I could see how much you wanted him, so I re-thought it and realized I didn’t have enough facts to make a fair decision.”
He paused for a few seconds, and then continued. “Last night after I got the car packed, I went and had a long talk with the breeder about what we could expect out of a dog like Bandit. I decided that even with our busy schedules we could have a pet and Bandit seemed to be a good choice; especially as you are already in puppy love with him,” Vincent said with a grin.
“We’ll have to devote a lot of our extra time to training him, walking him and making sure he’s happy, but I think we can do it. We’ll have to decide on some house rules as well; like where he’s going to sleep, what rooms he can be in, and who has to walk him. But I think overall, that type of thing won’t be a problem. Now how about putting him back in his carrier so he is comfortable until we get to Mom and Dad’s? And,” he added with a laugh, “no more climbing into the back seat!”
“In a minute, Vin,” Kadyn answered. “I think he woke up for a reason.” He clipped the leash on the little collar and set the puppy on the ground. Once the animal had taken care of business, Kadyn settled his new pet in the carrier and slid into the passenger seat.
He turned and threw his arms around his partner’s neck. “Thank you, Vincent. I love you,” he whispered emotionally and kissed his lover’s lips.
Sitting back, he solemnly vowed. “I’ll take really good care of him, promise. He’s a member of the family now. Everywhere I go, he’ll come with me. Maybe I should call him Shadow,” he commented as he re-fastened his seatbelt while giving the name a few seconds thought. “Nah, I still like Bandit better.”
Kadyn bounced in his seat, his exuberance quickly returning. “Let’s get going, Vin! I can’t wait to get to your parents’ place and start showing him off.”
The End
“Kadyn, remember me telling you about the reservations I made for next week in Vancouver?” Vincent asked with an innocent look on his face. “Well, I cancelled them yesterday.”
Kadyn rolled over onto his back. He was down on the living room floor watching TV. “What’d ya do that for?” Kadyn demanded. “I already got the time off; my dad is doing my shifts and has divided his between our part-time staff. And now we’re not going? This really sucks, Vincent.” He was unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.
Vincent couldn’t keep his face straight any longer and a big grin spread across it as he explained. “Hey, it’s nothing to worry about. An old friend of mine, Elliot Stone, and I were talking the other day and he thought you and I might like to stay on his yacht rather than in a hotel. It’s not huge, only a thirty-footer, and we can’t take it out of the harbor, but we can relax and sleep there. I thought it would be fun so I accepted. What do you think of the idea?”
“I like it!” Kadyn exclaimed excitedly. Deciding the conversation was more interesting than the show he had been watching; he turned off the television and got up to sit next to Vincent on the sofa. “Tell me more, please. Just how many surprises do you have in mind?” His smile widened and his eyes sparkled as he waited for a reply.
“I don’t have any more surprises lined up,” Vincent replied with a smile. “The yacht was just an idea that worked out when Elliott heard about our trip. As for the rest of the plans, I have a few places I think we might enjoy seeing, such as Granville Island, the tea house in the Stanley Gardens and maybe go to a show. However, nothing is set in stone. I’d like to do what you want as much as my ideas.”
Knowing that Kadyn had been looking forward to this short vacation for weeks, Vincent inquired, “What places have you got in mind? With us leaving in two days, I’m sure you’ve thought up a few things you’d like to do.”
“Well, I’ve been looking online. I’d kinda like to see the aquarium during the day and visit Gastown at night.” Kadyn gave his partner a smile of delight when the other man nodded his agreement.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The day of the trip dawned warm and sunny. Kadyn was up before the morning light on Thursday, much to Vincent’s dismay. The young man had dressed and eaten a quick breakfast of cereal, toast and juice while his partner slept. He was packing the car by the time Vincent stumbled down the stairs.
“Geesh, Vincent, you sure know how to waste time. It’s almost eight o’clock; we should have been on the road by now,” Kadyn exclaimed on his way out the door with his Game Boy and the picnic lunch the older man had packed last night. “I almost got everything we’re gonna need in the car already. You just have to eat and we’re outta here.” He voice rang with excitement.
“Kadyn,” Vincent moaned blearily. “There is no way I am going to be rushed out the door in fifteen minutes. We have plenty of time. Vancouver is not going to get up and run away if we aren’t there by noon.”
As soon as Kadyn came back in the house, Vincent gave him a good morning kiss. “Now that we’ve started the day off right,” he intoned pleasantly, “sit down and tell me what you’ve packed while I have my breakfast. I know I saw the Game Boy and we are not bringing that. I’m sure we can survive four days without it. Also, since you packed for me, and thank you for that by the way, please tell me you didn’t pack the teal or yellow T-shirts.” Vincent smiled at his Brat. Those shirts had been a matter of debate from the time of purchase. Kadyn loved them and Vincent thought they were fine for wearing around the house only.
“Oh, I thought you’d want those packed.” Kadyn sparkling eyes clearly showed he was teasing. “I hafta take the Game Boy, Vincent. There will be times I’ll need it. Like, when we’re having a coffee and you insist on reading the paper; or every evening when it is a matter of life and death that you watch the news. I’ll die of boredom without my games. They’re addictions, you know. Only difference is, while I’ll admit I’m addicted to my games, you won’t do the same as far as keeping up on what’s happening in the world. And right now with a federal election going on, you’re even worse. So, I’m taking the games!” Kadyn stubbornly declared.
“We are not taking the Game Boy,” Vincent firmly stated, but with a sigh. He really didn’t want to get into an argument with Kadyn about it. “I will not be watching the news or have time for reading the newspaper; we will be on a yacht, remember?” He got a cup of coffee then began fixing a bowl of cereal. “As for you ‘dying of boredom’, I’m pretty sure that won’t happen as I have ideas on how to fill any time we aren’t busy with sightseeing, going to shows or at dinner,” he informed his Brat with his best imitation of an evil leer.
Vincent finished his breakfast and looked questioningly at his partner. “Okay, since you packed for me, what is left for me to wear on the trip? Are my black jeans packed or not? If they aren’t, I think I’ll wear them. If you want, you can choose my shirt as long as it is not the awful lemon colored T-shirt.” Vincent grinned; he knew that Kadyn loved it when he could have the say-so about what Vincent wore, which wasn’t often as Vincent tended to be fairly conservative in his taste in clothes while Kadyn was apt to wear more cutting-edge styles.
Kadyn thought it over before giving way and accepting the olive branch of being able to pick out his Top’s traveling outfit. Racing out of the kitchen and up the stairs, he called over his shoulder. “All right, I’ll make the bed and lay out your clothes while you finish eating. That should save us some time.”
He was back in the kitchen within minutes, ready to badger Vincent into hurrying it up.
Vincent was rinsing out his bowl when Kadyn came back in the kitchen. As soon as he put it into the dishwasher, he turned to Kadyn and announced, “All done. I’ll be ready to go in fifteen minutes. Can you think of anything we may need on the way out of Jade Heights? I have plenty of cash, do you? If not, we can stop at the ATM before we leave town.”
As he climbed the stairs, Vincent looked down and smiled at how nice Kadyn looked. He had put on his favorite plaid shirt and faded jeans; an outfit that always made Vincent want to remove them.
“I got it all covered, Vincent,” Kadyn assured his partner. “Now get upstairs and put on that sexy outfit I laid out for you.” He whistled merrily as he scurried around doing a final check that all was in order. He gathered up a last-minute stash of treats and took them out to the car.
As Vincent entered the bedroom, he smiled at seeing the outfit picked out for him. His black jeans were on the bed along with a garnet-red, long-sleeved, cotton shirt that Kadyn insisted was the nicest casual shirt he owned. He shook his head as he saw the black vest. He always felt he looked like he was playing cowboy when he wore it.
Quickly changing, he had to admit his Brat had a good eye for color and he knew he’d be comfortable during the long ride. He pulled on the pair of black boots and surveyed the room, trying to think of anything else he might need. Deciding that if anything was missing he could pick it up in Vancouver, he went down the stairs, calling out, “Kadyn, I’m ready. Let’s lock up and getting going. With luck, we can be in Vancouver by one this afternoon.”
“Hey, hey, hey, lookin’ hot, man!” Kadyn leered and gave his Top a thumb’s up.
Minutes later, they were on their way and not a moment too soon for Kadyn. He chattered through out most the trip, taking advantage of having Vincent in a confined space to go on about the magnificent job Rene had done to the variety store’s front window, telling him of the many compliments they had received from customers. He also used the time to try and badger his partner into doing something to liven up the book shop’s dreary display casement, but Vincent wasn’t biting and Kadyn finally gave it up as a lost cause.
Between them they kept up a lively conversation, covering many topics of interest to at least one or the other if not both of them. Kadyn heard about the children’s story book author who was going to be paying the shop a visit and Vincent learned all about the latest happening and plans concerning the Jade Heights Boy Scouts and Cubs.
It was just minutes after one PM when the outskirts of Vancouver came into sight. They had made excellent timing due to them eating as they drove and making only one pit-stop.
“Do you know a shortcut to the marina, Vincent? It must be a good hour from here.”
“Well, I think I can get us there in less than an hour, but not a lot less,” Vincent replied when he realized he still had quite a ways to go to get to the other side of the city.
Finally, after forty minutes of creative driving, Vincent parked the car in the lot adjoining the marina. Luckily, the marina master had no problem finding the authorization from Elliot for Vincent to get the yacht keys.
Vincent called out to Kadyn. “Okay, we’re all set. Let’s take the suitcases to the yacht now. Once we get them put away, we can make one more trip and get everything else.”
As he and Kadyn got the suitcases out of the car and began to walk to the yacht, Vincent said, “We’re lucky. We’re three rows over and the eighth boat down; far enough away that we won’t hear everyone who walks by, but not at the far end of the pier either. There are ten rows with twelve boats on each side.”
Once everything was settled on board, Vincent turned in his Brat’s direction and smiled. “Okay, what do you want to do first? Explore the harbor; go to Gastown or shop? It’s your call.”
Kadyn had been exploring the boat. He had opened all the cupboards, inquisitively checking out every nook and cranny on the small yacht. “I’d like to go shopping,” he answered as he came out of the compact bathroom and threw his arms around his partner. “This is such a neat place; much better than a hotel room.” He lovingly kissed Vincent’s lips.
“Shopping it is then,” Vincent agreed. He knew how much Kadyn would enjoy the specialty shops in the area, to saynothing of what they would see when they went to Granville Village. He had an idea they’d be spending an entire daythere as it was the kind of place Kadyn would love to explore. “Why don’t we check out the shops here in the Marina area today? Then we can have nice dinner in one of the pier restaurants? I have someplace special I’d like to show you tomorrow.”
“Works for me,” Kadyn concurred, merrily going along with any proposal his Top made. Not a big spender, Kadyn did love to window shop and search for novelty items. He had few expectations, was rather undemanding and therefore very easy to please.
Much to Kadyn’s delight, he discovered a fun store where all the merchandise changed colour in the sun. He purchased a bracelet for his mom and a key chain for his dad. “Look at this, Vincent, even the bag changes from off white to deep pink when we come outside.” Kadyn held up the small parcel and watched the transformation. “Isn’t it neat?”
“Yes it is, and I think your mom will really like her gift,” Vincent replied.
“Where to next, now that we’ve got this area covered, Vincent?” Kadyn asked a couple of hours later. “Is it time yet to go back to the boat and get ready for an evening of excitement? Hey, how about we go to a gay bar? I read about a place called The Odyssey Nightclub. They’re open every night for dancing and have three ‘hot’ shows at midnight.” He glanced sideways at his partner to see how the older man would react to the suggestion.
“Well, I think we have time for another shop or two before we get ready for a night out.” Vincent glanced at his watch. “The bar sounds like a good idea. We can go there after dinner and take in some of the shows. But I also have plans for you of my own for later.”
Looking up, Vincent saw the sign of a store he wanted to visit. “As a matter of fact, I’d like to stop in here and look for a shirt.” Vincent pulled Kadyn into a store that had a wide variety of men’s shirts displayed in the window. A few minutes later he held up a long-sleeved, pale blue, textured linen shirt. “What do you think of this one, Kadyn? I like it but I want your opinion.”
“It is really nice, big guy; I like it. It’s a change from your usual style though, isn’t it? You’ll look good in it, trust me.”
Kadyn searched through the rack of shirts to see if he could find some others to add to his partner’s wardrobe. “Maybe we can find a couple more.” Kadyn was of the opinion that Vincent’s closet could do with a bit of updating.
Vincent was pleased with Kadyn’s response. He wanted to get the shirt for his beloved partner. The younger man had very few dress shirts, but Vincent wouldn’t buy him anything he didn’t like. He planned on spoiling Kadyn over the weekend. His partner worked hard and more than deserved a bit of spoiling in Vincent’s opinion.
After purchasing the shirt, Vincent sidled up to where Kadyn was checking out some T-shirts. “Find anything you want? If not, we’d better head back. I made dinner reservations for us on a floating restaurant; something different that I hope you’ll like.”
Once back at the yacht, Vincent smiled at his Brat when he saw him looking for the right shirt to wear. “Here, try this one,” he suggested as he handed Kadyn the new linen shirt. “I got it for you. I wanted you to have something special for our first night of vacation.” Seeing the look of surprise in Kadyn’s blue eyes, he stole a quick kiss. “Try it on. I know it will look great on you.”
Kadyn looked at his partner in surprise. “You bought this for me? I thought it was for you. Thanks, Vin.” He kissed the older man before slipping the shirt on and buttoning it up. Running his hands lightly down the front of it, Kadyn smiled his gratitude. “Wow, it’s a perfect fit and feels great. Imagine; a dress shirt and I really like it. Who’d have thought?” His blue eyes were sparkling.
He went into the small bedroom to look at himself in the full-length mirror, pleased with what he saw. “Okay, Vincent; if you’re ready to go, then so am I,” he proclaimed when he came out a few moments later.
“Give me just a minute more,” Vincent requested as he finished brushing his hair. Grabbing his coat, he eyed his lover. Kadyn looked even better than he expected as the shirt brought out the color of his eyes and his Brat’s grin lit up his young face.
“Okay, I’m ready to hit the town if you are,” Vincent announced. “I’m looking forward to a great time tonight.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kadyn climbed into bed and watched his lover getting undressed. “This was a great evening, Vincent. The meal was out of this world; I never had lobster before. It was delicious. I liked the nightclub too, but my favourite time was dancing with you. A lot of the guys there were giving you the eye. Man, you know some hot moves and you’re such a hunk.” Kadyn’s eyes lit up as he cheekily grinned at the older man.
Throwing back the covers, he impatiently requested that Vincent hurry up and join him. Once his partner was settled, Kadyn snuggled against his side.
“I know you have most of tomorrow’s activities planned, Vin, and it’s okay if ya wanna keep them a surprise. But I was kinda wondering if there’d be any chance of me getting my ear pierced” Kadyn yawned loudly. “It’s so late and I’m really sleepy,” he murmured as if it wasn’t blatantly obvious and fell asleep without hearing Vincent’s response.
Smothering his laughter with his hand, Vincent looked at his partner. He’d had other plans on how to end the evening, but with Kadyn falling asleep this fast and hard; he knew it would be best just to let him sleep. Oh well, they’d have plenty of time for fun and games in the next few days, Vincent was sure. It was well after two in the morning and Kadyn had been up since before dawn. He would probably be up and raring to go in another three or four hours.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Okay, wake up, sleepy head.” Vincent smiled as he shook his Brat awake. “It’s already after nine and if we want to get to both Stanley Park and Gastown today, we need to get moving soon.”
“Is that where we’re going?” Kadyn asked a little groggily. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “I was up earlier and after watching the sunrise, got bored on my own, so I came back to bed. See, I should have brought my Game Boy.” Getting up, he padded into the small galley. “I got coffee on if you want some.” He started banging around pots and pans as he dragged out the makings for scrambled eggs, sausages and toast.
“I’d love a cup of coffee,” Vincent replied. He always wanted coffee first thing in the morning and for some unknown reason the best coffee was what Kadyn made for him. “I thought we might do Stanley Park first. See some of the totems, maybe do the aquarium, take a walk and then have a late lunch. Then we could go to Gastown and shop before doing the town at night. I’d like to pick up some little gifts for my family. You remember we’re visiting them on our way home, right? What do you think? It’s not set in stone. Do you have other ideas or things you want to see instead? We can change it around as we are not leaving until Sunday morning; plenty of time to see and do everything we can think of.”
“Sounds like you got a good day planned, and I’m game. There is something I want to buy too and I am really looking forward to seeing the aquarium.” Kadyn chattered on while setting their breakfast on the table, sliding into his seat and indicating his Top do the same. “I hope when we go see your parents that hope your siblings are there, especially Daniel. I mean, I like Julie but your brother is closer to my age and we have more in common.”
He paused to shovel food into his mouth and wash it down with a slurp of milk. “Only thing I want added to your list, is getting my ear pierced. Hey, come to think of it, you never answered me about that last night. Is it all right for me to get a piercing? Maybe you’d rather I got a tattoo. I know; I can get both!” Kadyn grinned and his eyes lit up at the idea. “So, whatcha think? Huh?”
Vincent almost choked on his food at the word ‘tattoo’. After recovering, he spoke calmly. “Glad you like my ideas for the day. I’m sure we’ll find what we’re looking for in the wide variety of shops available. I haven’t been to Gastown in years, but I’m sure they’ll have plenty of great things to choose from.” He smiled patiently. “Kadyn, I think you’d look great with a pierced ear. The reason I didn’t say so last night is you were asleep as soon as you mentioned it.” Taking a breath, he added. “But I don’t want you to get a tattoo. They can get infected easily and you’d be sensitive wherever you got it for a few days at least. It is not a good idea.”
“So the piercing is a go but scrap the tattoo brainwave.” Kadyn nodded his compliance. “Okay, I can live with that.”
The two men quickly finished up their meal. After tidying up, they showered and dressed. Soon they were leaving the yacht for a busy day of shopping, sightseeing and adventure.
It was shortly after a relaxing lunch spent chatting about their visit to Stanley Park, when they entered a jewellery store. Kadyn walked up to the counter while Vincent browsed around. The younger man was fortunate to get an immediate appointment to get his ear pierced and ten minutes later was proudly showing it off to his partner.
“And it didn’t hurt at all, Vincent. Well, not much anyway.” He grinned, looking at his reflection in the mirror and tentatively touching the tiny gold ring. “The girl gave me a choice between a post and this sleeper. I thought this would be easier to care for. Do you like it?”
“Yes, I like it a lot,” Vincent replied. “It looks great on you!” The earring suited Kadyn and Vincent was glad to see how happy his Brat was now that he’d taken the plunge.
While Kadyn had been getting his ear pierced, Vincent had spoken with a sales clerk and purchased three more earrings that he felt Kadyn would like; one made of Tiger’s Eye, one of Onyx and for very formal occasions, one that was Sapphire. He also spotted a turquoise and silver bolo tie he knew his father would like, so he bought it as well.
They left the jewelers’ shop hand in hand with Vincent telling Kadyn of his latest purchase. “I got my dad a present, a bolo tie, and I have an idea of what to get my mom and sister. Julie told me not that long ago that mom really likes handmade soaps, floral scented ones. Let’s be on the look out for those, okay? I know Julie started collecting Wedgewood Demitasse, but only has a few pieces so far. If we see any we like, we can get a cup and saucer set for her. What do you think?”
“It’s a neat idea. I’ll keep my eyes open,” the younger man offered. “And don’t forget something for your brother.”
The reminder of the afternoon went by quickly as they strolled through Gastown, stopping in at various small shops. They had spent a great deal of time chatting about nothing in particular and just enjoying each other’s company. As evening approached, Vincent glanced at his watch and saw it was almost six pm. “What do you want to do about dinner, Kadyn? Do you want to find a place to eat here in Gastown or would you rather go back to the yacht, change and look for some place in Vancouver? I don’t care either way.”
“I’d like to try out this little café, Vincent.” Kadyn gazed up at the sign that read ‘The Annex’. They walked inside and smiled as they glanced around, liking what they saw.
“Hmm, smells good in here. It’s kinda funky too, isn’t it?” Kadyn mused as they followed the waitress over to a table and took their seats. He looked over the top of his menu at his companion. “You know, Vin, we covered a lot of ground today; saw lots of neat things, got gifts for everyone and had a really great time. Any chance of us just heading back to the boat and relaxing for the evening?”
Leaning forward, Kadyn wiggled his eyebrows and suggestively whispered. “Maybe we can play strip poker. You game?” He burst out laughing when the returning waitress overheard and his partner’s face turned beet-red.
As soon as they had placed their orders and the waitress left, Vincent regained his composure. He had to steel himself to keep from smiling as he feigned a growl. “I think I want to do something different tonight. How about a new game called ‘Spank the Brat’? After all, strip poker is a bit predictable.”
Seeing the startled expression on Kadyn’s face, Vincent smiled. “I think going back to the boat after dinner is a great idea. We’ve had a very busy day and since you’ve been a very good Brat, I think I’ll give you a surprise right now instead of waiting until tomorrow.”
Reaching into his pocket, Vincent pulled out the small package from the jeweler. “A little something for you,” he said with a smile that lit up his face as he put the little parcel in Kadyn’s hand.
Kadyn grinned and accepted the unexpected gift. Opening the box, he peered inside before glancing over at his companion with a look of wonder on his young face. “Wow, Vincent, these are beautiful!” he softly exclaimed, taking the sapphire earring out of the box to examine it more closely. “Man, I wish I could put this in now, but the lady at the jewellery store said I had to wait at least a month before removing the gold sleeper.”
He reluctantly returned the earring to its’ place with the others and put the tiny box in his pocket. “Thanks, Vin. I love you,” he murmured, blushing slightly. He questioned once again how he had come to be partnered with this wonderful man. Twelve years Vincent’s junior and fully aware of just how much a handful he could be, Kadyn marveled at the love and patience his partner had for him. He hoped he never took it for granted. “I’m anxious now to get back to the yacht so I can show you how much you mean to me.”
Vincent was touched by Kadyn’s obvious sincerity. “I love you too,” he replied quietly. “Glad you liked the earnings. I though you might want a few for a change of pace, once you are able to wear something other than the sleeper.”
A few seconds later, Vincent added, “I think your idea of going back to the yacht for the rest of the evening is a good one. Let’s enjoy dinner then head back.” Vincent smiled his slightly mischievous smile and whispered just loud enough for Kadyn alone to hear. “I have some ideas of my own on showing you what you mean to me, which I think you might enjoy.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Kadyn whole-heartedly looked forward to his partner’s plans and concentrated on eating the delicious smelling meal that had just been placed in front of him. Leaning back some time late, he rubbed his stomach and grinned across at his companion. “That was good. I ready to go back to the marina now.”
He had to wait several more minutes for Vincent to finish up; then they left the café and quickly made their way back to the yacht and an evening of intimate pleasure.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Much to Vincent’s delight, Kadyn actually slept in the next morning for the second day in a row. Well, eight-thirty was unusually late for Kadyn to rise but the older man wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Having decided to have brunch at a restaurant rather than making breakfast on the yacht, they quickly showered and dressed. It was shortly after nine when they left the yacht, intent on spending the final day of their holiday having fun at Granville Island. Their plan was to head for home early the following morning.
Vincent was really enjoying the time at Granville Island. He didn’t know which he was getting pleasure from more; the various booths and their wares or seeing Kadyn’s total fascination with everything.
As they walked, they watched a juggler perform as well as an artist doing pencil sketches. They listened to a strolling guitarist who played a surprisingly wide variety of music.
Vincent realized they’d spent a considerable amount of time checking out booths that had everything from jewelry, fresh fruits, paintings and baskets for sale, and they’d only covered about a third of what there was to see.
Seeing Kadyn regretfully put down a beautiful piece of handmade pottery, Vincent took him to one side and asked, “Did you want that? It would make a nice conversation piece for the lounge. We can ask them to hold it for us until we get back from brunch.”
“Yeah, it is nice, isn’t it? You know, I think I’d like to learn how to do pottery. I kinda like the feel of wet clay in my hands.” Kadyn grinned up at his partner. “Maybe if a course is offered in the next Community School session, I’ll take it. Of course, it will mean me needing to have every Wednesday evening free.” Keeping up his merry babbling, Kadyn added, “Yep, sounds like a good plan to me.” He managed to be quiet long enough for Vincent to make arrangements to pick up their purchase later.
Vincent was pleased that his Brat expressed an interest in taking up pottery as a new hobby. It would be good for him to expand his horizons.
“Look over there, Vincent. We can get breakfast sandwiches at the Market Grille. I’m starving!” He grabbed the older man’s arm and began dragging him towards the eatery.
Vincent nodded at the suggestion and allowed Kadyn to drag him into the Market Grille.
“Hey, maybe this evening we can return here to the Backstreet Lounge for a late supper and some live music. A great ending to our trip, don’t you think?” Kadyn requested excitedly, stopping long enough to read the signs in the bar’s window.
“Well, even though I like that idea for dinner, we don’t have to decide now. We still have plenty of time.”
Once they had purchased food of their choice and were seated, Kadyn tentatively made a request. “Vincent, I’d kinda like a bit of time on my own after we’ve finished eating. I got something I wanna do. I only need about half an hour and we can pick a designated place and time to meet up, okay? What do you think? Are you willing to turn me loose on the unsuspecting public?” He waited hopefully.
On hearing his partner’s request, Vincent was a bit puzzled about what he was up to. But knowing his Brat had always liked having some alone time, he gave the go-ahead. “Sure, I think the public is safe with you on the loose for a while. What do you say we meet back here in an hour? That way if something grabs your interest, you don’t have to cut your fun short.”
Stuffing the last of his sandwich into his mouth, Kadyn hurriedly washed it down with his coffee. “See you in an hour then,” he exclaimed as he tossed the empty cup in the trash and sent out to find the perfect gift for Vincent.
It took a bit of time, but he eventually found what he was searching for. Something he felt sure Vincent would like; a leather necklace with a handcrafted, sterling silver triangle pendant and a beautiful turquoise stone in the center of it. He had it gift-wrapped and after placing it safely in his pocket, began walking around and enjoying more of the sights the island had to offer.
Having realized he was running out of time, Kadyn had begun rushing back to the designated meeting place when a vendor’s stall he hadn’t seen before, waylaid him. It was here that a rather perturbed Top finally located him.
“Kadyn, are you all right?” Vincent asked anxiously, eyeing his Brat for signs of injury. Seeing no outward sign that Kadyn had been hurt, Vincent inquired in a deceptively calm voice, “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere for the past thirty minutes. We were supposed to meet back at the Grille forty-five minutes ago. I was afraid you’d been hurt.”
“Really, Vin?” Kadyn asked innocently. He glanced down at himself, a bit confused. “I’m just fine but I was wondering when you’d get here. It sure took you long enough. I wanted you to see something. Look!” he instructed, pointing to a big wooden crate at one side of the booth. “They are purebred Siberian huskies, only three months old. See their gorgeous blue eyes? Their owner is selling them for half price ‘cause he doesn’t have papers for them. I wanna buy the smallest one; he’s the runt of the litter and the cheapest of all. Can I get him? I already named him ‘Bandit’.” Kadyn was practically bouncing with excitement. His eyes were sparkling and he was merrily babbling away, completely oblivious to the flash of anger in his partner’s eyes.
“Yes, really! We were to meet at the Grille; I wasn’t supposed to have to wander all over looking for you!” Vincent replied sternly.
Looking at the puppies, Vincent saw immediately how they’d appealed to Kadyn, but he knew his Brat hadn’t thought things through; he’d seen cute puppies and wanted one, a true case of ‘puppy love’ if ever there was one.
“Yes, they are cute,” Vincent agreed. “But we aren’t getting one. We both work and our schedules don’t allow for the time a small puppy demands. Besides, we don’t have a place for it.”
Despite the look of shock on Kadyn’s face, Vincent continued listing their plans for the evening. “Now, we’d better get going. We need to get back to the yacht and pack, then clean up for dinner. After all, this is our last night of vacation and we want to have a good time before we leave tomorrow morning.”
“We don’t have to go out tonight, Vincent. I’d rather have the puppy. I’ll take care of him and cover all the costs involved. He’s already got his shots up-to-date and he is even housebroken.” Kadyn gazed down at the cuddly little dog and knew he couldn’t let this go without an argument. Digging his heels in, he stubbornly insisted he could spend his own money any way he wanted. Kadyn was capable of throwing an impressionable tantrum when he wanted something bad enough.
“You are right in one thing, young man,” Vincent responded grimly. “We don’t need to go out tonight. We can stay in and pack and have a quiet evening. But we are not getting a puppy.” As Kadyn opened his mouth to reply, Vincent went on mildly scolding. “It doesn’t matter if he had his shots or not. It doesn’t matter if he is housebroken. The answer remains the same. No puppy. As for you spending your money any way you want, that is true. But only within the guidelines we’ve set up as a couple. When it comes to something like this, I have the last word and in this case, the last word is no.”
Lowering his voice, Vincent murmured, “Now would be a good time to thank these people for the information about the dog and to say goodbye.”
Kadyn glared at the older man. “I’ll say goodbye after I’ve paid for my puppy,” he quietly declared through gritted teeth and pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, he spun around toward the vender to await his turn in line.
Fortunately, anyone close enough to have taken in the conversation had they wanted to, seemed too involved in their own interests. Everyone in the crowd appeared to have missed the heated exchange.
Vincent could hardly believe his ears, let alone his eyes. He grabbed Kadyn by the arm and half-marched, half-dragged him a few steps aside and whispered. “I will tell you just once more. We are not getting a puppy. And if you don’t want to be embarrassed in front of all these people, put a smile on your face and thank the seller for the information and leave. I’ve never disciplined you in front of anyone and I don’t want to start now, but if you defy me, I will.”
Kadyn blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing he had pushed as far as he dared. He nodded his compliance and went back to the booth to do Vincent’s bidding. Then he reached down and gave the puppy one last pat on the head. His eyes filled as his disappointment hit home. Pushing his way passed Vincent; Kadyn steadily worked his way through the throngs of people. Once he was out of the busy market place, he broke into a run and headed for the marina. He didn’t even turn to see if Vincent was following.
Vincent watched in silence as Kadyn petted the puppy and headed for the yacht. He didn’t try to catch up with him, knowing that Kadyn would want some time to himself.
Kadyn arrived back at the boat gasping for breath. He sat down on the wharf, wrapped his arms around his folded legs, laid his head on his knees and waited for his partner’s return. He used the time to think of the potential repercussions for his appalling behaviour.
As Vincent approached the boat, he saw Kadyn sitting on the dock, a picture of dejection, and his heart went out to him. He understood that his Brat’s desire for the puppy had almost overruled his good sense and was thankful that Kadyn had stopped short of defying him.
Vincent stood behind him for a few seconds, then gently reached out and began to rub the younger man’s shoulders without saying a word. After a few minutes, Vincent spoke up. “Hey, what do you say we go inside, relax for a bit and then have a shower? We can decide about dinner later on. We still have the rest of the day and evening to spend however we want.”
“Okay,” Kadyn responded quietly. He glanced up and gave his partner a sad smile. “I’m sorry for the way I acted, Vincent. I just wanted that puppy so bad, but I didn’t mean to ruin our weekend.” He hung his head rather than confront the disappointment he was sure he’d see in his lover’s handsome face.
“You didn’t ruin our weekend, love. You got carried away over the puppy, that’s all,” Vincent lovingly replied. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
Reaching down, he helped Kadyn to his feet and slipped his arm around the smaller man’s waist, pulling him up againsthis side. “Why don’t we go inside, take a nice relaxing shower and get ready to have dinner out for our last night,” Vincent calmly suggested. “I’d like to have some seafood tonight. What are you in the mood for?”
“Seafood sounds good,” Kadyn softly answered. He was still trying to come to grips with his disappointment in not being allowed to have the puppy as well as the embarrassment of having behaved so badly. But he trusted his Top to step in and do what the older man thought work best for them as a couple.
By the time they left for their evening on the town, Kadyn was feeling somewhat better. He managed to keep thoughts of the little dog at bay and actually enjoyed himself at the restaurant they had chosen. The music was lively, the service was friendly and the food was excellent.
The sun was just starting to go down when Kadyn asked if they could go back to the boat as he wasn’t feeling well and his head was aching. “I think I can do with an early night, Vincent. We have a long drive in the morning,” he explained.
“I think that’s a good idea, honey. It’s been a long day for the both of us,” Vincent kindly voiced his agreement. He signed the check and they were soon on their way.
As they walked back to the marina, it became evident that Kadyn wasn’t even close to his usual effervescent self. Arriving back at the yacht, Vincent patiently instructed, “Go on and get ready for bed. You don’t look too good, baby. I think that headache has really got a hold of you. I’ll get you an aspirin and some water.”
Once Kadyn was in bed and settled in his favourite position on his stomach, Vincent lay down beside him, petting and rubbing ever widening circles on his back for several minutes. Feeling his Brat relax and sensing Kadyn was about to fall asleep, Vincent softly informed him. “Listen, honey, I think I’ll pack some of our things and take them to the car now so we don’t have to do everything in the morning and while I’m at it, I may as well talk to the marina master. I’ll probably be in and out for at least an hour, possibly longer. I wanted to let you know in case you woke up and wondered where I was. Okay?”
“S’okay,” Kadyn sleepily murmured. Vincent’s soothing back rub had the desired effect and the younger man was soon sleeping soundly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning, Kadyn woke up long before Vincent. Pulling back the short curtain, he smiled at the sight of another beautiful, sunny day and quietly crawled out of bed. He quickly dressed and set out for Granville Island, tracing the route he and Vincent had taken yesterday.
However, today Kadyn didn’t take the time to look around. Instead he headed straight for the booth where the puppies had been. He wanted to see them one last time but was doomed for more disheartening news when the vendor informed him that the last one had been sold only a few minutes before closing last night.
Kadyn heaved a sigh of despondency and trudged back to the yacht where unbeknownst to him, an angry Top was waiting.
Vincent was fuming. When he went to bed, Kadyn was there. When he got up, his partner was nowhere to be found. Not a word or a note; nothing. He had no idea where the young man had gone and no clue where to start looking. Pulling on a sweater, he decided to ask the marina caretaker if he’d seen Kadyn that morning. He was just about to leave the boat, when he spotted his Brat looking decidedly dejected and walking towards him.
As soon as Kadyn was on board, Vincent grabbed him by the arm and demanded in a tightly controlled voice, “Where have you been? You disappeared on me without a word and didn’t leave a note! What is going on with you?”
Kadyn looked up at his infuriated Top’s face and gulped. “I-I went back to the island to see Bandit one last time, but he wasn’t there; he’s been sold.” He figured more of an explanation was needed when the older man’s expression didn’t immediately soften. “I-I know we have a rule to stay together during trips so I don’t get lost, but I knew how to get there and back, Vincent. I just didn’t expect it to take so long.” His face contorted as his backside shivered at the prospect of a spanking heading its’ way. ‘But we are on vacation so maybe Vincent will let it go this time,’ Kadyn thought, always the optimist.
Vincent was far from appeased by Kadyn’s reason for disappearing. “We keep each other informed where we’re going for one reason and one reason only: to stop the other from worrying,” Vincent said without any hint of his normal good humor. As they stepped down into the lower cabin, he continued. “I love you, but I won’t let you act as though we’re a couple when it’s convenient for you and have you ignore me when you have something you want to do that I might not like.”
Hearing no defense for his actions from Kadyn, Vincent seated himself and ordered, “Come here and pull down your jeans.”
‘So much for the hoped-for reprieve,’ Kadyn thought with a pout as he did what he was told. He knew he deserved the upcoming punishment, but it didn’t mean he had to like it. Then he heaved a sigh of acceptance and waited restlessly for Vincent to make the next move.
Vincent guided his Brat over his lap and began to spank him. There was no reason to go over what the spanking was for. Kadyn knew he’d broken one of their basic rules, one that applied no matter where they were.
He continued to spank until he felt the message had made it through. Then he lifted Kadyn up, gathering him into his arms so there was no weight put on his Brat’s sore bottom. Next he brushed away the younger man’s tears while whispering, “I love you and I’ll take care of you no matter what happens. It’s all right, I’m here for you.”
“That-that really hurt,” Kadyn hitched as he wrapped his arms around his Top’s neck while squirming to find a comfortable position. “But I still love you too and from now on I’ll try to remember to leave the notes you seem so keen about. But I’m not ready to get up yet.” He wanted more cuddle time and as was usually the case, Vincent was more than willing to indulge him. It gave them the time they needed to reconnect and for Kadyn to come to grips with what had happened.
“It was supposed to hurt. I trust you don’t need more to reinforce it,” Vincent responded somewhat dryly. “And I’m glad you still love me, as I still love you.” He softly kissed his lover’s hair.
Kadyn gave Vincent a watery grin. “We’re going home now?”
“Yes, Brat, we are going home now.” Vincent’s expression quickly changed to a smile as he got up. “The car is all packed. So what do you say; ready to head out?”
Kadyn got up off his Top’s lap and pulled up his jeans, hissing as they passed over his sore backside. He looked around the small room. He had enjoyed their stay here and thought it would have been nice if it could have been longer. “Yeah, guess I’m as ready as I’m gonna be for a while,” he mumbled and rubbed tentatively at the seat of his pants as he followed the older man out onto the deck. He ran ahead to the car while Vincent paid a last visit to the marina attendant and then waited impatiently for his partner to join him.
“Geesh, Vincent, we seem to be taking home more that we came with,” he commented as he gingerly sat down in the passenger seat. “Oh that reminds me, I got something for you. I want you to see it before we take off.” He pulled a small square box out of his jacket pocket and passed it over to his partner. He ginned in anticipation of the other man’s reaction.
Vincent carefully opened the box and gasped in pleasure. The necklace was beautiful; Kadyn’s taste was impeccable. It was as though he’d known what Vincent would have picked out if he’d been with him. “Sweetie, I’m practically speechless. This is beautiful. I love the arrow shape and the turquoise is such a lovely deep color.” Vincent reached out and pulled Kadyn into a hug and gave him a deep kiss. “Thank you, my love,” he murmured. “It’s wonderful. I’m going to put it on right now so I can show it off when we get to Mom and Dad’s house. I know they’ll wonder where I got such a great necklace! You do remember we made arrangements to stop by and visit with them today.”
Seeing Kadyn’s happy expression at his praise of the necklace, Vincent suggested, “Well, if you don’t have any more surprises for me, I think we need to get this show on the road. You ready to visit the family and then head for home?”
Kadyn nodded and buckled up. They had only been on the road for about five minutes when he gave his partner a questioning look. “Did you hear that noise? What do you think it is?”
“Noise? I didn’t hear anything,” Vincent innocently replied.
“There it is again. You musta heard it this time.” Kadyn looked around the vehicle and listened intently. “Hey, it’s coming from behind us!” he exclaimed, undoing his seat belt to facilitate reaching behind him and initiating a search.
“It’s…you...how come? I thought you said no.” Kadyn excitedly shuffled around and before Vincent could stop him, climbed into the back seat. Throwing aside the light blanket, he opened the carrier and freed the puppy that was inside it. Unable to speak, Kadyn cradle the animal in his arms and rubbed his face against the little dog’s furry coat.
Vincent pulled the car off the road before trying to answer Kadyn’s question. Turning around to face his Brat, he replied, “I know I said no, but I ended up changing my mind. I could see how much you wanted him, so I re-thought it and realized I didn’t have enough facts to make a fair decision.”
He paused for a few seconds, and then continued. “Last night after I got the car packed, I went and had a long talk with the breeder about what we could expect out of a dog like Bandit. I decided that even with our busy schedules we could have a pet and Bandit seemed to be a good choice; especially as you are already in puppy love with him,” Vincent said with a grin.
“We’ll have to devote a lot of our extra time to training him, walking him and making sure he’s happy, but I think we can do it. We’ll have to decide on some house rules as well; like where he’s going to sleep, what rooms he can be in, and who has to walk him. But I think overall, that type of thing won’t be a problem. Now how about putting him back in his carrier so he is comfortable until we get to Mom and Dad’s? And,” he added with a laugh, “no more climbing into the back seat!”
“In a minute, Vin,” Kadyn answered. “I think he woke up for a reason.” He clipped the leash on the little collar and set the puppy on the ground. Once the animal had taken care of business, Kadyn settled his new pet in the carrier and slid into the passenger seat.
He turned and threw his arms around his partner’s neck. “Thank you, Vincent. I love you,” he whispered emotionally and kissed his lover’s lips.
Sitting back, he solemnly vowed. “I’ll take really good care of him, promise. He’s a member of the family now. Everywhere I go, he’ll come with me. Maybe I should call him Shadow,” he commented as he re-fastened his seatbelt while giving the name a few seconds thought. “Nah, I still like Bandit better.”
Kadyn bounced in his seat, his exuberance quickly returning. “Let’s get going, Vin! I can’t wait to get to your parents’ place and start showing him off.”
The End
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