Drifting [Johnny, Christian, Adrian]

[palacechristian]

The gentle afternoon breeze kept the deck from becoming too hot a place to sit. Christian had the screens up to keep prying eyes away and the three of them were just lying about on the lounges under the shadecloth, doing very little of anything at all. It was nice. Adrian was quiet, worn out probably, by screaming his lungs out for two hours as Christian sped the motor launch around the bay and Johnny was just... quiet. He didn't look seasick, but Christian raised his sunglasses nonetheless. "You okay there, lover?"

Johnny smiled over at Christian and nodded. "Uh huh. Just enjoying the breeze." He glanced over at Adrian, who was sprawled out on a lounge nearby, and sent Christian an impish grin. "And the quiet. It's peaceful out here, just the birds and the surf and all."

Christian nodded. "Enjoy it while it lasts," he said, trying not to look at Adrian. "We'll have a houseful shortly. No peace at all." He dropped his sunglasses back onto his nose and settled back down, drawing his knees up, bare feet on the rungs of the safety rail and closed his eyes.

Adrian perked up. "Who's coming to stay?"

Johnny looked over at him, one eyebrow raised. "Liam, remember?"

"He's staying with us? Cool!" The younger boy suddenly brightened. "Hey, the only bedspace is with me!" He beamed happily and Johnny could practically see the plans and fantasies swirling around in his head.

Johnny grinned and shook his head. "No, sorry, you'll have to wait till you get home to tackle him. He's sleeping with Christian while he's here and I'm bunking with you -- figure, it's your last opportunity to boss me around in bed for a while, so you'd better take advantage of it."

"Damn right!" Adrian waggled his eyebrows at Johnny, a move clearly copied from Christian. "I guess I can handle waiting a few days. It's only fair that Christian gets a shot at him, and in the meantime I'll have to get you out of my system while I'm still here!"

Suppressing a sigh, Christian cracked his eyes open again. "Uh-uh," he said. "No getting shots at anyone. Sharing the bed, is all."

"What?!" Adrian looked shocked and horrified. "But why?? I mean, it's okay with Johnny, isn't it? I mean--" He suddenly stopped, then gave a puffing sigh of relief. "Oh! You mean you and Liam." Another pause, then a puzzled expression. "But why? He's a really nice guy and he knows his stuff and besides I heard he's got a really huge--"

"Adrian!" Christian sat up. "I know, okay, I know." He let out a breath. "It's just not... not gonna happen this trip." He looked to Johnny for help, but his lover looked equally blank. "Umm... Liam and I are a bit...rough?" he offered.

"So you have fucked him before! Or he's fucked you or whatever. Okay, so you know what you're missing. And of course it's rough, he's a dom. What's the problem?"

Johnny just looked over at Christian with a questioning expression. Christian had mentioned once that he was a "painslut," and in connection with Liam, so it wasn't exactly a surprise. Part of him sort of shrank inward at the thought, but he didn't let it show in his face.

He didn't quite roll his eyes, but Christian did pull a face. He didn't speak, he just tapped the side of his head. Surely that would get Johnny on the right track. Whatever he and Liam might get up to, Johnny was going to 'hear,' not to mention more conventional sounds that might bother both him and Adrian.

Oh! Johnny nodded, looking thoughtful. He'd have a ringside seat for whatever went on between them and that could be... disturbing? Or maybe not. If Christian was really as into it as he said, as he must be to allow it in the first place, then it might help Johnny understand. He knew, intellectually, what people got out of the more painful varieties of sex play, but he didn't get it, in his gut. Filtered through Christian's enthusiastic participation, he just might. He looked up and said, "It might help, actually." He rethought his reasoning, clearly and "loudly" enough that Christian would know it was meant to be heard. "I mean, if you don't mind that I'm 'there' while you're with him? I mean, don't not just because of me."

"I suppose." Christian said slowly, and aloud. Adrian was looking between the two of them, his puzzlement about why they'd fallen suddenly silent plain to see and it was rude to continue talking mind to mind. "I mean, I don't mind." He looked at Adrian. "Johnny and I have this... mental connection thing, remember? Trouble is, we can't shut one another out. If.... Oh, look, maybe it's just easier if we don't." He worried at his bottom lip instead. Sure, he enjoyed being with Liam but he didn't have to be. Besides, he'd only consider it if he talked to Liam first and talking to Liam first would make the whole exercise so... clinical. Best to just forget it.

"Oh! So then...." Adrian trailed off, then got an absolutely dazed expression on his face, along with a huge grin. "Oh, man, that'd be so hot!"

Johnny deliberately ignored Adrian and said, "Up to you, whatever you want, really. Just don't not because of me." And with the repeated assurance and request, he reached over and ran his fingertips down Christian's arm.

"Thanks." Christian patted the hand Johnny had laid on his arm. "Not just you, okay?" He looked at Adrian. "Might help, yeah. Might not, too." He shook his head. "Don't know that I wanna go there, eh?"

"I'm sure if it doesn't, Adrian'll be happy to distract me," Johnny said with an admirably straight face.

"Oh, sure! No prob! Glad to help!" Adrian bounced up in to a crosslegged position on his lounge, eyeing Johnny as though he were ready to start the distraction immediately, or at least get in some practice.

Christian laughed and, leaning over, ruffled Adrian's hair. "We'll see," he told him. "We'll see."