Growing up the good Baptist boy he was had made life hell. The flames licked at his soul and his secrets made tears sting at his eyes. It was wrong, he was wrong. It meant hell, he was going to reside in hell. The flames would lap at his pale flesh, the demons would taunt and laugh at him, wielding pitchforks and prodding him as he sat curled in the corner, trying to protect his fragile and dead body.

Curiosity
The young and the free

The music industry was something new and different all together. It was so fast paced and different from his country-styled life. They asked him to go out to parties, to go rub elbows with socialites. They wanted to take him out for a good time. They tried to get him to loosen up, and he'd rather not remember the disastrous trip to the strip club that some of the guys had provided. Not only was he having breasts thrust in his face but they got him so intoxicated that night, he was hung over for the next day and then some. That life wasn't for him. Not that particular style in any event.

There for all to see
Entranced

Coming out to Jude was the most trusting thing he had done in a long time. It was such a relief to know that he had someone to talk to. Someone he could share his fears with, someone he could vent and rant to. She would always be there for him. Especially when he decided it was his time to come out. Not to everyone, but to the decadent and flamboyant lifestyle that was the Toronto gay night life. Jude promised to be at his side no matter how uncomfortable she felt as rather butch women sidled up next to her, offering to buy her drinks. She would politely decline, saying she was the designated driver or something of the sort before running back to Mason, clinging to his arm. His eyes were wide as he watched how open everyone was. Gay, straight, bi, whatever. Each person here had found a sense of community and the idea of acceptance made his head spin.

Burned by the flame
Have your senses taken leave

The lights flashed and spiraled while the music rocked the core of his being. The pounding baseline made the other bodies writhe to the music, heads thrown back in ecstasy as hands blindly grabbed and groped the bodies before them. They looked so out of place, dressed normally while everyone else had gone over the top. Hulking men danced in cages clad only in a pair of small red shorts and glittered matching cowboy hats. Jude had leaned in to Mason, having to yell to be heard over the music,

"That's sooo not real and I'm sure the socks would appreciate being paired up again!" Mason could only roll his eyes and laugh. They did look a bit ridiculous mostly naked and dancing in front of the strobe lights. They were perfectly chiseled, but ridiculous looking none the less. Probably steroid pumped and really, in the end, they would only go home with each other. They wouldn't want a sub par specimen of a man.

Into the fire of true belief
It's the orgy of the free

Regardless of how much this wasn't his scene, and how overwhelming everything was to look at, he finally felt free. He could dance with any guy he wanted. He could talk and flirt, and no one would look at him oddly. Here, he had no secrets. And right here and now, he was finally free.

They went to go get drinks, and he was going to need a stiff one. Jude had promised to play designated driver for him tonight. The bartender was the only other person who looked relatively normal in the entire place. She wore all black, but her short hair was bleached and had hot pink hugging the tips of her hair which flared out from her face. Jude ordered her drink, club soda with lime, and looked at Mason who proceeded to order. He reached for his wallet from his back pocket but a twenty was laid down on the bar top accompanied by a "don't worry about it."

A smile tugged at the young man's lips and he turned to thank the man that accompanied the voice but his eyes widened and jaw dropped when he saw who was standing before him.

The man's voice rumbled in a chuckle, "You can't be that surprised."

Words failed Mason and he groped the countertop for his glass, bringing it to his lips and taking a hearty swig.

It was at first as
If they were shadows

"Dance with me." The statement was just that, a command more than a question. His head tilted to the side, waiting for Mason's answer.

"I…uh…."

"He'd love to." Jude flashed her usual charming smile to Chaz. She had always suspected so it was no surprise to her that they would run into him here. Well, here particularly was a surprise, but not the first part. Before Jude launched Mason towards Chaz she leaned in and whispered to him, "You're crazy if you don't! Go! Have fun…I'll hold down the fort." She pushed him forward towards Chaz, whose face lit up.

Mason trailed Chaz as they walked hand in hand towards the center of the dance floor and were swallowed up by the bodies that continued to writhe to the pounding techno beats. God, she must have really cared about Mason to tolerate the music for this long.

Shimmering visions
By the light of the dancing flame

That night was one of the best nights of his life. He had just wanted to go out and experience life. Instead he had actually met someone. And not some sleazy steroid guy, but someone just like him he would eventually learn.

Bodies in motion
The sound of the ocean

They rocked together to the beat of the music, Mason securely in Chaz's grasp and he wouldn't give him up to any other guy in the club. Forty-five minutes and two or three drinks later Mason was sufficiently loosened up and hanging all over Chaz as they continued to dance. The lights flashed and swirled around them, bodies bumped into them but none of it mattered. They might as well have been the only two there, swaying and grinding to the beats emitted through the pounding speakers.Came into vision
On the night of the dancing flame

Above the masses, Jude tried to find Mason and Chaz but was having a hell of a time as the lights swung around and momentarily blinded her- over and over again.

Finally Chaz for whatever reason tipped his head back and Jude caught his eye. He motioned that it was okay for her to leave and she had never been more grateful in her life. She gave a small wave and started to head down the stairs only to be rubbed up on by someone passing. She threw them a nasty look before continuing down the stairs ignoring a cat call. Tossing her cup where she was, the plastic tumbled and bounced down the stairs. She exited the club into the cold night air and headed towards her car to go home. She'd make sure he made it home later. She could trust Chaz. And she couldn't wait to hear the story Mason would have later.

What of your own free will
Bodies are writhing still

"Let's go." Alcohol had taken over his better judgment and his body was tired of moving back and forth, the lights making him dizzy and nauseous.

Chaz looked down at the younger man whose head was lolling to the side against his own shoulder. Go…Let's go…what? His mind automatically jumped to conclusions though he knew he shouldn't. Let's go… He was in no position to want to disagree and with his arm securely around Mason's waist, the two men left the loud and pounding club for the darkness and relative silence of the night.

Mason stumbled against the cement sidewalk, mumbling incoherent sentences to Chaz. He just laughed into the cold night, making sure his companion didn't hit the ground.

There in the moonlight
With my head up help high

"We need to get you home, cowboy." Mason looked up at Chaz, a silly smile on his face. He tried to straighten up and carry himself without the help of Chaz to the car…but he had no idea where Chaz was parked, or even what he drove for that matter. His drunken grin morphed into something more devilish and the glint in his eye was unmistakable.

He grabbed Chaz's hand and before he knew it, Chaz was up against the brick exterior of the club. "Mase, let's get you home…" It killed him to protest, but this wasn't right. This wasn't Mason, this was the rum coursing through his veins.

His lips were centimeters away from Chaz's and the smell of the liquor on his breath was intoxicating in its own way. "No," he sounded surprisingly assertive for how he was walking a few moments ago. "I don't want to." The hot breath was a startling contrast to the cold air and sent chills down Chaz's spine. His entire body flushed with heat now that he was the submissive one in the situation- this was a rare occurrence.

Wish I could keep on walking by
But I…

Mason nuzzled against Chaz's neck, the smell of his cologne overwhelming him. With the man's head tilted back and against the wall Mason planted lazy kisses along the exposed jaw line causing Chaz to groan softly.

"Really Mase, let's get…you…home." His eye lids fluttered closed and he sighed in contentment at the feel of teeth gently raking and pulling at his earlobe.

"To your place?"

"Mmmm…."

He was taking a guy home.
From a club.

But it wasn't any guy. He wasn't like the rest of them. That much he knew.

Find myself drawn to you
I let you do what you want to do

He reached for Mason's hands and all but ran to the car with him trailing behind, stumbling a bit over his booted feet. Once they reached the car, it was Mason's turn and his back hit the iced metal and glass. Chaz grasped at the collar of his shirt pulling him into a bruising kiss which Mason was more than willing to reciprocate.

Their panted breath swirled and rose above them in short white puffs when they finally broke apart and Mason reiterated 'home' to Chaz. Dumbly nodding, he fished his keys out of his jacket pocket

You had your wicked way
There on the site of the dancing flame

Mason couldn't help but act like a repressed adolescent as Chaz drove them back to his house. With his seatbelt unbuckled, he was leaned over the center console and driving Chaz crazy. His full lips pulled on the older man's ear lobe and licked along the outer shell. It was all Chaz could do to keep from swerving into oncoming traffic as he sped off towards his house.

It was at first as
If they were shadows

Mason's face and coy smile were hidden by the shadows created by the tall street lamps as the car raced down the active road. Masons hands wandered and roamed Chaz's clothed body while they were at a stop light. One hand cradling the far side of his neck, pulling him closer as his lips gently sucked on the tender flesh at the nape of Chaz's neck eliciting a groan of pleasure from him.

Shimmering visions
By the light of the dancing flame

"Mase….We're never going to make it home if you don't stop."

"So?" The hot pant of air licked at Chaz's skin and an audible gulp could be heard from him.

"Not make it home in a bad way." The light turned green and the tires squealed under the car as Chaz slammed down on the accelerator and luckily for both of them, they were at his house within minutes.

Bodies in motion
The sound of the ocean

Pulling Mason behind him, Chaz hastily moved towards the front door of his house. Fumbling for the keys in the dark, Mason provided no help as he continued to distract him. His arms wrapped around the older man's waist from behind, pulling him close to his own body and the combination of whispered impish words and hot tickled breath amidst the cold night was enough of a distraction for Chaz and he continued to mishandle the key ring.

Came into vision
On the night of the dancing flame

Finding the right key, he make a small noise of triumph and jammed the key into the lock, hastily cranking it around. With the door giving way, the two men stumbled inside to the warmth of the house. Mason kept walking forward until Chaz's back hit a solid object. Mason's lips crashed against Chaz's forcefully, his body pinned under the weight of Mason.

"Upstairs, now." Chaz murmured against Mason's lips and he felt them curl up into a smile at the implications of a bedroom. Mason's hand found itself in the strong grasp of Chaz's as they raced up the staircase, Mason's hand skimming along the banister as he took the steps two at a time in order to keep up with Chaz.

They entered a dark room and Mason was pulled towards the center of the room where the dim outline of a bed could be seen. Quickly crawling up onto the mattress, he shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his shoes, tossing them to some unknown corner of the room. He sat, kneeling in the middle of the expansive bed and waiting for his partner to join him. His pulse raced and he bit his lip nervously, afraid that the man with him was going to snap to his senses and change his mind.

No sooner had those thoughts entered the young man's mind did he feel the plush mattress shift underneath the additional weight and he was entranced yet again by Chaz. Mason stood still as Chaz crawled over to him on his knees and they sat there as the minutes passed them by, Chaz gently stoking and kissing Mason's face.

To dance around the fire
On the night of the dancing flame

Masons hands reached out for the buttons down the front of Chaz's shirt, fumbling with them as his hands shook nervously. He never expected to go home with someone tonight and wasn't completely sure if he was ready for this. Slowly but surely the buttons were released and warm skin was exposed, his fingers lightly trailing down as he continued to work the flimsy article of clothing.

The silence between the two was deafening and Mason felt like his rapid heartbeat could be heard throughout the room. Chaz's hands pulled away Mason's from his shirt, and then quickly finished buttoning it himself. They then worked their way up across the broad expanse of Mason's shoulders, gripping the muscles lightly to have him relax.

"We don't have-"

"No." The younger man adamantly shook his head, "I…want to." He brought Chaz's hands to the seams of his own shirt, and brought his fingers to unbutton it. Mimicking Mason's actions earlier, his rough finger tips traced over the smooth expanse of his chest as more and more was revealed. The palm of his hand rested against Mason's heart and he felt it desperately trying to break through his chest.

Leaning forward Chaz's lips were just centimeters away from Mason's when his hot breath was expelled, "Calm down" before he captured the parted lips before him, bring them into a searing kiss and banishing all of Mason's fears for the moment.

To make the flame grow higher
In the light of the dancing flame

Both shirts had been tossed to the floor and Chaz took control of the situation once again as his hands trailed down the pale skin before him, his fingers resting at the waist band of the jeans on Mason and he looked up again, searching his eyes in the darkness. Never leaving the liquid pools of brown, Chaz expertly flicked open the button closure and slowly pulled down the straining zipper.

"Off." He whispered before he left Mason alone in the middle of the bed as he went to the nightstand table, opening a drawer and rooting around in it before returning, kneeling behind Mason. His jeans had been discarded, dropped right next to the foot of the bed. Their bodies were pressed against one another as Chaz scooted up behind Mason and he pulled the younger man back towards him, their bare skin in contact with one another.

Mason's hands rested on the denim over Chaz's thighs as his partners hands roamed over his own nearly nude body. Lightly, his fingers skimmed over the thin tented fabric and it rose even more as Mason looked down watching Chaz's hands roam over his body, arousing him even more than he thought possible.

Chaz's free hand tilted Mason's chin up, so he was looking directly into the mirror across the room, the dull glow of the room gave off just enough light to illuminate the two bodies on the bed and all of their actions.

"Look in the mirror," Chaz whispered into his ear before licking along the outer shell causing Mason's breath to hitch and chills to race over his body. He watched himself as Chaz continued his ministrations.

A small whimper escaped Mason's throat as he watched Chaz free his confined erection, it springing forward in the older mans hand. The feeling of Chaz on his body without the protection of cloth was almost enough to send him over the edge already. His head lolled back, his eyes closed.

"Mase," Kisses were being planted along the column of his neck, "open your eyes." He nodded weakly, complying with the commands he was given before Chaz continued again.

Oh that starry night
Lost my sense of time

Holding his head up, his breathing shallow, he continued to watch as Chaz neglected his body for a moment, reaching for the tube laying beside him on the bed. Quickly squeezing some of the contents into the palm of his hand, he warmed it, working it through his fingers before turning back to Mason.

His hand returned to Mason's aching erection and a moan left mouth as his breath quickened. The firm grasp Chaz held on him drove him wild in addition to the torturously slow rhythm he used. Mason's eyes squeezed shut, willing his body not to betray him yet and again, Chaz's husky voice filtered through his mind, "Your eyes Mase, open your eyes."

He struggled to keep his eyes open, focusing only on Chaz's face as his body continued to be pleasured. The speed of Chaz's strokes was increasing and Mason's panting and quiet moans climbed in sync with the waves of pleasure that were coming over him.

"Chaz..oh God, please."

"Watch me, Mase, what I'm doing to you."

I don't know how I
Got my fingers burned

He was all but gasping for air at this point and Mason's eyes moved down, looking at the dim reflection in the mirror. Seeing and feeling as Chaz's thumb swept over the head of his engorged erection, catching the precome that had been released. His hand continued to slide up and down the slick and glistening member, Mason's panted words and moaned filled the air and willed Chaz to push him closer and closer to the brink of ecstasy.

"I can't…Chaz, I…"

Feeling the swelling in his hand, he abruptly stopped all movement. His hand was hastily wiped along the once clean linens and the other hand was placed firmly on Mason's bare back, pushing him down to the mattress before he could even complain about the loss of contact. Chaz quickly disrobed himself of his own jeans and underwear before returning, covering the smaller mans body with his own. Kisses were planted along his neck, shoulders and back as they mixed with the lightly salty taste of Mason's skin from dancing earlier. His tongue ran along the young man's spine and Mason cried out, begging for more.

Mason was stretched out like a cat and as unclothed as Chaz, the sheets beneath him were grasped tightly in his hands as he readied himself.

Maybe I got too close
To the light of the

Light kisses were littered around Mason's ear and he shuddered out of pleasure feeling all of Chaz pressed up against him.

"Are you sure you want to…" His voice was low and reverberated deep throughout his body.

"Please, yes." Mason whimpered lightly, still painfully aroused and with no means of release at the moment. The sound of crinkling foil could be heard as the tiny package was ripped and Chaz sheathed himself. A tiny pop from the tube of lubricant was next and once again, Chaz was sidled up right behind Mason. With a firm hold on the slim hips before him he slowly and steadily pushed himself forward, entering Mason.

A guttural cry came from Mason and he arched his back at the feeling of Chaz. He leaned forward, soft kisses and whispered words hummed through the air before anymore another move was made.

His voice hoarse from his cries, Mason managed to utter out "Keep going," with his knuckles white as the sheets wrinkled in his balled fists. Chaz slowly receded before starting an easy pace, a rocking rhythm that Mason moaned out to, frustrated with his lack of release.

As Chaz continued to rock back and forth against Masons body, one hand snuck around his waist to Mason's neglected and throbbing member. Light strokes in time with his own rhythm was all it took to have Mason panting and moaning out uncontrollably.

The sound of Mason's voice was so erotic at the moment, he was being sent right to the edge, "Mase, I'm-" But he was cut off as Mason yelled out, his entire body going rigid before collapsing blissfully in a stupor while Chaz continued to thrust into him, so close to his own release.

With both hands on his hips again, Chaz quickened his pace, looking down the visual of himself disappearing over and over again into Mason was enough and with a few more short thrusts he cried out Mason's name as he found his own orgasm.

Collapsing on top of Mason, more kisses were spread along Mason's body and panted 'oh god's' were whispered to each other as they came down from their highs. Gently sliding from Mason and rolling over to his side, Chaz pulled Mason along with him, pressing his body next to his. They were both a mess from the night, but for now, it would just have to wait.

To the light of the
To the light of the dancing flame