Part 13: Turning Tables

Iggy had fucked six women since his pseudo-date with Austin, and none of them could get the blond waiter out of his head. He enjoyed the women, the way their curves felt in his hands, the way their boobs jiggled as they rode him into his mattress, but when he closed his eyes, it wasn't them he saw, it was Austin.

Iggy was balls deep in Angie Zago when he received a text from the blond waiter. Sometime around Wednesday he had plucked up the courage to text Austin, and they hadn't stopped since. He pounded against Angie's ass as he opened the message. It was a pic of Austin with his dog, Biscuit.

"Are you going to cum or not?" Angie asked.

Iggy finally released and relaxed against Angie. She pushed him out of her and got up. She tried to kiss him but he backed away. His thoughts were preoccupied with a response. He didn't have a dog so he couldn't send a picture of one.

Angie began round two. Her lips were on his dick. It grew harder and harder until he put the phone down and began to play with her hair. Angie was very good at sucking dick. She wasn't pretty, she wasn't desirable but she was desperate and always willing, and that's what Iggy liked about her.

"Don't stop," Iggy told her.

"What's up with you? First we're hot and heavy then you're preoccupied and now you're into it again."

Iggy got quiet. Ian and Mickey were fucking in the next room, and they were loud. Their dad had gone out. Mandy was somewhere pining over Lip, and only Mickey and Iggy were there. Iggy made Angie stop. She got dressed and left without even talking to him.

Iggy knew better. But he had to know. He knocked on Mickey's bedroom door, and heard shuffling and a lot of angry swearing inside. "You better have a good fucking reason for knocking," Mickey shouted.

Mickey opened the door in a pair of what Iggy assumed were Ian's boxers. Mickey was sweating. How do you get that sweaty taking it in the ass?

"The fuck you want?"

"Never mind, it's not important," Iggy said.

He left them to their business. Iggy sat down on the couch in the living room and put in a movie. He had snapped a picture of his childhood teddy bear and sent it to Austin. Austin didn't reply right away.

Iggy looked at the phone every so often to see if there was a reply. There wasn't. Fuck. What if he thinks I'm creepy? Why do I care?

Ian and Mickey came out at the end of the movie. Mickey kissed Ian good-bye at the door and nearly swooned when his boyfriend left. Mickey grabbed a DVD off the shelf and put in one, then walked to the fridge. When he returned he was carrying two beers.

"Why'd you interrupt us?" Mickey asked.

"I don't know. How are things with Ian? You guys doing better since the anniversary?"

"That was two weeks ago, stupid. Yeah. We're great. How are things with Austin?"

Iggy was caught off guard. He had not expected Mickey to ask that. When he looked at his brother he was smiling. Iggy kept his face as casual as possible.

"What things with Austin?"

Mickey shook his head, smiled, and then sipped his beer. Iggy couldn't focus on the movie without checking his phone to see if he had a response from Austin. He never replied the whole night. Iggy snuck out and walked down to Karen Jackson's house. Lip was just crawling out a window when Iggy crawled in. They fucked twice when he got a message.

Why does he only text me when I'm fucking someone?

The message was short. A simple: Lunch tomorrow Patsy's Pies.

Iggy couldn't sleep. Lunch means together in public. Men don't hang out together in public in the middle of the day. They go out for beers or to the club to look at titties. They don't get lunch. Iggy was up before 10 am, which gave him enough time to decide whether or not he was going to meet up with Austin.

"Why are you dressed like that? Where the fuck are you going?" Mandy asked.

"Out," Iggy said as he slid on his shoes and walked out the door. He walked past Patsy's Pies three times before actually going in. Austin was already at a booth when he walked in. A cute girl with piercings in her lips came over to the table.

"My name is Jackie; can I start you guys with a drink?"

"Pepsi," Iggy said.

"Water for me, with lemon," said Austin.

When she left he smiled at Iggy. Iggy shifted his legs so they would easily tangle with Austin's again. Now that he was there he had no intention of leaving anytime soon. Jackie returned with their drinks and menus.

Iggy felt Austin rubbing his foot against him and he felt a jerk somewhere in his body that he didn't want to activate. Iggy hid his face behind his menu to hide whatever pinkness that has manifested.

"Oh look who it is," said Austin jerking his head toward Mickey and Ian who walked in holding hands. A heavy set waitress led to a booth around the corner. Mickey sat facing Iggy. He nodded at him. Iggy wanted to kill him.

You're a dead man. I'm going to murder you in your fucking sleep. Mickey was smiling the way he was last night and Iggy gave him the finger.

"I didn't invite them, I swear," Iggy said.

"Don't worry about it. They're actually really cute together. I'm kind of jealous."

"They are cute together. Mickey's happy. They fuck loudly."

"I bet. Mickey has a cute ass."

Iggy's heart sped up and he suddenly felt the need to bust Mickey's kneecaps. But after Iggy counted to ten he was pulled back to reality and finally noticed that Austin was holding his hand. Jackie returned to take their orders.

"I'll have the Caesar salad, and the day's special. I'd like to end it with your key lime."

"Uh," said Iggy who hadn't glanced at the menu once since she brought it to him. He saw something with chicken and ordered that with a peach pie for dessert.

Iggy caught a glimpse of Jackie's ass. She was certainly cute. He focused back on Austin who had worn a pair of blue glasses with square rims. He was gazing out the window. One hand in Iggy's the other propping up his chin. He has really great cheekbones.

What are you doing in the southside? Isn't there a nice suburb somewhere that has your name on it?

"I'm sorry it occurred to me that I don't know your last name," Iggy said.

"It's Rhodes," said Austin.

His voice was deep, but soft and no hint of Chicago in it at all. Iggy looked over at Mickey and Ian who were fawning over them from their seat. Jackie came back with an ice cream sundae with one spoon. It sat in the middle of the table. It was obvious they were meant to share.

"You can have it," Iggy said.

"You sure?" Austin asked.

Iggy nodded. Austin started to eat it, but kept glancing at Iggy. Austin stuck his finger in the hot fudge and licked it off. He was doing it again. He was teasing Iggy. Austin licked the spoon and dipped it in the ice cream. He scooped some up and shoveled it into Iggy's mouth. Iggy's tongue licked the spoon clean of the ice cream and he became completely aware that it was just licked by Austin.

They ate in silence. Their feet were engaged in a fierce battle beneath the table and Iggy never wanted to leave. But after lunch, Austin leaned forward and Iggy's breath caught in his throat when a whiff of Austin's shampoo wafted up his nose.

Get a fucking grip.

"I need to go to the pet store. You want to come?" Austin asked.

Iggy nodded.

After they paid Jackie and Iggy got her number without Austin seeing, he spotted Mickey and Ian getting up too. He rolled his eyes. They were doing to him exactly what he had done to them. Karma's a bitch.

Austin and Iggy sat with a seat between them on the bus. Iggy couldn't handle being that close to another man right now. They got off together at their stop. It was all too weird. Being there with a guy, whose blond hair was blowing in the wind like they were in a romantic movie. Iggy felt lightheaded.

"I need to get some flea shampoo for Biscuit."

Mickey and Ian had followed them. Ian made a bee line for the place where they keep all the kittens. Soon, curiosity overcame Austin and he walked over there too. Iggy leaned against the doorframe and watched Ian and Austin playing with a few cats. One kitten had decided Austin was worthy and climbed up on his head to sleep.

"Aw," said Austin laughing. He looked at Iggy.

I need a cigarette. He mimed smoking to Austin and headed outside. He needed air more than he needed a cigarette. It was too much. His hands shook as he tried to light up.

Austin joined him with his bag in hand. He took Iggy's hand with the other and they walked down the street toward an electronic store. Iggy thought they were going in. He had a lot of things in mind he wanted to steal, but they just walked past it.

"You look nice," Austin said.

Iggy flipped him off. No one has ever complimented me. What's his fucking deal? But Iggy only saw warmth and sincerity on Austin's face.

"Thanks," Iggy said. It was the first time he had said it sincerely in his life. He was doing a lot of things for the first time lately. He felt the sudden urge to glance over his shoulder. Ian and Mickey were giving each other piggy back rides. Iggy rolled his eyes.

"Do you want to play paint ball?" Austin asked.

"Yes," Iggy said instantly. That's something guys actually do together in the middle of the day. They invited Ian and Mickey who would have tagged along anyway. Iggy felt bad that Austin was paying for everything so Iggy slapped Austin's hand away and actually paid for the paint ball equipment rentals.

Austin was extremely good, but Ian was better. The Milkovich brothers were easily out matched. Iggy and Mickey were out easily, both covered in head to toe with green and blue paint. They waited for Ian and Austin to get each other out.

When the game was over the four lay down on the floor of the paint ball court and stared at the ceiling. Ian straddled Mickey and began rotating his hips to grind against him. Iggy watched Mickey squeeze the red head's ass and they engaged in a fierce tonsil hockey battle.

"If you guys are gonna fuck please go to the bathroom," Iggy said.

They didn't move, they just made out very heatedly for a long time. Iggy glanced over at Austin whose glasses were askew. He had drifted off to sleep. Those cheekbones.

After letting Austin nap an hour and being forced to hear the sound of his brother moaning in a make out session Iggy decided it was time to leave. They walked to the bus stop side by side. Ian was running around in circles.

Suddenly Iggy felt strong arms on his back and a great force pushed him into Austin's arms. Austin was thrown forward into Iggy and Austin's lips collided with Iggy's eyes and Iggy's mouth with Austin's chin.

"Sorry," Iggy said quickly.

You're fucking dead, Gallagher.

Ian and Mickey had vanished. It was clearly part of their plan all along. Iggy wanted to step back. He couldn't move. Austin was smiling.

"I think we should call it a day. I have a shift tonight," Austin said. He kissed Iggy on the cheek.

Iggy's face burned from the touch. There was another twitch in a particular location that he ignored. His stomach was roaring, but not from hunger.

I'm completely fucked. Dad's going to fucking kill me. This isn't what's happening. Okay. I can control this. It's fucking nothing.

He stared into the void that once contained Austin. It soon became filled with Mickey and Ian. Iggy punched his brother and gave Ian the finger.

"Don't ever do that again," Iggy said.

"You did it for us. We're trying to return the favor," Ian said.

"I don't need any favors because this is nothing. If it was something I could handled it. But its nothing. So leave me the fuck alone."