Chapter 20

Two weeks later:

"Bri, what the hell are you…." Dallas began before he was cut off when Brian shushed him and nodded toward Steffi, who was engrossed in school catalogs.

"I want to surprise her," he said. "Work with me on this, Dallas."

"You know you can't sneak up on someone like her. Brian, you'll scare the shit out of Steffi."

"Hey, she's already seen me first thing in the morning. Nothing can be scarier than that sight, trust me."

"All right, but if you end up missing some teeth from her being startled, don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'll be a good boy. Besides, I brought another surprise for you two anyway."

Brian sauntered over to Steffi, gently putting his hands over her eyes. She jumped, letting out a loud screech.

"I told you!" Dallas said, shaking his head.

"Stef, it's me! Don't go on the kill!" Brian cried, facing her.

She let out another cry, this one of delight, and hugged him. "What are you doing here?"

"House shows got canceled because of shitty weather in the Midwest, so I had all the time in the world to come and visit two of my favorite people, not to mention clear up some unfinished business."

"What unfinished business?" Steffi wondered. Dallas had a confused look as well.

"Stay here a minute; I'll be right back."

Dallas and Steffi looked at each other, wondering what Brian could be up to when they hear him outside yell, "Hey, doofus! You can come in now!"

A moment passed and he returned, Paul slinking behind him.

"Oh, it's you," Dallas said coldly.

Steffi glared at Paul before flipping him off and going back to sit down. "Tell him to get lost," she signed to Dallas and Brian.

"Aw, come on, you two; I know I was a dick a couple of weeks ago, but I promised Bri I'd make things right. Please?"

"Seriously, guys, hear him out. I was going to have him call you, but it was his idea to come and straighten things out personally," Brian added. "I figured if I could forgive him for being an asshole, he deserved a second chance with you two."

Dallas thawed a little. "It was really your idea?"

Paul nodded, still looking sheepish.

"In that case, perhaps we should listen," Dallas nodded. "Carry on."

"Now, slave boy," Brian cut in, "show them what you learned in the last two weeks as part of your punishment."

Steffi began to laugh. "Punishment?"

"Yeah. I told him he had a choice of either me prison raping him or learning a new trick. Show them, senor."

"You learned sign language?" Dallas asked, clearly impressed, when Paul issued an apology via his newest skill.

"Si, senor," Paul nodded, "but I'm not done yet."

"Damn right you're not," Brian clarified.

"Before I do, let me make it clear that even though Spanky put me under duress with the threat of prison rape, I needed to do this part anyway."

With that, Paul kneeled in front of Steffi, looking up with puppy dog eyes. "Forgive me?" he signed. "Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaase?"

She couldn't help but laugh again, tussling his hair and nodding. "Of course I do!"

"Never thought you'd see this, huh, Dallas?" Brian grinned wickedly. "Tough guy here kneeling before a woman and groveling for forgiveness. I fucking love it."

"Bite me, Spanky," Paul joked, getting up. "If it meant being poked in the corneas with hot forks or the thought of you raping me, I'd take the fork punishment. Am I done now?"

"Yes. Good slave boy."

"I think this is worth me treating everyone to dinner tonight," Dallas grinned widely. "Call it an official acceptance of Paul's peace offering, if you will. I'll get us some pizzas."

"Works for me," Paul grinned back.

"You enjoy yourselves," Brian laughed, grabbing Steffi and picking her up. "I'm taking your ward to Venice. We'll be back when we're a hundred years old."

"Like hell you will," Dallas laughed before placing the order.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Steffi screeched, laughing and smacking his behind.

"Come on, Stef," Paul grinned. "Do you know how many chicks out there would kill to have Spanky take them back to his cave?"

"Dude," Brian said, giving a cheesy grin. "Don't help, okay?"

Steffi grabbed a fist full of hair.

"Fucking hell!" Brian howled. "Jesus, Stef, I don't want to be bald before I'm a hundred!"

"Put me down or you won't live to see thirty!" she repeated.

"Looks like you roped yourself a feisty one, Spank," Paul laughed, helping Steffi down. "There you go, senorita. We got the short caveman to put you down."

Brian rubbed his head. "You know that prison rape threat still stands, right?"

"Did I hurt you?" Steffi asked, concerned. "I didn't mean to pull that hard. I know you were just fooling around."

"Nah," Brian grinned. "I've hurt a lot worse than some hair pulling, me amano."

"Be thankful they weren't his wjavos," Paul nodded. "Or he would have really been screaming."

"Keep it up and I'll whack yours off and hang them over my fireplace."

Paul shuddered. "I think I'll be quiet now while I'm ahead."

"Food should be here in half an hour, " Dallas announced, hanging up the phone.

"So until then, how about we watch a movie?" Brian suggested. Steffi nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Don't order any porn," Dallas warned playfully. "There's a lady in the house."

"Dallas, dude, you if anyone knows that I am a total gentleman," Brian said, shuffling through DVDs

Paul let go a cough, trying not to laugh.

"Prison rape, Paul," Brian threatened playfully before putting in a movie.

Steffi sat down next to Brian on the sofa and placed her head on his shoulder. He smiled wide seeing her cuddled next to him and they began giggling and using sign language back and forth. They were so engrossed in it that they were oblivious to Dallas and Paul staring at them quizzically.

Dallas glanced at Paul. "Did they forget that we both now understand sign language?" he asked.

"Spanky always was in his own world," Paul replied. "Hey lovebirds! People in the room. We don't want to be sick before the food gets here."

"Gee, Paul, if I'd known you were jealous, I'd raped you before we got here," Brian laughed.

Paul threw a cushion at him. "Very funny, dude, but I don't row that boat. Besides, you aren't my type."

"I'm Steffi's, so fuck you," Brian countered, laughing and tossing the cushion back.

The doorbell rang; Dallas got up and retrieved the order, giving the deliveryman a sizeable tip, taking into consideration it had been twenty three degrees outside.

"Dinner has arrived," he announced, setting down the pizza. "Dig in."

"That means no making out during the movie, Spanky," Paul warned, taking a few slices of pizza. "Pizza doesn't taste very good the second time around, if you know what I mean."

"Shut up," Brian laughed. "And save some for the rest of us, you fat fuck. This is probably your third dinner anyway."

"Second," Paul grinned at his best friend. "but who's counting?"

Everyone then got comfortable and finished their dinner and to watch the movie until they got sleepy and each had dozed off. It was the perfect night for things to be set straight again and enjoy each other's friendship as before.

.