The Journey Into Us
Pairing: Hiccup X Toothless
Rating: M for Mature
Disclaimer:I do not own anything HTTYD-related.
Chapter 37
=Normal POV=
(Friday, 1/23/2020; 6:00 pm)
(Barbarchi City, Archipelago)
(Restaurant)
The meal was nice, Hunter and Trayden just talked casually about whatever came up while eating. There was no need to rush as the evening was set to continue beyond dinner at Hunter's house. Trayden looked forward to hanging out more with Hunter, they always had a good time, and it was kind of interesting to know they could have sex any of those times now without it ever being planned as it was before when Hunter was helping to ease Trayden into sexual encounters with a male. Trayden still hadn't fingered or fucked Hunter, but there was time to do that and Trayden wasn't overly nervous to take part in those two activities given that he'd fingered and fucked girls in the past vaginally, and two had wanted to try anal, though it didn't go far. So Trayden did have some experience with that, just not with a guy. Still, there was plenty of time for Hunter and Trayden to have sex. It didn't have to be tonight, but Trayden had a feeling that things could go that way since they were finally getting to hangout again and Trayden honestly didn't mind. The first time was incredible and Trayden wanted to experience it again, only hopefully do more than before.
The males were finished with their food now, and declined having dessert. The server cleared the tables and went to get their check while they were making sure they had everything they brought with them, mainly coats, gloves, and keys. After the check was delivered, Hunter and Trayden split it evenly and added the tip. Leaving the money in the folder, the two stood up to get their jackets on and head for the exit.
"So, straight to my house?" Hunter asked. "Crack a beer, talk more? Maybe dessert later. Quite sure I have sundae stuff,"
"I feel like you started keeping that around only after meeting me," Trayden chuckled.
"Maybe," Hunter shrugged with a smile.
"If we're drinking, then we should stop at my apartment first so I can grab overnight stuff. You know what happens when we start drinking and talking," Trayden reminded.
"Ah, yes. We lose track of time," Hunter laughed some. "Okay, we'll stop at your place first. Come on," He led Trayden towards the car.
"Should I grab anything else?" Trayden inquired.
"You can get whatever you want, handsome," Hunter stated, unlocking his car and preparing to open the passenger door for Trayden.
"Trayden?" A female voice made Trayden glance over, and he saw his ex-girlfriend there with some guy. Trayden really just wanted to duck for cover in Hunter's car rather than face the girl, but he'd already been seen.
"Rosanna…Hi," Trayden greeted, trying to be casual.
"It's been a while," The female, Rosanna, pointed out. "How have you been?"
"Fine," Trayden responded. "You?" Trying to play nice.
"Good, good. Living life, working," Rosanna smiled. Trayden did not return it, despite the fact the relationship ended because he was gay and couldn't get it up to have sex with her, the way that night went still hurt and he didn't feel like the year apart changed the situation of what happened any.
"Sweet, you haven't left yet," Trayden looked to now see their friends coming over and he really just wanted to disappear. The friends didn't know what happened with him and Rosanna, only that there was a big fight and they broke up.
"We wanted to see if you-," Addilyn paused, now seeing Rosanna. "Hey, I remember you!" She smiled.
"Yeah, you're…" Rylee thought a moment.
"Rosanna! Trayden's ex, right?" Alyssa finished for Rylee.
Rosanna nodded and Trayden almost groaned. "Who is this, babe?" The male beside Rosanna inquired gently.
"Oh! Sorry, I was lost in the surprise of running into him. Baby, this is my ex-boyfriend and a few of his friends I met when we were together," Rosanna said.
"Ah," The male smiled now, holding out his hand to Trayden. "I'm Howard Jespersen," He introduced.
"Trayden Raseri," Trayden replied after a moment, taking Howard's hand to shake it a few times.
"The mayor's son. It's an honor to meet you face to face," Howard beamed as they split the connection of their hands. "You never told me you dated the mayor's son, babe. When did this happen? What ex is he, the one who led you on about getting engaged?"
"Trayden would never do that," Hailey folded her arms over her chest.
"They broke up a year ago in February because of a big fight," Tyler mentioned.
"Guys…" Trayden warned. "Just stop. There's no need to bring it up, she and I are done and over…So let's just leave the past in the past," He added.
"Sorry," The friends said, nodding to respect Trayden's wishes of not talking about things because they remembered Trayden being upset when it all went down.
"No, no. Trayden was the guy before that ass. He's the one who actually helped me get over him and then I fell for Trayden," Rosanna informed.
"Ahh! So this is the ex who you left after a year and a half?" Howard wondered.
Trayden flinched a little, and Hunter noticed it because he stood closer to Trayden. Rosanna nodded to Howard. "Yeah," Rosanna told her boyfriend. "He told me was bisexual and-,"
"Well, so am I and you know that. Unless you aren't okay with it? What happened?" Howard asked.
"He said there's no need to bring it up because you two are done and it's in the past," Hunter cut Rosanna off, and taking Trayden by surprise.
"And there's no law that says I can't tell my boyfriend the answer to the question he asked," Rosanna countered.
"Perhaps not, but there is such a thing called consideration and respect. If you'd like to answer your boyfriend, then you should do it on your own time and not in front of your ex," Hunter remarked firmly. "Trayden has obviously put it behind him and doesn't want to have it brought into his present. It's rude, inconsiderate, and disrespectful to purposely bring up the situation regarding your relationship with him ending directly in front of him. It's like you're trying to hurt Trayden with the past, and that's not right…So I'd appreciate if you don't do that to my boyfriend," He added as Trayden fell a bit shocked, and saw the faces of the others doing the same.
"Well, he hurt me first, I'm sure you know what happened," Rosanna huffed.
"Two wrongs don't make a right," Hunter informed. "I don't need to know what happened. Trayden and I have left our past relationships in the past, where they belong. I know he's had ex's and so have I, and that's all we need to know because those people don't matter anymore," He said. "You don't see me asking Trayden to tell me everything, do you?" Rosanna shook her head. "Then have some respect and consideration for who you're around. Keep it to yourself, or speak to your boyfriend in private…But don't purposely try to bring my boyfriend down. Are we clear?"
"Yes," Rosanna replied calmly.
"Good," Hunter went and opened the passenger door to his car for Trayden. "Come on, Tray," Hunter smiled, leading Trayden to slide into the seat. "Date night isn't over yet," Hunter backed up, closing the door and moving around to the driver's side, opening that door. "See ya around," He waved to the others, then got in the car, and closed the door. The two buckled their seat belts, and Hunter started the car up. A few minutes later, Hunter pulled out of his spot and headed out of the parking lot.
. . .
(6:15 pm)
(In Hunter's Car)
On the main road, five minutes after leaving the restaurant, Trayden just sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with his fingers a bit and looking out the window. "Are you okay?" Hunter's voice pulled Trayden from his thoughts.
"Yeah…" Trayden nodded to him. "Why'd you do that back there? Defend me and say you were my boyfriend?"
"I could tell you didn't want it getting out to our friends, so I played my role," Hunter answered.
"But you're not my boyfriend," Trayden reminded.
"I am a boy, and I am your friend," Hunter chuckled. "I never clarified the type of relationship we had, Tray. I never said we were dating. I just said we both have ex's and respect each other's wishes of keeping those ex's in the past where they belong," Trayden looked over at him, a little surprised. "So they're only going to take it how they think they should based on what they heard. And I'm sure at some point, we'll be getting messages to ask what it was all about. When that happens, we just tell them I was only helping a friend out of an awkward situation, as I would for any of them,"
"You said date night wasn't over," Trayden informed.
"And it's not. But friends can have dates too. It doesn't mean we're dating just because we went to dinner together," Hunter smiled. "Now, let's get to your place so you can grab your stuff and then get to mine to continue the date going," He winked. Trayden nodded to him, and smiled softly. It really was a sweet thing for Hunter to do, and Trayden knew the context behind what Hunter did. Hunter was trying to make Rosanna see him as Trayden's boyfriend. Hunter did all that to keep the truth behind the break up between Trayden and Rosanna a secret, since Hunter knew that Trayden only mentioned big fight, not the whole truth. Trayden relaxed in the seat, and watched the road ahead as they were heading to Trayden's apartment.
. . .
(7:20 pm)
(Hunter's House)
It took a little time for Trayden to collect his things because Hunter followed him upstairs so he wouldn't have to wait down in the car for Trayden to get everything he wanted. Also, the two ended up making out on Trayden's bed for five minutes, which almost turned into foreplay and maybe sex if they hadn't stopped to move it along and get to Hunter's place. And they were stopped by the messages and calls from their friends about what happened at the restaurant. Hunter explained things while Trayden packed his backpack with a set of pajamas, and clothes for tomorrow, then his personal hygiene things, and finally, chargers or anything else he wanted to take for the inevitable night over at Hunter's. The two were back on the road by 6:45 pm, and got to their destination within ten minutes.
Now, at Hunter's, Trayden had set his bag by the couch and only pulled out his charger to get his phone charging to see what he might have missed while it was dead. Trayden knew if there was an emergency with his family, the cell phone would be the primary way to contact him. The males got comfortable right away in their sleepwear, and met back in the living room. Hunter, of course, arrived with alcohol for them to enjoy. Trayden noticed that Hunter appeared to have set some beer and harder liquor choices out, and a bucket of ice with two plastic cups to use while Trayden was in the bathroom taking a quick shower and changing. Hunter had done the same, so now that they were cleaned up and changed, they could relax.
Hunter and Trayden were finally sitting down on the couch, both with a beer in hand. "Good way to wind down the night," Hunter said as he and Trayden tapped their beer cans together.
"One of the best ways in my opinion. I don't do it often because I prefer not to drink alone," Trayden agreed as they both brought the cans to their mouths and took a drink. "I'm sorry about my ex getting that way before. She's always been like that," He added shyly.
"Eh, don't worry about it. She didn't bother me any," Hunter stated. "I could feel that you wanted to get away from her before she said anything," He smiled. "Was her being like that one of the reasons she turned you off?" Trayden arched a brow. "Not in the sexual orientation way, just in general for not liking some of the things she did that made you question the relationship?"
"Well, in that sense…Yes," Trayden replied. "There was a lot of stuff, and most of it I overlooked through the relationship because it was small and not worth the fight. But towards the end, there was just a lot I got really annoyed with and yeah, I'd say it turned me off." He added.
"Well, come on…Tell me. You said you would at the restaurant," Hunter teased.
Trayden laughed a little. "I did, didn't I?" He recalled that discussion. "Alright, so I met Rosanna when I was twenty-one. It was probably May 2017, when we met in the bar where I used to work. As I mentioned the second time we hung out in December, I'd gone to school with her and she was in a fair amount of my classes." Trayden began as Hunter nodded, listening. "We never talked much in school. A couple passes here and there like being pairs for a project or same team in gym, so we were more acquaintances and got along to be considered…Casual." He took a drink, then a breath. "We didn't see much of each other after graduation, and she was with that other guy who left her when she thought he'd propose,"
"Right, I remember this story from the first time you told me. The guy led her onto to believe he was proposing, but ended up leaving her. Then after a couple months, she matched with some dude who stood her up and the meeting was supposed to happen at where you worked," Hunter remembered what Trayden explained to him a little over a month ago in the very same place as they were now, on the couch with beer.
"Yeah," Trayden nodded to confirm the story. "So us seeing one another again was completely by chance. We talked a bit that night, I bought her a drink and before she left we exchanged numbers. It was originally on the basis of let's just get together sometime and hang out, talk more, catch up from high school since it had been about three years that we'd last seen one another," Trayden paused a moment to catch his breath. "We texted for a couple weeks, then in June she started making it appoint to show up at my job to see me, and talk more in person. It started as once or twice a week, but not a big deal and Andy didn't mind as long as I didn't abandon other customers,"
"Makes sense," Hunter chuckled. "Is this where it leads into you two starting to date?"
"That happened in August. July was visiting me at work still and us catching lunch or dinner as friends once a week. I think we did breakfast once. But yeah, in August, we got together as boyfriend and girlfriend," Trayden informed calmly. "The relationship was fine in the start. I had told my family I was seeing someone, brought her over for dinner so they could meet her. I had dinner with her family another time. I think once we did a dinner with both families, but that was farther down the line when we were nearing six or seven months as a couple," He explained. "Rosanna was a very forward, headstrong, stubborn individual. One of the first issues we had was her blatant disregard for appropriate time and place for things,"
"Meaning she didn't care where you two were or who was around when she got physical? Maybe brought up situations between you two that should have stayed between you two?" Hunter wondered.
"Basically," Trayden nodded. "Rosanna was someone who didn't care much for time in before intimacy. Once we crossed the threshold for us spending the night at each other's places around five months dating, she wanted to get into more," He said. "I had told her we should wait a bit, since things were still new and early on. She would give in and agree, but it got more pushy with the idea to do more, and trying to do things as we reached seven months,"
"A lot of suggestive ideas and touching?" Hunter asked.
Trayden nodded to him again. "When we hit eight months dating, I gave into making out and reciprocating some touches. After that, she just pushed harder for us to be intimate and I tried to explain to her that I didn't want to be going all the way as we hadn't even been together for a year yet and I did like her a lot, but didn't want to ruin things by rushing. Some relationships in the past had gone that way,"
"Obviously trying to avoid a repeat, totally acceptable reasoning," Hunter mentioned.
"She accepted the reasons for a bit, in that time we still made out and indulged in touching or rubbing. It never got to the point of clothes off and what not. You know, like hand in the pants for little touches of exploration, but never full foreplay," Trayden went on as Hunter nodded, showing he understood what Trayden meant. "Around nine months, we started in foreplay. It began as just me fingering or eating her out, but she didn't do anything to me because she, I personally believe, made her orgasm a bigger deal than it was. Which was fine because the things I did to her didn't really turn me on anyway and I assume the fighting would have started far earlier if she'd taken notice that I wasn't even hard after things I did to her,"
"It's possible, I suppose," Hunter shrugged.
"As we approached eleven months, she started trying to do things back to me," Trayden continued.
"By try, you mean when you started to notice that you were having trouble getting an erection with her?" Hunter inquired.
Trayden shook his head. "I was able to get hard in the beginning, and this was before a year for us hit. The erection issue started when she tried to give me blowjobs. Physical hand stimulation was never a problem for me, just when she'd do blowjobs. Yes, I'd stay hard while she did it, and it would feel good, but not enough to get me to releasing…Quickly. Yeah, that's a good word for it," Trayden stated.
"Meaning it took you longer than…Let's use the example if I gave you one?" Hunter questioned.
"Exactly. But that was only the start, she never made it a big deal and just left it at I obviously had amazing stamina. She learned after a month or so that if he sucked and stroked at the same time, it wouldn't take as long as just sucking, but still kind'a long," Trayden shrugged some. "When we hit the year mark, she really started pushing for us to have sex and it would always be times where I'd just gotten off work, or had somewhere to be…Obviously, I'd tell her no. There were times I was just too tired to do anything, and then the big one of even if I gave her the okay that we could, it would come to light that neither of us had condoms or…The whole erection problem thing had started and I'd chalk it up to not actually being in the mood and only said yes because she was being pushy," He explained.
"And how long did that go on, I assume the remaining six months of the relationship?" Hunter arched a brow, then the two of them both took a drink.
"Well, another reason I wouldn't get turned on is because of other reasons that just were just killing my mood," Trayden mentioned. "It's the stuff I was hinting before at the restaurant. Rosanna and I started fighting a lot because of other problems coming up. She started coming over unannounced and uninvited, she claimed it was just to surprise me and I used to leave it be, for a bit, at least. Next was her spending the night more than once without us discussing it first because that used to get planned around work schedules. Rosanna would leave her shower and bathroom stuff there, pads and tampons, brush, comb…You know what I mean," Hunter nodded. "Then she was leaving clothes there, and dropping hints about moving in, joke that I should just get her a key. The fights got worse when she stayed once for two weeks and those days had been busy between work and family stuff, so it would seem like she'd leave, but be there later on when I got home,"
"Basically moving herself in little by little," Hunter realized. "Was she pushing engagement or marriage?"
"Yeah, that too. Always said we had time to get there and just enjoy what we had now. And then the not getting hard when we tried to have sex was the final thing. We'd tried for that whole final month together and it would come down to after foreplay, there was nothing. I'll go as far to say that I didn't even feel anything for her anymore. Making out was fine, I wasn't repulsed by her being female, but I got not even a spark from the action itself. There was no tingle to touching, and obviously not getting hard while fingering or eating her out. It started with handjobs being able get me up at all, then taking a while to cum at all. Usually after that, she would evidently be too tired because of how much work it took to get me off. It dwindled to only getting a semi when she stroked me, then finally, I wouldn't get hard at all," Trayden shrugged.
"Which, I'm sure got her frustrated and probably wondering what was going on, more fighting I assume?" Hunter pointed out.
"Yes," Trayden replied. "It worked to tell her that I was just in some kind of slump, never even considering that I had lost my attraction to women in general. That was the excuse, at least, while she was trying to get me hard just to put a condom on and jump right into fucking. This was where the erection had started, she had only tried to do handjobs or blow jobs just to get me hard for having sex. When it wouldn't work, the slump reasoning is what I went with. And then there was that night in February 2019, right before I turned twenty-three. She'd been trying all day, and I saw that she was upset because of failed attempts before. The fights were venturing into the whole you don't love me or is there another woman who can turn you on and that's why you can't with me. I think once she had told me to see a doctor about it,"
"So what happened?" Hunter asked.
"I did care about everything going on, and I didn't like seeing her upset. I started recalling problems in the past with other girls, not as bad as with Rosanna, but you know what I mean. I figured I should try to save things as she felt like there was nothing between us anymore. She kept saying all she wanted was for us to make love, show each other the flame still burned and share that love or make it stronger in the intimacy thing. So I gave in and told her that we could and it would be fine," Trayden sighed.
"But it wasn't," Hunter already knew that much because he knew the ending of the story.
Trayden shook his head. "No, not at all. We started as we always had, just making out and light touches. No surprise I didn't get hard, but I knew it would raise the same question as before, so when I was fingering and eating her out, it was pretty easy to hide me stroking myself while laying on my front since she was so lost in her own pleasure. That worked to get hard until she released, then obviously, I had to stop so she wouldn't notice. In the time alone it took her to recover to return the foreplay on me, the erection started fading. I already saw her rising concern of repeat situations, and told her not to worry. She was able to keep it hard when she started with the hand and blowjob, and then told me to get the condom on and we'd start after she came out of the bathroom. Soon as she stopped and walked out of the room, I felt it start going down again. I knew she'd flip out,"
"So what did you do?" Hunter wondered curiously.
"When she came back, and asked why I didn't have the condom on yet…I told her I had to use the bathroom first, she didn't argue it and nodded, telling me to hurry back," Trayden informed.
"Let me guess, you used the excuse for the bathroom just to stroke yourself again? Back to full hardness?" Hunter inquired.
Trayden nodded. "The idea had been to do it until I was close, and stop,"
"Like edging. Bringing yourself close to the edge so many times to up the pleasure when you release, or just knowing that if guys are close and don't cum, they stay hard," Hunter stated.
"Yes, that," Trayden responded. "It worked, at first. I returned to the room, she beamed that I was hard. Managed to keep it that way to get the condom open and on, but once it was on…The erection started to soften again. She had wanted to ride me, and we sort of had it for a moment or two with her on top, but I knew it was still fading while in her. She said it didn't feel right and told me to fuck her instead. All hardness was gone after she got off me, and adjusted to be on her hands and knees. Like before, I tried to get it back by fingering her a big first while stroking myself, but it was gone, completely. While I was lost in what the fuck to do, she had turned around and noticed. Thus started the yelling of why are you soft, again. Then you can't stay hard with me,"
"And then everything else where she got gradually ridiculed you and said you had to be gay, which led to her feeling all her time dating you was wasted, and packing her things in one shot, and leaving after saying it was over?" Hunter questioned gently as Hunter nodded. "I still say she's a bitch, and there were better ways to have that conversation of maybe you're not attracted to women because you're actually all gay,"
"I agree, but it happened and it's about to be a year since in February…On the 16th, I think. Regardless, like you said…At least I discovered the truth and I've found myself in the end," Trayden smiled some.
"Indeed, and I feel like you're a lot happier with all that worry and confusion gone," Hunter said.
"Immensely," Trayden nodded.
"None of your other ex's were like that, were they?" Hunter chuckled.
"Gods no," Trayden laughed a bit. "I think a lot of Rosanna's issue came from the fact she was in a long relationship where she felt it would be forever with the guy, and then with me, she just wanted her life to be what she thought it was going to be,"
"Sounds reasonable," Hunter nodded, agreeing. "It's possible, but hey, it happens when it does. No need to rush those things,"
"I feel the same," Trayden replied. "So continuing on the fun night as usual?"
"You bet," Hunter grinned.
