God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

By Cypher

Chapter Twenty-Four: Is That Afterglow?

Terry groaned as the phone rank shrilly in his ear. Reaching around the table, he finally slapped his hand on the speaker button. "What."

"Hey, ototou."

Terry yawned and looked at the time. Never nap on a Saturday afternoon. Something always bothers you. "Aniki, aren't you supposed to be at school, or work?"

"You don't hear from me for two weeks and that's the first thing you say? Sheesh."

"Jordon, are you skipping?" Terry sat up and scratched his head.

"No! What's with you?"

"You just woke me up from a nice nap after a three in the morning shoot. Put two and two together, or is that too basic for you, oh boy wonder."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry I didn't call sooner."

"Who said this was about that?"

"I can tell by your tone. Besides, I know you as well as you know me. If I were in your position, I'd be just as pissed."

"Speaking of..."

Jordon groaned. "Go. I'll be waiting."

"Thanks." Terry got up and went to the bathroom.

Jordon sighed. I knew he'd be upset. Shoulda called him last week. Amber was right. But I thought I was on the verge of discovering a nov-

"Back."

"Hey. Feel better?"

"Of course." Terry looked around his room. "I got your CD by the way, thanks."

"I thought you'd like it. E-mailing music files takes forever."

"You'll have to get me this dot-hack-slash-slash-sign anime. It sounds pretty cool."

"I'll see what I can do. So what's going on over there? Did you and Simon spread the word?"

Terry stretched and grabbed a pair of sweat pants. "No, but I was chosen for my company this year. I told them, and the community should know about it, oh, I think they're publishing it next Saturday."

"You're announcing you and Simon are gay through a newspaper?"

"It'll get the word around faster than via school or church."

"This should get interesting. Anything else?"

"Finally told the Camdens, well Simon and Kevin, about our aunt. Did you know she sent a huge donation for Eric's church?"
"That must raised some eyebrows. You sure she'd want them to know?"

"Jordon, they met mom. After that, I think they can handle an aunt that never visits and we've never seen."

"True, after mom, there's not much that'll scare them off, or surprise them."

"Besides, it might be my key to get Kevin to like me."

"You're kidding."

Terry scratched his chest and sat on the bed, yawning at the speaker phone again. "Nope. He wants some help finding Lucy's engagement ring."

"Ohhh. Clever, clever. Think it'll work?"

"Here's hoping. Oh, Simon's been having uncontrollable sexual dreams about me."

Jordon remained silent a moment. "You and he haven't, you know..."

"You were raised with our mom and you can't say it?"

"Fine, fine, you and he haven't had sex, have you?"

"Of course not. What kind of man do you think I am, or he is for that matter."

"Did you tell him about mom's little discussion?"

Terry wrinkled his nose. "Same opinion as me."

"You sure? I could send you the book. I don't need it anymore."

"Aniki! You promised never to mention that again!" Terry rubbed his head and shut his eyes. "Ugh, now I'm going to have that awful thought hanging in my head all afternoon. Thanks a lot."

"Just because you didn't think it helped doesn't mean you should get upset at me." Jordon sighed. "So what did you tell him to do?"

"I told him what I knew, and left it up to him. I really can't help him."

"You could tell him what you do whenever you have erotic dreams about him."

"Somehow I don't think sitting in a cold tub playing 'Flight of the Bumble Bees' on a flute would work for him. And you can't exactly play that piece of music on a guitar easily, not to mention in a house with that many people."

"Yet you had no problem waking me up with those shrill notes."

"Half the time you weren't asleep yet anyway."

Jordon mulled over this a few minutes. "Okay, point taken. Still, maybe it'll give him some idea of how to fix his problem."

"It's not a problem, aniki. It's a physical attraction. His hormone production must've increased this month or something."

"Well, he is a teenager. I remember your first boost in hormones. You were playing that blasted song for nearly an hour."

"And the first time you got yours, I became emotionally scarred."

"Taught you to knock before you enter, though."

"Urusai, baka. Why haven't you called me before now, anyway?"

"Well, starting grad school was a lot tougher than I thought. It was a pretty rough entry. Plus my job requires a lot of lab hours."

"And no long-distance personal calls on company time. I've heard that one before."

"And then I started dating again."

Terry grinned. "You've what? That's great! You should've called me after your first date! I told you Sakura wasn't the only fish in the sea. So, who is it?" Terry blinked. "Wait, it is a she, right?"

"Of course it's a she! You're the only gay one of the family."

"Just checking. So?"

"Well, you know her."

"Kouhaku?"

"Yeah."

"Hah! I knew putting you in the same building would do it."

"You put us in the same building on purpose?"

"Well, yeah. Why did you think she was so mad at me when we showed up a couple doors down from her place?"

"You set us up?"

"You're a cute couple."

"I was still dating Sakura!"

"Correction, Sakura had just dumped you."

"Argh...bakayaro."

"Yeah, I love you too. So anything else going on? How's Tokyo?"

"Well, it's busy, that's for sure. The other day..."

~*()*~

"So you're Dax's boyfriend?"

Simon nodded and rested his arms on his legs. As Terry had warned, Craig the reporter had requested an interview. Since he and Terry were staying away from each other until Sunday, Simon had told Craig to come over Saturday evening. Not like I'd have any plans. "Yeah. For a little over a year, now."

"I see. And how'd you meet?"

"At school. He was a junior and I was a sophomore."

Craig waited. "That's it?"

"Terry said you had most information you needed."

Craig rolled his eyes. "And you have...six brothers and sisters?"

"If you count Robbie, seven."

"Robbie?"

"He kinda ended up as an adopted child. He went to Florida to help his sick mother."

"And you're the only homosexual of the household? That must be difficult, being the son of a minister and all."

Simon shifted uncomfortably. "It was at first, but not really any more."

"So your family just accepts you as is? There's not any more hostility from them?"

"Not really, no. Aren't we straying from the subject?"

"Fine, fine. So you're now a junior?"

Simon nodded again.

"You know, Dax is a senior. Do you two plan on staying together when he goes away to college?"

Simon froze at the question. Go...away to college? He had completely forgotten that after Terry graduated, he'd be attending higher education.

"Do you know where he applied to? Or if he tried to get early acceptance?"

Where has he applied? Did he already get accepted somewhere and not tell me? Oh lord, what if while he was in Japan he decided to go to school over there too. I'd never be able to make it over to be with him.

"Simon?"

Simon shook his head. "I'm sorry. He, um, we haven't really talked about his college stuff." I'm going to fix that, though.

"Very well. Well, I believe that's it. Thanks for your time."

Simon stood and showed Craig to the door. After the reporter was gone, he leaned against the wall and rested a hand to his head. Going away. Terry might be going away to college. Hurrying up to his room, he searched for his phone. I've got to find out what's going on with college. I don't want to lose him. Long distance relationships never work out. Sitting on his bed, he dialed one of the few numbers he had memorized by heart.

"Hey, moshi moshi."

"Terry? It's Simon."

"Hey, Simon. How're you?"

Simon blinked. "Fine. Are you okay? You sound a bit, upbeat."

"I just feel great, that's all."

Without me? He feels great even though we haven't been together? Simon's face fell slightly. "Oh."

"It felt so good to hear his voice again. I can't believe all that's happened in only a few weeks."

Simon furrowed his brow. Maybe he's just happy about something else. "Wait, you mean Jordon?"

"Yeah. Why? What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing, never mind." That explains that. I guess that would cheer him up. A call from Matt would make me feel better. "Are you doing anything important?"

"Not really. Watching 'Oh My Goddess!' volume three."

"Can you pause it a moment? I need to ask you something."

"Yeah, hold on."

Simon heard Terry move for a few minutes.

"Alright, shoot."

"Well, the reporter came over today and asked some questions."

"And?"

"One he asked I couldn't answer, and I want to know the answer to it."

"Alright. No problem. Just ask what you want and I'll do my best to answer."

Simon took a deep breath. "Are you going away for college? Did you get early acceptance, or are you going to Japan after you graduate?"

Terry remained silent for a few minutes.

Simon rubbed his leg. Why's he so quiet? Did I guess right? Oh God, let me be wrong. I don't want him to go.

"Simon, college, college is something I want to tell you about after graduation. I want our time the rest of the year to be special. Don't worry about my college career or anything. I just want to focus on us."

Simon felt his stomach churn. Does that mean he's going after graduation? He doesn't want to tell me because it'll diminish our time together? "Terry-"

"Simon, don't worry about my college."

"It's bad news, though, isn't it."

"No, Simon-"

"Then what? Why won't you tell me?"

Terry went silent again. "Simon, it's only January. I won't get any replies to my applications until May. I can't tell you because I don't know."

Simon blinked. "Oh. But, didn't you apply for early acceptance?"

"You can't do that with Advanced Placement classes. It's just a stupid rule AP students have to follow due to the testing."

"Okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, Simon. I'm worried about it too. But until I get any responses, I just want us to enjoy my last year in high school together."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow at church, right?"

"Of course. I love you."
"Love you, too." Simon hung up and rested back on his bed. He's right. Don't worry about it until we have something to worry about. He looked at his clock. It's later than I expected. Better get to bed.

~*()*~

Terry rubbed his hands together and looked around. I hate lying to Simon, but I don't want to spoil the surprise at graduation. Still, I should've come up with something better than waiting for my admission letters. He might ask again, after May, and then what'll I say?

"Hey, sorry it took so long."

Terry smiled and took his cup of tea from Simon. "It wasn't that long."

Simon sat beside him and sipped his own drink. "I'm sorry about calling you last night. When that reporter asked about your college plans..."

"It's understandable, Simon. I would've done the same thing if the roles were reversed." Terry watched a couple people walk by. "So what exactly happened to your hair?"

Simon blinked and glanced at his reflection in a window. Rather than his normal hair parted down the middle, he had combed it back. "You don't like it?"

"It looks like you put vaseline in your hair and then ran multiple combs through it at different angles."

"That's rather harsh."

"Being your boyfriend means being brutally honest sometimes. I'm sorry, that hair just doesn't work on you."

"Alright. I'll fix it when I get home."

Terry nodded.

Simon's ears burned slightly and he leaned closer to Terry. "So, I was thinking over how to stop the wet dreams."

Terry took a sip his drink. "Being apart didn't help them vanish?"

"If anything they intensified. Terry, being away from you was torture, and I think my dreams were trying to make up for the lack of contact." Simon set his coffee down and put his hands together. "Terry, I think we're ready to...be more intimate."

Terry tilted his head.

Simon ducked his head. "I...I think we're ready to have sex. I'm ready, and I think you are too."

Terry shifted his weight. "Simon..."

"Why else would I be having such strong feelings? Every relationship has a point where it can't evolve without a higher level of intimacy."

Terry sat there silently, staring at his cup.

Simon faced his boyfriend. "Terry?"

"I don't think we're ready, Simon."

"Why not?"

Terry finally looked up at Simon. "We can't just have sex because of our hormones."

"I think about you constantly, and you must have me on your mind all the time."

"But I, we, can't act on the sexual desires those thoughts bring up." Terry reached up and rubbed his shoulder. "I made a promise to myself to not fornicate before I graduated from high school."

"But you didn't have a boyfriend then, you didn't have me." Simon rested a hand on Terry's thigh. "We love each other, Terry."

"You don't understand, Simon. Sex, sex complicates relationships. I don't want our relationship to advance to that complexity yet. I don't think we're ready to handle that sort of pressure." Terry's shoulders slumped. "It's not that I don't find you attractive or that I'm not in love with you, it's just...I'm not ready."

Simon pulled his hand back. "How can you be sure you're not ready? How do you know when you are?"

"I don't know. I wish I did, but all I know is that I'm not ready for us to do that." Terry gulped some of his drink down. "Don't you want our first time to be really special, not because we can't control our physical attraction to each other?"

Simon pursed his lips. "Terry, we're ready. I feel we're ready. My body wouldn't be acting like this, my dreams of you wouldn't be on my mind all the time if we weren't."

"It may mean you're ready. I don't think I am."

Simon slouched back and crossed his arms.

Terry rubbed his knuckles, taking in Simon's mood from his posture. He really thinks he's ready. If I keep saying no, will it push him away? Will he try and find satisfaction with...someone else? Terry closed his eyes. He might. Hormones make people do strange things. If he has to have a first time now, I want it to be with me. "Even,"

Simon looked over at Terry.

Terry opened his eyes. "Even if I'm not ready, love is compromise."

"Terry..." Simon grasped Terry's hand.

Terry squeezed it in return. "If you think we're ready...I won't hold us back."

Simon nodded slowly. He was convinced pretty easily. I guess I was right about him wanting it too.

"So...my house?"

Simon nodded again and stood up.

Terry let out a sigh through his nose and stood as well. Love has lots of sacrifices. Having sex with my boyfriend isn't that big a sacrifice. Why do I feel sick to my stomach, then?

~*()*~

"Have you seen Simon?" Eric rubbed his hands together and glanced around the kitchen.

Annie set down her laundry basket. "He went out with Terry after church." She frowned. "Come to think of it, I don't think he's come home yet. He missed dinner."

"Oh no." Eric rubbed his face.

"What?"

"I didn't want to tell you because Simon deserves some privacy, but he's been...having feelings about Terry."

"So? He's in love with Terry."

"No I mean," Eric thought for a moment, "the feelings you and I sometimes get, when we want to check on the kids."

Annie furrowed her brow a moment, then she remembered the overused signal her and her husband had used when they wanted some quality time. "Simon? Our Simon? With Terry? And I let him-why didn't you tell me?!"

"Well, it seemed like they had it hand, and it really is a guy thing."

"They could've been doing that all afternoon!" Annie grabbed the phone. "I'm calling Terry."

Eric rubbed his chin. I should've paid more attention to what was going on today. If Simon and Terry did that...

Simon chose that moment to walk in the back door. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't scowling either.

Annie hung up the phone and looked at her son. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry I'm late." Simon headed for the stairs.

"Not so fast. Your mother asked you a question, and I want to know too. Where have you been?"

Simon shrugged. "I don't feel like talking about it right now." He turned and hurried up the stairs.

"Simon!"

Annie shook her head. "I'll go up and find out what happened."

Eric rested a hand on her shoulder. "No, I should. You call Terry, find out what you can about...anything." He went up the stairs after his son.

Annie picked up the phone again and dialed Terry's number. A busy signal? Either he's on the phone, or he's trying to avoid talking to us.

Meanwhile, Eric knocked on Simon's door. "Simon? I'm coming in." He nudged the door open and slipped inside.

Simon was lying on his bed, staring at his wall and resting his head on a pillow.

"Simon?"

"What."

Eric pulled the desk chair out and sat on it. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Yes, well, in this case you have to. Your mother and I are worried."

Simon looked at him. "Worried about me? Or worried that I had sex?"

"A bit of both."

Simon snorted and went back to staring at the wall.

Eric patted his hands together a minute, waiting. "So talk, Simon. I'm here. I'm willing to listen."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Make me understand. I promise I won't get mad, I'm just concerned about you."

Simon remained silent for a few minutes more before speaking. "It...I asked Terry if he would...sleep with me. Well, more than sleep, you know..." Simon sat up and rested his hands in his lap.

Eric pushed his immediate reaction down. Let him open up. At least he's being honest about it.

~*()*~

"You mean he actually asked you if you two could have sex?"

Terry looked at the ceiling. "Yes, he did. He was very straightforward about it." He rubbed his arm and glanced around Jordon's room. "And he was very adamant. I didn't...I was afraid if I said no he might have his first time...with someone else."

"So you said yes? What about your vow to remain celibate until you graduate?"

"I wasn't going to lose Simon, not over something like this."

"You know he wouldn't go to anyone else."

"No, I don't." Terry took a deep breath. "Hormones make people do strange things. You went nuts a couple times, as I recall."

"Justified insanity is the term I prefer to use."

"Whatever. The point is, I was afraid his hormones might lead him to a guy...more willing to have sex."

"So you said yes. Boy, you have more insecurity issues than I give you credit for."

"Urusai, aniki. I'm not that insecure. Just when it comes to Simon."

"Exactly. So what happened next?"

~*()*~

"We went back to Terry's place, and decided to use Jordon's room." Simon looked at the floor. "Terry wasn't really happy, but he tried to put on a facade for me. He thought I couldn't tell, but I could. It didn't stop me...but something in my mind started, started," Simon frowned.

"Started questioning whether this was right?"

"No, not whether it was right." Simon rubbed his chin. "Whether this was the right time, whether what we were doing was based on love."

Eric nodded. But did they do it or not?

"So we started...undressing." Simon shifted his legs slightly.

~*()*~

"So you removed your shirts, he started kissing your neck, and...?"

"You're a hentai at heart, you know that aniki?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. So what happened next?"

Terry rested back against the bed. "To be honest, it was a bit of a shock, to me, and I think to Simon too."

"You realized neither of you knew what to do?"

Terry groaned. "No. Of course it wasn't something stupid like that. It's that, well, Simon suddenly...stopped."

~*()*~

"You stopped?"

Simon nodded. "I...couldn't do it. Looking at Terry resting on the bed, looking into his gorgeous brown eyes, thinking about what we were doing, I realized that I couldn't do it. Terry didn't really want to have sex. And me forcing it upon him, it wasn't an act of love. I couldn't go through with it because it was an act of lust."

"Lust? Understandable."

"Not to you, dad. You have mom, and that's something you can resist. Terry is a model, practically trained to be sexy and appealing. A lot of people probably lust after him. I was actually acting on those feelings, I had the opportunity to act on them."

Certainly explains why he's been having so many strong dreams. "So you didn't succumb to your feelings of lust. I'm proud of you for that."

"I wish I felt better about it." Simon crossed his arms. "So if you were worried about whether Terry and I had sex, the answer is no. I'm going to respect his choice to not have sex."

"I'm still proud of you. Realizing it was lust, not love, and stopping yourself before you did something you might've regretted must have taken a lot of will power." Eric frowned a moment. "That couldn't have taken all afternoon, though."

Simon sighed. "It didn't."

~*()*~

"We got redressed and talked. We decided to see each other to try and avoid the 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' problem. That's what pushed Simon to want to have sex in the first place. That's my theory, anyway."

"Did you revisit the singular satisfaction idea?"

"No, we didn't. Neither of us likes that idea."

"I don't see why. It works."

"For you, Jordon, for you. That's one idea that I take after dad's side of the family. It's a private thing, and even then, it's shameful. Something that belongs in the darker side of society."

"Some would say the same about homosexuality."

"Their society is more accepting of homosexuality than of onanism." Terry rubbed his eyes. "The point is, aniki, we're going to figure something out to curb both our carnal urges."

"Yours haven't been acting up."

"Simon and I nearly had sex this afternoon. They're acting up now."

"How about the flute and bath?"

"Did it. I was getting wrinkly."

"I'm sure you'll figure out something to do."

"I've been doing things all afternoon. The bath, martial arts, meditating, you name it."

"Hmm. I'm sure I'll think of something." A snap could be heard. "Have you tried..."

~*()*~

"So after you left, what'd you do?"

"Just wandered around a bit. I was thinking. I had a lot to think about. Finally I," Simon glanced at his dad, "I went to see Uncle Hank."

"What? Why?"

"I needed to talk to someone, and I didn't think I could face you and mom, not yet. He didn't have much to offer, but he listened, and that's what I needed."

"Still, you should have called or someth-"

"Dad, you asked what I did, so I'm telling you. In fact the only reason I am telling you is because Hank suggested it. I thought maybe I should talk to Matt or Lucy or even Robbie, but he said I should talk to you, that you would help me through this. I spent the rest of the time wondering how I was going to tell you, my dad, how I nearly had sex with my boyfriend. Do you know how hard it is to tell you about all this? If you hadn't come into my room and pushed me, I wouldn't have even told you yet. I was still trying to figure out how to tell you."

Eric blinked. I'll have to remember to thank Hank when I see him again.

Simon laid back down on his bed. "So now Terry and I are taking another break, to figure out how to handle our feelings."

Eric nodded. "Well, that's good."

"And now that I've told you, can you leave? I'd like to get some rest. It's been a tiring day, more than you can realize."

Eric winced. "Ah, you can't do that. You have to go to an evening service with the family."

Simon groaned. "Why?"

"Lucy's giving the sermon."

Simon raised an eyebrow. "Are you going?"

"No."

"Then why do I have to go?"

"Your mother will be angry with you if you don't, even more than she is now."

Simon thought over that a moment. Go to the service or piss off mom and rest? Who am I kidding. If I make her angry I'm going to get no rest. "Fine, fine. I'll go." He sat up again. "At least I don't have to change." He licked his lips. "Am I going to be punished?"

"Well, you did almost have sex, but you stopped yourself and told me rather than hiding the truth." Eric shrugged. "I'll talk to mom about it."

"Can't you talk to Matt? I don't feel comfortable with mom knowing my sex life. You knowing is disturbing enough."

Too late. "I'll consider it." Eric got up and went to the door. "And I am proud of you, Simon."

"I just wish I felt that way too." After all, I'm the one who pushed Terry.

~*()*~

Kevin couldn't believe his eyes. As a cop, he was required to go to the shooting range once a week. In Glen Oak, where little crime ever happened, he truly needed the time. If it weren't for the usually empty shooting range, he'd have forgotten how to shoot properly, not to mention accurately. Very few people came to the shooting range, usually just cops and one or two hunters that liked to brush up before going out to the woods.

Terry Jordon was one person Kevin never expected to see here. He was always busy, good at martial arts, and never seemed to have the stomach to handle the idea of shooting a living thing, or even a paper thing, for that matter. But there he was, putting on the mandatory safety glasses and the ear mufflers resting around her neck. What the hell is he doing here?

Terry didn't seem to notice him and took his place in a stall two down from Kevin's. Deciding he should investigate this strange action, Kevin set his firearm down and went over to the male model. "Terry?"

Terry blinked and looked at Kevin. "Hey."

"What're you doing here?"

"What does anyone do at a shooting range?"

That's certainly his normal attitude. But that attitude wouldn't shoot a gun. "Yes, well, but what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to practice shooting a gun." Terry gave Kevin a look that clearly indicated any idiot would know that. "Is there a problem?"

"It's just that I've never seen you here before. I didn't even know you owned a gun."

"I don't." Terry set the weapon down and put on the mufflers. "When we were little, mom enrolled us in a couple classes."

"Why?" Kevin had to yell to ensure Terry heard him.

Terry blinked and furrowed his brow a moment. "My mom's an international reporter, entered war zones where kids were shooting for the lives of their family, and you ask why?"

Kevin rolled his eyes and placed his hands on his waist. "Okay, so she enrolled you in classes. Why're you here now?"

"Jordon suggested I try it to work off my frustrations since nothing else is working. Kind of like gestalt therapy." Terry set his legs shoulder width apart and took aim with the gun.

Kevin crossed his arms. This ought to be good. Ten to one he won't be able to hit any vital parts.

Terry narrowed his eyes, then let off six sharp rounds.

Kevin's raised his eyebrows. That's one bet I would've lost. Three holes were smoking from the paper's forehead, while three more were located right where the human heart would be. He's got good aim.

Terry sighed and set the gun down. "Well, that's that."

"What, you mean you're stopping?"

"I only did this as a last resort. I don't like guns, and they're a bit too loud for me. I prefer the idea of a quiet death." Terry sighed and removed his ear mufflers.

"But you're a great shot."

"It's simple hand-eye coordination. Look, Kevin, I don't like guns. Gestalt, remember? This was at the suggestion of my brother to get my mind off...other things."

"What other things?"

Terry removed the safety glasses and headed for the exit. "It's personal. And don't you have to go be with Lucy or something?" Anything to get you off my back. I'm feeling better, but I'm not in the mood to deal with you.

Kevin glanced at his watch. Damn. I've got to change before her sermon. He followed Terry out. "Yes, actually. She's giving her first sermon tonight at her father's church. You going to go?"

Terry returned the equipment to the manager and ran a hand through his matted tan locks. "Maybe."

"She's your friend and you're not going?"

"Since when do you care?"

Kevin stood a little straighter. "I'm trying to accept you. You're always going to be a part of Lucy's life, after all, due to your association with Simon."

Terry closed his eyes and hung his head slightly. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day."

"Doing what?"

"It's personal. Really. Personal."

Kevin frowned. "So should I tell Lucy you'll be there or not?"

"Tell her maybe. It depends." Terry walked off.

"Terry."

Terry glanced back. "Later, Kevin. I need to go."

Kevin nodded. "Just, feel better."

Terry offered him a weak smile. "Thanks."

Kevin grabbed his coat. Wonder what happened to him.

~*()*~

"Simon, this is certainly a surprise." Chandler waved to the chair across his desk.

Simon took it and leaned forward, giving the door a nervous look before folding his hands together and facing Chandler. "Thanks for seeing me. I'm sorry about the whole hostility thing when we first met. Terry said you're a good guy, and you seem to be, so..."

Chandler nodded. "Well, thanks, I think."

Simon looked around the room again.

"Was that all?"

Simon shook his head. "It's not exactly easy. You know Terry and I are dating, right?"

"Yes, I think. Is Terry...Dax?"

Simon hit his forehead. "Right, to you he'd be Dax."

Chandler frowned a moment. Figure it out later. "So this has to do with him?"

Simon nodded. "First off, you know that last sermon on homosexuality? It'd be a big help if you could give it this Sunday."

Chandler looked over his calendar. "Well, I did have something else planned."

"You really need to do it this Sunday."

"Why?"

Simon took a deep breath. "Our, relationship will be announced Monday. Through the paper. Terry was interviewed, and well, we decided it was the best way to let everyone know." He met Chandler's surprised look. "It'd be a real help to our corner of Glen Oak if you gave the final sermon this Sunday."

"Well, I suppose I could push my plans back a Sunday. No real harm." Chandler wrote some notes down. "I'll look over it again."

"Thanks."

Chandler waited a few minutes. "Was there something else?"

Simon turned a little red. "Well, I need your...advice on something."

Chandler raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be asking your father?"

"I don't think he can give any more advice. Neither can Matt. It's about sex."

Chandler leaned back. "I see."

Simon rubbed his wrist. "You see, yesterday I nearly pushed Terry into, well, having it with me. We didn't, though. I realized it was lust, and if I truly loved Terry, I would respect his wishes. But the problem is, I'm still thinking about it. All the time." He looked at Chandler again, his blue eyes pained. "I've done everything I can think of, Matt can think of, dad can think of. I figured maybe a neutral party could help."

Chandler tapped his hand against the chair's armrest. Well, this is...a shock. He's asking me for help. I don't know what he thought I could offer him. "Well, have you tried staying away from Dax for a while?"

"Tried it, and it made it worse. I think that's what pushed me enough to ask Terry to have sex with me."

Chandler rubbed his chin. "Thinking about something that turns you off?"

"I have images burned in my mind that would give a lot of people nightmares."

Chandler thought for a minute. "Well, there's one other thing I can think of. Someone I know tried it to help him quit smoking."

"Did it work?"

Chandler hesitated. "No. But it might work for you."

Simon waved his hands. "Fine. At this point, I'm willing to try anything."

"Have you ever heard of behavior modification therapy?" Chandler opened his desk drawer.

~*()*~

"Eric, hi."

Eric stepped back. "Come on in, Terry."

"Thanks." Terry rubbed the back of his neck. "You're not angry at Simon, are you? Or at me?"

"Yes and no. It's not exactly something you expect to hear from your teenage son."

You need to visit big cities way more often. Terry walked in to the Camden residence. "Well, I know Simon's on restriction for the week, but I wanted to congratulate Lucy on her sermon last night."

"Oh, she's upstairs. Listen, before you go, did you get a chance to read it?"

"Your manuscript?"

Eric nodded.

"I sent a copy to my brother, too. He agrees that it's pretty good. It could use a few touch ups, but to summarize, your symbolism and subplots are beautifully intertwined with the overall story."

Eric blinked. "Well, thanks. That's a very nice compliment."

"That's the edited version. When I told Jordon that you probably got the idea to write it from the book he gave you, he made some rather crude remarks."

Eric let out a short laugh. "Oh, that sounds like Jordon. So you liked it?"

"For the most part. If you printed it, it'd make a great supplemental income. Write a couple more, and you could probably get a steady second income from book sales."

Eric's eyes lit up. "Now there's an idea. I'll think about it."

"I know a publisher through my mom." Terry started up the stairs. "Just give me a call."

"I will. I'll send your brother a card, too. That book of his was a big help."

Terry smirked and headed up the stairs. Just what I need. My aniki's ego inflated even more. He went up to the attic and knocked on the bedroom door. "Lucy?"

"Terry. Hey." Lucy smiled and scooted away from her desk. "Come on in."

Terry walked in and sat on Ruthie's bed. "I heard your sermon yesterday. Congratulations."

"Thanks. It was the best I could come up with, considering the time crunch."

"Yes, I heard how you got the job." Terry shook his head and crossed his arms. "Chandler isn't the enemy, Lucy. He's just trying to keep the seat warm until your dad returns."

"It still rubs me the wrong way."

"You shouldn't let it get to you. And after what he pulled yesterday, I should hope that message was received loud and clear."

"It was, belie-hey!" Lucy crossed her arms. "Alright, who sent you?"

Terry chuckled. "No one. It's just my advice."

"Huh." Lucy eyed Terry over. "So, is it true?"

"Is what true?"

Lucy dropped her arms to her sides. "What else? What happened, or didn't happen, between you and Simon yesterday."

Terry picked up a book on Ruthie's end table and glanced at its back. "That's not really any of your concern, Lucy. It's private."

"Oh come on. We know something happened. Why else would Simon be on restriction? And I'm the one who heard him moaning a couple of nights ago."

Terry looked up at her. "Does Simon ask you about what you do with Kevin when alone? After all, you must dream about him."

"That's different."

"No it isn't. While I'm a very open person, what goes on between Simon and I, especially in regards to that, is private. Until Simon and I agree to disclose anything, if we have to, it's between us, and no one else."

"Dad knows."

"A couple people know, but they have legitimate reasons to know."

"I'm your best friend."

"You're also Simon's sister. I doubt he'll want to hear what you and Kevin do on your honeymoon."

Lucy pulled back. "I'd never tell him something like that. It's none of his business."

Terry tilted his head.

Lucy slumped in her chair. "Alright, point taken."

"Thank you." Terry glanced at his watch. "Anyway, I'll catch you around. And please tell Kevin sorry about yesterday. I just wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone after, well, you know."

"Sure, I'll give him the message." Lucy furrowed her brow. Kevin didn't mention he ran into Terry yesterday.

Terry smiled and left.

Lucy turned back to her homework. Very curious. Kevin may be trying to get along with Terry, but he wouldn't not tell me if they hung out. Or would he? If it was about the engagement... She tapped her pencil against her desk. Perhaps that's it.

~*()*~

"Hey." Terry wrapped his arm around Simon's waist a planted a quick kiss on his lips before stepping out the door. "Catch you at school."

Simon smiled, somewhat surprised at seeing his boyfriend at his house. "Definitely." He waved as Terry mounted his bike and headed off. That was nice. Wonder what he was doing here.

"Simon, you're a bit late coming home from school."

Simon winced and set his bag down on a nearby chair. "Sorry, mom. I had to run a quick errand."

"Oh? And what was it?" Annie set down the socks she was folding and crossed her arms. "You're supposed to come straight home from school."

"I know."

"What's going on?" Eric walked in and stood by his wife.

Simon gave his dad a quick, pleading look. This isn't something I want to talk about with mom. Come on...

Annie glanced between her son and husband. "What? Why do you keep looking at him?"

Eric got the message. "I, ah, think this has to do with what happened yesterday. Maybe I should handle this."

Annie threw her hands up. "Fine, deal with it."

Simon picked his bag back up and headed upstairs. He could hear his father behind him. I still feel embarrassed, but at least dad's a guy. Mom shouldn't know about...that stuff.

Eric closed Simon's door after they were in his room. "If you went to Terry's house, I am going to be upset."

"I didn't go to Terry's. I'm not stupid enough to violate restriction for that. One week apart is enough." Simon set his bag on his bed and sat next to it.

Eric crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "So where did you go?"

"The church. I needed to talk to Chandler."

Eric's brow furrowed. "Because...?"

"I need help, dad, and I need someone who can be a little more objective than my family."

"Since when did Chandler know that you and Terry were a couple?"

"Since he read the sermons on homosexuality."

Eric let out a rough sigh. "So what did you tell him?"

"I just asked if he might know a way to help me stop thinking about sex all the time."

"Why not ask me?"

"Dad, we've been over that, remember? Everything you thought of didn't work." Simon pulled his jacket off and rolled up his left sleeve.

Eric tilted his head. "Why is there a rubber band on your wrist?"

Simon shrugged and looked at it. "Chandler suggested I try what some smokers or other addicts try and do. Behavior modification. Every time I start really thinking about Terry and sex," He snapped the rubber band against his wrist "ow, I do that."

"Self injury isn't the best way to go."

"Look, it was either this, psychiatry, or electroshock therapy. I'd rather try this than the other two. My life is enough of a fishbowl that I don't want someone digging around the only real privacy I have, and shocks don't sound too appealing. This is a nice, safe, experiment."

"What will you tell everyone at school?"

Simon pulled his sleeve back down. "I'll figure out something. It's my life, dad. I've been trying everything we can think of, and it's done nothing. I'm willing to try this, and nothing's going to change it."

Eric sighed. "Fine, alright." He held up his hands. "You do whatever you think is best. Just be careful you don't hurt yourself." He opened the door and left.

Simon pulled out his homework and looked through his binder. They don't have to be so protective. I'm a man, I don't need them watching my every move. And one day I am going to come home, and Terry and I will have been together. They just have to get used to the idea. I can't marry him, but I can be with him. I won't let them deny me that pleasure...whenever it comes.

~*()*~

~*()*~

~*()*~

Ototou: little brother

Aniki: big brother

Urusai: shut up

Baka: idiot

Kouhaku: amber

Bakayaro: jerk

Moshi moshi: hello

Hentai: pervert

Author's Prattle: Finally cranked this one out. Not easy, but as it turned out, I was able to fit it all into one chapter without having to introduce any foreign elements. To those of you that wanted Terry and Simon to get it on, remember, the fic, she is still young! Okay, bad pun. But also remember this is PG13, so it won't be too gritty. For those of you who don't get the title, afterglow is "the comfortable feeling following a pleasant experience," often the term used on television when asking why a person looks so good after sex (or implied sex).

There so many things I could apologize for, so I'm going to make a blanket apology. If I've offended anyone, well, if you've read this far, I probably haven't, but in the off chance I have, to appease the FF.N administrators, I apologize. I'll also stick the disclaimer here. 7th Heaven, its characters and settings don't belong to me. They are owned by Brenda Hampton, Aaron Spelling, and numerous others in the Hollywood business. Nor do I own "Oh My Goddess!" It is a hilarious manga/anime that belongs to Fujishima Kousuke. .hack//sign is also not mine, but a recent anime (with great music, I'll be putting some of it in later chapters) that belongs to Pioneer and Kazunori Itoh. I also don't own "The Flight of the Bumble Bee," that orchestral piece was created by Rimskij-Korsakov.

As for chapter twenty-five, that will be slightly delayed. I'm working on an anime fic with another friend (I'm co-author), so I'll be writing that for the next week or so. Not to worry! I'll be back and posting before you know it. After all, the community is about to learn the truth about our favorite couple. Until then, please enjoy, and reviews are welcome!