Part 6
He had already known that David Rossi and Aaron Hotchner were good men, but he hadn't thought about it from JJ's perspective. JJ certainly loved them both, but as sister not as potential boyfriends. No, JJ was a lot like him and would never try to poach someone else's boyfriend, especially when she knew the score and that she would have no possible chance with either man. Still, he couldn't help his thoughts whirling in his head and he knew he would likely get very little sleep. Some of the things JJ had said had really set him thinking and he now wondered why he was resisting Dave's and Aaron's open affection so hard.
Was he still feeling like he didn't deserve to be loved? Was it simply that he wasn't used to being loved for himself? Or was he still listening to his scared inner child that didn't want to possibly get hurt by opening himself up to the possibility of love. When JJ had been talking he had realized quite suddenly that he did love Dave and Aaron so much, but he wasn't sure he would've come to that conclusion if not what JJ had said or at the least it would've taken him much longer.
Dave and Aaron had been so patient with them over the last several months and he knew that most people would have forced the situation before this or given up entirely. Both of them were definitely a different breed from most modern men, but then he supposed old as they were they would have learned patience long since.
He should tell them and he should probably do it right now before he lost his courage that JJ's little discourse had given him. It wasn't that late as it was only 9 o'clock and normally they stayed up later than this, so they should still be wide awake.
Spencer opened his bedroom door and entered the living area to see Dave and Aaron sitting on the couch quietly discussing the dinner party.
They both looked up when they heard the door open and also little astonished to see him at all, because they figured he had fled so that they wouldn't tease him.
"What can we do for you?" Aaron asked smiling.
"We thought you had gone to a bed," Dave added, not saying what he was really thinking.
"I'll just get that out of the way, shall I?" Spencer asked smiling. "I know what you're thinking and as much as I don't want to hear I told you so, you were right. My fears were groundless, so happy now?"
"Happy that you and JJ seem to be getting along," Dave corrected. "Me telling you, you would enjoy yourself doesn't necessarily mean anything, as some things you just need to discover for yourself. The two of you seemed to be involved in a very serious discussion which neither Aaron or I wanted to interrupt."
"So if you want to tell us what that discussion was about we'd be happy to hear that, but if you don't that's okay to," Aaron added smiling.
"She just gave me some inside info about the two of you," Spencer said being completely honest. "Things I hadn't considered."
"Such as?" Dave asked wondering what JJ had told Spencer.
Spencer told them and left nothing out, and Dave and Aaron looked rather shocked by the time he was done.
"Well, JJ sure does have a rather idealistic view of us," Aaron said finally.
"I don't consider it idealistic," Spencer told them seriously. "Her feelings might be a little shaded to see the good in you instead of the bad, but most of it is stuff I've noticed for myself I just hadn't put it together, probably because I didn't want to. Every person whether mortal or not has both good and bad qualities. Mine is not believing in myself and closing myself off from truly making friends or in finding love. JJ told me if I was looking for perfection then I'd never find it, because nobody is perfect and this is very true. However, I think that your good qualities outweigh your bad and JJ helped me see that I do love you I just didn't realize it."
"Does that mean you are accepting our offer?" Dave asked trying not to get his hopes up or let his feelings show on his face or his voice.
"Yes," Spencer said simply, smiling at Dave's and Aaron's quick intake of breath. "JJ made me realize that if I gave you up I would only be making myself miserable. You were right when you said why should I give my father words when I was a child credence? I know I still have a lot of work ahead of me of getting out of my comfort zone and being comfortable in various situations, but I've realized that so long as I have you two I can do it."
Both Dave and Aaron rose and had Spencer in a hug a second later until he was in the middle of the two men he had truly fallen in love with.
"I'm glad JJ made you see that you've only been denying yourself happiness all because of childhood trauma, something you should've gotten over a long time ago, but then I realize you had no help to do so. Aaron and I would've let you go if that was what you decided you wanted, but you always would've been welcome to return," Dave said his voice gruff with his emotions.
"I'm glad I realized it too," Spencer sniffled, as he couldn't help crying, even though he never did, except that one time a couple of months ago when his heart was breaking, because he thought that he would have to leave the two men, he knew then he had fallen in love with, but he had been denying it. He had truly believed that he hadn't deserved to be loved, as that's what he had been told again and again when he had been a child, but now he knew that everybody deserved to be loved to have a family if that's what they wanted, not that that always happened.
He had been very lucky indeed and he was grateful.
"Hey, no crying," Aaron said. "You deserve to always be happy."
"That's impossible," Spencer said logically, though he smiled as he said it.
"Yes, it is, but so long as we are here you'll always have the support you need," Dave said smiling, as he kissed Spencer on the forehead, as if in benediction. "I think turning you immortal can wait until tomorrow, as there is no way we can get medical equipment up here this late anyway if we're going to try that transfusion."
"And I think that all of us are too tired to consider making love tonight but you're welcome to join us in our bed, as cuddling with someone you love can be quite addictive," Aaron added.
"It might even cure your insomnia," Dave added smiling.
"I agree with you," Spencer admitted. "It's been a very tiring evening for me anyway and even though it's only 9:40 I think we should all go to bed. Cuddling with you sounds wonderful and is more than enough for right now."
"Such things will get less tiring when you do them regularly," Aaron said smiling. "Once you start interacting, with the others on a normal basis. I won't claim that Dave and I aren't tired, but certainly not as tired as you are."
"Yes, I agree with that as you we're under a lot of strain as you don't really like big social occasions and were mostly solitary before," Dave said.
"Through my own choice," Spencer said and the other two nodded.
"Yes, through your own choice, but it will get easier I promise you," Aaron said. "You'll begin to enjoy evenings out, spending a few hours just chatting with people you actually like and who like you in return."
"Which is still a source of amazement to me," Spencer said quietly. "I've been basically an outcast for so long. I know that was partly my fault, but I just didn't know how to interact with a lot of people."
"I know your social skills aren't exactly up to snuff," Dave sighed. "There're so many things that your father could have done for you. The least he could've done was try to find children that were just as intelligent at least in one subject so that you would have someone to talk to, to spend time with. I'm sure there were programs in your area that you could've been signed up for, although they often require a payment of some sort."
"Which father more than could have afforded as he was a good lawyer and certainly made enough to make a more than decent living," Spencer said without the bitterness in his voice that was normally there because he had finally found his place in the world and his father could stew in his own juices. "We certainly had more than some families and those families went out of their way for their children I'm sure, but my own father couldn't even be decent and pay attention to me, other then to insult me. I often wondered what I did to make my father hate me so much, as a child, but now that I'm an adult I understand that he was jealous and also he resented the hell out of me. I might not of been as outgoing as he had been at my age, but I was certainly more intelligent."
"And a lot of times those parents resent their children for not turning out like they expect," Dave said. "This is something that both Aaron and I have encountered many, many times over the centuries. Unfortunately, that kind of selfishness is just part of human nature and it even happens sometimes among magicals, though they tend to love their children a lot more than humans do sometimes."
"It doesn't matter anymore, you belong to us now and soon you'll be immortal just like we are," Aaron said.
"Something I'm looking forward to," Spencer said smiling, kissing each of them on the cheek. "Let me go get dressed for bed and then I'll join you in your room."
"We'll be waiting," Dave said, as he watched Spencer depart.
"We're going to have to do something really nice for JJ you know," Aaron said what Spencer had closed the door to his room.
"Yes, we will, because it might have been many more months before Spencer realized that he did love us if not for what she said to him," Dave agreed. "She got him thinking positively about things that he hadn't considered before or at least differently. When you're so used to thinking of yourself as undesirable sometimes it's hard to get your mind around the fact that it isn't true at all, not when you've been told something like that for practically all your childhood. I've encountered this many, many times, as there are plenty of bad parents in the world, who resent their children for one reason or another or don't pay attention to them like they should leaving them in care of the nanny or even just to fend for themselves like what happened to Spencer."
"And some don't know when to cut the apron strings," Aaron added and Dave nodded.
"We had better go get undressed and turn down the bed as Spencer will be done getting ready to sleep soon," Dave said heading to the master suite Aaron following.
~~~Dave, Aaron and Spencer~~~
Spencer awoke wondering why he felt as if he had someone on either side of him when he suddenly remembered. He opened his eyes and saw the form of Dave on one side and Aaron on the other and he felt a nice warm little glow go through him. He was well rested for a change and realized with startling clarity that he really did love Dave and Aaron and he was so happy that he had decided to take them up on their offer, the last of his doubts about what he really wanted had faded away with the morning. He loved Dave and Aaron so much that he couldn't see that ever changing and knew that he would be bonded to them just as soon as he was immortal and that thrilled him deep inside. He would be changed gladly, even if Immortality was still a rather strange concept to him, but then he was sure that it had been to Dave at first then Aaron later.
Spencer supposed that if magicals could exist then immortals could to, though that various gods were real or at least had been was certainly rather difficult to believe in.
Spencer was pulled out of his thoughts when he realized he needed to pee, but how was he going to extract himself from both Aaron and Dave that he was so tangled up with? Dave had one arm thrown over his stomach as if to keep him from disappearing, while Aaron simply had his head on his chest, and his black hair was up under his chin.
There was no help for it he was going to have to wake them and he hated do so, as they looked so peaceful, but then he couldn't blame them if that was the case, because he certainly felt peaceful, more at peace then he had felt in years actually, probably ever.
"Guys," Spencer said. When they didn't respond he talked a little louder calling their names.
Both of them opened their eyes at the same time, looking at him questioningly. "I hated to wake you, but I need to use the bathroom and I can't get loose."
"Yeah, I suppose we do have you trapped," Dave chuckled being very good-natured at being woken up so abruptly.
"Yeah, you do or I never would've imagined waking you if I didn't desperately need to use the facilities," Spencer said smiling. "My bladder feels like it's going to burst."
Dave moved his arm out of the way while Aaron raised his head and shifted position until he was more on his side of the bed.
"Thanks," Spencer said, as he managed to crawl over the end of the bed and head to the bathroom.
It didn't take long for Spencer to use the bathroom and come back and crawl back in between his two soon-to-be lovers.
"Well, now that you don't feel as if your bladder is going to burst, if you're still ready for us to turn you immortal then Aaron and I will be more than happy to accommodate you. If you've changed your mind let us know and we'll put all plans on hold," Dave offered
"As much as I appreciate your caution there is no need," Spencer shook his head smiling. "I'm more than ready to be both your mates for eternity and I'm not going to change my mind, I promise you. All JJ did was clarify my own thoughts that were strewing in the back of my mind. I probably would've reached the same conclusion that I did without JJ's words it just would've taken me longer. I refuse to run any longer from my feelings and that's exactly what I was doing. I just stopped seeing myself as undesirable as I always believed myself to be and I simply stopped fighting what I was feeling. Once I did my feelings came flooding into me so strongly I'm surprised that they didn't literally knock me to the floor and I'm astonished that I managed to keep my feelings from showing on my face and end the conversation with JJ without her being suspicious."
"Okay then," Dave said, as he kissed Spencer tenderly on the lips, which was not the first time he had done so, but it was certainly the first time with so much meaning behind it. Once Dave was done Aaron did the same thing and Spencer simply reveled in the warmth and the love that the two men felt for him.
"I hate to make you the guinea pig of this experiment to do it by transfusion but if you're willing..."
"I'm willing, and as the theory is sound," Spencer said interrupting smiling. "It should work very well and it will certainly save me from having to drink your blood. There's no reason that I can see that it shouldn't work."
"We'll give you one of our bloods, by transfusion, but we also don't know how much blood it's going to take, so we'll have to keep checking by giving Spencer little cuts every day and if it heals immediately then he's immortal," Aaron said.
"I really don't think it'll take more than a pint," Spencer added.
"Nope, it probably won't take more than half a pint or so, because it'll start replicating itself just like normal blood does," Aaron said smiling. "There's not exactly an exact science to giving someone immortality as it varies from person to person. Dave and I think it has to do with body size, but once you get enough of one of our bloods, the unique properties ought to start reproducing on their own. Our blood acts like normal blood for the most part, except that we have several unique antibodies, cells and other things that prevent an immortal from getting sick or aging."
"We heal extraordinarily fast for one thing," Dave said and Spencer nodded for he had seen what happened when Dave cut his finger on accident, even though he had dismissed it at the time. His mind hadn't been able to accept at the time that Dave's cut had healed up in a few seconds and so he had come up with an explanation for it, one that his mind would accept.
"We'll even heal from stuff like knife wounds or bullet wounds so long as you could stop the bleeding long enough for our healing ability to kick in," Aaron added smiling. "Of course, that's not to say that a bullet or knife wound can't kill us, but we certainly have more chance of healing up then someone whose mortal, especially if it's in some vital area."
"I know just the person to get us the equipment on short notice," Dave said, smiling when Aaron paused.
"Who?" Spencer asked.
"Dr. Alex Blake," Dave said. "She's a good friend, though she's not immortal, but she does know about us. She does have a medical degree, but she mostly teaches at the university here in New York."
"Well you sure do know a lot of useful people," Spencer said smiling.
"You meet a lot of useful people when you're as old as Aaron and I," Dave said and Spencer nodded. "She's one of the very few that knows about immortals that isn't immortal herself and I'm sure you'll get along with her splendidly."
"Well, I'm not going to argue with you because you were right about me liking JJ and Emily after all, though Emily can be a little bit too intense for my taste, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends."
"Yeah, Emily's one intense lady," Aaron said smiling. "She really has to be, because females are often taken for granted in high-powered professions if they're not."
"Yeah, females have to be twice, even three times as capable as any mere male a lot of times," Spencer agreed. "A lot of males would push them out if they could or at least try to put them in positions that they consider appropriate for their sex."
"Yeah, they would, though I've never been like that, but than I've seen too much and how capable females can really be," Dave said chuckling. "But most of the male race does not have my experience and even if they did they wouldn't care how capable a woman was."
"We need to get up have some breakfast and then you need to start making arrangements," Aaron told Dave who nodded.
"Yeah, we do," Dave agreed. "If Spencer is ready to join us for eternity I'm certainly not going to put any obstacles in his path, not when it's something we've both been wanting for months now."
"We could share a shower?" Aaron suggested smiling.
"Is there really room for all of us?" Spencer asked not at all against the idea, as the thought of his two favorite men in the world dripping wet and glistening with water drove his hormones wild and he wasn't sure why. Instead he just decided to accept that it did.
It didn't really matter, different things drove different people wild with desire, he just wasn't usually one that got into such a state.
"Yes, it will fit all three of us," Dave said. "I had a double sized one put in because Aaron and I like to share a shower a lot of times and I like room to move, so it's more than big enough for three people."
"Sounds fine then," Spencer said smiling. He could hardly wait.
"And if we have sex in the shower I'm sure you won't object," Aaron added smiling.
"Definitely not," Spencer said. "I'm committed to both of you for however, long that may be."
"Well, since you'll be immune to disease, old age and just about anything else, I would say you'll be around for a long, long time. That doesn't mean that we can throw all caution to the wind as we're not invulnerable from stuff like bullets or fire, but still we can lead our lives with little fear, just like in ordinary mortals can, except that we won't die of old age or some kind of illness," said Aaron.
"I doubt you're invulnerable to acid either as you'd likely be badly burned at least, even if it heals quickly," Spencer suggested.
"Definitely," Dave said. "I never claimed we couldn't be killed, because of course we can be, but still, we can live basically forever so long as we don't run into something like we just suggested. It's a kind of limited immortality I suppose as we're not gods after all."
The three men dropped the subject and shed their clothes, as they headed for the shower, before Dave fixed breakfast and then made arrangements for Spencer to be turned Immortal with his friend.
~~~Dave, Aaron and Spencer~~~
"Ready everyone?" Alex asked.
Dave had called her with a rather unusual request and it had taken her a few minutes to figure out if it would work. Finally she decided that the theory was sound and that it should work. Luckily, it wouldn't take much blood, probably not more then a pint or so. Dave would be weak and tire easily for a few days but other than that he would come through the experiment just fine.
"Ready doctor," Dave said already having a needle stuck in a vein.
"Alright, we're going to have to keep a careful watch on the blood flow as we don't want to take too much from Dave."
"I think less then a pint should do it. Apparently, Immortals blood is powerful stuff, because if Dave and Aaron turned their personal staff into immortals and they didn't go through a transfusion then I can't see it really taking that much of an immortal's blood to start taking over my body, for the cells to start replicating themselves, just like normal blood cells do. Our bodies produce white and red blood cells, platelets and antibodies all the time, as it's what keeps us living and healthy. What we are doing is inserting a more powerful blood into my system that will rapidly turn me immortal. An immortals blood must be way different from a humans or a magicals, as it keeps them young and helps them heal much faster and a wound that would nearly always be fatal to anybody else, a wound that an immortal has at least a good chance of surviving depending on what kind of help they get and how fast they get it."
"You know that's a very good point," Alex told Dave and Aaron and who had listened to Spencer's lecture. "Your blood has never been put under a microscope, been minutely examined to find out what makes it different from human or magical blood. It's bound to have properties that stop you from aging or falling ill or getting some more serious disease like cancer and to also help you heal much faster then anybody mortal would."
"Well, let's just get started," Dave said. "As much as I know you would like to examine one of our bloods that's just not wise as somebody else might get their hands on it or at least on your results and that could end up being catastrophic. No, the fact that Immortals exist, even if there's not really many of us out there must remain a secret, except for those few in the know like yourself that are not immortal."
"I know," Alex sighed looking severely disappointed. "I understand your reasoning and since I do that's why I haven't pushed."
"Which is what makes you rare among mortals," Dave told her smiling. "Most of the doctors would've pushed for a sample of blood so they could examine it."
"You saved my life, and that means a lot to me which is why I'll never push," Alex said. "Let's get started."
Spencer who had been listening to this said nothing, but he would have to ask Dave and Aaron about it later.
Everybody was silent as Alex did her work and soon there was blood from flowing down the tube from Dave and into Spencer. Aaron for his part watched this a little anxiously for he didn't want anything to happen to either of his mates as it would destroy him if it did.
"You can stop now," Aaron told Alex, no more then 15 minutes.
"Are you sure?" Alex asked.
"It doesn't really take much blood," Dave said speaking for the first time since the operation had started. "Spencer, how do you feel?"
"I...I...feel fine, better then fine actually," Spencer answered, surprised at the question. "I'm having trouble keeping myself still, as I feel like I have more energy then I ever have had before, as it's just coursing through me and normally I have plenty of energy. I almost feel like I could leap over a tall building in a single bound."
Every one chuckled at the reference to Superman.
"I felt the same way when I was first being turned immortal. Back when I was turned transfusions were barely a concept, much less reality," Aaron said smiling as he remembered. "Still, I probably drank even more then we've given Spencer, but then I'm a big guy, much bigger then Spencer is and as we told Spencer the other day everybody is different and Dave and I think it has to do with body size. It certainly took longer to turn me immortal, because Dave's wounds kept healing at an incredible pace and he had to keep slashing himself deeply on the arm to get enough blood to turn me immortal."
"The blood will keep racing through his system replicating itself, reproducing white and red blood cells, antibodies and cells that are unique to an immortal's blood. Soon it will replace his old blood, as my blood will rapidly replace it until it's like he was always immortal. Still, the blood will basically function just like anybody's blood does, until he's fully immortal and we've given him enough to start the process," Dave said. "We'll check every day or so and once he starts to heal instantly he'll be immortal. Even now the process has begun. Spencer wouldn't be feeling like he could leap tall buildings like Superman if it hadn't, as that's the start of the process."
"Alright then, I'll come back every day until you're sure," Alex offered. "And I'll just leave the equipment set up, just in case we need it again."
"You won't, but that's fine, since as it's the guest room and not the master," Dave said. "You'll see that Aaron and I are right in a few days.
"You probably are, but still it doesn't hurt to be cautious," Alex said and Dave nodded in agreement.
"When it comes to Spencer's welfare definitely not," Aaron said his tone firm.
"We want him around for centuries to come so believe me, we'll be keeping a careful watch on it to make sure he truly is immortal just like Aaron and I," Dave added.
Spencer blushed at this knowing very well what Dave was implying, although the idea did please him immensely.
"I'll just take my leave then, but you can call me anytime of the day or night if there are any problems."
"We will," Dave said. "I don't believe there will be problems, but I appreciate your offer all the same."
Alex removed the needle from Spencer's arm, then from Dave's.
"Well, we didn't need as much blood as I expected, but still, take it easy for at least the next couple of days," Alex told them. "Make sure you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and lean meat to replace that lost blood, even though it wasn't even a pint."
"We will doctor," Spencer said knowing that her advice was spot on in this case. It really hadn't been that much blood, but still doing the things Alex suggested would only help him and Dave recover faster.
"See that you do," Alex said smiling. "Please call me Alex and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."
"Yeah, me too, as you one of the few I can talk to about this situation I found myself in and I'm sure we share many similar interests."
"Yes, I think we could be friends," Alex agreed smiling.
"Let me escort you out," Aaron offered.
Alex accepted, though she knew her way out, but if Aaron was anything he was a gentleman.
Aaron saw Alex out and made sure she got in her car okay before coming back.
~~~Dave, Aaron and Spencer~~~
A week later
"Well, I would say our little experiment was a success," Dave said smiling, although inwardly he was relieved that the transfusion had worked so well.
All three of them had watched as Spencer carefully cut along the back of his hand and how it had healed nearly instantly, which meant that Dave's blood had done its work.
"Well, your blood is certainly powerful," Spencer said smiling.
"Injecting the blood directly into the veins was apparently the way to do it as the process was much more rapid," Aaron commented.
"It doesn't matter anymore, because I'm now immortal just like you and I certainly don't plan on going anywhere," Spencer said smiling, because he was so incredibly happy. He had nearly denied himself something that he hadn't needed to, all because he'd assumed that there was no way either Dave or Aaron could want him and also because threesomes never worked.
"You better not, because both Aaron and I would hunt you to the ends of the earth," Dave promised him with a predatory gleam in his eyes.
"There's no need to worry," Spencer assured both men smiling, shaking his head. "I love you both way too much to go anywhere permanently, although I don't know what I'll be doing for your company and it might require some traveling."
"Yeah, probably," Dave said relaxing. "Since you're such an expert at identifying rare books I don't know why you can't be the one to attend estate sales. Some of those will be fairly local, but others could be over in Europe or some other foreign country."
"I would think you had enough books," Spencer said smiling. "You already have many more then most libraries."
"All of us enjoy reading, though you certainly enjoy it more than Aaron and I," Dave said. "A lot of times you can rescue some rare books without those that are auctioning them realizing how valuable they are. Well, so long as it's not a real auction house that's doing so as they evaluate how much everything is worth before letting it be bought."
"Yeah, estate sales are good places to pick up a lot of things cheaper so long as the people don't realize the value of them," Spencer agreed. "That sounds like the perfect job for me because I would be home most of the year and only travel whenever there was an important estate sale."
"You'd probably only be gone for a day or two for most of them, a week at most," Aaron said.
"I suppose I need to go back to Richmond, give my landlord two weeks notice, have my stuff put in storage, well, my furniture anyway, but there's plenty of room in your library for my books, though it will be expensive to ship them."
"You know we hadn't considered that," Aaron said slowly. "There's no reason for Spencer to continue paying rent on his apartment in Richmond if he's never going to go back, well, other than on a temporary basis if he wanted.
"There's also my car," Spencer said.
"I'll buy you a new one as yours is a junker and you know it," Dave said dismissively. "I always feared that you'd get stranded somewhere."
"You really were keeping a close eye on me weren't you?" Spencer said eyeing Dave.
"I won't deny that we were through intermediaries," Dave said. "Aaron and I didn't want you to disappear to some other city where we wouldn't have known where you went."
"Don't worry we were never told anything really personal we just were informed on your movements to make sure that you weren't mugged or something," Aaron promised
"I can't believe I was so oblivious to being watched, even if it was from a distance," Spencer said shaking his head.
"Probably because you weren't really watched in the traditional sense," Dave said. "Yes, my contacts passed us information about you, as Aaron and I had to figure out a way to get you here, but you weren't watched 24 hours a day, as we didn't spy on your every waking moment or go through your personal possessions."
"It's a good thing you didn't go through my possessions I would've known if something was moved or not where I left it, which is one of the advantages of having an eidetic memory," Spencer smiled. "I would've been very suspicious and more aware of what was going on around me."
"Finally, it was suggested by one of our contacts that your love the books would see you come running when you heard about our personal library and how disorganized it was," Aaron explained.
"So all I had to do was take the bait," Spencer said in understanding. "Well, you certainly did find a way to get me here, so your contact was right."
"And thanks to you the library is coming along splendidly, although I realize there is still quite a bit of work to be done," Dave said.
"Soon it will be organized and we'll be able to pick out a book to read, without having to search high and low for it, because it'll be in its proper place," Aaron said.
"After I finally get it completely organized I'll make sure it never gets so messed up again," Spencer promised. "No matter how many books that all of us add to it. There will still be plenty of space for new volumes once I'm done."
"You'll also know exactly what's already in the library so that we're not buying copies," Aaron said.
"Yes, that's true, although we might want to buy copies if they are more valuable than the one we have, but that's for later," Spencer said.
"No, we don't need to worry about that for at least another couple years this is going to take you awhile to finish organizing the library and also shelf those books that are only in boxes," Dave said.
"Longer than I expected because I'm not going to spend all day down there, like I did for the first few months, when I was hiding from you as much as possible, though I probably will spend at least a few hours every day, as the job will never get done otherwise," Spencer said.
"Yeah, we only saw you for meals," Aaron snorted, even though he was also smiling.
"And that's only because we forced you to come up and at least eat with us," Dave added. "If we had allowed it I'm sure you would've snuck up here for snacks when we were sleeping after not eating all day or when you were sure we were gone."
"That was the plan," Spencer admitted a little sheepishly. "Originally anyway."
"I guess we foiled that particular plan," Dave grinned, looking unrepentant.
"Yeah, you did by insisting that I come and join you for meals," Spencer said, smiling.
"All that matters is that eventually you listened to your heart instead of your head," Aaron said, kissing Spencer tenderly.
"You stopped thinking of yourself as unworthy of being loved and believe me if I ever get my hands on all the people that made you think that, well, they'll never find the bodies," Dave said deadly serious.
Spencer snorted at that one, but Aaron was nodding in agreement with Dave's statement.
"Starting with your father," Aaron said.
"And then the principal and the teachers who did nothing about the bullying," Dave said.
"It was a big school..." Spencer began and Aaron and Dave simply looked him and he fell silent.
"Neither Aaron or I are denying that it's a big school, but there had to be some way to crack down on the more severe bullying. Alright, I realize that bullying is part of going to a public high school, but what you went through was way beyond what should have occurred," Dave said.
"Just imagine if somebody had died," Aaron added.
"You can't be the first child that has gone to that particular high school early just because they skipped grades," Dave added.
"Yes, reporting it likely would've made the bullying worse, but there's got to be some way to crack down on that type of thing. Some way that all children can go to school safely, without being worried about coming home with broken or cracked bones," Aaron said.
"Or even just bumps and bruises if you don't play sports of some type," Dave said. "I wouldn't be surprised at all that if we check the records some other student has gone through exactly what you did just for being different."
"There might even have been a death or two if the bullying was severe enough and it could've been covered up. I mean come on Spencer you're not naïve, you know that can happen very easily," Aaron added.
"Alright, you've made your point," Spencer said. "Still, I don't know what we can really do about it, not at this late date anyway. After all, it's been nearly 20 years, since I was a student at Las Vegas high school."
"I suppose there is nothing we can really do legally," Dave admitted. "Not at this late date. Still, something does need to be done, but what that is..."
"We don't know," Aaron finished.
All three men were silent for a long time, but it was a comfortable silence.
"I suppose all we can really do it deny any of those that hurt you working at any company I'm even part owner of," Dave said finally.
"Don't do that you might be the only job they can get and they might have families to feed, as you do own a large percentage of successful businesses," Spencer said shaking his head. "I know you want to do something for what they did to me, but you might already have one or two working for you at your various companies and you can't just fire them without cause or not hire them in the first place if they switch jobs at this late date. If they are genuine troublemakers then that's one thing."
"Perhaps, you're right," Dave said thoughtfully.
"You know I am. Punishing the ones that hurt me so much is one thing, but punishing their families is quite another," Spencer said. "For all we know one spouse stays at home to look after the kids and even if he or she does have a job well that would still cut their income by at least half maybe even more. The best we can do is try to help children in similar situations whenever we discover it."
"Besides, remember what that god told you that he knew you would always do the right thing, which is why he granted you immortality in the first place," Aaron reminded Dave. "I know how much you want to get back at those that hurt Spencer, so do I, but it's water under the bridge."
"That's not to say that a situation won't pop up that you can't deal with in the way you want," added Spencer, "because sometimes violence is necessary."
"Alright fine, I won't do anything," Dave conceded. "Not unless I have a legitimate reason anyway."
"That's all I can ask," Spencer said. "If you have a legitimate reason for firing someone that's making trouble then that's fine. I mean people can become alcoholics and start coming into work drunk for example or start taking drugs due to the stresses of life. They can even turn violent for some reason, but unless something like that happens..."
"It wouldn't be fair to fire them, no matter what our feelings for you are," Aaron finished.
"No, it wouldn't," Spencer said calmly.
"Well, I see you're going to be our peacemaker," Dave smiled and Spencer could tell it was genuine.
"Somebody who prevents us from lashing out at people that hurt one of us intentionally or not," Aaron added.
"You wouldn't do that anyway unless it was a very unusual situation," Spencer commented. "The two of you are old enough to control your emotions and not let what people say affect you. Still, I'll be there if something happens to calm you down."
"With you around that should prevent us from taking action in some situation that would only hurt us in the end," Dave said.
"We're going to have to keep our relationship very quiet," Aaron said, "Two men being together isn't all that unusual, but three?"
"We are used to keeping it quiet anyway, so that's not going to be a problem," Dave said. "I don't think all those females would have tried to snag me like they did if they knew I was gay. Oh, some of them might still have tried thinking I might be bi, but I doubt I would've had as many trying to get me to date them at least."
"Probably not, because a lot of people are rather disgusted by same-sex couples," Spencer said. "They probably would've considered you a bad bet after that, though I doubt it would've done your business any harm at least not for very long."
"What you really mean is that a lot those women would've been disgusted by the fact that I like my own sex instead of women, so would have left me alone," Dave translated.
"Yes," Spencer answered simply.
"Maybe that's true, in fact, it probably is, but still I consider my private life exactly that, private," Dave said. "I'm well enough known as it is, because of all the jobs I've brought to the economy, or as far as the public thinks my family has brought."
"Even if that family is only the three of us and before I came along just you and Aaron," Spencer laughed.
"It's really nice to hear you laugh for once," Aaron smiled kissing Spencer's cheek.
"What can I say I'm so happy I can't help but laugh," Spencer said smiling.
"And smile, as you've been smiling a lot more in the last few days," Dave mentioned kissing Spencer's opposite cheek.
"I have a reason to smile and laugh, don't you think?" Spencer inquired his tone serious, but with a sparkle of humor in his eyes.
"Yeah, you do," Aaron said, also smiling.
The three of them simply sat in the living area enjoying each other's company without even bothering to turn on the big screen TV that was present, as their relationship was just to new right now.
~~~Dave, Aaron and Spencer~~~
