Title: The Five Things that Dave Learned the First Time Vacationing with Aaron and Jack

Author: Kuria Dalmatia

See Chapter 1 for Comments/disclaimers/etc.

The Third Thing: Aaron should never grow a beard. Ever.

Now, Dave has had facial hair of some variety most of his adult life. Sure, there are years when he'll go clean shaven (a majority of the 80's quickly comes to mind), but when he hit fifty, he decided to stick with some variety of goatee. He's fortunate that the "salt" in his hair is of the pale white silver variety. He also knows the tricks to keeping his whiskers from feeling like steel wool.

When Day Four of the vacation rolls around, Aaron still hasn't shaved. There's always the awkward period of growing things out, but on Aaron, it's even more awkward. Even worse? The hair is coarse and wiry.

Blowjobs should not include beard burn.

"Stop!" Dave pushes hard on Aaron's shoulder and then scoots up until he's sitting. Aaron moves to follow, but Dave blocks him with a knee. "Shave, damn it."

Aaron stares at him. "You want me to shave. Right now." He arches a disbelieving eyebrow at Dave. "In middle of…"

"If I wanted to have the inside of my thighs rubbed down with coarse grit sandpaper, I would have picked some up at the hardware store." Of course, there are nicer ways of saying things, but it's five-thirty in the morning and sweat makes it burn.

Aaron glares. His chin lifts. He then clambers over to his side of the bed, flops down on his side with his back to Dave, and pulls up the sheet.

"You gonna pout now?" Dave taunts.

"You're being rude," Aaron snaps. "And I've never complained."

"Whoa! Wait just one second!" He grabs Aaron by the shoulder and tugs hard. Aaron refuses to roll over. It only encourages Dave to be surlier. "It's been four years and not once have you bitched about my beard. And so help me God if you say you held your tongue because you were being polite. Christ."

The silence lasts for a good five minutes before Aaron heaves out a sigh. "Do we have to argue every day on vacation?"

Guilt kicks in full force and now it is Dave's turn to let out a hard breath. "You're right. I'm sorry. God. We can go twelve days out in the field and nary a spat but here? What gives?"

"Nary a spat?"

Dave shrugs. "Hell, I don't know. It sounded good."

"It sounded weird."

"Okay, it sounded weird."

Aaron looks over his shoulder. "We don't fight because we're focused on other things."

"We can't fight because it would be unprofessional."

Aaron shifts until he's facing Dave. "You really hate the beard."

"If I answer honestly, are you going to pout some more?"

"Depends on how you say it."

"Christ." Dave meets his gaze, reaches over and cups Aaron's chin. "There's no good way of saying it except that it ages you."

Aaron's eyes narrow but then he nods. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Now go shave so you can finish what you started."

"You're a bastard, Dave."

"I'm a horny bastard. Now go."