XXX CHAPTER 35 XXX

Emmett typed with a wide grin on his face, sure Edward would appreciate his newfound treasure trove of math jokes. Descartes is sitting in a bar late one night. At last call, the bartender asks him, "Want another?" Descartes answers, "I think not," and disappears.

That's better than yesterday's about the chicken crossing the Mobius strip to get to the same side.

Yeah, that one was pretty funny. I found a new website. *smile*

What time do you leave for practice? Edward's pretend irritation wasn't fooling Emmett; he could practically see the grin on his boyfriend's face.

Oh, don't worry—not until your free period is over.

Wonderful.

Here's a good one: Did you hear about the constipated mathematician? He worked it out with a pencil.

You're killing me, Mac.

Would you prefer I go back to sexting you?

NO!

Math jokes it is, then.

How about if I tell you about my meeting with my boss this morning instead?

In trouble already, Professor? It's only your third week!

That's what it feels like every time she calls me into her office. I've been assigned my extracurricular duties for the year.

Do tell! Hip hop club? Marching band?

Close, but no. I've got chess club, math club, and—wait for it…

WHAT?

Oh, I'm coaching tee-ball.

NO FUCKING WAY! That is awesome! I can help!

That is maybe your worst idea ever.

Why do you say that? I was planning to bring Sawyer anyway. And as you might recall, I actually know a few things about playing the game.

When's the last time you played tee-ball?

Very funny. Come on, you can be in charge. I'll just offer some friendly advice now and then.

Dammit, Em! You can't put YOU on the same field with me and start…doing actual baseball things and expect me to pretend we're not who we are to each other!

Emmett had to admit to a slight tingle at Edward's near-declaration of his feelings. Still overly cautious or maybe afraid the whole thing would evaporate if he spoke the words, Edward had kept to beating around the bush—"who we are to each other", "how we feel about each other", "what you mean to me"—without ever saying those actual words. Not that Emmett had offered up the big trifecta either, but he sure as shit knew what he felt because he'd certainly never felt this before.

Don't deny me this, Edward. This might be the closest I ever come to seeing my own kid play the game. Okay, maybe playing the surrogate daddy card was a bit unfair, but desperate times . . .

You can watch him just fine from the sidelines with the other parents. Besides, what about spring training?

Pitchers and catchers is only a couple weeks. I can work around the schedule. I'm sure you don't have practices every day.

You know what? No. You're too hot, and that's that. You need to stay away. Promise me you'll stay away.

The professor was running short on reasoning, it seemed. Oh come on, you're selling yourself short. Look at all those times you've used restraint around me. You're evolved!

NO

I forgot how stubborn Mr. Spock could be.

In the face of a highly illogical suggestion, one must answer with a firm, sensible response. And that response is no.

We'll discuss this later. I need to make my case in person.

Oh no you don't! You think I don't know what you have in mind?

I sincerely hope you do…and I hope you'll think about it for the rest of the day, because I sure as shit will be.

You're evil.

I thought you liked my tenacious spirit.

Ugh! There's the bell. Break an arm, 69.

Enjoy your afternoon, Professor. See you tonight. Kiss kiss.

XXX

"One hundred twelve pitches tonight, and you're not even tight!" Trey's hands worked their way up Emmett's right shoulder, pressing, healing, measuring.

"You sound disappointed," Emmett said with a chuckle.

"I'd say I'm mystified. Six weeks ago, you were a basket of knots. Now, you're as loose as the elastic in my old man's boxers. Unless you've been doing hot yoga on the side, I'd say there's only one explanation for this."

The knots absent from Emmett's shoulder tugged at his gut. "What's your theory, Einstein?"

They had another two innings of alone-time in the locker room before the team piled in, but Trey leaned in anyway. "Somebody's getting laid."

"Wow, you can tell all this from my shoulder? Or have you been massaging my dick when I wasn't looking?"

Trey gave him a playful pat on the cheek. "That's well above my pay grade, sweetheart."

Emmett's brain raced through the few seconds their shared laugh afforded him, but the alibi mill was churning up nothing useful. Maybe if I give in on the general point, Trey won't press for details. "All right, yes, you got me."

"I knew it! You know I'd never say anything bad about Tammy, but—"

"Don't!" Emmett shot Trey a warning look that made him shake his head.

"Honestly, I was only going to say I noticed the difference in you once you two broke up. Nothing against the girl, but you seem more relaxed the last few weeks; there's more 'Big Mac' swagger to your step."

Emmett continued to eye Trey warily, but once he started digging, there was no stopping the man.

"So, was this new girl in the stands tonight?"

He answered with a noncommittal, "Yes."

"Well, aren't you gonna bring her by?"

"What's the up side? Why the hell would I want a bunch of horny ballers putting their eyeballs all over my . . ." With no safe way to complete the sentence, Emmett changed course. "I don't see you inviting Celia out with the team."

Trey chuffed. Moving to Emmett's neck, he continued the rubdown. "You have a point there. I'd just like to meet the person who's making my job so easy lately. I mean, between her and Edward—"

Emmett swallowed hard over the lump in his throat. This was all way too close for comfort.

"—I don't know who to thank first!" A pair of probing thumbs rubbed up and down the stem of Emmett's neck. "Crap, am I upsetting you? You're tightening up back here."

Fuuuuuck! Emmett dropped his chin to his chest. Chill out, man.

Trey discovered a new kink and kneaded it with skilled fingers. "Sorry, Mac. I'll just shut up now."

It's a little late for that, my friend. I've already racked up another lie of omission on my record. Emmett's guilt outpaced Trey's technique, creating fresh knots faster than his trainer could work them out. The whole thing was a losing proposition, a battle Emmett no longer had the will to fight.

Emmett reached up and trapped Trey's hands against his neck. "Hang on, man."

"What's wrong? Am I hurting you?"

"No . . . shit. I'm hurting me," Emmett answered, dropping his hand with a loud sigh and slumping back in the chair.

Trey slid his hand to Emmett's shoulder and gave him a squeeze. "Is there any chance I can get you to talk to me for once?"

Emmett shifted so he could look into the compassionate eyes of the man who'd asked him that same question over and over again during their three-year professional relationship. "Actually, yes."

Trey's blue eyes opened wide with surprise. "Really? Shit, I don't know whether to be happy you're finally opening up to me or terrified of what you might say. Hang on, lemme pull up a stool. Don't go anywhere!"

"Where the hell am I gonna go all greased up like a bowl of buttered popcorn?" Emmett had to chuckle though he felt the bottom falling out of his carefully controlled world.

Trey wheeled himself over and propped his hands on his knees. "Okay, I'm listening."

After coming out to Edward and his folks, this really should be getting easier, Emmett mused. Trey could be trusted, as he'd proven time and time again with Emmett's injuries and issues over the years. He had Emmett's back—quite literally—and Emmett had no qualms the man could keep quiet. So many times in the past, Emmett had been tempted to let the cat out of the bag, and what a goddamn relief it would be to have someone at work understand what was going on inside his head. If only he could figure out how to start this conversation.

Emmett opened with the ever-appropriate, "So, funny thing . . ."

"Okay?"

"You mentioned how much Edward's helped me this summer, and then you mentioned how this other person has . . . ahem . . . loosened me up . . ."

Trey grinned. "Mmhmm?"

Feeling completely exposed, Emmett folded his arms across his chest. "Would it surprise you very much to learn that it's actually all the same person?"

From the look of confusion that crossed Trey's face, Emmett concluded he was indeed quite surprised. "Who's the same person? Same as what? Edward and the girl? Jesus, Mac, did you take a ball to the skull out there? You're making no sense!"

Despite himself, Emmett laughed out loud. "Trey, you're seriously overthinking this. Slow it down upstairs and try again."

The moment Trey figured it out, he turned into a Warner Brothers character with his jaw dropped open and his eyes bugged out. "Are you saying your swagger is all Edward?"

"A, yes, and B, could you please keep it down?"

"Shit, sorry! But you have to admit that's quite the bomb you just dropped, my friend." Rolling closer, Trey asked, "So you're bi?"

"Nope. I'm one hundred percent gay. All boys all the time. And I hope you can appreciate why I've never shared this."

"Of course, and I hope you know your secret is safe with me." Trey shook his head. "So, none of the guys know? Not even Fuller?"

"No. I can count on two hands the people who know, and I need to keep it that way—at least for now."

"Wow, what a heavy burden you've been carrying around all this time. I can't imagine."

"I have come so close to telling you so many times," Emmett said. "This doesn't change anything between us, does it?"

"Actually, it does. I've always understood your body pretty well, but there's always been this barrier I couldn't breach . . ."

"Jesus, Trey, are you saying you want to fuck me?"

"What? No! How the hell did you get that—?"

Emmett burst out laughing. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. You were getting me all hot with your talk about breaching barriers. Go on, please."

"I see you're still an ass. That's a relief."

"Could we please stop talking about my ass?"

"I have no idea what I was about to say."

"Come on, the barrier you couldn't breach. Stick with it, Slick."

"Yes, okay, fine. There were parts of yourself you kept closed off, and I've done my best to work through the wall, but it's not easy. You've let down your guard now, and that's a good thing. So yes, things will change between us, but only in the best possible way."

"Huh. Does this mean I can start getting happy endings?"

"Now, now—you know if I do it for you, all the boys are going to want one." Trey stood and kicked his stool away. "Let's take a look at that neck, shall we?"

And just like that, they were Mac and Trey again.

XXX

Edward pulled open the front door before Emmett had a chance to ring the bell. "Don't even think about it," he told him. "The answer is still no. And great game tonight, baby."

It was corny as hell, but Emmett's insides turned to mush when Edward called him that. Emmett kicked the door closed as his lips met Edward's. "Don't you think I'm not going to try to change your mind . . . baby." Kiss-walking Edward backwards until his legs knocked into the couch, Emmett tugged open his boyfriend's belt and jeans and gave him a shove.

Edward chuckled as his back hit the cushions. "Aren't you supposed to be tired after one hundred twelve pitches?"

"Meh, who's counting?" Emmett climbed on top of him, pinning Edward's hands over his head. "Oh wait—you are." No, Emmett wasn't feeling tired at all, not when their lips and erections played together so nicely.

"Fuck, I missed you today," Emmett said between kisses. "Why don't you quit your job and let me be your sugar daddy?"

He gave Edward no opportunity to answer, smothering him with lips and tongue until they were both gasping for air. "I don't think I'm quite ready to be a kept man."

"Too bad. I'm keeping you." Emmett hopped up onto his knees and popped the snaps on his shorts. Shoving them out of the way along with his boxers, he licked his lips impatiently while Edward shimmied out of his jeans.

"Em, the condoms are in the bedroom."

"Don't need one," he answered, rolling onto his side next to Edward. Lining up both erections in his hand, Emmett stroked them together. "Feel good?"

Edward answered with a low grunt and an arch of his back.

"Know what this hand did tonight, big boy?"

"Mmm . . . fifteen strikeouts . . . ahhh . . . two pickoffs . . . fuuuuck! . . . 98.3-miles-per-hour fastball . . ."

"That's right," Emmett said. "Were you thinking about my hand on your cock while I was pitching?"

"No!"

"No?" Emmett chuckled, placing his lips at Edward's ear. "It's okay. I won't think less of you if you were fantasizing about me during the game."

"Maybe a little, but I promise I was focused."

"Mmhmm." Blowing a warm stream of air around the shell of Edward's ear, Emmett rolled on top of Edward and pinned him to the couch. "Just imagine, Professor . . ." He glided his hand faster up and down their joined shafts. "You and I could be this close together on that tee-ball field if only you'd agree . . ."

"Yesss!" Edward hissed and panted, pistoning his hips into Emmett's body. "Fuck, yessss!"

Emmett felt the tightening against his sac just before Edward exploded. The hot spray splashed up the length of Emmett's arm as Edward's head hinged back; his chin dropped, and the most glorious moan of ecstasy fell out of his mouth.

Emmett rushed to join his lover, burying his face in Edward's neck and hurrying his hand. Edward drew back with a grunt of protest, but Emmett was having none of that. "Hang on for me . . . almost there . . ."

"Oh God . . . too much . . . too much!" Edward pushed at Emmett's chest, but he wouldn't budge. "Come, you fucker!"

Emmett came hard, all the tension of the game and his talk with Trey shooting out of him in a mighty stream. Grabbing Emmett by the wrist, Edward wrenched his hand off their spent cocks, groaning in relief as he pushed Emmett's weight off him.

From a place deep inside his belly, a laugh bubbled up, and once Emmett got started, he couldn't stop. "Come, you fucker?" Tears welled in Emmett's eyes as he took in his normally reserved boyfriend's sheepish grin. "What . . . the hell . . . was that?"

Edward shrugged, setting Emmett off again.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Emmett planted a kiss on Edward's cheek. "You said yes."

"What?"

"To me being on the field with you. You just said yes. 'Fuck yes' if my memory serves."

Edward's jaw dropped open. "That was a fuck yes to your dirty talk, not to reality! I cannot be held responsible for things said in the heat of passion!"

Emmett grinned at him, adding a tsk-tsk. "What would Sarek have to say about his fallen son, losing himself in the moment like a common human?"

Edward narrowed his eyes as he answered. "He would most likely say that one does not make logical decisions when one's penis is in the grasp of a ridiculously sexy pitcher."

Another ripple of laughter shook Emmett. "Oh god, you're a trip."

"Speaking of trips, someone needs to go get a towel. I look like an episode of CSI. Crap! My jersey!"

Emmett stood carefully so as not to drip on the couch. He pulled off his shirt and threw it at his cum-covered boyfriend. "It'll all come out in the wash."

Edward mopped up while Emmett looked on, offering him a hand up from the couch after he was reasonably clean. They gathered their clothes from the floor and stopped in the kitchen for a drink. "Wanna throw your clothes in my laundry?" Edward asked, tossing his wad of clothes in the hamper.

"Why, Professor, are you asking me to commingle our unmentionables?"

Edward handed him a bottle of water, adding a dramatic eye roll. "After what you just did to me?"

"Yes, that's true. Sure, I'm not afraid to commingle."

Grinning over at him, Edward replied, "Glad to hear it. And I really hope there are no hard feelings about the tee-ball thing. You do understand why I can't be trusted with you on the field, right?"

Emmett threw his arm around Edward's shoulders and walked him toward the bedroom. "Sure. It's your gig. I'll be a good boy and sit in the stands with the other spectators."

Edward gave him a wary look. "Mmhmm."

After the toothbrushing and rinsing and other going-to-bed tasks were done, they fell into bed on their "regular" sides with a pair of matching sighs. "Weren't we smart to do it out on the couch? Now you don't have to change the sheets."

Edward snorted. "I don't really mind washing the sheets."

"Huh, in that case . . ." Emmett sidled up behind him and lined his hips up with Edward's. "Oh, by the way . . . I came out to Trey tonight."

Edward whipped around so fast, he nearly broke off Emmett's dick. "You what?"

Emmett made room for Edward to flip onto his other side, facing him. "It's not as though I planned it. It just happened. We were alone in the locker room, and he was noticing how relaxed I've been lately, so he asked me if he had you to thank or the girl I've been fucking, basically."

"Holy shit! What did you say?"

"I told him you're the girl I've been fucking."

"Gee, thanks."

"I think you're missing the point. He now loves you twice as much."

"Oh." Edward's voice took on a highly amusing tone of joy that made Emmett grin into the dark. "Well, well, well. Look at you, coming out all over the place!"

"I know! It's crazy, right? Lately, the covering up just feels so much worse. And Trey would never tell anyone. He gets it."

"It's not crazy at all. I'm happy for you. It must've felt great to get that off your chest."

"It did."

"So how was he with the whole thing? Was it weird?"

"It was weirdly un-weird. I asked him if it made him uncomfortable, and he looked at me like I had six eyes. Oh, and I asked him for a happy ending on my massage." Emmett reached for Edward's dick, but his hand was batted away.

"Oh, no you don't. You can fuck me but you're not touching that again until further notice."

Emmett chuckled. "Fair enough."

"'Night, Sixty-nine."

"'Night, Professor."

Author's Note: Will you just look at Emmett, coming out all over the place? *grins* Oh, and hello, Benched.

I really love hearing from you guys. I'm still writing away, incorporating many of the moments you guys have asked about in addition to a few of my own. One thing is certain: this story would not have been the same if I'd written it in a vacuum. Also, I'd be done by now. But that's cool! I love spending time with these two...and you crazy kids, of course!
XXX ~BOH