Movie Date 2 (Patreon)

I wanted to progress this one on a bit. Still haven't gotten to the kissing, but I think you'll still find it an enjoyable read.

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Jaynes did indeed make a scene by taking Dabre’s keys. In fact, Dabre was so angry that she chased the car for several houses before turning back. Then, Jaynes did a quick lap around the neighborhood before swinging by the neighbor’s house and picking up Dyvid from where he waited on the curb.

“Thanks for coming back for me,” he said over the engine’s quiet purr.

“I said I would,” Jaynes explained with a smile. “I just had to lose Dabre first.”

Dyvid looked back over his shoulder, staring into the gathering twilight. “Jeez, she sounded so angry,” he muttered. “I’m so sorry about all this. It’s all my fault.”

“How is any of this your fault?” Jaynes huffed. “Just because society says it’s okay for a gal to take several husbands, there’s still an … an expectation that everyone in the relationship is okay with that. As soon as you go sneaking around behind your husband’s back, it’s pretty clear that you know you’re doing what you shouldn’t.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” the younger male sighed. “But she’s gonna be so angry at you when you go home. I definitely feel like I contributed to that.”

“Well, you shouldn’t,” said Jaynes. “And what about how angry I am? Maybe Dabre should worry about that.”

“Maybe,” Dyvid agreed, but his tone sounded unconvinced.

“And so, you…?” Jaynes asked, tiptoeing into the most obvious of questions.

“Work at the bank,” Dyvid explained. “I’m a teller. Dabre always picks my line when she drops off the day’s receipts. We chit-chat while I count the cash. She’s … very charming.”

“Yes, she is,” the copper montrose agreed. “And honestly? She’s got a lot of endearing qualities. I love her deeply, don’t get me wrong, but consideration for others just isn’t her strongest suit. She’s got a long track record of making a decision and plowing on ahead regardless of what anyone else thinks.”

Dyvid listened silently. He touched Jaynes’s arm and gave him a supportive smile.

“And she’s usually right too, that’s the thing,” Jaynes added. “I didn’t think we could afford our house, and she said we could. She was right. I thought it was foolish to blow her holiday bonus on a trip to Docklund, but it turned out to be the best vacation we’ve ever taken.”

“What about her dating other guys?” asked Dyvid. “Could she be right about that too?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” he admitted. “But this is about a lot more than making a good or bad decision. You see that, right? Let’s say she decided to marry you.”

“I’m really not—”

“I understand, but for the sake of argument, let’s say that you were.”

“Okay,” Dyvid hesitantly agreed.

“And Dabre could be absolutely correct that she could afford a second husband, and absolutely correct that sharing the housework would make our lives easier,” said Jaynes. “And if two out of three of us turned out to be blissfully happy with the arrangement while one of us was miserable, she could argue that it was still a net win overall. But it doesn’t work that way, does it?”

Dyvid shook his head. “I hope not.”

“Right,” said Jaynes. “This is a case where everyone’s feelings need to count. Dabre needs to understand that no matter how right she thinks she is, this is one time that my opinions matter just as much as hers do.”

The movie turned out to be an absurd monster thriller with nuclear mutations and rubber suited creatures. Despite being ridiculously dumb, the show was a lot of fun and did a good job of getting Jaynes’s mind off of his wife. The credits rolled, and the pair walked back to where he had parked the car.

“Thanks for taking me to the movies, Jayne,” said the younger male after they closed the doors. “It wasn’t the date I was expecting…”

“Yeah, not the date night I had been hoping for either,” the copper montrose chuckled.

“Do you…?”

“Yeah?” Jaynes asked when Dyvid’s words failed him.

“Do you know any polygamist families? I mean, personally?” he asked. “Do you know any guys who share a wife?”

Jaynes shook his head as he started the car. “Not personally, no,” he admitted. “I know a few families like that, but they’re no one I know closely enough to call friends. You?”

Dyvid shook his head. “No, me neither.”

The car rumbled along, the silence only broken by Dyvid’s occasional directions on where to turn. Eventually, he asked, “How do you suppose that works anyhow? Do you suppose they all sleep in one big bed? Or do you think they take turns?”

“Probably a bit of both,” offered Jaynes.

“Really?” Dyvid gasped.

“Maybe?” Jaynes said with a little less certainty. “Gals like Dabre tend to be pretty straight. Any gal who wants to marry more than one guy… They just can’t get enough knot. That’s just how gals are.”

“Yeah,” Dyvid agreed. “They have a lot of sex drive.”

“But guys are different,” said Jaynes. “We think about a lot more than just sex. We like to be pretty. We want to be loved. I think … at our cores … every guy is a little gay, we’re all bisexual to some extent.”

“What?” gasped the younger male.

“I know it’s a little weird to say it out loud,” sighed Jaynes, “but guys aren’t hung up on image like gals are. We’re able to love our boyfriends. Do you think any gal could say that?”

“Well, they have buddies…”

“Yeah, exactly,” said Jaynes. “Gals can like their buddies, but they don’t truly love them, not like guys can. That’s why it makes sense that some gals take multiple husbands. Guys are capable of loving each other. Can you imagine one guy marrying multiple females?”

At that, Dyvid vigorously shook his head.

“Yeah, me neither,” said Jaynes, “they’re way too uptight. So, yeah there’s probably a lot of taking turns in a polygamist marriage, but I bet they have some group fun as well. I mean, no gal would ever complain about watching her husbands kiss, and guys aren’t so worried about who they can love. So, it’s only natural.”

Dyvid was silent a long, long while. He resorted to pointing which way to go so he wouldn’t have to open his muzzle. But he found his voice once more when the car pulled up to his apartment complex. “What about when their wife is at work?” he finally asked. “Do you suppose husbands ever…?”

Jaynes’s ears grinned wide, and he nodded. “Yeah, I bet they do from time to time,” he whispered, “although I doubt they ever tell their wife about playing without her. Most gals would feel cheated if they knew they’d been left out.”

“Yeah,” sighed Dyvid. He fell silent again. “Are you gonna be okay to face Dabre alone?”

Jaynes shrugged. “Eventually, I will, but I’m not sure if I’m ready just yet. Making her sleep on the couch takes a lot out of me emotionally. Sometimes it feels like I’m punishing myself more than her.”

“Do you want to come up?” asked Dyvid. “It’s not much of an apartment, but it’ll be nicer than sitting in the car until you feel ready.”

“Yeah, okay,” said Jaynes. “Thanks.”

The apartment was simple and cozy, filled with hand-me-down furniture and dishware. Dyvid offered Jaynes a glass of wine. It was cheap and sweet, but a welcome change from the stiff mixed drinks that Dabre poured at home.

“When I realized that you didn’t know I’d be coming along,” Dyvid said softly, “I died a little inside. But I was stuck at that point, since she drove. I don’t even own a car. But I sure didn’t want to be in the middle of a family fight.”

“Yeah, I bet,” said Jaynes. “I’m sorry we put you in such an awkward position. A fight is inevitable, but you shouldn’t have to sit through it. That’s all between me and Dabre.”

They sipped their wine, listening to some light jazz playing on a tiny stereo. Jaynes lifted his ears. “You’re still upset,” he whispered, taking a moment to touch Dyvid’s paw. “Don’t be. This isn’t your problem.”

“No, it’s not that,” the younger male sighed. “It’s…”

Jaynes studied him while he picked over his words. “Yes?”

“Do you really think…” He bit his lip. “Am I … ‘a little gay’?”

At that, Jaynes’s ears lifted high. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said with a chuckle. “Does the thought scare you?”

Dyvid refused to look his way. “Maybe… A little,” he whispered. “It’s just so … illicit.”

“Oh, it’s really not so bad,” said Jaynes. “It’s natural. Really nothing to be ashamed of.”

Jaynes set his drink down on the end table and wrapped Dyvid in a tender hug. “You can be whatever you want to be. You don’t even need to attach a label to it. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” the copper montrose whispered. “I certainly would never judge.”

“I’ve just…” whispered Dyvid, “always really enjoyed moments like this. I like dating gals, but they don’t hug enough. I wish they could be more gentle. But I don’t want that to mean that I’m … broken.”

Jaynes sighed. He drew a deep breath and let it slowly out with no eagerness to end the hug. “There’s nothing broken about wanting more hugs and more tenderness,” he whispered. “I always feel that way.”

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Reviewer's link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nPMnnMSTJg_lEnEo_v-UkNTw4pk4LtPk37N6T4C1p90/edit?usp=sharing

Thoughts?