Something Extra - Before Disaster Number Alex (BSH) (Patreon)

Author's note: Hi guys, it's that time again when you get to read a little something extra! This time around, Dave Kemp, the generous patron who made this additional little story happen once more, asked me to write something about Simon from Box Shaped Heart. It looks like I'm not the only one who truly fell in love with those puppy eyes! :)

Dave wanted to know a little more about Simon's background and how he used to be before meeting Alex. This is the story that I came up with. I hope it does Simon and his puppy eyes justice and explains all about how he sees relationships (and why he tried so hard with Alex later).

Without further ado, please, enjoy this little something extra! And please, accept it as a belated Valentine's Day gift (Dave thought it would be perfect as long as it's published in February)!

Before Disaster Number Alex

The lithe body on top of him writhed in the throes of ecstasy one time, two times, three times … Simon grunted as his toes curled, and he fought the sensation traveling down his spine, making him shiver. It was his first time, but his current partner, engaged in riding him with delicious abandon, didn’t know it just yet. So, for now, alphabetizing his record collection seemed like a good idea. 

The problem was Simon didn’t have a record collection, so he diverted his passion-addled mind toward his iTunes favorites. 

“Yes, yes, yes,” his partner chanted. “You’re so good … so hard … yes!”

Simon grunted. His eyes were already shut as he tried not to look at Noah; a single glance at that smooth perfect body would have been his doom. The problem was he couldn’t cover his ears as he needed to keep his hands firmly planted on Noah’s hips while the thrill ride continued.

How long had it been? More than five minutes? He hoped so. What could be the approved time for coming without having to put down his first time as the occasion when he suffered his also first premature ejaculation (at least with another guy)?

Carefully, he moved his head to one side but didn’t dare to open his eyes. Damn, the squeeze on his cock was unbearable. Everything in his body, down to the last cell, screamed at him to come.

“Hey,” Noah called for him and caught his chin. “Open your eyes.” The riding stopped, but Simon could still feel his toes curling against the coverlet over and over. “Are you thinking of someone else?”

Simon tried to shake his head, but that was difficult to do, seeing how Noah’s grip on his chin was pretty firm. “No,” he mumbled.

Noah giggled. Simon cursed inwardly. Even that laughter was sexy. From the moment Noah had stepped into his parents’ house with his million-dollar smile and naughty attitude, Simon had been nothing but a walking hard-on. He hadn’t even known Noah was gay, and he didn’t quite recall how they had ended up doing the horizontal cha-cha. Noah had been direct and, the moment they had been alone, he had jumped Simon in the most literal sense of the word. 

Simon had just fallen on his back, and there they were. Noah turned slightly and placed one hand on Simon’s balls. He started to caress them. “I don’t want you to think of anyone else,” he said in a sweet voice. Then he grabbed Simon’s balls hard. “Do you get it?”

Simon grunted instead of replying, and it was no longer because of repressed pleasure. At least, that took the edge off a little. “I do,” he whispered. “It’s just my first time, and I’m afraid I’m going to come too soon.”

Noah laughed, that sexy bright laugh that made Simon crazy with desire. “Oh, so I’m popping your cherry.”

“I’m the one fucking you,” Simon said, a bit puzzled. “So I don’t think --”

“Hush, baby,” Noah shut him up with a wet kiss. “I thought you were inexperienced since you were looking at me with your big brown eyes like you’ve never seen another man in your life, but this is a nice surprise.”

Simon risked opening his eyes. “It is?” he asked, feeling hopeful and giddy.

Noah shrugged. “I haven’t fucked a virgin in a long time.”

That sounded a bit confusing like Noah had been around the block, but Simon chased the thought away. It was his first time, and it was supposed to be awesome. Noah giggled some more and kissed him sweetly. “I’m going to move slowly, cherry boy,” he teased, “and you’re not going to come right away, okay? Just hold it in, hold it in, just a little longer … okay? You have to think of your partner, too, even if you have this fantastic dick attached to your body … you know that’s not enough, you need to give me your best … okay?” Noah interrupted his sexy speech only to kiss Simon and make his desire soar higher and higher.

It was like his cock was milked. He had a condom on, the rubber readily provided by Noah, who had made it appear seemingly out of thin air. That made him think Noah was better prepared than a boy scout, but he couldn’t complain. Even if they were doing it in his room, they were still under his parents’ roof, and that made things complicated. He was the perfect son, so he didn’t have any condoms lying around. Even when he masturbated, he carefully did his own laundry so that his mother wouldn’t have to wash the embarrassing traces of his fooling around.

“Are you with me, baby, are you with me?” Noah whispered, his breath becoming ragged.

“Yes,” Simon whispered back.

“Let’s do this then. Just wait for me,” Noah ordered and straightened up in his invisible saddle. 

The riding resumed, this time even more vigorous than before. Simon writhed and bucked his hips off the mattress while Noah began slamming down hard on his cock as if he wanted to pull it from its roots and run away with it.

At this point, Simon thought he could live with that, as the ‘come, come, come’ chant of every fiber of his being restarted. 

Noah slammed down one more time and cried out. Simon felt warm droplets landing on his chest and stomach. Grateful for this mercy, he grabbed Noah’s hips and pushed up hard. His cries were even harder as he came.

Noah extracted himself from Simon’s cock and dropped by his side.

“Wow,” Simon whispered, “is this sex? Wow.”

Noah laughed and patted his face. “Not bad for your first time, rookie. You were so pretty I couldn’t help myself.”

“Really?”

Noah’s eyelids were heavy. “Your folks aren’t going to bother us in your room, right?”

“No. They are all for boundaries. What about yours? Aren’t they going to look for you?”

“No. I saw your parents’ backyard, and there was some talk about their wine collection. I’m lucky if they remember that they brought me along on this social visit. And it was settled that I would sleep in your room, anyway.”

“Oh,” Simon managed with some difficulty. “There are plenty of guest rooms.”

“I know.” Noah put one hand on his face, but it seemed that he wanted more to shut up Simon and not necessarily to talk to him some more.

Simon got it. He was so tired he couldn’t move. But there was enough time until dinner, and his mother would just send a text when she wanted them down, like any modern mom in existence. “Do you really think I’m pretty?”

“You are very pretty.” Noah placed one last tired kiss on his lips. “Now, let’s just sleep a little. We rode for the entire day in that car and I thought my ass would go all numb. Good thing I put it to good use.”

There was a moment there, between them, as Simon looked into Noah’s dark eyes. He was perfect, his skin like melted chocolate and that amazing smile. He hesitated for a moment. Was it okay to say it? Was it too soon? But the moment was perfect, and he believed that, anyway. He took one deep breath as he kept his eyes closed. “I love you,” he said and opened them.

Noah’s eyes were already closed, and Simon was a bit disappointed. If only he hadn’t hesitated. 

“Love you, too,” Noah replied sleepily.

Simon smiled. He curled up next to Noah, enjoying his body heat. The first time he had had sex in his entire life, and he was in love! Was it perfect or what?

***

Keeping his concentration on the conversation at the dinner table was hard since Noah’s naughty toes were busy teasing his ankle under the table. 

“Simon? Simon?” His dad sounded a bit irritated. “Are you spacing out? Please, pass the salad.”

Simon took the bowl and handed it to his father without tearing his eyes off Noah. There was a glint in those dark eyes, and Simon couldn’t help thinking. This is how you must feel when you’re in love.

“Simon, stop staring at our guest,” his mom scolded him. “You’re making Noah uncomfortable.”

Noah’s naked foot rubbed against his provocatively. And Noah was smiling. Simon felt like what he experienced right now was everything he had waited for his entire life. The words left his lips before he could control them. “We’re in love, me and Noah.”

Everything after that happened slow and fast at the same time, as Simon would remember years after. First, everyone fell silent. Then, Noah’s foot left his, and with it, the smile on that gorgeous face disappeared, as well.

And then? Then, hell broke loose. Everybody was up on their feet. Noah’s parents began protesting, alternating between berating their own son, and blaming Simon for corrupting their darling.

Simon’s parents were in too much of a shock to say anything for the first minute or so. The questions started. Since when was he gay? And what was this nonsense with Noah? Also, had he lost his mind? (That was his father.) Didn’t he know to treat guests politely, as he had been taught? (That was his mother.)

The one person who remained sitting through the whole ordeal, sipping from her bowl of soup quite noisily, was his grandma who, when the cascade of accusations and outcry took a breather, finally spoke. “What’s the big deal? Why are you all ruining a perfectly good dinner?”

“Mom,” Simon’s mother began impatiently, “don’t you realize what outrageous thing has just transpired in this very room?”

His grandma placed her spoon on her napkin like a soldier relinquishing his weapon after a hard day on guard. Her piercing eyes examined everyone at the table. “So Simon likes chocolate better than vanilla then?”

Simon’s mom sputtered. His dad cursed loudly. Noah’s parents claimed to be offended by grandma’s allusion to the color of their son’s skin and, consequently, theirs. 

But through all this, grandma seemed unmoved. “I only meant that he likes boys better than girls,” she said in a tone that suggested everyone that she was the one rightfully offended. “And what’s wrong with that?”

“Our son is not gay,” Noah’s mom said.

“He is!” Simon protested. “We made love!”

Another collective gasp followed his new confession. Noah made a small sign to him as he pursed his lips. Simon froze in place. Noah seemed angry, upset with him. But why? He had appeared very upfront about his sexuality and also well versed in all aspects of sexual and sensual intercourse. Could it be his flamboyant personality had flown under his parents’ radar for so long?

“This must be all your fault,” Noah’s father started, turning toward his wife. “I know you have at least one uncle who’s gay!”

Noah’s mother put her hands on her hips. “What about your dear cousin, the one with the floppy ears? I’m sure she’s a lesbian!”

Noah’s face fell. He dropped the napkin on his plate and turned on his heels. He threw Simon a cruel look. “I have no idea what this boy is talking about.”

Simon felt his blood rushing all to his feet. 

“He’s making it up,” Noah added. “Seriously, can’t you people see that he’s joking?” 

“Joking? About such a thing?” Now it was Simon’s mom who took offense. “Simon is not a liar. He simply never lies.”

Simon sat back on his chair. Noah narrowed his eyes and threw him a pissed off look. After that, it went without saying that Noah’s parents preferred to leave, along with their son. 

Throughout the rest of dinner, his mom and dad gave him the silent treatment.

It was only later that night that his grandma came to see him in his room. He helped her to the armchair by the window, which she enjoyed sitting in when she visited him in his room. 

“Now, don’t you worry about your parents, Simon,” his grandma started. “They will come around.”

“They hate me now,” Simon complained. “And not only them. Noah despises me, too, I’m sure. He left and --”

“Ha. Good riddance,” his grandma said. “That boy wasn’t for you.”

Simon stopped. How could his grandma understand him? He was in love, and he had just managed to make the biggest blunder in his existence. He knew well that he wasn’t very bright, but he could have picked up on the signs. Now Noah hated him, and it was all his fault for running his mouth at dinner.

“Did you use a condom?” his grandma asked in a secretive voice.

“Yes,” Simon replied. And then, “grandma, what the hell? What do you know about condoms?”

“Plenty. They are those rubbers that you put on your --”

“Grandma!” Simon covered his ears.

To his surprise, his grandma laughed. “Simon, you are a beautiful boy. There will be other men in your life.”

Simon stared dejectedly at the floor. “Noah was my first. And I love him,” he added passionately.

His grandma sighed and, even if, with difficulty, she stood up from the armchair so that she could come and pat his head. “You will forget about Noah. He is also a very beautiful boy, I understand, I’m only old, not blind, but he was clearly in it for the fun. I saw how his eyes were playing in his head. Quite a charmer, but dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“He’s the kind that steals people’s hearts. He doesn’t need them, but he steals them nonetheless. Stay away from such men.” His grandma wagged a finger in front of his eyes. “Now, know this, Simon. The man who’s perfect for you is out there. But you might have to kiss a few frogs until you find your prince.”

“I want to be in love, not just sleep around,” Simon said. “I thought he felt the same. He told me.”

“Told you what, dear?” 

“That he loves me.”

“Well, there is love, and there is love. Noah loves like a butterfly. Fleetingly.”

“I guess,” Simon said with a sigh. “I don’t think I can love someone again. This hurts too much.”

His grandma caressed his head again. “This flair for the dramatic, you got it from your dear mother. She used to think every boyfriend was the one.”

“She did?”

“Oh, yes. Don’t think that this conversation that I’m now having with you is the first I’ve ever had in my life. Far from it.”

“So, what should I do?” Simon moaned and plopped down on the bed.

“You will not give up,” his grandma said. “You will go out there and find yourself another nice man.”

“But Noah is so beautiful,” Simon argued.

“Yes, looks can be deceiving,” his grandma replied. “Find someone who you feel that’s everything you want.”

“How will I know that?”

“You will,” his grandma said with conviction. “Look at your mother. She found the one, eventually.”

“Dad?”

“Yes. Did you see how they stood united at dinner, going all silent on you?”

“It wasn’t hard to miss,” Simon said wryly. “They both hate me now.”

“No, they don’t hate you. I bet right now they’re talking this through. And I bet that they will get over this incident and show you that they love you just the same.”

“If you say so, grandma,” Simon said, although unconvinced.

His grandma just smiled. And it was true, after all. His parents talked to him the next day and expressed all their support, although they did say that they were a bit upset about not coming out to them in private, first. It had been the shock, his mother said apologetically. His father just confirmed all she said.

And that was how Simon realized that his parents loved each other very much and that they loved him, as well.

***

“You know, this party is so liiiit!” Archie propped himself on Simon’s shoulder and managed to give a long lick to his ear.

Simon was a bit wary about cheerful people lately. After all, his grandma had warned him about guys like Noah, the guy he was still hurting over, although it had been five weeks since that disastrous dinner.

Still, the tongue in his ear was enough to give him the good kind of shivers. Archie was nothing like Noah, in the sense that he was blond, paled-skin, and not that lithe and athletic. But even if he was short and didn’t appear as preoccupied with his looks as Noah had been, otherwise, he was the same. 

Could it be Archie had the same notion of love as Noah? Just because he was the kind that liked to party?

“You are so pretty,” Archie murmured into his ear, as he continued to attack it with his tongue. 

“You’re pretty, too,” Simon replied. 

“Would you like to dance? Let’s dance! Don’t sit here all gloomy like this!”

“It’s my first time visiting this kind of place,” Simon said. 

Archie had made his acquaintance the moment he had walked through the door. Apparently, it was a themed party at the gay club Simon had finally decided to visit on his own, just so that he would get his feet a little wet. Everyone was dressed in white. He was dressed in black, but the bouncer had let him in after looking at him for several seconds. Maybe he thought he knew Simon from somewhere.

With any luck, he could get more than his feet wet. But no, that wasn’t what he was there for. He was there because he was looking for a partner. Probably others would call him old-fashioned, but that was what he wanted.

“Archie,” he asked, as they began to move to the spastic rhythm of the music on the dancefloor, “do you think this is a good place for finding a partner?”

“A what?”

“A partner!” Simon yelled so that his voice could carry over the loud music.

“What’s wrong with me?” Archie asked as he made a pirouette and then landed in Simon’s arms.

“Nothing’s wrong with you. You’re very cute. But what I want is a partner. You know, not a dance partner.”

Archie smiled at him, and he was beautiful in the multicolored lights. “I want to be your partner. You’re so pretty.”

Simon got that a lot. So Archie was in, which was great. 

“Let’s go,” Archie said and dragged him away from the dancefloor. 

Simon didn’t protest and allowed Archie to take him away from the maddening crowd. They ended up in a small stuffy room, and Simon sneezed. “What are we doing here?”

“You’re so pretty,” Archie said as he got to his knees. “I want to blow you so hard.”

Simon was just a man. Of course, he wanted to talk to Archie more about what he wanted in a relationship, and establish some details, but they were at a club, they were both young and sexy, and a blowjob seemed like the logical continuation of their spastic dance from earlier.

His toes curled inside his shoes, and he exhaled. Archie’s tongue was pure heaven, playing not only with the sensitive head of his cock but with his balls as well. It was his first blowjob, so he didn’t have any basis for comparison, but he was sure Archie was pretty good at what he was doing.

Now, he needed to make it so that he didn’t fuck up. With clumsy gestures, he began caressing Archie’s head, but a firm hand grabbed his and turned it into a fist grabbing golden strands.

“Yes, fuck my mouth, yes,” Archie said, as he broke his rhythm from time to time.

Simon thought that Archie liked the dirty talk, so that was fine, although he didn’t want to be brutal. However, to satisfy his new prospective partner, he grabbed a handful of Archie’s hair and began moving his hips, while fully aware that he needed to control himself so that he didn’t make him choke or something horrible like that.

Archie seemed to be doing a pretty good job on his own, though, as his slurping intensified while he practically stuffed his mouth with Simon’s hard cock. 

Maybe staying power was appreciated during anal intercourse, but Simon thought that keeping Archie on his knees for too long wasn’t such a good idea. Also, those chocking sounds, as arousing as they were, seemed a bit troubling. 

“I’ll shoot,” he warned.

On cue, Archie pulled out Simon’s cock from his mouth and gave himself a facial. Simon groaned in pure pleasure as he saw his cum covering Archie’s cute face. 

He leaned against the wall, feeling spent, and happy. Most probably, Archie was expecting him to return the favor, but he needed to catch his breath first. Archie was busy rubbing Simon’s cum into his skin while whistling a happy tune. That was a bit odd, but Simon could barely wait to spend his time talking to Archie and maybe finding why he liked to rub cum into his face like that.

“That was so liiiit!” Archie said and placed a sloppy kiss on Simon’s cheek. “Thank you for the facial, darling. I can tell that it’s working already.”

“You’re welcome,” Simon replied. “Would you like to go somewhere quiet?”

Archie appeared a bit surprised. “Can you get it up again so fast? That’s nice, but I need to spread the word that you have an awesome cock that goes with your pretty face.”

“Spread the word?” Simon asked, confused.

Archie patted his cheek. “You’re new here, and I called dibs on you. Trust me, darling, with the review I’ll give you, you’ll have no shortage of partners.” He winked at Simon.

Simon wanted to say something, to explain to Archie what he meant by wanting a partner, but the pretty blond sauntered out the door while whistling the same tune from before.

So gay clubs weren’t precisely good places for trying to nail a partner. Simon thought about the advice his grandma gave him about not giving up, so over the next few months, he had tried a little more. After that, he realized that gay clubs were more for finding a partner for the night, or even just a few minutes, depending on how fast he could get off, so he gave up on them.

Not on the idea of finding a partner, of course.

***

“This is a bit awkward, but do I know you?” A presentable man in his thirties approached him as he sat at the bar.

Simon turned on his stool and looked the stranger up and down. “I don’t think so.”

“Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

Simon had a glass of whiskey in front of him, and it was the first he had alone in his entire life. After finishing his studies in marketing, he was contemplating getting a job, although he had already been scouted to be a model by a couple of agencies. 

The idea was attractive, and it definitely helped Simon feel good about himself, but his grandma had told him to use his head more than his good looks, especially when looking for a job. At least, in that area of his life, he was sure he would not blow it. He had had good results, and he was a hard worker. His parents were proud of him.

The only thing not working, as usual, was his love life. He still believed that the man for him was out there, as his grandma had said, but he was getting a bit frustrated over not one guy wanting to be with him for more than a couple of days at best. 

If there was someone out there, looking out for him, as also his grandma used to say, that someone should start thinking about helping him get a boyfriend, too, because Simon was getting pretty jaded about this relationship stuff, and it wasn’t like him to be jaded.

“You are very handsome if you don’t mind me saying it,” the stranger said, interrupting his train of thought.

Simon offered him a sheepish smile. After all this time, he still felt a bit embarrassed when strangers said that. “Thank you. You are very presentable,” he said exactly what he thought.

The stranger laughed. “Presentable is good, I suppose. But I guess a young man as attractive as you prefers to hook up with people just as young and beautiful.”

Simon sighed. “I really am not interested in hooking up at all.”

“Seriously? Are you sure?”

“I am certain. Simon, by the way.” He offered his hand.

The stranger offered him a pleasant smile. “Johnson.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson, that I’m not interested in, um, hooking up,” Simon expressed his apologies because it wasn’t like him to be impolite.

“Just Johnson. And don’t sweat it. I just wanted to see if you’re more than meets the eye.”

Now that was a strange thing to say, and Simon wondered what Johnson meant by that. “And? Am I?”

“I think so. But why do you look so gloomy? A man as young and handsome as you shouldn’t be alone and gloomy on a Friday night.”

Simon sighed deeply. Johnson was just a stranger, even if he knew his name. “I can’t get a boyfriend.” There, he said it, and speaking it out loud seemed to take a little the burden off his chest.

“And why do you think that’s happening?” Johnson asked.

“I’m not sure. I’m trying my best. I mean, I’m not the type to hook up even, but I always end up doing that. Even if I use dating apps, people still just want to hook up. The introduction part is a bit longer, but we end up in bed, anyway.”

“Don’t you enjoy sex, then?” Johnson asked.

“I love it,” Simon said mournfully. “But I’d like it to be with the same person for at least several months. Am I asking for too much?”

Johnson smiled at him, and Simon felt a small jolt of recognition that left his brain as soon as it came. “It’s funny, but just now I thought I knew you from somewhere.”

“Funny indeed,” Johnson replied. “Now, Simon, what would you like your boyfriend to be like?”

Simon shrugged. “I don’t know. But I know I want him to stick around for more than just the morning sex. Ugh, I can’t believe that I’m saying stuff like this to a stranger. No offense.”

“None taken. It is not unusual that humans find it easier to talk to strangers about intimate things.”

“Does it happen to you?”

“Not really,” Johnson said. “But I’m a good listener.”

“Then maybe you’re not human.” Simon laughed at his own joke.

Johnson studied him for a few moments, and that feeling of recognition came and went again.

“Ah, I wish I knew where I'd seen you before.”

“Don’t bother. Just tell me more about your boyfriend problems.”

“Can I at least buy you a drink if I’m going to bore you to death?”

“Sure thing.”

The bartender placed a glass in front of Johnson and filled up Simon’s again. 

With a long sigh, deep from his young heart, Simon began. “Well, my first time was with a beautiful boy named Noah.”

It was easy once he started. Johnson listened carefully. He just nodded or grunted in agreement as Simon exposed the dinner disaster at their house that night, and then he talked about Archie. And next was Will, a guy who liked sports and fucking, or fucking and sports, depending on the mood. Simon had given up on him when he had realized that Will was interested in being nothing more but friends with benefits. 

The name of the next disaster had been Leon. When Simon had seen him for the first time, he had felt butterflies in his stomach and all that jazz. But Leon was, actually, straight, or so he had said, and he had had sex with Simon just because Simon was too pretty to overlook the opportunity.

“And disaster number six,” Simon continued, as his mood continued to worsen, “was Jerome. He was the worst, in a way, because apparently, he liked my wallet even more than hooking up with me. I know I’m not too bright, but I realized it soon enough.”

“He wanted you to buy him expensive gifts?”

“No, he just wanted to use the money I kept in my wallet,” Simon explained. Then he sighed. “Is it too much to ask for a decent boyfriend who would like me back? At least for a couple of months and not only a couple of days?”

“It’s not too much at all,” Johnson said. “And I’m sure that the man you’re looking for is right around the corner.”

“I looked around many corners,” Simon said, as his shoulders slumped in despair. “I might as well just give up.”

“Hang in there. I’m telling you someone new will soon walk into your life.”

“That sounds nice,” Simon agreed with Johnson’s words. “If I could just believe them.”

“Drink up,” Johnson encouraged him. “You’ll feel better.”

Simon stared at his glass and then drank it all in one go. With the burden of failed relationships finally unloaded on someone else, he did feel better. “Hey, it was really nice talking to --”

He turned toward Johnson, but the man was no longer there.

“Where could he have gone?”

***

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that how an overseer really behaves?”

Johnson stopped and looked at whoever dared to scold him for an otherwise job well done. He had just the right person for Simon in mind, and all he needed was to make sure they met.

“Hi, Angel. Didn’t see you perched over there like a harbinger of doom,” Johnson commented.

Angel jumped from the stone wall, landing like a well-trained gymnast in front of him. “Let’s be serious. No harbinger of doom has my sense of style.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Why are you so suspicious? I’m just passing through.”

“Passing through? A bit too far from home, don’t you think?”

“Don’t be such a spoilsport. And what’s with the clothes? You look like you want to be someone’s daddy,” Angel teased and brushed Johnson’s cheek with one hand. 

“They are called work clothes. Some of us care about sticking to a budget.”

“Budget,” Angel said and shivered as if the word was the incantation for a curse. “I’d say that you opted for hiding that fantastic beach bod of yours so that Simon would reject your proposal to hook up. By the way, totally lame.”

“I wasn’t trying to do that. I just needed to make sure he was serious about what he wanted.”

“Of course. And how did it go? Are you ready to make your charge bask in the happiness of a beautiful relationship?”

“Indeed, I am. But I still don’t understand what you’re doing here.”

Angel shrugged, and then his beautiful lips lit up with a mischievous smile. “Your charge is so cute, yummy even.”

Johnson frowned. “Oh, no. Please don’t tell me that you have plans with him.”

“It’s fate, not me. Look at him.”

They both watched Simon through the window as he answered his phone.

“He just got hired, and he’s going to meet someone truly special,” Angel said.

“Damn --” Johnson pushed one fist into his mouth. 

Angel quirked an eyebrow. “Come on, dear. The guy you had in mind for Simon was totally boring. Do you really want him to become dull and stupid before he’s twenty-five?”

“Boring can be good sometimes. Simon wants to be in a relationship. All you have in mind for him is another disaster! By the way, who of your precious charges is going to meet my Simon?” Johnson exploded.

People walked right through them, oblivious to the little talk between Johnson and Angel.

“Someone perfect,” Angel replied.

“Drop the mystery act already.”

“Well, it’s someone that Simon will like the first second he lays his eyes on him. It will be coup de foudre.”

“You’re still not telling.”

“Fine, fine, here’s a hint. He’s a model, and he has perfect fashion sense.”

“Alex Miller,” Johnson said in a flat voice. “Isn’t he married now?”

Angel rolled his eyes. “And?”

“Come on, Angel, not even you would interfere when it’s true love.”

“What true love? His marriage is doomed.”

“Not if his husband can help it.”

“Aren’t you a bit too interested in my precious charges?”

“Alex’s husband is a wholesome individual who clearly deserves much, much better.”

“Yes. That’s why I’m switching Alex to someone who can cushion the blow when it comes.”

“And it had to be Simon? Why? He’s just a simple naïve person who wants to be in love!”

“And in love, he will be!” Angel said cheerfully as he pretended to spread magic dust from the tips of his fingers. “So that you know, I didn’t plan this. Your pure soul Simon applied for a job at Beauty X, where Alex works. Honestly, I think it’s all written in the stars.”

“Bull --” Johnson stopped just in time. “Okay. I suppose I will need to pick up the pieces when that moment comes.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. Simon is stronger than you think.”

“Maybe,” Johnson admitted. “But I hate it that now he’s heading for disaster number Alex.”

“As I said, my dear. Don’t be so dramatic.”

***

Simon was on cloud nine. He had just gotten his dream job! While he didn’t want to work as a model, he would work with models! And that meant that he would meet a lot of new, interesting people. Maybe, as Johnson had said, he would find someone. Then, he would not give up, and he would do his best.

THE END