Clouds and Rain

be able to ride horses and work around the ranch and take the truck into town for groceries and all that stuff. It‟ll take some hard work, but you‟ve never been afraid of that, Gabe. See it as a challenge.
    Something else to overcome, when you‟ve overcome so much already.
    It‟s just another hurdle.”
    Gable‟s face was still blank, but at least they were talking. Flynn softly put his hand on Gable‟s thigh and didn‟t get pushed away, which calmed him some more. “Let‟s get up off this cold floor and into the living room so I can clean this mess up, okay?” It took some pulling and finagling, but eventually Flynn got Gable to the guest bed in the living room by letting Gable balance on one crutch and resting his other arm across Flynn‟s shoulder. Bridget came out of hiding and joined them next to the bed.

    110

    Clouds and Rain

    “What do you think, girl?” Flynn asked Bridget. Her ears peaked immediately. “Will you sit with Gable while I clean up the bathroom?
    It didn‟t take Flynn long to return, and to his surprise, Gable was still awake, so he sat down next to him.
    “You know, you‟re much more valuable to me alive than dead.
    Can I tell you a story?”
    Gable nodded just a little.
    “I told you I left home quite young, right? I worked some odd jobs on other ranches, but Dad found ways of telling my employers not to hire me, so I had to move farther away, and I ended up in the city. I got a job cooking in a greasy spoon and it was nice to be on my own and away from my family. That‟s where I met Lee. He was Chinese, from a very conservative Chinese family—”
    “Clouds and rain,” Gable interrupted.
    Flynn nodded. “Yes, Lee told me about the clouds and rain.”
    “And showed you too?”
    “Yes, he showed me too,” Flynn admitted with a smile. “His parents wanted him to marry a nice Chinese girl, but we didn‟t care.
    We were happy together and that‟s all that mattered. We thought.” Flynn sank down next to Gable on the bed and tried to find a position where he was comfortable without crowding Gable too much.
    It wasn‟t easy on the single bed.
    “So what happened? Did his parents find out?”
    “Oh, they knew. Lee had told them that I was living with him.”
    “That‟s not quite the same, is it?”
    Flynn turned a little so he could see Gable‟s expression. “No, it isn‟t. They were still setting him up with nice Chinese girls.” Gable put his hand on Flynn‟s hip and pulled him closer, so Flynn buried himself in Gable‟s warm embrace. “He got sick. Leukemia. It was all very sudden and there wasn‟t much time to talk. He knew he needed some major chemotherapy and that he‟d need to stay in the hospital for a while and that‟s when his mother took over. She wouldn‟t let me visit him, and I let it happen. I thought we had time. That he‟d 111

    Zahra Owens

    come home when he was better and then we‟d be together again, but he only got sicker.” Flynn looked up at Gable. “I only found out he‟d died when his father kicked me out of the apartment.” Gable pulled him into a tight embrace and rocked him.
    “So you see, I had to stay with you, Gable. I couldn‟t go through that again. I had to fight for you, because I didn‟t fight for Lee.” Gable nuzzled him, and when Flynn looked up he felt Gable‟s lips gently touch his. Flynn wanted this so much, wanted to feel loved by Gable again. He kissed him back, at first soft and gentle, but soon enough their kiss became more passionate and Flynn‟s hands were all over Gable, until suddenly Gable pulled away.
    “I can‟t, I‟m sorry.”
    Flynn caressed Gable‟s jaw. “It‟s okay, I understand if it‟s all a bit soon. You still need to get your strength up.” Gable rolled to his back as much as he could on the narrow bed and covered his eyes with his hand. Flynn tried to stay patient, but Gable‟s silence was worrying him and he was afraid that Gable was going to crawl into his shell again.
    “It‟s more than my strength,” Gable eventually said.
    “You don‟t want to do anything with me anymore?” Flynn asked, clearing his throat when the sounds came out a little croaky.
    Gable took a deep breath. “I want nothing more than to make love to you, Flynn. I dream about it at night even, but… I suppose it doesn‟t matter much for a bottom….” Gable shrugged.
    It was a relief that Gable still wanted him, but Gable‟s hesitance to tell him what was really wrong puzzled Flynn. Then