A gay sex story: Walking in Daylight Ch. 03
I want to thank everyone who left me comments (and votes!) on the first chapter of my story. I wasn’t sure about submitting my work, because while I enjoy them, I didn’t know how they would be received. I’ll be working on re-writing the rest of the story and hope to submit it all at once, but if it seems to take to long, I’ll split it into a couple of chapters. There are already other characters and settings demanding to be written, but I’ll try my best to get this one done before starting another!
Please leave feedback, I’d love to hear what you think. If it is something negative, I want to hear it too, as long as it’s given constructively!
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A two-bedroom apartment in a duplex for only $500 had to be a mistake. It was practically a house. There was even an upstairs and a downstairs. Pen opened a door he’d just noticed and gaped at stairs going down into a basement. There was a basement in addition to an upstairs and a downstairs. It didn’t even smell musty and old.
“This is really amazing, Ma’am. Is the price right? The paper must have made a mistake.”
“No, that’s right, and it includes all the utilities. All you’d have to pay is the phone and whatever service you want to use for your television. There is a catch, however.”
Of course, there had to be a catch. At the moment, the only thing Pen thought he could say no to would be if he had to kill someone. “What’s that?”
“My husband and I like to travel. We’re gone almost all the time. If you decide to take the apartment, it will be your job to take care of the yard and keep an eye on our place. There is an account for you to draw funds from and all you have to do is call us up and we’ll give the authorization.”
Pen stared for a moment, and then sat down heavily on one of the chairs. He was asleep at home. Or maybe Alex had beaten him unconscious and he was in a coma in the hospital. This kind of thing just didn’t happen. It especially didn’t happen to him. According to this prospective landlady, he could live in this apartment at a ridiculous low price, all for taking care of the place.
Without the utilities, he’d be saving loads of money and could afford to buy some luxuries. Even then, this apartment had great furniture so that wouldn’t eat into his savings. A new big screen TV maybe. Oh, and clothes! He could go out and buy some clothes that didn’t come from a thrift shop.
“Why would you off this to someone you don’t even know? You remember that I’m a daywalker, don’t you?”
Edna Casher smiled at the young man, who looked so sad from the moment she laid eyes on him. “I couldn’t care less that you’re a daywalker, child. Truth be told, this arrangement wouldn’t be offered to just anyone, but I feel like I can trust you. I see in your eyes that you’re a good person. Plus I feel that you need help as much as we need it. I can see the bruises through your shirt since you took off your jacket.”
Heat flooded Pen’s cheeks as he quickly pulled his jacket back on. Mrs. Casher, just having met him and seen bruises, deemed him worthy of such an immense amount of trust.
“I’ll do my very best not to make you regret giving me this chance, Ma’am. If it’s all right with you, I’ll sign whatever you need me to right away and go get my things ready.”
“Move in whenever you’re ready, Penlan Taylor. Today, next week, whenever it’s convenient. And if you ever need any help, for anything, you just pick up the phone and give me a call.”
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Ryan parked his car and looked at the apartment building. He needed to get Pen to talk to him, so he could apologize properly. It wouldn’t change anything, but it would make him feel better. Not that Pen would accept the apology. Carlie, his partner, showed her surprise at the fact that he knew Pen, and by what Pen had said, but except for a quick inquiry let it alone. She was great. Already he felt like they would get along just fine.
“I don’t know what else to tell you, Mr. Wade. Mr. Taylor moved out yesterday and told me to move your boxes into storage until you made arrangements. You saw the apartment’s empty of all personal items, and he didn’t leave a forwarding address. Here’s where to pick up your stuff. Just be glad I’m not charging you since it was just a day.”
Penlan’s boyfriend swore and jumped into a small red car. Ryan watched for a moment, and then went to speak to the man in the doorway, showing his credentials. “I’m Agent Sealey. Did I hear you say that Mr. Penlan Taylor moved out of his apartment?”
“That’s right,” the man confirmed. “Came in day before yesterday to let me know he was moving. Even gave me next month’s rent for the short notice and wouldn’t take it back no matter how much I tried. I mean, I’ll have this place rented in a couple of days, no problem. He really didn’t leave me a forwarding address though.”
Well damn. With a new change of address, it could take up to a month or more for the computer system to be updated and let him know where Pen moved to. It felt important for him to get to Pen quickly. He recalled the anger in those green eyes as Pen threw Ryan’s words back at him.
The landlord held up a finger and asked him to wait for a moment. Ryan waited, even as he wondered what the man could want. A couple of young women walked by on the street. They looked him up and down before giggling together. He smiled and nodded, which made them giggle even more. The girls were cute, but he hardly paid them any real attention. Normally, he would flirt a little more. Now, though, all he had on his mind was how to find Pen and quickly. This was getting ridiculous.
“I don’t have a new address, but I still have his work information if that will help you. Since you’re an agent and all, I figure that it’s all right to give this to you.”
Ryan thanked the man and examined the piece of paper. Three days a week, this being one of those days, Pen worked at a company called Classical Advertising. The rest of the time, apparently, he did freelance work. There was no indication of the nature of the freelance work. Brewster Place wasn’t all that far from Ryan’s apartment, which meant it was on the way. Nothing wrong with him stopping by while he was in the neighbourhood. It wouldn’t fool Pen for a minute, but it would give him the opportunity to clear the air.
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Pen hung up the phone and sighed when he saw the three new files on the corner of his desk. His job was reception and SOME report preparation. Lately, all of the reports made their way to his desk. Advertising was an interesting business, unless you worked reception and had to deal with all the complainers, both clients and the public. Then there was the hassle of keeping all the execs and other employees of the business happy. Everyone needed to be kept happy except him. The story of his life.
Damn he sounded depressed, even to himself. That would never do. His job was important, he reasoned as he finished inputting a set of numbers to finish one of the reports. If he failed in any way, things would topple like dominoes, from the bottom to the top. Everyone worked hard, just in different ways. Being the receptionist didn’t mean his work wasn’t as important, or even more so. It just wasn’t as…obvious.