Jason/Chase
Jason hurried through the throng of students, wanting nothing more than to get home. Telling Icon to "hup up", the dog guide's phrase to walk faster, the duo quickly navigated their way across the university campus.
The end of spring semester was always frustrating. Students who'd been lazy or too busy partying suddenly wanted to argue their grades or turn in research papers that were due weeks earlier. With the last final given and grades turned in, Jason was ready to go home and put his feet up. As Icon tugged on the harness, Jason figured the dog was just as anxious to get some rest as he was.
For the most part staff and students just accepted the dog guide as normal, just an extension of Jason. Every fall Jason explained to incoming freshmen that Icon was a working dog and to please ask before they interacted with him. But by the end of spring semester, Jason had to once again remind the students that Icon shouldn't be fed or petted as students tried to cozy up to him by way of the smart yellow labrador.
Jason was startled out of his frustrated musings when Icon stopped walking. "Hup up!" Jason said firmly, but the dog refused to move.
"Professor Hendrick?" A voice said to his left. "There's road construction going on. They've got the street all torn up."
Damn, Jason thought, but out loud said, "Thank you."
"Um. Uh. Do you need help across the street or does your dog know how to do it?"
"Icon's trained to do what's called intelligent disobedience to stop me from heading into danger, but he can't always navigate through a new route. So, yes, I'd appreciate your help. I'll take your arm if you don't mind," Jason said.
"I'm Clarissa. I took your American History class my freshmen year. I'm a junior now," Clarissa commented as they crossed the street.
Since American History was a requirement, Jason had hundreds of students, most he didn't remember. But almost all the students remembered their blind teacher. However, he was polite and said, "Oh, yes. Clarissa. I didn't recognize your voice. Have you finally decided on a major?" He knew most freshmen came in not knowing what their major was or they changed it a half dozen times, but as a junior, the young woman should have by now decided on a career course.
"Yes. I've decided to major in criminal justice. I think I want to join the police force when I graduate."
"Admirable profession," Jason replied as they stepped up onto the sidewalk. "Thank you for your assistance."
"No problem. I'll catch ya later."
Jason replied with an distracted goodbye, and once again gave the "hup up" to Icon. He paid a bit more attention to where he was going, knowing that he'd avoided injury by sheer luck. Sheer luck, Icon and Clarissa.
He also knew that his frustration wasn't just with his students. Chase, his husband, had been angry and out of sorts for the past couple days. Jason had tried to be sympathetic. Chase was finishing his second year of taking college courses. He'd been as undecided of his future as the young freshmen Jason taught. Chase was now in his early 30's and unhappy with not having reached a career goal, with not having a career goal at all. And his mood had reflected that unhappiness. Jason's sympathy had about reached its limits.
The sound of the bus told Jason that he was at the intersection of his home street. The bus stop had been his landmark for years. He needed to turn right and his house was about a hundred yards down the street. He scolded himself silently. He'd needed to pay closer attention as he traveled, he would have walked right past his landmark had the bus not been waiting on a passenger.
As he reached his home and found the door unlocked, he knew Chase was home. Walking into their home, he was looking forward to relaxing. Maybe they'd just order dinner in. There was a new Chinese restaurant that delivered in their neighborhood. Jason was just releasing Icon from his harness, when Chase spoke.
"So, I guess you know. Were they all laughing at me? Or were they all telling you how stupid I am?" Chase's voice was loud and belligerent as he shot out the questions.
"Who was laughing at you? Wait. Let me at least get in the door and get Icon settled. Then we'll talk," Jason said, trying to be firm yet understanding, even though he had no idea what he needed to be understanding about.
"Sure, yeah. I'll just wait here patiently. I've nothing else to do. It's not like I have an important job like you do," Chase sniped.
Once Icon was released from his guiding harness, Jason took a deep breath and took off his backpack. Hanging it up on the hook by the door, he asked, "Would you fill Icon's water bowl and feed him? I'd like to go shower before dinner."
"Fine! Of course that's all I'm good for-feeding the dog!"
Jason's patience had ended. He knew if he didn't stop this now, the rest of the night would be spent with snippy and snarky comments from Chase. And Jason was tired of it. Stalking toward Chase, he desperately prayed that nothing was in his path. He didn't have his cane and Icon was no longer guiding him. Lady Luck was smiling once again as Jason walked across the room and was in front of his grumpy partner.
He wrapped Chase in a big bear hug. The hug accomplished two things. One-showing Chase that Jason loved him and was here for him. Two-Jason knew exactly where Chase's backside was. Keeping one arm around his partner, Jason let his other arm swing down with one sharp smack to Chase's butt.
The swat sent Icon scurrying to his bed to hide and Chase's body closer to Jason's. Jason could smell the sweat mixed with Chase's shampoo. The scent was uniquely Chase's and one that Jason couldn't get enough of. He held his partner close for a few more minutes, drinking in his scent and relishing the feel his body. When he felt Chase relax against him, Jason maneuvered them to the couch. As they sat, he pulled Chase onto his lap and kept his arms tightly around him.
"That's enough." Jason knew his voice was rough, but he also knew that sometimes Chase needed his sternness. "I've put up with this bad mood for too many days. It ends now."
Jason let Chase burrow into him for a few more minutes. His boy had been so skittish the past couple days, they both needed this to reconnect. Finally Chase spoke.
"Sorry. I've just been in a bad mood lately," Chase said softly.
"This is more than a bad mood, Chase. Something is going on that's upsetting you. We've been together too long for me not to know the signs."
Chase snuggled into his arms, but Jason could feel the tension radiating from his body. "You know you can tell me anything."
"I know I can, but I don't want to," Chase confessed.
Jason knew this game, they'd played it many times before. Chase had been a foster child; one who'd been bounced around too many times before aging out of the system. He knew Jason loved him and wouldn't leave him, but needed that reassurance in times of great stress. "Why don't you want to? What's the worst that can happen?"
Giving a self-depreciating laugh, Chase said, "Besides a spanking? How about you being disappointed in me?"
"I would never be disappointed IN you. I might wonder about a particular choice you might've made, but never IN you." Jason tried to stress the difference in being disappointed with choices Chase might make and in Chase the person.
"You'll be disappointed when I tell you."
Now, Chase was stalling. Jason knew he was ready to tell him what had been bothering him. He just needed a gentle push. Wrapping his arms a little tighter, Jason coaxed, "Tell me. We'll figure it out together and then we'll both feel better."
With an unsteady sigh, Chase confessed, "I've got a D in algebra."
"Is that all?" Jason asked. "That's why you've been in such a bad mood?"
"Is that all?" Chase exclaimed. "Jason, I'll have to take it over again. I barely pulled a C- in my other classes!"
Settling more comfortably into the couch, Jason asked, "Why didn't you tell me you were having trouble? We could have gotten you a tutor."
"Jason! I'm not working. We can't afford a tutor," Chase exclaimed.
"Yes, we can afford it. Besides, you know that families of the university get tuition paid for. That's one of the benefits they give the faculty." Jason had explained this to Chase. He didn't know why Chase hadn't come to him earlier. When they could've gotten the help he needed. Now, it was too late. The semester had ended.
"Jason? Please don't get mad. OK?" Chase said hurriedly. "I don't know what I want to do. I'm past 30 and the only thing I know is that I don't want to keep going to school. Its not for me. It never was."
Jason knew that Chase had only been going to college to please him. He couldn't let his love be miserable. And Chase had been miserable for the entire semester, but Jason had to let Chase come to this conclusion on his own. So he simply said, "Ok. Do you know what you are going to do?"
"OK? That's it? OK? No spanking?"
"Why would I spank you?" Jason asked. "Chase, you are entitled to live your life in any way that will make you happy. Well as long as its legal. All I want is to live that life with you. Did you really think I'd spank you over something like this?"
"No, I knew you wouldn't. I guess I just thought you'd be disappointed in me," Chase confessed. "I'm nothing."
"You are a kind, caring, loving man. That's not nothing!"
"Bullshit, Jason! You know I'm nothing! I have no skills. I don't have a career. You're a big hot shot professor and what am I? I. Am. Nothing."
Jason tipped Chase sideways just enough that he could swat the man again. He knew the swat would calm Chase enough that he'd listen to what Jason had to say. "You are not nothing! You are my husband. My love. The reason I work so hard."
"Ow," Chase whined at the swat as he settled back on Jason's lap.
"And being a professor isn't a big hot shot. Its a job. Every job is needed. I've never been a job snob. Or at least I didn't think I'd been." He felt Chase shift suddenly and then his husband was kissing him.
"No. No, you've never put me down for working at the grocery store or anywhere," Chase assured him.
"Is that what you want to do? Go back to the grocery store?" Jason felt Chase fidget. "Is it? You know that's ok, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know. But I'd really like to go work somewhere else. It doesn't pay much. Just minimum wage."
"We can do that. We can live just fine on my salary. Your wages would be for extra's. Like vacations and stuff. So, where do you want to work?"
"The Humane Society. They'd had an adoption fair at the university a few weeks back and I got to talking with them. They mostly just use volunteers, but one of the paid employees is leaving. The woman who runs the shelter let me fill out an application. She called earlier this week and offered me the job." Almost hesitantly, Chase confessed, "I told her I'd start on Monday."
"And instead of telling me all this, you decided to become the Brat from Hell?" Jason asked.
"I wasn't that bad!"
"Oh yes you were! And was all the snarky comments and misery you put us through worth it?"
"I guess not," Chase agreed. "But you didn't have to swat me!"
"Oh yes I did. It was either swat you or strangle you," Jason said. The smile in Chase's voice told him that the crisis was over and Jason knew he could tease his husband a little. "But if I strangled you, I wouldn't have anyone to keep my feet warm at night."
Chase twisted around until he was straddling Jason. Jason felt Chase's breath on him before he felt his lips. "Thank you," Chase said against his mouth.
Jason's body was starting to respond to Chase's as the man's stress of the past days melted away when suddenly a wet nose wiggled its way between them.
"Hey boy," Chase said. "You're the one who deserves the treat. I wouldn't have even considered working with animals if it wasn't for you."
Icon wiggled his way further between the two men and Jason's lap was full of dog and man. Jason maneuvered around and propped his feet on the coffee table. It felt good to just relax a little. They'd cuddle all together, the three of them, and then they'd order dinner.
End
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