Houseboy Chronicles (sequel/spinoff to Rugby Team Stories)

[scream4ever]

This story is a sequel-spinoff to Rugby Team Stories. If you don't wish to read the entire series, this is a good starting point for the protagonist, Toby:

Post in thread 'Rugby team stories'

Sep 8, 2012

I hope I'm still keeping you guys interested in this story (some more comments would be GREATLY appretiated). For this next story I decided to change things up a bit and have it be narrated by a character other than Steve. Hope you enjoy!

FAN ENCOUNTER

I couldn't believe that I was going to watch my favorite rugby team play a game! I was spending the weekend on vacation and I couldn't believe how lucky I was to catch them while they were on an away game! I sat in the stands with anticipation for the game to begin. I was there by myself, but it didn't matter since they had a big crowd...

• scream4ever

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS REFERENCES TO SELF-HARM. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS STRUGGLING, PLEASE REACH OUT FOR HELP. YOU DESERVE TO BE HERE, AND WE WANT YOU HERE.

Suicidal Crisis Support - IASP

If you are feeling suicidal, you are not alone and there is support available. You deserve to feel supported.

www.iasp.info

TRAGIC LOSSES

“Is this Tobias?”, the voice asked over the phone.

“Y-yes,” I stammered nervously. Getting a call from an unknown number in the middle of the night usually was never about anything good.

“I'm so sorry, but your parents have been in a car accident. Your mother is on life support, but your father didn't make it,” the man stated in my opinion all too matter-of-factly. He said his name and that he was with the police, but it didn't register with me at all since I was in a state of shock. He identified the hospital where I needed to go.

“Tobias, are you still there?”, he asked out of concern, seeing as I hadn't said a word since he broke the tragic news.

“It's Toby, yes I'm still here. I'll leave now,” I replied as I hung up. I was in a complete daze as I frantically put my clothes on. I called an Uber and headed outside.

—

I bolted through the automatic doors and shouted my parents' names at the receptionist. She directed me to another set of doors. I ran through them as tears streamed down my face. A young doctor was moving towards me fast.

“Is she still alive!?”, I shouted frantically as I met up with him

“You must be Tobias,” he said with a look of concern on his face. He put his hand on my shoulder.

“I'm sorry son, your mother slipped away around 10 minutes ago”, he added. I then fell to the hard, tile floor.

“No!!! This isn't happening!!!”, I shouted as I bawled my eyes out. I was practically in the fetal position at this point. People were staring, but I didn't give a fuck. After what seemed like a minute (but I'm sure was actually only 10 seconds or so), the doctor put his hand on my shoulder in an effort to calm me. Nothing would've worked at that moment, but it was worth a try.

“I can assure you it would've been a painful recovery with much permanent damage done to their bodies. Once again, I'm so sorry for your loss son,” the doctor said.

“Do you need to me to identify their bodies?”, I asked through the tears.

“Sure. It would certainly speed the process. You don't have to if you don't want to of course,” he reassured me. I insisted that it do so, if nothing else to perhaps provide me with some closure.

I was led into a room at the end of the hall. The body had a white sheet over it, but I knew it was my mom given the height/size of the outline. After the orderly pulled it back I turned away after a split second. Instead of crying, I became nauseous. Quickly scanning the room for a waste-basket, I found one on the floor by the bed and puked.

“Sorry,” I said with a mixture of shame/sadness.

The doctor and orderly led me to the morgue area to identify my dad. As his corpse was pulled out of the wall, I looked away and wretched a few times, but managed to keep everything from coming up once again.

—

The entirety of the following day was a complete blur. Obviously I got no sleep that night. Since my parents were only children (as was I as well), I thankfully didn't have many people I needed to contact with the tragic news. I saved time by putting posts on social media. Two people I did want to contact were Steve and his husband Lars. I had become close to them both ever since meeting the former a few years ago. I looked up to him so fondly for coming out of the closet after being beaten in a homophobic attack, while still playing rugby. After meeting him, he and Lars brought me into their “inner circle” of sorts, even introducing me to my first real boyfriend, Nigel. We were together for about a year when he moved away for a job opportunity and we decided we could no longer do long-distance. At the time I was still living with my parents and wasn't ready to move in with him. Also at the same time, I was diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum, so I wanted to make sure he would be okay with it before we lived together. Sadly, it was evident very quickly that it wasn't the case. It crossed my mind to call him, but I quickly decided it probably would not be a good idea.

I decided I should call Steve directly. I punched in the number on his phone. It went straight to voicemail. As I've never liked leaving them, I immediately texted him the bad news. Within a few minutes he called me.

“Toby, I'm so sorry friend,” he said in a concerned tone.

“What can I do to help you right now?”, he asked.

“Do you think after the funeral, I could come and stay with you guys for a few days?” I asked through the tears.

“Of course you can. Lars will be here working, so he can keep you company on the days when I have practice and games,” he said with a smile through the phone.

“Okay, thank you. That means a lot you have no idea,” I said as I continued to bawl into the phone. After a few more minutes we said our goodbyes. He assured me that if I needed anything else in the meantime that I shouldn't be afraid to ask.

—

The funeral came and went the following week. It was pretty sparsely attended as they didn't have much family in close proximity. Their bodies were cremated and the ashes given to me. I would decide what to do with them on a later date. I had also met with a lawyer to look at their will. I could keep the house, but I likely couldn't afford the utility payments for long as I was not working regularly since my diagnosis and they had no life insurance. At this point, I was not sure what I was going to do in the long-term.

I decided to try and not let it worry me for the moment as I was on the train to see Steve and Lars. Before I met Nigel, they really broke me out of my shell sexually and emotionally. I'm not sure if I would be up for any of that this weekend though. As we pulled into the train station, I saw them waiting for me on the platform. I'm not sure if they saw me, but I didn't want to wave because I knew I'd break into tears on the train. I grabbed my suitcase and backpack and deboarded the train. I saw them right away and they made their way over to me with open arms. Steve wrapped me in a tight embrace as I began to cry.

“Toby, we're here for you now and always, okay?,” Steve said as looked down at me with his soft, comforting eyes. Lars then leaned into me for a hug. He was bigger than Steve, so of course he towered over my 5’5, 135 lb stature.

“We'll have a good time these next few days, we promise,” Lars said in a reassuring tone. Him and Steve always made me feel so protected. After hugging for a little longer, we made our way outside of the station to their car.

—

Steve and Lars prepared a light but delicious dinner. I wish I could be more talkative, but I barely said more than two words since they picked me up from the train station. Nonetheless, they were patient and understanding of me. After dinner, we all went outside to their hot tub for a dip. In the past we'd had many sexcapades in there, but tonight I just wanted to relax.

“Toby, how about tomorrow we go for a hike?”, Steve suggested with a smile.

“Sure that might be fun,” I said, attempting to muster up any sense of excitement I could. Steve turned to Lars and shot him what looked like an expression of defeat. Lars put his hand on my thigh.

“Toby, you don't have to fake emotions around us, especially not right now,” Lars said in a reassuring tone. I turned to him and gave a half-smile.

“I know,” I said with a half-smile, barely even looking in their direction.

“I think I'm gonna go in and shower”, I said as I got out and barely even acknowledged them. As I dried off with a towel and walked back inside, I felt guilty over how I treated them. They were close friends who I know just wanted to help in any way they could.

After entering the house I went downstairs to the basement to grab my pajamas. Steve and Lars had set up an air mattress for me. Before heading upstairs I checked my phone for messages. To my surprise Nigel did text me. It was a simple, “I heard about your parents and I'm sorry”, but it gave me hope that maybe he'd want to talk. I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.

“Toby?”, he asked in a surprised tone.

“Yes, how are you?”, I asked.

“Okay I guess. Look, I'm sorry about your parents, but I really can't offer you any kind of additional support. I've moved on with my life and am about to be married to a woman. Please understand”, he replied.

“Oh..oh”, I conveyed with disappointment.

“I really just wanna talk for a bit”, I pleaded with him.

“I really can't Toby, I'm sorry”, Nigel said as he hung up.

I sat on my bed for what seemed like an hour. I was beyond tears at this point, but I felt the hurt deep in my stomach and chest. I mustered up whatever strength I had left to go upstairs and shower so I could go to bed as soon as possible. Upon reaching the main floor, I noticed that Steve and Lars were in their room with the door closed.

“I guess I must've hurt them and they don't want to talk to me. Maybe it would be better off if I wasn't here anymore. After all, I may not even have a home soon”, I thought to myself as I felt a visible frown begin to form. As I entered the bathroom I opened the medicine cabinet. I couldn't find anything sharp other than shavers, but they did have a large bottle of Aspirin. Without thinking, I grabbed it and opened the bottle. With no reserve I put it up to my mouth and began to swallow them faster than candy. I got through around half of the bottle before I heard a knock at the door.

 

[scream4ever]

TRAGIC LOSSES Pt. 2

“Toby, are you okay?” I heard Steve ask in a concerned tone.

“Um, yah, yah I'm fine,” I said as I frantically tried to close the bottle and put it away. Suddenly, I dropped it in the sink, sending pills everywhere. Steve opened the door and walked in. When he saw the half-empty pill bottle he let out a gasp.

*Toby, did you swallow all of those?”, he asked as he walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. I immediately began to cry.

“I'm sorry! Please don't be mad Steve!” I begged as I wrapped my arms around him. I glanced up and saw Lars in the doorway. Steve glanced up at him.

“Toby swallowed a bunch of pills. Call an ambulance now!” Steve commanded Lars. He ran back to the bedroom. He frantically told the operator the situation. As he was doing that I glanced back up at Steve, who was tearing up.

“We”re not mad at you Toby, but you've really scared us,” Steve said as he began to cry. Lars ran back into the bathroom.

“They'll be here in a few minutes to take him to the hospital to have his stomach pumped”, Lars said. He was still frantic. I just glanced at him and bawled my eyes out. He ran over and gave me a hug, clutching my head in his hand.

“Toby, it'll be okay. I know things are bad now, but they will pass I promise. You know I lost my parents when I wasn't much older than you”, he said as he began to cry. He suggested we all make our way out into the living room and wait for help to arrive. We made our way to the couch and sat down

“Nigel texted me. I thought maybe he'd want to get together again, but instead he revealed he's engaged to a woman”, I shared with them.

“Between that and how cold I was to you both earlier, I just felt like shit, plus I likely can't afford to live in my parents’ house for long,” said as I began to cry again. Steve put his arm around me.

“Remember what Lars said, it's okay to not be okay right now. I promise we'll figure something out”, Steve said reassuringly. Lars placed his hand on my leg.

“And fuck Nigel. We don't talk to him anymore anyways, and after what he did to you, he's dead to us for good”, Lars said with a smile.

Their words helped to calm me down. It was now starting to hit me what I had done, and I grew scared.

“Am I going to die?”, I asked them.

“No. They will take you to the hospital and pump your stomach. They will likely keep you for a few days under a mental health observation. Try not to worry about that right now. We'll bring whatever you need to the hospital”, Lars reassured me. Suddenly I saw headlights flood through the windows.

“Finally”, Steve said with a sigh of relief and he got up to open the door. Three EMTs entered the living room with medical supplies and a stretcher.

“Thank you for arriving so fast. This is Toby”, Steve told them as he motioned in my direction. Two of the guys walked over to me. I could barely look at them out of shame/guilt.

“Toby, we understand that you swallowed a great deal of Aspirin. We need to get your vitals first before we take you to the hospital. Is that okay?”, I nodded yes. They then proceeded to take my heart-rate, blood pressure, breathalyzer, and even a small blood sample. They also asked me if I knew what day it was currently, and also my own birthday.

“Good job Toby. We're going to take you to the hospital. On the way there, we're going to have you swallow this liquid charcoal. It'll break down the Aspirin so you can expel it quickly. Also, may we have the bottle of Aspirin to show the doctor?”, he asked in a tone of voice that really put me at ease. Lars nodded and immediately retrieved it from the bathroom. The EMT put it in a bag.

“Toby, do you need help getting up on the stretcher?”, the EMT at the stretcher asked.

“No, I can do it”, I said in a resigned tone. Steve rubbed my back. I turned to him as we gave each other half-smiles as if to say, “see you later.” I got on the stretcher with ease and they wrapped the belts around me to hold me in place. Steve and Lars walked over to say goodbye, lightly rubbing my head to calm me down. As they took me out the door, I mouthed “thank you” to them. As they loaded me into the ambulance, one of the EMTs said which hospital they were taking me to. As they shut the door, I saw Steve turn to Lars and hug him tightly. In a few seconds we began driving.

“Okay Toby, I know this stuff tastes like shit, but the more of it you drink now, the easier time you have at the hospital”, one of the EMTs said as he handed me the bottle of liquid charcoal with the top unscrewed. I grabbed it and began to chug it as fast as I could.

“You're drinking that like a champ bud”, he said with a smile. In only about 30 seconds I drank it all, despite fighting back the urge to gag.

“It'll leave black stains on your teeth for a few days, and your poop will be black for a few days, but that means it's working”, he said. “You know, you're lucky all you took was Aspirin, Toby. Had you taken Tylenol, we'd probably be airlifting you to the big city for an emergency liver transplant.”

“Fuck”, was all I could say as I sobbed a bit at that revelation. After driving for a few more minutes we arrived at the hospital. They pulled me out and wheeled me through the automatic doors. I had to close my eyes to avoid becoming over-stimulated with everything going on. After around 30 seconds we arrived in a room. They pulled me up to the hospital bed and moved me over with ease because they were all so strong.

“This is Toby, he swallowed these about an hour ago. He drank the entire bottle of charcoal on the way over here, so he should be okay”, one of the EMTs shared with the nurse.

“Good luck kid”, he said as he gave me a quick smile before exiting my room. The nurse then walked over to my bed.

“Okay Toby, we're going to hook you up to a heart-monitor and an IV. Soon you'll probably feel like you've had a lot to drink, but that's just the drugs neutralizing all the Aspirin you took”, he reassured me.

“Is it safe for me to fall asleep if I want to? I mean, I won't die in my sleep will I?”, I asked as tears began to well up in my eyes.

“Yes absolutely. You're going to be okay Toby, with no permanent damage to your system”, he said with a smile. I began to sob out of sheer relief. He hooked me up to the heart monitor and IV before leaving me to rest. I turned on my side, curled up into the fetal position, and closed my eyes.

—

I slept like a rock. No dreams or anything. Just black. After I don't know how long, I awoke to a hand on my shoulder and a familiar voice.

“Toby, we're here now friend”, I heard Steve say. I immediately turned on my other side, still in a bit of a daze, but trying to make sure I didn't detach any cords. Him and Lars were at my bedside with a doctor behind them. I immediately stood up and hugged them both. We all started crying.

“Please don't hate me for what I did last night!”, I said as I bawled into Steve's chest. He cupped my head, leaned down, and kissed me on the forehead.

“We will never hate you Toby. It was a rough night, okay?”, Steve said through the tears. I turned to look at Lars.

“The doctor is going to explain some next steps over the next few days”, Lars said as he lightly rubbed my back. I nodded in understanding. We all turned to face the doctor.

“Toby, I'm very sorry about your parents, and I'm sorry you needed to come here. Because you are an adult, you have the right to refuse, but myself and your friends strongly recommend that you stay for 72 hours under observation. We can transfer you over right now”, he assured me as I glanced over at Steve and Lars. They both smiled softly in support.

“Can they come and visit?”, I asked, worried about what the answer may be.

“On the day before you leave, yes. We want you to acclimate with the program before then”, the doctor responded. I glanced back at Steve, who reached for my backpack that was sitting on a chair next to the bed.

“We have everything here Toby. They will provide you with scrubs to wear if you need more clean clothes. You will have to exchange your shoes for slippers, as you can't have anything with laces”, Steve said. Without saying an explicit answer, I kicked off my shoes.

“Is that a yes, you'll go?”, Lars asked with an expression of encouragement.

“Yes, I'll go, but I am a little scared”, I said. Steve put his hand on my shoulder.

“It's okay to be scared. Toby, you know my whole life story by now. I was scared for years of what my future would hold. Trust me, I was way more alone than you are now, mostly because I shut people out. I thought about ending my life a few times. Had I done so, I wouldn't be where I am today, saving my friend's life and helping him get through a rough patch”, he said and he pulled me in for a hug. Lars joined in right away.

“Toby, I want you to know that I know what you're going through. I also want you to know that I want you to come to me at any time If you have any questions about this process”, Lars said as he teared up.

“Toby, you're very lucky to have such amazing friends in your life”, the doctor said with a smile.

“I know, and honestly, they're more like family”, I said as I glanced over at them and smiled. They both smiled back as Steve lightly touched my head.

“I'm ready to go”, I said with a deep breath. The doctor called out for an orderly to bring in a wheelchair. I gave Steve and Lars one last hug before sliding on the slippers they brought and getting in the chair. Steve handed me my backpack and they wheeled me out of the roo
m. I turned around one last time to see them before going through the doors to the other wing.

 

[scream4ever]

RECOVERY Pt. 1

After several minutes of being wheeled around the hospital, we arrived at the doors to the psych ward. The orderly scanned his key card as was required to both enter and exit the wing, indicated by a giant sign in red on the door. After the terminal made a beeping sound, the light flashed green and the automatic doors opened. I took a deep breath as he wheeled me in, expecting to see a scene out of the movies of patients running naked down the halls screaming. Instead it seemed calm/serene. We approached the front desk to check in. A woman with short black hair greeted us with a smile.

*We got Toby here”, the orderly let her know as we stopped.

“Welcome Toby, we've been expecting you. Are you able to walk the rest of the way?” she asked in a soft/friendly tone.

“Yah, I'm fine”, I assured her. The orderly proceeded to move the footrests out of the way so I could stand. In no time at all I was on my feet. I put my backpack on and awaited instructions.

“Okay, we just need to scan your wristband and then we can take you back”, she instructed. I lifted my left wrist towards the scanner and scanned me in. She nodded for the orderly to take the wheelchair out. He gave me a nod/smile and walked over to the entrance/exit.

“Okay, you can follow me to your room. Ali will be there to go through your things and get you settled”, she said as she got up from her desk. We walked down the hall a little ways before stopping at a room labeled 5. She opened the door, revealing a simple hospital room with a bed and desk. I glanced over and saw a bathroom that seemed to adjoin to another room. By the bed was a tall guy with an olive complexion.

“Toby, this is Ali. He will be taking you from here”, she said. Ali gave her the same smile/nod as the orderly before walking out into the hallway.

“Nice to meet you Toby”, he said with a smile, “First things first, I need to search your bag, just to make sure you don't have anything potentially dangerous,” he added as he reached out his hand softly.

“Of course”, I said as I slipped it off and handed it over to him. After taking it, he walked over to the desk and unzipped it.

“Toby, I know this may all seem scary and surreal, but just know that you're safe here, and we care about your well-being,” he said as he glanced over to me and smiled. He pulled out the second pair of pajamas, my toiletries bag, and a book that I didn't recognize. He dumped everything out of the small bag and spread it across the desk. He then opened the book, flipping through all the pages.

“God, I feel like such a criminal,” I thought to myself. After a few more seconds Ali looked up with a smile.

“Okay Toby, you're all clear,” he informed me.

“Great! Is it okay if I take a shower and change into some scrubs. I was told you'd have some for me if I wanted?” I asked.

“Yes of course. Do you want me to get them now?, he asked

“Sure that would be great”, I said. Ali left my room and walked down the hall. I glanced over at my desk to see what book was in my backpack. The cover was pink and blue, and the title across the top in gold print said, “Love Yourself.” I opened it to a handwritten note on the inside page:

“Toby,

This book helped me get through some hard times in my life. I know it will do the same for you. You are loved beyond words and we're glad you're in our lives.

Love,

Steve and Lars”

I put the book down and sobbed a bit. I knew they already forgave me for what I tried to do in their home the other night, but I still felt bad about it, and likely always would to a degree. I heard Ali’s footsteps approach the door. I quickly wiped away the tears in my eyes and turned to face him.

“Here you go Toby. The room next door is currently unoccupied, so don't worry about your neighbor needing to use the bathroom,” he said as he handed me my scrubs with a smile.

“Thank you,” I said as I placed them on my bed.

“I'll leave you to wash off. The soap is all non-toxic for safety reasons, so don't expect spa quality,” he said with a chuckle. “Towels are in the bathroom. Lunch is in one hour, followed by your initial intake evaluation,” he added with one final smile before walking out the door.

I immediately stripped out of my pajamas and brought my toiletries into the bathroom. I laid out my toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter. I turned to the shower curtain and pulled it open. I then turned on the water and stuck my hand under to test the temperature. After adjusting it accordingly, I stepped in and pulled the curtain shut. I stuck my head under and let the warm water soak me for several seconds. After the events of the last day it felt amazing. I used the soap dispenser on the wall, squirting it onto my hand. I rubbed my hands all over my body for several minutes before rinsing off and turning off the water. I then reached for the towel on the rack to dry off. After doing so I put on my scrubs. They were baby blue in color, which for some reason helped to put my mind at ease.

Realizing I had some time before lunch, I went over and picked up the book from the desk. I laid down on the bed and began to page through it. It talked a lot about accepting that you can't change certain things, and finding the silver lining in anything bad that may happen. After about a half-hour Ali knocked on my door and said lunch was being served. I put the book down and walked down the hall to the dining room.

—

Overall the first day had been emotionally exhaustive but productive. My initial intake went well, after which we had dinner, followed by free time. I didn't really talk to any of the other patients much, mainly because tomorrow we would have group therapy, where I would have plenty of time to do so.

As I laid in bed, trying to fall asleep, I thought about Steve and Lars, and how amazing they had been to me through this ordeal. I wondered what Steve meant when he said we'd, “figure something out”, when I mentioned how I likely would not be able to afford to stay in my parents' house for long. I knew Lars had money he inherited after his parents’ died, but I wasn't sure if I'd feel comfortable accepting money from them. I picked up the book they gave me to try and see if it would help. Instead of opening to where is left off, I opened to the front page and read the message they'd left me. As I smiled re-reading their words, I ran my fingers across them. Finally more relaxed, I laid down and thought about what we would do when I did return to their home.

In no time at all I had copious fantasies and flashbacks running through my head. For over a year before meeting him I had been infatuated with Steve. Not only was he sexy as hell, but he was so fucking brave and tough, while at the same time being kind and compassionate to everyone he met. Lars was the same way. They really were a perfect couple, and not afraid to share love and sex with others. I remembered the first time I met Steve after his rugby match. It was brief, and I thought I'd never see him again. Then that evening, we ran into one another in the laundry room in the hostel we were staying at. He could tell I found him hot as hell, and was flattered by my admiration (hopefully he found me cute too, but he never really mentioned it one way or the other). Then, like a scene out of a porno, he took off his clothes to give me a full-view of his gorgeous body. I still didn't understand how I didn't drop to my knees and take his hot cock in my mouth right then and there. Respecting the boundaries he had in place with Lars to not fool around with other people, he jacked-off twice for my private viewing, spewing his load everywhere. I even got to taste a bit of his man nectar. The next time we met I got to have that beautiful dick in my mouth. It was everything I could've hoped for and more. I still longed for him to fuck me in the ass, but respected him and Lars wanted to keep that to themselves.

By now my cock was poking through my underwear. Knowing it would keep me awake, I pulled them off and began to take matters into my own hands (figuratively and literally). I closed my eyes and remembered back to watching Steve masturbate. His strong hands tugging on his cock and rubbing his smooth, muscular chest. His hand moved slickly across his cock that was soaked in precum. As he neared climax he played with his nipples harder. I began to do the same as I pictured Steve, Lars, and myself taking that hike they mentioned earlier. We were all naked except for our shoes and backpacks. I walked both behind and in front of them to get a perfect view of their bouncing asses and flopping cocks. After a little while we found a swimming hole where we skinny dipped and just played around, splashing/dunking one another before they both spit-roasted me. Steve fucked my ass, while Lars fucked my mouth. The water buoyed their thrusts so the three of us were moving in a rhythmic fashion that was so erotic. Even in the cold water I was hard as a rock, and I began to stroke myself off. The two of them filled me up simultaneously, while I shot a powerful arc of semen into the air.

Flashing back to reality I felt the pressure in my crotch build. A few seconds later I shot an equally impressive arc over my head onto the headboard. I let out a moan of pleasure which I quickly stiffled out of fear that someone would hear me. Fantasies aside, it was the first time I had spurted my load since the death of my parents. Hopefully this was a sign that my spirits were lifting, despite my setback the other night. I cleaned myself off with the sheets, closed my eyes, and fell asleep with a genuine smile, as I thought about how much I was looking forward to seeing Steve and Lars in two days.

 

[scream4ever]

RECOVERY PART 2

Over the past two days I had settled into my surroundings even more. Group therapy was going well, even though I cried during almost every session. I had finished the book that Steve and Lars gave me, with the final passage being a declaration to “go forth and love yourself”, which of course was something I wanted to do, but knew it may be hard to do for a while. By the morning on my third day in the unit I was finally starting to feel like myself again. All of the charcoal I drank had cleared itself out of my system, and I no longer had the black stains on my teeth (not gonna lie, I thought I looked like a meth addict for a while there). Steve and Lars were going to visit me this afternoon in anticipation of me coming home tomorrow. I told myself that I would try my hardest to get through our meeting without crying.

—

After finishing our mid-afternoon session I was in the dining room eating lunch. I glanced to my left and saw Ali approach my table. He asked if after I finished we could go to my room to discuss something that came up. I nodded yes and he smiled and walked away. Finishing my lunch quickly, I discarded my tray and left the dining room. As we walked down the hall, I worried for a second that he was going to say that Steve and Lars wouldn't be coming. We entered and closed the door. I sat on my bed, while he took the chair. He cleared his throat and began to speak.

“Toby, if it's okay with you, we'd like to release you a day early. You've made exceptional progress quickly, and we're confident you'll be going home to a safe, stable, and comfortable environment. We already talked to your friends and they can come and get you later today. If you'd like, you can call them to work out any logistics beforehand. You can use the phone in my office no problem.”

“Really? That's great!”, I replied with the most excitement I'd mustered in my entire hospital stay.

“Great. Let's go to my office and call your friends”, Ali said. We left my room and walked down the hall. After going inside his office he sat down at his desk. After looking at his computer screen for a second, he picked up the receiver of his phone, he dialed out and then began to dial a number.

“I'm calling Lars since Steve is at practice. They gave us their numbers shortly after you were admitted, since you didn't have your phone with you,” he said reassuringly. Putting the speaker up to his ear, we waited for a few seconds until I could hear Lars’ deep, sexy voice on the other end answer with a “hello”.

“Is this Lars?” Ali asked.

“Yes”, I heard Lars respond.

“Lars, I have Toby here. I'll give you two some time alone to talk, okay?”, he asked.

“Sure, sounds good”, I heard him say over the phone. Ali handed me the phone as he smiled before getting up and walking out. He closed the door to give us some privacy. Placing the phone to my ear, I began to speak.

“Hey Lars. You heard the news I assume? That I'm ready to be released?” I asked with a hint of excitement.

“Indeed. We're both really happy for you Toby. Listen feel free to say no if you're not comfortable with it, but Steve and I would like to throw you a little party tonight to celebrate your release. We invited Chris and Liam, and Freidrik and Mike. They all really want to see you. Again, if you're not comfortable we can cancel. No pressure at all”, Lars stated.

“Oh that sounds great!”, I exclaimed. After being cooped up in here for two days I was ready for some fun. In the past, all of us had some wild times together, usually involving sex. I expected nothing less this time either.

“Wonderful. We'll come by and get you later this afternoon after you finish the discharge process and your final therapy session. I'll also bring some fresh clothes for you. Sound good?” Lars asked.

“Cool. Can't wait!”, I replied.

—

I walked out of my final session with a smile on my face. Our wing’s psychiatrist signed off on my release! I immediately walked down to Ali's office where he was waiting with the door open.

“He said I'm all clear to go!”, I said as I was absolutely beaming.

“That's great Toby. Do you need any help packing up your things? Your friends should be here soon”, he asked with a smile.

“I should be good. Hey, they were going to bring me some clean clothes. Is it okay if I shower one last time?”, I asked.

“Absolutely”, Ali replied.

Knowing I didn't have much time, I thanked him and bolted to my room. I quickly stripped out of my scrubs and threw them in the hamper.

“Good riddance”, I thought to myself.

I took a quick shower knowing that I didn't have much time. Since I didn't bring many things it didn't take me long to pack everything up. I put on the same pajamas that I had on when I was admitted (which I guess could be considered a full-circle moment of sorts). Sliding my backpack over my shoulders, I made my way over to the waiting area by the main doors. I waited patiently for Steve and Lars to arrive.

—

I had been sitting there for around ten minutes when Ali walked over.

“They've arrived and will be here at any moment”, he said with the friendly smile I'd grown to love.

I immediately turned to the doors in anticipation of when they'd open. It felt like an eternity, but they finally did. Like a scene from a movie, they were waiting for me with open arms. I walked over to them quickly and began to cry as I hugged them both at the same time.

“I missed you both so much. I'm so sorry for what I've put you through”, I said as I cried happy tears.

“Toby, you don't have to worry about that. What's most important is that you're safe and healthy”, Steve said as he held his arm tight around my shoulders. Letting go, I turned to Ali.

“Thank you so much for all you've done for me. With all due respect, I hope I never see you again for obvious reasons”, I said with a light chuckle.

“Totally understandable. Good luck with everything Toby”, he said as he walked back inside the automatic doors as they closed. I turned to Lars, noticing he was holding a bag of clothes.

“Here are your clean clothes. We'll wait out here if you wanna change in a bathroom”, he said with a smile.

“Thank you so much. I'm beyond sick of pajamas and scrubs I must say”, I said with a chuckle. I made my way into the bathroom and locked the door. After I finished changing, I walked outside to find Steve and Lars standing where they were before.

“Much better”, I said with a sign of relief.

“Toby, it'll be a little while before the others arrive. Why don't we grab some dinner beforehand?”, Lars asked.

“Sounds great. I need some real food you have no idea”, I replied as we made our way towards the parking garage.

We found their car and drove exited the structure, heading in the direction of their home. They suggested we go to a Chinese restaurant nearby.

“Sure, that sounds good”, I said from the backseat. I gotta say, I was almost feeling like their child in a sense. I knew I just lost my parents, and perhaps I was latching onto anyone who would love me at this point, but this just felt right. I didn't think I should broach the subject with them though.

—

We had a great dinner at the restaurant. While we ate, I shared a lot about what I experienced in the hospital, and how I never wanted to go back there.

“It wasn't really horrific like you see in movies where everyone is yelling and screaming, but it was still depressing and unsettling”, I said as a chill ran down my spine. Sensing I was uncomfortable, Steve placed his hand on my hand.

“We’re so proud of you for voluntarily going Toby. The road ahead won't be easy, but we promise we'll be here for you always,” he reassured me. I turned to Lars, who smiled and nodded. All of a sudden I heard Steve's phone go off. Pulling it out of his pocket, he furiously typed on the screen.

“It's Friedrik. He says everyone's arrived if we want to head home. Toby, is that okay with you?”, he asked me.

“Sure. I'm excited to see everyone”, I said with a smile. I was beginning to wonder if it was wrong for me to be happy this soon after the death of my parents.

—

Leaving the restaurant, we hopped into the car and began to drive back to the house. I glanced out the window, taking in the spring foliage as the sun was almost set. I closed my eyes and relaxed. After a few minutes I felt us turn into the driveway of the house. After stopping and turning the engine off, Steve turned around to face me.

“Okay Toby, we're going to head in first to finish setting things up. We'll text you when we're ready for you to come in. Sound good?”, Steve said with the smile I'd come to love.

“Okay, sounds good”, I said as I smiled back. I glanced over at Lars, who smiled back. They both exited the car and went in the front door, bringing my backpack inside with them. The curtains were all drawn, so I couldn't see inside at all.

As I waited patiently in the car, I thought about my parents, and where they were at that moment. I wasn't sure if I believed in life after death, but either way, I hoped they were alright. As I began to sob, I repeated the same words that I did in one of the group sessions in the hospital.

“Mom, dad, I hope you're alright, and that I've made you proud. You'd want me to continue on and be happy. I promise I will try to do that every day of my life. I love you”, I said through the tears. I wiped my eyes as I didn't want anyone inside to see I was upset, even though I knew they would understand. Suddenly I heard my phone vibrate. I glanced down to read the message.

“Come in the front door Toby.” Steve texted me. Putting the phone back in my pocket, I exited the car, making sure to lock the door. I made my way to the front door and opened it. Walking inside, I noticed no one was in the front to greet me. I took off my shoes and walked toward the living room, gasping in surprise at what I saw.

 

[scream4ever]

THE HOMECOMING

Steve, Lars, and the other guest were standing in the living room naked except for tight, black matching boxer briefs and black leather gloves. They all had serious expressions on their faces. Steve and Lars quickly approached me, positioning themselves on each side and grabbing my arms tight, cutting off any chance I may have of escape.

“We've recaptured the slave, men!” Lars exclaimed in a booming tone. He then moved in behind me, holding me tightly with both arms as Steve walked over to my right side.

“Announce his crime to the group”, Lars said to Steve.

“Attempted desertion, and for that, he will be punished severely”, Steve announced as everyone cheered.

“First things first, he must be made to look the part. Strip him naked, then brand and collar him accordingly”, he commanded. Lars immediately pulled my shirt up off my arms and threw it to the ground. He then undid my pants and pulled them down.

“Finish undressing, unless you want this to be even worse than it'll be”, he commanded. I silently pulled my pants and socks off, while also glancing up at Steve. He shot me a warm albeit brief smile, which I interpreted as him checking in on me. After I finished and was standing completely naked in front of everyone, Steve reached into a bag and pulled out a chain collar with a padlock. He and Lars had made me wear it when I first visited them, which felt like a lifetime ago now. Wrapping it around my neck, he snapped the lock into place, which I felt press against my collarbone. He then reached into the bag and pulled out a black permanent marker. As he pulled the cap off, Lars roughly pulled back my hair with one hand and wrapped his other arm around my chest, holding me tightly in place.

“Don't struggle boy. You'll only make this more painful for yourself”, Lars said in a sinister tone. I shut my eyes as Steve began to write on my forehead. From how it felt he wrote three letters. Putting the cap back on the marker, he picked up his phone. Turning it to me, I could see myself in the camera. The letters spelled FVG.

“That's short for fugitivas, the Roman term for runaway slave. Usually after getting marked they'd get a slow, tortuous death, or else be sold to the mines and worked to death, but we have better things in store for you. Take him to the dungeon!” Steve commanded and everyone else cheered. He handed Lars a belt, which he used to tie my hands around my back. He then turned to face me, briefly giving me the same smile Steve gave me before. He leaned down and draped me over his right shoulder, carrying me in a “Viking pillager” style manner as I liked to call it. I hadn't been carried like that since I had been with Nigel, and I gotta admit that it really turned me on.

“Let's go men!!!” Steve shouted as everyone clapped and cheered once more. Lars led the way with me still on his shoulder. He has his hand firmly on my ass to hold me in place. We walked slowly down the basement steps to where I had been staying. When we all made it down Lars put me down. Steve stood me up, turning me around to show whatever they had in store for me. I gasped in shock. Hanging from the ceiling near the wall was a harness with handcuffs. Glancing up at Steve, he turned to me and smiled.

“Let's hang him from the ceiling!”, he commanded with ferocity. Grabbing my arm, he pulled me over to the harness as Lars began to undo the belt around my wrists. They each grabbed a wrist and strapped me into the velcro hanging off the metal bar. After making sure I was firmly in place, Lars pulled at the leather strap, which raised me off the ground. I shuddered after my feet left the ground. Steve placed his hand on my shoulder. When I turned to face him, he smiled and nodded his head to check in once more.

“I know he wouldn't let anything truly harmful happen to me”, I reassured myself as he turned around to face me. Lars placed his gloved hand on the back of my neck to hold me in place. I gotta say the leather felt good on my skin.

“Steve, you're calling the shots. What should his first punishment be?”Lars asked.

“Forty lashes to start. Each of you can have ten strikes. Use the belt and don't hit him with the buckle. We don't wanna use him up right away. And he doesn't get a gag either. I wanna hear him cry and scream!” Steve instructed everyone.

“Fuck yes!!!” Chris yelled boisterously, followed by the others doing the same. He walked over and picked up the belt as Steve turned me around so I was facing him and Lars. They placed their hands on my head and shoulders and pulled me in so our heads were almost touching and I was staring into their eyes.

“You’ve got this Toby. We won't let anything happen to you we promise”, Steve whispered reassuringly. Lars gave Chris a nod signalling him to begin. They both pulled me in tight and I felt the first strike across my upper back. I tensed up but it startled me more than anything. The next few were a bit harder. When he finished, Lars gave Chris another nod, signaling he'd reached the end of his ten lashings. The pattern continued until all of them whipped me all over my back and ass.

“You took that like a champ”, Lars whispered in my ear as he placed his hand on my head, followed by a kiss on the forehead. Steve gave me another nod/smile to check in and make sure I was ready to proceed. I nodded and smiled back.

“Great, now that we've whipped him into submission, let's examine and interrogate the runaway slave”, Steve said as he turned me around to face the others. He and Lars flanked me at the sides once again. Chris and Liam approached me first. Chris was American, having moved here after college and coming out of the closet. He knew about Steve and all of the amazing work he'd done. He also knew that the team was a safe space for people like us, so he applied, got on the roster, and moved here. As hot as I found Steve and Lars, Chris may have been the hottest one of the group, especially in an all-American beefy jock kind of way. He and Liam met at one of the team fundraiser parties at a teammates house. They were known to be very kinky and wild, and although I did go to a smaller one, which was where I met Nigel, I never went to one of the big ones they would have at a teammate's mansion in the country. Steve and Lars did invite me as a guest, but at the time I just wasn't up to it.

Liam had a leaner build than Chris. You'd probably think he was a basketball player, but he was still hot nonetheless. He and Chris began to squeeze/grope my body hard. It did hurt a bit, but the leather still overall felt good on my skin. I closed my eyes and smiled, taking in my punishment with stride

“You're not supposed to like that slave”, Liam said in a sinister tone as he backhand slapped me across the chest. I shuddered with surprise.

“Are we not causing you enough pain? You need to feel some pain, because with life, there's pain”, Chris said as he stared into my eyes. Both of his hands moved towards my nipples. He squeezed them hard and pulled slightly. I winced and cried with pain and began to wriggle around in the harness, pulling myself up with whatever arm strength I had left. Steve and Lars held me down so I wouldn't strain myself.

“I know how to make him feel more pain,” Liam remarked with a smile. Chris moved out of the way, allowing him to face me straight on. Looking into my eyes, Liam grabbed my cock and balls and pulled. I cried out even harder than with the nipple torture.

“This is called a vice. Hurts, doesn't it?”, he asked as he lightly slapped my balls with his gloved hand. This time, I think the leather made the pain worse. Tears were forming in my eyes. I glanced up at Steve for help. He saw it was becoming too much, and shook his head for him to stop. Liam and Chris took a few steps as Steve faced me. He wrapped me in his strong, protective embrace that I had grown to love.

“You’re doing great Toby. Should I invite Freidrik and Mike over?”, he whispered in my ear. I nodded with a yes. I trusted him and Lars with my life by now, so I knew they wouldn't let anything happen. Releasing me, Steve turned around and motioned for them to come towards me and do to me whatever they had in mind. Friedrik was Lars’ friend before he'd met Steve. Like Lars, he played rugby and had recently retired from the sport. He was the only true blonde of the group, and had a standard muscular rugby body.

Mike was like me in that he didn't play rugby, but liked the sport/players. He met Freidrik after being introduced to him by Steve at a convention, and they hit it off quickly. In some ways, our stories were similar to Nigel and myself, and I envied Mike for the fact that he and Freidrik were still together.

Mike stood facing me, while Freidrik was at my right side. Looking like he was about to tear up, Mike placed his gloved hand on my cheek. I tried to force a smile, but all I did was tear up as well. As my eyes glanced at Friedrik, I saw that was trying to keep it together too. Glancing back at Mike, I saw that his sad eyes had turned slightly angry. Suddenly, he lifted his hand off of my cheek and gave me a moderately hard slap.

“Do you care at all about what you almost left your friends to deal with Toby!?” He shouted at me as he grabbed my wrists and began to shake me.

“Did you want Steve and Lars to find you dead the following morning, their home forever stained with that memory!?” he continued as tears began to run down his face. I turned my head to the side and began to cry. Freidrik began to pull Mike off of me, as Steve got in-between us.

“Look at me Toby! I exist and I love you!!!” Mike screamed as Freidrik continued to pull him away from me. That interaction pushed me to my breaking point, and I knew I needed to put an end to it.

“Please stop!!! Please take me down!!! Mercy!!!” I yelled at the top of my lungs as I wriggled uncontrollably.