Authors: Crystal Rose
“It's about as far as his cravings will let him go.”
***
391
They all split up. Ryan was heading toward Belton, hitting every bar he came upon. Not until he was at his wits end did he actually run into Kenneth. The man was sitting on a park bench. Two bags lay around him. He was babbling incoherently.
“Kenny?” he whispered walking toward the bald man.
“Ryan! What about your date? Did you have sex? I hope you did,” Kenneth babbled.
“Why don't you come home with me?” Ryan asked softly.
“Don't wanna. Don't have a home. Just wanna stay right here.”
He texted the guys and prayed they could make it before Kenneth slipped away from him.
“Can I hang?”
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“Yeah, you hang. Everyone likes to hang.” Kenneth wasn't making any sense.
Ryan wasn't even about to try and make him. Instead he just stood there quietly, letting the other man babble on.
It seemed like hours. Hours of Kenneth babbling, and drinking one drink after another. Ryan persuaded Kenneth into letting him have a drink every once in awhile.
Ryan would tip the bottle back and instead of drinking it he let it dribble down his chin.
Patrick strolled up and sat down next to Ryan. “Gonna share, bro?” he asked causally.
Kenneth blinked and handed the bottle over hesitantly. “What are you doing?”
Kenneth asked. His eyes were darting back and forth between the men and the darkness. “They're coming,” he whispered.
393
Brendon came a few minutes later. He leaned causally against a tree. “Not nice to not share after what we went through.”
Kenneth blinked and stepped away from the three.
He looked like he was going to run. All three tensed. Kenneth didn't get a chance.
“GAWD DAMNIT! I told you four to get back to the barracks. What has the Military given to me? Four fuck-ups that can't fucking do one thing right?” came a deep voice out of nowhere. “Get the fuck down, all four of you.”
Ryan blinked and dropped without hesitation. Brendon and Patrick followed quickly behind.
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Kenneth stared at Phillip who appeared behind him wearing that fucking brown Drill Sergeant cover. Kenneth blinked blurredly at Phillip, and then slowly dropped down into a push-up.
“Nice of you to join us, Rosey-ass. I was engraving your invitation,” Phillip barked.
That's when Ryan got it. Phillip was taking Kenneth back to a place where he was actually safe. They pushed it out until Kenneth collapsed. His shoulders were shaking and they knew it wasn't from exertion.
“Everyone up. ATTENTION!” All four of them, even Kenneth popped up. His cheeks were wet and they all waited.
“LEFT FACE!”
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They turned left and Phillip began to march them toward the van. “Everyone in and back to the barracks,” he ordered. Ryan watched as Brendon slipped Phillip the keys. They all got into the van without a word being spoken.
Phillip drove them back to Ryan's apartment and nodded at Ryan slowly. They all got out, helping Kenneth up the stairs.
***
Hours later Brendon, Patrick and Ryan began to trickle out of Ryan's bedroom.
They found Phillip and Mark in the front room. Coffee and sandwiches sat on the table.
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Ryan's face was pale and tears had dried earlier on his face. Brendon and Patrick both looked the same. It didn't take a genius to realize that they were all shaken to their core. Ryan's hand shook as he reached for a cup of coffee.
Phillip slipped an arm around him, not asking what happened. He knew that was between the four of them, but he could support Ryan now.
“He's sleeping,” Ryan said. His voice wobbled ever so slightly.
Patrick burrowed into Mark's chest, sobbing silently.
And Brendon just sat on the edge of Ryan's sofa staring at nothing.
“He's moving in with me. I need to see if I can take a week’s leave. I'm going to go help him pack.”
Mark shook his head. “Doesn't matter if you don't. I'll go with him,” he said.
397
Ryan looked around the room. Every time he felt a wave of sadness at not having a family he remembered this one. Now Phillip and Mark were part of it too. It made him thankful for joining the Army.
Brendon sniffled. “You know...When I left home...I was scared. I hated my dad, but he was the known evil. But I wouldn't trade y'all for anything.”
Patrick snorted in agreement.
Mark chuckled. “Are you sure we're the gay ones? ‘Cause, Furry, man...that was kinda gay.”
All of them let out breathless chuckles.
***
398
A few days later they all said good bye to Brendon. Kenneth hugged Brendon tightly and then stood off on the side.
“Let us know when you get home,” Ryan ordered.
“Always do.” Brendon said. He walked toward the gates and turned around.
“Ryan?”
“Yeah?”
“I'm calling your sister when I get home.” With that said he took off down the hallway before Ryan could go after him.
“Dude! I'm gonna kill him.”
“No, you're not,” Kenneth said softly.
399
“You can't. He's family.” Patrick said.
“My sister!” he wailed, to general laughter.
***
Over the next two months things slid into a routine. Ryan would go to PT and flirt with Phillip, who would flirt with him. Alexander would tease them both. They would go out after work. Dinner. Hang out with the guys. Phillip had started to spend a lot of time with Kenneth. They would go for runs. Then Phillip would take him onto post.
Ryan never asked what they did and they never told him.
Mark took Kenneth home and they packed his stuff up. Two weeks later Kenneth was a permanent fixture in Ryan's home.
400
It was two weeks before the start of the spring that they got the news. In August they were headed back over to Iraq.
***
In between training and going to NTC in California they spent time with each other. Phillip and Ryan went out a few more times but spent a lot of time at his house or Ryan's apartment. Ryan met Katie, who loved him. Sandy had become a fixture in his life as well as Phillip. He was as likely to find her in his apartment as Kenneth.
He had just gotten off work and into his apartment when Sandy came bursting in.
“Katie wants you and Phillip to take her to see ‘John Cena’,” she said.
“Uh huh, and you came here why?” Ryan said, as he pulled off his boots.
401
“Because she's driving me insane. She has her first crush-- she's with Phillip telling him about it. I thought I should warn you.” Sandy grinned and walked into his kitchen. She grabbed a soda as Kenneth came out of the shower.
“Hey ya, Kenny. Still on for tonight?” she asked.
Ryan blinked and wondered if he was in the right apartment.
“Yep, I just have to clean up my car.” Kenneth was doing better but still wasn't
'fixed'. Ryan knew he probably wouldn't ever be fixed. But he was functioning a lot better. He still drank, but it was only at ‘FUBAR’ and only when all of them could keep an eye out on him. He was going to AA meetings and talking to other Combat Medics.
All in All Ryan was happy with what was going on-- except for the part where it sounded like Kenneth had a date with Phillip's ex-wife.
402
“So, anyone tell Phillip about this?” he asked. “I don't wanna piss on anyone's parade but...seriously...”
Sandy burst into laughter and Kenneth sent Ryan a cocky smile.
“We're going to the Ball. Phillip's 'taking' me and you're 'taking' Kenny.” She smiled. “But Kenneth and I are arriving together.”
Ryan felt relief. He wasn't sure how Phillip would take Kenny and Sandy dating.
***
That evening Ryan got dressed in his dress blues. He was slipping the cuffs on when he heard the bell ring. He cursed when he stubbed his toe on his way to open the door. Phillip stood behind it, looking like home-made sin.
403
His uniform was fitted flawlessly to his body. The black stetson on his head just made him look like perfection. Ryan felt his mouth watering. He had always thought Phillip was hot but in dress blues, he looked...like sex personified.
“See something you like?”
Ryan slowly nodded his head. “We could always not go...”
“No way. Sandy will be pissed. She's got the hots for Kenny.”
Well, that answered Ryan's other question. Not that he cared about it anymore.
“Give me a minute. I need to find my shoes.”
“How you find anything in here I'll never know,” Phillip teased. He took great pleasure in giving Ryan hell for his lack of cleaning ability.
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“Hey, I've gotten better. Who knew that Kenneth was a neat freak?” he called as he went into his bedroom.
“It's a good thing!” Phillip called back.
When he came back out Phillip was sitting on his couch. Ryan still wanted to skip the ball.
“Freckles, you look good enough to eat.” Phillip leered.
Ryan grinned and slipped on his shoes. “You won't let us just stay here...so get over it.” He slipped his own Stetson on and grinned up at Phillip. “Come on. We don't wanna be late. Alexander is meeting us there with his wife. Mark and Patrick too.”
***
405
They arrived at the hall, meeting Kenneth and Sandy outside. They filed in and got their wrist tags. Everyone looked at the photographer.
“Fuck it. Come on, Freckles.” Phillip grabbed his arm and led him over.
Ryan was pulled into Phillip's arms and they both smiled for the camera.
Sandy declared it was a damn pity they were gay. Women all over the world were crying after that picture was taken.
Sandy talked Kenneth into taking a picture with her and afterwards they all walked into the hall.
Kenneth and Mark both wore black tuxes. Patrick also donned his blues. It was the only time they could continue wearing their Stetsons indoors, so none of them took them off.
406
They had to switch place tags so they could all sit together but they did so with minimal problems. Alexander and his wife Victoria were already inside.
“Tory, if you ever wanna turn me straight, just let me know. We can make Alexander disappear,” Phillip said, smiling.
“Phillip, if there were a man I'd leave Alexander for it would be you, but I see you came with Ryan. Are we gonna make him disappear too?” She laughed.
Phillip looked Ryan up and down hotly. “Can't I keep him on the side?”
“Nope.”
He sighed longingly. “Sorry baby. I gotta let you go,” he said.
Sandy snorted. “He's not good at the hetero sex stuff. It makes him itchy.”
407
Ryan began to laugh.
Alexander just shrugged. “That's alright. I'll just hook up with Ryan. I'm down with boy-on-boy sex.”
Everyone started to laugh at that.
Kenneth shook his head at the server and ordered a soda. Everyone looked at him with a smile. “Oh for fucks’ sake, it's not like I just created the cure for cancer.”
“Nah but I'm proud of ya man,” Phillip said.
Sometime after the scene in the park Phillip had became Kenneth's go-to guy.
Ryan could see happiness on Kenneth's face, knowing that Phillip was proud of him.
After drinks were ordered they all sat down. The Company commander called everyone to ‘attention’. Chairs squeaked back and everyone rose.
408
After the ceremonial ‘Carrying of the Colors’ they had a moment of silence, then made the ‘Cav’ grog. All five men grinned. It was gonna be a good night.
The ceremonies were over and food was placed in front of them. Then a small man was introduced who was an old trooper. He spoke about going into battle in Vietnam. He talked of actions taking place before most of those in attendance were born, but it didn't stop them from leaning forward to hear more about it.
After dinner and the speech everyone let loose. Jackets came off. Bow ties loosened. Phillip had his arm over Ryan's shoulder while they spoke to just about everyone there.
Ryan looked up and grinned. Kenneth and Sandy were dancing to a slow country tune. He wasn't aware of what Phillip was doing until they joined the dance floor too.
409
“I'll even let you lead, Freckles.”
Ryan laughed, because Phillip was already leading them into the dance. He felt Phillip's arm tighten around him and he sighed. They hadn't really ever gotten to dance.
It was depressing that just dancing with the man made Ryan ridiculously happy.
Phillip leaned down and kissed the side of Ryan's throat. “You smell really good,” he whispered.
“Do I?” Ryan leaned into Phillip's lips. “You
feel
really good.”
Phillip chuckled and sighed.
“Good lord y'all stop that. You're making me hot!” Sandy laughed, hugging Kenneth tightly.
Mark and Patrick even joined them.
410
“If'n y'all get naked on this dance floor I'll kill ya both,” Mark warned. “You two have a thing about making out in public.”
“Public indecency laws are in effect, guys, but keep on doing that. Tory likes it.”
Alexander offered. “It will make getting laid tonight so much easier.” He let out a breath when his wife hit him on the arm.
Ryan laughed and pulled Phillip tighter. “Don't look! I'm gonna kiss him.” He leaned up and kissed Phillip softly. Yeah, things were progressing slowly but Ryan was pleased - really pleased with the results. At least until he saw Phillip in his dress blues and decided that they were moving too damn slow.
The song ended and something faster came on. All the couples left and went to get another drink. Phillip and Ryan were both sporting rosy cheeks. Patrick's nose was rosy as well. They leaned back in their chairs and sighed happily.
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“Ya know this may be our last get-together...before the going 'way party,”
Patrick said. He lifted his drink and toasted the men at the table. “Dude!” He scrambled up and ran to the front.
A few minutes later they saw him jump onto the stage holding a microphone.
“Alright..Alright. Everyone get ya cup'o'grog. It's time for a sing-a-long.” He looked toward the others and motioned them forward. “Ryan, Mark, Phillip..Alexander, get up here!”