Authors: Crystal Rose
That morning Ryan was awakened with gentle kisses. Phillip peppered his face and his neck with them. A long, hard thigh wedged itself between his. An already-hard cock pushed against his own rapidly-filling one.
“Mornin’,” Ryan drawled.
“Morning,” Phillip said lazily. “Rise and shine.” He murmured, “I just realized something.”
“Waz that?” Ryan asked.
“We've never tried ‘slow’.”
Phillip proceeded to show Ryan he could do slow and easy very nicely.
***
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Phillip dropped Ryan off at his apartment later that afternoon. When Ryan pushed the door open the first thing he saw leaning against the wall was a two-by-four with a bright red ribbon decorating it.
“Kenny, you asshole!” he called, and was answered with a very manly chuckle and a definite womanly giggle.
***
A few days later Ryan got the surprise of his life. Phillip asked him to come over for a BBQ. Ryan was nervous because first off, he knew Sandy and Katie would be there. And secondly he was being introduced as ‘the boyfriend’. He wore his best jeans and a casual shirt that Phillip had bought for him. It was another of those ‘Cav’ shirts that Phillip seemed to be so fond of.
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When he rang the doorbell he expected Phillip to open it. Instead it was a girl around his age.
“Oh my God! You must be Ryan. Sandy said you were hot but wow. My brother has all the luck.” She sighed. “I'm Meghan, by the way. Come on in!” She opened the door and Ryan was surprised to hear not just Phillip's voice but several he didn't recognize.
“Um, nice to meet you, Meghan,” he muttered, walking in.
“He didn't tell you it was a family BBQ, did he? He doesn't tell people crap.”
“Meghan! Don't scare the poor man. Come on in, Ryan!” came another soft voice that wasn't Sandy's.
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“Isn't he hot, Meg? I swear you should have seen him before. He was really twinky but now all of a sudden he's freaking hot! Ow! Phillip, I'm gonna tell your momma on you!” Sandy called from the living room.
Phillip came out of the living room, smiling at Ryan. He flipped his sister's nose and then laid a soft kiss on Ryan's lips. “Welcome to my madness,” he whispered, chuckling at the dumbfounded look on his lover's face. “Meg, meet Ryan. Ryan, this is my incredibly bratty sister.”
Meg stuck her tongue out at Phillip and smiled at Ryan. “Don't listen to him.
He's a dork.”
Phillip slipped an arm around Ryan's shoulders and led him into the living room. “Momma, Daddy, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Ryan. Ryan, this is Sherri and Gerry, my parents.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Grabowski,” Ryan said, clearing his throat.
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“Pfft, call me Sherri!” the older woman said. She had the same killer smile as her son and daughter.
“Polite. I like that,” Gerry said with a grin.
Shit! He was so screwed. Ryan blinked and tried to smile but was still not quite there. The brother was Jeff.
“So this is the guy that had you all flustered for so long? Hell, as a straight married man I'm impressed. Very nice, baby brother.”
Ryan actually blushed. He looked at Phillip, who grinned.
“Hot, isn't he?”
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“Ryan!” Katie came running in and enveloped Ryan in a hug. “Daddy said you were gonna take me to see John Cena ‘cause he and Momma couldn't handle it. Are you?”
“Yup. Next Saturday right?” Ryan said, hugging the girl back.
“You rock...Really!” Katie squealed and hugged him harder. “You'll see. John Cena is like hot...Hotter than my dad.”
“Hey now! He's mine and you make sure that steroid freak knows it!” Phillip said, glaring at his daughter and then grinning. “We'll be right back!” He pulled Ryan into his bedroom and blinked sheepishly at him.
“Family BBQ? Dude! You set me up!” Ryan bitched.
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“I did but I had to do something. Everyone was starting to think you were a figment of my imagination. Well, except Sandy, but she was swearing she never saw you either. So I had to do something!” Phillip laughed when Ryan scowled at him. “I'll make it up to you...like tonight...after everyone goes home.”
Ryan pretended to think about it and then slowly grinned. “Oh, you'll make it up to me alright.” He leaned up and kissed Phillip. They didn't waste any time in tasting each other's mouths. They were clawing at clothes when they heard a loud bang on the door.
“None of that stuff, you two. Not until we are all gone!” came Sherri’s voice.
Ryan blushed yet again, causing Phillip to laugh.
“Oh baby, they are gonna love you.” Phillip moved out of the way before Ryan could hit him.
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***
Surprisingly Ryan did enjoy himself. He had already been accepted into the Grabowski family without having ever met them. Sherri demanded he call her ‘Momma Sherri’. She made his plate and would have cut up his meat if he hadn't stopped her.
Meg had decided that they were gonna be great friends. He felt the urge to remind her that he was gay, that he was not a girl. But thankfully Phillip did that duty.
Jeff decided they could like him even given his bad taste in football teams, mainly because Ryan was the only one he knew who could put up with his brother without wanting to kill someone. Ryan argued that point strongly because sometimes being with Phillip did make Ryan want to kill someone. But only those who interrupted them, a truth which Sandy pointed out to the whole family.
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Gerry laughed his ass off while Phillip told them all basic training stories. Ryan just shrugged them off. He wasn't that kid anymore and hell, he had to admit a lot of them were funny as hell.
Sherri happened to be a picture taker. She also seemed to think that Ryan deserved a spot in every family picture she took, plus several pictures of just Phillip and him. She promised to email him all of the pictures. He promised to write her and the family while he was in Iraq.
Before they left Sherri cornered him in the kitchen.
“You know, PHIL doesn't talk about the men he's dated before. You're the first one he's talked about.” She smiled. “I knew you were special. Sandy said he introduced you to Katie and that’s how we all knew you were the one.”
Ryan blinked. He hadn't thought about it. He didn't think Phillip's feelings were up for discussing, and well, they might be gay but they still were male enough that 437
they didn't talk about their feelings. He knew his feelings for the man. He was falling for Phillip Grabowski and being around the man's family wasn't stopping those feelings from getting stronger.
“I just wanted you to know that you're family now, Ryan. You ever need anything or need someone to whip that son of mine into shape, you call.” She grinned at him and surprised him by giving him their home number and cell phone number.
She hugged him tightly. “Welcome to the family.”
***
After they left Ryan sat on Phillip's couch. “Your family is great,” he whispered.
“My mother thinks you're the ‘cat's meow’. She told me that if we break up they may keep you instead.”
Ryan laughed. “I think I'll keep them...and you, if you don't mind.”
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“I was so hoping you would say that.” Phillip grinned and slid down beside him.
“So I owe you.”
Ryan blinked and looked up at Phillip almost shyly. “I think maybe I owe you.”
They both lost their grins and talking became useless. Their mouths had other things to do besides talk.
***
The weeks flew by. Brendon had called just about every day, talking for hours to all of them. They all knew it was coming. Deployment was never easy. It was nearly August and they were all sitting in the ‘FUBAR’ before it opened to the public for the day.
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Ryan was thankful that Phillip would be going with him. He hated that Patrick would be somewhere else, but he knew the smaller man's unit. He felt good about them.
Sandy, Mark and Kenneth were antsy about the whole deal. It was hard for them to watch their buddies and lovers leave. But they could do it.
“Dude! I'll be okay. I haven't had an episode in a while,” Kenneth said, holding up his hand. “Besides, I have Sandy and Mark to keep me grounded.”
“Still…” Ryan complained. “Promise you'll keep going to the meetings.”
“Promise,” Kenneth said, sighing. “Brendon wanted to come see y'all off but he can't get away.”
“Yeah; figured,” Phillip said. He was sitting in a booth with Ryan tight against him.
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Sandy sat on Kenneth's lap and watched two of her three favorite men in the world talk. “I expect letters,” she said. “And don't worry. Katie and I will keep Kenneth too busy to worry.” She smiled at her daughter.
“Daddy, will you send me letters so I can put them in my scrapbook?” Katie asked.
“Of course, sweetness,” Phillip said reassuringly.
“You too, Ryan,” Katie said. She had accepted Ryan before anyone told her that her dad was dating the other man. It was perfect for her. She adored both Kenneth and Ryan so. Adding them to her odd little family was easy.
“Of course, Miss Katie,” Ryan said with a grin.
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Patrick came over and pulled a chair up. “I'm leaving in two days,” he said bluntly.
“Two days? When did you hear?”
“This morning.” Patrick was grim. Mark came in behind him. The older man was used to deployments but that didn't make it any easier to say good-bye.
“You two have everything packed?” Mark asked.
“Yeah. We went over it the other day. It rocks having a former Drill Sergeant as a boyfriend.”
Phillip laughed and nipped at Ryan's neck.
“OH MY GOD!! Daddddddddyyyyy you're soooo gross!” Katie made sounds that sounded like gagging.
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“Stow it, brat,” Phillip said, laughing. They all sat in silence for a long time -
each contemplating their up and coming deployments.
Three days later Patrick was in Kuwait. A week after that Phillip, Ryan and Alexander had their boots on the ground.
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Mark,
22Aug2006
We'll I'm in country. I heard Ryan and the others have gotten to Kuwait. I think this place has gotten worse from my last deployment. Damn, I miss you like hell. Being away makes me realize how much I love you. I think you're right. We should get married.
Patrick.
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***
Patrick,
22Aug2006
You decide this while you’re over in the sandbox? You have piss poor timing, asshole. And you're pretty fucking lucky I love you as much as I do.
Mark
PS. How about R & R?
***
Patrick and Mark,
24Aug2006
You two are so much like girls it's scary. Anyways Sandy said y'all were gonna get married on R & R congrats. But, quick question who's wearing the dress?
Phillip
***
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Phillip,
24Aug2006
You are. We're gonna wait until you can be our Maid-of-honor. Too bad you're not a virgin then you could really be the 'maid'. Ryan will have the matching cummerbund. I have a beautiful chiffon dress already picked out. It's baby blue and has flowers. You'll love it. If you want I can change the color to pink...
Mark
PS How's Ryan? No one has heard from him.
***
Patrick,
27Aug2006
Dude, getting married? Seriously? WTF. We're never suppose to get married it's too...damn. I was thinking Ryan and Phillip were gonna do it. I thought the reason they were sexual frustrating themselves was so they could save themselves until they were married. Ahh, well. I'm happy for ya. Hell, y'all been together for what? Five years, going on Six?
Brendon
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***
Brendon
28Aug2006
Yeah, getting married. Dude, you don't hang with them. If they hadn't finally had sex I was going to ‘roofie’ them and make sure they did have sex. Phillip is a fucking cranky bastard when he's not getting laid. Six years. I love the man. He wanted to get married sooner but I didn't want to ruin what we have...Now I wish I married him as soon as I got out of AIT.
Patrick
***
Kenneth,
01Sept2006
Sandy said you had a bad day yesterday. They happen. Did you get a hold of Fred? Remember all of our bad days are just dust on the wind, man. It's tomorrow that's going to be the bitch. Make sure you call Fred if you haven't gotten a hold of him yet. If 447
he's not around have Sandy let you into my house. There is a Rolodex with Bob Beaver's phone number, call him. Tell him Phil sent you to him. He runs a home for Vets who have issues dealing with society. Keep your chin up.
Phillip
***
Phillip
02Sept2006
Dude! Beaver? Seriously? That man scared the shit out of me at reception. Next thing you're gonna have me do is call Roach. Beaver made me cry...Wait now that I think about it, hell you and King liked to make me cry...Tell me why I am your friend again?
Kenneth
***
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Kenneth,
02Sept2006
You’re his buddy because he's fucking me.
Ryan
***
Ryan,
03Sept2006
WTF? No one has heard from you in weeks and when we do it's to tell Kenny that 's Phillip's buddy because Phillip is fucking you? Have you lost your mind? Too much sand get in your ears? Dumbass. You're not allowed to do that shit. You have family now! I better get a long letter saying how much you love us and how you won't ever do that shit again.
Sandy
PS Kenneth says he loves you too!
***
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Sandy,
04Sept2006
You tell him baby! I tried to make him email ya but he said 'Why should I, she can't do nothing to me.” I kid you not. You should totally kick his ass when we get home.
Phil
***
Phillip, Sandy, Kenneth, Brendon, Patrick, Mark
05Sept2006
I AM HERE NOW. EVERYTHING IS COOL. IF YOU HEAR FROM
PHILLIP THEN YOU KNOW I AM PERFECTLY SAFE JUST BUSY. I
LOOOOOOOOOVE YOU ALL.
Ryan.
PS Happy now?
***