6 comments/ 36121 views/ 21 favorites Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 01 By: Evil Alpaca Disclaimer: The characters in this story are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The following story involves graphic descriptions of sexual encounters. If such things offend you, please read no further. For everyone else, I hope you enjoy the story. And this is my first pure m/m story, so feedback is encouraged. This is also an advanced warning for my normal readers. Enjoy! ------------------------ -------------------- "Hmm. Feels sweet. Been practicing?" It actually felt pretty good. Louis wasn't lying about that part. Of course, he'd had better blowjobs in his illustrious career, but some of the young bucks needed a bit of encouragement from time to time. This one, a young man named Brad who played baseball for the college team, had been showing an increased proficiency in his cock-smoking. Brad was an all-American boy with almost stereotypical white-bread good looks. Louis had gone for that type quite a bit recently, and he thought this one was particularly cute. They had met on the fifth floor of the Edding's Hall Library, as was Louis's standard method of operation. Louis was, without any shadow of a doubt, the homosexual alpha male at the large coastal university he attended. Hell, he was probably one of the dominant males of any sexual orientation. He was six feet, two inches tall of erection-inducing perfection. He had long, luxurious brown hair that reached the middle of his back, framing his stern face, green eyes and an immaculately groomed goatee. He almost always dressed all in black. Not because he was making a statement, but rather because he thought it looked cool. Like many young gay men, he had an affinity for working out, and he wasn't lacking in the muscle department. He had an air of confidence about him, which was probably justified. He was confident because he knew exactly what he was capable of. When people met Louis, they invariably wound up with one of two images for him. They thought he resembled the classic paintings of Christ, or they thought he was the living embodiment of the Devil. Both could be accurate depictions, depending on Louis's mood. His brief reverie was broken by the sound of gagging. Brad had succeeded in taking most of Louis's eight inches down his throat, and Louis appreciated the effort. He placed one hand on his charge's head and started setting his own pace. All Brad had to do was relax his mouth and throat. 'Damn the boy's mouth is hot,' he thought. The blonde athlete had been sucking his cock for about ten minutes, surrounded by books on theology. Louis found the setting strangely poetic. "Where do you want it?" he whispered. "In the mouth or all over your face?" Brad didn't even think about it. He kept the head of Louis's cock in between his lips and began stroking the shaft. 'Not to quick or hard,' thought Louis. 'The boy is learning. He may be entitled to something special next time.' About then, a soft groan escaped the dark-haired young man's lips as a torrent of cum blasted into Brad's mouth, filling it to the crest. "Don't swallow yet," he warned. It took a few moments for his dick to stop pulsing and ejecting fluid. "Now tuck me back in and zip me up before you swallow. Keep your mouth open so I can see." Brad gently maneuvered Louis's impressive tool back into his slacks and closed up the fly, all the while keeping his open mouth pointed skyward. Louis wasn't sure why, but he had always found the sight of an attractive man's mouth filled with jizz to be somewhat beautiful. "Okay, go ahead." It took a couple of gulps, but Brad sucked down the entire load. "Fuck that was good." "I'll say. You've gotten pretty damn good at that." "Good enough to warrant being on the receiving end?" Louis smiled. "Don't get smug. You're not THAT cute," he said. Despite the description of him so far, Louis was actually fairly well liked. He was confident, but never quite crossed the line into arrogant. He never lied to the guys he was with and actually treated (most of) them with respect. He just liked sex with no commitments. Anyone who understood that, and passed the hotness test, was okay in his book. "Got a game this weekend?" "Yep," said Brad, wiping white residue from the corners of his mouth. "We're playing against State." "How's the pitching match-up looking?" "I wouldn't bet against us. Gonna be there?" "Sorry. I promised to spend time with Katie this weekend. Maybe next home game though." "Shit. So," Brad said, glancing away, "when do you think you might be available again?" Louis was still smiling. He had the boy hooked, but he'd better remind him of the rules. "I'll be available when I'm available. Don't go getting a crush on me." He did give the man a friendly hug, feeling the tightness of Brad's jeans. He caressed Brad's crotch once lightly with his hand and felt the boy's entire body tingle. "And you might want to go home and take care of that." He could tell that Brad would probably give anything for that touch to linger, but sometimes you had to make them wait. This was part of the game Louis loved to play. Then he heard the sound of book covers sliding against one another close by. Brad looked alarmed, but Louis knew what this was. He heard footsteps moving rapidly away, but the acoustics of the building made identifying the direction almost impossible. "Don't worry. I think I know who that was, and he won't say a thing if he saw anything." He ushered a still worried looking Brad off down the aisle before leaving himself in the other. "Who the hell is that guy?" he muttered to himself as he wandered the dimly lit pathways between the stacks. Despite his claims to Brad, Louis had no clue as to the exact identity of the voyeur. It wasn't the first time he had been spied on in the library. It seemed that every time he brought one of his boy-toys up here that he wasn't alone. A brief look at a gray coat or pull-down wool cap her and there had been enough to convince him it was the same person each time. But whoever it was had apparently decided not to "out" any of the young men who had made their way to that corner of the library in Louis's company, so Louis wasn't too concerned. Maybe whoever it was just liked to watch. "Still . . ." he said, " . . . I would like to have word with my mysterious phantom." He descended the stairs and slunk out past the information desk and through the front doors. The night air held the scent of rain and was crisply cold. He loved nights like that. He tossed one end of his scarf back over his shoulder and headed to his car. He had one of those sweet sports cars that psychologists would claim was compensation for something. He peeled out of the parking lot and headed for the apartment that he shared with his younger sister. Some people might think that living with a younger sibling while at college might cramp his style. It did, but he didn't care. He adored his baby sister. Katie was in many ways his opposite. She was almost diminutive in stature, was fairly reserved in her dating habits and preferred long, romantic relationships to casual sex. Sometimes Louis wondered if she was adopted. She was sitting on their luxurious leather sofa when he walked through the door. The entire apartment was furnished and paid for by their parents, both of whom were corporate executives. Their mother headed one of the few remaining telecom companies that hadn't gotten caught up in accounting scandals and their father was the CEO of a pharmaceutical corporation. Both of their children had grown up in the world of corporate politics. Unlike some people, Louis had developed a genuine taste for it regardless of the wishes of his parents. He loved the intrigue and the mind games associated with big business. Katie, on the other hand, had little interest in such things. It was her goal in life to become a teacher, and Louis knew that she would be great at it. She had genuine concern for other people, even those she hardly knew. He might tease her outrageously, but she knew she had her brother's support. "Off on another conquest?" she said glibly, putting down her book. "You know, never mind . . . I don't want to know." "Are you sure? I could go into it in detail." "That's quite all right." He plopped down next to her and lay his head in her lap, causing her to almost instinctively start playing with his hair, like she had done since they were kids. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked. He sighed. "The phantom was there again tonight." She smiled. This ghost of a human being had been haunting his thoughts for months. His exploits had actually showed signs of slowing recently. He didn't like not being in control of things. "Your own secret admirer. How sweet." "Or my own private stalker. Do me a favor sweet? Take your boyfriend . . . John is it? . . . Take him to the library, take him for a spin and see if anyone's watching you . . . Ouch!" The last part came when his younger sister grabbed his nose and pulled on it. "My sex life is not to be used as part of one of your schemes. And you know perfectly well that his name is Robert. We've been seeing each other for six months." "I could have sworn his name was . . ." "Robert," she interrupted. "Robert." He grinned at her. Actually, he had known that. And despite his tendency to make the young man incredibly uncomfortable, Louis like his sister's boyfriend. He was a decent sort; the kind that held the door open for her and stood up when she left the table. If he had been anything BUT decent, Louis was more than capable of running him off. He had done it before. "Fine," he muttered with a faked sense of irritability. "I'll draw him out myself. I just need to find some young buck . . ." "What about Stan?" his sister interjected, causing him to smile even wider. Katie absolutely LOVED Stan, the dark-skinned beauty of Jamaican heritage who was also the student body president. Stan and Louis had hooked up a couple of times as friends over the last few years. Neither had been looking for a relationship and any attempt to form one would have ended in disaster. Both men had fairly dominant personalities, making such extended relationships impossible. But Stan was the quintessential gentleman, and he had charmed Louis's sister every which way but loose. Louis knew that she had her little dreams of he and Stan becoming an item, but she also knew in her heart that it wasn't going to happen. "No, not Stan. Though I wouldn't mind taking a ride . . ." "Ahem!" " . . . in his car. You have a dirty mind. Did you know that? Anyhow, he's been banging some freshman up at the registrar's office for a month now. Sorry sweets." Katie sighed. "I haven't given up hope on you, you know. I still think you might be happier if you find just one guy . . ." "I know what you think dear. That's not what I'm interested in right now. Maybe someday, but I have every intention of enjoying my 'misspent youth.' But I always believe in keeping my options open." "Your options and your bedroom door," Katie said with a smirked. "Speaking of bedrooms, it's late and I'm going to bed." "Why? Do you have a class in being an 'old biddy' tomorrow?" Louis should have known better than to push his luck with his sister as she proceeded to roll him off the sofa and unceremoniously onto the floor. They were both laughing as she stepped over him and headed to her room. Louis lay on the floor for a bit longer, his thoughts returned to the mysterious entity at the library. "I guess if you want something done right . . ." he started before wandering off the bed himself. --------------- -------------- The next day . . . --------------- -------------- Although he intended to keep his promise and spend time with his sister, Louis felt a burning desire to start his search for the mysterious person from the library. He left a note for Katie that he would meet her at the corner deli for lunch before heading off to the library. Whoever it was that was watching him had to spend a lot of time at the library, so someone who worked there must know who he (Louis assumed it was a 'he') was. There was a pretty young woman with thick glasses standing at the counter when he arrived. She must have drawn the short straw when they doled out hours that week to be working on Saturday morning. "Hi," he said as he approached. She looked up and flushed a little. He had that effect on people. He broke out his smooth-operator voice to speed things along. "I was wondering if you could help me with something," he practically purred. "I'll do what I can," she stammered. "I found this on the fifth floor last night but there's no identification in it," he said holding up a wallet. "I thought I saw the guy who dropped it, but he disappeared before I could return it to him. I think I've seen him in her before, dressed in gray with a stocking cap . . ." "Oh, that's Johan," the girl explained. Louis blinked at her. This was much easier than he expected. "Johan?" he said, regaining his voice. "Yeah. Johan Smythe. He practically lives here. I think he's read everything in the library at one point or another. He's got to read them here because he never checks anything out." Her eyes shot open. "I probably shouldn't be discussing personal information with you. Please don't tell anyone?" She looked genuinely concerned. He didn't think it would help to point out that she hadn't really given out anything exactly top-secret. "Don't worry," he said, grabbing her hand and giving it a quick kiss. That got her blushing again. "But could you tell me if he's here? This is a big library after all, and I'd hate to go searching for him if he isn't here." "I haven't seen him yet, but that doesn't mean anything. He usually sneaks in without anyone noticing. We just catch glimpses of him all day. Sometimes I think he's just a ghost haunting the place." She giggled at her own attempt at humor. "Well, do you have any way I could get a hold of him? An address or a phone number?" "I'm sorry," she said with genuine sincerity. "I can't give out that sort of information. If you'd like to leave it here . . ." "I'd like to make sure it's his first. If he comes looking for it, give him my number." Louis wrote the number down, knowing the guy would never call. Why should he? It was Louis's wallet. "Well, I gotta go. Got a hot day with a nice young man from Texas," he said, mostly so she didn't think of using that number for her own purposes. She had actually been really nice, and he didn't want to lead her on. "Okay. I'll ask him if I see him," she said, glancing at her shoes. "Thanks again," he said. "You've been an angel." Then he left to have lunch with his sister. ------------------ ----------------- Later that afternoon . . . ------------------ ----------------- After a satisfying lunch, Louis and Katie were sitting on the second floor of their favorite mall, staring down at people on the first floor. The siblings had a game they liked to play where one would pick a person out of the crowd while the other would have to invent the story of the target's life. The tales got more and more outrageous the longer they played. Louis had been the last to choose, and had spotted a woman in her fifties with a beehive hairdo coming out of an Everything's-A-Dollar store. Katie was elaborating on the unfortunate set of circumstances leading up to the individual's sex-change operation when she realized that her brother was just staring off into space. "Louis?" She waved her hand in front of his face, bringing him back into reality. "I had to listen to you drone on about the secret agent with a superfluous third nipple, so you could at least pay attention to my story." "Sorry. It was a delightful story I'm sure." "Darn you. Now we'll never find out how she got over her fear of green-colored jello." She squinted her eyes. "Seeing as you have the attention span of gnat, whatever it is that's bothering you has to be something recent." She acted like she was staring really hard into his head. "And since you have the morals of an alley cat, it can't be romantic in nature. That must mean you're still obsessing over your stalker." "How DO you do that?" "I've known you my whole life. It's a sister's prerogative." "I just don't like being spied on, that's all. It's disconcerting." "Then maybe, just maybe . . . you should stop having your 'adventures' in a public building for the entire world to see." He glanced sideways at her. "You are absolutely no fun." "Fine," she said, throwing up her hands. "But don't come crying to me when he turns out to be a raving sociopath and shows up wanting to show you the human finger he keeps locked in plastic bag." "No wonder you always win our game. You know, you have a sick imagination for a prude." "Prude? No . . . I'm not going to get into this conversation with you." She placed a finger against her lips while looking thoughtful. "By the way, would you mind making yourself scarce tonight? At least until midnight? Robert is coming over and I was hoping to have some snuggle time, and you make him nervous." "Did you say 'snuggle time?' Is that what they call it these days?" "You be quiet. And while I may be a prude by your low standards, I do have . . ." "No, don't say it. I'd like to think you'll remain innocent forever, if for no other reason than to provide cosmic balance for me. And if I actually feel that someone is taking liberties with my darling sister, I might be forced to take drastic action." "Fine! Just remain gone until at least midnight. I was going to make him dinner, watch a movie and then . . ." she said, leaning in close, " . . . he and I might get 'innocent' together. At least twice." Louis responded my maturely sticking his fingers in his ears and repeating "La la la la!" at the top of his voice. Katie rolled her eyes. "I thought you wanted to spend time this weekend. I actually canceled plans . . ." "I do. I thought we might go to the movies tomorrow. But I don't want my big brother hanging around the ENTIRE time. It cramps my style." ---------------- ------------------ Later that evening . . . ---------------- ------------------ Louis found himself sitting in the glaring lights of the university baseball park watching the home team demolish the visitors by a score of ten to one in the bottom of the eighth. He was enjoying his diet-soda and devouring a foot-long hotdog. Brad was out in left field looking bored. The boy seemed so much perkier when he had something in his mouth. Suddenly, someone sat next to him. It was a very tall, dark and handsome young man. "Hey Louis." "Stan! I thought you'd be out tonight. What brings you here?" "I like watching young men swing big sticks. What can I say?" "Actually," Louis said thoughtfully, "I was meaning to call you." "Why? Your sister still hoping we'll hook up and she finally talked you into trying?" Stan's brilliantly white smile flashed for a moment. "She does know what would happen if we ever tried to do that, doesn't she?" "Not yet, but it's fun to watch her try. No, actually I was wondering if you could get your friend to do something for me." "Like what? Crawl around on all fours and bark like a dog? If you want to see that, drop by my apartment after the game." "And to think my sister thinks I'm a pig and that you hung the moon. Seriously though, I was hoping you could get your current boy-toy to look up some personal information on a student for me." Stan looked concerned. "I'd rather not. That could get him in some trouble." "What?" asked Louis with a grin. "Don't tell me you're falling for the guy?" Stan sighed and shook his head. "Just because I don't want to screw him over, in a bad way, doesn't mean I've gone soft." Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 01 "I know. But you know how I told you about that guy I think watches me in the library? I think I've got his name and I'd like to get a hold of him. I won't tell anyone where the information came from and I'm not planning on hurting the guy. I just want to know his story, that's all." Stan looked his friend over. Louis was a lot of things, but mostly he was a stand up guy, particularly with the people he called his friends. "I'll ask Richard if he wouldn't mind." "I'd appreciate it. I just want addresses and phone numbers. No social security numbers or anything like that. And you're dating a guy named Richard? How Ivy League is that?" Stan grinned again. "Not another word." About then, the game was ending. Louis wrote down the name that he wanted investigated and then the two exchanged a handshake before going their separate ways. Louis went and hung out close to the dugout as other people were filing out. He managed to catch Brad's attention, and the young man's eyes widened like saucers. Louis glanced meaningfully in the direction of the library. It would only be open for another hour, but they might just be able to squeeze things in. ---------------- ----------------- Half an hour later . . . ---------------- ----------------- "Oh Jesus," Brad muttered. The young man had rushed out of the post-game celebration and bee-lined his way to the library while still in uniform. Normally, Louis waited for people . . . he didn't look for them. If he came looking, it meant someone was in for a treat. Currently, Louis was nibbling on Brad's earlobe while massing the baseball player's bat through his uniform. Rather than getting busy out in the stacks, Louis had drawn the young man into the fifth floor bathroom. They were less likely to be disturbed and it would be harder for Louis's stalked to spy on them. "I . . . I thought you said you weren't going to be . . . oh shit . . .available." "Are you complaining?" Louis asked, moving his lips down the young man's neck while pushing his groin against Brad's. "God no!" "Then shut up and pull your pants down." Brad did as commanded, sitting on the counter with a sizeable erection straining against his jockstrap. Louis peeled the strap down, revealing a beautiful, uncut seven-inch cock. Louis took it in his hand with a feather-soft grip, stroking it a few times. Brad was in heaven. He wasn't sure why this man, who was one the most sought after men on campus, had accelerated his normal schedule, but Brad wasn't going to turn this opportunity down. Louis wasn't sure why he had moved things forward either. He thought that maybe the thrill of hunting down Mr. Johan Smythe was what had gotten him going. But regardless of the reason, Louis was horny. After a few more tugs, his mouth engulfed the head of Brad's cock. His tongue snuck under the foreskin, circled once, then Louis stuffed more of the shaft into his throat. "Oh God! That feels so fuckin' good," Brad whispered. Louis's velvet like throat had managed to accommodate his young lover's entire member. He cupped Brad's balls gently, rolling them in his hand with the greatest of care. Louis had perfected this particular art, and Brad was going to be the grateful recipient of years of training. The sound of slurping and light moans filled the restroom, reverberating against the tacky off-white tile. Louis loved the feeling of velvety skin passing between his lips, leaving the sweet taste of pre-cum on every pass. He pulled off of Brad's cock long enough to wet one of his own fingers in his mouth. Then as her returned to sucking the athlete's root, he inserted a finger into Brad's rectum. He was massing that warm cavity, searching for his prostate hot spot. Once he found it (judging by the pleasurable jump it caused in Brad), he slid another finger in. Brad's dick was as hard as steel in Louis's mouth, and it seemed to be getting even stiffer as Louis explored the young man's anus. 'Good,' he thought. 'That means he's more likely to be receptive to what I have planned.' He spent a few more minutes getting Brad ready, taking the whole length down his throat before withdrawing. He took his time on the upstroke, cradling the soft underside of the boy's cock with his tongue the entire way. He inhaled in one more time and then started to hum. "Oh fuck me!" Brad said, probably rhetorically. "If you insist." Louis stood up and Brad's eyes went wide again. "Unzip me." The blonde young man did as asked, fumbling nervously with the zipper. He managed to get it undone and reached in, grasping Louis's rod within the confines of his slacks. Louis nibbled on his neck again. "That feels good. Keep that up for a moment. You're hands were made to be wrapped around a stick. No wonder you're a good ball player. Now pull it out." The young man pulled Louis's member out through the fly. "Now reach into my left pocket and pull out what's inside." Brad again did as asked, and retrieved the lubricated condom that resided there. "Take it out of the package and slide it on." Brad struggled for a moment trying to stretch to rubber over Louis's massive cock, but he managed eventually. "Now it's going to taste a little weird, but I want you to suck on in now. You need to get it nice and slick for what's coming next." Brad was obviously nervous but showed no sign of backing down. He took as much of Louis's latex-clad dick into his mouth as he good, making it more slick. The small amount of lubricant that came on those condoms was insufficient by itself to avert major discomfort, so Louis encouraged his lover to take his time. Soon, Louis was ready to go. "Stand up, turn around and grab some counter," he said. Brad did just that. Louis positioned the head of his cock at Brad's backdoor. "Say it. Say what you want me to do right now." Brad looked around, his face carrying a mixture of apprehension and blind lust. "Stick it in me. Fuck my ass. Please." Louis was pleased. He could see Brad's hands start to tremble as Louis pushed the mushroom-like head of his member into Brad's tight little hole. Brad wasn't exactly a virgin, but Louis was apparently a bit thicker than the young man's previous experiences. The initial going was incredibly slow, as the ballplayer's ass was tight beyond reason. Louis leaned in and started whispering to the nervous young man. "Just relax. I know it hurts at first, but do you know how good it's going to feel?" Louis ran his hands up under Brad's shirt and pinched his nipples, making him jump a bit. "It's going to feel so good. You're going to feel like my little fuck-bunny. You want that don't you?" Brad was panting for breath but still managed to grunt his assent. "Yeah, you like that idea. You'd probably like to be everyone's friend, wouldn't you? Do you fantasize about all those studs on your team? Do you dream about them cornering you in the shower and feeding you their dicks?" Brad had closed his eyes and moaned slightly. 'Oh yeah,' thought Louis, 'I'm on to you.' "Do you wish you could have some of them sticking their big hard cocks in your throat while the rest pounded your tight little ass?" Louis was privy to a number of Brad's fantasies. He enjoyed listening to the innermost sexual desires of all of his boys. It was as cathartic for the boys as it was for Louis. Sometimes hearing that sort of thing out loud made it less a "dirty little secret" and more of a real possibility. He knew Brad had his little gang-bang fantasy, and Louis was using it to keep his lover in the mood. Finally, the young man's sphincter relaxed enough for the head of Louis's cock could work its way inside. Then another inch slid in . . . then another. "Oh fuck," whispered Brad in a sexual haze as his ass began relaxing. Louis watched has the boy's hands got steadier and his skin flushed red with excitement and anticipation. He was ready to take what Louis had to offer, so Louis started giving it to him. Slow at first, sliding all the way in from head to root. On his first few passes, he would stop when he was all the way buried. He would wait until Brad got impatient. "Fuck me. Damn it, just fuck me!" Louis would smile and then do it again; out, in and wait. Finally he got tired and started fucking with a nice and steady rhythm, and the sound of skin slapping skin started bouncing off the bathroom walls. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck," muttered Brad. Louis wrapped his arms around the young man's torso, with one hand going to play with his chest while the other grasped Brad's rock-hard shaft. Louis pumped away for ten minutes or so. Every time Brad got close to release, Louis would slow the tempo and squeeze the base of Brad's cock. Then he would pick up again. Finally, they heard an announcement over the intercom that the library would be closing in a few minutes. Louis decided it was time for the game to end. As he increasing his rate of fucking, savoring the greedy grip of his young stud's ass, he started stroking Brad's flesh pole just as rapidly. "Fuck, I'm gonna cum," whispered Brad. Louis stopped playing with the boy's nipples long enough to cup that hand and place it directly in front the now-purple head of Brad's member. The young man lost his load, spurting a tremendous amount of white stuff into Louis's hand. Louis stayed buried in Brad's ass for this part, as he didn't want to spill a drop. When Brad's cock twitched for the last time and Louis had stroked the last drop of cum from the depths of the boy's balls, Louis lifted his cupped hand to Brad's lips. "C'mon, drink it down. It's good for you," he whispered wickedly. Brad opened his mouth and Louis poured the contents of his hand in. "Now swallow while I fuck you some more." He heard the gulping sound emanate from Brad's throat as he started fucking the young man's ass again. It only took a minute before Louis's cum was filling the inside of the condom. He slowly withdrew from Brad's ass as he stroked the young man's butt cheeks. "That was sweet." "Tell me about it," the young man replied, turning around to help remove the condom from Louis's shrinking but sensitive rod. He tossed the condom in the trash, then leaned over to lick and suck the residue from his partner's cock. Louis moaned gently. The boy had some skill, that was for sure. Then Brad gently inserted that cock back into its hiding place and zipped Louis up before pulling up his own pants and jock strap. Louis gave the young man a quick grab on his muscular ass. "You definitely have improved. Listen, I'm probably going to be out of action for a few weeks. I have some things I need to take care of. I think it's time you made your move on that reporter you keep telling me about." Brad had the hots for one of the sports reporters for the school paper. Unbeknownst to Brad, Louis had checked him out and found he and Brad indeed "played for the same team." Louis smiled at the now blushing Brad. "I'm sure he'll give you a good review." The two young men hurried out of the library, not caring about being seen together at that time. As they emerged from the front doors, Louis looked back. He would almost have sworn that he saw a human form silhouetted by the lights in the lobby before those lights were extinguished for the night. 'Hello, Mr. Johan Smythe,' he thought to himself. 'Pleased to see you again.' ------------------- -------------------- The following Monday . . . ------------------- -------------------- The rest of the weekend was uneventful. He and Katie saw a double feature at the local multi-plex before an extravagantly expensive Italian dinner. But when Monday rolled around, Louis was sitting around the student union checking out the freshmen when he got a call on his cell phone from Stan. Richard had gotten the information Louis had asked for, but there were some oddities. Stan was bringing his boy down to give Louis the information face to face. "Cute," said Louis to himself. "Stan's actually going to introduce me to this guy. They MUST be getting serious, whatever that cock-knocker says." When the two guilty parties arrived, Louis was a little surprised. Richard was a thin man, albeit handsome. He wasn't scrawny, but he just didn't have that athletic look that Stan usually went for. The boy must be packing an elephant's trunk in his trousers to make Stan this serious about him. Richard handed Louis a manila envelope with a trembling hand. Louis smiled at him. "Don't worry. Whatever this rascal has said about me is probably a bold-faced lie." This got Richard to laugh. "Dumbass," was Stan's contribution. "Anyone but me feel like we're playing spies in an old sixty's movie?" Louis opened the packet as the three of them walked outside. "So what's so unusual? There's more stuff here than I really needed." Richard started to look excited. "At first, everything seemed in order. Then I noticed the stuff that wasn't there." "Such as?" "Such as anything except the absolute basic necessities. He's never applied for a parking sticker. He's never checked out a book, which is weird considering where you've seen him. He's never participated in any clubs." "That's weird," said Louis, "but not exactly second-gunman-on-the-grassy-knoll material." "Yeah, but then I just casually checked out some other stuff. Look at his social security number. Yeah, I know you said you didn't want to see it, but it struck me as odd." Louis scanned the page with the personal information. "700-12-3456. The last series is kind of odd, for someone to have sequential numbers like that." "Actually, that wasn't the odd part. I'm a bit of a political history geek, otherwise I might not have picked up on it. What's strange is that first sequence." "What's strange about '700'?" "Nothing. If you're a railroad worker born before 1963. That prefix hasn't been used for more than forty years, and his age is listed as twenty." Louis frowned. "I seriously doubt that I'm being stalked by someone in his forties or fifties. Which means . . ." "Identity fraud. Normally we would only get an error in the system if it were a prefix that had NEVER been used. This guy picked a number that he knew wouldn't set off the system but that he knew no one else would have." "I wonder if any of the rest of this is useful. Well, the transcript will tell me what classes he's taking, and I can check to see if the permanent address is any good." "Nope. Unless you're the president of the United States." "He didn't?!? Yep, '1600 Pennsylvania Ave.' Cute." "Phone number is bogus too. Has a 555 area code. And look at the high school name on his transcript." "You've got to be kidding. 'Hogwarts High School?' The guy's a wizard now?" "Apparently he made his entire history appear out of thin air. I think he was amusing himself. Listen, as bizarre as this stuff is, I can't say anything. Otherwise I'll have to explain why I was looking for it in the first place." "No stress," said Louis. "I just wanted to talk with him. Now, I'm REALLY intrigued." He looked over at Stan. "This one's a keeper," he said, pointing his thumb at Richard. Richard blushed. Stan just shook his head, grinning the entire time. --------------- -------------- A few days later . . . --------------- -------------- Unfortunately for Louis, most of Johan Smythe's classes overlapped with his own. He had to wait until the following Friday until he had an opportunity to lay in wait. Apparently Mr. Smythe was taking an advanced drawing class. 'So, do you consider yourself a Renaissance man?' asked Louis of himself. 'If not, then what kind of man are you? You enjoy art and spying on people fucking in the library. What else do you do?' Louis was sitting on a park bench underneath a tree outside the exit from the art department that was most directly in the path to the library. He was following a hunch that his voyeur would probably take the shortest path from point A to point B. People began pouring out, and Louis found himself realizing that he had overlooked something. All of the art classes were getting out at the same time, and a flood of people came streaming out the door. But Louis kept his eyes open for someone wearing gray, including a stocking cap. Finally, one such person caught his eye. And then that person stared back. The young man was actually quite striking, if a tad effeminate. High cheekbones and pale skin framed eyes that were so dark that their color wasn't discernable from that distance. His body was covered, so all that Louis could tell was that he wasn't particularly bulky. He had an almost white scar running from below one eye to the corner of his lips . . . his incredibly soft, inviting looking lips. As their gazes connected, the young man's eyes opened wide, then quickly shifted away as he kept on walking. Louis debated pursuing him, but he didn't want to rush things. He wanted to make absolutely sure. He wandered into the art building and wandered around. There were a lot of lockers in there for students to keep their supplies in so as to not be dragging them all over campus. He looked around, but not all of them were labeled. "One of those is yours, isn't it Mr. Smythe?" he muttered. "You'd never put something of yourself out there for the world to see." He found the drawing studio, and noticed a sign on the door. He smiled. It was too perfect. The sign said, "Nude models wanted, $25 per one hour session, please contact the Art Department office." "You like to watch?" Louis asked of no one in particular. "I'll let you watch." --------- ----------------------- The following Friday . . . --------- ----------------------- Louis had contacted the Art Department early in the week and expressed interest, though he was only available at certain times. Amazingly, the only class that fit into those times was the advanced drawing class. What a coincidence. The class was already set up with their paper hanging on large, industrial-style easels. He had changed in the professor's office into a robe. He strode into the room with a certain amount of pomp, disrobed and lay where the instructor told him. He glanced around. Most of the students were impressed. A number of young women blushed as they started laying down their charcoal foundations. Louis didn't mind. He had worked hard to make his body something that would inspire that sort of attention. But Louis only had eyes for one person. Johan Smythe had discarded his jacket but still wore his stocking cap. His arms, while not overly muscled, had good definition. He had visibly blanched when the new "model" arrived. Louis knew he had his man. And by another coincidence, he wound up in a pose where he was looking directly at the young man for the entire fifty-minute session. Johan seemed particularly pale the entire time, and his hands trembled a bit. He seemed to be avoiding moving too much, not wanting to come out from behind his drawing. One time he did, and Louis could almost swear that he saw a swelling in the young man's cargo pants. He caught the man's attention, and Louis slowly but casually licked his lips. The man quickly hid back behind his drawing. A few minutes before the end of class, the instructor dismissed Louis while she talked to the class. He hurried back to her office, changed into his normal clothes and hurried back. He waited outside the door for class to be dismissed. By some stroke of luck, the young man in gray was the last to leave. As he emerged from the room, he saw Louis leaning against the wall. The two stared at each other once again. "Pleased to meet you," said Louis softly. "Won't you guess my name?" Louis had always loved the Rolling Stones, and that particular line felt awfully appropriate at the moment. "I . . . I . . .I . . ." stammered the man. "Johan Smythe, I presume?" "How did you know . . . I mean yes." Johan looked incredibly suspicious. Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 01 Louis decided to put another card on the table. "Listen I was wondering if you could help me. What is the quickest way to get to the library from here?" Johan's face turned even paler, which Louis hadn't thought possible. "I need to check out a book on theology. I understand they're on . . ." " . . . the fifth floor," finished Johan. "I think it would be really silly to keep up this game for any length of time. I know who you are, and somehow you know who I am." When he wasn't being shocked, Johan apparently had a hard time meeting Louis's gaze. His voice was gentle but elegant. "Well, I figured that since you spent so much time watching me that I might make it easier on you." Johan blushed. He looked like he wanted to bolt, but was too afraid to try. "I guess," Louis continued, "that I'd like to know why?" "When you see two guys having sex in the library, you tend to notice." "Maybe. Once or twice could just be coincidental." Louis moved a little closer, forcing the young Johan to press himself against the wall. "More than that becomes a little suspicious. My question is, do you like to watch me?" He took another step towards Johan, who was trembling all over. Louis put one hand on either side of the mysterious young man's head and leaned in very close. "Or are you interested in more than watching?" A series of emotions played across Johan's face. First there was a mixture of longing and fear. Then realization set in, though realization of what, Louis couldn't fathom. Then there was plain and simple panic. Johan ducked out of Louis's clutches and literally ran out of the building. Louis strolled out after him. Johan was heading towards the library, right as rain. Louis felt kind of like Pepe Le Pew pursuing some hapless cat with a white stripe painted down its back. "I am on to you, my little wildflower," he said in his worst French accent. He entered the lobby, looking around. Louis began to think that he should have hurried things along, as his quarry was nowhere in sight, and it was a large library to search. Then he thought things over. The young man wouldn't run upward. There was no way to escape if he went upstairs. Young Johan would probably still be on the bottom floor. 'But in which direction?' Louis noticed that the young lady he had spoken to the previous week. He put on his most winning smile and wandered over to her. She looked up from her reading and blushed a little. "Hello. Did you get a chance to talk to Johan about the wallet?" "No," he purred, "but it turns out the wallet belonged to someone else anyway. But I did get to talk to him about some of his artwork, and I was thinking about helping him out by buying one of his drawings." "He draws?" the girl said in wonderment. "Yes. Anyway, I just saw him coming in here and I was hoping to speak with him for a moment. Do you know which way he went?" "Yes," she said shyly. "I think he was heading towards the reference section." "Thank you. Once again, you've been too kind," he said as he wandered off in the direction indicated. When he arrived at the reference area, he didn't see his prey. 'Not surprising,' he thought. 'Mr. Smythe has been hiding for a long time, I'd imagine.' He wandered around, looking for sudden movements but not seeing any. He realized his target had probably gone to ground somewhere. ' . . . gone to ground,' he thought again. The young man had been fairly pale. And what was the best place to avoid the sun? Underground! He looked around for a few minutes. There was no way out of this section that didn't involve heading back out to the lobby. There were several doors that looked like they lead to offices and such. Then something caught his eye. Back in a corner next to some broken microfiche machines that were gathering dust was a door. There was no exit sign above it, but it did have one of those bars across it that was supposed to sound an alarm when the door was opened. Louis stopped to think about the layout of the outside of the building. He didn't remember there being a door on the outside of the building at that location. So if it wasn't an exit, why was there an emergency bar? And where did that door lead. Louis thought he knew the answer. It led to Johan Smythe. "This is so much fun!" he said to himself. He examined the door. Checking out the ceiling, it appeared that there MIGHT have been an exit sign, but it had been carefully removed. "Don't want anyone accidentally stumbling into your hide out, do you? Well, here goes nothing." Louis pushed on the handle. Nothing. No noise whatsoever. There wasn't even a creaking noise as the door swung inward. Louis poked his head through. He found a stairwell leading both up and down. The stairwell going up seemed to lead to a dummy wall after one flight. Leading down, there seemed to be an open door leading directly under the reference section. Louis slowly closed the door and descended the stairs, glancing through the doorway at the bottom. He found himself gazing into a small room. Louis wasn't sure what it had been used for, but it was currently being used as residential quarters. There appeared to be a bathtub/shower against the far wall with a horribly ugly circular shower curtain. There was a small table with a television and microwave on it, and there appeared to be a large number of drawings covering the walls. There was what appeared to be a camping cot against one wall, next to what appeared to be another corridor. Johan Smythe was sitting on that cot, his face in his hands. "I LOVE what you've done with the place," said Louis with a grin as he walked in. He was impressed by Johan's reaction. Up until that point, Louis was under the impression that only domestic housecats could jump that far up in the air from a sitting position, but Johan proved him wrong. If there had been something to grab onto on the ceiling, the young man probably would have grabbed on to it and clung to the roof. "I'm a little curious how you've gotten away with it." Johan Smythe was standing on his creaky cot, looking for all the world like a rabbit cornered by a wolf. He wasn't far off in his assessment. "Please," he practically whispered, "don't tell anyone. I . . . I don't have anywhere else to go." Louis may have been a bit cocky, but he wasn't an evil man. But he was still curious. "Don't worry. As long as you're not up to mischief, I don't see why anyone but me needs to know where you are. Initially, I just wanted to know why you were watching me," he said with a knowing look, causing Johan to avert his gaze and blush slightly. "Now, I'm REALLY curious about you." He glanced over the young man's lithe form, wondering how many cards he wanted to put down on the table. "Listen, I do know some stuff about you, so there's no point lying about the rest." He sat down on the bed next to a still nervous Johan and leaned against the wall. "For instance, I know you lied to the university about your identity, your address, your background . . ." Johan sat down dejectedly next to him. "I figured you had something. Otherwise you wouldn't have shown up at class today. So . . . what do you want." "Tell me how it is you came to be here," Louis say with genuine curiosity. Johan sighed. "Well . . . God, how do I start this? Well, I guess the beginning would work. I take it you've seen my transcript then?" "Yep. 'Hogwarts High School'? That was cute." "I was reading the third book at the time. Well, I never graduated high school. Actually, I never attended high school. I've pretty much been homeless since I was fourteen. My mom ran off after I was born, and my dad lost his job 'cause he showed up drunk all the time. He died of pneumonia about four years ago." Louis suddenly wished he hadn't pressed the issue. He didn't see how this story was going to have a happy ending "But I learned a long time ago that there are certain places you could go if you needed to find a safe place to sleep for the night, and land-grant universities are one of them. Once I was on my own, I actually stayed over at Porter Hall for a while. They never locked most of the classrooms. I was always around, but no one ever noticed me. I saw all these people getting their education and going places. I didn't want to live in alleys and basements for the rest of my life. So I got to know as much as I could about the university. That's when I started spending time at the library. If you don't check books out, no one ever questions you there. I found out that this university did a lot of construction back in the sixties when America was still in the middle of a nuclear scare. There were bomb shelters and tunnels everywhere. When the eighties rolled around , a lot of the openings to the shelters and the tunnels were closed up, but not all of them. I was looking over the old plans of the university right upstairs when I discovered that there was a small shelter right here." Johan looked over at the tunnel next to the bed. "That leads to a bigger room under the student union. From there, you can go almost anywhere on campus without ever seeing daylight. Of course, there are only a few openings that are still . . . well, open. It's weird. When people don't know you're there, they'll say just about anything. I eavesdropped through the air-conditioning ducts over at the registrar's office. I knew what all they needed to admit someone, and I overheard one person who worked there tell someone else what they wanted their new password to be. So when the lights were out, I came out through a sub-basement and into the admissions office. I logged in and created a new 'me.' 'Johan Smythe' had such good grades in high school he got offered a full academic scholarship." Johan's story was cut off as Louis started to laugh. "Oh . . . oh that's rich! Oh man, I'm impressed! That took balls! But how do live down here? And how did you get access in the first place?" Johan looked a little embarrassed. "I saw a guy from the physical plant sleeping underneath a 'Men At Work' sign. The whole thing seemed offensive to me somehow. Anyway, I stole his keys and made copies. I dropped them off somewhere nearby so he would be able to find them and no one would get paranoid and start checking things out. As for paying for all this," he said, waving his arm towards everything in the room, "well, some of it was creatively acquired. I got a hot water heater when they renovated the dorms. Same with the tub. The microwave and table I found outside the room of someone who was graduating and moving away. The television was a throwaway by some dork who got a new flat-screen plasma set. Getting everything hooked up took some time, but I've there's a huge number of 'how-to' books on the third floor. I got another couple of those scholarships no one applies for because no one knows about them, and I use those to pay for the meal plan and art supplies." "So you've learned how to do all this as you went?" Louis was really impressed. "So what's it all for? What do you want to do with your new life?" "You're gonna laugh." "Probably, but that's because I find some strange things amusing." "I . . . I want to be a librarian. No one really looks at them too much, there's a big demand for them and I could be surrounded by books for the rest of my life." Louis was gazing intently at the young man. He was usually pretty good at detecting bullshit, but he didn't sense any of that from Johan. "Wait a minute. You said you created a new 'you.' Johan isn't your real name, is it?" "It is now. It used to be John Smith." That got Louis laughing again. "That's too much! 'John Smith' becomes 'Johan Smythe'?" "Johan sounded cooler. I've even got a social security card." Johan looked down. "Listen, I've got a chance to actually make something of myself. Please don't tell anyone." The look in his eyes was pure fear. Louis closed his eyes and folded his hands across his stomach. "Listen, I like a good mystery, and you certainly qualify. I've got one more question. What's with spying on me?" Johan started trembling again. "I . . . I've been down here a long time. I don't talk to people or . . . see anyone. The first time was just by accident. You were . . . with . . . the class president." "Stan? Oh, that must have been a good show!" "It was," Johan spurted out, maybe a little too excitedly. Then he calmed down again. "You told him, 'Same time next week?' I showed up again the next week, and there you were again. It was so . . ." Johan caught himself saying something that he probably didn't mean to. "Anyway, I sort of discovered your pattern. I check in almost every evening. It's . . . as sick as this sounds, watching you has been the closest thing to a 'relationship' I've every had." Louis opened his eyes and looked at the very frightened young man. "You do realize that eventually you'll have to learn to socialize a bit. I realize you don't want to blow your cover, so to speak, but how do you expect to function in a world you're hiding from." He gave him a sly smile. "I could help you with that. Interested in hanging out above ground some time?" Johan looked hopeful but suspicious. "Why?" "As I said, you intrigue me. And apparently, I intrigue you. You were sporting a decent tent in your pants back at the studio." The young man blushed from head to toe. "I'm so sorry you saw that. I . . . I promise I won't spy on you anymore." "Oh yes you will. I'm actually flattered to have inspired that kind of interest." Louis unzipped his slacks and grabbed Johan's wrist. Johan looked surprised but didn't fight back. "But wouldn't you like to feel what you've only seen before? I'll bet you would." Louis moved Johan's hand towards the zipper and slid his hand inside. Louis was in the process of hardening when Johan wrapped a very soft hand around his member. "Oh that feels good. Isn't this better than watching?" The feeling was pretty incredible, the gentle, tentative strokes of Johan's hand and the feeling of the head of his penis rubbing against the soft material of his slacks. Johan looked captivated. "Go ahead. Let the monster out and give it some air." Johan almost gingerly pulled the entire eight inches out through the hole in Louis's trousers and continued stroking it. Louis had to hand it the young man; he had talented hands. He found himself humping back against Johan's strokes, causing Johan to wrap both hands around the thick shaft as he pumped away. "Does it always feel this hot?" the young man asked. "Only when you're doing it right. But it might be helpful to have a sample for comparison." Louis reached down and traced a finger over the bulge in Johan's pants. He tugged at the zipper with one hand, letting Johan's member pop free. It was about seven inches long and a bit thinner than Louis's, but it was perfectly smooth. It was almost aerodynamic! It was the perfect cock for sliding in someone's backdoor, but Louis doubted he would let things go that far. This time. "Sit next to me and lean back. That's good. Now just use your left hand and I'll use my right." The two handsome young men spent several minutes jerking each other off. "Oh fuck," Louis said. "Ready to see some fireworks?" At that moment, Johan did something a bit unexpected. He leaned over and took the head of Louis's cock in his mouth just as it exploded. Louis felt wave after wave of spunk shoot out, splattering against Johan's mouth and throat. With his head coming straight down of Louis's dick, Johan tried swallowing but was able to capture very little. A large amount of white goo came dribbling out from his lips and mouth. After taking a few gulps, he looked up at Louis as if seeking approval. Louis looked back, seeing a very beautiful young man with cum dripping from his mouth. If Johan wanted approval, he had it. It was one of the sexiest things Louis could remember ever seeing. "Are you sure you haven't done this before?" Johan smiled a cream-covered smile. "That was fantastic!" "That was foreplay. And normally I don't do this the first time around, but this time I think I'll make an exception. Why don't you get yourself a little more naked? I'd like to see what I'm dealing with." Johan looked suddenly nervous again. Louis got up on his knees and started pulling his new friend's shirt over his head. Johan unbuttoned his pants so he could slide them off. Louis was impressed. The young man wasn't particularly muscular, but he was certainly developed well. Little body fat and a lot of definition. Louis got a nice view of Johan's smooth, tight ass. It was the ass of a schoolboy. It was an ass that made Louis's mouth water. He stood next to the bed. "Now tuck me in before we continue." Johan did as commanded. He had seen this before, so he knew the drill. Then he got laid on his back and Louis knelt beside the bed. Louis took the young man's cock in his hand and stroked it while he nibbled and licked his neck and shoulder. But when Louis's lips made their way down to Johan's nipples, he really began to get an effect. Each flick of the tongue against the nip caused a moan that could only be described as blissful. Louis grinned and moved over to the other nipple. He would have like to tease him for hours, but he was on a mission. He kissed his way down Johan's abdomen before taking the head of the young man's cock between his experienced lips. Johan gasped. He'd be doing more than that if Louis had his way, and Louis ALWAYS had his way. He wrapped one hand around the base of Johan's shaft, teasing the head with his tongue. He flicked the slit and applied tremendous suction with his lips. Johan was slowly pumping his hips, trying to get more of his meat into Louis's maw. Louis removed his hand from the young man's shaft and lightly grasped his warm, heavy balls. This also allowed him to take all of Johan's beautiful seven inches down his throat. "Oh fuck!" murmured Johan. He was getting the blowjob of a lifetime by his fantasy man, and it was better than he could have ever imagined. Louis realized that he had his young lover right where he wanted him. As much as he enjoying the feeling of testicles in his hand, Louis released those globes and slid one finger between Johan's legs until the tip found its target. Johan's eyes opened wide, he gasped again and thrust his hips as he felt his asshole being penetrated by Louis's finger. Louis pulled up off Johan's cock for a moment. "Just relax," he said, the devoured Johan's entire dick again. All Johan could do was lie back and relish the sensations he was feeling for the first time. Louis had picked up his pace, downing the young man's smooth cock over and over again. And the finger in his ass seemed to have a mind of its own. Then it touched a spot that made Johan actually yelp. Once Louis knew he had something, he pressed it again. Another slight jump. A few more prods in the right place and a few more sucks on his cock brought Johan to the brink. "I'm gonna cum," he muttered. Louis pulled away from the young man's cock and started pumping it with his free hand. A second later, Johan was shooting a stream that would make a fire-hose jealous. White stuff was splattering all over the young man's chest and stomach. Louis was beginning to wonder if it would go on forever. Eventually, Johan's cock pulse for the last time. Louis let the softening shaft go and placed the tip of his tongue against Johan's abdomen. He then quickly ran it all the way up to the young man's neck, the lifted up and held his tongue over Johan's mouth. Johan took the tip of Louis's tongue in his mouth and sucked the sticky residue from its surface. Louis wiped another strip of cum from his lover's body with a finger, then took a taste. "Sweet," Louis muttered. He was looking at the young man lying nude upon the bed. Despite being covered in his own jizz, he still looked somewhat innocent. His taut, lithe body was also covered in sweat and his chest was heaving. Johan had a glazed look in his eye and a shy smile on his sticky face. Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 01 "I think you might want to get cleaned up. Don't worry, I'll stick around for a bit." Louis sat back and watched the young man rinse the residue from their session from his pale skin. There was something perfect about the droplets of water cascading down his skin. The more experienced man found himself with some unusual thoughts. Normally, Louis waited for the other guy to make the next move. Louis was rarely the aggressor, but he found himself thinking one or two sessions ahead. He thought of all the things that he would like to do with the handsome young man before him. When Johan was clean and dressed again, they sat together on the bed. "Now I'm serious about getting you out of here. Besides reading and spying on people, what else do you enjoy doing?" "Not . . . really. All I've ever done is watch other people. What?" The last question had caused Louis's eyes to pop open as an idea ran through his head. "Meet me outside the library at about ten tomorrow morning. I think I've got just the thing." ---------------- --------------- The next morning . . . ---------------- --------------- "You did WHAT?!?" Katie shouted as they dined on ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls. "What? What part are you having a problem with?" "The part where you invite your stalker to go to the mall with us! Have you completely lost your mind?" "I thought you'd approve of my taking an interest in my fellow man." "Taking an interest means getting him counseling! It doesn't mean introducing him to your sister over a latte!" "He doesn't need counseling. He's actually a very intelligent guy who's just really shy." Katie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "How do you know?" "I talked to him for quite a while yesterday. And then," he said with a grin, "I got to know him." Her eyes shot open. "You didn't? You are such a pig!" she said, punching him in the arm as hard as she could. "How could you do that with someone you hardly know. Never mind . . . Don't answer that." "Well, I'm going to go pick him up at the library now. Are you coming or not?" Katie didn't looked thrilled, but Louis knew that curiosity was probably eating away at her. Finally, she agreed to go along. -------------- ----------------- Later that afternoon . . . -------------- ----------------- Johan, Louis and Katie were still sitting on a second floor bench looking down, and they had been there for hours except to get food. Johan turned out to be somewhat adept at the game that Louis and Katie usually played. It would seem that creating his own identity had given the young man some sort of special insight into the process. Louis had pretty much given up and was letting Katie and their young associate battle it out for the most ridiculous story. Louis just observed. Johan wasn't quite as bashful as Louis had been expecting, but it wasn't as if he hadn't had ANY exposure to the outside world. He could function perfectly normally in his classes and those situations where he needed to go out. His isolation was an issue of pragmatism, not necessarily of choice. The less he dealt with people, the more likely his identity ruse would hold up. And the young man sensed that Katie was even more trustworthy than her brother, so he opened up about his own history. By the time the game was over, he had earned himself another friend. They talked about their respective plans, and Katie was impressed that there was someone who ACTUALLY wanted to be a librarian. He explained that for someone who liked it quiet, liked reading and wanted a job where the background check wouldn't be too extreme, then that was the right profession. Louis was becoming increasingly fascinated by the young man who had created a brand new person of thing air and his own imagination. He kept staring at that pretty face, pale skin and full lips. Every now and then, Johan would realize that HE was the one BEING observed, and it made him nervous. Katie periodically noticed her brother staring at their new friend, and she just smiled. 'Poor Louis,' she thought. 'What have you gotten yourself into?' She knew he hadn't actually shown an active interest in any boy before. By some strange twist of fate, Johan had been dropped in his lap and her brother wasn't sure what to do. 'Brother of mine, your life has just gotten interesting.' --------------- ----------------- To be continued . . . Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 02 Disclaimer: The characters in this story are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The following story involves graphic descriptions of sexual encounters. If such things offend you, please read no further. For everyone else, I hope you enjoy the story. This is the second installment of my first pure m/m storyline, so feedback is encouraged. This is also an advanced warning for my normal readers. Enjoy! ---------------- --------------------- "Ghost in the Stacks" Part 2 ---------------- -------------------- "Are you sure we should be going left? This doesn't look familiar to me." Louis was hopelessly confused and turned around, but Johan seemed to be sure that he knew where he was going. The two of them had been exploring the tunnels underneath the university since Louis had "discovered" the identity of his mysterious stalker and developed quite a friendship with the young man. "Yes. Listen. Do you hear that?" Louis listened. He heard a distinct clattering, assorted gibberish and an odd thumping noise. "Yes, but what is it?" "The cafeteria. That thumping noise is one of the dishwashers back in the kitchen area. They really should get it replaced. But if the cafeteria is that way, then home is this way." And Johan led the way. The pretty young man had been living in a forgotten bomb shelter underneath the library for years, unbeknownst to the world until Louis tracked him down. The young man had done everything he could to remain inconspicuous until he got caught in Louis's spotlight. Johan had just shown him how the young man had gotten into the registrar's office to create his academic persona. Apparently there was a service entrance leading out from a storage facility in a sub-basement. There were exits like that all over campus, and Johan knew them all by heart. He could appear or disappear just about anywhere if he really needed to. "Right above us is the student union," Johan said jovially. The young man had opened up a bit since Louis had entered his life. He wasn't a wacko or anything like that. His isolation had been a pragmatic decision based on his need to not have anyone checking into his past too deeply. Louis found himself admiring the young man's body. It was so lithe and limber and lean, and his schoolboy ass made Louis think nasty thoughts. The dark haired man hadn't "gone there" yet, but he was planning on it. And soon. But he suddenly needed something to tide him over. He wandered up behind the young man and pressed his hardening shaft against the soft fabric covering Johan's ass crack, encircling the boy's waist so he couldn't run. He probably shouldn't have worried, since running was one of the furthest things from Johan's mind. "God it's so big," the young man muttered. He unconsciously squeezed his butt cheeks together, trying to capture that monster if only for a moment. Meanwhile, Louis had slid one hand down and was unzipping the young man's trousers, letting Johan's now-stiff seven-inch dick pop out. Louis wrapped one hand around it and began stroking it, much to Johan's delight. "Are you always horny?" the young man asked. "Yeah, pretty much. I enjoy everything about sex," Louis replied, pushing his cock against his friend's ass as he jerked him off. Then he pulled away. Johan turned, looking confused. Then Louis glanced downward, and the shy young man knew what he was supposed to do. He knelt on the cold concrete in front of Louis and slid that zipper down until all eight inches came popping out. While stroking his own cock, he wrapped his lips around the fleshy head of Louis's member. He stuck the tip of his tongue into the tip of the pee hole, and then he curved his tongue to cradle the shaft as he slid about half of it into his maw. Johan's own member was sticking out like a branch, so he took it in one of his own hands and started stroking. He was diving down on one dick while handling another, and it all felt good. He had gotten to know the cock in his mouth fairly well over the last few months. Louis was always up for a blowjob. He had helped Johan learn to do it right, and Johan LOVED to practice. He still got to watch whenever Louis got called for one of his "library meetings" and it seemed to arouse him even more. Because he now understood what that felt like, and it made his mouth water. Louis stroked the young man's dark hair as he fed Johan his cock. He friend had the softest looking and softest feeling lips Louis had ever experienced, and it wasn't long before he was ready to blow. "Where do you want it?" Louis asked. Johan left about a third of Louis's shaft captured by his lips while stroking the remaining two-thirds with his fist. It didn't take long before the first gush of jizz hit the back of his mouth. Wave after wave flooded in until he almost choked. He swallowed it all down like candy and sucked on the source, like trying to get the last bit of soda from the bottom of the cup by slurping at the straw. "Not so hard," Louis said. "It's very sensitive right now. Just let it sit in your mouth for a moment." They stood that way for a moment, letting Louis soften in Johan's mouth. Then Johan released that fleshy tool and tucked it back into his friend's slacks. "Now it's your turn." "Listen, you don't have to if . . ." "Nonsense." Louis actually enjoyed sucking his young friend. Johan appreciated a good hummer more than some other people did, which is why Louis didn't give them out too often. Just the ones he really liked. He reached into Johan's fly as he got on his knees and pulled the young man's nutsack out where he could play with it. It was time for him to teach Johan some new skills, so he bypassed the shaft and took one of those smooth orbs into his mouth, applying light pressure with his lips. Only after sucking and fondling Johan's balls for a while did he finally move on to the shaft, burying it in his throat on the first try. "Oh damn," Johan said as his eyes rolled back in his head. Some guys were lucky if Louis was even seen with them in public and luckier few got any kind of intimate contact. Johan wasn't sure what he had done that warranted his friend's willingness to go down on him, but he wasn't inclined to argue. He just loved the feeling of humid breath against the sensitive skin of his shaft, and the sensation of warm throat cradling the head. Louis's hands were on Johan's ass, pushing or pulling on the man's slacks in order to dictate the pace. He hummed lightly on each stroke, causing Johan's prick to vibrate. While Louis had the entire seven inches in his throat, he felt a quick pulse and he knew the moment had arrived. Johan was in for a treat. This time, Louis left the head in his mouth as his friend filled it with spunk. Normally he would pull off of it and let it shoot all over the place, but not that time. He let his mouth fill until Johan was spent. He stuck his tongue through the sticky pool to traced the underside of the sensitive head still in his mouth, then slowly drew his lips over it until it popped free. He stood up and placed his lips against Johan's soft mouth and let the boy's own fluids flow into his mouth. He sucked gently on Johan's tongue for a moment, kissed him, bit lightly on his bottom lip and then withdrew. "Now swallow," he said warmly as he wiped some of the remaining residue from his own lips with one finger and then offered that finger to Johan. His friend gulped down the contents in his mouth and then sucked that finger clean. "Now tuck yourself in. You've got homework to do and then we're meeting Katie for dinner." Johan smiled. Despite her initial misgivings, he and Louis's sister had become great friends as well. He was the guy-friend that Louis didn't mind hanging out with his sister. Of course, Johan was gay and Katie had a boyfriend, but Louis just pretended that the latter situation didn't exist. As far as he was concerned, his baby sister was a virgin and always would be, no matter how many times she told him otherwise. -------------- ------------------ That evening . . . -------------- ------------------ "Johan, you don't have to do that," Katie complained as Johan picked the dishes off the table and went to the kitchen to rinse them off. "Don't try and dissuade him. For some ungodly reason, he's still polite. I've tried to break him of it, but . . ." "Never mind," Katie said at their retreating guest. "Ignoring my brother is a good thing. What?" she asked as Louis stuck his tongue out at her. "No reason to be snide," he responded. Katie got up and went to help Johan in the kitchen while Louis crashed out on the couch. "So," she whispered when her brother was safely out of earshot, "how are things going with you two?" Johan looked perplexed. "How do you mean?" "C'mon! You two have been dating for months and . . ." "Hold on there, little lady," he said with a blush and grin. "We're not dating. Louis made it perfectly clear he doesn't ‘date.' We're just friends," he finished. Katie thought she detected a slight drop in the volume of his voice at the end of that statement. "Oh please! You've been spying on him for lord knows how long, and I know you've . . . done that thing . . . the one that seems much grosser when I'm talking about my own brother. Okay, now I feel unclean again," she said with a shudder, making Johan laugh. "I knew the rules before he ever even knew my name. He likes his life the way it is. Besides," Johan continued quietly, "I'm cool with the way things are. I'm graduating this semester anyway, so . . ." He left it at that. They finished up with the dishes, watched some television and then Louis drove Johan back to the closest drop off point. There was a locked gate that led to the steam tunnels that led to . . . actually, Louis lost track after that, but Johan seemed to know where he was going. If he had known the reception he would get back at home, Louis might have stayed the night with Johan. As he walked back into his apartment, Katie was sitting on the couch. All the lights in the place were off except the one in the living room. There was a chair about three feet from the couch where Katie was sitting. She had "that look" on her face; the one that let Louis know he had done something wrong. Or at least that Katie was going to try to convince him that he had done something wrong. ‘Let the game begin,' he thought. "Have a seat," she said. He spun the chair around and rested his arms on the back. "Man. This feels awfully ‘Clockwork Orange.' Would you like me to get the crazy-glue so you could . . ." "Hush. So, why aren't you ‘dating' Johan?" Louis scrunched up his eyes, something he did when he sister was baffling him. "Dating? I don't date. I'm pretty sure I sent you the memo on that. I don't let my conquests stay the night, I'm not big on public displays of affection . . ." Katie looked miffed. " . . . except for kisses on the cheek from my adorable sister . . ." Katie perked up. " . . . and I DO NOT date." He raised one eyebrow and glanced toward the ceiling. "Yep, I'm pretty sure those are the rules." "Oh no. You haven't actually . . . rendezvoused . . . with anyone else in a while and . . . What's that look for?" Her eyes shot open. "You didn't!" "What? Stan wanted to . . . well, introduce me to his knew fella. Don't feel bad, though. Johan got to watch and . . ." He was cut off as Katie plastered him in the face with a pillow. "You complete pig!" she said, almost looking surprised. She shouldn't. Louis had known he was a pig for years. "How could you . . . oh! Johan is a great guy! And he's smart and . . ." "You're serious about this, aren't you? Damn Katie, you didn't give me this much grief about Stan! You're right. Johan is a really cool guy. But I'm not looking for romance. Johan knows this. Hell, the stuff he's seen me do . . ." "Which we won't discuss in front of a blood relative." "Of course. You know, I don't think you got this worked up when you found out Stan and I weren't going to be a couple. Listen, Johan is going to be fine. He isn't some backwards little street urchin. He's a grown man, and a smart one at that. He knew the kind of person I was, but he got involved anyway." "I know. He walked into you with his eyes open." Her gaze softened a bit. "I'm just worried, that's all. About both of you. He may be a grown up, but he's getting attached to you. I just know it. But he'll never say a thing about it. And you . . . you big dope. You may think that your life is perfect, but I know you. There's a little bit of a romantic in you, and it's going to get out someday. You'll go looking for Mr. Right, but all the good ones will be taken. It look's like Stan may have found something a little more permanent, even though he was willing to . . . share . . . the guy . . . oh, it's almost too gross to think about . . . with you. And someone WILL snatch up Johan when he's out there in the real world and not living like a rat in the tunnels. And then where will you be?" "Probably in bed with some hot young . . ." "A-HEM!" "Sorry. No sex talk in front of the innocent, virginal sister." Katie rolled her eyes. "Listen," he continued. "I actually DO plan on keeping in touch with him when he leaves. He's a friend. Isn't that enough?" "I guess we'll see," she said, kissing her brother on the forehead before going to bed. ------------- ----------------- A few weeks later . . . ------------- ----------------- Louis was sitting in the dugout at the college baseball practice stadium. Johan had somehow acquired a key to get them in. That young baseball player Brad was bringing his new romantic interest by later for his "birthday celebration". He had gotten himself involved with a sports reported named Tom, who was looking forward to meeting the infamous Louis. Stan was there also with his boyfriend Richard. ‘Boyfriend,' thought Louis with a laugh. ‘Who'd of thought it?' Louis had talked to all the relevant parties, including Tom, and had gotten them to gleefully agree to help fulfill Brad's "gangbang in the dugout" fantasy. Hell, even Johan had agreed. Strangely, Louis didn't really know how to feel about that. He and Johan hadn't had a chance to get together much in the last couple of weeks. Louis thought that it was because they had both gotten busy, but he began wondering if Katie had been right and that this was Johan's way of preventing heartbreak; to avoid getting too close. Of course, none of it was because of Louis. He was pretty sure of himself in that regard . . . Luckily, Stan and Richard had both been told about Johan and his situation. Being the school class president and an employee of the registrar's office respectively, they could have caused problems. But like Louis, they were more than ready to accept the young Johan once they understood why he had done the things he'd done and wasn't perpetrating some global, take-over-the-world type of crime. Louis glanced over at his young friend. This was the first time he was going to be involved in something with someone other than just Louis. But he had agreed without any need for persuasion, so Louis tried not to think anything of it. He really tried. Brad seemed genuinely surprised when Tom led him through the unlocked gate and down into the dugout. He knew Louis and he vaguely knew Stan, but the other two were mysteries to him. "Hey! What's up Louis?" Louis stroked his crotch. "Well, me for starters." He broke out his best devilish grin. "Remember that conversation we had in the bathroom a while back?" Brad blushed furiously. "Remember you telling me all the things you wished you could do, right here in this spot?" Tom, a very effeminate looking young man with high cheekbones, wrapped his arms around Brad and starting unzipping his jacket. With that accomplished, he started on Brad's zipper. "You can't be serious?" the young ballplayer asked, despite him not doing anything to resist. Stan was grinning. He unzipped his own slacks and let his own eight-inch shaft pop out. Richard's nine-incher was soon standing at attention right next door, followed by Louis's and then Johan's. "Oh, I'm damn serious. Tom, get him completely naked." Tom knelt down and pulled Brad's pants with him, getting the young man to step out of them. He tongued Brad's asshole as he stood back up, then pulled the jacket and tee-shirt off. "Now have a seat on the bench," he instructed the sports writer. Tom sat down. "Well Brad, where do you want to start? Since Tom was so generous as to share you for the evening, why don't you suck his cock first?" Brad flushed red. "Go ahead," Louis said in a firm but soothing voice. "It's a little late to get bashful now. They all know what you want. Tom and I already told them what you CRAVE." Brad looked embarrassed, but the way his rod was waving around also told how excited he was. Slowly he got down on his knees in front of Tom. But Louis wasn't done. "They know how you want to blow and get fucked by a bunch of guys. You want them to feed you their cocks," he said as Brad slowly engulfed Tom's prick in his mouth. Louis reached under the bench and pulled out a pack of condoms and a small bottle of lubricant. "And they know how you want to get that little ass of yours fucked." Everyone on the bench grinned. Except Johan, whose face was hard to read. Johan had actually reached over and started stroking Louis's shaft. ‘Probably just out of instinct,' Louis thought. But he didn't mind that much. Louis had soft hands. Brad was still sucking off Tom, but had reached his left hand out and wrapped it around Randy's sizeable shaft and began jacking the black guy off. His blowjob was becoming noisier and more intense, his head bobbing like a doll in the front windshield of a car. The slurping and groaning was more than a bit of a turn on. Then Randy reached over, grabbed Brad's head and pulled it off of Tom's cock. He pulled Brad over until he was kneeling in front of the student body president before pushing his head down again. Brad found himself sucking on eight inches of thick black dong, but his enthusiasm didn't seem to diminish. He reached both hands out and started stroking both Tom and Richard. Louis was still a bit concerned about Johan. The young man was obviously aroused, but his face didn't reflect the glee of the rest of them. It perked up a little when Tom moved down again and started sucking Tom, because then Johan's shaft found itself ensnared by the hand of a baseball player. "Just relax," he whispered, then took Johan's earlobe in his teeth. Johan groaned, suddenly very much in the game. Then Brad moved down again, and Johan moaned as his stiff meat met a warm mouth. Louis kept nibbling on Johan's ear and sucking on his neck. Brad was able to down most of Johan's cock and was playing with his balls. Brad had also started fondling Louis and Richard's dicks. Johan was rocking his hips, actively fucking the warm maw in front of him. But his eyes never left Louis's face. It was a bit disconcerting. The Brad moved one more step over and yummied down on Louis. He had done this so many times that he knew what to do. He drug his tongue along the shaft, pulled all the way up and sucked intensely on the sensitive head. Louis glanced over and saw what could only be described as a bit of jealousy on Johan's face. Louis smiled, grabbed on of Johan's hands and placed it on Brad's head. That got the young man smiling a bit as he forced Brad's head down on Louis's cock until the young ballplayer gagged. He pulled the head up and then pushed it down again. He was using Brad's head as a sex toy for Louis. When Brad wasn't able to see it, Louis passed the most of the condoms down the line. Tom was the first to put one on. He got up and wandered down until he was behind Brad. Louis tossed him the lube, and Tom got his member nice and slick. Then down on his knees he went and started pushing into Brad's waiting asshole. The ass-fuck-ee had to release his lip-lock on Louis's meat-stick as he adjusted to the pain and the pressure of his sphincter getting stretched. But when it became obvious that he was going to survive the experience, Johan grabbed Brad's head and shoved it back down onto Louis's waiting dick. Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 02 Brad was in heaven. He had been wanting to get fucked from both ends for so long. He might have gotten mad at Louis for spilling the beans on that fantasy, but having that big, beautiful cock puncturing his lips and another violating his ass was the most pleasurable and . . . well, naughty thing he had ever done. Tom was happily pounding away at his boyfriend's ass, but then he grabbed Brad's hips and started scooting him to the right. Brad reluctantly pulled off of Louis's dick, but then Louis shoved the young man's head down on Johan's waiting member, returning the favor from earlier. Brad wasn't a star athlete at the moment. He was just a cock-slut getting what he so desperately wanted. Tom stayed buried in Brad's backside as the young man sucked on Johan's root. And then when he sucked on Richard's root, and then back to Stan's. The poor young man's lips were already beginning to swell a bit, but it didn't seem to bother him. Louis was enjoying another hand-job from Johan when he did something that was strange for him. He leaned over and kissed the young man on the lips. Even Johan was surprised, but he tentatively returned the kiss. Louis found his hand sliding up Johan's shirt, caressing the muscles of his abdomen before pinching his nipples. Johan gasped directly into Louis's mouth. The two of them seemed to have lost track of what the rest of the group was doing. Brad was alternating his oral attentions between Stan and Richard while Tom was drilling him from behind. And Johan seemed to take comfort in Louis's attention. ‘Yes,' he thought. ‘That's what I'm doing. I'm comforting him.' "Why don't you finish getting those pants off," Louis whispered. "Then you can be my ball-boy." Johan wasted no time in standing and dropping his trousers. Louis grabbed the young man's buttocks and drew him close, sucking Johan's rod into his mouth. Once he had the whole thing downed, he slid his tongue out the bottom of his mouth to lightly touch Johan's nuts. Then he stuck a hand between Johan's legs and stuck a finger in the young man's ass. Johan jumped a bit, but he didn't seem upset. Louis recognized that expression. The young man was nervous. Louis was pretty sure that the young man had never been explored in that way before. His sucking action was actually a little gentler than usual, and he was enjoying ‘nursing' that sweet young shaft. "Are you ready?" Louis said at last. Johan didn't need to be told what his friend was talking about. He grabbed a condom and ripped open the package. After taking a few sucks on Louis's meat, he struggled to roll the rubber over that thick dick. Then he went down on it a couple more times before grabbing the lube. "Get it nice and slick," Louis instructed, perhaps unnecessarily. Johan was coating Louis's cock with the stuff. He was no fool. Then he straddled his friend's lap while facing Louis, his knees on the bench. He slowly eased back until that massive head pressed against his virgin sphincter. "It's okay," Louis said in a soothing voice. "Go slow." He reached around with both hands and grabbed Johan's ass cheeks, pulling them slowly apart. "Just let me know if it's too much for you to . . ." Louis was cut off as Johan ever so gradually started to sink down. He gasped. He groaned. He bit his bottom lip as Louis's cock began splitting him open. Meanwhile, Louis reached over, grabbed the lube and then lifted his own shirt. He smeared some lubricant on Johan's wildly waving prick and started stroking it. Finally, Johan's ass relaxed enough to let the head of Louis's cock in, and his descent onto the shaft increased in speed. He found himself with his ass resting directly on Louis's legs, with the entire eight inches of his lover's cock buried inside him. "Oh fuck!" he said with closed eyes and a slight smile. "Don't mind if I do," responded Louis, who made a slight humping motion with his hips. Johan got the idea and started bouncing up and down, taking it slow at first and eventually gaining speed. After several minutes, he was fucking like a wildman, taking all Louis had to give over and over again. Down the bench, Tom grunted and shot his load into the condom while buried in Brad's sphincter. There was an audible pop as he pulled out, as well as a contented sigh. He got on his back and crawled under Brad, taking his boyfriend's cock into Tom's mouth while Stan and Richard were still drilling Brad in the mouth. Stan got up and positioned himself behind Brad, thrusting his huge black dick into that recently vacated asshole. Brad pulled off of Richard and grimaced a bit when that large dick was buried in his rectum. Louis looked over. "So, you like getting all that dick? I'll bet you do. What do you want?" he asked. Brad suddenly grinned. "Cock." "And how do you want it?" "Hard and fast." "And do you enjoy being a little cock-slut?" Brad didn't verbally respond. He just grinned again and stuck Richard's throbbing dick back into his mouth. Louis turned his attention back to Johan, who had sunk all the way down on Louis's stick and had started grinding his hips. "Oh that feels nice," Louis muttered before kissing his young friend again. This was a little more intimate than Louis was used to in his sexual encounters, but it probably worked a little better for Johan. Louis had upped his tempo in regards to jacking off Johan, and the young man was quickly approaching release. With his asshole stretched by a big, beautiful dick and with a hand on his shaft, Johan spewed the mother-load all over Louis's abdomen. The young man collapsed temporarily against his lover as his member cleared itself of every drop of jizz. There were gobs of the sticky stuff everywhere. "Well," said Louis, "it seems you REALLY needed that!" Johan grinned, then started bouncing again. Meanwhile, Tom's lips had done their work and were in the process of sucking Brad dry as the young baseball player continued getting fucked at both ends. Stan was next to go, burying himself deep in Brad's behind while filling the condom to the point of overflowing. Then Richard blasted a huge load into the young man's waiting mouth, and Louis could hear his friend gagging and slurping from across the dugout. Then Louis felt himself approaching the main event. He was using his hips a little more since Johan was almost exhausted. He felt his balls clench up and the first wave of sticky goo shot down the pipe and into the rubber. Johan felt that enormous cock pulsing, and he settled all the way down and started kissing Louis again. They were both sweating like racehorses the kiss seemed especially salty. But Johan was loving it. He only wished Louis were feeling the same way. Deep inside, he believed that was too much to hope for. Johan waited for almost a full minute before letting his friend's shrinking shaft slide out of his rectum. All in all, everyone was smiling. Brad still had cum on his lips and a sore ass, but he had lived out one of his fantasies. Stan and Richard were happy just to get laid. Louis was happy that everyone else was happy, and Johan was glad to have gotten fucked by Louis, if only that one time. The six of them got dressed and made their way out of the dugout and through the gate, which Johan locked behind them. Each couple went their separate way. "Want to go grab some coffee or something?" Louis asked, stretching out like a cat after a good nap. "Nah," said Johan quietly, forcing a smile. "I've got a busy week, so I REALLY should get some sleep." "Are you okay?" asked Louis. His friend was usually amenable to whatever Louis wanted to do. "Yeah. That took a lot more out of me than I thought," he said. "I'm just really tired is all." "Okay," Louis said. He gave Johan a friendly hug, and the two parted ways. -------------------- ---------------------------- About a week later on a Friday night . . . -------------------- ---------------------------- Louis was sitting on the couch, dressed in his finest black outfit. It was the one he almost always wore when he was going to a rendezvous or was hunting for new blood. Neither of these things applied on that occasion. Louis had just come to the inescapable conclusion that most Americans had arrived at years before: All television programming on Friday night sucked. It didn't just suck a little, either. It sucked a lot. Katie came in the front door, giggling like mad and with her boyfriend John (or was it Robert?) in tow. She stopped in the doorway and stared. "Louis?!? You're . . . you're home. Here. On a Friday. After dark. I mean, the sun has gone down and . . . and you're not gone." Louis looked perplexed. Admittedly, he USUALLY went out on Fridays, but it shouldn't be considered THAT odd that he simply didn't have a place to go. For once. "Just reminding myself why I hate television," he said, turning off the set. "Listen, if you two need some time to do whatever it is you do that isn't sex involving my virginal sister . . ." he said with a pointed stare at the very nervous (albeit cute) young man standing behind Katie, ". . . I'd be happy to find something to occupy my time for a bit." "No, that's okay. Robert is flying out for his sister's wedding tomorrow and has to leave early." She turned and gave the young man a quick kiss. She would have liked taking her time with the kiss, but any kind of interaction in front of Louis made Robert nervous. "See you when you get back," she said sweetly and ushered him out the door. She plopped down on the sofa next to her brother. "So," she continued, "what's wrong?" "Nothing. Why?" "Because you haven't spent a Friday night here at the apartment since I moved in. Well, except that one time you got sick from food poisoning. Why aren't you out?" "Stan wanted to take Richard to the opera, which I hate. Brad and Tom appear to be getting serious and are actually doing the dinner-and-a-movie package." "What about Johan?" she returned, maybe a little too eagerly. "I saw him briefly today. He said he had ‘things' to take care of. I probably should have asked if he needed help or anything." Louis found himself strangled out of sorts. Johan had sort of become a staple of Louis's Friday night expeditions. Without him, Louis felt a little . . . lost. "Is he walking for graduation next week?" Louis scrunched up his eyes. "Actually, I don't know. I remember asking, but I don't remember him answering. I don't know if he has a job lined up or what." "Do you know ANYTHING?!?" Katie said with an exasperated wave of her arms. "I know that you're acting very strangely . . ." "You've spent almost everyday with him for how long? Do you ever actually ask him about himself, or do you just talk about . . . you!" "You are so very odd. Are you sure we have the same parents? Yes, I ask him about himself. But . . . he's slippery." Katie stared at him. He cringed. "Okay," he mumbled at last. I'll go talk to him tomorrow." He paused. She glared. "Early." She kept glaring. "Fine. The library's open for half an hour. I'll talk to him now." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Manipulative wench." She stepped on his foot. ---------------- ----------------- At the library . . . --------------- ------------------ Actually, the library was going to be open for a while. Louis had forgotten about the extended hours going into finals week. He scooted past the reference desk and waited until no one was looking, then descended the stairs. ‘Funny,' he thought. ‘Lights are off.' He carefully made his way down the stairs and felt for the light switch. The lights came on. Louis suddenly wished they hadn't. Everything was gone. The books, the microwave . . . well, the tub, the table and the water heater were still there. But it was obvious that the small bunker had been abandoned. Louis felt lost again. He noticed that there were a couple of things on the table. One was a ring of keys which Johan used to get into places on campus. Louis picked them up. "He's not coming back," he muttered. It was one of those statements that made sense to his head, but his heart hadn't quite caught up. "Where the hell . . .?" Then he noticed the drawing on the table. It was a small charcoal piece. Louis picked it up. It had Louis dressed in something resembling a toga, with a horseshoe wreath of leaves on his head. ‘Is that me as Christ?' he thought. On the other side of the drawing was Johan, dressed in the armor of a medieval knight, holding a glowing sword. Between them was a lion lying at the base of a pyramid. And there was a caption. It read, "Happy travels, Johan." Louis sat down on the floor. Johan had left. He realized that he wasn't used to the idea of Johan NOT looking at him. Staring out at him from the stacks or from the corner of his eyes. Louis had noticed those glances. He grabbed his cell phone. "Katie?!? I've got something to tell you . . ." ---------------- -------------------- Three weeks later . . . ---------------- -------------------- Johan Smythe was chatting with a few members of the board as the meeting left out. It was the first formal gathering where the young man was discussing his plans to get that medium-sized public library he now ran to draw new visitors. The board members had seemed enthusiastic about his plans to bring in more art exhibits and update the antiquated information database that they were using to locate information. He was wearing a tweed suit and small, circular glasses and had his hair slicked back. He actually didn't like tweed and didn't need glasses, but he felt it fit the image most people, including the ones he would be reporting to, expected. He was actually thrilled with the position. He would be earning a modest salary, but that wasn't something he cared about. He had his own apartment. He had a job. He was going to pay taxes and get selected for jury duty. Some people might find the latter two things less than appealing. But not Johan. These things meant that he existed. That he was a normal person. He was just like everyone else. And yet there seemed to be a dark cloud over his head. He had talked his professors back at the university into allowing him to take his finals early so he could accept this job offer. They had readily agreed, seeing as he only needed to sign his name on the exams to get enough points to graduate. And then he had crept out of town like a thief in the night. That had bothered him; the decision not to tell Louis and Katie that he was leaving. It felt cowardly. ‘Well, it was cowardly,' he reminded himself. Johan knew that he had broken the rules. He had fallen for the unattainable. From the word "go," Louis had been completely honest about his rules, but Johan had grown too attached. He thought that it might have been that the powerful young man had simply been the first person to show concern for the now-librarian. But it had grown past that. That last time they were together . . . in the dugout . . . had mean a lot. Johan remembered how the event had been playing in his head, and how he had been pretending that he and Louis were REALLY together. But he knew it had only been in his own head. And he didn't have the nerve to tell Louis how he felt. He had barely learned to stand on his own two feet. A harsh word from that man would have knocked him to the ground again. Johan ushered the last of the visitors out and he locked the door. He would finish up filing some paperwork before heading back to his quaint one-bedroom apartment. He'd fix himself a grilled cheese sandwich, turn on some background music, read another chapter from Shirley Jackson's classic "The Haunting of Hill House" and then promise himself that he would go out the next evening and try and meet someone. He also knew that he would talk himself out of that last part by the time the next evening rolled around. Then Johan heard something from the main reading area. He was the sound of one of the old wooden chair legs squeaking against the cheap tile. "Hello?" he called out. ‘Probably just one of the board members who got lost.' But despite his attempts to reassure himself, he grabbed the heavy Mag-Lite out of his office. Just in case. He wandered up the small ramp and looked around. Nothing. "Hello?" he said again. Nothing. Then he heard a voice come booming from out of the stacks. "Pleased to meet you," that voice said. "Won't you guess my name?" Johan saw the figure emerge from between to rows of classic literature. He knew the man dressed in black, with long brown hair. The man had been mistaken for either Christ or the Devil, and Johan was wondering which of the two had arrived at his door. "Louis," he said cautiously. "Johan," said the other man with an unmistakable smirk. "Nice look. Your idea?" "Yes. I thought it might make me seem more officious." "It works," Louis said. "So, how are you liking Las Vegas," he grinned. "Fine," Johan said. He glanced out a window and saw the ever-present glow that the city put off. He had been in awe the first few weeks, but he was beginning to get used to it. "So how'd you find me?" "Your drawing. The one you left so that I COULD find you. Me dressed as Caesar, you wielding a magic sword, which happened to be Excalibur, the lion was the MGM Grande and the pyramid was the Luxor. Then I did a job-search for ‘librarian' in Las Vegas and looked into the positions that had recently been filled. The ‘how' was easy." "So why?" "Regardless of what you might think, I thought highly of you. I wanted to know why you thought so little of me that you would leave without a word." Louis sat down at one of the chairs and propped his feet up. "I think I deserve an explanation." "I was falling for you," Johan said. "I know that was stupid of me. But I did. And I didn't know how to tell you." Louis cocked his head, looking a lot like a spaniel that was trying to understand human speech. "So you just left?" "I meant to call you. Every day. I started feeling kind of childish, so was easy to put it off ‘one more day.' And I figured you'd just be annoyed with me and move on." Louis sighed and rolled his eyes. "You seemed to have forgotten the part about how you intrigue me." "I haven't forgotten my ‘novelty' status," returned Johan, more than a little bitterly. "I have roughly the same value as a pet-rock or parachute pants." "What I wouldn't GIVE for a snug pair of parachute pants! I blame the 90's for their current lack of availability." Louis sighed and shook his head. "You know perfectly well you mean more to me than that. Well, maybe not the parachute pants." He looked a Johan. "You really need to loosen up. I'm the one that should be pissed here, but I'm having fun!" "You always have fun when you're making someone uncomfortable." "Pretty much. But seriously. Johan, I like having you around. I didn't realize how much until you suddenly weren't there. I'm not saying it's some great, outlast-the-stars kind of love they talk about in storybooks and in on-line porno stories, but you were more than a friend to me. If you had just told me how you felt, it would have saved me a whole lot of trouble in tracking your cute ass down. And don't tell me you didn't think that would happen. If you had really wanted to make a clean break, you wouldn't have left a clue." "So you tracked me down just to tell me how stupid I was, or is there a chance . . ." "Of COURSE there's a chance, nimrod! Otherwise I would have just called you to chew you out." Louis reached out and grabbed Johan's hand, pulling him closer. "Of course, you'll have to let me crash with you for, oh say the next month." He unzipped his pants. "And it might not work out, since it will have to be a long distance relationship once school starts for me again." He took Johan's hand and slid it into the fly, moaning slightly as that soft hand encircled his shaft one more time. "And who knows what's going to happen after I graduate and . . ." Ghost in the Stacks Ch. 02 "Louis?" queried Johan. "Yes?" "Would you please shut up? We ARE in a library," Johan said as he leaned over and kissed his friend and, as he pulled that big, beautiful cock out of its confines, "so SHHH!" ------------------------ ----------------------- The End . . .