The hay bales were much harder going. But as the next two hours trickled by Brandon was impressed to find that he and Ezekiel managed to burst open nearly twenty five bundles and spared them around nearly eighty percent of the farm. Ezekiel worked at a considerate pace, and saved most his breath so they worked in companionable silence.
Soon enough the minutes had passed into another hour and the silence turned to thinking on Brandon's part. And to his surprise Brandon soon found that he was reminiscing back on his various and volatile interactions with the different members of Ezekiels family. Particularly the green eyed brother Lander and his more amenable interactions with Nate and Walter and even Erin and his parents.
Brandon found that he wanted to avoid further confrontations until he moved on from the Leopards Clan....but he knew himself. He knew....that he had a bad habit of not backing down.....
And he knew that if the green eyed Shifter came at him again...he was going to go back at him, just as hard.
Brandon wondered what it was about Lander that got under his skin and why a man who did what Ezekiel did and spent his time caring for the wellbeing of his Clan, could be so nasty. While the rest of his family seemed so...nice.
Brandon slammed the hoe that he had been using to break apart and spread the hay bales in the mud and he called out to Ezekiel who was just marching back to his side from inside of the barn, with a new bale of hay balanced on his shoulder. The Shifter was now sweating a lot and contrary to Brandon's previous thought that the sweat would make him look unappealing....it just gave Brandon something else to look at and Brandon knew that he already had a hard time keeping his eyes off the Shifter as it was.
The moisture gathered along his hair line wetting the strands, then running down Ezekiels throat and glistening on the skin that shown through the unbutton shirt that he wore. Which of course pulled Brandon's eyes down to his chest and everything that the Shirt was covering. The sweat running down into Ezekiels shirt tempted Brandon's imagination against his will. It made Brandon wonder if the Shifter was going to remove the clothing sometime soon to escape the dampness the sweat cause....And it made Brandon question if he wanted "Soon" to happen "Right Now."
Hoping to get away from those thoughts Brandon tried to focus on his questions for Ezekiel, rather than Ezekiel himself.
"So Ezekiel...." He began, speaking to jump start his brain once more. "I was thinking about what you said about Guardians and everything that they do and I sort of realized that all of your family members seem to have jobs that are about helping in the Clan. Even your Mom."
Leaning on the shovel he waited on Ezekiel to get closer and reply.
"That's about right." Ezekiel finally responded as he stepped inside of the fence. "As the children of the Clan Head it's our duty to look after my father's people. So that meant becoming Guardians, and as for my mother it meant becoming a Healer. But besides just being our fathers sons, all of my brothers WANTED to go into this line of work. We all love our village and we sort of try to do everything we can to keep it going and healthy."
"Even your lovely brother Lander?" Brandon asked, unable to help himself, but also not seeing the angry and aggressive Shifter doing anything out of kindness for others. "I mean it's hard to see your older brother doting on anyone....or being nice to people. I don't get how he even fits in in that job."
Ezekiel sighed, chuckled and tossed down the bale of hay at his feet. He steeped around it and replied. "Look I know Lander may seem like a horrible person but Lander...even more than the rest of us; He takes the safety of our Clan and our family to heart." Ezekiel began to explain sounding both proud, but also subdued.
"Lander may be a pain sometimes, but he would kill to protect anyone of our Clans Men....and he would also put his life on the line for anyone that he cared about..." Ezekiel rubbed a hand across his forehead, dashing the sweat that had plastered down a few of his golden strands to his face. Then he shrugged and said "As far as were all concerned....Lander's one of the hardest working, and dedicated, Guardians in the Clan."
Brandon was skeptical, but all he could do was laugh and say. "Well it's too bad he's such a dick..." Brandon
said....then realizing that he was being immature, he sighed and rephrased his words. "I mean Landers handsome and he seems pretty bright, if he were a little nicer...I'm sure more people would get along with him...."
"What did you just say!? Who's Handsome?" Ezekiel scoffed cutting him off, then he seemed to have a horrible revelation and his face scrounged up in disgust.
"Are you talking about Lander......? Ewwww, you think my Brothers handsome.....That's just wrong Brandon...." He groaned. "Where did that thought even come from." He said, shifting his face into a semi-disgruntled smirk showing that he was mostly playing around.
Wanting to laugh at Ezekiels obvious displeasure, Brandon simply shrugged and cocked his chin down onto his shovel and the backs of his gloved palms. "We'll all of your family members are nice looking, I was only making an honest observation. For example, your cousin Erin, she was stunning. With all those eyes and legs like a model or something. And your father is sort of charming in a growling, shouting, irritating kind of way...." Ezekiel chuckled when he said that and cast Brandon a smile. "And of course your mother is gorgeous. Shes like a little angle or something.....So, is it really surprising for me to say that your brothers look good?"
Ezekiel sucked his lip, then took a step closer. He lowered his voice as he spoke, making Brandon leaning into him unconsciously. "No....but you left me off the list" He said softly, a playful grin growing as he said. "You complement everyone else....what about me?" At first Brandon was stumped for a response, until he realized that Ezekiel was teasing him.
Brandon rolled his eyes and lean in some more, making a cooing sound that one might make at a child. ""Oh no" Brandon teased back. "Blue boy's fishing for a compliment! How sad."
With a hiss that should have made Brandon jump Ezekiel reached out and grabbed the shovel, using it to move into Brandon's space, but not to touch him. Ezekiel tilted his head and growled. "Don't call me that....and besides who's fishing mortal?" he said. "I know I look good." Ezekiel announced with a smirk. "So it's not about vanity, it's about the fact that I'm a sexy man, and I deserve to be on that list. " Ezekiel pointed out in a cocky tone that was totally undermined by the boyish smile on his face.
Brandon tried to curb it, but he found a full on laugh bubbling out of him before he could stifle it completely. And since he was unable to remove the expression, he glanced away from Ezekiel and rolled his eyes. "What you deserve is to be humbled mister sexy." Brandon grumbled as he sloshed water from the spout down onto "You're just conceited and bossy, Blue boy nothing more, nothing less."
"Come on...." Ezekiel groaned. "Knowing that you look good isn't about being conceited its about being....confident." Ezekiel inserted as he pulled on the shovel stick making Brandon lean his way even more. "And I'm a very handsome individual. And wanting to think that other people appreciate my appearance isn't a bad thing either. So if were all being completely honest...Tell me. Do you think I'm sexy Brandon?"
Brandon gaffed and had to cover his mouth to hide the smile he was fighting not to have. "Oh god....I'm so done with you Blue Boy. Really, let's get back to work!" he commanded turning and getting ready to slam the shovel into the fresh hay that he had neglected. Internally praying that Ezekiel wouldn't keep playing game...but it was a prayer that went unanswered. Ezekiel pulled on the shovel, jerking Brandon to another stop and back in his direction.
"Okay fine...." Ezekiel hissed with a huge grin as threw his hands up, then quickly wrapped them around the handle of his shovel before it could fall. "You don't have to tell me...but I bet you wanna know if you're on my list?"
It was odd for him to be acting so carefree with Ezekiel, but Brandon had a hard time not falling into a rhythm when they talked. A rhythm that smarted of something warm and fun. Something he knew he didn't need to be doing, but it was exciting. So Brandon found that he had lost himself in the banter.
For one insane second Brandon almost felt himself nod to Ezekiels teasing.
"No...I don't...want to know." He bit out instead, turning away so that the Shifters blue eyes would stop piercing him. "I don't care. No lets get back to work..."
Ezekiel chuckled, not seeming to listen, and leaned towards him. His mouth opening to speak and his eyes gleaming slightly. Not knowing why Brandon panicked. He shoved the obnoxious Shifter with his elbow but he overestimated Ezekiel's balance. Ezekiel tipped back dangerously over the hay bale that he had put down earlier. Not wanting him to fall Brandon turned and tried to grab him and somehow they both crashed into the trough, sitting just a few steps to the left. Spilling a vat of foul smelling slop and vegetable peels all over themselves.
With groans of despair and disgust Brandon and Ezekiel untangled themselves and sat staring at each other for a good three seconds before Brandon managed to speak.
"Hey...." He said....somehow finding the will to chuckle. "Do you...uh... Still wanna know if you look sexy or not?" He asked, then burst into laughter when Ezekiel shot him a glare. Brandon laughed all while he flicked a slimy peel off his neck and used his fingers to clean, and flick off some of the slime that had splashed onto his cheek.
"Oh, ha ha....I was just playing with you." Ezekiel grumbled as he hopped to his feet and pulled Brandon up on his. "Come on...let's just go wash this stuff off before my nose melts off." They made their way to the barn, Ezekiel helping Brandon as the odor and slime ran down his head and tried to blind him.
On the way, they both slipped and fell into a patch of freshly laid hay
***
And so the situation became all the more awkward when Ezekiel led Brandon into the Barn and they both had to face the prospect of stripping naked and washing off....with out a door, or even a speck of dust to separate them. But as both of them tried to handle the moment like adult....Brandon just felt more and more nervous.
"Do you need help with your clothes?" Ezekiel asked as he and Brandon now stood in the empty space beneath the nozzles and pipes preparing to wash off.
Brandon shot him a look. Ezekiel hissed and rolled his eyes.
"I not playing...." He said, and gestured to Brandon's left hip. "You still have that busted side. I was asking because I know you can barely raise one of your arms."
"I'll....um...Ill manage..." Brandon said with a shake of his head.
"Ok." Ezekiel said. "Just turn the nob on the wall all the way to the left He hesitated, sat the towel by Brandon's feet, then he turned and began to walk away.
Feeling horribly uncomfortable for no real reason, Brandon almost willed him to walk away faster, but of course Brandon realized something that made him call Ezekiel back over. Which Ezekiel did turn back, raising an eye brown at Brandon as he walked back towards him. "I'm just curious..." Brandon told him. "If we get naked....what are we going to wear to get back to the mansion?"
"Well..." Ezekiel began looking uncomfortable too. "We actually don't have any spare clothes out here, I'll have to wash the slop off and air dry what we're wearing."
"Oh..." Brandon tried not to look horrified at the idea of the both of them being naked and stuck waiting on clothes, but something on his face must have giving him away because Ezekiel cleared his throat.
"Is that a problem? If it is we can just stay in this stuff and walk back to the mansion..." He tried to compromise, but Brandon was already shaking his head.
Brandon could hardly stand the stench of the slop for the few second that it had been spilled on him, he couldn't imagine trekking in the sun and letting the slop bake beneath his nose.
So with another swallow he nodded reached down, and grabbed the towel that Ezekiel had given him.
The tension was unreal in the next few moments as the both of them stripped and washed on separate sides of the barn. The fall of water, the rasp of clothes being removed and their breaths were all that could be heard. The urge to look at Ezekiel was more psychological than physical. Until the two became nothing but meaningless words. Until the warm water began to feel like something else. Until Brandon felt a shadow move across his back.
Untill Brandon felt large wets hands....Ezekiels hands, close around the sides of his body, caressing his pelvis.
Strong and gentle, Ezekiels touch lingered on his hip, then slowly, deliberately they began to slide together, brushing along Brandon's hips, and thighs. Not knowing why he wasn't speaking or fighting...All Brandon could do was watch and feel and moan.
Ezekiel suddenly pressed against him from behind, solid and warm and slick from the shower, he ran his right hand up, racking his nails across Brandon's stomach and chest, until with a flare of pure possession the hand closed around Brandon's throat. He held him tight enough to restrain him, but not to hurt. Again Brandon couldn't seem to summon his voice or make a move...until Ezekiel took his left hand and ran it between Brandon's legs and gently took hold of his length. With a shocked jump Brandon trembled and tried to pull away, but Ezekiel didn't release him. Instead he held Brandon back against his hot wet chest, turned his head to the side with the hand on his throat and still running his fingertips across Brandon's cock, he slowly began to stroke him, as Ezekiel hissed and lowered his lips and began to suck, and lick and bite all along the side, and back of Brandon's throat, shoulder and spine. Tendrils of vibrant need crawled along Brandon's thighs and hips and he whimpered the Guardians name. The touch was almost raw on his senses, the heat...it was electric. Brandon panted and moaned....and soon he begged.....for more.
And then Brandon opened his eyes...and everything was gone. Horrified and confused Brandon glanced all about himself, realizing that he had been doing nothing for the last few minutes but standing like a stature in the stream of the water.
No hands on his body pleasuring him, no lips and fangs on his neck....no Ezekiel. But a phantom of that touch remained....a kernel of that lust fluttered in his gut. Ran down his spine, brushed against his neck and cock.
With a shuttering gasp that he covered with his gloves, Brandon ducked his head beneath the water. He wanted to wash away the last few seconds and he choose to ignore the fact that even though he was beneath hot soothing water....his entire body felt like it was shaking.
Brandon may not have known much more than the things he had read in a few books and what he had experienced while on the run, but he understood attraction. The pull in his body to touch someone. Explore someone. And for some unknown frustrating reason he was starting to fear that he was getting fixated on the Shifter.....It was just a little flutter of butterflies when Ezekiel smiled at him, but already it was a problem. More and more he was noticing it....and worst of all he couldn't turn it off.
There was this buzz underlining all of their interactions that was only getting stronger and had been getting stronger....from the moment Brandon had woken up and tried to get away from him.
Attraction...sexual desire. Of course it was understandable in a way. Since Brandon couldn't exactly deny that the Shifter was hands down the most attractive man he had ever seen. Brothers and father aside.
And yet Brandon wanted to deny all of that. He didn't need to feel any of it.
Brandon wanted to find the area in his brain that was making him aware of Ezekiel and strangle it into submission. Tell it to "Shut up!"
But two of the most frustrating things that Brandon had come to learn in his life was that....
One- His body didn't do a good job of listening to him
Two- Even if he was attracted to someone, even if he thought of them....Brandon could never ever be with them.
It took Brandon a few more moments to ground himself, but once he had, he finished washing, wrapped a towel about his hips and walked his clothes over to Ezekiel who was already standing in a towel of his own, and scrubbing his shirt free of filth.
Brandon shamefully devoured him with his eyes. Every piece of the Shifter was toned, and wet...and visible, aside from the towel that just managed to cover his hips from view.
Felling like a sicko, or at least a man with a serious and inappropriate imagination, Brandon dropped the clothes beside Ezekiel, turned and ignoring Ezekiel's words, he slipped away, up the steps to hide until the clothes were washed and put out to dry.