Robbed of all Illusions

*****WARNING*****This blog post contains graphic sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.
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Stephanie didn't know what to do with herself when she first got to Michael's. She wandered around a bit, got a cool glass of water and then padded up the stairs. She looked at the fitness equipment and then decided she wasn't motivated to use any of it. She tiptoed into the bedroom and considered slipping into Michael's bed for a nap. she hadn't been invited to his bed and knew she never would be but the comfort of lying down where he slept appealed to her...the smell of him on the pillows....the sheets that touched his skin. Stephanie shook hear head around. Get a hold of yourself girl. you have a gay boyfriend. No matter how awesome he may be, you're still not the droids he's looking for. she was weak on that today, needing comfort after seeing Colin's face looking down at her after he shot a man. Hearing his voice say her name sent chills to her core. What the hell was he doing in Cedar Point? How had his life become this....She tore herself from Michael's bedroom and jogged back downstairs, settling in on the couch with a blanket and the remote instead. After some mindless flipping she started to drift off a bit, the stress hitting her like a truck and just knocking her out for a little reprieve.

Two hours later, Michael makes it home, having filed his part of the report and knocking off almost on time. He slips into his place and sees Steph crashed on his couch with April laying on the top part of the couch in what he's been calling 'guard position'. Good sign, it means Steph has cat approval. He moves upstairs, knowing Steph is in good paws and changes out of his uniform, putting on a pair of sweats and nothing else. Then he comes back down to find she is still laying on the couch. He considers her for a long moment. "Why can't you be a man." he finds himself whispering softly to himself. So softly he hardly heard the words. Then he sighs and moves to the couch, carefully moving between her and the back of the couch to hold her. After the day she's had ... he could to that much. She was a friend, after all. What kind of friend does that, then sits across the room for moral support? Not him, that's for sure.


A little while later Stephanie stirs feeling the warmth of Michael against her and rolling over into his bare chest. Hello! His arms still around her she curiously ran a hand over his pectorals and then leaned her head on them so the side of her face used one side of his chest as a pillow. Her breath brushed across him as she exhaled and quietly managed "You're very sneaky Mike."


Michael was just relaxing himself. He chuckles slightly. She feels good in his arms .. and that in and of itself is strange. "Sneaky? What? I came home and decided ... maybe you needed a friend. I promised, remember. And I MEANT it." he looks at her face under him.

Steph's eyes fill with tears instantly at his kindness, the intimacy of the moment and the day. She just nods and her body heaves against Michael's with soft sobs. Her tears soak into his chest, accepting the comfort he's offering.

Michael holds her close, saying nothing. He is not a man to offer false comfort to anyone. But holding her close he can do ... all day .. all night .. as long as she needs. He strokes her hair, trying not to knock out her bun/pony.

Steph cried it all out. It took awhile and after she pulled back and looked at Michael's chest "Oh shit I'm sorry. I think I snotted on you....let me get a tissue..." she said starting to pull herself to sitting "So not attractive.." she quipped.

Michael looks down at his chest. "Well it's OK, really, but .. yea." she gets up, but he stays in his position. "I am not with you because you're JUST beautiful, Steph." he reminds her. He stays put, as if waiting for her to come back. And its true. Physical beauty ... well his ex WAS a runway model.


Stephanie takes one tissue and blows her nose before coming back and grabs another and starts wiping at Michael's chest, finding her sense of humour again "I'm glad you're not just using me for my looks. That would be very shallow. Although when you have your shirt off I must confess I might just use your for yours because this..." she gestures at his chest after cleaning "is god damned distracting." Her tone is teasing and it's a good sign.


Michael lets her wipe him clean and grins. "Thanks." he shakes his head. "I will be your eye candy anytime ... and boy toy, too." he winks.


Steph giggles and then runs her pointer finger over Michael's scars each in turn, hazards of his occupation. Afterwards she looks self conscious, like she's crossing a line "Sorry didn't notice those before. Tell me if I'm being too touchy.....just forgot myself for a sec there..."


Michael watches her. "Good .. that's a good sign." he looks at her. "No ... I .. I like it .. feels ... nice." he sounds confused, even as he says it looking at her and thinking his earlier question back to himself. Why cant she be a man. But man or woman ... what was happening to him?


Steph feels her face go red and warm at Michael's words and then clears her throat self consciously. She should not let herself buy into this. she knew the deal. She pulls her hand off his chest and lets it rest more respectably on his arm, even though her mind is racing with the idea of touching him more, kissing his chest...finding other things that feel "nice" to him. She's likely not equipped for the opportunity so she grabs for the remote "Do you want to watch a movie?" she spits out rapidly.


Her voice snaps him out of his reverie. "Um ... right .. sure ... we ... we should. Watch a movie ..." he is stuttering like a teenager.

Stephanie blushes more, getting a vibe from Micheal she can't quantify "And maybe some uh cold water....pick something funny. I trust you." She jumps up and heads for the kitchen with a wide eyed exhale when she's out of his sight.


 Michael finds Coming To America on cable and gets water before settling in beside her. The movie is hilarious, a bit mindless and yet, romantic. Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. "India suggested it for me once." he tells her. But halfway through the movie, he realizes .. he has his arm around her again. How'd that happen?

Stephanie gets them both water and settles in with Michael to watch the movie. She's seen it a few times before but it's still funny. She leans back laughing into Michael's arm like it was so natural for it to be there she didn't even notice it happen either.


The movie progresses and finally ends. Michael leans forward to turn it down and tosses the remote on the table and half turns to Stephanie. "Happy endings ...." he looks at her for a long time and finds himself fighting the urge to kiss her. He loses, leaning in for a kiss, even though they are not in public and no one is watching them.


Stephanie stares at him for a moment and then loses her own similar fight, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him with all her passion and the emotion of the day adding another layer of intensity. She feels warm inside in a way she can't explain and from a place that hasn't seen a lot of light in quite some time.

Michael doesn't stop the kiss for a long time. He pulls her close and only deepens it, unaware that, for the first time in his life, his body is responding to a woman's kiss ...


Stephanie is lost in it and kisses him harder in response to his depth. Her breath quickens and her hands caress his neck, his cheeks and into the edges of his hair like she's absolutely cherishing every bit of him her hands cover. Then she remembers his bare chest and how he said it felt nice. she lets her fingers trace down his chest again and back up and down to his neck. Some part of her knows she might be pushing her luck but it seems to be happening anyway.


Michael moves his hand to her waist and is very aware of the dip of her feminine form. He lifts it until it is just under her breast and then he hesitates, making no move to stop the deep kisses.


Stephanie gives a little shudder and there's a definite grin to her kiss. She moves her hand over his under her breast and then guides it up higher, giving permission. Her breasts are small but very soft and sensitive.


Michael lets his hand be moved and he cups the breast. His touch is only slightly hesitant, but obviously inexperienced in many ways. With his thumb, he flicks the area where her nipple would be. He turns a bit and his excitement may be felt against her hip.


At the flicking and the awareness of his arousal both Stephanie lets out a little gasp. She drops her hand from where it was guiding his to his hip and pulls him against her, adjusting her body and sliding a leg around the back of his. She now has no doubt that his body is responding and she slides her hand from his hip to his ass giving it a squeeze.


Michael deepens the kiss as she adjusts herself. Feeling her hand on his ass, he moves closer to her, then begins to lean back, taking her with him as he lays on his back with her on top of him. He caresses her back with his free hand, moving it over her hip and around to her ass, but then around to feel her stomach.


Stephanie tries to figure out how to arrange her legs as she moves with Michael and ends up straddling him, kissing him nonstop, letting his hands move over her freely and squirming just a bit now and then but in a good way. Her stomach is pretty tight. She's been doing yoga and pilates since Tristan was born and she also is from the do a zillion crunches magazine era of women.


Michael moves his hand along her stomach, staying outside of her clothes for now, but slides it between her legs. Part of him interested because he feels nothing but heat there. Straddled over him, he arches his hips, more to set himself more comfortably on his back than anything, but presses into her again, aware .. he is fully hard and ... incredibly turned on ... by her.


Steph writhes as his hand slides between her legs. She has on sweats and soft cotton panties but she can feel that they're soaking as his fingers touch the outside of her pants fabric. His erection is making her god damned crazy. It's like some kind of forbidden fruit that she thought she would fantasize about but never know. She lets one of her hands move from his chest and slides on the other side of his that's in her crotch rubbing at his hardness through his sweats, her fingers wrapping around it a bit as she figures out where it is in his pants.


Michael moans as she touches him and arches into her touch. He moves his hand under her shirt and into her sweats .. and panties, Only then does he break the kiss. "You're so wet." he sounds amazed. He's never touched a female the way he is touching her and he is gentle, not pressing in hard, basically letting his finger slide along her wetness. "Am I ... doing it wrong?" no talk of stopping ... no making movement he wants to stop. He likes this .. likes her ... more ... obviously .. than any other woman ... period.


Steph shudders and smiles "You have that effect on me...oh my god Michael...." she's enjoying the sliding and she directs him a little so he's at least giving a pass at her clit on each rub "Just that please too....I really like your hands though....oh..." She rolls to the side a bit and opens her legs giving him full access all the meanwhile leaning her upper body forward so she can reach into his pants too since they're at the hands in pants stage. She dips her fingers under his waist band and then into his underwear reaching for his cock. Her eyes go wide as she discovers it all with her small hand and she has to pulls back his clothing and let it spring out so she can see this to believe it. He jaw drops a bit "Ohmygodyou'rehuge..." she blurts out "I mean it's awesome..." She giggles...."I'm just gonna shutup now." Her hand grips his fullness and starts gently sliding up and down.


Michael takes his direction well. "Like this?" he finds and rubs at her clit and then slides a finger inside of her. He leans his head back when her bare hands touch him. He says nothing about his size. "You know .... I mean ... if this is ... going where I HOPE it's going ...." he sighs in pleasure. "No woman has ever .. done this to me before, Stephanie...." and the tone of his voice, as well as his hardness and his probing fingers tell her ... he wants her to be the first.

Stephanie looks strained now as he's a damn quick study "Oh god just like that....and that...sweet Jesus Mike.....oh..."

Her hand is still moving on his very ample cock and she murmurs "Wow....so I'm doing it right for you too?" she's kind of smiling and jesting but every man, and human for that matter is different so she wants to offer him what he likes "Instruct me too please..." she breathes out before a little moan at his touch on and in her.


Michael rubs a little more, slightly faster, even. "Yes, you're doing fine." he grins and licks his finger again. "I'm still a man ... I just need to make sure I get the right hole with you." he teases and bites the corner of his lip. "God ... I never thought ..." he arches into her touch . able to smell her and wondering about her taste all of a sudden. Thoughts he never had before .. not even about Sara.


Steph watches him lick his finger and moans audibly "It's right...it's so perfect. I'm afraid to stop in case you change your mind." she teases. He has a big beautiful cock and she looks at it with indecision. She literally wants to do everything to it she can imagine. Surely with one like this there should be a sign that "you must be this tall to ride!" She looks at Micheal for direction "Where do you want to go with this Mike? I'm basically yours any way you want me right now."

Michael chuckles and stops moving his finger, teasing a bit ... he hopes. "Well, Steph. We've both been with men ... I am the one whose only experience with woman is the movies." he looks up at her. "Teach me how to make love to you." he asks her. "How to make you cum ... drive you wild." he moves his hand out of her pants and tugs at them. "Let me taste you. Teach me how to do it right." he sincerely requests.

Steph looks completely overwhelmed by this offer and has to catch her breath a bit to talk and then she just nods "Uh huh...." she dismounts from him but keeps eye contact as she stands in front of him and takes off her tshirt fully and her bra, letting them fall to the floor. Next she slides off her pants and panties, standing naked before him. She's very beautiful but in a natural real way. She has stretch marks from Tristan, full hips and her feminine grooming choice is left to nature. She reaches for Michael's hand "It might be easier in your bed...."


Michael looks at her, in many ways he is amazed that his excitement does not diminish one whit. He stands after she does and slips out of his sweats and underwear. Then he literally scoops her into his arms and heads upstairs with her. He sets her on his low futon and looks at her, his own body still obvious with desire. He gets on his knees and lifts her leg, turning his head to kiss her ankle. Kissing down he alternates between one leg and the other moving towards her center. "Let me know if I fuck up." he asks, reaching her inner thighs, then parting her hair with his fingers and looking at her womanhood .. the first he has seen close up in person in his life. He inhales and licks softly and slowly ... very tentatively.

Stephanie grips the sheets and writhes like she's losing her mind now "Oh my god..." she murmurs "From movies you say....what the hell kind of movies are you hiding?" She tilts her pelvis upwards and opens her legs more, giving him the full view and buffet area.


Michael keeps looking, actually liking someone talking to him. Not even Harley was a talker. "My brothers porno collection and stag parties ... " he closes his lips over her clit, pulling carefully on the long hairs so not to hurt or pull them out. "I love your taste." he observes and begins to circle her clit, which really IS like a very tiny penis. That gives him a bit more confidence. He opens his mouth wider and clamps in it, easing his tongue into her. Not unlike kissing a man with a beard and mustache but ... better tasting, he decides.

Steph arches her back and presses gently into his face "Chauvinism is not all bad then....I'm glad you..." she can't form a sentence for a second and just pants, shivering a bit "Your mouth is amazing..."

There is something about Stephanie's voice that is keeping Michael turned on. He listens and moves a finger, pulling back his head and the hood of her clit, exposing it. He cants his head and looks at it and then leans forward and flicks the bare organ quickly with his tongue.


Stephanie bucks against him from the first second he does this. Her voice becomes low, primal now "Oh god......Mike...that's......so close.....Don't stop...please....Oh god....oh god." more panting and bucking "Oh!" she's crying out now "OH!!" She bucks one last time and then her pelvis relaxes and she just shakes, coming down from it all.


Michael doesn't stop and is interested in her orgasm. It was more like 'in the movies', and he loves it. He kisses his way up her body and reaches to position himself at a set and slippery opening. "So ........." he says, innocently. "Did I make you cum?" he asks, sliding into her with total ease. No need to press or force. And the feeling is incredible. Just so .. different from what hes always had. He moans in surprised pleasure as he hands the hetero version of his virginity to Stephanie Yamada.


Steph is still riding the waves of her orgasm ebbing away and her head snaps back as he enters her. She lets out a little grunt and then answers him "Still there.....oh god Michael....are you sure you haven't done that before?" She's very warmed up but his size still takes some adjusting and she lightly thrusts against him, concentrating on relaxing and letting herself stretch to accommodate him. She speeds up a bit as she feels more at ease and suddenly he's filling her up like no man ever has, hitting every happy place deep inside her. She grips his muscular back.

Michael slowly enters her, feeling how tight she is around him. "Never ..." he moans softly as he moves in completely and then pulls out a bit before reentering. "Never wanted to ... until you." he nuzzles her neck and presses into her, careful of his weight and size. He holds himself up with his hands to accommodate the differences in their height and moves steadily in and out of her, going as deep as he can.

Steph moves with him and holds him when he nuzzles into her neck feeling overwhelmed with emotion about the connection between them, physical, but so much more. She still chats though as she's clearly prone to do "I'm flattered I think....what is it about me?" She rolls back on her hips so she's rocking him when he enters, now that's she's comfortable, letting him go a bit deeper with a bit of a bounce back.


Michael looks down at her and caresses her face, looking down at her. "You should be .. even though ... I have NO idea." the position feels incredible, but he is afraid if hurting her. "Let me try something." he says pressing himself deeply into her and holding her hips. He leans forward and tries to roll them both over, so she is straddling him. "Better?" he groans, arching up into her in the name of adjusting himself to their new position.


Steph rolls with him and ends up on top. She's very flexible so this works for her and she leans forward making her rocking plan work, just a little differently, but a tad deeper by design. "Mmmm is it still as nice for you this way?" She has access to caress his chest again which she remembered him liking so she adds in a bit of that again and even mixes in some kissing and licking on his nipples, not sure if he'll like that too but experimenting, discovering.


Michael moans slightly, caressing her hair as she caresses his chest, loving her touch. "It's great. God .... you feel so good." he arches up, her rocking being very effective in exciting him. He touches her hips and watches himself moving in and out of her, then moves back to her face, his pace beginning to increase as his pleasure mounts.


Stephanie stays with the same pattern, matches his speed and watches him react. She's gotten one prize but getting him off is a helluva another "You feel good too. I love having you inside me....mmm..." There's no more orgasm left in her but it still feels damn good and she's hoping for his now anytime.


Michael moves both of his hands to the mattress, gripping the sheets tightly as his hips begin to lift, pretty much of their own volition. "Stephanie ...." he moans, feeling his orgasm building by the second. "Steph ... God .... God ..." and he grunts, bucking high and hard as his orgasm overcomes him. He shudders and soon collapses, looking up at her with wonder, confusion and satisfaction.


Stephanie rides it out with him getting a serious rush from the power of his explosion. Afterwards she can't stop smiling and lies down on top of him kissing him lightly on the mouth and then snuggling into him and just staying connected.


Michael wraps his arms around her when she snuggles. It's something he secretly loves doing. he moves her hair away from her face a little bit. "Thanks ... for being patient with me." he chuckles a little bit but makes no move to have her move nor to move himself. "I loved it ... it felt right .. being you." he is a believer in friends fucking too and ... that is what this feels like.


Steph closes her eyes, breathing him in and enjoying it "Thank you. We kinda skipped a bit...but I don't think the timing is horrible for it...it just felt so nice..."


Michael looks curious. "What did we skip?" he wonders. "Did I fuck up? I mean .. I'll never forget this. It was even better than when I was twelve." he chuckles.

Stephanie sits up a bit and looks at him "You did not fuck up....we just skipped the condom part." She smiles awkwardly and then frowns curiously "Who did you sleep with when you were 12? Did you say 12?!" She looks baffled now.


Michael's eyes get big and he realizes what he overlooked. "Oh shit. You're a women .. I mean .. you can get pregnant. I never even thought .. since we're both clean." he runs his fingers through his red hair. Then he laughs. "I was twelve when I had sex with a guy the first time. I was twelve and he was fourteen ... my family was in California. Disneyland. Me and him went into this construction site next to the hotel and I bent him over ... and ..." he shrugs. I didn't have sex in a bed until I was ... shot in my 20's." he snorts. "And .. obviously not with a woman until now." he considers her. "You know I won't fuck you over if .. you know. I'm not like that. You're my friend ... no way am I going to be like Colin." he promises her.


Steph kisses Michael again "I don't think I'm pregnant. I'm actually hoping I didn't bleed on you since it's like any minute now. I was almost about to put tampons in my basket when those robbers came in....that would be a crappy thing to have in the report if they shot me. Local woman gunned down buying feminine hygiene products. Thanks for getting that stuff for me on your way home though. I hope it wasn't too awkward. Anyhow.....not good pillow talk. Seriously 12? I hadn't even kissed anyone at 12...no judgement, just surprise. I was 15 when the full deal happened with a boyfriend. We had no idea what we were doing."


Michael nods, relieved in many ways. He likes Tristan .. loves his nephews and lone niece. But for himself ... hes not sure. "Local woman plugged buying plugs ... man ... yea ." he chuckles and tightens his grip around her. "Oh, I never said I knew what I was doing .. but ... he was a bottom ... I'm a top ... I knew what went where and went from there. It was a year before I had sex again .. in Seattle ... and when I got my drivers license and my first klunker, I spent a LOT of time in Washington." he shrugs. "Some people say things happen faster in the gay community. Meet, talk for twenty minutes, fuck, and fight within the first twenty four hours." he looks at her, very curiously.


Steph gives him a cheeky grin "So do I have to kick your ass in the morning to follow a comfortable pattern for you? Because I'm pretty hard core man.'

Michael laughs. "Good .. so you ARE spending the night? I'm pretty easy." he grins. "My alarm isnt even set for some god awful early hour." he cants his head. "Remember Ziven? The Parks guy? I guess he has a point. Sometimes .. even for a homosexual ... someone special can come from the opposite gender and rock their world." he grins at her and pulls her down for a kiss.

Stephanie kisses Michael back and then pulls back looking at him seriously "Look Mike I have no expectations here that...this.." She gestures between them naked and gently dismounts, lying to the side of him "is going to be your normal now. I knew what I was saying yes to when you asked me to be your beard, as you call it. Tonight was a surprise. A wonderful surprise but I'm not obligating you to it. I mean I know straight people can get bi curious...so maybe you're hetero curious? I'm honoured to be the person you're exploring it with. I mean I'd also happily do it again...and again. I am obviously attracted to you and my feelings are growing beyond just that. but I am a realist. So whatever THIS is, please don't feel like it has to ever limit who you are."

Michael keeps her close to him when she dismounts. After she speaks, he considers for a bit. "Tonight was a surprise is probably the understatement of this century." he admits. "But I'm okay with it, and whatever we wind up being. I'm pretty realistic too, which is why I see the world as it is. I can't deny my senses ... even if they are a little confusing." he pauses. "So, did you call and tell whoever is watching Tristan that you'll be home in the morning? Hungry? I can cook Irish dishes okay, but honestly I tend to stick to the quick stuff." he looks her over. His feelings are confusing, but he can figure it out. Would he really deny himself love just because it was aimed at a woman?

Stephanie runs a finger up his chest and then taps on one pec lightly "Tristan is at a sleepover at Anna's with her niece Rosalee. I suppose I could text Anna and tell her I'm not at home but my phone is on and she usually gets me on my cell anyway. I'm not sure what she'd think if I explained this..." she laughs "I could eat but it doesn't have to be fancy. Do you want help?" Sex and then cooking together feels dangerously domestic. She could get used to it but she suspects she shouldn't let herself.

Michael nods. "Anna ... well ... yea ... if things get deeper with me and you we can have a little conference. Just us and Anna, India and Ryan ..." he runs a hand over his face at the idea of his partner, who might not be as okay with people thinking he was sleeping with his sister when it turned out he really WAS sleeping with his sister. "I know India just wants to see me happy. She's a great lady." he sits up a little. "I need the bathroom, then I'll throw something together in the kitchen." he leans over and kisses her, then stands. "And the feminine hygiene products are in a bag by the door. Mrs Chen gave me a very interesting look ....." and he wanders out towards the bathroom, where he remains for only a couple minutes while he pees, flushes and washes his hands before he heads downstairs. If she is watching the doorway, she'll note he's still naked.


Steph kisses him back and then laughs "I'll bet she did. Make her wonder though." She watches him go and can't help but grin with a bit of a "Damn I hit that" moment. She flops back on the bed and lounges, waiting for her own turn to use the bathroom after him and then gets up shortly after the flush. From downstairs he'll hear a muffled "Dammit!" from the bathroom and then her flushing and dashing down the stairs to the bag on the door before grabbing her clothes and jogging back up the stairs to the bathroom again. Definitely no pregnancy worries now.


Michael finds the beef stew he bought, potatoes and carrots and sets them out. While cutting the beef into smaller pieces and placing them in the pot, he hears Steph coming down, grabbing her bag and clothes and going back upstairs. The bag is telling and he doesnt lie to himself that he isn't relieved. But he waits until she comes back down to grin at her. "So ... period?"


Steph comes back in her sweats and tshirt from before and grumbles "Mother nature you cruel bitch...yeah....anyway food...and speaking of food, my parents would like me to bring you to Thanksgiving, you know so we can sit across from them and try not to have the yeah we just boned last week looks on our faces."

Michael cuts the beef up into smaller cubes and places it in a frying pan. He moves the carrots over to Steph, silently asking her to chop them up. "What does that look like, anyway?" he wonders, as the beef begins to brown. He looks at her. "I mean I don't look any different do I?" he grins. "Now I know I can take your brother, as long as he isn't armed. Probably Garrett too ... the problem would probably be with your father ...." he cants his head. "I DO have the best of intentions, if that helps. But I don't think telling him that before my first marriage most of the people I fucked didn't even get a cheap hotel room while you got in my BED." he looks at her sideways, to let her know he is at least mostly teasing.


Stephanie snorts "Perhaps bringing up sex with me or past partners is not the way to set my family at ease. But also know that I'm a grown up and I make my own choices. Colin was different. They know that. I know that more than ever right now." She starts chopping the carrots a little roughly and shakes her head "How did he end up in that Mike? I mean you see criminals all the time....how? He went to school with me to manage the books for small businesses. I thought he worked at a tech firm in Vancouver..." She swallows "I may have done some Facebook stalking on that. Meeratech or whatever. But it seemed legit, security systems and stuff. What the hell do I tell Tristan if this hits the news?"

Michael lets the meat sear in a deep pot and sighs. "I was mostly dealing with poor kids in shitty lives that fell into drugs or gangs and whatnot." he adds a bit of salt and pepper. "Bored rich kid syndrome?" he speculates. "Maybe he's in debt up to his eyeballs?" he pauses. "Does Tristan have to know? I mean, if he's caught it may hit the news. He'll go to prison. I mean ... sometimes people do bad things and we don't know why?" he considers the pot. "How close is Tristan to his father?"


Stephanie nods along with Mike as she chops, the force of the knife calming as he talks "He only knows Colin's name. He found his birth certificate last year. Colin's never tried to find us or meet him and Tristan hasn't asked to meet his father. He just got quiet after finding his name, but I suspect he'd remember it. Steel trap that kid."


Michael adds a bit of water and sets it on low heat. Then he moves closer to Steph and begins to dice potatoes. Well the kid knows right from wrong, so if it hits the news ... He'll know not to do it. Do you think he wants a relationship with his father?"


Steph finishes the carrots and turns to look at Mike "I'm not worried he's going to commit an armed robbery because Colin fucked up that way. I'm worried he's going to question himself in other ways. I guess more subtly. He's never asked to meet Colin so I'd guess he doesn't. He knows Colin left us. I was honest about that part because he needs to know, if he ever does seek him out, that Colin made that choice. I'm not sure I'm making sense.....it's still a mess in my head."


Michael chops a couple potatoes into small pieces and puts it and the carrots into the shallow pan. "I think it's environmental. So Tristan should be fine because he has a loving home life." he licks his lips. "But I don't think Cedar Point was Colin's first stop ...." he says, carefully, absently stirring the mixture. "And he wasn't caught ... so this isn't over." he sighs and stares down into the dish ... its enough for maybe three or four people, but the shallowness of the pan encourages quick cooking.


Stephanie looks thoughtful "How long does it take to put out a warrant? I could give you what I have on him for locations but it's all really outdated. He lived in Burnaby when I knew him, right by the Simon Fraser University where we went to school, like walking distance. He grew up in the area and seemed like one of those people who would just stay...you know? Of course he also didn't seem like an armed robber back then or a guy who would leave a woman in childbirth so my gut on him may be way off."


Michael grins. "Well, that's pretty much taken care of. The license plate number is out there as well. Everyone is looking for him right now, because of the shooting. The pharmacist is fine, considering." he shrugs and tastes the Irish stew. "Taste?" he offers. What appears to be beef is actually lamb.

Stephanie accepts a piece of lamb offered and chews with a pleased look "Mmmm" she nods with approval and then swallows "Yeah I hope they catch him before he hurts anyone else." She wraps her arms around Michael giving him a big hug "I'm really glad you're in my life. I don't know what I would have done if I had to go home to Tristan tonight and pretend I was fine....but this is helping me get there."

Michael kills the flame under the pot and turns to Steph, putting his arms around her and returns the hug. "I'm glad you're in MY life." he tells her. "This has been incredible. You're incredible." he shrugs. "And one thing I know for SURE .... I want more nights like this. Well .. without the shootings and traumas, of course."

Stephanie leans into him and sighs "Yeah me too." She's noticed the absence of clothing on him and now she looks him up and down and smirks "And THIS I could get used to as well.'


Michael chuckles. "Good. I'm not letting myself go to seed as I get older.' he promises her. "Now sit and let me serve you." he nods to the counter where his stool await. "I've been told I am kind of a hopeless romantic ... by the way ...." it sounds a little like a warning.

Stephanie grins and goes to sit "Alright...I can take it....just no fuckin poetry OK?"


Michael laughs as he gets two bowls and two spoons and divides the stew between them. He pulls out a small plate and puts a few slices of bread on them and sets all three on the counter. Then he moves around it. "No poetry and no singing." he promises. "But I remember what it was like for my mom. My brother is twelve years older than me, so when he was hitting those teen years that make parents think about retroactive abortions, I was just entering those toddler years when parents are wondering what they could POSSIBLY have been thinking having that monster." he winks and sits beside her, not worrying about his nudity. "So .. massages and bubble baths and mindless hilarious movies and whatever else I can think of."


Steph looks a little melty at that and just agrees with "Ok." before stealing the first slice of bread and dipping it in her stew and taking a bite.


Micheal nods and digs into his stew, using both spoon and bread. He smiles. "Not bad, if I do say so myself."

The next morning Stephanie can barely pry herself away from Michael at his front door, kissing him with a now familiar passion and lingering in the realization that Michael doesn't seem to want to let her go either. They finally are able to stop and say goodbye. Micheal closes the door and Steph turns, heading for the stairs to go out. She runs smack into her brother Ryan who seems to have discovered them and was laying in wait to fire off questions. Stephanie stared at Ryan like a deer in the headlights. He was in his gym clothes coming back from a run and his eyes bored into her.

"Are we gonna talk about this?"

Stephanie inhaled and started past Ryan with one stubborn answer "Nope."