The Good, The Bad, and The Cuffed
By Mia Athlas

Joe strolled into the bar, like it was the most natural thing in the world. He ignored the stares that he was getting from the rough looking men around him.

It wasn't so bad.

Lundy was full of shit. Just a bunch of redneck cowpokes getting drunk and leering at anything that moved. Sauntering over to the bar, he sat down, refusing to feel out of place. He met the eyes of the man seated to his left in the mirror above the bar. The man glared at him and Joe smiled back in response then turned to survey the rest of the bar.

Okay, so it wasn't quite his style. The sawdust from the floor covered the fine leather of his shoes and seemed to cling to his black slacks. His luxurious white silk shirt reflected the light and seemed to glow in the dimness. All in all, in the sea of Jean-clad cowboys, he stood out like a sore thumb in the one bar that Lundy had always warned him to stay away from. Which was of course exactly why he was here. He turned back to the bartender who had finally deigned to notice him.

"Beer," he yelled, trying to make himself heard over the man who was singing about his truck. The bartender nodded, still watching him suspiciously.

"I think you're in the wrong bar, buddy." The gruff voice sounded from directly behind him. Joe sighed and accepted the beer from the bartender before turning to face the speaker. He regarded the tall, muscular man carefully. The man stood tilted slightly to the right...a bum leg perhaps? Joe filed the information away.

"Nah. Don't think so. I just came in for a beer," he answered nonchalantly. He really didn't feel like fighting. In fact, the truth was the only reason he even came to the bar was to show his partner that he wasn't afraid of anything. Even if he did feel like fighting, he wasn't going to tonight, it would just prove Lundy's point that there were some places that he just didn't belong.

"Seems to me that a fancy britches like you'd be better off across town at that 'fag' bar." The man spoke loudly and the bar quieted. Several of the men and women laughed.

Joe stared hard at the other man.

"I don't want any trouble. All I want is to have my beer. Back off!"

The man laughed. "Hear that Buck? This little prissy boy here is telling me what to do." The man leaned over and got into Joe's face.

"Tell you what, sweetheart. You leave right now and I'll let you actually *walk * out of here. We don't want your kind around here."

Several heads bobbed up and down in agreement. Joe frowned and stood up. The man backed up enough to give him room. "I'll leave when I'm ready to leave. Not before... you got that."

The big man stepped close again, now flanked by two buddies. "I don't think you understand. I'm not asking... I'm telling."

Joe glanced to the sides, cataloging the trouble-maker's two companions. The odds were definitely not in his favor. The smart thing would be to turn and walk out of there. Joe smiled and was gratified to see a look of uncertainty cross the ringleader's face. He had never been one to walk away from a good fight. Even one he had no hope of winning. If nothing else he'd take the big one down. Anger bubbled up inside him and before he knew it spittle was running down the cowboy's face.

The man roared with anger and swung a hard right.

Prepared for the move, Joe ducked, then stood abruptly and aimed a hard kick at the man's right knee. The cowboy clutched his knee and went down hard, howling in pain. Joe took the opportunity to jump past the man, giving himself more room to maneuver. The man's cries were drowned out as the crowd erupted with cries for blood. Joe found himself surrounded, and began to feel that perhaps he shouldn't have been so hasty to invite a fight.

The men began closing in and LaFiamma was debating whether he should pull his guns when a shot silenced the growing noise.

The crowd parted and Joe found himself staring across the room at his very angry partner.

He braced himself as Levon strode over to him. His partner grabbed his arm and dragged him to the bar, as the crowd watched curiously. Lundy whispered in his ear as he shoved him face first into bar. "You damn fool. This place is nothin' to toy with."

Joe caught himself easily with his hands, finding that he was now 'assuming the position' against the bar. Levon turned around to face the patrons of the bar and pulled out his badge.

"Houston PD. This man is wanted for murder. Stay back and let me do my job and I won't have to haul your sorry asses down to the precinct." Levon barely stopped a sigh of relief as the crowd backed off.

He turned back to his 'prisoner' and pulled out his cuffs. He caught Joe's eyes in the mirror above the bar and smirked, making a show out of pulling the dark-haired man's arms behind him and cuffing him securely.

That done he leaned over Joe's back, allowing full body contact for a split second, before grabbing the collar of his shirt and hauling him back. He marched his charge out of the bar and into the cool night air.

Levon was still fuming as they exited and so damn turned on he could hardly walk. He couldn't say he was actually surprised that Joe had come to this particular bar. He was surprised though that he'd had to wait 3 hours for LaFiamma to show up. As soon as he'd said the words, warning his partner away from the 'Dirty Weasel' he realized his mistake. In LaFiamma-land his words were a challenge--a dare if you will. Sure enough, Joe had proven him right. Damn fool would get himself killed if he didn't have a partner to back him up. Levon ran his eyes up and down the length of his partner's back as they walked.

Damn, but Joe sure did look good in those handcuffs.

As soon as they got close to the Jimmy, Joe began to struggle. Levon let him go and the man turned to glare at him.

"You better get me out of these things in the next 5 seconds, cowboy," Joe warned.

Levon grinned and crossed his arms, leaning back against the side of the Jimmy. "Or what, LaFiamma?"

Joe gritted his teeth as Lundy mispronounced his name yet again. "I'll get you for this, Lundy," he growled.

Levon laughed as Joe stalked toward him. "You deserve it LaFiamma. What kind of idiot thing did you think you were proving by coming here? I told you to stay clear of this place, so what's the first thing you do...come here on the run. You're gettin' predictable, boy."

"You gonna uncuff me?" Joe had come to a stop directly in front of his partner... close but not touching.

"Well, now. Can't say as I've decided quite yet. I'm kind of getting used to you like this. Bit easier to handle now aren't you?" Levon grinned.

Joe got an odd look in his eye, then spun away. He came to a stop about six paces from Lundy, keeping his back to him. After a couple of minutes of grinning and teasing his partner with no response, Levon began to feel uneasy. It wasn't like Joe to just take it like that. He pushed away from the truck and approached his still partner.

"Joe?" he asked, as he put a hand on his partner's shoulder.

One touch was all it took. A shoulder caught him in the chest and he went down hard, Joe on top of him, his partner's hands already inside his pocket fumbling for the keys.

Levon, tried to catch his breath, as Joe awkwardly searched him. They both froze as LaFiamma's hand found something... though not quite what he was searching for.

Joe propelled himself backwards and ended up on his ass in the gravel, staring open-mouthed at his partner. "You... you..."

Levon jumped up and dusted himself off, blushing. "Well now. You shouldn't be rubbing at a person like that if you don't want something to happen, now should you boy?"

"What? I never... listen here..." Joe stammered.

"I don't know Joe, seemed like you were getting pretty... friendly... to me," Levon smirked at the flustered man, happy to 'one up' him for a change.

They were interrupted by a shout from the doorway to the bar.

"Hey! You're no cop!" It was the man that Joe had kicked.

Levon reached down and hauled Joe to his feet, dragging him over to the truck.

"Come on boy. We'd better make tracks, if we don't want our heads beat in." He hauled LaFiamma into the cab of the truck, still cuffed and squealed out of the parking lot.

He drove to his ranch, ignoring his partner as Joe continued to stare at him the entire way. When they arrived, Joe managed to turn in his seat and open the door by himself. Lundy jumped out and walked over to the barn.

"Where are you going?" Joe asked, stepping in front of him as he tried to enter the barn. "I still seem to have a problem here." He turned so that Lundy could see his still cuffed hands. He turned back and his eyes strayed of their own accord to his partner's groin. "Hey, you're still hard, Lundy," he added in a low voice.

Lundy stopped and leaned against a beam crossing his arms. "Yeah, so?"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not touching you now."

"Yeah, so?" Lundy repeated, stepping closer to Joe.

Joe stepped back, not wanting to admit he was nervous. "Levon, I want you to un-cuff me now," he said quietly.

Lundy stopped and regarded him carefully for a moment. Whether he noted the fact that Joe was genuinely uncomfortable or just tired of the game, Joe couldn't say but he did breathe a sigh of relief as his partner reached into his back pocket and withdrew the key to the cuffs. In a moment Joe was free once again. He rubbed his wrists.

"So, what is it? The cuffs... the domination... sexy thoughts? What's going on with you? Since when do you get a hard on when I'm the only one around?"

Levon leaned back against the beam once more and regarded Joe seriously, no trace of humor in his face. "Maybe you just haven't noticed before LaFiamma. Bother you?"

Joe blinked. How could he have not noticed something like that? "No... no. It just surprises me that's all." Another thought occurred to him. "I swear that I will kill you Levon if you're just putting me on." He walked forward, stopping directly in front of the other man.

Levon took his partner's hand and put it on his denim-covered erection. "That feel like a put on, boy?"

Joe flexed his fingers, gripping Levon tighter until the other man moaned slightly and pushed forward into his hand. Joe grinned. "Can I tell you a secret, Levon?" Not waiting for an answer, Joe grabbed his partner's hand and placed it on his equally straining cock.

Levon's face broke into a smile.

They both moved forward at the same moment, sealing their mouths in a hard kiss. They fought for dominance for a few minutes then settled into a more relaxed pace. Joe thrust his tongue into Levon's mouth, caressing and exploring as he went. He felt his partner's hands on his back, in his hair...everywhere. Pressing the other man hard against the beam with his body, Joe began grinding their erections together. After a few minutes he pulled back in frustration... it wasn't enough. He looked around and spotted a stack of loose hay in the corner. Joe pulled his partner over and tried to push him down into it.

Levon pushed back. "I don't reckon that's such a good idea Joe," he gasped as he caught his breath.

Joe looked at him in confusion.

Levon elaborated. "Ever try to get hay out of unmentionable places?"

Joe shook his head with a smile and grabbed a couple of horse blankets and threw them over the pile. "Better?"

"Yeah, " Levon growled, and pushed his partner back into the covered haystack before jumping on top of him. "Let's get you out of these clothes, boy!"

They made short work of all of their clothing and soon Levon settled back down on top of Joe, skin to skin. He groaned out loud at the sensation. Joe felt wonderful, hard and soft in all the right places.

Lundy reached up as an afterthought, to remove his hat and found his hand captured.

"No...leave it on," Joe breathed.

Levon grinned and put his hand back to work, flicking Joe's hard nipples. His partner was very responsive, pushing up into his touch. Levon tilted his hat back and leaned over to put his mouth on the hard nub. He sucked gently, enjoying the twisting motion of the body beneath him. Joe spread his legs, allowing Levon to settle between them and bring their erections into contact. The first touch almost pushed Lundy over the edge. The slick feel of their mingled precum, easing the friction as his cock slid back and forth along the length of his partner's was incredible. Both men were moaning. Levon bit down lightly on the nipple in his mouth and Joe gasped and arched his back.

"More," he cried out.

Levon grinned and shimmied down further. On the one hand he hated to end the delicious feel of Joe's cock against his own, but on the other hand they had been heading quickly to an abrupt end and there were other things that he definitely wanted to try. It was possible that this one time would be his only chance to do everything that he had dreamed of for so long. He planned on taking advantage of the opportunity. If Joe never let him this close again, at least he would have his memories of this one time. He licked and kissed his way down Joe's firm chest and stomach, pausing for a moment to swirl his tongue into his partner's belly button. Joe twisted in arousal and stroked the back of Levon's neck and shoulders.

Continuing his journey of exploration, Levon finally arrived at his prize. Joe's cock stood straight and tall from a thatch of jet-black hair. Lundy gripped the base of the erection in his hand and without pausing took the head into his mouth.

Joe shouted and his hands clenched tightly at Levon's shoulders. The cowboy winced in pain and withdrew his mouth from his partner's cock. Joe slowly realized the sensation had stopped and opened his eyes to stare in confusion at Levon.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You've gotta go a bit easier on the grip, Joe. In my world pain and sex don't belong in the same place."

Joe blushed and released Levon's shoulders, taking in the hand-prints that were still visible even after his hands had been removed.

"Ouch... sorry Levon. I'll be more careful... that is if you want to continue?"

Joe looked so worried that Levon had to laugh. "No way are we stopping now LaFiamma... just put your hands behind your head, okay?"

Joe immediately put his hands where requested and gazed down at him, his eyes still dark with arousal. Levon didn't make him wait. He took his partner's still rock hard erection into his mouth and began drawing him in deeper than before. He gripped Joe's hips, kneading them as he moved up and down the other man's erection.

Joe groaned. "Levon... Levon... god... switch around... I want... I want to touch you...."

Joe's words finally reached Levon's brain and he eagerly shifted so that he was on his knees, hovering over Joe with his groin in easy reach of the Italian's mouth and hands. He immediately felt Joe touch his penis and grip his balls gently rolling them in his hands. Levon groaned around Joe's cock and began sucking harder, and moving his mouth faster and further down that straining shaft.

Levon felt wet heat engulf his own erection and he released Joe's cock to throw back his head and cry out. It was obvious that his partner was no novice to performing blow-jobs. The knowledge took Levon by surprise and he filed it away to deal with at a later date. He leaned forward again and took Joe back into his mouth, matching his movements to the rhythm set by his partner.

Soon they were both thrusting and sucking furiously, and Levon felt his orgasm fast approaching. Something firm and wet pressed into his anus and he could hold back no more. He gripped Joe's penis harder as his orgasm exploded from his body. He felt Joe's seed spurt into his mouth as the world grayed around the edges and his body throbbed with pleasure.

When he had recovered enough, Levon rolled to the side and threw an arm over Joe possessively. They both lay quietly, panting in the aftermath of their orgasms. After quite a while Levon nudged his partner.

Joe jumped and sputtered, having been almost asleep. "What?"

"You never did tell me what possessed you to go to the "Dirty Weasel" tonight, after I told you it wasn't the place for you."

"Thought you were egging me on. Trying to tell me that I couldn't handle the place. I just wanted to prove you wrong."

Levon started laughing. "Good job, boy. You sure showed me that you could handle the place, didn't you? If I hadn't showed up when I did...." He left the rest of the sentence unsaid.

Joe glared at his snickering partner. " Did I ask for your help? Hey, I had everything under control. "

"Sure you did LaFiamma... sure you did."

"Tell you what, Levon. I'll make you a deal. I'll go back in there tomorrow night. If I can get out after... let's say an hour... without so much as a bruise... then tomorrow night, you wear the handcuffs." Joe smirked.

"What do I get if you lose... well except for having to save your ungrateful behind again?"

"What do you want?"

"I win, you stay here every night next week and be my love slave," Levon stated, holding his breath. He wished he could just tell Joe how he felt outright but it was too soon. He needed to take things slowly.

Joe nodded. "Deal." The dark-haired man settled back down into Levon's arms trying to figure out just how much fighting he would have to do to lose the bet and still be mobile enough to enjoy the loss. A week... Levon obviously wanted the relationship to continue. A whole week, with a bet like this, he couldn't lose.

Unknown to each other, they each continued to separately plot how to make his partner accept this new part of their relationship as a permanent part of their lives. Secretly, each wondered how long he should wait before admitting his love to the other man.

The End.