HELPING HANDS

Chapter 16

Adam stops in the doorway of Tim's room and quietly watches him. He's standing at his dresser, running his hands along the top as if he were checking the items that were there.

"Babe? What are you doing?" Adam asks out of curiosity. 

Tim turns around quickly as if he was a kid that had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

"Uh, nothing." Tim answers, shaking his head and lowering his eyes to the ground.

"Your actions tells me otherwise." Adam chuckles as he walks into the room.

"Okay. I forgot to lock my door and I might have been checking to see if anything has been moved." Tim says as he turns back around to his dresser.

"Might?" Adam smiles. "You still don't trust him do you."

"Like one would trust an 'Honest John' used car salesman." Tim answers.

"Okay?" Adam laughs. "Need some help?"

"Sure. Maybe check the bed and maybe my nightstand." Tim answers as he feels around in the drawers of his dresser. "Then we'll move to the bathroom to make sure he didn't replace my toothpaste with 'Preparation H'."

"Geez." Adam chuckles as he feels around on the bed to make sure nothing was under the covers. Also checking under the pillows and inside the pillow cases.

He opens the drawer to Tim's nightstand and quickly jerks his hands back. Laying in the drawer on top of the condoms and lube was a rubber snake. It looked life-like.

"Uh, I'm going to get a flashlight from my room to check under the bed and in the closet." Adam says as he picks up the snake.

"Alright." Tim answers.

Adam slips down to Austin's room. He could clearly hear Austin's voice down stairs where he and Chance were playing a video game.

He walks quietly into the room. He pulls the covers back and lays the snake on the bed then fixes the covers back like they were.

He then hurries back to his room, finding the flashlight.

"Sorry it took so long. I forgot where I put it. I found it though." Adam says as he walks back into Tim's room.

"So far, everything seems okay." Tim says.

"Nothing under the bed." Adam says as he shines the light under the bed. "Let's go check the bathroom."

After a thorough check of the bathroom and closet,  Tim was quite sure that nothing had been tampered with.

"Maybe I'm just being paranoid." Tim smiles as he sits down on the bed. "Maybe he is serious about stopping the pranks."

"That's possible but I wouldn't let my guard down if I was you." Adam says as he crawls into the bed and pulls Tim back with him. "Cuddle time."

Tim wraps an arm around Adam as Adam snuggles against him sliding his arm around Tim's waist.

"Give me a kiss." Adam whispers. 

Tim turns his head toward his lover and kisses him tenderly. They continue to give each other soft kisses until a scream from Austin's room causes Tim to jump and turn his head toward the sound.

"It's nothing." Adam smiles as he places his hand on Tim's cheek. turning his face back to him. Continuing the tender kisses.

Tim pulls his lover closer as he deepens the kiss.

"TIM! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Austin shouts as he stomps inside the room.

"What the hell is what?" Tim asks as he turns his head toward the angry young man..

"THIS D*MN SNAKE!!" Austin yells as he holds up the rubber snake. "THE ONE YOU PUT IN MY BED!!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Austin." Tim says, shaking his head.

"Oh, I'm sure you don't." Austin says pitching the rubber snake down on Tim's chest.

Tim grabs whatever had landed on his chest quickly throwing it to the floor after feeling the rubbery substance.

"He doesn't. I did it." Adam says, defending his lover.

"You did? Why?" Austin asks with a confused look.

"Maybe because you left it in Tim's nightstand." Adam answers.

"You did?" Tim asks.

"I did?" Austin asks. "Oh, wait. I did." He snickers.

"But I thought we were stopping with the pranks." Tim states as he looks in Austin's direction.

"I have, Tim, honest." Austin replies. "I put that in there the day before yesterday before we called the truce. I forgot about it. Wait, you guys hadn't had sex since I put that in there?"

"Since when is our sex life at the top of your priority list?" Tim asked with a raised brow.

"I just meant that before Adam arrived I don't remember you ever being with anyone. So I just thought you would be eager to get caught up." Austin says. "Wait. Were you a virgin?"

"My past sex life is none of your d*mn business, Austin!" Tim says, his voice rising in anger as he sits up in bed. "Now, GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!!"

"Tim." Adam says softly, reaching out and gently rubbing him on the back, trying to calm him down.

"Tim, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Austin says as he sits down on the bed. "I know it was none of my business. I was just joking. I know we pick at each other a lot but I consider you my best friend. Please forgive me."

Austin reaches out and takes Tim by the hand and gently squeezes it. He then stands up to leave the room.

Tim closes his eyes as a tear rolls down his cheek. He reaches out and grabs Austin by the shirt.

"Austin, wait." Tim says softly.

"Timmy, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Austin asks as he sits back down. "I've known you for seven years and I don't recall ever seeing you cry."

"Austin, something happened while I was on the streets. Only Betty knew about it." Tim sniffs. "I've lived with this secret for over ten years. I finally told Adam."

"You don't have to tell me, Tim, if you don't want to." Austin says, once again squeezing Tim's hand.

"No, I think I need to." Tim says. "It actually made me feel a little better when I told Adam. I had been hiding it for so long. It was always in the back of my mind. I felt as if I wasn't living with it alone any more."

"Okay. I promise, it won't go no further." Austin says, honestly.

"The day before Betty brought me here, some guys robbed me of what little money I had collected. They started pushing me around and making fun of me. People just walked on by. Ignoring what was happening." Tim says as he stares straight ahead as he relived the day in his mind. Tears streaming down his cheeks. "They, uh, they dragged me into an alley where they started beating me and proceeded to gang raped me."

"Oh, my God." Austin whispers as he wipes away a tear. "How many?"

"Three." Tim answers as he wipes his eyes. "Betty put me through therapy but it only helped some. That's why Adam and I are taking it slow. After ten years, I'm still living with the memory of it."

"God, I'm so sorry, Tim. "Austin says as he grabs Tim into a hug and cries on his shoulder. "I am so sorry."

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