'Yes, very.' Daniel whispered back.

They were sat together on a battered old sofa in the recreation room of Darren's dorm, Darren seated, Daniel perched on the arm. The room was filled to bursting point with people, everyone's attention firmly focused on the T.V. set that had been raised on a table at one end.

The curtains had been drawn and taped together so that no sunlight could spill through and interrupt what they were about to witness.

Gradually the picture on the set cleared and a collective breath was held as they all waited for the great moment.

Unobserved in the half-light Daniel reached down and took Darren's hand in his, giving it a tight little squeeze. Without removing his eyes from the T.V. Darren smiled and squeezed back.

This was it. Man was finally going to walk on the moon.

They both watched spellbound as Neil Armstrong jumped backwards down the ladder of the lunar module and landed in a small cloud of dust on the surface.

Darren's grip on Daniel's hand tightened.

A hiss of static was heard followed by a disembodied voice... "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

At these words the whole room erupted. A huge cheer went up and people started hugging each other in their exuberance.

Darren pulled Daniel into an ecstatic bear hug, causing the younger man to topple over and fall into his lap.

'Hey careful there man.' Daniel cautioned.

Grinning Darren released him and Daniel slid down to sit on the floor at Darren's feet. Darren gave his hair an affectionate mess-up and then returned his hands to the more acceptable position of resting on his own legs.

After another twenty minutes or so of transmission the link with the astronauts was severed and gradually people began to drift back to the remainder of their Sunday afternoon.

'So what do you want to go and do now?' Daniel asked levering himself to standing and stamping his feet to rid them of the pins and needles that had decided to take up residence there.

'Sundaes.' A cheerful voice said behind them.

Turning round they were greeted by the beaming face of Darren's friend Matt. 'We were going to head down to 'Papa Joe's' and grab something to eat, wanna join us?'

'Sounds good to me,' Darren replied, 'Dan?'

'Sure, whatever.'

'Cool, I'll go round up the others.'

'Er, Matt,' Darren said as his friend made to leave, 'we'll meet you down there.'


'Darren.' Dan reluctantly tore his lips from Darren's

'Mmmmm, what?' Darren recaptured them.

This time Daniel drew back a little more forcefully. 'We really should get going, go meet your friends, they'll wonder where we've got to.'

Darren looked a little sad. 'I guess you're right.'

They were sat on Darren's bed in his dorm, his room mates mercifully elsewhere at that moment.

'Come on.' Daniel stood up and held out a hand to pull Darren to his feet.

Taking it Darren also stood, tucking his shirt in as he did so. He looked at Dan and blushed like a teenager.

Daniel returned his grin unable to resist pulling the dark-haired beauty to him for one final kiss before they exited the dorm and made their way across the moonlit campus.

'You know it's incredible,' Darren remarked as he craned his neck to look up at the milky orb. 'The same government who has just spent trillions of dollars putting a man on some faraway planet is the same one who is spending trillions of dollars getting its young men blown to pieces in some faraway country.'

Daniel nodded in silent agreement.

'There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'

'Huh?'

'Shakespeare.' Darren explained. 'It means, awwll shit, I forget what it exactly means but roughly translated it means that there are some things that we are just never going to understand.'

'You know what I don't understand?' Daniel said quietly as he brushed his fingers against Darren's.

'No, what's that?' Darren asked, toying with the notion of taking Dan's hand in his but chickening out at the last moment as they were passed on the path by a group of his fellow students.

'Exactly that.' And he up-nodded in the direction of the departing students.

Now it was Darren's turn to look confused.

'Why,' Daniel went on to explain. 'Why you couldn't do what you wanted to just then, why I couldn't have done it either.'

'Oh,' Darren sighed deeply then shrugged. 'I guess you can't change the whole world at once. But one day eh? One day we'll be able to walk down main street holding hands without getting arrested or having our heads kicked in.'

Daniel simply smiled and shook his head indulgently. 'You really are a dreamer, aren't you Darren?'

Darren stuck his tongue out in indignant response as he bounded up the steps of the small family diner that was their destination.

Waving as he spotted the others, he and Dan squashed in on opposite sides of the booth where much fierce debate was going on...over which sundaes should be ordered.

Ice creams ordered, served and all but consumed, the conversation inevitably turned to the events of the day.

'Our leaders have the intelligence to launch rocket ships thousands of miles into space and yet are still stupid enough not to see what is happening right in their own backyard.' Lisa proclaimed angrily, echoing Darren's earlier thoughts.

The others agreed and they were off.

During the ensuing discussion Daniel noticed that Josh was becoming more and more withdrawn from the group, offering fewer comments on the situation and looking distinctly uneasy.

Eventually Darren also noticed and enquired as to whether everything was alright with his friend.

Josh paled even more and his silence brought about that of the rest of the table's.

'Oh fuck it.'

Daniel held his breath as Josh nervously licked his lips. He had an uncanny feeling that he knew what was coming next. He had seen it happen among his own friends.

'I wasn't going to say anything,' from his back pocket the young man brought forth a folded brown envelope, 'but this came this morning.' Contemptuously he threw it onto the formica-topped table of the booth.

Wordlessly Sarah picked it up and turned it over and over in her hands. None of them needed to see the contents to know what it was.

'What you gonna do?'

Josh just shook his head. 'I don't know.'

Two days later they all found out what he had decided to do when Brad went to call for him on the way to a lecture and found Josh's room empty, the bed stripped, all of his possessions gone. The only remnant of his occupancy his dart board, a crude hand drawn sketch of a moose affixed to it by means of a single dart right between the poor creature's eyes.


~Chapter Six - '...So can I walk beside you...?'~

'FUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKK!'

Darren lost his balance and once more splashed into the shallow water. Spluttering he re-surfaced and wiped the water from his eyes.

'This is complete madness. Are you trying to get me drowned Jones?' He enquired peering with mock intensity at Daniel's smirking face.

Daniel just smiled serenely and patted his board. 'Again.'

Grumbling Darren climbed aboard again and crouched down in a squatting position as Dan had previously shown him.

Beside him Daniel stood only thigh-deep in the water steadying the board with one hand and Darren with the other. 'Feet a little wider apart.' He instructed and Darren shuffled around to obey.

'Ready?'

Darren nodded.

Releasing his hold on Darren but not the board, Daniel watched as Darren teetered precariously and then unceremoniously fell off again.

This time when he surfaced Daniel had hoisted himself up and was sat astride the board. 'Come here.'

Darren pulled himself on and swung one leg over so that he was sat directly in front on Daniel, his back pressed tightly against his chest.

'Okay let's do this in tandem.'

Using his hands as paddles Daniel propelled them out into deeper water. When he figured that they were far enough out to at least be able to catch the end of a wave, he motioned for Darren to lay flat out on the board and positioned his body over him.

'Just hold on.'

Darren's hands gripped the board just a little tighter.

Daniel laughed, his laughter reverberating through Darren's body and causing him to relax, just slightly.

When the next wave hit Daniel placed his hands just ahead of Darren's and together they were carried along on the force of the water. The board undulating and lifting under them as its momentum gathered and then ebbed.

'Shiiiiiiittt.' Daniel yelled and the next thing Darren knew he was once more kissing the ocean.

Both men emerged grinning maniacally.

'Whoa.' Was Darren's only comment.

'Some rush eh?' Daniel said as he grabbed hold on his board and waded the last few feet to the shore.

Sitting down at the water's edge he waited for Darren to join him. 'So?'

'So that was fucking amazing.' Darren's face glowed with the exertion and excitement.

'Told you you'd like it. We'll have you surfing yet.'

'It's like...it's like.' Darren stumbled for the words to describe what he had just experienced.

'Sex?' Daniel offered helpfully.

'Fuck no.' Darren remembered back to a girl he knew in high school and the messy failed attempt they had made in the back of his car one night. 'It's a hundred times better than sex.'

Daniel's face broke into a wide grin. 'That good?'

Darren turned and faced him raising one hand to tentatively stroke his cheek. 'Guess I never found the right person.'

Daniel returned the caress and leaning in placed a soft kiss on Darren's lips, deepening it as he felt Darren's hands come round and cradle the back of his head.

He sucked languidly on Darren's tongue, tasting his exhilaration and the salty residue where he had inadvertently swallowed some of the sea water. One of his own hands found its way onto Darren's thigh and crept up to rest hesitantly on the waistband of his swim shorts.

Belatedly realising what he was doing and where they were Daniel shot back as if Darren's skin suddenly burned to touch.

'I guess we should head back.' He murmured as Darren also reluctantly drew back. 'You hungry?' He said standing up and running a hand through his half dry hair, 'I do a mean beans on toast.'

'Sounds good to me.'

A short while later they were back in the small two-roomed apartment that Daniel called home.

While Darren finished up in the bathroom Daniel opened a can of beans into a pan and carefully balanced four slices of bread under the grill element of his tiny stove.

'So how come you live here and not...'

'Not at home?'

Darren nodded. 'I mean if you don't mind me asking, tell me where to go if I'm being nosy.'

Daniel just shrugged and turned the toast. 'What's to stay at home for? A drunken father and a neurotic mother. No thanks. I'd rather take my chances on my own.'

'Fair enough.' Darren conceded not really wanting to pry too much deeper. He sensed that there was something Dan was holding back but figured he would tell him in his own good time if he wanted him to know.

'Er Dan...' An acrid smell of burning had caught Darren's senses.

'Shit!' Daniel cursed and whipped the pan off of the stove, dumping it and its singed contents in the sink, turning on taps and waving his hands about frantically to dispel the smell of burnt beans. 'Ermm toast on toast?'

'How about we grab a burger instead?' Darren suggested already reaching for his jacket.

Daniel sighed. 'I think so.'

They retreated to a diner a few doors down and pigged out on burgers and fries all washed down with chocolate milkshakes.

'Hmm that's better.' Darren pushed his plate away and sat back satisfied.

Daniel drained the last of his shake and garnered sullen looks from an elderly couple sat nearby as he sucked the last few dregs up rather too enthusiastically.

By unspoken agreement they returned to Daniel's apartment where Dan opened two beers and, in the absence of chairs, they ended up sitting side by side on his bed.

'So what are you hoping to do when you graduate?' Daniel asked kicking off his shoes and making himself comfortable.

'What if Uncle Sam doesn't come knocking first?' Darren replied trying, and failing, to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

'Yeah.' Daniel put his beer down and pulled Darren back to lay in his arms.

'I want to be a teacher. All those young eager minds just waiting to be filled with knowledge.'

Darren's voice softened as he spoke about his ambitions, his hopes, his dreams. 'To know that you are influencing the next generation, shaping them as they start out on their paths.'

Daniel murmured his responses, closing his eyes and just enjoying the sound of Darren's voice and the close proximity of his body. It felt so good, so right to be holding him like this. Despite what anyone said, how could feeling this way be so wrong?

Eventually Darren stopped and simply snuggled in closer, entwining his hands in the ones that embraced him 'round his waist.

As they lay there in companionable silence the sun was beginning to set, streaking the sky with it's characteristic orange and gold palette, bathing the room in a soft, warm glow.

'You know,' Daniel mused running his fingers lightly up and down Darren's forearm, 'there is only one thing better than surfing.'

Darren's breathing hitched up a notch. Were they back on sex? 'Oh yeah and just what would that be?' His hand found its way down between them to the front of Daniel's trousers.

To his surprise Daniel knocked it away and sat up.

'Surfing at sunset.'


~Chapter Seven - '...I Don't Know Who I Am...'~

Daniel was half-heartedly sorting out the classical section of the record store when he became aware of someone standing close behind him.

Turning 'round he expected to see another spotty teenager coming in to be parted from their pocket money. What he actually saw was Darren.

'Hi ya.' Darren greeted him warmly.

'Hi yourself.' Daniel returned his smile, glancing up and down, taking in the visage before him. Taking in Darren's denims, his trousers slung low on his hips, embroidered flowers creeping up from the hem to just below the knee, the unbleached cheesecloth shirt with its billowing sleeves that came down to fasten at Darren's wrists, the bright blue scarf that he tied across his forehead and behind his ears to keep his hair out of his eyes.

Cautiously Daniel's eyes flicked over to where his boss was leaning on the counter watching with bemused interest.

As employers went his was amongst one of the best. The record store was a haven for local kids, the proprietor one of those rare creatures that didn't object if people spent half an hour browsing and then still left without purchasing anything. Brightly coloured and highly artistic gig flyers adorned the walls and the stock that the store held was eclectic to say the least.

The Doors and Jefferson Aeroplane nestled comfortably along with Mozart and Beethoven. Jazz was only a few shelves away from The Grateful Dead. Andy Williams from The Beatles.

Daniel enjoyed working there, Michael was cool, the vibes good and he always got to play new stuff as it came in.

Right now The Byrds were exhorting the virtues of being 'Eight Miles High'.

'Daniel, I've got to go out for a while, mind the register for me please.' Michael winked conspiratorially in Dan's direction.

Daniel didn't know how but somehow he just knew that Michael had figured it out. And what's more appeared not to care.

'Sure thing.' Daniel gave a brief up-nod acknowledging the request as the bell on the door tinkled indicating that, baring any inconsiderate customers, they had the shop to themselves for a few minutes.

'So,' he enquired, moving to wrap his arms loosely 'round Darren's waist, 'what brings you down here?'

'Can't I drop in and see my boyfriend at work if I want to?' Darren replied with a cheeky grin.

Dan felt a warm glow spread over his whole body. 'Your boyfriend? Is that what I am then?'

'I think so, don't you?'

'Mmmm, I think so, I like that.' Daniel pulled him closer and leaning in gave Darren a soft kiss on the cheek. 'So what are you *really* doing here?'

Darren gave a theatrical sigh. Busted.

'I'm on my way to meet up with the others. There's going to be a big demonstration downtown, outside the draft offices.'

'You take care.' One of Daniel's hands moved to brush back an imaginary stray lock of Darren's hair. Memories of what happened out at the campus were still un-nervingly fresh in his mind.

'Always.' Darren reassured him before breaking free of the circle of his embrace. 'I'll call you when I get back to my dorm.'

One last quick peck and Darren was gone. Off to fight the good fight and leaving Daniel alone with a bittersweet mix of emotions.

The rest of the afternoon and evening dragged by painfully slow for Daniel, he knew he wouldn't be able to relax until he had heard from Darren.

For a long time he just lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling, staring long after the light had gone, making it impossible for him to see more than a few inches in front of his own nose.

Would Darren be ok? What if things turned violent again? Daniel briefly thought about going and trying to find him but quickly dismissed the idea. He had no way of knowing where he and his friends would be.

As the evening drew on and Darren didn't call, Daniel became increasingly concerned.

The rational part of his brain told him that Darren had probably just forgotten, had got so caught up in events that it had slipped his mind. Even now he was probably sat in a friend's room somewhere, drinking endless cups of foul-tasting herbal tea, slowly getting stoned and discussing all that had passed that afternoon.

The irrational part of Daniel came up with a whole host of less savoury alternatives.

Despite all this Daniel couldn't help the gnawing sensation deep in the pit of his stomach. Well there was nothing he could do, he just had to wait for Darren to get in contact.

Eventually he managed to convince himself that he was tired and stripping off his clothes got into bed proper, pulling the bedclothes tight around him, ignoring the summer heat and wishing that Darren was lying here beside him; that it was his body he had his arms wrapped around and not his own.

When his phone *did* ring it took Daniel a few seconds to place what it was through the cobwebs of his sleep-addled mind. The second thing he registered was that it was morning and bright sunlight was streaming through the window.

Stumbling over to the insistent machine, Daniel tripped over his abandoned shoes and lunged for the handset, greedily picking it up and praying that the voice he heard would be the right one.

It was.

'Dan?'

'Yeah?'

'Dan...I...ermmm I need a favour.'

'Darren where are you? Are you alright?'

'Yeah, I'm fine. Can you come and get me?'

'Darren where are you?' Daniel repeated, all the frantic scenarios of the previous night quite merrily flashing through his mind.

'I'm still downtown. Dan I've been arrested.'


~Chapter Eight - '...but life is for learning...'~

The scene inside the police station was one of utter chaos. Pushing open the heavy double doors that fronted the building, Daniel was instantly plunged into a maelstrom of noise and bodies.

Treading his way through to the main desk he enquired as to the whereabouts of Darren. The duty sergeant just shrugged. A lot of protestors had been brought in the previous night and the officer was swamped under trying to process them all.

Hopelessly Daniel cast his eyes around the large, frantic lobby, searching for anybody who may be able to help him.

Over the babble of voices he heard the one thing guaranteed to always get his immediate attention. His name.

'Daniel.'

Glancing over in the direction of the sound he spotted Darren sat on a long wooden bench. Dishevelled and crumpled but otherwise in one piece.

Daniel resisted the urge to rush over to him and gather him in his arms, settling instead for calmly walking towards him and enquiring as to how he was.

'Fine,' was all Darren replied then, standing up, 'let's get out of here.'

'Are you...I mean are you free to go?'

'Yeah, they haven't charged me, just let me off with a warning this time.'

This time, thought Daniel grimly as he led Darren out to where he had parked.

The dark shadows under Darren's eyes and the day's growth on his face were all Daniel needed to see in order to make the decision to drive Darren back to his place instead of the dorms.

Once they were safely behind closed doors, Daniel drew Darren into a tight hug, drawing back in shock and surprise when Darren stiffened and winced under his embrace.

'What?'

'It's nothing.'

Daniel's eyes roamed Darren's body trying to locate the source of his pain then very carefully he began to unbutton his shirt.

'Dan.' Darren started to object but it was too late.

Daniel's eyes widened and he took a sharp intake of breath. Darren's chest was littered with a collection of purple and blue bruises. Tentatively he continued with his task, drawing the sleeves gingerly over his shoulders and off.

'Fuck.'

Darren's upper arms had been subjected to the same treatment. He had two parallel marks on his biceps on which Daniel could easily make out the shape of the rough fingers that must have gripped Darren extremely firmly to cause that sort of bruising.

'What happened?' Dan enquired, gently easing Darren back to sit on the edge of the bed, still unable to believe what his eyes were telling him.

'I went limp on them, don't think they took too kindly to it. Had to drag me into the van.'

'Oh Darren.' Daniel cupped Darren's face and kissed him deeply, wishing he could kiss away the pain and hurt as easily.

'I'm ok.' Darren's hands mirrored Daniel's, his thumbs trailing down to massage Daniel's temples. 'Just a little stiff. May I use your bath? The heat might loosen up the muscles a bit. Having to spend all night on the concrete floor of a police cell is *not* my idea of a restful night's sleep.'

Just when Daniel thought that perhaps Darren had been sucked down the plug hole along with the dirty water the object of his ponderings emerged.

'Better?'

'Much, thank you.'

'Come over here and let me put some cream on those bruises.' A rudimentary first-aid kit lay open on the bed.

'Dan, I'm fine, honest, besides shouldn't you be at work or something?'

'Called in sick. Now no arguments, come here and let me look at your injuries.'

Meekly Darren obeyed, climbing onto the bed and sitting with his back to Daniel so that he could examine his skin more closely.

The antiseptic cream was cold but Dan's hands were soothing and Darren quickly relaxed as he gently rubbed it in, taking care not to hurt Darren any more than he had already been.

'Why Darren? Why do you do this?' Daniel finished with the cream and draped his arms round Darren's neck, resting his head in the crook of his shoulder.

Darren just sighed and leant back into Daniel's embrace. 'Because if I don't who will? Somebody has to stand up and be counted, to at least try and change what is going on.'

'It's just...' Daniel faltered.

'Just what?' Darren turned his head and ever so lightly brushed his lips over Dan's, barely grazing them with his touch.

'It's just I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you.'

This time when Darren's lips found his the touch wasn't so light. Darren twisted in Daniel's arms and moved from sitting Indian style to kneeling in a position that mirrored Dan's.

Daniel found his hands trailing down, ghosting over Darren's battered body, coming to rest on the hem of the towel that Darren had wrapped round his waist, the kiss growing ever more heated, Darren seeming to take all the frustrations and agonies of the previous day out on Dan. Dan more than willing to receive them, to heal Darren's pain in any way he could.

Daniel's fingers loosened the towel and the soft moan that Darren breathed into his mouth was all the encouragement he needed to push it down, to move his fingers to caress Darren's butt, to bring his hand 'round and cup Darren's balls.

Breathlessly Darren broke the kiss, surprise and desire burning deep in his darkening eyes.

Wordlessly Daniel sought permission to continue. With a small nod it was granted.

'Let me make it all better.' Daniel said hoarsely, his own breathing speeding up.

In reply, Darren's hands went to the front of Daniel's trousers and slowly undid the buttons of his flies, all the time his eyes never leaving Daniel's.

'So beautiful.' Was Darren's only comment as he freed Daniel's cock into his own awaiting hand.

Kneeling together on the bed, so close that their kneecaps touched, more caresses were exchanged. Hushed murmured words quickly turning into breathy moans, groans of pleasure, delight and longing as loving touches of exploration became fevered strokes of passion.

Gentle words of endearments fell from their lips as hands and fingers worked faster, beads of sweat gathered on and were tenderly licked from shoulder, necks, faces as they worked each other ever closer to that moment of release.

Darren came first, spilling himself over his stomach, Dan's hands, their enjoined thighs.

The feeling of Darren's warm, sticky essence trickling down between his legs was enough to bring Daniel crashing over as well. His own outpouring intermingling with Darren's, their bodies, their very being, their passion joining.

Flushed and exhausted they lay down side by side on the bed. Darren bringing his hand up and cleaning away their joint spilt seed, Daniel taking Darren's hand gently in his to finish what he had started, tasting the bitter, sour combination, neither knowing nor caring whose was whose.

Gradually erratic breathing slowed, heartbeats returned to normal.

Darren trailed the back of his hand over Daniel's cheek, Dan closing his eyes at the sensation, turning his face to tenderly kiss the palm.

'Thank you my love.' Darren whispered.

'Anytime.' Daniel played his fingers over Darren's pale shoulders, the purple bruises stark against the porcelain of Darren's arms.

'Careful I might just hold you to that.'

'I think I would like it...' Daniel told him as he dipped his head to once more capture Darren's sweet tasting lips, '...very much indeed if you did.'