Divided Road (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2024)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Owen put his arm around Jared and pulled him close. “Thanks for inviting me to share in this,” he whispered.

The light of the setting sun reflected on the waves, bathing the sea in a mix of gold and red, mirroring the colour of the sky, a reminder of the raw beauty of nature.

“Don’t you wish you could capture this in music?” Jared sounded wistful. He snuggled into Owen and quietened before speaking again. “I wrote some lyrics once, but I couldn’t find the right music to capture how I felt.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Owen presumed he meant this sunset and the memories that came with it.

“This place brings sadness, but also hope. I’m reminded of my loss and that nothing lasts forever, despite knowing that this landscape will continue long after we’ve gone, yet I’m excited for what the next day might bring.” Jared shook his head. “I’m all over the place, sorry. I’ve never shared this with anyone before. At least not recently, and I sure as hell haven’t told anyone else about how I feel.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment, then, that you trust me enough to do that.” Owen kissed Jared’s cheek. “You’re cold. We should get going soon.”

“Coughing and sneezing during a performance isn’t a good look,” Jared agreed.

Owen hummed the melody line that called to him. The sound of the waves and the crinkle of the sand rolled into one, together with a cacophony of emotions that were part of an almost whole. “Damn it,” he voiced his frustration. “It’s like I can hear the music, but I can’t reach it.”

“That’s what I felt when I wrote the lyrics. Almost there, but not. They didn’t feel right.” Jared watched the darkening waves and then turned back to Owen. “There’s something missing, but not so much so sitting here with you.” He chewed on his lip. “Do you think… no, it’s silly.”

“I’m sure it’s not.” Owen wished they’d brought a blanket so they could stay longer. The people who had been wandering along the beach when they’d arrived were dispersing, seeking shelter somewhere warmer.

Their hot chocolate was long gone. Instead of coming to the beach first, they’d decided to walk off their meal. He’d captured some of the murals with his phone, and some great photos of Jared, too.

“I have almost lyrics, and you have a hint of a melody.” Jared’s eyes shone with the idea. “We could write a song together that captures the emotion of this evening.”

“I’d love that.” Owen caught Jared in a kiss and then deepened it.

Jared crawled onto Owen’s lap and cradled his face. “I love being with you. Not just like this, but when we play, our conversation, everything. I know it’s only been a few months, but I’m falling for you.”

“I think I fell for you that night we first met all those years ago,” Owen admitted. “I’ve never settled in a relationship since. Kaci teases me that I couldn’t get you out of my mind, but since we’ve been getting closer, I wonder if there might be some truth to it.”

“She’s a wise woman,” Jared said solemnly. “To be honest, I’ve never forgotten you either, although I doubted you’d be interested, and what were the chances of us ever meeting again.” He ducked his head. “I might have jacked off to that memory a few times.”

“Only a few times?” Owen had definitely jacked off to Jared more than that. “Dreams and reality usually don’t mesh so well, but being with you is definitely so much better.”

“Oh my god. That’s it.” Jared reached over for his pack, pulled out a notebook, and scribbled frantically. “The missing piece. Or part of it.”

“Lyrics?” Owen had seen Jared write down inspiration before he lost it enough times to recognise his reaction for what it was.

“Yeah. Part of the song I’d love us to write.” Jared dropped the pencil and notebook in the sand and looked sheepish. His unsureness caught Owen’s heart.

“We will write it. Promise.” Owen caressed Jared’s face, his fingers exploring the roughness of Jared’s not-quite beard. “I want more than music with you. I want us to write our own music.” He traced Jared’s lips, breath hitching when Jared sucked on his fingers.

“You’re not talking about the music I think you are, are you?” Jared sounded hoarse, his emotions close to the surface and raw. He took Owen’s hand in his and placed it over his heart. “I feel you in here. My heart sings, and I want more. I want to feel you. Touch you.” He kissed Owen hard, his tongue exploring Owen’s mouth.

Owen reluctantly broke the kiss. “As much as I want to do this here, I really don’t want to do this here .” He swallowed, and then quickly continued, determined to wash the hurt from Jared’s face. “Fuck, there’s a reason I suck at lyrics. I don’t have the words you do, but you said exactly what I’m feeling. Let’s go back to the campervan.” He forced a laugh. “Can you imagine the headlines if we were picked up for indecent exposure?”

“Fuck no. I mean, I’d rather not.” Jared climbed off Owen retrieved his notebook, and shoved it and the pen into his pack. His hard cock strained against his jeans. “If we run, we can make the earlier bus. I don’t want to wait any longer than we have to.” He searched Owen’s face, his eyes heated with desire. “We were going to wait until after the performance. Once we do this, there’s no going back. I don’t want to go back. But….”

“We’ll find a way.” Owen couldn’t watch Jared walk away from the band, from him, once Lincoln came back. “And whatever happens you and me, what we have, it’s not Flightless, it’s us.”

“We have wings,” Jared said. “We’ll soar.”

Owen groaned. “You know what I mean.” He kissed Jared soundly, using the action to accentuate exactly what he meant, and then took his hand. He wanted to soar with Jared so badly.

They ran together, laughing, across the sand, helping each other to find traction. Their love felt infectious, their desire burning bright in the now dark sky.

Lights beckoned in the distance, the headlights of the approaching bus coming to take them on the next step of their journey together.

On a road that suddenly felt straight ahead, its path no longer obscured, at least for now.

Owen took a deep breath, not wanting to think of what potentially lay ahead. Flightless or Oriolidae. Right now, he couldn’t choose between them. He didn’t want to.

The strength of the sudden revelation rocked him, bringing with it a conviction he hadn’t felt before. Whatever his choice of future didn’t matter to the degree he thought it might. Not if he had Jared by his side.

By the time they reached the campground, only a few strategically placed lamps lit their path. Jared switched on the torch on his phone, and together, he and Owen headed for the campervan.

Owen stole another kiss. Jared returned it, struggling not to groan aloud. Owen stroked Jared’s chest under his t-shirt, and Jared answered with a loud moan. Luckily, the kiss swallowed most of it.

Several of the vans on their route were in darkness, their inhabitants either out for the evening or enjoying an early night. Others shone bright, with muffled voices and laughter leaking out from inside.

“Wait until we’re inside,” Jared hissed, once he could string a sentence together. He shoved his phone in his pocket; now they had enough light to see by.

“Sorry.” Owen didn’t sound apologetic in the slightest.

“I’ll make it up to you, promise.” Jared nibbled the tip of Owen’s ear, then pulled away and took a deep breath.

“You’d better.” Owen dropped his voice to a whisper. “Fuck, that’s hot.”

“You’re hot.” Jared linked their hands together, and they half ran, half stumbled, drunk with desire, to the campervan. He fumbled in his pocket for the keys and dropped them in the dirt. “Fuck!”

“Got them!” Owen bent over, giving Jared a good view of his arse. He shoved the key in the lock, opened the door, and pulled Jared inside with him.

Jared reached for the lights, then hesitated. “Don’t want to tell everyone we’re here.”

“I guess not.” Owen flipped on one of the small lights by the bed instead. “Better?” He kicked off his boots and gestured for Jared to join him.

“Yeah. I want to see… everything.” Jared made short work of getting rid of his jacket and boots. “Want you.”

Owen met his gaze and swallowed. “We’re not going back if we do this, right?”

“I’m not waiting till after the performance.” Jared hoped Owen wasn’t having second thoughts.

“Neither, but wanted to be sure.” Owen yanked off his t-shirt, his gold cross sitting on his bare chest. Tufts of light brown hair curled around his nipples, with more trailing down into his jeans.

“I’m sure. About this. About us.” Jared had no intention of going back to life without Owen. “This isn’t a one-night stand. I wouldn’t?—”

“I know,” Owen whispered. He smiled and stretched. “And you’re overdressed.” He gave Jared’s t-shirt a meaningful look. “I want to touch you. Properly. Before was a teaser. I want the full-course meal.”

“A symphony, not a prelude.” Jared couldn’t resist the musical analogy. He pulled off his t-shirt and threw it over Owen’s. He shivered, heat spreading through him when Owen slowly looked him up and down and licked his lips.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”

“Nothing special.” Jared shrugged.

“Let me be the judge of that.” Owen lifted his legs and shimmied off his jeans, his cock straining against his briefs.

Jared’s cock hardened, loving what he saw. He undid his belt and shoved his jeans down, and then his boxers.

“Come here.” Owen said.

Jared didn’t hesitate. He closed the distance between them, bent and kissed Owen soundly. He then climbed onto the bed and straddled his lap, caressing Owen’s face, their cocks rubbing together. “You feel good.”

“Hmm,” Owen lowered them onto the bed and rolled them so they were facing. He hooked his leg over Jared’s. “I have… how far do you want to go?”

Jared glanced down at the floor at the packet of condoms next to Owen’s jeans. “When did you?—?”

Owen chuckled into the kiss. “You were distracted. I have lube in there too.” He reached over and retrieved them.

“Boy scout, hmm?”

“Bloody hell, no. I hoped… I wanted.”

“So did I.” Jared kissed down Owen’s cheek and neck, and across his chest. “Mine are in my backpack. I… would have waited if you’d wanted to, but I hoped you wouldn’t.”

Owen tilted his head back to allow Jared more access. “Less talk.” He threaded his fingers through Jared’s chest hair. “I love how long and dark this is.”

“I love yours too.” Jared wriggled a little and reached down between them, rubbing their cocks. “Fuck.” He took several deep breaths. “Talk later, hmm? All this touching. You’re going to undo me, and fast.”

“I was thinking more of playing you like an instrument.” Owen bent his head and sucked on one of Jared’s nipples.

“Anytime you want, sweetheart.” Jared sucked in a breath. “Shit, you can do that again.” His heart sped up at the heat in Owen’s eyes.

Owen sucked on the other nipple. He started to move, rutting against Jared. Both of them groaned. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

Jared opened his mouth to ask top or bottom. Owen bit down on his nipple, and Jared nearly lost it. “Later.” He grabbed Owen’s cock, fucking it with his hand, while rubbing frantically against Owen’s thigh.

“Oh God.” Owen found Jared’s mouth and tongue kissed him fast and deep, his rhythm matching Jared’s. He thrust against Jared’s hand, his movements growing erratic, both their bodies slippery with sweat.

Jared broke the kiss, his breath rasping. Owen losing his shit like this was hot as hell. “I lov….” He grunted, heat pooling in his groin, and completely lost it, barely moving away in time before spurting hot sticky cum over the bed. Owen followed a second later and then collapsed against him.

He started to laugh. “Next time, we’ll wait for the condom, yeah? We’ve made a bloody mess.”

“That’s what flannels are for.” They’d have a wet spot to sleep on tonight, but Jared couldn’t bring himself to care. “I wasn’t sure… I didn’t want to without….” He jerked his head towards the pattern of condoms.

“Shh,” Owen kissed him gently. “It’s okay. I knew, and I love that you were careful. My last relationship was two years ago, by the way.”

“It’s been a while for me too.” Jared forced himself to move. “Clean up, then snuggle if you want to?” They’d talk about condoms and everything that went with that later.

“I’d love to.” Owen propped himself up on his elbow, watching Jared wet a washcloth in the tiny bathroom. “I’m a huge believer in snuggling after hot sex.”

“I love it even without sex.” Jared quickly cleaned them both up and then the bed. The last guy he’d been with wasn’t interested. He’d always roll over and go to sleep, leaving Jared alone with his thoughts.

“Same.” Owen got up to grab a couple of towels and laid them on the wet patches. He crinkled his nose. “Anyone coming in will know what we’ve been up to. We should probably open some windows.”

Jared rinsed out the flannel and hung them to dry. “In a few.” He climbed into bed and opened his arms. “I don’t want to lose the moment.”

“You can fly with me like that anytime.” Owen leaned into Jared’s embrace, rested his head on Jared’s shoulder, and smiled, sounding sated and sleepy. “That was music like I’ve never experienced before.” He hooked his legs around Jared’s. “And you can call me that anytime.”

“Call you? Oh.” Jared realised what Owen meant. The endearment had slipped out without thinking. “You are my sweetheart, if you want to be.”

“Yeah, I do.” Owen reached for Jared’s hand. “This is nice. Intimate.” He yawned. “We should sleep well tonight. You still nervous about tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but not as much as I was.” Sex with Owen had taken the edge off. He felt warm and contented now. Pity they’d have to move at some point. Jared glanced at his watch. They still had some time to themselves.

Low voices interrupted his musings.

“Bloody hell,” Owen whispered. “I think I just jinxed us.”

“You and me, both.” Jared groaned. Unless he was mistaken, their peaceful haven was about to be invaded. “How do you want to play this?”

“We’re asleep.” Owen lifted his head and grinned, and then put his finger to his lips, closed his eyes, and feigned sleep.

He didn’t move from their obvious snuggling position, so Jared didn’t either. He leaned back on the pillow, closed his eyes, and waited for the fun to start.

A moment later, the door opened, and Phil and Tyler nearly fell into the van. They were kissing and pulling at each other’s clothes.

The light turned on, and Tyler groaned. “Fuck.”

Jared made a show of opening his eyes and yawning. “You guys thinking about an early night too?”