C.U.B.E.

≈ Ch. 44: A NEW C.U.B.E. ≈

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Who’s Who in this chapter

In this final triple chapter, the Cube is under siege and struggles for the lack of resources and the vanishing hopes for a new life. Aldritch, once more, surprises everyone coming up with the definitive solution; in order to assess the feasibility of his project, he finds a Certified Accountant… or better, the Accountant finds him. Kareem takes one last step forward into man-sex, but then Beverly offers him something he craves for.

What future awaits the Cube and its guests? What life awaits Kareem and Lance?

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~ Old bonds tightened again ~

About a month had gone by since the doors of the Cube were locked. Sean was sitting in his office, in the evening, talking with Lance about the situation. As Kareem predicted before going away, Lance had become the moral supporter of the people of the Cube, while Perry coordinated the practical activities; but Kareem did not foresee that Sean himself would’ve become the undisputed and respected leader of the Cube. And not without paying a heavy price: not only he’d sacrificed his career and willingly given up to his freedom, but even his marriage had been put on hold, sort of, because in the last month he didn’t hear from his wife Anne, nor he called her.

The Cube, on the other side, was going on better than expected: the streets were immersed in a constant twilight, night and day, and this let the electric accumulators to always be fully charged and effortlessly power all the systems, especially the A.I. food production, the medical services and the recycling system. The people of the 3rd Floor, despite their bold offer, were still alive and kicking, and they often came downstairs to join the younger guests, give them advice and tell them stories about the first days of the Cube. But the Hospital was quickly getting short of medical supplies and the raw materials used by the A.I. to create food were barely enough to last less than one month.

“You look tired” – Sean said to Lance, who shrugged his shoulders: “I’m not tired, I feel lonely. I see Adam, occasionally, but… you know…”

“You miss Kareem, don’t you?”

“I terribly miss him, yes. I could cope with it, if I knew that when we are free to go, he’ll be waiting for me, outside. But you saw him on the news, you saw how… happy he was to meet again Beverly, and I can’t blame him, as she’s got a killer ass and a great rack. After all, Kareem was hers way before he met me. But I can’t forget Kareem, he’s rooted in the deepest part of my heart…”

“Glad to know it…!” – came a voice from the office door and Sean gasped loud: “Kareem!!”

Under Lance’s surprised gaze, Sean leapt to his feet, ran to Kareem and gave him a passionate, almost desperate kiss; and it was not a peck on the lips but a full-mouth kiss, long and deep: a kiss that Sean had never given to anyone but his wife.

Kareem held Sean tight and reciprocated the kiss, holding him by his waist, and he couldn’t help but feel Sean’s stiffening manhood pressing against his groin. But soon Sean gasped and abruptly recoiled, suddenly realizing what he’d just done. He gave to Kareem an ashamed and pleading glance, and was about to say he was sorry, but Kareem wore a warm smile: “Shh… Don’t put label on things…”

“But I… I just…” – Sean stuttered, blushing and trying to hide his arousal, and Kareem asked: “Did you like it?”. “Well… yes”. “Then it was a good thing”. Kareem turned to Lance and smiled wide at him, too: “So what? Don’t I deserve a kiss from you, too?”

“Why, to revive old memories?” – Lance replied, with a sad tone – “I may be a hooker, but not a home wrecker. The entire world witnessed your… enthusiastic reunion with Beverly and it’s an easy guess that you and her…”

“Then, the entire world is wrong” – Kareem stated, resolutely – “I didn’t even know that she was going to meet me there, and I hated her for the number she set up for the cameras!”

“But you… definitely enjoyed her kiss! I mean, your… reaction was quite obvious!”

“Lance, Lance…” – Kareem sighed, walking closer to Lance, who remained seated – “Don’t you remember what I told you the morning I left the Cube? I’m not a different man than the one who got locked in the Cube: I like women, I feel attracted to them, it’s part of me, I can’t stop being… myself! And like any man, I can’t restrain an occasional erection, and wearing a mini-skirt definitely doesn’t help; but when I love someone, I give up on everyone else, there’s room for only one person in my heart, and that person… is you, Lance. Didn’t I tell you that I love you a million times? I’m an honest guy, I don’t deserve to be mistrusted this way…”

Lance had wet eyes, feeling ashamed for having doubted Kareem’s love, but also feeling his love for him pour again into his heart like water pours from a broken dam. He stood up, uncertain, and Kareem opened his arms: “Don’t make me beg for a kiss, my sweet Lance… I missed you so much!”

They exchanged a long, sweet kiss, enjoying again the intimate connection they’d shared for months, tightening again the bonds of love, affection, bromance and attraction that once bound them. A sort of magic had rewound the time, and they were again the lovers who shared each other’s life until Kareem had gone away.

“Let’s go home” – Lance said when they parted – “You too, Sean: we have to fill Kareem in on what happened since he went away. I can only offer you a basic dinner, but better than nothing. And I have a fine bottle stashed away!”

During the dinner, they talked a lot about what was happening inside and outside the Cube, but Lance covertly kept checking Sean, who seemed restless; every time Kareem looked straight at him, Sean stammered and stumbled over the words, blushed or just forgot what he was saying. Sure, it was late and they all had an exhausting day, but there was something more; whatever it was, Lance was determined to make it happen, so he rose to his feet and said: “I think you two have some… unfinished business. I’m going to pay a visit to Adam, and I’ll stay out all night.”

 

~ Sean’s night ~

Kareem was surprised to hear Lance talk that way, and looked at Sean, trying to understand what ‘unfinished business’ they had; Sean didn’t say a word, he opened his mouth but no sound came out of it. “Lance… what do you mean?” – Kareem asked, and Lance sat back at the table, took Sean’s hand and looked straight at him, while answering to Kareem: “I think Sean wants to give you something he’s been wishing to give you for a while, but he was not ready. He’s ready now.”

Sean silently nodded in the affirmative, and Kareem softly asked: “What is it that Sean wants to finally give me?”

“His virginity. He wants you to make love to him, Kareem. Am I right, Sean?”

“Yes…” – Sean whispered, and then glanced at Kareem, afraid to hear him laughing, or gasping in shock. But Kareem’s tender smile put his mind at ease.

“As said, I’m going to spend the night out” – Lance said, standing up again, but Sean held him: “Lance, stay, please. I mean… Kareem is your man, and I don’t want to do anything behind your back. And if you want me to go, I will understand.”

“I will stay…” – Lance said seductively, pulling Sean to his feet – “…if you let me undress you. You’re so sexy in your uniform, Captain… So damn sexy… And I know you have a gorgeous body under that uniform…”

While talking, Lance gently pulled Sean toward the bedroom, followed by Kareem; when there, he started unbuttoning Sean’s shirt, without rush, button after button, while Sean seemed to forget to breathe. The tight uniform pants fell to the floor right after the shirt, and then Lance crouched in front of Sean to pull down his army-green boxer-briefs.

Sean’s cock sprang out of the elastic waistband and Lance gently grabbed it, but held his hand still, until he was sure that Sean was OK with being touched so intimately by another man. Only when Sean briefly nodded, Lance began stroking the stiff meat, using his other hand to caress and massage Sean’s low-hanging balls.

In the meantime, Kareem had stripped naked, and Lance quickly did the same; he gently pushed Sean toward the bed and made him lay down on his back. “Now you need to be prepared” – Lance said in a soothing tone – “Offer your hole to Kareem and trust him: he knows what to do.”

Sean slowly raised his legs and held them up with his hands; he felt weird, in such an unmanly position, with his ass in full display, but he was determined to go all the way: for inscrutable reasons, fate had offered him that one-time chance to do what he’d been fantasizing for months, and he just couldn’t waste it.

Kareem lowered his face to Sean’s splayed ass and gave a gentle kiss to one cheek, then the other, and then pressed his lips on the puckered hole. The moment Kareem's tongue touched Sean’s sensitive back door, he stiffened and uttered a raucous groan, fighting his manly instinct of closing his legs.

“He’s good with his tongue, uh?” – Lance whispered to Sean, and got another groan of pleasure in response. Kareem went to town on Sean’s hole, licking all around the sensitive areola and pushing the tip of his tongue inside the tight hole, that twitched and clenched.

“Relax… Accept it… Desire it…” – Lance said in an almost hypnotizing tone – “Open yourself to Kareem, you want him, don’t you?”

“Yes… Aww… fuck, yes… I want him… I want him to make love to me…”

“You’re not ready, yet. It takes time to take a man’s virginity. Saliva is good, but you need lube. Lots of lube.”

Lance grabbed a tube from the nightstand and squeezed a large glob of gel on Sean’s hole. Kareem used his fingers to spread it all around the hole, massaging the tight muscle to make it relax, and then slowly inserted his middle finger into the narrow passage.

“Oooohh…!!!” – Sean moaned, and Lance flashed a knowing smile: “It’s just a finger, but you can feel the connection, don’t you? There’s such a great intimacy in this gesture… Feel Kareem’s finger inside you… He’s touching you like no one has ever done… Kareem cares for you, he wants you to be ready for him…”

“Yes… yessss… Deeper…” – Sean moaned, keeping his eyes closed, totally focused on that gentle finger smearing slick gel inside him and caressing his inner linings in the most erotic way. “Now relax, Kareem’s going to add a second finger…”

“A… second one? Is it necessary?”

“Kareem’s manhood is thick, your hole must be properly loosened… You see? It wasn’t hard taking a second finger, was it? You’re doing good, Sean… It’s all a matter of trusting your man and yielding control to him … Let him take care of you… Relax… One more finger… Yes, you can take it, Sean… Kareem wouldn’t give you anything you can’t take…”

While Lance talked in his soothing tone, Kareem went on adding lube to Sean’s hole, loosening it and making it slick, until he reckoned he was ready.

“It’s time, Sean…” – Lance said – “Are you still willing to do it?”

“With every fiber of my being” – was the confident reply; Kareem stroked his cock, making it slick with gel, and pressed the fat head on Sean’s hole.

“Now push, Sean, like you’re taking a poop” – Sean instructed – “Focus on that. Push and desire to take Kareem inside you. The more you crave it, the easier it will be…”

“Nnngghh…” – Sean moaned, doing his best to relax and push out, but Kareem’s cock was damn big, and his inexperienced hole was struggling to let it in. “Trust Kareem, Sean, he won’t force you. He’s such a stud, he can wait as long as you need. Breathe, relax, push…”

“Gawwwdd!!” – Sean suddenly screamed, when his hole gave in and let the thick intruder break in. “Shh… Shh… You’re doing good… Don’t clench your hole… I know it hurts a bit, at first… See? Kareem is not moving, he’s waiting for you to adjust to his girth… He cares for you… The pain is going away, isn’t it…? This is the best moment, when you first feel your man’s cock fill you… It’s amazing, uh? And now he’ll reach your prostate…”

“Holy fuckin’ shit!!” – Sean gasped, looking at Kareem with wide open eyes; he remembered that feeling, when his bio-chip was connected to Lance’s, but living that experience first-hand was a whole another story. Kareem flashed a knowing smile and gave a few short thrusts, massaging Sean’s pleasure button in the most erotic way.

“Oh fuck…! Oh fuck!!” – Sean panted, trembling for the potency of the sensation – “Take me, Kareem, fuck me, make love to meeeee….!!”

And Kareem did it, made love to Sean in such a caring, erotic and delightful way that Sean was delirious. Kareem was well aware of the great gift Sean was giving him, and silently thanked him putting in his lovemaking every inch of his body, his mind and soul. And heart, too: he loved Lance, he couldn’t love him more, but in his heart there was room for Sean, too. That was probably the most important thing the Cube had taught him: there are so many different kinds of love! And in that moment Kareem did love Sean, he wanted him to feel great, to be happy, to feel loved.

Lance knew well that special sparkle in Kareem’s eyes and smiled; he lowered his head to Sean’s and whispered into his ear: “You feel it, don’t you? You feel Kareem’s love… See how gently he fills you, how much care he puts in giving you the greatest pleasure… That’s love, Sean… Kareem loves you… And I love you, too…”

With those words, Lance moved his mouth over Sean’s chest and started kissing every inch of his pecs, the navel, the nipples; he darted his tongue on Sean’s sensitive titties eliciting surprised squeals of pleasure, and caressed with his hands Sean’s body, his thighs, his buttocks, his belly. When Lance’s fingers curled around his stiff throbbing manhood, Sean groaned loud and pressed his head on the pillow: “You’ll make me cum…!”

“Resist!” – Lance urged him – “You don’t want this to end too soon, do you?”

“No… I want it to last until… forever!” – Sean blurred, totally focused on enjoying and restraining his pleasure at the same time.

“But Kareem is heaving, he’s climbing to the peak of his pleasure… Wait for it… Being bred by your man is something that blows your mind… See how deep he’s pushing his cock? Nothing can stop him, now… He’s about to give you the greatest gift, his very essence… And will give you gallons of it… He’ll pump his manly seed into you until you’re filled to the brim…”

“AW…FUUUCCCKKK!!!” – Sean screamed, blown away by Lance’s suggestive words; his cock went rigid and shot a long rope of thick cream that landed on his navel. Like in a chain reaction, Kareem uttered a low growl and slammed his hips onto Sean’s buttocks, piercing his ass one last time and flooding his insides with his juice.

Lance hurriedly took Sean’s spurting cock inside his mouth and siphoned hard his sweet seed, making Sean scream for the additional pleasure. The room echoed with Sean’s and Kareem’s moans and heavy pants, until their orgasms trailed off and they stood still on the bed, heaving.

Lance smiled wide and rose to his knees: “It was worth the pain, uh, Sean? You couldn’t choose a better man to give your virginity to, Kareem is… special. I’m so glad you both enjoyed it so much!”

“But you…” – Sean interjected – “you’re still craving some pleasure… You’re rock hard…”

“Don’t worry for me, this was your night, not mine.”

“I… ehm… I insist…” – Sean said, raising again his legs and showing his loosened hole oozing Kareem’s seed – “I didn’t feel only Kareem’s love, tonight, I felt yours, too. It’s like I gave my virginity to both of you. It’s not too… unbecoming for me offering you my… err… used hole, is it? I’m not expert in these matters…”

Lance giggled, eagerly taking position between Sean’s legs: “No, it’s not too ‘unbecoming’, it’s actually very sweet of you. Thank you, Sean. I’ll be gentle, as you’ve just cum and you are more sensitive now…”

Lance didn’t really need to be gentle, as Kareem’s thick cock had loosened Sean’s hole wide, and his semen, added to the lube, had made Sean’s chute slick and welcoming. He was more experienced than Kareem in man-sex, but he was a natural bottom, and Kareem had an instinctive sensibility when it came to make love to a man (and a woman, too, Lance was sure); so, he couldn’t wring more than a couple weak moans out of the spent Sean, but after all, Sean already got all he needed, and more.

It didn’t take long until Lance, who was loaded like a spring, rolled his eyes back and lost himself into Sean’s warm insides. When he opened his eyes, Sean was smiling at him: “I never thought I’d say this, but you’re damn sexy when you cum, Lance…”

“What about me?” – Kareem joked, and Sean laughed: “I didn’t look at you very attentively when you came, I was kind of… busy!”

They all burst in laughter and joyfully rolled on the bed, exchanging hugs and kisses, until exhaustion overcame them and they fell asleep into each other’s arms.

 

~ C.U.B.E. 2.0 ~

When they woke up the next morning, Lance and Kareem checked on Sean, to see his reaction; they knew well that the day after everything looks different than the night before. But Sean didn’t seem to regret anything; he was cautious, yes, as he was still processing the notion of having given his virginity to two men, not just one, but the overall serenity of his expression put Lance’s and Kareem’s minds at ease.

They lazily stirred in bed, occasionally exchanging loving glances and caresses, but they were startled by a stern voice coming from the bedroom door: “Isn’t it about time you all get up?”

“Aldritch!!” – the three men gasped in unison, while Sean desperately tried to cover himself, ashamed to be seen naked in a bed with two men.

“Don’t fret, Captain” – Aldrich said nonchalantly waving his hand – “I’m not seeing anything I’ve already seen many times. I was actually looking for you, Captain. You have to call for another plenary gathering.”

“What for?”, Sean asked, finally managing to put on his underwear, at least.

Aldritch sighed, like he was talking to a child, and sat on an armchair next to the bed: “We’re under siege, and our supplies won’t last long; but this is only our immediate concern. During our last general meeting you correctly pointed out our main problem: what future can have the Cube without the much-needed external funds?”

“Yeah, it’s a problem without any possible solution” – Sean replied, disconsolate.

Aldritch raised an eyebrow in a condescending way: “It’s an unsolvable problem for you, maybe, but not for the A.I.: I asked her for a solution, and she suggested one. The best one ever. But the guests must know, they must take part in this project. Please set up another meeting at the Rainbow Pavilion, Captain. Trust me.”

Usually, setting up an event at the Pavilion took a long time, but the Cube was under siege, there was no time to waste. In a couple hours, almost all the Cube’s guests were crowding the ample event arena, watching Aldritch standing on the stage, alone.

“Gentlemen” – Aldritch began, talking into the mic – “We all know that the Cube cannot survive without an ample support by the Government: a support that the Minister has decided to abruptly cut. We’re doomed.”

Many voices rose from the audience, annoyed and angry voices of men scared for their uncertain future: “Have we been summoned here to listen to this bullshit? Yeah, the Cube is doomed, thanks for reminding us!”

“What if I tell you that, according to the A.I., the Cube in less than one year can become… THIS?”

Aldritch clicked a button on a remote controller, and all the led-walls of the Rainbow Pavilion showed an A.I.-generated rendition of the 2nd Floor of the Cube, more beautiful than ever, with happy people crowding its Avenues; the image exuded joyful, industrious vibes and roused many gasps.

“Do you know why the Cube can’t survive without external funding? Because we consume resource but don’t create anything, we don’t have anything to offer, in exchange of the resources we hog. But… is it really so? Well, gentlemen, we can turn what appears to be our major flaw, our weakness, into our strength.”

People stared in silence at Aldritch, who made a dramatic pause and then revealed: “We are gay, gentlemen. We think out of the schemes, we are surprising, maybe annoying sometimes, or over the top, but we’re used to work hard to excel in what we do. It’s not true that we don’t create anything: think at Monsieur D’Antin, whose clothing lines are making the outside world go crazy; think at the top-level technicians and engineers working on the 4th Floor, think at the genial doctors creating prosthetic limbs and body parts in our Hospital. Think of… me, by far the most skilled A.I. engineer in the world.”

The last sentence roused some mocking comments that Aldritch totally ignored.

“But there’s more” – he went on – “Our ‘Uranian’ sexual inclinations made us be confined into what we always considered as a prison, but the Cubes are actually gems that have a great potential! You see, gentlemen, the Cubes are the first and only gay friendly structures throughout the entire Great Worldwide Union: a Union that has recently abolished any punishment for being gay! People like us, or just gay-friendly, can now have a place where to come and spend high-quality leisure time. Because we don’t have only boring residential units, here, on the contrary! We have a 2nd Floor that can easily become the ultimate tourist destination: not only for gay people, but for anyone! And we have a cozy 3rd Floor where older gay people, or straight, for that matter, can spend their retirement and… spend their retirement checks!”

“Here’s how it should work…” – Aldritch explained with passion, showing diagrams and more A.I.-generated images on the screens – “Those who can work outside can do it, and use the Cube as their home; their wages will bring fresh money into the Cube. The entire 2nd Floor will be advertised as a lavish tourist destination, where people can spend their leisure time, rent a vacation home and visit the many sea-front restaurants and recreational venues, like the Silk & Lace Parlor, the Nebula Palace, the Rowdy Hole and, why not, even the Uranus Club and the Seedy Sip, if they meet their tastes.”

“Our clever artisans, like Monsieur D’Antin, will finally be able to sell their goods outside, while our Hospital will provide prosthetic aid to external people… against payment, of course. The 4th Floor can provide many kinds of online services, data-entry and data processing, engineering, projects and planning, that will grant to our ‘imperfect’ guests the chance to earn money without even going out of the Cube.”

Lance, who was sitting in the front raw, leapt to his feet: “If we’ll be the first and only gay-friendly structure of the world, then we can offer assistance and shelter to those boys and guys who are bullied or rejected by their families, due to their sexuality! We can help them understand and accept themselves when they most need it, and offer them love and a roof over their head!”

“Yes!” – Sean exclaimed, excited, standing up – “C.U.B.E. won’t stand anymore for “Collective for the Uranian Behavior Eradication”, it will be a “Collective for the Uranian Behavior Endorsement!”

A loud ovation welcomed Sean’s words, and everybody looked at him with renewed respect and affection.

 

~ Business Plan ~

Aldritch was a bit pissed off, because he’d explained his genial idea, supporting it with images and graphs, but apparently the audience only had praises for Lance and Sean.

So, when he saw another guy in the front row standing up and asking for attention, he addressed him with a sharp tone: “Now what??”

The guy was a very handsome man in his early forties, had a tanned complexion that made him look Brazilian or Spanish, and was wearing one of the most enticing creations of Monsieur D’Antin, a very short low-waist skirt and a colorful open shirt. He flashed a bright smile at Aldritch, looking at him with his beautiful green eyes, and said in a deep, masculine voice: “I think this project need a solid financial planning and an expert accounting.”

“Oh, and let me guess, you’re a genius in finance and accounting, right, mr…?”

“Thiago Monteiro Carvalho Da Silva” – he replied, holding Aldritch’s gaze – “I’m a Certified Accountant and Financial Advisor. Before being ‘eradicated’, I was head of the accounting department of a major multi-national corporation. You need someone to take care of the financial planning of this… CUBE 2.0, and here I am. I’m the best. Or a genius, as you said.”

Aldritch felt a shiver running through his spine, looking at the confident, gorgeous man, and his initial aversion started to morph into something deeper… and warmer. He tried to keep a stern, confident tone, but his voice trembled a little when he rebutted: “You have a very high opinion of yourself, Mr. Monteiro Carvalho Da Silva!”

“I’m not boasting about myself, it’s a fact” – the man calmly replied, shrugging his shoulders – “And in my homeland, Brazil, we rarely use our verbose full surnames, everybody calls me just Pau.”

“Pau? Doesn’t it mean ‘stick’?” – Aldritch asked, and the man flashed an almost arrogant grin: “A reference to my… manly bits.”

Aldritch was pissed off by that man challenging his undisputed superiority, but the out-of-scale dominance and sexual confidence that he exuded submerged Aldritch like a flood wave. He’d always had a soft spot for gorgeous, dominant men, and looked at Pau with unrestrained desire: “I… uhm… I like you. I think… that we may use your… (gulp)… services.”

Pau climbed on stage and confidently strode to Aldritch, until he stood in front of him, looking straight into his eyes. His voice was self-assured and manly when he said: “I was not asking for permission. I take what I want, when I want.”

Aldritch felt overwhelmed by Pau’s confidence and his piercing gaze and desperately tried to restrain his erection, totally oblivious that they were in the middle of a stage, in front of a huge audience. After a couple failed attempts, he murmured: “What about taking… me?”

“Be careful what you desire. I can be rough. And my ‘pau’ is anything but a stick, take it from me.”

Aldritch felt like he was getting lost into Pau’s deep green eyes, that flashed with a dominant, predatory glare, and let out a high-pitched moan: “I think I’m in love…”

Lance and Kareem looked at each other in disbelief, watching Aldritch acting like a schoolgirl swooning over the studly quarterback. Apparently, under the algid surface, even Aldritch was human, after all…

On stage, Pau flashed a rogue grin: “What a bitch you are… I should split your filthy hole here, in front of three thousand people. But…” – he added, noticing Aldritch getting suddenly pale – “…for your first time I’ll grant you some privacy. Is there a changing room or something in this fucking place?”

Aldritch let the mic fall to the floor, grabbed Pau’s hands and literally ran to the backstage, ignoring the loud whistles and vulgar comments coming from the audience. While moving to the closest changing room, he heard Sean saying into the mic: “Well, it seems that Mr. Archer’s presentation is over!”, making the audience laugh and clap.

 

~ Pau’s pau ~

When alone in a changing room, with the door locked, Pau wore a lascivious grin: “You don’t know what you put yourself into, bitch. I’m going to fuck you so hard that you won’t be able to walk straight for a week. But since I’m a sensible guy, I’ll let you lube my cock with your mouth.”

Aldritch didn’t need to be told twice: he instantly knelt in front of Pau and raised his hands to lift his short skirt, but a stern order stopped him: “I said your mouth, bitch! No hands!”

He stuck out his tongue and leaned over Pau’s crotch, until his face was at an inch from the bulging fabric; he blindly pushed his tongue under the skirt, giving cautious licks to the heavy balls and the thick flaccid cock. But it wasn’t enough, he wanted more, so he closed his eyes, reached under the skirt with his face and pressed his nose and lips on Pau’s warm manhood.

“You can’t wait to get it all, uh?” – Pau growled, and Aldritch opened his mouth and really did his best to take all of Pau’s massive endowment, though it was an impossible mission. So, he focused on the cock, licked the shaft, kissed the head, and in no time he got his prize: a beautiful, thick, dark-skinned cock swelling in all its glory under his eyes.

Aldritch took it into his mouth and began bobbing his head back and forth, rejoicing every time his expert blowjob wrenched a moan out of Pau’s lips; Pau’s cock was wet and slick with saliva, and Aldritch furiously pushed his head forward, trying to take it all. But he froze when he felt two strong hands holding his head still.

“Now brace yourself, bitch, because you’re going to swallow it all, whether you’re ready or not…”

Pau held Aldritch’s head in an inescapable grip and pushed forward his hips, slowly but inexorably. His thick mushroom head traversed Aldritch’s mouth, brushed on his tongue, and reached the back of his throat. And it didn’t stop. Aldritch closed his eyes, trying to get a grip over himself, doing his best to suppress the gag reflex and breathe through his nose. It was too big! His throat couldn’t possibly take it! But the pressure over his larynx increased and, ready or not, Aldritch felt the giant intruder slide down his overstretched throat.

“GGRRLLGG!!” – Aldritch gurgled loud, desperately trying to control his urge to gag. The beast didn’t stop, it crawled into his gullet inch by thick inch, until Aldritch could feel Pau’s hairy balls pressing on his chin. He did it! Though in great distress, Aldritch was exhilarated, and turned his teary eyes up, to meet Pau’s, silently asking for a praise.

Instead of talking, Pau gently smiled and brushed his thumbs under Aldritch’s eyes, to wipe his tears; and then, gracefully, he slowly pulled out, letting Aldritch breathe again.

“Good boy” – Pau conceded – “You lubed me real nice… but it won’t spare your ass from being split apart. Look at my cock. Take a good look at it, look at its girth, its hardness. It will hurt, you know that?”

Aldritch rose to his feet, looked straight at Pau and murmured: “Then hurt me.”

There were no beds in the changing room, so Aldritch quickly shed his clothes, moved to a desk and bent over it, using his hands to part his ass cheeks and offer his wrinkled hole to his man, his master, his owner. “No, not like that…” – Pau said, with a warm tone but a cold glare – “I want to look at your face, I want to see the pain and the pleasure you will feel when I penetrate you. I want to see your eyes plead me to stop, while your lips tell me to push harder…”

Aldritch was delirious with desire: Pau was everything he loved in a man, times ten! Gorgeous, dominant and exceptionally endowed. He sat on the desk, facing Pau, and raised one leg, offering his nether portal to Pau’s club. He quickly spat on his own fingers and wetted his hole, and then murmured: “I’m ready…”

“No, you’re not” – Pau replied, grabbing Aldritch’s raised leg and pressing his engorged helmet on the tight puckered hole. His cock was so stiff that he didn’t need to use his hand to hold it still: he just thrusted his hips forward and the thick rod forced open Aldritch’s protesting hole.

“AWW… FUUUCK!” – Aldritch screamed, feeling torn apart, but he immediately shut his mouth, noticing that Pau wasn’t moving forward: he was standing still, looking straight at Aldritch’s eyes: “You can take it.”

Aldritch briefly nodded, silently conveying a clear message: «If you say I can take it, then I can take it.»

The massive rod started crawling again into the overstretched hole, inch by inch, while Aldritch took ragged breaths. But then the painful invasion came to a halt, when Pau’s cock was blocked by Aldritch’s clenched inner sphincter. “Open up” – Pau commanded – “Let me in.”

“I’m trying…!” – Aldritch whined, and Pau coldly replied: “If you’re trying, you’re not doing it. Time’s up”. Pau’s hips set again in motion and with a firm thrust broke open Aldritch’s inner portals. “AAARRGGHH!!” – Aldritch screamed, pleading with his eyes Pau to stop, to give him time. But… what was that glare into Pau’s eyes? Was he silently praising him for his valiance? Why Pau’s half-grin ignited such a fire into Aldritch’s body?

“Fuck me…” – Aldritch heard himself say – “Hurt me, if you need to, but give me all of you…”

Pau’s grin grew wider, and his hips started rocking back and forth, slowly, much more slowly and caringly than Aldritch had feared: Pau was so confident in his manliness that he didn’t need to give a rough fuck, to assert his superiority over Aldritch, and this blew Aldritch’s mind. He was so subdued by Pau’s dominance that he would’ve taken his cock even if it was twice as big. “I never met someone like you” – Aldritch murmured, haltingly, while the stiff meat ravaged his ass in such a masterful way that the sheer pain turned into a blissful pleasure.

“I told you, I’m the best” – Pau stated, grinning wide – “And not just in matters of accounting or finance. But you’re the best, too, in your expertise. I never met anyone like you, either…”

Aldritch’s eyes opened wider than his hole, feeling something stir deep inside him, something he'd never felt before. Not one time in his whole life. The massive cock was wreaking havoc inside him as much as Pau’s eyes were wreaking havoc into his soul, and it went on, and on, it never quit, it never stopped, until Aldritch murmured with coarse voice: “I… I’m yours. Yours.”

“You are” – Pau replied, his loving gaze betraying his dominant attitude – “and I’m not going to ever let go of you. Cum for me, stud, and I’ll cum for you… Let’s seal our bond…”

Aldritch felt his head spinning, as he'd never felt like that: owned and owner, slave and master, loved and lover. The incessant pounding of Pau’s cock into his ass and his fiery gaze digging deep into his soul triggered the most explosive climax he’d ever felt, even more powerful than the ‘orgasmic hurricane’ he experienced when the bio-chips deactivated themselves.

“FFFUUUUUUCCKKK!!!!” – he yelled, reclining on the desk and letting his body convulse for the spasms of pleasure. “NNNNNGGHHH!!!!” – Pau echoed him, falling into the abyss himself and shoving his monster cock one last time deep into Aldritch’s fiery furnace. It wasn’t an ejaculation, it was a torrent of man cream what filled Aldritch’s fundaments, while he himself flooded his own torso with his essence.

When the orgasm trailed off, Pau reclined on Aldritch, exhausted, and looked straight into his eyes, their faces at an inch from each other. Aldritch raised his trembling hands, grabbed Pau’s head and pulled him down, to give him a hungry, furious and liberating kiss, that was reciprocated with passion.

 

~ Turning point ~

It took an entire week to Aldritch, Pau and the A.I. to develop a full business plan for the ‘CUBE 2.0’ project. They could’ve finished earlier, if they didn’t stop two or three times a day to make love, in the rough and dominant way they both liked so much.

When the document was ready, Aldritch went to Sean: “Captain, the idea of the A.I. to turn the Cube into a true Collective, a self-sustained structure, is possible, and these figures prove it. I just need to talk to the Minister.”

“OK, I’ll tell Alastair to unlock a communication channel to let you call him and send him your data.”

“Call him?” – Aldritch replied, shaking his head – “No, Captain, I need to talk to him in person. There’s too much at stake and I can be… persuasive. I need to go out.”

“Out??” – Sean exclaimed – “There’s an entire platoon of cops ready to arrest you out of our door!”

“This is your job, Captain. Set up a safe passage for me.”

“Uhm… I’ll try.”

Sean talked to Alastair, who set up an outbound channel. “McLaughlin!” – Chief Bellwood’s voice bellowed from the speaker – “I didn’t expect you to call. Don’t be stubborn, let my men come inside and evacuate the Cube. You won’t last long anyway.”

“Sir, let me play one last card. Please.” – Sean replied – “I need to send out a single man, Aldritch ‘Triple-A’ Archer, who needs to talk to the Minister. It’s a matter of vital importance, Sir; if he succeeds, both my and your problems will be solved without use of strength.”

“Uhm… Let’s do this: I’ll order my men to stay still when the Cube’s door will open. But Mr. Archer will be taken and escorted to the Ministry, he won’t be able to move around freely, nor he’ll be allowed to come back to the Cube: when the talk with the Minister is done, whatever the result, Mr. Archer will be held in our custody.”

Sean glanced at Aldritch, who nodded in the affirmative. “It’s settled, then, Sir. Mr. Archer is coming out in fifteen minutes. Thank you, Sir, I knew I could count on your wisdom and fairness.”

While Aldritch gathered his documents and said a passionate goodbye to his now official lover Pau, Sean called Lance, Kareem, Perry and a few other guys and met them in the Entrance Hall, to watch Aldritch go out. At the Captain’s sign, Lionel opened the door and Aldritch went out. The cops didn’t move and didn’t try to take advantage of the open door, but they waited for Aldritch to walk down the ramp and immediately took him under their custody.

Sean and the other men were tense, but were comforted seeing that the cops didn’t act rudely with Aldritch, but professionally escorted him to a Police car and drove him away.

“Now there’s nothing to do but wait…” – Sean said gravely – “I’ll ask Boubaker to route the security cams footage to the Cube’s intranet, so that people can watch what happens outside on every computer, tablet or 3-V.”

One hour went by, then another one. Sean, Lance and Kareem watched the monitor in the Captain’s office, but nothing moved outside. The risk was great, because Aldritch definitely wasn’t famous for his sympathy and negotiating skills: if the Minister got pissed off, he could well order an assault to the Cube.

The sun started its descent toward the horizon, and Sean noticed that the squad leader was animatedly talking to the phone; while talking, he repeatedly looked at the Cube, and his frown got deeper by the minute.

Sean felt dying inside: the game was over, he couldn’t save the guests of the Cube. Aldritch clearly failed, but no one could put the blame on him: even for a resourceful man as Triple-A, convincing the Minister was more than an impossible mission, it was a pious desire. And yet, Sean had hoped, and feeling the hope vanishing inside him was heartbreaking.

“Here they come…” – Sean gravely said, and immediately issued a broadcast message to all the guest to stand ready for a possible assault and forced evacuation. But the squad didn’t move toward the Cube. They reluctantly secured and stored away their weapons; and then, one by one, all the cars and vans moved away.

When they all had gone away, only one man was still standing on the ramp: he was Aldritch.

“What does it mean?” – Lance asked, surprised – “Are we free to go? Can we safely open the door?”

“We’ll soon know” – Sean replied, tapping on his phone – “Chief Bellwood… What’s happening? The entire squad has gone, leaving Mr. Archer out of the Cube, alone…”

“McLaughlin, I’m as surprised as you are” – Chief Bellwood replied – “The Minister is a devil, but your Mr. Archer must be Satan in person. All I know is that after Archer talked to him, the Minister revoked the order of evacuation of the Cubes and sent out an official ordinance stating that the Cubes are now a self-administered territory, still subjected to the Union laws, but not anymore under the Ministry’s control.”

“And there’s more: the Cubes are not anymore under my own control! The Sex Police Corp is disbanded and a special autonomous Cube Corp will be created to support and administer the Cubes around the world; and I can easily guess that you’ll join the new Corp as soon as you can, Captain McLaughlin.”

“Err… It's Acting Captain McLaughlin, Sir” – Sean corrected, and heard Chief Bellwood stifle a fatherly chuckle: “It’s Captain McLaughlin, it wasn’t a mistake. The new Corp needs high-rank officers. And even if you want to stay in the Police Corps, you deserved the promotion. Congratulations, Captain. I don’t know the details, yet, but I’m sure a hard task awaits you, now that the Cubes are on their own. Good luck, Captain.”

The connection dropped and Sean looked at Lance and Kareem with wide eyes. He wanted to send a message to Lionel, to tell him to open the door and usher Aldritch in, but his hands trembled too much, so he leapt to his feet and ran to the Entrance Hall: “Lionel! Open the door! Open the door! The siege is over! We’re free men!”

Lionel smiled wide and hit the green button on his desk, making the steel protections retract and disappear inside the thick wall. The glass door opened with a smooth hiss, and Aldritch entered the Cube with an annoyed expression: “A little more and I would’ve been ready for the 3rd Floor. You made me…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, because he was caught in a tornado of hugs, pats on the back, cheers, congratulations and joyful banter. The Cube’s guests were finally free to live the life they would choose for themselves, the ‘Collective for the Uranian Behavior Endorsement’ was a reality, and it had its own Captain.

 

~ Double celebration ~

At dinner, few words were spoken between Kareem and Lance. A mix of expectation, excitement and sadness drifted in the air, in the silent kitchenette, while the two lovers quietly ate their meal.

“A penny for your thoughts…” – Kareem said at some point, breaking the silence, and Lance smiled: “I’d gladly accept your offer, if I knew what a ‘penny’ is.”

Kareem rolled his eyes and shook his head, chuckling: “It’s an ancient coin, and by the way I haven’t any, so speak now or forever hold your peace!”

“It’s… weird.” – Lance replied, thoughtful – “We are free, I almost can’t believe it. We could stand up and exit the Cube in this very moment, if we wanted to. It’s time to turn the page and move on.”

“But…”? – Kareem asked, and a fleeting smirk of sadness darkened Lance’s handsome features: “But moving on means to leave something behind. Or someone.”

“And is this ‘someone’, by chance, named… Adam?”

Lance shyly averted his gaze, without saying anything; but Kareem smiled tenderly: “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, I know he’s important for you. He’s important for me, too.”

“For you? Why?”

It was Kareem’s turn to shyly lower his gaze: “I didn’t forget the first time I saw you making love with Adam. I was still totally imbued with my stupid homophobic ideas, but you two showed me that love has no gender, you opened my eyes. Seeing any other man but Adam would’ve disgusted me, but he was… caring, loving, almost fatherly with you. I couldn’t possibly blame what you were doing, it was too beautiful.”

Lance smiled, touched by Kareem’s words, and sighed. He was eager to run away from the Cube, but he was not ready to lose Adam.

“Call him” – Kareem suggested in a warm tone – “Invite him here. To spend the night.”

“Really??” – Lance asked with wide eyes, and Kareem smiled: “Just seeing that glare of joy in your eyes tells me it’s the right thing to do. Call him, and spend the night with him. I’ll take a room at the Nebula Palace, I want you to have all the privacy you need.”

Lance was moved by Kareem’s offer, but he didn’t want to hurt him: “I’ll ask him to come only if you join us. It’s not the first time you lay in bed with Adam, after all: don’t you remember the sweet birthday gift you made me? When you asked Adam to make love to me on your behalf? It was mind-blowing… and I wish we can live it again.”

Kareem seemed lost in sweet memories for a short while, and then nodded: “I’m staying.”

It took Adam less than ten minutes to arrive, and he was sexy as hell, wearing stretch shorts that highlighted his big bulge and an open shirt that revealed his chiseled physique. Lance was twenty years old, Kareem was in his late thirties, and Adam in his early fifties, but the sensuality that immediately sparkled between the three of them made the age difference meaningless. They exchanged a few words of greetings, but it was clear as day that there was a strong sexual undercurrent in the room.

With an urchin glance, Lance moved to the middle of the kitchenette and sensually shed his clothes, looking at Adam and Kareem, who watched the enticing show with eager eyes. When Lance was naked, both Kareem and Adam stepped toward him at the same time, and immediately stopped in their tracks, shooting uncertain glances at each other; but Lance flashed a sensual grin: “There’s enough of me for both of you…”

He took the two men by hand and pulled them to the bedroom, where he lay on the bed, on his belly, and turned his head back, to give to his men an enticing glance. It took Kareem and Adam only few seconds to get naked and climb on the bed, eager to touch and kiss Lance’s sensual body.

They started rolling on the bed, in an intertwined mass of limbs, hands, mouths and tongues, and Lance noticed with happiness that Kareem and Adam were definitely attracted to each other, and they frequently exchanged deep kisses and sensual caresses.

Adam took the lead, made Kareem lay down on his back, with Lance astride his hips, and used some lube to oil up both Kareem’s cock and Lance’s ass. “This is as it should be” – Adam said to Lance, noticing his hesitation – “Make your man happy.”

Lance slowly lowered his ass over Kareem’s stiff manhood, taking the thick rod inside himself, inch by inch, savoring the sweet feeling of being stretched in the most delightful way. When his buttocks were firmly pressed on Kareem’s groin, Lance exhaled softly and moaned: “Thank you…”

Once more, Kareem felt his heart race, hearing those sweet words that were Lance’s trademark. There was such a deep love, affection and respect in that ‘thank you’! Kareem remembered the first time he heard Lance saying it: it was when Adam made love to Lance, on the second day Kareem was at the Cube. He envied Adam, back then, but now it was Adam’s turn to be envious, because that heartfelt ‘thank you’ was all for Kareem.

Adam was determined not to be left out of the game, so he moved in front of Lance, knelt astride Kareem’s face and parted his knees wide enough to let his big balls brush Kareem’s lips. Kareem instantly stuck out his tongue and started licking the hairy gonads, raising his head to take them into his mouth and make them wet with saliva.

Lance, while joyfully riding Kareem’s cock, leaned forward and took Adam’s rock-hard member into his mouth, playing all the tricks in his hooker book to give Adam a five-star treatment. “Mmmhh… You’re a dangerous pair…” – Adam moaned, swept away by Lance’s and Kareem’s combined efforts.

There was such a great harmony in the trio’s movements that Kareem felt surprised and elated to be part of it. By now he knew Lance intimately, but at first he was afraid not to be skilled enough in man-sex for a seasoned lover such as Adam. But it wasn’t just sex what they were doing, they were exploring a new level of three-way intimacy, and this made everything feel perfect.

Adam recoiled and moved on the bed, taking position behind Lance; he gave a few sensual kisses on Lance’s butt, admiring Kareem’s rod expertly sliding in and out of Lance’s slick hole. Then, much to Kareem’s surprise, he stood on his knees and pressed his helmet on Lance’s already stuffed hole.

Kareem froze and looked at Adam, who just said: “Stand still”. The pressure on Lance’s hole increased, and Kareem could feel it through his own cock. Lance closed his eyes, doing his best to relax his hole and open it up for the additional intruder, but it wasn’t an easy task, not even for an experienced hooker like Lance. Adam increased the pressure and Lance let out a choked scream, feeling a pang of pain.

“Stop it!” – Kareem yelled, alarmed – “You’re hurting him!!”

Lance placed his fingers on Kareem’s mouth and said softly: “I can do it… Yes, it hurts, but it’s the most delightful pain a man can feel… Nnngghh… I’m almost there… yes… Aww… FUUCKK!”

Adam’s fat helmet penetrated Lance’s overstretched hole, sliding a couple inches inside the slick canal, and brushing against Kareem’s cock. Kareem was blown away by the incredible feeling and looked with wide eyes at Adam, who looked back at him with a knowing grin on his face: “You can feel it, stud, don’t you…? My cock is making love to yours inside Lance…”

Lance groaned and murmured: “Deeper… Go deeper… I can take it…”

Ever so slowly, Adam pushed his hips forward, making his cock slowly disappear into Lance’s fiery furnace, until he was fully inside him, his helmet sensually brushing against Kareem’s.

Kareem and Lance inhaled sharply, blown away by the overwhelming sensations, and both moaned “Thank you…”, almost at the same time, grateful for the pleasure Adam was providing them.

“No, thank you” – Adam replied, while his hips began rocking back and forth – “You’re both wonderful, I’m in heaven…”

Seeing that Lance was now relaxed, Kareem started again sliding his cock inside the tight passage, enjoying the incredible feeling of Adam’s cock brushing against his own: “Damn, Adam… It’s incredible… I feel like you’re fucking my cock! Nnnngghh… Don’t stop…”

“Ooohh… Stretch me to the limit…” – Lance moaned loud – “Feed me with your meat…”

“Good boy” – Adam mused – “You know how to take your Daddy… And how to take your man, too… Mmmhh! Yeah…”

Kareem suddenly stopped, feeling too close to the edge, but Adam went on brushing his own cock on Kareem’s, piercing him with his gaze: “I can feel your cock throbbing, stud… Cum for me… Make my cock slick with your man-cream…”

“Holy SHIT!!”– Kareem howled, losing control; Adam was too confident, too commanding to ignore his sensual “Cum for me…”, and Kareem’s body eagerly responded, melting into a stream of hot lava that erupted from his cock, firmly lodged into Lance’s tight hole. Shot after powerful shot, Kareem filled every crevice of Lance’s body, while Adam moaned ecstatic: “Yeah, boy… Both your men are breeding you… NNNGGHHH!!”

Lance felt his head spin, feeling the two thick cocks pulse and throb inside him; there was so much cum that his loosened hole couldn’t hold it and let it seep on Kareem’s balls.

Kareem reached to Lance’s cock and started stroking it in earnest: “Cum, my sexy Lance, show to Adam and me how much you love us…!”

Lance inhaled sharply and tried to resist, because he didn’t want it to end, but when Adam reached around and started titillating his nipples, he fell into the abyss and his cock began spraying white seed all over Kareem’s hairy chest, his neck and even his bearded face.

When the orgasm trailed off, Lance leaned down and gave a passionate kiss to Kareem; then he moved away, and Kareem felt his heart thump like a drum when Adam, too, leaned down and gave him a deep, sensual kiss that took his breath away.

 

~ Out of the Cube ~

Lionel, the young Concierge, was sitting at his desk, without anything to do. After the Minister’s ordinance that declared the Cubes all around the world autonomous institutions, no more new guests were expected to arrive. But Lionel wasn’t bored, because he was thinking to his loving Troll, the bulky Boubaker, and his fantasy was running free.

A weird sound, a sort of buzz never heard before, snapped Lionel out of his reverie; it echoed in the Entrance Hall and Lionel couldn’t understand its source or meaning. He looked around, under his desk, up at the ceiling, without getting any useful hint.

The buzz echoed again in the hall and Lionel glanced at the security camera: at the bottom of the ramp leading to the Cube there was a large group of reporters, with cameras and microphones, and two people were standing right out of the door. Suddenly Lionel got it: the buzz was the doorbell! A doorbell never used since the Cube was built, because the new guests always came escorted by the Police and were announced well in advance.

Lionel pressed the button to open the door, and two reporters came in, a man and a woman; Lionel leapt on his feet: “Madam, women are not allowed --”, but soon he corrected himself: “Never mind, rules have changed, now. I just have to get used to them. May I help you?”

“Please, can you tell us when Mr. Kareem Bashir will leave the Cube? My colleagues and I are eager to interview him, as you can see from the large number of reporters waiting for him.”

“I’m not informed about Mr. Bashir’s plans” – Lionel replied with a professional attitude (he was a Concierge, after all!) – “but rest assure I’ll forward your message to him immediately.”

In that moment, Kareem was in Sean’s office with Lance, discussing the situation of the Cube; he wasn’t surprised when his phone buzzed and read Lionel’s message: he was actually expecting something like that. He shot a pensive glance at Lance and said: “It’s time for us to take a decision. We can’t hide inside the Cube forever, we should think and rebuild a life outside…”

“Of course we should” – Lance replied, uncertain – “but… I’m scared. I don’t know what’s waiting for us out there. You’ve been locked in the Cube less than one year, you still have… uhm… friends, outside; I don’t have anyone waiting for me.”

“Why do I feel there’s something you’re not telling me?” – Kareem inquired, and Lance averted his gaze: “I’m just a little nervous, that’s all.”

But he was lying, there was something more in his heart: the fear that Kareem, once outside, would be charmed again by his old life, his job, his friends… and his woman, Beverly. He was sure that Kareem loved him, but a man can’t wipe from his life the woman he was about to marry just few months before.

“Let’s move out of the Cube” – Kareem insisted – “After all, now we can come and go at will, we can come back and visit Adam, Perry and all our friends who are staying here. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you, I’ll protect you, nothing bad will happen out there.”

Lance was still dubious: “Sean…” – he asked to the Captain – “is it possible to keep the Delta-18 apartment, if we move out of the Cube? At least for a while?”

“I’ll keep it free for you as long as you want, Lance, don’t worry” – Sean confirmed – “Less than two-third of the apartments are currently occupied, we’re not short of housing.”

“I need you” – Kareem insisted again, with passion – “I need you in my life, Lance. Tell me you’re coming with me.”

“I will.” – Lance finally said with a smile – “And, at this point, the sooner the better. Let’s leave tomorrow morning. We don’t have much to pack, just some personal objects, some clothes…”

“…and some beautiful thongs” – Kareem added, smiling wide, remembering his first days at the Cube, when Lance bought him a pack of colorful thongs.

 

~ Shocking truths ~

The next morning, Kareem and Lance met Sean in the Entrance Hall. The Cubes were now freely accessible, Kareem and Lance could come and go at will, but all of them were aware that something was irreversibly changing. Sean looked pensively at Kareem, recalling his own tortuous journey through friendship, bromance, love and man-sex: at every step, at each corner of that difficult path, Kareem was there to support him, to reassure him and let him know that everything was fine.

“It’s weird…” – Sean said at some point – “I was always free to come and go, I was not locked into the Cube, and still I feel at home, here, more than anywhere else. And it’s sad to see you two go away. We’ll meet again, probably very soon, but for some reason this sounds much like a farewell…”

A buzz echoed in the hall, and Sean looked around, puzzled: “What’s that?”

“The doorbell” – Lionel explained, chuckling, and quickly pressed the button to open the door. A slim beautiful blond woman was standing in the doorframe.

“Anne…!” – Sean gasped, suddenly anxious, recognizing his wife. Since the day the siege of the Cube had begun, he didn’t hear from her, nor he called her, for reasons that he himself didn’t really understand.

Anne walked to Sean and, winning his innate modesty, murmured: “I still love you, Sean. Whatever happened, I love you and will keep on loving you.”

Sean smiled with infinite tenderness, gently grabbed her by her shoulders and gave her a loving kiss, long and passionate. “I love you, too” – he said when they parted – “I never really stopped loving you, but… I’ve discovered sides of myself that I’m not sure you’re willing to accept.”

Under Anne’s puzzled gaze, Sean moved in front of Kareem and gave him a tender kiss, lips on lips, nothing more, but the message was clear as day.

“Your father spent his life at the Cube” – Anne said with a sweet expression – “and you did the same. The Cube is part of you. I’ll be honest, so far I didn’t understand it was such a deep part of you, but it doesn’t change what I feel for you. I love you, Sean, I love all the sides of you, including… this. There are things that I just can’t give you, no matter what. Look into my eyes and tell me you love me, Sean, and that’s all I need to know.”

“I love you” – Sean said, looking straight at his wife – “Never doubt it. I love you more than I can possibly say.”

They kissed again, and then Sean turned to Kareem and Lance: “I once told you, we are lucky, as we have found the love of our life. Now go, the world awaits you. I’ll be here when you’re back.”

They exchanged tight hugs and then, with their heart thumping hard, Kareem and Lance headed to the sliding door, that opened in front of them, and they stepped out of the Cube. The air smelled of flowers and freshly cut grass and the sun was so bright that they had to use their hands to shield their eyes.

After a few steps down the ramp, they were literally assaulted but the reporters, who shot at Kareem a barrage of questions about the new status of the Cubes, his experience as a straight man in an all-male environment, his predictions about the life of gay people in the outer world, and most of all about his plans for the future.

“All I know is that I had a life before being thrown into the Cube” – Kareem replied – “and now I have to rebuild my life. Things are changing, gay people aren’t shunned by everyone as it used to be.”

“Why are you so concerned about gay people?” – a reporter asked – “Did your experience in the Cube turn you gay?”

“I don’t want to be rude” – Kareem snapped – “but this is the most stupid question ever! People don’t ‘turn gay’! Living at the Cube widened my horizons, made me realize how narrow-minded I was, but I’m always the same man, it couldn’t be any other way!”

“I knew it!” – a chirping voice overcome the loud fuss – “You’re soooooo sweet!”

Out of the crowd, came forward Beverly, with her perfect hair, her perfect makeup, and her perfect body. She literally threw herself over Kareem and sensually pressed his body against his: “I’ll help you rebuild your life, our life. I never lost hope, I knew you would’ve come back to me! You’ll see, I’ll make you happy… in ways that I'm sure you’ve been dreaming of since you went away.”

She leaned forward and pressed his lips on Kareem’s, holding his face, and Lance felt like he was dying inside: what he most dreaded was happening right in front of him. Kareem and Beverly were a perfect couple, perfect under every respect, they were beautiful, successful, in love and betrothed to each other: of course they were going to rebuild their lives together!

And while watching the loving couple kissing, another bitter thought hit Lance like a slap on his face: «Kareem said things are changing, but the truth is that if two men would kiss in public like they are doing, it would cause a mayhem…»

“Stop it, Beverly!” – Kareem said angrily, shoving Beverly away – “How on earth could I build a life with you? You don’t even know what love is!”

“W… What you mean, Kareem? Of course I love you! I’ve always loved you!”

“Open your beautiful eyes wide” – Kareem replied – “and look what true love looks like…”

 

Kareem turned to Lance, held him into his strong arms and gave him a deep, churning kiss, a kiss full of love, passion, friendship, bromance, all the million shades of love. A part of his mind registered a roar of indignation from some of the bystanders, and loud cheers from others. He was aware that many cameras were pointing at them, filming the amazing and scandalous sight of two men sharing a kiss of true love in plain day, in public, broadcast live worldwide on 3-V, but he couldn’t care less: he was kissing his man, and nothing else existed, in that moment.

“Cut! Cut!” – a reporter yelled to his cameraman, when Kareem’s short skirt started to lift, leaving very little to imagination…

Lance didn’t expect it: a moment before he was trying to gather the strength to imagine a life without Kareem, and the moment after his entire world was the kiss they were sharing, the passion flowing freely between them.

He felt stupid, he felt loved, he felt scared for the uncertain future awaiting him in the outer world, but he had the granitic certainty that Kareem was the man of his life, now and forever.

Forever and ever.

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~ …Ten years later… ~

Jacob stumbled, walking up the ramp leading to the Cube, but soldiered on. Every single part of his body hurt and he fought hard to push his tears back: at sixteen years of age, he was not a boy anymore, and men don’t cry…

He rang the doorbell, and the glass door slid open in front of him. The guy that immediately appeared at the door to welcome him looked at him with concern: “Come in, let me help you… I’m Lionel, the Concierge of the Cube, what’s your name?”

“Jacob…” – the boy replied, trying to look confident, but it was clear that something bad happened to him.

“Did someone beat you? Do you want me to call someone? Your father?”

“No!!” – Jacob screamed, stepping back, ready to flee away, and Lionel reassured him: “OK, OK, don’t worry, whatever happened to you, you’re safe, here at the Cube. Someone will soon come and take care of you.”

Lionel pressed a hidden button on his desk and moments later a secret door opened and a man came out. Jacob looked at the dark-purple uniform he was wearing, the uniform of the Cube Police, and his first instinct was to run away, but then looked up at the cop and his serene, caring expression soothed his anxiety.

“Welcome to the Cube, Jacob. I’m Sean McLaughlin, Captain of this Cube. Believe me, no one will hurt you, here, we’ll take care of you. First off, we should go to the hospital…”

“Please, no…” – Jacob begged, trying hard not to cry, and Sean gave him an affectionate smile: “OK, no hospital. Come with me, there are two guys who surely want to meet you. They’re the founders and the pillars of the Cube, you are totally safe with them.”

They crossed a door and walked along Alpha Avenue, then moved to Delta Avenue and stopped in front of the Delta-18 apartment. Sean rang the doorbell and Jacob was sure that some old man would’ve come to welcome them, as the Captain referred to them as the founders of the Cube; but he opened his eyes wide when an extremely handsome man in his thirties opened the curtain and looked down at him with his beautiful blue eyes.

“Lance, this young man is Jacob” – Sean said, stepping inside with the newcomer – “He just arrived at the Cube. I don’t know what happened to him, but someone must’ve beaten him. Talk to him, while I call Dr. Bright and ask him to come down and visit Jacob.”

Sean went away and Jacob looked around the small kitchenette they were in, and saw a middle-eastern man with a thick stubble raising to his feet; he was in his late forties, rather an old man in the boy’s eyes, but he was gorgeous, muscular and hairy… and he was wearing a skirt! One of those scandalous and enticing male skirts that Jacob had seen on 3-V sometimes. When the man spoke, his voice was a caress to Jacob ears: “Welcome, Jacob. I’m Kareem, and this is my man Lance.”

“Your… man?” – Jacob said under his breath, and Kareem nodded: “We are a couple. We can’t get married, yet, but we live as a married couple. Is this… disturbing to you?”

Jacob couldn’t restrain his tears anymore and sobbed: “It’s like a dream…”

“Come here, kid” – Lance said, holding Jacob in a protective embrace – “Is this the reason why you’re here? The reason why someone beat you? You’re gay, aren’t you?”

Jacob was too scared to say it aloud, and eagerly nodded in the affirmative.

“And who did this to you?”

The boy didn’t reply, he looked around nervously and then said: “I come from a very strict and religious family. There are rules that… just can’t be broken. There’s no place there for guys like me.”

“So, it was your father who beat you…” – Kareem interjected, but Jacob shook his head: “It’s not his fault, he had to! I’m… I’m…”

“Don’t say it.” – Lance said, seriously – “Don’t ever say it and don’t ever think it. You’re perfect. You hear me? You’re just perfect. And what you feel is perfectly normal. We all feel the same, we’re all like you, and no one of us is… whatever you were about to call yourself.”

A man in white scrubs peeked through the main door: “May I came in?”

“Don’t worry, Jacob” – Kareem comforted him – “He’s Dr. Bright, he came to check you.”

Jacob looked at him with a mix of fear and hope: “Are you… gay, too?”

“I am” – Dr. Bright smiled wide – “All the Cube’s residents are gay. Let me check you, let’s go to a bedroom, to have the privacy we need.”

It didn’t take long, and soon Dr. Bright came out of the bedroom with a reassuring grin: “There are only superficial bruises, no broken bones or internal bleeding. He got a few punches or kicks, and I think someone whipped him with a belt or something. I’m quite sure it wasn’t the first time. He did suffer for a deep trauma, though, but not a physical one. We have psychologists at the hospital, but I suggest to bring him to Doc Stevens, in a few days. The best therapy, for now, is to show him around and let him realize he’s in a safe place, where people understand him. And he needs new clothes, because the ones he’s wearing are almost shredded to pieces. They didn’t go easy with him.”

“Thank you Dr. Bright” – Lance said with relief – “You’re wonderful as always. Say, how things are going at the hospital?”

“We just developed a new prototype of bio-mechanical prosthetic hand, it can do all a real hand can do, but with twice the strength. It’ll be our next best-selling prosthetic device. We’re earning big money, I can’t be happier, because this lets us provide free medical assistance to all the Cube’s residents and several outsiders who can’t afford sanitary aid.”

“I’m glad to hear that, as this is the true spirit the new Cube: helping people in need. Thanks Doc, we’re in debt. Have a nice day!”

Dr. Bright went away and Jacob came out of the bedroom, trying to button up his torn shirt. Lance shot at him a knowing glance: “I think we should pay a visit to Monsieur D’Antin…”

Jacob’s eyes widened and glistened with repressed joy: “Monsieur D’Antin?? The stylist who creates all those… scandalous clothing lines?”

“That’s him” – Lance confirmed, chuckling – “And if you think his creations are scandalous, wait to see his male models wearing them!”

They went out and took a long walk all around the Cube. After buying some ‘scandalous’ clothes at M. D’Antin’s atelier, Lance and Kareem showed to Jacob the first floor, and the boy was surprised to see that the Cube had a lot of shops and department stores, and was full of industrious people, workers, shopkeepers, maintenance squads that made the Cube look like a beautiful and neat place, a place that Jacob could feel at home in.

Then they moved to the 2nd Floor, and Jacob admired in disbelief the wide Avenues lined with fancy lamps and shrubs, the beautiful rental cottages and the incredible Virtual Beach where men of any age amiably chatted in groups or couples, occasionally sharing kisses or romantic glances, without anyone complaining.

They had a light lunch at a sea-front restaurant, and then paid a visit to the Silk & Lace Parlor, where the boys gave a very warm welcome to Jacob. Lance was a bit worried that Jacob could think ill of the boys, because of their ‘immoral’ profession; but Jacob had been judged too much and too harshly in his life to point his finger against anyone. The boys told him they were happy, and that was all Jacob needed to know.

Next, they visited the peaceful Zenith Gardens, where they spotted two men sitting on a secluded bench sharing a loving kiss. “You probably heard of Aldritch ‘Triple-A’ Archer and Thiago ‘Pau’ Monteiro…” – Lance said to Jacob, who was watching the distant men with dreaming eyes – “They didn’t even know what love is, before coming here, but the Cube opened their heart. They found the love of their life, here at the Cube… and I’m sure you’ll find yours, too, Jacob. Just keep your heart and mind open and let the magic of this place flow through you.”

Next, they moved up to the 3rd Floor, to the graveyard, where Kareem showed to Jacob the tomb of Officer Dougal McLaughlin. Jacob remembered that surname: “McLaughlin? Like that nice Captain I met?”

“Yes, he was his father” – Lance confirmed – “We’re showing you his tomb because he’s regarded as a hero here at the Cube. He was straight, but he fought for us, and ultimately was killed for this reason. We all fight for our own rights, but he didn’t need to: he wasn’t gay and he was an Officer of the Sex Police. And yet, he stood for our rights, he fought for us, and died for us. We’re all in debt with him…”

“And you seem to feel particularly in debt with him…” – Jacob cautiously inquired, noticing Lance’s sad expression.

Lance smiled: “You’re a sensible guy. Yes, my debt toward him is great indeed. It’s a long story, and not a happy one. I’ll tell you, but not now. Now it’s time to explore the Cube, your new home.”

“Because you’re at home, Jacob” – Kareem said in a warm, affectionate tone – “You’re in a place where you can be yourself, and be appreciated for what you are. Here, you will find friends, mentors, and who knows, even love. Forget your old life, forget the people who hurt you and forgive those who couldn’t love you. The Cube has been a prison for many decades, most of the people you’ve seen around are former inmates, we didn’t choose to live here; and yet, most of us found here a better life than the one we lived outside.”

Jacob felt a lump in his throat and threw his arms around Kareem, who wrapped him into his strong arms. The feeling of Kareem’s muscular chest against his cheek made Jacob feel protected, comforted and loved.

“Come, let’s go home, now” – Kareem said when they parted – “You can stay with us, until you’re assigned an apartment of your own. Lance and I share the same bed, so we have a spare bedroom.”

They went down to the 1st Floor and headed home. While walking, Jacob asked more questions about the Cube, and even though some of the Cube’s habits were a bit over-the-top for his strict education, the smile on his face never faded.

While walking in front of a shop, Lance suddenly said: “Wait! I think Jacob deserves a gift, don’t you think so, Kareem?”

“Absolutely!” – Kareem chuckled, looking at the many colorful thongs on display in the shop window – “Say, Jacob, which one will you choose?”

Jacob blushed all shades of red, as the thongs in the windows were all outrageously skimpy and indecent… but in an irresistible way: “T… The yellow one… I think it would… uhm… better enhance my p… package…”

“That’s my boy!” – Kareem laughed – “The yellow one is by far my favorite, too.”

Lance exchanged an intense glance with Kareem, remembering that distant day when Kareem, still fiercely straight, purposely wore the yellow thong to let Lance have a good look at his gorgeous body and his substantial bulge.

“The yellow one is my favorite, too” – Lance said looking straight at Kareem; they exchanged an intense glance and then their mouths locked in a long loving kiss

Jacob looked up at them with shining eyes and a thumping heart, overwhelmed by a happiness he’d never felt in his life.

He was home.

 

-~~~≈≈≈ooOoo≈≈≈~~~-

In the next chapter: There is no next chapter, sorry. But if you, just like me, aren't ready to say goodbye to the Cube and its wonderful men, yet, then take a look at the two Appendixes the will be posted tomorrow and the day after! 😉