The Boys From Tennessee

The Boys From Tennessee
Rating: NC17
Author: Chissy_Rose
Pairing: Jack & Peter
Author’s Notes/Disclaimer: They’re not mine, I don’t own them. No infringement intended.

The Boys From Tennessee
Chapter 47 (47/60)
Playing Poker in the Hatch

When they got back to the hatch, Jack changed some of Peter’s dressings before it got time for bed and checked him over. Peter saw himself in a mirror and looked very somber. “God, I am so ugly. All the damn bruises and cuts look awful now…I don’t know how you can even look at me. No wonder people are cringing when they see me.” Peter looked so sad.

Jack smoothed his hair and ran his hand down Peter’s neck and shoulder. “You know all this is temporary Pete; you’ll be back to your handsome self soon. The bruises and cuts will all heal. I don’t think you’ll have any permanent scars anywhere but your back…”

Peter looked dejected, “You know you and Sawyer shouldn’t tease me about my looks, you just make me feel bad. I know I’m nothing to look at…”

Jack actually looked surprised at his words. “You’re kidding me now right? You don’t have a clue that you’re the best looking guy on this island, do you?”

“My old man always told me I was plain, lanky and country looking, that I’d be lucky if anybody ever wanted me. He was always putting me down.” Peter looked at the floor. “Now I’m messed up on top of plain looking.”

Jack sighed and shook his head. “Your old man was telling you that to keep you under his control and to keep you from looking around for other lovers. He’s really hurt your self esteem. I’m going to tell you again and I want you to believe me. Hands down you are the best looking guy on the island. Why do you think so many people are attracted to you? You are incredibly good looking. If your old man hadn’t torn up your back, you could have worked as a male model. People that aren’t even interested in you watch you move, talk or smile. Sawyer thinks he’s lucky to have you, and I know I feel that way. So get over that Pete.” Jack gently stroked his face and Peter gave him a small smile and sighed.

“You want to play cards or backgammon or something before we turn in Jack? It’s still kinda early. There are cards here – what do you play besides hearts?” Peter smiled slyly knowing Jack would find that question funny.

“How about poker? You do play poker don’t you?” Jack asked. Peter nodded yes. They looked around and finally decided to use some checkers as chips and the backgammon pieces too. Locke said he’d play a few rounds with them and Hurley had come by for a few minutes and said he’d like to try playing if they could teach him. They played several hands and soon both Hurley and then Locke were out of the game. It seemed that Peter and Jack were evenly matched when it came to their poker playing skills. They kept trading rounds back and forth, neither seeming to get ahead.

“Where’d you learn to play poker, Jack?” Peter asked curious.

“Phuket, Thailand,” Jack replied. Peter looked a little surprised.

“That’s pretty far to go to learn poker. Were you on a vacation?”

“More like an escape. Had to get away for a while. My marriage with Sarah broke up and I had to get as far away as I could from her, my job and my parents.” Jack paused, wanting to redirect Peter. “Where did you learn to play poker so well Peter?”

Peter smiled. “Well, there wasn’t any legal poker gambling in Tennessee, but I went with a lover to live in Connecticut for a while. I got a job as a bus-boy at Foxwoods Casino. You heard of it before? It’s the world's largest casino. I wasn’t old enough to play in the casino, but I spent some of my off-time standing around the rails watching games. I did play some of the casino workers on my off hours. That’s how I really learned…I didn’t like Connecticut much though, people made fun of my accent a lot and when I broke up with the guy, I went back to Tennessee.”

“Yeah, I bet you really stood out in Connecticut being young, good looking and having a thick southern accent. You had a male lover huh?”

Peter shook his head a little and had an expression that reminded Jack of Sawyer. “Yeah, I had a “sugar daddy” who took real good care of me. I didn’t really have to work, but I wanted some of my own money. He gave me pretty much anything I wanted. Kept me looking sharp – bought me nice clothes. Bought me a new candy apple red convertible Mustang. I was with him about six months.” Jack nodded his head, felt a tinge of jealousy towards a guy that wasn’t even in Peter’s life anymore.

“So, how old was this guy? What did he do? Did you love him?” Jack asked. He really wanted to know.

Peter smirked now. “He was a realtor, very successful, rich. Specialized in more expensive mansions and commercial property. He was twice my age – older than you.” Peter watched Jack’s face and saw Jack’s eyebrows go up. That ‘got him’, he thought. “I really cared for him, but I wasn’t “in love” with him. He got tired of my loose ways and fucking around. He was real possessive and as long as I was only with him, only fucked him everything was fine. He liked to show me off. He had some of his friends over to the house one weekend and one of them came on to me. His friend was seducing me and doing a damn good job of it. My lover came into the room and saw us making out on the couch. He made his friend leave, threw him out. Locked the door to the room and beat the shit outa me. Really hurt me and broke my heart. That night I wrote him a note, packed a suitcase and drove back to Tennessee.” Peter sighed softly and looked away. “I don’t have a good history Jack. Lots of burned bridges and lovers behind me.” His face looked real somber now, his eyes moistening up. He looked into Jack’s eyes and Jack thought about how pretty his eyes were, so full, round and green. Jack gave him a sad smile thinking about how much crap Peter had experienced in his young life. Peter threw his cards down on the table. “I don’t wanna play any more poker tonight Jack. I feel like turning in if that’s okay.” Jack shook his head yes and said he might as well turn in too. They both said good evening to Locke and Hurley and went down the hall.

When they got to the bunkroom Peter turned off the light switch and only the light down the hall was lighting the room. He turned to Jack and put his hands on Jack’s hips and pulled up close to him and hugged him in the darkened room. “You okay?” Jack whispered putting his hands gently in the hollow of Peter’s back.

Peter sighed and then traced his tongue across Jack’s face to his mouth and kissed him, searching his mouth with his tongue. When he broke the kiss he whispered to Jack, “Why don’t you let me get you off Jack? I could get you off with my hands and tongue – you’d sleep better.”

“This is too soon after all you’ve been through – it’s probably not a good idea Pete.” Peter took his hand and ran it slowly up from Jack’s balls, feeling as he went, to the tip of his cock squeezing it. Jack gasped softly. Peter felt Jack’s cock quiver and begin to grow. “That’s not fair – I want to wait until you’re in a better state of mind. You don’t need to do this right now.” Jack pushed him back gently by his shoulders. Peter gripped his hips tighter.

“You’re wrong. I do need to do this Jack. I need to more than you know. I’m too sore for anything to be done to me, but I wanna do this. Please let me be in control and let me do this for you. I love you and … I had no control…they were doing it to me…let me do this because I want to Jack. Please…I need to.” Jack could hear the sound of desperation in Peter’s voice. It hurt him to hear Peter beg.

He gave in and whispered, “Ok then. But anything out of the ordinary and I stop this.”

Peter leaned in, slipping his hand behind Jack’s head and kissed him. He leaned against Jack’s legs and began unbuttoning Jack’s shirt slowly. He seemed to be having some difficulty with the buttons and by the time he was working on Jack’s zipper, Jack could tell his hands were shaking badly. Jack reached in between them and grabbed Peter’s hands holding them still, “Stop, no Peter, stop…”

“No Jack, don’t stop me please,” Peter whimpered.

“You’re not okay; you’re shaking like a damn leaf. It’s too soon – it just happened for Christ’s sake. You’re still traumatized. I’m not gonna let you do this tonight.”

Peter tried to pull his hands out of Jacks, but Jack just held on. His wrists stung as he tried to pull free. “Shit Jack! Why’d you stop me? Fuck!!!” Peter’s voice cracked and Jack could tell he was on the verge of breaking down. He slumped against Jack and started sliding towards the floor. Jack pulled him towards the bed and sat him down on it. “Take off your jeans Peter,” Jack directed as he helped him to remove them, leaving him in his boxers and t-shirt. He pulled off his own jeans, shirt, shoes and socks and gently pushed Peter to the other side of the bed, lying down next to him. Jack lay down on his back. “Come here, lay on me,” Jack reached over to Peter’s right arm and pulled him partially over onto his chest. “Let it out Pete, you’re safe with me. Just let it all out.” Peter struggled against him and Jack could tell he was fighting himself, not wanting to give into it. Then he felt Peter’s hot tears drip against his chest. Jack held him gently and let him cry. It wasn’t long until the pain and intensity of his weeping tore at Jack’s heart. He wept silently with him and just tried to reassure Peter. He’d never heard even Peter cry this way before, but he’d never seen anyone so badly abused either. After a long time, Peter slowly stopped, wiped the tears from his face and ran his hand across his tears on Jack’s chest. He wiped his hand dry and reached up to Jack’s face and realized that Jack had been crying too. His face was wet and so was the pillow. “Oh God Jack I’m sorry.” Peter whispered, but Jack cut him off, “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. When you hurt, I hurt. But it’s okay. I’m just so damn glad to have you back. I love you – just you don’t forget it.” Jack kissed him on the forehead. “Why don’t you just try to relax now and see if you can get some sleep. You want the bed to yourself? I can get on the top bunk.”

“No, don’t leave me Jack. I’m scared I’m going to have those dreams tonight. Stay here. Turn on your side and let me hold onto you please.” Jack rolled over onto his side and felt Peter pull up tight against him. He could feel Peter begin to relax finally.

Peter whispered “Don’t leave me.”