Grant gave them a soft smile. “I see.”
Brad’s cheeks burned with color. “I’ve...never had this happen before.”
Grant nodded. “Well, that’s a risk you take when you have body modifications. That being said, this is an easy enough fix. I will, however, need to examine the...afflicted area.”
As Grant pulled on a pair of gloves, Brad began to talk rapidly. “I’ve never had this happen. I didn’t think it was possible to get...stuck. I mean, when they gave me the choice of ring, they didn’t tell me people could get stuck on it. This is the most unsexy thing I’ve ever experienced in my life, doctor.”
“Oh thut up,” Theodore lisped at him.
Brad grew redder as Grant bent down to inspect the piercings. “I’m nervous! This hurts.”
“I’m not e’en puwwing you big baby.”
Grant kept his face neutral and sighed. “Well, it appears the ball bearing of Mr. Atkins’ piercing is lodged firmly in the loop of your own, Mr. Matthers.”
“What does that mean?” Brad asked, pitch rising.
“It means I’m going to need you to hold still, and you both might feel a pulling sensation,” Grant told him.
“Is this gonna hurt?” Brad asked.
“Oh fo’ fucth thake, juth do it!”
Grant winked down at the irritated man and gave the tongue piercing a little shove. It popped through the ring, earning a hiss from Brad. With that, Grant spun the top of the piercing, twisting off the ball bearing and allowing the thin rod to slide out of the Prince Albert with ease.
“Ah shit,” Theodore hissed, falling back to sit on the floor and place a hand over his mouth.
Brad immediately covered his groin with a hand. “That...wasn’t so bad.”
Grant chuckled, holding the ball bearing out to Theodore. “I didn’t think it would be. Perhaps in future, you might take into consideration the piercings of your partner, so we don’t find you in here again.”
Brad nodded frantically, while Theodore stuck his tongue out to twist the ball back into place. Grant chuckled softly as he made a note in the file. The fair-haired man’s demeanor was still one of annoyance, but he looked pleased to have his tongue back in his mouth where it belonged.
Theodore looked up at him finally, smirking. “Thanks, Doc.”
Grant watched him, eyes sweeping over his arms. They were thin but tightly corded with muscle. More interesting were the tattoos. On the left arm, they started from the back of Theodore’s hand, and then like the right arm, went from his wrist all the way up to disappear under the sleeve of his shirt. Color peeked out from the collar of the man’s shirt, which Grant guessed could only mean they extended up there as well.
They were certainly colorful and exceptionally well done. It was a kaleidoscope of hues and shapes. Grant could make out what looked like a tiger in mid-leap, a phoenix bursting forth from flames, a wooden wheel with twelve spokes, and various symbols that Grant dimly recognized from different world religions. It would have taken far more than a cursory glance to make out everything, and he forced himself to look Theodore in the eye.
“No problem. I’m only glad you chose to come in rather than deal with it yourselves,” Grant said.
Very few good things came from that.
Theo snorted, sneering at Brad. “Someone didn’t want to come in. Had to argue with the idiot.”
“Argue? You started...pulling,” Brad said indignantly.
Grant had to cover his face with the folder as Theo hissed back. “Because you wanted to try cutting it off. With pliers.”
“Well,” Grant said, pulling the folder down once he was sure his face was professional once again. “I think Theodore’s answer was the better of the two options. Just try to avoid it again.”
“Avoid him again, you mean,” Theodore grunted. “And it’s Theo. Not Theodore.”
“Well, Theo, enjoy the rest of the evening if you can. Someone will be in to speak to you again shortly,” Grant said.
Theo’s eyes swept up to Grant’s face. “Sure, Doc.”
The man’s eyes were almost as colorful as the ink on his skin. The yellow-green tone of his hazel eyes danced with the bright light of the examination room, and no small amount of mischief. For a moment, Grant was struck with the idea that Theo could see something in Grant, something hidden and locked away. It didn’t help when the man’s lips curled into a knowing smirk before Theo looked away to frown down at his phone.
Grant cleared his throat. “Right, well, have a good night, Mr. Matthers and Mr. Atkins.”
Eager to get away from that disconcerting, knowing stare, Grant hurried out of the room as fast as possible without looking suspicious. It was only when he was in the hallway, the exam room door closed behind him, that he let out the breath he’d been holding. Grant shook his head, making his way to the nurse’s station to drop off the folder and pick up the next one.
Perhaps Lydia and Leon were right, maybe he did need to go on a date. If he was so hard up that the stare from a good looking guy Grant had just freed from someone else’s penis was enough to get to him, then he might be in need of a little release.
“Enjoy yourself?” Millie asked with a tiny smirk.
Grant held out his hand, hoping his face wasn’t as red as it was warm. “Next.”
Theo
The temptation to go straight home flared up and died almost immediately once Theo stepped out of the clinic. After having all but locked himself in his apartment for days at a time, he wasn’t too eager to go back. The only reason he’d gone back in the first place had been to get laid.
“Brad,” Theo repeated the man’s name, lip curling.
Theo shook his head as he let his feet take him wherever. Honestly, the man had just been a hot piece of ass who was more than happy to accompany Theo back to his apartment. Theo was more than willing to let their little accident pass and would have probably still been willing to have a bit of fun, though a little more carefully. But having been stuck to the man for almost two hours, Theo had found his interest flagging faster than a deflating pool float.
Seriously, Theo knew the man’s dick was caught and all, but it hadn’t been like Theo had been any less careful. And sure, the ambulance ride to the hospital had been a little awkward, and probably a little painful, what with all the bumps forcing Theo to tug a little. But seriously, Brad couldn’t have been anymore whiny or fussy if he’d tried. Theo was many things, but he wasn’t so hard up for a fuck that he was going to roll over for a big baby.
His attention was brought back to the present when the hallway he’d been wandering down opened up into a large atrium. A massive wall of glass faced the ocean where the sun began to peek over the horizon. Opposite the windows was a row of cubbies set into the wall. Theo spotted a place for coffee, another for burgers, there seemed to be a sub or Italian place, though he couldn’t make out which.
The seating was scattered about, with rows of dividers splitting the tables and benches up in a haphazard fashion. It could have been sterile and chaotic, but the plants growing in them as well as in round pedestals littered about added an air of comfort and warmth.
Theo looked up, squinting at objects hanging overhead. Still craning his neck, he stepped forward, not caring that he was one of the few people there and would probably look ridiculous. He couldn’t tell what the objects were, but he recognized sculptures when he saw them. The one over his head was bent and twisted like a knot, while another zigged and zagged around itself. He didn’t know the artist, and it was interesting to think about how they’d managed the installation.