Santa Clara Commentary, Part I

Santa Clara was born as an LJ (Live Journal to those of you just popping in to see what I'm going on about) more or less out of my reaction to CiciRossi's Opium Den and her invention of the city of Eden.  I thought it was a neat and pretty easy way to world-build, starting with a city rather than an entire world.  I was also intrigued with the idea of having a whole set of characters in one place where they could have minor crossover parts in each other's story lines. 

That much went according to plan--or is at least starting to as I outline several storylines--but as with most things there are unexpected problems.  Because I have so many characters and they crossover in strange ways it is nearly impossible to tell a single story that draws it all together.  This will result in a slew of short 'snapshot' style pieces that will highlight the crossovers, while the main stories will be more insular.  Not really a problem, but it's the only way to avoid something that looks like a soap opera.

But before there was Santa Clara, there was Voices.

Voices was originally set in Boston, although I don't think I ever said that outside of comments on my LJ.  I set it there because I liked the size of the city, I wanted a city with a waterfront area (although I'm not sure why now, it's never mentioned if I recollect correctly), and for some reason I wanted to set it on the East coast.  (Santa Clara is on the West Coast).

Gent was a pretty easy muse to write--he was charming and open, pretty gentle; a nice guy.  Paul was easy too--I love clean cut guys who are hiding kinks.  Jamie was a surprise.  Just a flat out 'where the hell did he come from' surprise.  I remember being in chat with Pumpkin after I'd already started posting Voices to my LJ and saying, "I think Paul is a twin.  And I think he's sleeping with his brother."  I have no idea where the idea came from, but once it was there it was impossible to ignore.  So, Jamie appeared.  Direct, protective, top to his brother's bottom, and willing to let Gent in if it was clear that he wasn't going.

The only real trouble I had writing this series was tense.  When I started I wanted to try first person and the story just happened to come out in first person present.  Not my usual style at all, but it was an exercise.  The Brat Queen said in an early comment that it read like someone's journal, which was more or less what I was going for--this was before I had a site and all my stories were landing on the LJ only.  But as time went on I found it increasingly hard to stay in present tense, even if first person eventually grew on me.  I was constantly slipping tense and becoming frustrated.  The other problem with first person present was that I had to be very careful how I depicted the twins.  The reader only knows them through Gent's eyes, and it was important to me that their reactions be true, easy to read, but not Gent being all knowing and playing God.  I had to describe them exactly as Gent would perceive them, and there were times I just wanted to flat out say "Paul was getting frustrated with Jamie's...." whatever.

Voices moved to Santa Clara almost the moment I thought of setting up the city and have lived there happily every since.  They've turned up in two stories in the Dove and Damon arc so far, and Gent will be in another two stories, Jamie at least one, and Paul in another.  I'm not sure if the three of them will appear as a group again, but anything can happen, I suppose.

The series is complete as it is, and I have no plans to write them any further than in the crossovers.

The following commentary on their Halloween story was requested by Cindy.  Hope it's what you wanted, hon!

Halloween
By Byrne
NC-17
Archived at Pastorale, Bellum Viri
October 2002
Commentary in January of 2004

Warning--twincest

(I love typing that.  I'm sick.)

I walk in the door to our place and stop dead. One of my boys-and yeah, I know which one-has gone a little nuts with the fake spider webs and other Halloween shit.

First thing about Voices?  I had the hardest time keeping it in first person present.  I didn't have much trouble staying in Gent's head--I mean, I like the guy, and first person is pretty easy.  But present?  Man, that almost killed me. 

"Paul?" I call out, making my way down the hall, pushing the silly stuff out of my way with just about every step. "You better be done, baby, 'cause this is getting out of hand."

"So take me in hand," he says, his voice coming from the bedroom.  I always hear Paul's voice as happy and teasing.  And mostly horny.

I laugh. Always eager, my boy.

I walk into the bedroom, see Paul lying on his stomach watching TV. "Where's Jamie?" I slide a hand over his back and kiss his warm mouth, happy to be home.

"Mmm. He's getting something for you, be back in a minute." He pushes up into my hand, his own fingers going to my hair as he kisses me again. He's hungry, his tongue is impatient as it slides on mine.

"For me? Why?"

Paul's eyes are glittering. "Halloween. Needed something for the costumes."

I step back and look at him. He's practically writhing on the bed, twisting and turning and pretty much on his way to rubbing off. Whatever my boys have planned has Paul wound up so tight he's about to blow just thinking about it.

"Baby? Are we going out or staying in?" I'm open to both, but by the way Paul's humping the bed, starting to make helpless 'need to come now' noises and everything, I'm leaning toward just staying home and fucking him senseless. After I watch him for a bit.

An arm slinks around my waist and Jamie's there, his tongue in my ear. "Out, pretty. You're taking us out." Then his other arm comes over my shoulder and he shows off what he's got for me.

Leashes.

"Fuck yes!" Paul fucking bucks on the bed and comes in his jeans, eyes wide.  Uhn.  Okay, I admit it.  That was totally just to make me happy. 

"Oh, *very* nice, baby," Jamie purrs. He goes over to Paul and kisses him hard, fucking his mouth with his tongue.

I'm just standing there, sort of lost. Really turned on, but wondering where the hell I'm supposed to take horny identical twins on leashes. The mental image doesn't even get fully formed before I'm stripping off my pants and landing on the bed. I mean, *fuck*.  Uh huh.  Okay, let's count the kinks, shall we?  Voices is little more than a map to my fic kinks, really.  There's the twins, there's the threesome, there's the leashes and the D/s that implies, there's pretty boys getting it on while another watches, and there's the hint of public or semi-public sex.  I think I might have been trying for a record here...

Jamie's mouth is on my cock, wet and hot and so fucking good; Paul's kissing me, his tongue sliding over my teeth and he's sucking on my lower lip. I thrust my hips a couple of times and Jamie sucks me hard, his fingers holding my hips and digging into my ass as I shoot into his throat.

"Holy shit," I gasp when Paul lets my mouth go.

"Yeah, pretty." Jamie's breathless, his pants open and riding down as Paul works his cock with his hand. Jamie arches, spraying his own shirt with come and we all sort of collapse on the bed, panting.

"Jesus. We may not live to actually go anywhere," I say, only half kidding. "Where the fuck am I supposed to take you?"

Turns out Paul-of course-knows a place. It's a club, supposed to be pretty swank, and they tend to let just about anything go. Twins on leashes will get looks, but no one's gonna freak. Especially 'cause it's Halloween.  I should bring that club back in another Santa Clara story... I can't remember if I named it in this story, but it's not A Nice Place.  I'll have to plan something.

Can get away with just about anything on Halloween.

We all climb into the shower and I set to finding out more about what they have planned.

"Leashes? What am I supposed to clip 'em to?"

Jamie grins at me over Paul's shoulder as they rub up against each other, water and soap making them slide together real easy. "Collars."

My mind blanks for a second and I start stroking my cock, not even really realizing it. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Paul sighs, moving faster against Jamie. "And we got you stuff to wear, too."

I blink and lean back against the wall, watching them. Jamie hooks one of Paul's legs over his hip and eases him back so he's leaning on the other wall. I speed up my hand and watch Jamie guide his cock along Paul's ass.

"Oh god, yes, Jamie. Love me." Paul's head falls back and Jamie pushes into him.

"Fuck, so tight, baby. Ride me."

I stand there in the steam, fucking my hand as I watch my beautiful boys love each other, Jamie's hips moving fast as hard. "Christ you two are hot," I groan, watching Paul's eyes roll up in his head as Jamie fucks him. Paul's braced on the wall as Jamie moves in him, one hand stroking his own cock. He's whimpering and groaning and Jamie's panting and I feel myself getting close. Paul opens his eyes wide and Jamie whispers "Come for me, baby boy," and Paul cries out.

I smell Paul's come, see him shoot. Jamie freezes and then grunts, pushing in hard and then he's coming too, and it's just too much. I shudder, my back arching as I thrust into my hand, cock fucking throbbing as I shoot my load.  And the shower sex.   The watching.  The dirty talk... I might have been trying to kill myself by smut.  My mind scares me sometimes.

We manage to find one another, share wet sloppy kisses, all tongue and no coordination. When we catch our breath and finish in the shower the boys tell me to go to the bedroom and get dressed, to meet them out front. They don't want me to see the full effect of their costumes until we get to the club.

I shake my head, but do as I'm told. Paul's got a box of stuff ready for me, so I dry my hair, slicking it back tight, and get dressed. Tight leather pants that I haven't worn in a year, 'cause they're *too* tight. Biker boots. A black t-shirt that's new but about two sizes too small. Can see my nipple rings and my chain through it. Black leather jacket that I usually wear when we go to the Edge. I stuff the leashes in my pocket with a shudder of anticipation and head out.

I stop at the bathroom door and bang on it. "You two almost ready?"

Jamie calls out that they need about two more minutes, get a cab to wait, so I just head down and flag one. They come out just a minute later, so they couldn't have had much to do.

They're wearing their usual jackets and black fucking *tight* shiny pants with combat boots, and their eyes are rimmed with black kohl. Hurt me.  Do I have to say anything here?

Paul gives the cabby the address and we all ignore each other on the way there. I'm so fucking hard already, and we've already come twice tonight. We get to play again and I swear it'll last all night.

We get to the club and I pay the driver, wait for my boys on the curb. I lead the way in, and Paul's right, it's a really nice place. The music is loud without being ear splitting, and it's pretty well lit, though there looks to be dark corners, which I'm thinking is going to come in real handy. There's an honest to God coat check room so we stop and hand 'em over.  Okay, no name, so I can use the place again.  Good thing to know. 

I peel off my leather and take the leashes out, standing back to see my boys. They look at me, two sets of black lined green eyes, hot and horny and waiting to see what I do. They move together, unzipping their jackets.

I think I forget to breathe for a few seconds, and I know my jaw drops open.

Neither one of them has a shirt on. Tight black PVC pants, low on their hips. Paul, with his nipple rings and chain, Jamie's tattoo fucking glowing on his back. They're *shiny*, gleaming with oil, every cut muscle standing out, nipples dark and hard, matching their clear as shit hard ons. Around their necks they have wide black leather collars on with D rings at the front.

When I remember to breathe I clip the leashes on them and feel them shudder. The guy who took the coats is staring. I just grin at him and lead my boys into the club.  Okay, this was huge for them.  Oh, I think I babble about that in the story itself, hold on...

There's a lot of people there, mostly on the wooden dance floor. The rest of the flooring is this deep red plush carpeting, and there's all these tables everywhere, and a few booths. Everyone is in some sort of costume, ranging from the typical superhero/knight/Zorro shit to people in leather and lace. There's a couple of girls dressed as angels, with big white feathery wings and gold haloes and another group of about five people dressed as a bunch of grapes. Pretty funny.

I walk along the edge of the dance floor, leading my twins on their leashes. People stop dancing and stare. I glance back and have to grin; Paul and Jamie are holding hands. They look unbelievable, shiny and hard and so fucking sexy. I decide we better dance, 'cause if I get them into a booth I'm not letting them out.

I walk to the centre of the floor and people move out of the way. I hear someone ask Jamie a question and Jamie just shakes his head. "I'm his," he says and points to me. My cock throbs.  Claiming kink....

I turn and face them, still holding the leashes in my hand. I wind the extra length around my wrist, bringing them closer to me, my hips catching the beat of the music, tuning out everything but my boys and the need to move with them. When they get close enough I kiss Paul, hold his head by the back of the neck and just thrust my tongue down his throat. When I let him go I look at Jamie and realise, all of a sudden, that I've never kissed him in public. Ever. And definitely not when everyone would see that we're all together.  There it is.  This was a really big deal, the entire night was a Gent and Jamie thing within the threesome.  Jamie never said anything about being the extra guy, and Gent tried hard not to think about it.  All three of them pushed the matter out of their minds as a matter of course.  Even if they could come out at a threesome, they couldn't really due to the incest.  So for Gent to be with Jamie (the unknown lover) in public was a statement to themselves, if not everyone looking.  And Halloween was the only way I could make it work in my head, thus here we are.

I pull Jamie in tight, letting the leashes loosen so Paul can move away, let him slide behind Jamie. I hold onto Jamie's hips and grind into him, feel his cock pushing against mine and then I attack his mouth, claim him right there on the dance floor, in front of about two hundred people.

His arms wrap around me and he kisses back; I can hear him sob into my mouth. Our hips are moving with the music, we're dancing and fucking and loving and Paul's hands are sliding over my back, wrapping around from behind Jamie, trapping Jamie between us.

I break away from Jamie's mouth and kiss Paul, leaning around Jamie, pulling him tighter to me. Paul's slinking up and down Jamie's back, I can tell he's rubbing off on Jamie's ass and everyone else can too. I can hear someone moan and it takes me a minute to realise that it isn't one of us, it's the guy beside us.

I look over and he's leaning on his boyfriend, back to chest. They both have a hand down the front guy's pants, jerking him off while they watch us. I blink and then turn back to my boys, kiss Jamie again and whisper, "Love you," against his mouth.  I fully intend to name the guys watching them in another fic.  I suspect it's Nolan and Clark--at first I thought it was Dove and Damon, but the place is far too upscale for them, and frankly I don't think Dove would be acting like that.  How he would be, I'm not sure, but he wouldn't be passive like that.

He moves against me again and I step to the side, pull on the leases until I can turn Jamie around so they're facing each other, and I'm against Jamie's back. God, they are so sleek, the oil in their skin making them smooth and hot and slippery. I put my arms around Jamie, pull Paul in by his hips. When they touch they both hiss, and Paul's eyes are fucking wild, glazing over with need. They press tight together and Jamie's got his hands on Paul's ass and we're all humping on the dance floor, only our pants keeping us from actually fucking right there.

"Kiss him," I order, and it doesn't matter who I'm telling. I have my boys out for the night and I'm fucking showing them off.

Paul and Jamie start to kiss and grind and the guy beside us comes in his pants with a near scream, and then his partner hauls him away. Guess he's about to take it up the ass in one of those dark corners.  Yeah, one of the college kids.  Nolan and Clark, or maybe one of them and Ryce, depending on the time line.

Other people are watching too, and there's a lot of groping going on. My boys are bringing the place to it's knees; literally. From where I am I can see at least three blow jobs either in progress against the wall or about to happen in one of the booths.

"Fuck, we gotta go somewhere." It's Jamie, and I'll admit I though it would be Paul needing it. But then, Paul's nodding his head, his hips moving rhythmically against Jamie.

"Gent, please. Gonna fucking come right here, and I swear."  Aw, poor desperate slut.  God, I miss Paul.

I slide a hand down in between them and just about come myself. I can feel the silky smooth skin of Jamie's cock; he's so hard he's actually pushing out of his pants, and I can feel the pre-come gathering at the tip.  Okay, that image is one I think I use a lot, but uhn.  Yum.  To me, anyway.  *clears throat and moves on*

"Oh fuck, pretty, please," he whimpers.  I really should go back and capitalise all the times Gent gets called "Pretty".

"Oh, love," I breathe. "Want you." I let the leashes off my wrist and turn, walking away, leading my boys off the floor. I hear another groan, but don't stop to see who it is. Enough of a show for one night, it's time to make my boys all mine again.  Gent=pretty, Paul=baby, Jamie=love.  It's just the way they are, all three of them use the names.

We head to the back of the club and suddenly the booths and table give way and it's dark, the light dimmed to that equivalent to a night light. There's hanging curtains against the wall and I pull one back, hoping there's a back hall or something so I don't have to take my boys into the john to get off. It's just a small alcove, no furniture or anything, only about two feet deep. Jamie pushes me in and has my pants unzipped before I can even think of moving on.

He's on his knees in front of me, and Paul's beside me, both of them with their hands everywhere. I turn my head and kiss Paul, get his cock free of this pants and start stroking him off with quick strokes, just about coming on the spot when Jamie finally takes me in his mouth.  Do I have to tell you that desperate gotta have it now sex is another of my kinks?  As is we could get caught sex, more so than actually doing it with an audience.

And it occurs to me that I should just say that all these kinks are for fic, not my life thanks.  ;-)

"Oh shit. Go easy, love, don't want to blow too soon," I manage.

He hums something agreeable and backs off a bit, his hand going to his own zipper.

"Show me, Jamie. Show me your cock," Paul says, his voice tight. I groan and Jamie pulls out his prick, starts stroking off in the dim light.

I can't take much more. It's like one long tease, and I finally snap. I reach down and haul him up, spin him into the wall. "Jamie?"

"Yeah, pretty. Don't ask, just do it."

I hold onto his hips hard and pray that I'm slick enough from his spit that I won't hurt him and push into his ass, as slow as I can. But, fuck, he's so tight and hot and I want him so bad, want to just plough into his ass and make him scream.

Paul's hands are tugging at my nipple rings and he's whispering filthy shit in my ear about how we look, about how he was leaking so much on the dance floor that the inside of his pants are slick, about how hard it made him to kiss Jamie in front of all those people and I just fucking thrust into Jamie, push myself in until my balls slap up against his ass.

"Oh god, yes," Jamie moans and Paul's got one hand on Jamie's cock and one on his own and he's pulling them off, so sweet and hard.

I hold onto Jamie's hips and guide him back, find a rhythm in the music and just get lost in the heat and the slide and the steady pressure of it all. He's so tight around me, so hot and perfect and I fuck him hard, feel every groan and sigh and hear every word of love and lust and need.

Paul comes first and I can feel his spunk splash over my hands, over Jamie's hips and then Paul drops to his knees, still shuddering and fucking sucks Jamie in. Jamie makes a long choking sound and his ass clamps around me hard, then he starts to buck, fucking Paul's mouth, riding my cock until he comes, pulling me with him. I come for ages, every twitch of Jamie's making my orgasm last longer and longer, I just shoot over and over until the world goes grey at the edges.

We all sort of tumble to the floor and lay there panting for a long time before we even move enough to kiss each other, let alone put ourselves away. Paul sighs into my ear and licks at my neck and Jamie's curled around me.

I'm still here.  Swear.  Not much to say to that, though.  Kinda speaks for itself. 

"Pretty?" Jamie says, his hand curling around my hip.

"Yeah, love?" I say, but it turns into a squeak when he cups my balls and squeezes gently. Fuck, there is no way any of us is getting it up again, not unless we nap first and oh holy hell, Jamie starts whispering about the people around us and how anyone could literally trip on us and how he wants to fuck where anyone can see and Paul's moaning and pushing into us and trying to kiss Jamie at the same time.

Paul shifts down and starts licking at Jamie's prick and I'm getting hard again watching him tease the head with the tip of his tongue, fucking the slit and then licking all over. My legs fall open and Jamie's fingers play over my balls and tease at my hole and Paul's sucking him off so prettily…

I groan and let my head fall back, just feel them move over me and listen to the people all around us, and feel the music throbbing, or is that my cock? and shit I just *need* so much. Paul's off Jamie then and kissing my mouth, and I can taste them both, Jamie light and hidden in Paul's mouth, behind the tongue sliding over mine.

"Wanna fuck you, Gent," my baby says in my ear and I don't even answer, just roll over onto all fours and offer my ass to him, waiting for Jamie to move around so I can suck his dick. Perfect.

My boys in me. Jamie hard and silky in my mouth. Paul-oh god yes so goddamn hard oh it hurts with no lube, but it's better and good now and he's going easy and there's fucking spots in front of my eyes and nothing matters but the feel of the slide and press and oh so full of them my lovers my heart and soul my completion and if he just gets to that one spot one more time I'm going to fucking go off and oh fuck Jamie yes come for me love fill me you taste so good and Paul there there there there oh fuck yes coming coming oh god yes

oh my.  What kind of drugs was I on?  Sheee.  Okay, yes, hot.  And I like Gent's voice.  And did I mention the guh?  But does anyone really think that these guys could actually get off... five times in a few hours? 

But still.  Uhn.   *blush*

Then there is nothing but space and time and light, and…light? Oh. Audience. The guy just blinks and lets the curtain fall and we all sort of laugh and collapse again. I don't think I'm going to move for the rest of the night, but we gotta. Can't sit here all naked and sticky on the floor of some club I can't even remember the name of.  Gent can't remember the name 'cause I didn't make one up.

Eventually we decide it's time to get something to drink, and hell, the night is still young. We can dance again, and maybe see what else happens. Personally, I'm thinking home, bed, sleep.  Ya think?

I'm leading them back to an empty booth when a hand comes down on my arm. It's a big guy with dark hair and fire in his eyes, dressed like Robin Hood.

"Yeah?"

He looks at the twins and sticks his jaw out at them. "They real?"

I look him in the eye. "Real? They're human. They're twins. What else you want to know?"

He looks at me a bit more carefully. "They together?"

Now, that's touchy, but considering the display we made on the dance floor, and just now for anyone how wanted to look, I think I'm going with the truth. "Not just a show."

He nods. "Five hundred."  Had to happen sometime, and I needed the angst.  Just 'cause I like angst.  Plus I think I totally expect there to be pervs around every corner. 

"Fuck off." Yeah, right. I start to move away but his hand comes back.

"Seven. One hour. No one gets hurt."

I stop, Jamie and Paul on either side of me, for once keeping their mouths shut. "No. They aren't for rent." My voice is hard as steel. Not a fucking chance does anyone get near my boys.  I remember writing this and being really upset--angry right along with Gent.  One of the traps of first person POV, I suspect.

He looks at them again, and his eyes are getting a little desperate. He licks his lips. "Thousand dollars, all night though."

I hit him. Hard right to his jaw, don't even let go of the leashes.  Well sure he does.  'Cause I wanted to. 

His head snaps back and he stumbles, hits the floor hard. I stand over him. My voice is harsh and raspy, and I'm breathing hard, starting to shake. "They're mine. No one touches them."

I ditch the leashes and grab their hands, dragging them through the club to the door before a brawl can start. Guy doesn't follow.

We get our coats and fucking run out, and I'm still shaking. Jamie grabs me and pushes me into outside wall of the club. "Pretty. Stop, just calm down."

I look at him. I'm mad and I'm scared and I can't believe that just happened. I grab him by the neck and kiss him hard. He moans into my mouth and then Paul's pulling at us, dragging us down the street. He's hailing a cab.

We pile in and I wrap myself around Jamie. "Sorry. I didn't think, I didn't mean to make it like that. Didn't want people to see you as a freak, just wanted to be open for once, I'm so sorry-"  Poor baby. He's shaking, more from the adrenaline than anything else, but there's a good dose of fear and resentment in there too.

Jamie kisses me to shut me up and then he turns my head so he can whisper in my ear.

"Pretty, no matter where we go, people are going to want twins. But you made it all right. You made it all right for me to kiss our baby, you made it all right to be together, even it it's just once like that, where people could see. And you made it clear who we all belong to." He pulls away and looks at me steadily.  Awwwwww.  God I love Jamie in this story.  That one paragraph was the the whole point, and a turning point in their lives.

"Love you, Gent. More than ever."

And it's not okay, but it's better and he's mine and I'm his and it doesn't matter if there are collars or leashes or any other crap tying us all together. 'Cause we're bound by something real.

And that was Voices Gets Naked on the Town, by me.  Heh.

The next part will deal more with Santa Clara and have line by line commentary on Dove and Simon's first meeting at Not a Nice Place, co written with Cindy.  Commentary requested by her.  :-)

Next part is here!