Burchester Tales 9: Writing in the Park

Gus is trying to work, but there are just too many distractions...

Burchester Tales: Episode 9

Writing in the Park by H. Lewis-Foster

“Do you mind?” Gus chuckled, as Lee nuzzled against his neck. “I’m trying to work.”

“I’m helping you to relax. You’ll write so much better.”

“Oh I’m sure it’s a scientifically proven fact, that having your boyfriend’s tongue stuck in your ear raises your grades by twenty percent.”

“You read that study too?” Lee proceeded to nibble Gus’s earlobe, making him completely forget the sentence he was about to type on his laptop.

“Seriously.” Gus reluctantly drew away from Lee’s attentions. “I have to get this assignment done, or Prof Watkins will toast my nuts on the open fire in his study.”

“I think you’ll find that’s against the university’s ethical guidelines.” Lee snuggled close to Gus, as a cold easterly breeze blew through the park. “But at least you’d be warm. Why are you working out here, when you’ve got a perfectly good room you can use?”

“You’re starting to sound like old Watkins.” Gus already regretted selecting the course option on Anglo-Saxon history, without Lee quoting his least favourite tutor. “We’re sitting out here, because if we go back to my place, we’ll end up sitting on the bed, then lying on the bed, then getting into bed. And you know what’ll happen after that.”

The grin on Lee’s face showed he knew precisely what would occur if they ventured under Gus’s duvet. Gus couldn’t help smiling too, as he recalled their activities of that morning and the previous night, and the preceding afternoon. Two weeks into their relationship, Lee was understandably excited by his rollercoaster of sexual discovery, and Gus was equally thrilled to be part of his journey.

Gus felt wonderfully at ease with Lee; he loved to talk with him, slob around with him, have utterly delicious sex with him. The only drawback to spending time with Lee was that it was impossible to concentrate on their academic efforts. This wasn’t such a problem for Lee, as he was still in the introductory phase of his course, with his first real deadlines weeks away. Gus, however, had been thrown straight in at the deep end, the first assignment of his second year due in a matter of days.

Gus planted a quick kiss on Lee’s tempting lips. “I’ll be done in a few minutes, honestly. But I can’t risk pissing off Prof Watkins by asking him for an extension.”

“I thought you said he was all right with you last week.”

“He was. And it was too bloody weird.” Gus shuddered at the thought of his tutor’s forced friendliness, when he’d gone to see him with a question about his assignment. “I prefer it when he’s a cantankerous git.”

Lee giggled, then suddenly, urgently tapped Gus’s thigh. “Shit! Isn’t that him on the bench over there?”

Gus groaned. “For fuck’s sake. Can’t I even get away from him out here?” He was about to pack up his laptop and head back to campus, when he realised Lee was gazing intently at the professor. “Don’t stare at him. He’ll come over and start talking about coursework or something.”

“I doubt it.” A concerned frown drifted across Lee’s face. “Don’t you think he looks upset? Or maybe he’s ill.”

Gus looked over at Professor Watkins again, and he did look a little under the weather. He was slouched on the bench wearing a t-shirt and jeans, which was out of character for the usually well-dressed man. As Gus looked closer, he saw his eyes were red with tears.

Lee gave Gus’s arm a nudge. “He looks pretty rough. Why don’t you go and see if he’s okay?”

“You are kidding, aren’t you? He’ll snap my head off.”

“But what if he’s about to do something stupid. How awful would you feel if he went and chucked himself off St Cuthbert’s bridge?”

Gus knew Lee was being melodramatic, but he had to admit the professor had the look of a man with dangerous thoughts on his mind. “Fine. I’ll go and check he’s all right.” Gus dumped his laptop in Lee’s hands as he stood. “Just come and rescue me if I’m not back in five minutes.”

Walking across the grass, Gus wondered how to start the inevitably awkward conversation, especially as his tutor was now leaning forward, his head in his hands. Gus had never felt so crushingly uncomfortable in his life.

“Professor Watkins? Sir?” Gus didn’t normally use the professor’s first name like the girls in his tutor group, but it seemed he had no option. “Mike.”

When Mike Watkins finally raised his eyes, he looked even worse than Gus had expected. His face was streaked with tears, his hair a tousled mess and he clearly hadn’t shaved in days. Gus tried not to look too shocked, as he asked, “Are you okay, sir? You don’t look too well.”

It seemed to take him a while to work out who Gus was. Then Mike slumped back against the bench with a tearful smile. “Gus McAvenny. It bloody well had to be you, didn’t it?”

Gus still had no clue why Mike disliked him so much, and momentarily wished that he’d ignored Lee and left him to his misery. But the image of the professor plummeting from Burchester’s highest bridge flashed back into his mind.

“Is there anything I can do to help? Would you like me to call someone for you?”

Mike laughed in an alarmingly bitter way. “There’s no one you can call, Gus.” He glanced past Gus towards where Lee was sitting. “Is that your boyfriend over there?”

“That’s right.” Gus briefly turned to smile at Lee, who gave a tentative wave in return. “His name’s Lee. He’s studying French.”

“He looks like a nice lad.”

“He is.”

“Then you hang on to him, Gus. Don’t let yourself get seduced by some suave young man who plays you for a fool, then fucks off when someone better comes along.”

“I-I won’t.” Gus tried to keep the surprise from his face. He’d never envisioned Mike in a relationship with anyone, let alone a man. “Are you sure you’re all right, sir? Do you want me to take you home, or back to your study?”

“No, Gus. I’ll be fine. But thanks for your concern.” Mike looked genuinely grateful, as he sat up a little straighter on the bench. “And remember what I said. If this Lee’s a good bloke, you hang on to him.”

“I will.” Still in a state of disbelief, Gus turned to head back to Lee. And for the first time ever, he felt truly sorry for Professor Watkins.

© H. Lewis-Foster 2015. All rights reserved.