The Locksmith Chronicles

Don't worry... Andy and Jerry aren't done yet! In the meantime, please enjoy this one-off, two part chronicle, featuring good friends/roommates, Mitchell and Andre. Due with twins he won't be keeping, as he's just not ready, not to mention the fact they were fathered by his asshole, now ex, Mitchell finds himself in a bind yet again so once more, Andre comes to his rescue and proves what a good friend he truly is. 

The Locksmith Chronicles

By

Brimmingbelly04

The "Unofficial" Locksmith - Part One

"You gonna make it?" Andre asked with an anxious chuckle as he held the door to their apartment building open and his roommate staggered through.

"I… think," Mitchell panted, cradling what he could of the underside of his belly in both hands.

"Of all mornings for the elevator to go out, huh?"

"Really…"

"On the bright side… " Andre chuckled again as he came to a stop beside Mitchell after he'd ponderously done the same, and set the duffle bag and backpack he'd carried downstairs for him on the ground, impressively managing to keep his own gym bag on his shoulder. "At least when you get back, stairs won't be an issue since you'll be looking and feeling a little different!"

"It better be… more than a little!" Mitchell rasped out as he released his hold on his belly and tugged at his shirt. "Thanks for… bringing my… stuff down for me," he said as he stopped tugging (since it was pointless, anyway) and started wiping at the copious sweat that'd formed on his brow as he made his slow and arduous descent.

"No sw…" Andre started but quickly stopped himself. Despite acting as bell boy for his roommate, he wasn't sweating, but Mitchell sure was. Enough for the… four of them? "No problem," he said instead.

"Wanna stay and… say hi to… my dads?" Mitchell haltingly asked.

"I would, but I can't be late to practice," Andre rolled his eyes. "Even though it's an intramural summer league and it's supposed to be fun, these guys are serious!"

"More serious than… you?"

"Yes!" He nodded and groaned.

"That's scary!" Mitchell shook his head before dismissively waving, inadvertently flinging some sweat off his hand. "Anyway, you're good. Somethin' tells me neither of my… dads'll be in the… best of moods when they… show up," he breathlessly predicted. "But I'll be sure to… tell 'em you say hi."

"Please do," his fellow, rising senior roommate/good friend nodded. "Probably wishful thinking…" he grunted. "But, have a good summer?" He smirked and shrugged.

Mitchell rolled his eyes. "You're the one who's gonna have a good summer, not me! As soon as I can, after getting… these two out!" He gestured to his giant belly. "I'll be spending my summer at the gym! "

"Yeah?"

He nodded emphatically. "All of it… No working, no going to the beach, just working out!" He groaned as he tugged at his shirt again out of habit, not use. "You have to promise you'll send me pictures from the beach, since I'll only be going vicariously through you," he frowned as he once again stopped tugging and went back to wiping.

The sun was barely up, the air temperature was barely in the seventies, and he was only wearing underwear (including a bra) a t-shirt and shorts, but Mitchell was still burning up following his three-flight descent. He got hotter still as he stood there looking up at his taller and buffer, wannabe football player friend, who presently looked amazing despite the early hour, and imagined how even more amazing he would look all shirtless, hot and sweaty on the beach…

"Promise me!" He said again, really emphasizing his request.

"I promise," Andre chuckled, genuinely smiling back down at him. "And how 'bout this… When you get back, we should plan a trip to the beach for next summer," he suggested. "End our college careers on a fun note… Whaddaya say?"

"I say, deal!" His twin-filled friend grinned. "I know we're talking about the beach, but hopefully by then, I won't have these volleyballs to bring with me!" He nodded down at his breasts, his chin briefly dipping into his deep cleavage.

"Ha!" Andre laughed, his left hand flying to his mouth before ghosting up the rest of his face and flying back over his short, black hair, which was nice and tight, thanks to his most recent trip to his barber.

Quick as he could, he pulled his gaze from where it'd been drawn (yet again) and looked around the parking lot as he anxiously cleared his throat. Because he wouldn't/couldn't think of being anything but, Andre had been nothing but supportive of his good friend/roommate all throughout what'd come to be a rather awkward junior year for the both of them after Mitchell found out that not only was he (doubly) pregnant, but it was already too late for him to "take care" of it.

What had started out as a randomly assigned roommate situation freshman year, quickly morphed into a strong and genuine friendship despite all of Andre and Mitchell's differences. As such, Andre had been happy to help and support his friend of three-plus years as much as he could or needed to, the latter, especially as of late. That all being said, he was glad the school year and Mitchell's pregnancy were over (or just about…)

One of the main things that differentiated the guys was the fact that Andre was presumably straight, while given his condition, Mitchell was obviously not. Andre wasn't attracted to his roommate per say, but tits are tits, and when they actually are each just about the size of a regulation volleyball?! Andre's poor, confused mind was very much in need of a break.

Now giant, confusingly feminine and disturbingly desirable tits aside, Mitchell's unplanned pregnancy had succeeded in taking their friendship to another level. Despite their many differences: race, height, (former) size difference, sexual orientation, etc. Andre now knew for sure he and Mitchell would be friends for life, which made saying goodbye, if even just for the summer, awkward, both physically and emotionally… After awkwardly embracing Mitchell and wishing him good luck, Andre crouched down in front of him to say goodbye to the twins.

He kept it to himself, but he was surprisingly disappointed that he wasn't going to get to meet them because in lots of ways, he felt like he'd already come to know them. They weren't his, nor did he want them to be, yet Andre knew a lot about them, things he shouldn't have ever known, like…

What "they" craved, typically late at night, after which he and Mitchell had already settled in, at which time Andre would be the one to hit up the store or the food hall to satiate their desires. He knew what got them wriggling and squirming within his friend and eventually, how to get them to calm down. While Andre and Mitchell hadn't ever talked about that aspect of their friendship, the gay preggo had definitely noticed how attentive his big, straight, jockish friend had been to him, and not only appreciated it, but also found it endearing. Now, Mitchell also knew that he and Andre would be good friends forever.

"So, um… Just call or text if you need anything or you wanna talk, you know…" Andre said once he was standing back at his full height.

"Will do," Mitchell smiled and nodded.

And with that, Andre was off to his practice, leaving his friend (relatively) alone. As he headed to his car, relieved as he was, Andre also felt… bad..? Weird..? Something he couldn't quite put a single one of his big, long, strong and thick fingers on.

Mitchell felt much the same… Andre was the first person he told he was pregnant. Andre helped him work up the nerve to tell his boyfriend at the time, Jordan, who in turn, promptly dumped him. Andre had been there for the immediate fallout, and all that continued to come after. He was Mitchell's rock, physically and emotionally. Even though the twins were going up for adoption, Andre had made absolutely sure they and Mitchell were well taken care of, to the point it was like they all belonged to him.

All of the above, coupled with his raging hormones, often got the twin-filled junior thinking… Had the twins actually belonged to Andre, he/they might've actually kept them! Doing so wouldn't have made sense given their age and mutual student status, but Mitchell would've been willing to make some (more) sacrifices had that been the case…

But it wasn't… Jordan had knocked him up and when he found out, had promptly dumped him, the asshole… But now thankfully, that chapter was soon-to-be closed… As soon as he gave birth (twice,) Mitchell (hopefully) wouldn't have to think of or be reminded of his ex ever again.

He'd last seen his ex about four months ago, back when they'd met to fill out and sign all the paperwork required for giving the twins up for adoption… The meeting had been less than amicable… Had other "adults" not been present, and had his condition not already been "advanced," Mitchell couldn't say for sure what he would've done…

As such, he was so glad Jordan was (almost) in the past. Mitchell wholeheartedly pledged to himself that he'd never again get with a lowlife, no good, shit stain of a guy, like him, again.

Not many people were up and at it yet. Most were still in bed, sleeping off the fun they'd had the night before. Those few that were up and about, all gawked and stared at Mitchell as he passed. The size he'd bloated to made him all but impossible to miss, his bright yellow, ill-fitting tee, all the more so.

Most of he and Andre's neighbors had been around to see his pregnancy progress. The pregnancy put both of their dating and social lives on hold, so the two were together more often than not. As such, some of their neighbors assumed Andre was the twins' other father, and a few let their suspicions be known…

Depending on who asked and how, most of the time, Andre just let them think he was to help his friend save face. The doubly pregnant junior appreciated this to no end because needless to say, he was embarrassed. As much as he appreciated it,  Mitchell had never thanked Andre for that either, leaving him feeling kind of shitty (amongst other things.)

On his way to practice, Andre wasn't around to help or distract, so Mitchell's pregnancy garnered more attention than ever. His enormous belly now hung low off his frame, yet had grown so big that it still supported his heavy and bloated tits. The lowest third of his belly protruded beyond the hem of his shirt and up top, his tits tugged at the neckline, making the crew look like more of a scoop. It was the biggest shirt Mitchell owned.

That he was waiting on a ride when his car was parked some twenty feet away, coupled with the fact he was now also breathless, hot and sweaty, and unexpectedly slightly emotional, didn't make things any better. Making them all the worse was the fact that just like when he was a child (versus with child,) Mitchell was waiting on his fathers, who'd insisted on picking him up and taking him to the hospital.

Speaking of his dads, where were they? They were never late, so when seven o'clock came and went and they hadn't showed up as promised, Mitchell called.

"Mitchell…" his dad answered right away. "I was just about to call."

"Beat you to it," Mitchell said. "Where are you?" He asked, hearing his other dad talking to someone else in the background but he couldn't make out what he was saying.

"We're still at home. There's been an… issue. We're working on resolving it now, but…"

"What kind of issue?"

His dad ignored the question and instead asked one of his own. "When was the last time you spoke with Jordan?"

"Months ago!" Mitchell replied as his free hand went to his lower back. "Why?"

"Good! That's just what I needed to hear!" His father replied before pulling the phone away from his mouth to talk to his other dad. "Tell them it's been months. Also, be sure to tell them that you're an idiot, and…"

"What's going on, Dad?"

He sighed. "While your other father was making arrangements for your hospital visit with the insurance company, he made a mistake."

"What kind of mistake?"

"The big kind. He told them about Jordan."

Mitchell frowned. "What about him?"

"That he exists and he's still involved."

"He exists," he begrudgingly admitted. "But he's not involved at all, thank God! So what's the issue?" He asked, still not understanding.

"Because they know about Jordan now and think he's involved, the insurance won't cover a Locksmith," his dad replied.

"What? Why?!"

"Because thanks to your father, they think you and Jordan are still together."

"But we're not!'

" I understand that. Your father's trying to fix it now, but…"

"You guys aren't coming, are you?" Mitchell cut him off.

"No. We aren't, but…"

"So what? No babies today?" He groaned.

"No, not necessarily…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you could still keep your appointment if Jordan were to, well, you know…" his father trailed off.

"Fuck me?!" Mitchell shouted. "I'd rather stay pregnant!"

"Mitchell…"

"No way, Dad! That's insane! I can't believe you'd even suggest it?!"

"Well then you're really not gonna believe what else I did…"

"Ohmygod… What now?!"

"Just because I know how miserable you are and how ready you are to get on with your life, I called Jordan and asked him to…"

"You did not!" Mitchell shouted.

"I probably shouldn't have, huh?" His dad belatedly realized.

"No!"

"Well, the good news is that he seemed to be… amendable to the idea, and…"

"Here!" Mitchell groaned as he first heard and then saw an all too familiar, black, late model Ford Mustang, which was his ex's pride and joy. "Jordan's fucking here!"

"That was quick!" His dad replied with an anxious chuckle. "But of course, it was… I never did like how fast he…"

"I've gotta go," Mitchell cut him off. "You and Daddy keep working on fixing what he did, 'cause this isn't happening!" He huffed before ending the call and pocketing his phone as Jordan shut the Mustang off and climbed out of it.

"God damn! I really outdid myself!" He chuckled and shook his head as he rounded the long and low hood, eyeing his now severely bloated ex up and down, though mostly down given his greater height.

"What're you doing here?" Mitchell demanded.

"Hello to you, too. Your…"

"Yeah, I know my Dad called, but why are you here? Why did you say yes?"

"'Cause he made it sound like you could really use my help. Obviously, he wasn't lyin'!"

Mitchell scoffed. "I've needed help from you before and didn't get it, so why now? No, don't answer that!" He shook his head. "I know why!"

"I'm with someone else now, Mitchell," Jordan reminded. "I'm gettin' all the ass I need, so that's not the…"

"Whatever!"

"You know you like tripled in size in the last four months?" He chuckled. "Shit… You sure I didn't put three in you?"

"Yes, I'm fucking sure!" Mitchell shouted. "You can go now!" He waved. "Get back in your baby while I'm still carrying your actual ones, go back to your new boyfriend, and get some of his ass, 'cause you're not getting any more of mine!"

Jordan chuckled as he crossed his big, bff arms over his even bigger and buffer chest. He didn't say anything as he amble around behind Mitchell to look at the mentioned area.

Prior to getting pregnant, his now formerly trim and toned ex's ass had been quite big and perky for someone his size. Thanks to all the food Mitchell had been consuming and the muscle he'd added to it lugging around his ever-growing belly and tits, it was now even more so, earning him an appreciative but unwanted grunt from Jordan.

"Huge fuckin' belly and boobs aside, I can't say I'd mind another hit!" He said as he came back around front.

"Well too bad you're not getting one!" Mitchell said as he tugged at his shirt again, really wishing he'd just gone and spent the money on an (even) bigger shirt that would've provided more (but maybe still not full) coverage.

"You got ten grand layin' 'round?"

"What're you talking about?" He frowned.

"That's how much it costs to pay for a Locksmith outta pocket," Jordan replied. "I looked it up."

"Ten grand?!" Mitchell scoffed. "What the fuck?!"

"Hey… I don't make the rules," his ex shrugged his boulder shoulders. No wonder the twins had grown so big… "I wouldn't even cost ten dollars!" He grinned as he uncrossed his arms and gestured up and down his (now annoyingly) amazing buff body.

Jordan wasn't a bad fuck. He might've been an asshole, but he was good in bed. There was a reason Mitchell was pregnant after all, but no… They weren't going there again. No way. Mitchell would stay pregnant as long as he possibly could in order for that not to happen.

"You could pay me, and I still wouldn't let you unlock me!"

"Don't remember gettin' any complaints from you before?" Jordan shrugged again.

"Yeah, well this is different!" Mitchell needlessly pointed out.

"Obviously!" His ex grunted. "So what… You just gonna stay pregnant?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Till my dads figure this mess out!"

"Why would your dad go and tell the insurance company about me?" Jordan asked.

"I don't know?!" Mitchell yelled. "You're guess is as good as mine! The only thing he should've told them about you, was that you dumped me when I told you we were pregnant, and we are not involved in each other's lives anymore, thank fucking God!" He rolled his eyes.

"Amen to that!"

"But for some unknown, stupid reason, he fucked up, so now, there'll probably have to be some sort of investigation or something to make sure we aren't committing insurance fraud!" Mitchell groaned. "Wonderful!"

"Wonder how long that'll take?" Jordan mused as he went over and gently leaned against the front right fender of the Mustang.

"Seeing as we're dealing with an insurance company, I don't expect the process to be quick," Mitchell predicted with another roll of his eyes. "Way to fuckin' go, Daddy!"

"Well at least you're not in labor yet, right?"

"Does it look like I am?!" He huffed again.

"It looks like you shoulda been a damn month ago!" Jordan laughed. "But if you aren't, why were we gon' do this today?" He asked, earning himself a fierce glare from his ex.

"Are you fucking serious, Jordan?! Look at me!"

"I can't not!" He laughed some more.

"That's why it was supposed to happen today!" Mitchell snapped. "That, and if the babies get any bigger, there's a good chance I'll have to have a c-section!"

Jordan frowned. "You weren't planning on having one?"

"Not if I don't have to," his crazily pregnant ex replied. "I don't want to give birth naturally, but I really don't want to have a c-section," he shook his head. "My body's already been put through enough, if you hadn't noticed!"

"Oh, I noticed…" he chuckled. "But at least your ass looks good!" He said as he leaned forward and to the side to look at Mitchell's notably plumper rear end again. "Super fat and…"

"You can shut up now! I know I'm huge!" His ex frowned.

"Like seriously!" Jordan needlessly insisted. "So how big are they?" He asked as he jerked his chin towards Mitchell's massive middle.

"The doctor I've been seeing at the clinic thinks they're close to 12 lbs apiece."

"God damn!" He yelped. "I really did outdo myself!" He laughed and grinned, sounding and looking quite smug and proud.

"Now you can really, really go!" Mitchell replied with another roll of his eyes. "Wish I could say it was good to see you again, but it wasn't!"

"You sure you wanna just send me off like that?" Jordan asked, raising his brows.

"You want me to keep going?!" His ex huffed. "Really tell you what I think about you..?"

"You wouldn't hurt my feelings," he shrugged before getting slightly more serious, "But really, Mitchell… I just wanna make sure that you're sure 'bout not lettin' me hit it one more time…" he wagged his brows as he licked his full and thick, undeniably desirable lips.

"Well…" Mitchell sighed as he pretended like he was thinking about it. "When you put it like that…"

"Yeah..?" Jordan cheesed.

"No! No fucking way!" Mitchell yelled. "I thought I was finally, almost done with you, but then… ugh!!!" He groaned as he shook his head. "This is not happening!"

"Sounds like you made your…"

"I did!" He nodded.

"Alright. If you change your mind, or go into labor before your mess is sorted out, you've got my number," Jordan said as he pushed off and walked around the Mustang.

"Promise me one thing…" Mitchell said after him.

"Maybe…"

"If one of my dads, or someone from the insurance company calls, answer and tell 'em the truth," he requested. "Tell them you're an asshole, that we're not together, and you won't unlock me."

"But I would if you…"

"Jesus fuckin' Christ, Jordan!" Mitchell yelled, earning himself some (more) looks from a young, straight couple out walking their dog. "Just do this one fucking thing, please?!"

"Fine," Jordan agreed as he opened his door. "Good luck, man… Looks like you're gonna need it!" He grunted as he lowered himself in, shut the door, started his suped-up engine and drove off, leaving his ex (relatively) alone again.

*****

Mitchell was hot, sweaty and panting all over again, as well as crying by the time he made it back up to his apartment with his stuff. He couldn't believe how off the rails everything had gone?! Till this mess hopefully got sorted out in his favor, he was stuck being pregnant. He was also now stuck on the couch, where he'd dropped as soon as he could.

Jordan was right about one thing: at least he wasn't in labor. That was the only thing that could've made matters worse, and the only to force him to take his ex up on his offer. Silver lining? Not exactly…

As he sat there panting and crying, pinned to the couch by his giant belly and boobs, Mitchell tried to figure out what to do next? There wasn't much he could seeing as he didn't have the energy to move, nor did he have the mental strength to call his dads to check in and stress how fucking important it was the get things figured out soon!

Mentally, he wasn't close to being ready to give birth… He probably never would be, but physically, yes. As much as he possibly could, Mitchell had been looking forward to today, looking forward to ridding his now deformed body of its unwanted occupants. He wanted kids one day, but only with the right guy, when they were both ready to have them. Mitchell was glad the twins would be going to a good couple he'd personally selected, but he'd be even more glad once they were out of him and he didn't have to think about and care for them all the damn time!

Just when he really would've appreciated them being on their best behavior, the twins decided to have a tussle over what very little space remained within their young birth father that they hadn't already commandeered. Mitchell grunted, groaned and sniffed as his hands went to his giant swell to try and quell their movements. His efforts weren't successful.

When the babies were still (which thankfully, they now were more often than not,) even though it had dropped a couple weeks back, his belly remained quite round, but no longer perfectly so. Now, it looked like an obese, over-filled teardrop, much like the actual ones he was currently shedding, but to a much larger degree. When they moved though, like now, it was (more than) slightly disturbing to see (and feel) what they could do…

Looking down and out beyond his chest, Mitchell watched as his overburdened belly pushed out in different places. With nearly 25 lbs of babies positively packed inside him, he felt each and every one of their movements, recently sometimes to the point it caused him to gag. Fortunately, that didn't happen too often, but the twins' movements did frequently cause him to lose what little breath he could keep in his cramped lungs.

Damn his dad! He'd been so close! Literally standing outside, waiting to be taken to the hospital to get unlocked! Now, he was left worrying and waiting…

Visually, it was abundantly clear that Mitchell wasn't a prude. That being said, he'd always been dating the guy before they had sex. Therefore, the thought of letting a complete stranger fuck him, granted, it would be a professional Locksmith, was slightly worrisome. Still, it definitely beat the alternative of Jordan having to be the one to do the deed (again.)

Mitchell was over it, it being everything. He was mentally and physically exhausted, so he closed his eyes, wishing his day so far had just been a bad dream, but of course, it wasn't… At some point, the twins finally calmed down and he drifted off, uncomfortably pinned to the couch. When he woke an hour or so later having to pee of course, he was unsurprisingly still pregnant, and a sweat-soaked, super-pumped Andre was standing there looking down at him in confusion.

"What're you…" he began to ask.

Mitchell groaned, rolled his eyes and shook his head as he tried to sit up. He didn't make it. "There was an… issue," he huffed.

"What kind of issue?" His sweaty, muscular friend asked with a frown. "Is everything OK? Are you and the babies good?"

"Oh, we're all just… peachy!" Mitchell smiled up at him as he took his hands from the cushions and stuck them out in front of him, noting how they now barely reached beyond the furthest point of his giant belly. "Can you…" he began to ask.

"Of course," Andre nodded as ever helpful, he took them.

"Thank… you!" The twin-filled twenty year old grunted out a minute or so later, once he was back on his feet, his pregnancy taking up all the space between him and Andre. "Bathroom!" He said as steering clear of his roommate, he slowly waddled off in that direction.

"Bathroom," Andre said after him as he pulled off his drenched, sleeveless compression shirt. "Then tell me what the hell's going on!"

"Yeah!" Mitchell said over his shoulder.

Ten minutes later, his bladder was empty and he was back on the couch, this time seated in a slightly more comfortable and upright manner thanks once again to help from Andre. As Mitchell worked to catch his breath following his most recent trip to the bathroom, his buff, shirtless roommate went to the kitchen to get each of them a bottle of water and a snack.

Since getting pregnant with (huge) twins, Mitchell had taken to eating like it was his job. Seeing as the plan had been to give birth that morning, he hadn't eaten and was therefore ravenous. He literally tore into the new, family-size bag of barbecue chips (with ripples, of course) as soon as Andre handed it to him. Following his supposedly "fun," early-morning practice, Andre was hungry too, but not willing to lose a hand, he headed back to the kitchen and grabbed another bag of chips, which he promptly set to consuming at a much more reasonable (but still gluttonous) rate.

Between chews, swallows and gulps of water, Mitchell filled him in on the situation. It went without saying that all Andre heard left him shocked. More surprisingly though, it left him upset… The moment Mitchell finished telling his tale, Andre sprung up from the loveseat and started anxiously pacing the living room.

"How could your dad do that?!" He asked first.

Mitchell opened his mouth to respond, but before he got the chance, Andre continued.

"How could he say you and Jordan are still on good terms?" He groused. "Where's Jordan been this whole time? Not here helpin', that's for sure!" He huffed and rolled his eyes. "He's been off with his new boyfriend! Didn't either of your dads know that?!"

"I haven't said much… about Jordan to them…" Mitchell replied through another big mouthful. "But I thought… they got the point! Apparently not!" He too rolled his eyes.

Still pacing the room, Andre shook his head as he shoved more salt and vinegar chips into his mouth. Mitchell usually hated them, but the twins had been craving them a few days back. Fortunately, the craving hadn't lasted long. Salt and vinegar wasn't Andre's favorite variety either, barbecue was, but he was hungry…

"I'm surprised…" he said once he'd swallowed.

"About what?" His fecund roommate questioned, back to chewing, the recently opened bag now almost half empty.

"How much Locksmiths make," he replied, shrugging his still pumped shoulders. "No one ever told me."

Mouth cleared, Mitchell laughed. "Who would and why would they? Anyway, I doubt the Locksmith makes that much," he shook his head. "Maybe a quarter, if that?" He shrugged as well.

"Still sounds like a good gig!"

"Yeah, I guess, if you're into that sort of thing?"

"Wish someone woulda told me how much…" Andre started to say with another shake of his head.

"How much a Locksmith makes?" Mitchell finished for him. "Again, who would and why? And why do you care?" He chuckled as he finally set his chips aside.

"'Cause it coulda been helpin' with expenses."

"What're you talking about?" He asked, eyes narrowing as his hands returned to his belly, looking quite small in comparison as they came to rest on it.

"I have the gene," Andre said.

"The gene..?"

He nodded. "The ACT8N gene, which…"

"Makes you a Locksmith!" Mitchell realized. "Holy shit! You never told me!"

Andre grunted. "If it makes you feel any better, I never told anyone."

"How long have you… known?!" His roommate asked as he struggled to sit a little more forward, which wasn't comfortable, but he managed. He just couldn't believe what he was hearing… Andre, a Locksmith?!

"I found out back before freshman year," Andre replied. "When I tried out for the football team and had to have a full physical exam."

"And you never thought to mention it?!" Mitchell huffed. "We tell each other everything!"

"I barely knew you back then, and it didn't seem… pertinent?"

"Fair enough," he nodded. "Well shit. Whaddaya know…"

"For what it's worth, if I unlocked you, I wouldn't charge ten grand!" Andre chuckled.

"I should hope not!" Mitchell laughed, knowing his sexy, shirtless friend was kidding.

Or was he..?

"I'm serious," Andre nodded.

"Yeah, OK," he nodded back. "I'd appreciate the… friends and family discount?" He laughed some more. "I'll keep it in mind," he winked as he sat back again.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Andre said as he stood. "But yeah, you should," he nodded again. "Keep it in mind. You know, just in case this mess doesn't get cleared up soon and well, you know…"

"Yeah," Mitchell nodded back, even though Andre wasn't even looking at him, already headed to the bathroom. "I'll keep it in mind," he said quietly, somehow more shocked than he'd been all morning.