Rating: PG13

Feedback: For all of you who followed the past stories, I hope that you find

this story equally as interesting if not more so! Your reviews and suggestions

are, as always, deeply appreciated!

Breakfast 2--The Meaning of 'Heaven'

As Carl reclined on his bedroll watching Van Helsing attend to the chores that

were normally Carl's, the friar admitted to himself that all was right with the

world. True, he should be feeling guilty--well, a little any way--about having

Gabriel do his work. But clearly, the chores didn't tax the hunter terribly and

every so often, he would pause, come to sit by Carl, and talk with him. Mmmm!

That was the best part! When Van Helsing sat beside him, discussing their travel

plans or asking how Carl was feeling, or if he needed anything...that was

heaven.

But, if it were really heaven...the friar bit his lip thoughtfully as he watched

Gabriel mending a blanket. Gabriel wasn't helpless, he could handle the chore as

well as Carl, but the friar knew that the hunter didn't really have the patience

for such things. He'd often told Carl that he'd rather fight a werewolf than do

his own mending.

Carl considered this an adequate trade and had promptly delegated the duty to

himself. Better to mend Van Helsing's shirts than try to handle a werewolf.

Especially when he got to watch Van Helsing put on the shirt later and know that

his mending was caressing the hunter's skin, sliding over his body, touching places

Carl wanted to see..to touch..to lick...

Oh My! Yes, no problem with that thought--his body was responding nicely, thank

you very much!

Van Helsing looked up, frowning to hear a small moan from Carl and to see the

friar's skin flushed and perspiring. Placing the mending to the side, he rose to

approach his friend's bedroll, crouching down beside it.

"Carl? Are you feeling worse?"

"Um...well..maybe a little, Gabriel. I'm warm, but I still feel chilled. I know

that I'm whining..."

Van Helsing smiled. "No, you're not whining, Carl. Actually, you've been very

quiet. You must be feeling terrible to be so quiet!"

"Hmph!" Carl sniffed, but managed to shiver again as he watched the hunter from

under his eyelashes. He loved Gabriel--yes, good word,

definitely described it nicely. He loved to be in contact with Gabriel,

even if only in his own thoughts. It had been a long time since he'd felt

Gabriel's arms around him--well...breakfast had been quite some time ago after

all--and Carl LOVED Gabriel's hugs. He was feeling awful (supposedly) and surely

a hug for a sick friend wasn't too much to ask?

Gabriel was watching him closely, a small smile touching his soft, lush mouth...

"Carl?" Van Helsing moved closer as another moan slid from Carl's trembling

lips. He could see the friar's body was trembling strongly now. "Should I get

more blankets? Do you need a potion?"

"No, no! I...Gabriel, would it be too much to ask you to just...hug me?"

Carl ruthlessly reined in his urge to pant...well, all right, drool...as

Gabriel's lips parted to reveal white teeth in a fond smile. He didn't say

anything, just shook his head and, leaning to the side to retrieve the blanket

he'd been mending, then moved to lie down beside Carl,

bunching the blanket under his head as a makeshift pillow.

"Come on, little friar," his deep voice rumbled, making Carl's shivering

increase tempo and his hair raise on his neck and arms.

With a moan of gratitude, Carl moved into Gabriel's arms and lay his head on Van

Helsing's breast. A deep sigh that felt as if it came from Carl's soul gusted

out of him as the friar nuzzled into his friend blissfully.

This...THIS was heaven. At last, he was where he dreamed of being. He could bask

in Gabriel's warmth, rub his cheek against Gabriel's soft breast and inhale his

musky scent with pleasure. Carl felt loved, special, cared for,

cherished...well, if it was a nice feeling he was definitely enjoying it now!

Gabriel's chest vibrated slightly with a soft chuckle at Carl's obvious

enjoyment, but he seemed perfectly content to just lay with Carl in his arms,

holding the friar's weight easily.

Gabriel was such a nice man! A wonderful friend! And he felt so damned GOOD! All

right...a small Hail Mary was due for that last blaspheming, but Carl was sure

that Mary would have agreed. Well, maybe not 'agreed', but definitely

understood! Definitely!

Rubbing his face against Gabriel's breast, Carl enjoyed the movement of the soft

flesh and felt his toes curl into a hard ball as he felt the hard hot nub of

Gabriel's nipple rise beneath his cheek. He wished he had the nerve to press his

mouth to it. To at least dampen the cloth slightly so that it would...

Van Helsing hugged Carl closer as he felt a strong shudder seize his friend and

heard his teeth clicking together. "Carl? Are you sure that you don't want

another blanket?"

"Blanket?" Carl murmured as he fought with himself against the urge to lick . .

. just once! ...wait..blanket? Why would he need a blanket? He was drenched in

sweat as it was! OH, Blaaanket! "No, this is good Gabriel. I just need to . . .

er . . . ride it out . . . . Oh, God!"

Gabriel's arms had tightened around Carl and the friar now felt the firm morsel

of flesh he'd been obsessing over pressed to his mouth. Reverently, softly,

lightly, he kissed it and felt as though his whole body would swoon with the

pleasure feeling Gabriel's nipple between his lips gave him.

Van Helsing was rubbing his back now, his whole body was pressed to Carl's. It

was heaven...was that sinful to compare lying with Gabriel with heaven? It

wasn't as if he thought of the wonderful sensation as heaven with a large "H".

Just a small, satisfying, heady little "h". One just for Carl. Really hardly

worth the Heavenly Host paying attention to.

But was it terrible that he took such pleasure in Gabriel's holding him? Taking

pleasure in the hunter's powerful body holding him and keeping him safe and--if

Carl was being strictly honest--aroused? True, Gabriel might not want to hold

Carl if he knew how much Carl enjoyed it. That thought was disturbing, and

frankly not very welcome. But Carl was too honest to just ignore it after the

nasty little invader had intruded on his perfect bliss.

Moving back slightly, Carl raised his eyes to Van Helsing's face. "Gabriel...is

it all right to want this? To want you to...er...hold me?"

He felt Van Helsing chuckle against him again and was glad that he was giving

Gabriel something to smile about.

"It's all right with me, Carl. I enjoy hugging you. You don't ask for much from

me, this is very little in return for all that you give me."

"All I..." Carl felt a shy smile bloom over his face along with the heat of a

happy blush. "What do I give you, Gabriel? I thought I was more of a n..nuisance

than a help."

His face was still turned up to Van Helsing's, he could see the hunter's smile

now as Gabriel lowered his head and his warm moist mouth touched the skin of

Carl's forehead.

"You give me a great deal, Carl. And you have never been a nuisance."

Oh my! Carl shivered again, this time with the happy certainty that he MUST have

been a very, very good friar because this definitely was Heaven with a capital

'H'!

Gabriel's body was pressed tight against Carl's so it seemed perfectly natural

for Carl to ease his arms out of the bedroll and to put them around the hunter's

waist, hugging it tightly. He heard the slight 'oomph' from the other man and

the hands on his back patted him.

"You're a very tactile little mouse, aren't you, Carl?"

'Little mouse'? Carl considered the question with all due respect before

replying with perfect honesty. "I'm not above enjoying a hug from you, Gabriel.

I feel safe when you hug me. And if I could spend the day curled up in your

pocket, like a little mouse, I wouldn't complain."

He felt the hunter's head shake against his own and another hug pressed him

tight into Gabriel's body. Carl sighed happily as he lifted his chin just a

little and felt the unspeakable bliss of pressing his face into the opening of

Van Helsing's shirt to nuzzle against the hot intimate flesh of his throat. He

wished, just a little--well, quite a bit actually--that he could suckle on that

flesh. Not a wet slobbery suckle--just a delicate, hardly noticeable inhalation

that would allow him to taste and maybe, just maybe, leave the tiniest mark?

Carl closed his eyes as he took several deep breaths. A 'mark'? Lord, when had

he become so lascivious? First Gabriel's nipple, now sucking? He was becoming

some sort of insatiable sex fiend!

Firmly pulling back from Gabriel's throat, Carl settled for rubbing his face

into the hollow of the hunter's throat, then a little lower. He sighed with

happiness as he felt the first tickle of the dark hair that misted over

Gabriel's chest against his own chin.

"Carl?" Van Helsing stirred, looking down at the friar's face nestled inside his

shirt.

"Warm," Carl purred and smiled when he heard Van Helsing laugh out loud.

"It's not my pocket, but if it makes you happy to climb into my shirt,

feel free."

"Happy!" Carl affirmed positively and pulled with his teeth at the top button

until it gave way, opening the shirt to the breast bone. With a shuddering moan

of pleasure, Carl laid his face against the soft hair and hot skin of Van

Helsing's chest. "You're so warm, Gabriel. It feels so good!"

"Hmph. I'm glad it makes you happy, little mouse."

"Thank you, Gabriel," Carl smiled and dared to press his lips to the soft swell

of Van Helsing's breast in a small grateful kiss, opening his mouth just a

little to breathe in the scent of him and to extend his tongue just slightly to

taste the velvet skin.

Carl's cup was running over. He could feel the soft reassuring beat of Gabriel's

heart against his cheek while the taste of Gabriel's skin on his tongue was

causing a very pleasurable commotion between his legs. What a wonderful thing

friendship was!

Carl shut his eyes as he relaxed against Van Helsing's chest in perfect bliss.

Above him, Van Helsing shook his head as he watched his little mouse nestle in

and fall asleep against him. It didn't take much to please Carl. He was glad

that it was in his power to give Carl the small amount of comfort and closeness

he craved. Judging by the firm hot mound pressed against his thigh, Carl was

well pleased. And with that thought, so was Van Helsing.

Closing his eyes, the hunter snuggled into the friar and feel asleep as well in

the warm, still, afternoon sunlight.