Author's Note: Writte in response to Raynebow's challenge prompt of 'Joel's socks.

Joel closed the closet door. He had left his socks in his sneakers, as he usually did. Now they were gone. He had a very good idea of what happened to them.

Joel climbed the stairs by the front door and walked into the bedroom. Mike was sprawled out on the bed with a hardcover book labeled �Readings in Quantum Physics.�

�You�re reading a dirty book, aren�t you?� Joel asked Mike.

�Wha�� Mike dropped the book in shock. �I made a perfect book cover! How did you see past that?�

�You wouldn�t read a book about physics even if your life depended on it.�

Mike grinned sheepishly. �Yeah, you�re right.� He placed the book on the nightstand next to the bed. �I should have known you�d see through that.�

Joel got to the point. �Where are my socks?�

Mike rolled over on the bed. �They�re here. I�m done using them.�

�You didn�t answer my question.�

�Haven�t you tried looking for them?�

Joel rolled his eyes. �I�m asking you. I know you have them.�

Mike grinned. �Yeah, I do.�

Joel took a step forward. �Can I have them back?�

Mike pushed himself into a seated position. �You can, on one condition. You have to find them.�

Joel knew that the socks had to be in the room somewhere. �Uh...Can you give me a hint?�

Mike grinned mischievously. �They�re really close to me.�

Joel knelt down and looked under the bed. �That doesn�t really help.�

�You�re way off.�

Joel stood up next to the bed. �So, they�re not under the bed, and they�re not in the dresser.�

Mike lay down on his stomach and looked up at Joel. �Right.�

Joel sat down next to Mike on the bed. �Well, if they�re close to you...� He thought for a moment. �Are you still wearing them?�

�Maybe.�

�Can I have them?�

The mischievous grin returned to Mike�s face. �You can if you can take them.�

Joel moved to Mike�s feet and pulled up Mike�s left pant leg. Mike had on a different pair of socks. Joel figured that Mike could have been wearing two pairs of socks. He pulled the left sock off Mike�s foot. There was nothing but bare skin underneath. Joel moved to the right foot and discovered the same thing.

�Nope. Not there.�

Joel scanned Mike�s body from the bottom to the top. Mike was only wearing a sweater and his pants. There couldn�t be many places that Mike could have hidden the socks. Joel placed his hands on the small of Mike�s back, touching Mike�s skin as the sweater moved up. He looked down at Mike, who was watching him intently.

�You�re getting closer,� Mike said. �Keep going.�

Joel grabbed Mike�s shoulders and pulled Mike up into a seated position. He placed all of his fingers on Mike�s waist and moved the sweater up Mike�s body. He felt Mike shiver as his fingers moved up his sides. The sweater finally bunched up around Mike�s shoulders, revealing the soft skin underneath�but no socks.

Mike turned his head to face Joel. �Nice try, but you lose.�

Joel smiled. �Just lift up your arms.�

Mike obediently raised his arms and let Joel pull the sweater off his body. Joel threw the sweater to the floor and placed his hands on Mike�s shoulders once more.

Mike leaned back against Joel�s chest. �Are you sure it�s only your socks that you�re after?�

A sly smile crossed Joel�s face. �That�s for me to know and for you to find out.� Joel was really beginning to enjoy this. Although Mike gave Joel the illusion that he was the one in charge, Mike truly held the upper hand. Joel pulled gently on Mike�s shoulders, and Mike turned around in response.

Joel moved his hands down Mike�s chest, letting all of his fingers trace paths down the skin. Mike shivered every time one of Joel�s fingers brushed across either nipple. Joel slowed down as his hands got closer to the button of Mike�s pants. Now he was the one teasing Mike.

Joel paused for a few moments as Mike gazed at him in anticipation. Mike�s eyes and expression were begging Joel to go farther. Joel undid the button on Mike�s pants and then undid the zipper, moving slowly over the growing hardness between Mike�s legs.

Mike lay on his back to make things easier for Joel. Joel placed his hands on Mike�s waist and moved the material down Mike�s legs, using every one of his fingers, as he had done before.

Mike�s pants fell into a pool material on the floor. Joel moved back up Mike�s body and placed his hands on Mike�s boxers.

Mike eyed Joel lasciviously. �I didn�t think you�d take it this far.�

Joel returned the gaze. �Once again, you underestimate me.� He pulled Mike�s last layer of protection away. The boxers joined the pants on the floor.

Joel looked Mike up and down, allowing his eyes to feast on the man before him. �You never had on my socks.�

�No, I didn�t,� Mike admitted. He moved to the pillow on the right side of the bed. �They�re under here.� Mike pulled the socks out from under the pillow. He tossed them on the bed.

�That wasn�t fair,� Joel said with mock hurt.

Mike grinned. �No, you�re not playing fair.�

�Why?� Joel asked, confused.

Mike pushed himself up and jumped on of Joel. �I�m naked and you�re not.� He jumped again and landed on top of Joel. Joel shrieked in surprise as he and Mike fell off the bed, crashing onto the floor.

�HEY!� Gypsy yelled indignantly from the other room. �Do you mind?! I�m trying to listen to my Kajagoogoo albums here!�

�Sorry!� they both yelled in unison. Joel pushed Mike off of him. He got up and took a pair of Mike�s socks out of the dresser before running into the bathroom and closing the door.

�Hey!� Mike yelled. �What�s the big idea?�

Joel opened the bathroom door a crack and smiled at Mike. �Now it�s your turn.�