Best of Friends

This is a work of fiction with an adult theme. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the story: Frontrnrusa@netscape.net

The Best of Friends - Part II By: Holloway H. Copyright 2005 Holloway H.

I finally got my orders to Iraq. I've been working my ass off to learn everything there is to learn. The guys in my platoon call me CF that stands for Crazy Fuck. We were going through live fire and one of the guys in our platoon got hung up on razor wire and couldn't get loose. We had been warned this was live fire and to keep our heads down, so I wasn't going to sit up and look around. I crawled backwards pushing other guys from my platoon forward with my hands to get them out of the course as quickly as possible. When I reached Lucky (his name is Nicholas) he was hung up in the damn wire really good, he wasn't going anywhere. Using my fingers I found that his shirt had caught and somehow wrapped around the wire, that's why I couldn't rip it loose. Using my fingers I began untangling it, as I got near to the barb in the wire I cut my fucking finger, then I cut another one. Lucky was bitching that my sweat was dripping in his face. I told him to shut the fuck up. When I had him loose, I pushed him forward and we got our Asses through the rest of the course. The guys were cheering us on. When we jumped over the last wall, I was burnt out. Gunny came over and began chewing our Asses for taking so long to get through; I listened to him never saying a word. He looked down at my feet and said I was dripping something, I lifted my hand and noticed my hand and fingers were cut to shreds. Gunny called the corpsman over and he cleaned and bandaged my hand telling Gunny I'd need stitches. Lucky told Gunny what had happened, Gunny listened then walked away. He told us to get our Asses in our bunks. I went to the clinic with the corpsman, he offered to deaden my hand before stitching up the cuts, I refused, he shook his head, I never felt a thing, when he finished I returned to my rack. I showered and slept until morning chow and then I was hungry as hell. The next morning we headed back out to the course to improve our time, we all got through it without any problems, Gunny mentioned we were one of the better platoons of Marines by the course times we had posted. On the day we completed our training at Pendleton, The Colonel called me to the front of the platoon, I turned sharply ending up at attention in front of him and saluted, he retuned the salute and began to read. He read a short piece of what happened during training on the live fire course then he pinned my Corporal stripes on and shook my hand telling me to keep up the good work Marine. So now you know how I came to be called CF.

I've got my shit packed and ready it's only 7pm, we don't leave until 3pm tomorrow afternoon. I called home to talk with my parents, my mother picked up the phone and soon as she heard my voice she hung up. After Eric died, I told my parent's that I had been in love with Eric and that we were gay. My father called me a faggot and told me to get my ass out of his house. That was almost 11 months ago. I don't really care any more Eric was the only thing that mattered in my life. I dropped the pay phone receiver and walked a way, I told myself from this moment on I had no one in the world but myself. By 3pm I was seated on the transport, reading a book I'd gotten from a used book store, I was really interested in it and hadn't noticed that a couple of hours had passed since the plane had taken off. I put my seat back, closed my eyes and fell asleep, I woke abruptly to the feeling that Eric was holding me in his arms and that I was kissing him. When I looked around Eric was sitting beside me pulling my head to his chest, I could feel the warmth of his body. My fingers moved up his neck and I shivered, he kissed me and I woke suddenly in a sweat. Lucky was sitting next to me, he shook me awake telling me I was having a nightmare, I woke up looking around, Eric wasn't here. At that moment I wanted to fall apart and if I had my weapon I'd have blown my brains out. Getting up I stretched my legs and walked quickly to the bathroom, once inside I locked the door and sat on the toilet and cried silently, I hated the motherfucker that killed Eric and I was going to kill everyone I could until I was dead too.

We landed at night, I couldn't see much but it didn't look any different from say California or somewhere like that. The place was lit up and houses and businesses had electricity, no big deal. I stowed my shit under my cot and soon crashed out waking at 4:30am. I was showering and dressed when the sun came up, a quick breeze coated my perspiring skin with sand, I went to wipe it off and the feeling drove me up the wall so I just let it stay on my skin. Once I stopped sweating, it would fall off. I happened to look in a mirror in the exchange, my hair was getting long, I walked over to the barber and had him shave my head before grabbing chow and returning to my rack. Lucky was the only one in sight, he looked at me.

"Josh you shouldn't have shaved your head."

I looked over at him, "Why not?"

He shook his head, "the sun is going to bake the top of your head something terrible unless you put a hat on or let your hair grow out, besides you don't look as crazy with your hair longer."

I tried to smile, "thanks lucky I'll consider that a compliment."

He smiled at me and turned back to what he was doing. After chow Gunny called us together and told us to get ready for patrol at dark, he reminded us all to keep on our toes. We nodded and began getting ready. There wasn't much talking going on everyone was thinking about our first patrol in Iraq. By 7:30 we were out of camp, with enough firepower to kill several hundred insurgents. We spent the majority of the night wearing our night vision goggles and going from house to house looking for those chicken shits that used roadside bombs to kill our troops. It was first light when we returned to base. A quick shower and I was dead to the world for a couple of hours. The next six months consisted of evening patrols and me sleeping most of the day. I was becoming an old hand at spotting those crazy Iraqi fucks and more than once I was pleased to nail there dead assess with a bullet to the head. Gunny was pleased with the success of the platoon and the fact that we had no KIA to date.

We started out Sunday just like we had all those Sunday's before we had chow and after checking our gear we headed out. We were in a poor neighborhood when all hell broke loose. We were surrounded by a group of probably 25 insurgents firing at us from rooftops and doorways. We dug in best we could and began firing back. I watched as a grenade blew two guys away. I felt the warmth of their blood slap me in the face. I fired carefully making sure my bullets killed as many of those fucks as I could before I ended up dead. I heard Gunny order the platoon to pull back I was in a forward position and couldn't get back to the main body of troops. I held out as long as I could. The firing ceased and I waited. I was looking forward at my attackers, I never felt the butt of a weapon hit me hard, upside the head and knock me out. I'm not sure how long I was out but when I woke I was seated in a chair. Two guys with towels tied across their face were sitting at a table about fifteen feet from me. They heard me move and called out for someone.

An older man weighing probably 250 pounds walked in wearing a suit, he walked up to me and asked my name, I shook my head. He grabbed my ear and punched me in the face my hands were secured in front of me there was nothing I could do. I felt the blood in my mouth. I blocked out the pain. He asked the same question again this time I spit blood in his face. He went nuts and began pounding my face with two fists finally the two guys that had been watching pulled him off. I'm sure that they told him I was wanted alive, even though I didn't understand their language. He walked out of the room a white handkerchief wiping the blood and spit from his face, I lay crumpled on the floor, the pain was bearable, I hoped they would soon kill me. I must have fallen asleep because I woke to water being thrown on me. Standing a few feet back was a soldier of some type wearing a uniform; he had a side arm and weapon slung over his shoulder. He helped me get seated in my chair before pushing a bottle with water to me. He also pushed a plate of food. Even with my hands bound I could still pick up the food, eating and drinking. He stood and watched me finish eating before ordering the plates removed and everyone out of the room. He sat across from me. He was smoking a slender American looking cigar/cigarette. He looked at me and asked my name. I shook my head, he didn't flinch he began asking me other questions. When he had finished, he stood up and told me I could answer any of those questions anywhere along the way and he would stop the pain. I watched him stand he pulled out a small knife and began cleaning his fingernails. He walked over standing only inches from me, he pulled my hands out in front of me and stabbed the knife in my hand, I screamed out, he pulled the knife out quickly before asking me to answer any of the questions, I shook my head, the knife entered my hand again, he stabbed me maybe five times before calling three guys into the room. He told them to remove my pants and shirt and to tie my hands to the rafters. I was standing almost naked with my hands way over my head. I looked around desperately trying to find the guy that had stabbed me. He asked me my name again, when I failed to respond he shoved a piece of cloth in my mouth and began to fuck me in the ass, I screamed out but he laughed and kept on going. Driving in and out as hard as he could, my eyes were clinched tight, when I opened them there was a cameraman taping everything, finally the man asked me my name and I told him Corporal Josh Benson. He pulled from me quickly and left the room. Two men came in immediately and told me to get dressed they shoved me back and forth hurrying me. When the man that had raped me returned I was sitting in a chair, behind me was the flag of Iraq and three armed guards with their faces covered. The big man speaking just off camera told the audience that I was one of the American murderers that had stormed his country without provocation, he said, they would cut my head off if I didn't cooperate. The cameraman stuck the camera only three or four inches from my face making a big deal of the damage that had been done. He panned to my hands and the voice began once again warning that what had happened to me would happen to anyone that assisted the American enemy. The cameraman pulled back and I was handed a statement written in English, I began reading it slowly:

'As a Marine and American I have come into this country as an occupying force.' I stopped for a minute gathering my thoughts 'America came to this God forsaken place before you criminals destroyed the Kurds and anyone else that stood up for Democracy.' The cameraman continued to tape as one of the men behind me knocked me out with the butt of his rifle. I woke during the night my hands were bound. I knew they would kill me tomorrow and tape it as they had several Americans' working in Iraq. Quietly I slipped my arms over my legs my hands were in front of me. I stood unsteadily at first but after no more than a minute I had my balance back. I looked around the room, there was a window, I didn't know if I was on the first floor or what so I carefully pushed the shutters open without making any noise. I was probably 10 to 15 feet off the ground. Without thinking I jumped through the window landing on my feet, I felt something in my shin snap I tried to stand and couldn't walk. I found a stick to use for leverage and got to my feet. I knew that I only had the darkness and probably not more than a few minutes before I was killed. Dogs were barking frantically as I moved out of the area, with first light I hid in an area of trees and waited for night. Once again I moved forward this time the sand slowed me down, I knew the basic direction of our forces and I moved in that direction. As morning approached, I hid in the sand I covered my body with as much sand as possible so that I was camouflaged. I started to sleep but felt ants moving over my broken leg, before long they had moved up to my abdomen and were biting me with a vengeance the pain was unbearable but moving would probably get me killed. In the darkness I stood up and began killing hundreds of ants that had taken refuge on my body. I moved forward slowly the moon was high, I thought I heard something in the distance. I couldn't make it out I continued to move forward until I felt the bullet whiz past my head then I dropped to the sand and lay there motionless, I was prepared to die. I lay there for what felt like an hour before I felt Eric lift my head in his lap, he gently wiped my face with a cloth then he bent forward and kissed me. I was jerked awake from my daydreaming by the boot of an Army private kicking me in the ribs telling me to get up. I turned over the patrol could see I was a Marine, within five minutes I was loaded onto a helicopter that had been called in. The next time I woke I was in the field hospital, my leg had been set and I had been cleaned up, there were three IVs running in my arms. A corpsman seeing me awake read my chart and soon had given me a shot and I was back asleep. I think I slept close to four days, when I woke up I was starved, an Army nurse hurried to get me a tray and spent the next 40 minutes helping me eat, my hands had been splinted. The nurse that fed me talked about how brave I had been, she said the entire United States had seen the film of me refusing to cooperate with the insurgents. I finished eating and fell back asleep without ever hearing the rest of her conversation. The next afternoon, Lucky stopped by, he had a couple magazines, he was reading when I opened my eyes he smiled and asked how I was feeling.

"I'm doing all right. How are the guys?"

He shook his head, "PJ and Maine were killed the night you were captured, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you."

I nodded my head, "Those fucking Iraqis."

Lucky stood up, "Josh settle down otherwise I'm going to call the nurse."

"Okay, I will but you sit back down."

Lucky sat down, he looked at me, "you'll be back in the platoon in three weeks, I talked to the nurse. Once you're back, we're being rotated out we've been here 10 months already."

I nodded my head, "I cannot believe how time flies while you're having fun."

Lucky looked at me, "Josh you going home on leave when we get back to the world?"

I shook my head, "no man, don't have any family, just me."

He nodded his head, "you're welcome to come see my farm."

I didn't reply to him and that took the steam out of our conversation and about ten minutes later Lucky made an excuse to get the hell out of Dodge. He patted my shoulder then walked out.

Over the next several weeks I healed pretty damn good my hands worked fine and other than small scars you couldn't see shit. My leg was good as new and I felt fine overall, I wanted to get out of here and work out, I hated sitting around doing nothing. On the day I was to be released the Commanding General came around to the hospital, there was a ceremony for three guys I was one of them. I was given a Purple Heart, A prisoner of war medal and a heroism medal. I thought we were about finished when the general awarded me the rank of Sergeant. I shook his hand and once he left I threw the medals in my bag, they meant nothing to me. I wanted to get back to the platoon. I got my wish and within 20 minutes I was sitting on my rack, I had just stowed my gear when I was called to see Gunny. He looked me over before standing up and telling me to take a seat.

He crossed his arms as he walked back and forth in front of me, "Josh you're a damn good Marine one of the best I've had the pleasure of serving with. You've done the Country and the Corps proud." He stopped waiting to see if I was going to say anything I just looked at him. He stood directly in front of me this time without walking back and forth. "We're going to rotate back to the States next week, I'd like to ask you to become second in charge of the platoon, you've got a good way with the guys, they respect you, we'd make a good team."

I nodded my head.

Gunny said he was proud and said he'd do anything he could for me all I had to do was ask.

I stood up, "Gunny I want to remain here in Country, can I be assigned to another platoon until you guys are rotated back here?"

Gunny's face turned red, "what in the fuck is wrong with you wanting to remain in this country."

Looking directly in his eyes, "Gunny why did you tell me to ask if it was just bullshit."

He got in my face, "Sergeant don't overstep your bounds."

I smiled, "Gunny don't lie to me from now on, where's your honor?" I walked out without waiting for a reply. As the rotation date approached I began getting nervous I didn't want to leave. The day before our flight I received word I'd been reassigned. I collected my gear and walked across the base to my new platoon.

I like being in an Expeditionary Force. Gunny Nelson is all right. He gave me a rack in his tent he had the entire tent to himself, he said since I was second in charge now he might as well share. I stowed my shit and followed him to meet the Marines in my platoon. There were 20 guys in total not including Gunny or myself. The first time I heard one of the guys call me Sergeant it actually made me proud. I worked with the guys twenty-four seven. They were new meat directly from the world and they had been in country only a few weeks. By the end of the first month, I knew who they were, where they came from and what their strengths and weaknesses were. I got along well with them all except for Stokes. He was a short kid just turned eighteen. He was from Texas. He had reddish blonde hair and green eyes. He had the best skin I'd ever seen on anyone it was clear and smooth. More than once I'd found myself staring at him, he never noticed but I did and was quick to stop it. When I didn't have him assigned to duty he spent his time working out and running, I saw him whenever I went to work out, I figured he had something haunting him the way I did so I didn't pry. The one thing I noticed about Stokes was that he never came to me for help he'd always go to Gunny or to one of the guys in the platoon. I was getting pissed about it and on Friday before I sent him out on guard duty I called him to my tent. Gunny Nelson was at the airport for the evening so I was alone in the tent.

He came into the tent looking at me like he wanted to kill me.

I told him to sit down. He remained standing. I told him to put his ass in the chair and gave him some help. He sat looking at me.

"Private Stokes I want to know what your problem with me is, we're both men and Marines so fill me in."

Stokes looked at me, "Sergeant I don't have a problem with you, you're always busy if I have a question I go to others instead of making you crazy."

I looked at him trying to soften my mean exterior, "Stokes, I'm sorry I thought there was some problem. I want you to know I'm always available, ask me if you have a question, I want you to go home when the time comes and if I can help make that happen I will."

He nodded his head, "Thank you Sergeant, I don't have any family so like you I plan to spend as much time in country as possible."

I looked at his face and dismissed him, apologizing once again for the misunderstanding.

The following day Stokes sought me out on a problem he was having with the bolt on his weapon. I watched as he expertly tore his weapon down, I held the bolt in my hand the damn thing had a machined defect. I had him follow me to the armory and within two minutes he had a new weapon that I had checked out. He walked me back to my tent. I asked him if he needed anything else, he looked up at me with those green eyes, "Sergeant, I need someone to talk too."

I scrunched up my forehead before saying anything, "The guys in the platoon think you're a great guy."

"I know but they aren't my friends, I don't have anyone to talk too, I have no family and at times I feel alone, do you ever feel that way?"

Without thinking I nodded my head. There was a minute or so of silence. I asked Stokes to run with me at sun down. He smiled and jumped at the chance. I finished working out by the time Stokes showed up. We took off around the base running side my side at a good clip. He was telling me about where he grew up, I told him about me up to a point, we ran until it was too dark then headed back to my tent. We sat on a bench out front and talked as the night deepened. When it was time for Stokes to leave, he looked at me, "Sergeant, Thank you for talking to me, I don't feel so alone anymore." Without thinking I reached out and straightened his hair, I pulled my hand back like it was burned and apologized for doing that, saying I don't know why I did that.

Stokes looked at me, "I didn't mind Sergeant." He stood up and walked out of the tent.

I hurried to the shower, the water felt great and I soon had sand, sweat and dirt off my body. I was lost in my thought when I heard the shower in the corner come on. I looked over and Stokes was standing looking at me. He saw the scars and bruises. His face turned red.

His head shook, "Sergeant I'm sorry you went through that hell, I read about it."

I nodded my head, "thank you Stokes." I grabbed my towel and walked out returning to my tent. As I lay in the dark that night my hand moved inside my FTLs, I could feel my erection straining, this was the first time in almost a year that I had gotten an erection. As I closed my eyes I began to pray telling Eric how much, I missed him, I couldn't see his face any longer and I felt my body shaking, I turned over on my stomach crushing my pillow and falling asleep exhausted.

Got up early this morning, all US forces are going to be patrolling the city as the Iraqis prepare for a holy day. The General thinks that insurgents are going to try and kill as many as possible to turn sentiment against American Forces. I checked my gear then carefully checked out the other twenty guys before reporting to Gunny Nelson. As I walked in the tent I noticed that Gunny Nelson wasn't ready he was packing a civilian bag, he looked up at me his eyes were red, "Josh I'm going home, my son was killed in a car accident this afternoon." I heard his voice catch.

I extended my hand, "Gunny I'm sorry, is there anything I can do?"

He shook his head, "you're in charge of the platoon now, keep the guys alive."

I nodded my head and walked out, I felt like I was suffocating inside the tent, Gunny's sadness had hit home really hard. I found myself taking deep breaths trying to calm down. I walked over to the CO's tent and got my orders before getting the guys in formation and heading out for what was going to be a long night. We were in place long before sundown, I had the guys take positions in a vacant store no one knew we were there we remained silent all day long, we heard people walking by talking about this and that, nothing of importance. As the night set, I put on my night vision goggles and I was able to watch movement in the dark. About 150 meters in front of me I could see three men with a shoulder-launched grenade. Silently I pulled the trigger on my weapon and with nothing more than a rush of air heard one of the men fell to the ground his head in pieces all around his friends. Two more shots and the three of them lay dead in a pile next to their weapons. Sending out a party of three we soon recovered the grenade launcher and other weapons. By first light we had moved from our recon site and returned to the base, no one wiser as to why or who killed those three. I made my report to the CO he was pleased and shook my hand before walking away.

Stokes came to see me near dusk that same evening. I told him to come in. He sat across from me on Gunny's bed. "Sergeant can I ask you a question?"

I nodded my head "go ahead."

"Sergeant I know I shouldn't be saying this but I'm going fucking crazy inside, I don't know what's wrong with me."

"It's all right try to tell me what you're feeling." By the time I said that he began to shake he didn't cry, I knew he was fighting it. I walked across the tent and sat next to him my hand on his shoulder telling him there is nothing to be ashamed about in crying. Soon as the words left my mouth, he hung his head, he was pissed at himself saying he was ashamed to cry in front of anyone, I told him to get over it and put my arm over his shoulder. Stokes began telling me what he was feeling, by the time he stopped talking he looked up at me with the most beautiful eyes. "Sergeant thanks for listening."

I smiled at him, "what's your first name Stokes?"

His lips trembled, "David."

"Well David I'm Josh, whenever you need to talk come to me I don't want any of you guys feeling depressed, we'll always be able to work things out, we're a team."

David nodded his head, "thank you Josh I promise I will."

As he left the tent I turned my light out and buried my face in my pillow I felt that I might fall apart the way I had the night Eric died. I didn't know what was wrong with me but I knew I had a problem and that problem was David Stokes.

Six months later I rotated back to the world with the Expeditionary Force, these guys were my platoon now and I was responsible. Once we had our gear accounted for and put away I gave the guys liberty. Within the hour the barracks were empty except for David. The reason I knew David was still in the barracks, I heard him as I made my inspection. I returned to my room and changed clothes pulling on a pair of blue jeans and a red T-shirt then I went to find David. That was easy enough, within five minutes he had agreed to share pizza and beer with me. David called me Josh all night, he smiled and laughed I knew he was feeling better. Leaving the pizza place David told me he always got a room in the city, he wanted me to come over and watch television with him for a while. I agreed and followed him to the room. As soon as we entered the air conditioning made you feel great. David hurried to take a shower before returning in only his boxers, I grabbed a shower returning in my boxers, I sat on the end of the bed and waited for the movie to start. The film was a Kung Fu and soon we were cheering for the good guys. David had moved up next to me, every chance he had he made contact with my body and each time he touched me I knew I wanted him badly. As the movie ended, I got up to get dressed I didn't want to leave but David had not asked me to stay, as I put my pants on David called out.

"Josh stay the night it's late the bed is big enough for three."

I nodded, "thanks David you sure?"

He smiled, "Yes, I'm sure."

I pulled my pants off and crawled under the cover of the queen-sized bed. David turned the lights off and crawled in. David stayed on his side of the bed and I made sure I didn't move from mine. I was almost asleep when I felt David touch me, what happened next I'm not sure. I lay there when I felt his hand touch my cock I went nuts and punched him in the face several times before I caught myself, I was yelling at him telling him to never touch me again I wasn't a faggot. I reached out turning the light on David's nose was bleeding like a stuck pig, he stared at me in disbelief unsure what to say. I ordered him into the bathroom, he moved mechanically, I cleaned him up and apologized over and over for going nuts, he stared at me unsure what he should do. I took him back to the bed and told him to lie down, first the guy was depressed and then I beat the shit out of him because he tried to feel me up, what a good Marine I was. David had not said a word, taking my life in my hands I pulled him to me and began to tell him about Eric when I finished he cried his tears falling against my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair and told him I couldn't believe I hurt him. I begged him to forgive me.

He nodded his head, "I already have, I'm sorry I didn't know about Eric, you make me feel important I shouldn't have pushed you."

I pulled him tightly in my arms he easily rested his head on my stomach and told me he knew I cared. David moved his head to my erection and soon had my back arching. I cried out trying to pull him away but he refused and just as quickly I filled him with my seed. He lay next to me exhausted. I put my hand in his FTLs and found he'd already cum. He moved his head to my chest, he sobbed saying he wasn't sorry. I moved down his body slowly and made love to him until his fingers in my hair caused me to deep throat him until he came once more. David moved up in my arms and almost begged me to hold him tight. I pulled him close and kissed him deeply then I buried my face in his hair, the smell of shampoo making me hard as a rock. My fingers on the back of his neck caused him to fall asleep. I watched him for hours before I too feel asleep.

I woke in the morning, David's face was swollen, I wanted to die, I had hurt someone that needed my help. I dressed and went to the front desk and paid to keep the room for the remainder of the weekend then I went across the street and got breakfast for us before returning. I shook David he could barely open his right eye he tried to smile,

"Josh please don't be mad at me."

I took his face in my hands and kissed him, "I'm so fucked up I've hurt the one person that has been nice to me, David I can't stand that I hit you. I wish you would beat me with your fists I won't fight back I swear."

David stared at me, "Josh you hit me not out of anger but out of loss, I'm not hurt and by the end of the day if you put ice on my face the swelling will be gone too. I'm not giving up on you, now that I understand why. Josh forgive me and I'll forgive you."

I nodded my head.

David opened the bag and pulled out two cups of coffee and several biscuits, we sat beside each other. When we finished, I turned on the television and told Josh to lie back down. I ran down the hall and got a bucket of ice, when I returned to the room David laid his head in my lap and I put ice on his bruises. My fingers moved through his hair, we talked about our pasts. David told me that when he was growing up the boys in his neighborhood would beat him up all the time and force him to do things to them. He told his father what was happening and his father told him to grow up and be a man.

I looked down at him, "anyone fucks with you and I'll kill them. I care about you. I want you to have a good life."

David turned his head away from me, his shoulders shook and I pulled him close talking to him, he fell asleep. It was near dark when David woke, I turned the light on and looked at his face, the swelling had gone down except for around his eye. I bent forward and kissed him.

"David will you go out and eat with me?"

He sat up looking at me, "yes if you promise forget about last night, let's start again."

Why I couldn't look him in the eyes, I wasn't sure what I knew for a fact was I had hurt the one person that meant something to me and it was killing me inside. I took David to a nice place to eat, we talked and ate, when it was time to leave I asked David what he wanted to do, he said be alone with me. We returned to the room. David turned on the television then sat on the end of the sofa, he pulled my head to his lap, I lay on my back looking up at him. His fingers moved over my face, he was tracing my eyebrows.

"Josh I want you to listen to me for a few minutes, don't say anything just listen."

I nodded my head.

"Josh, never in my life have I felt the way you make me feel, I have a purpose in life, you. I don't know how you feel but I care about you more than anything in this world and I want only one promise from you?"

I looked in his eyes without saying a word.

He touched my lips, "Josh I'd like us to become good friends."

I swallowed not sure I could say anything.

He continued, "The only thing is that you won't do anything, you know, unless it is with me, I want your word of honor."

Reaching up I grabbed his hand and kissed each of his fingers, "David I swear on my oath to do as you have asked."

Gently I pulled David down beside me, I lay behind him, my arms holding him while we watched a television movie. I kissed the back of his neck and up into his hair repeating over and over how important he was and how sorry I was for hurting him. David turned around in my arms and gently laid his head on my shoulder his lips close against my neck, he kissed me over and over. I moved down his body slowly. It took him only a minute to let me know I had pleased him. Gently I moved my tongue between his legs tasting all of him as I parted his legs he cried out, my tongue buried inside of him. I lay back on the bed watching David, he lifted himself up and straddled my erection, I watched his face, I knew I was too big for him slowly he lowered himself until he was sitting on my lap. His face was a bright red and I knew instead of feeling good it was hurting him. I gently held him without moving. My fingers stroking the skin on his back, he relaxed after a while and his hips moved involuntarily on my erection. Before the night was over David became mine and at that moment I knew that David would always belong to me fuck everything else, I wasn't going to lose him the way I had lost Eric, I couldn't take losing him. I loved the Marines but if I had to choose between the Marines and David, I'd take David in a minute. I wasn't afraid of hard work. I would get whatever job I needed to take care of him.

Sunday morning, David woke up in my arms. His eye was looking much better. He kissed my neck, "thank you for last night."

I looked in his eyes, "David, when is your tour up."

His forehead wrinkled as he looked in my eyes, "what?"

"When is your tour in the Marines up?"

"Why?"

I ran my fingers through his hair, "David I want you to get out of the Marines at the end of your tour, I'll take care of you, I'll get out too."

David sat up in bed, "Josh you must fucking crazy I'm not leaving the Marines, it's the only family I've ever had. Don't ask me to do that, don't."

I stood up looking down at him, "I was wrong I'm sorry." I dressed and walked out of the room, David called for me. I knew I had been stupid falling for a kid in only a few days.

As soon as I returned to base, I knew I had to get away staying around David at this point would make me crazy. Monday morning I was in front of the CO asking for an immediate transfer out of country.

He looked at me wondering what was wrong, he nodded his head, "Sergeant one day you are going to have to confront your ghosts."

I nodded my head, "yes sir."

He approved my request I would return with my old platoon in three weeks.

Gunny was pleased to see me again and as soon as Lucky saw me he made a big fucking deal out of me being back in the platoon. Work took all my concentration I realized now that I would never return from out of country this time. I was tired my mind and body was ready to rest. I put a hundred percent into getting the platoon ready for our deployment. We boarded the transport on Friday afternoon.

The first month passed as it had in the past, I kept busy on patrol daily and when I wasn't on patrol I worked out then slept. After the first month I received a letter. I thought something was wrong since I never got mail. The letter was from my mother, she had written that my father died, one line was all she had written. I tore the letter up and threw it away.

Lucky stuck by my side like glue, if I had to say I had ever had a friend it would be Lucky, no matter what shit I pulled he was always there to be supportive. The funny thing about Lucky was he was all man and all Marine, he was probably only 5'8" muscular with thick tightly cropped black hair and his face warned people not to fuck with him. But, the few times we had hung out, he would smile at me and for a minute I could see Eric, that fucking smile of his said more than any words could ever say.

Patrols became more frequent, the heat of the day was unbearable at times and the sand was endless, every crook and cranny was filled with sand. During the half waypoint of our tour, the new Lieutenant told everyone to stand down for 48 hours. Lucky and I pooled our money we ended up with two large pizzas and two large bottles of cheap Sangria. We scouted out a secure spot near the motor pool in an old container vehicle, Lucky had a small DVD player and the Matrix movie neither of us had seen it before. We entered the trailer pulling off our jackets, we sat down in the dark within minutes the film moved across the small screen while we ate and watched the movie like two kids we were so engrossed, by the end of the movie we had finished one bottle of Sangria and both pizzas. We sat in the semi darkness, my flashlight giving off a dull glow.

Lucky looked over at me, "Josh you know I would die for you man."

I nodded my head, "Lucky I'd die for any of my brothers in the platoon."

Lucky started talking about home. He wanted me to guess where he was from. I listened to him for almost an hour as we drank half of the other bottle. He had a farm that his father had left to him when he died unexpectedly last year. He was really proud of the place and said his brother's family was keeping it up for him until he got out of the Marines.

"Lucky you getting out of the Marines"

He nodded his head, "you damn right, I want a life and I'm not staying in after this tour, I've got my farm."

I leaned over and punched him in the arm, "you lucky son-of-a-bitch."

He punched me back "you could always come work the farm with me."

I stared at him, "Lucky all I would need is to be around your old lady and all them kids you'll be having and I'd be nuts."

"Josh I'm going to tell you two things and I'll trust your honor they won't leave this room. I'm not getting married and having kids. Second thing is you and I have a connection, you feel it too, just like I do."

I looked away from him and felt my erection stirring. When I looked back over Lucky's eyes were looking deep into mine, "You want to talk or not."

I nodded my head, the first words out of my mouth were 'fuck it,' I told him everything, Eric, David everything, now my best buddy new I was a dick sucker.

"Josh, nothing that you've told me means anything to me. I want to care about you, but not unless you let me and you care about me in return. If you want a blowjob we can call it a night because I'll pass. I may act like a motherfucker but there are just certain things about me that mean a lot to me and I'm not giving up on myself or on what I want for my life."

Lucky had that small smile across his lips. He moved over next to me handing me the bottle. I took a big gulp setting the bottle down. Lucky looked at me for a second before putting his arms around me and pulling my head to his shoulder. I lay their saying nothing and for once in my life I felt safe again. Eric was in my heart at that moment, I knew this felt right. Lucky told me more about the farm while his fingers moved up the back of my neck and across my face before moving up and down the back of my head, I closed my eyes, I could sleep sound tonight if he held me, but that wasn't going to be possible. Another hour passed before Lucky touched the side of my face, I looked in his eyes and he kissed me, not a hard demanding kiss but a kiss that had feeling and desire in it. Lucky pushed me back gently until I was resting on the floor of the container. He undid my pants and freed my straining erection. He was still wearing his hat, I ask him to take it off I wanted to put my fingers in his hair. He took the half off and soon was making love to me, I didn't even last a minute, my back arched, Lucky moaned and I almost jumped out of my skin the feeling was so electric. When he zipped me back up he moved beside me and kissed me once more. I wanted him badly and as soon as my hand touched the front of his pants he pushed my hand away.

"Josh when you can tell me that you care about me, and I really mean care about me, then we'll have sex otherwise just consider yourself 'lucky' that your best buddy gave you a fucking great blowjob."

He went to move and I pulled him back down beside me this time in my arms, I kissed him, he rested his head on my chest, my fingers moving through his hair, as my hands moved over his chest, I shivered, it was then I noticed that Lucky had fallen asleep, we had all day so there was no hurry, I looked at my watch it was only 10pm it felt like two or three in the morning. As he slept, I thought about how fucked up I was and how fucked up my life had been. Then I thought about the farm, the thought of having somewhere like that and someone like Lucky would make life the best, the only problem was I knew if I let myself go with Lucky the way I had with Eric something would happen, either he'd get tired of me or he'd die, I couldn't survive that, I couldn't. I hadn't realized that Lucky was awake and had his chin on my chest looking in my eyes.

"Tell me what you were thinking."

Tonight was definitely the night, "I wasted no time in telling him everything I had been thinking." He looked at me for a moment trying to judge how best to answer me.

"Josh you are an amazing guy, you want me to see the future and give you a guarantee, I can't do that. Maybe in time I can but right now I can't and won't it wouldn't be fair to either of us. Let's see what happens to us first." He reached up pulling my lips to his and kissed me then he stood up pulling me to my feet, we headed back to our racks. We showered together before walking back to separate tents.

I knew the next morning things had changed. I felt it, none of the guys could see a difference but I was sure that Lucky could. We spent all of our free time together working out, talking or playing basketball, above all we were really getting to know each other without having to say a word to each other. The months flew and once more we were scheduled for rotation. This was the completion of my second full tour.

As soon as I got back to the world I asked for and was granted a full month's leave. Lucky had too and we were soon headed to his farm. When we arrived, his brother was just locking up the house telling Lucky that the house was ready to be lived in. They gave each other an easy hug and talked for a few minutes. His brother smiled at me and shook my hand saying he was really proud to meet me. I thanked him and a few minutes later I followed Lucky inside. Lucky dropped his bags inside the front door then grabbed my arm and took me on a tour of the house, when he finished he said I was family now so not to expect anyone to wait on him. I smiled and watched him this was his element he was happy.

We carried our luggage upstairs, at the top of the stairs he stopped and looked at me, "Josh we're going to spend every night together in the same bed, is that cool with you?"

I nodded my head, "without a doubt."