Kelly wasn't sure who started it. But it was years ago, long before the three of them had graduated and moved on to their respective pursuits.
Gary was a few states away at a State University and Alan was only a few hundred miles away already working at a major computer company.
Kelly lay on his bed thinking about the years gone by and the unique close friendship the three of them had back then.
He feared they would loose touch as life took each of them to schools, cities, family events and activities away from each other.
He cherished those years full of childhood changes, struggling studies, peers influences, teacher demanding, parents controlling and unknown future.
Video games, skateboarding and watching one's body change in a bedroom mirror took most of their times.
Comparing sprouting body hair and developing muscles became part of their friendship born years before on the little league playing fields.
They confided in each other about life frustrations, inquiries about things others seemed to know about, their own self consciousness and doubts and fear of the future decisions they'd have to make that would mould their lives.
And they celebrated each home run, good report card, individual achievement and birthday.
Kelly knew he wasn't the first to oblige and wasn't sure if he was the first to be given the special birthday gift.
His first birthday that it happened, he tried to push Gary away. But he collapsed on the bed and let one of his best friends treat him to a pleasure that previously he had only done himself.
When he confided to Alan, his other friend laughed and said Gary beat him to it and arrived an hour later to add his hand to the Birthday celebration.
Until then he had masturbated incessantly and wondered if he had a problem. Gary told him he did the same thing and Alan nodded too. They began to make a game of it bragging how many times a day they did it.
They wondered if waking in the middle of the night to do it meant they had a problem. But again each assured the other he wasn't the only one.
They began to share sessions, watching each other's bodies squirm, writhe and explode. Games were invented to match speed, distance and volume.
The birthday gift was something different. It seemed to emphasize that only they were allowed to give it to each other. They knew that someday there would be another person in each of their lives to share sexual desire and satisfaction but it would never mean the same thing as their birthday gift to each other.
So when Gary's birthday happened, there was no question whether Kelly should reciprocate. Alan came by the house and the two of them went over to help Gary celebrate.
And like Gary, Alan too lay back and enjoyed his friends' treatment.
Each year the three found different ways to celebrate. Hands, gloves, fingers inserted and even mouths pleased whichever birthday boy was the target of their friendship.
Nobody talked about what it meant. It wasn't perceived as being gay or not. It was just their special close friendship that annually was sealed with an intimacy that they never discussed with anyone and rarely between themselves.
But every year, each one's birthday arrived and each knew their friends would be there.
"So where are you?" Kelly said into the phone that had Gary's face on it when the call came in.
"Shit man still here, can't get away, I guess I'll owe you when I do come" he said `I'm lucky my birthday's in the summer when we're all home. What about Alan?"
"He's here" Gary said with a sigh.
"Shit, bastard! He said he'd wait," Gary revealed they had discussed Kelly's birthday.
"Is he uh you know..."
"Yep, as we speak" Kelly said.
"Got a camera on that phone?" Gary asked.
Kelly smiled wide "Yeah, wanna see?"
He fingered the menu and the camera was soon capturing and sending to Gary the image of Alan sucking Kelly's birthday boner.
"Shit yea" Gary could be heard. Kelly suspected his friend was jacking while he watched. "This is great"
Kelly knew a new tradition had been born. Phone cameras would be sending birthday celebration images for years to come no matter where the three best friends would be from now on.
He smiled knowing that he was very lucky to have two close friends like Alan and Gary and knew he'd make sure they felt the same.