Love that Dare Not Speak its Name, Chapter 10
Michael and Ryan had a fantastic time for the rest of the week. After he introduced Paul and Kyle to his parents, Ryan got permission to stay overnight with Michael at the young men's place, so the two of them could spend more time together. Since they'd been caught sleeping naked on the deck, they were more casual about being nude in the presence of the college guys than they'd originally been. It was a freeing experience, and it likely raised their libidos.
They made up their minds to come out to Michael's parents before they admitted how much closer they'd become. Ryan's family, having already known he was questioning his orientation, assumed the boys' relationship was probably different from what it had been as youngsters. For them, it was hard to miss the way they gazed onto one another's eyes. Craig told Lisa that he thought it could be a passing phase, like puppy love, but he wasn't going to interfere. In his opinion, it was best to let things play out as they would.
After conferring with his housemates, Paul purchased a keyless lock for the gate which led to their private backyard. Fortunately, most of the utility meters weren't within that area. The water meter, which used to be read from there, had already been hooked to the phone line so it could be checked remotely.
The other college guys agreed that it would be okay to give Michael the combination to the lock. If they were planning to do something they didn't want him to see, they could latch the gate from the inside and hang a "do not disturb" sign on the outside as well.
Michael was pleased to be trusted with access to the spa as well as the garden shed. He hoped to play in the whirlpool with Ryan at times when it might be difficult for them to get together otherwise.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles came home on Saturday but weren't picking up Dennis from his uncle's until Sunday afternoon. That gave Michael a window of opportunity to have a private conversation with his parents. Ryan insisted on being with him in case things didn't go well.
Paul was convinced that everything would be fine. However, Kyle and he had agreed that Michael could stay with them a bit longer if he needed to. They would be his refuge.
As it turned out, Paul was right. Marge and Tom had already discussed the possibility that their firstborn might be "different," and they were okay with it.
Immediately, upon coming out, Michael took Ryan's hand in his and told his parents they were dating.
"You're the first to know. We want to break the news to Ryan's parents as soon as we can, so please don't tell them until we've had the chance."
"Will this come as a shock to them?" Marge inquired. "If you run into a problem, you can stay with us until things cool down, Ryan. I've always considered you like another son, anyway."
"Thanks, but I've already told them about myself and I don't think they'll be surprised that I'm, um, crazy about your son.
"We're gonna keep it under wraps until we've become Eagle Scouts," he continued. "After that, I think we may let a few close friends know."
"Do what you're comfortable with," Tom said, "but remember once you tell anyone, it's as good as telling almost everyone. After you've come out, it's not really possible to go back in the closet. I'm not saying you have to hide your orientation like you would have when I was growing up. However, society still isn't always open to those who don't fit what they feel is `the norm,' whatever the reason.
"You might want to get advice on the subject from our young neighbors. I don't believe either of them came out in high school."
Craig and Lisa Smith knew for sure that their guess was correct when Ryan and Michael came into the family room holding hands and grinning.
"Congratulations," Craig announced. "I assume you approached Michael's family first to make sure it was okay. I think you knew how we would react."
"Yup!" Michael grinned. "Thanks for understanding."
"Is this a new thing, or has it been going on for a while?" Lisa asked.
"Um, we've always been best buds, as you know, but we didn't admit how strong our attraction was until recently," Ryan admitted. "I was gonna tell him at camp, but I lost my nerve. I was afraid I'd lose him."
"You wouldn't have lost me, Michael declared with passion. "Even if I were as straight as an arrow, we'd still be friends."
"Well, this calls for a toast and since you're too young to be drinking legally, would you settle for chocolate ice cream and freshly-baked brownies?"
"You know those are my favorites, Mrs. S! I've tasted Champagne and it's not in the ballpark with your brownies."
"I like that attitude in a prospective son-in-law!" she joked.
In the latter part of August, Beau and Cy were about ready to trade their construction tools for books and computers again. Although they'd been successful in their jobs, they knew that building shops and warehouses wasn't going to be their profession. However, doing a man's job from day to day helped boost their self-confidence.
Because he seemed to be in remission, and was taking on a couple of new laborers, Larry encouraged Beau and Cy to spend a week or so of vacation before the university began its fall term. They deserved to have some leisure like Jen and he'd had.
Len also suggested that his two faithful hands should join them. Once they'd done another cutting of the hay fields, there would be a little downtime in the late summer before other crops matured in the fall.
The boys got together to plan their vacation, emailing Paul and Kyle for their input as well.
Cy's big pickup could tow the Airstream easily, so the guys decided to take it somewhere within the state and camp for a week. They had heard about a nude all-male resort west of Des Moines on the Raccoon River and thought it might be a fun place. However, Derek was concerned about the possibility of unwanted advances by other men, and he thought they might do well to avoid it. After all, if they wanted to go naked, their yard in Ames would provide the opportunity.
Eventually, they settled on West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County. It was one of the larger, natural lakes and dated back to the Ice Age. There were many activities, including fishing, canoeing, waterskiing, and swimming. Plus, there was an amusement park not far away in case they got bored with everything else.
Beau found out about a trailer park with hookups for recreational vehicles and managed to book a week's reservation for a spot. They would drive to Ames to connect with Paul and Kyle, and the six of them would head northwest, almost to the Minnesota border.
Their vacation turned into a great time, and a good transition from laboring to learning. It refreshed them before they had to hit the books again.
One unexpected perk of camping in an Airstream was getting acquainted with other owners of similar rigs. Beau found that there were three other trailers of the same brand parked nearby. A young married couple had a tiny one. An older couple had one about the same size as Beau's, and a pair of 30-somethings and their kids occupied a larger, newer one.
It seemed that Airstream owners were like rock-star groupies. They had an almost cult-like love of their trailers. Consequently, the guys quickly got acquainted with other owners and were invited to sit around the campfire and munch on popcorn with them.
The first time they all got together, everyone wanted to have a kind of open house to show off their rigs. The guys were happy that they all tended to keep theirs tidy, so they weren't embarrassed about having an impromptu showing.
The main things the college boys wanted to do on this vacation involved taking advantage of the water. They rented canoes for a day and covered quite a few miles paddling to various points of interest. Cy joked that they wouldn't have the energy for doing any stroking at night, given all they'd done in the daytime.
Of course, they found the strength to keep their boyfriends happy in the evening. After all, many pleasurable moments don't involve stroking!
They also spent a couple of days waterskiing. It was a sport that the townies had done more than the country boys. Paul and Kyle were quite proficient and were able to get up immediately on one ski without a problem.
The rest struggled to get up on two and took a few spills in the process. However, being young and athletic, they all learned to do it well by the second day.
They never did find themselves bored enough to visit the amusement park. Adventure Land, just east of Des Moines, was always there if they wanted that kind of thing. The Iowa boys had all been there numerous times and felt it had more attractions than the one near the lake. No sense in spending money on rides when they were more interested in communing with nature.
While the college men were enjoying their last week of freedom, Michael was in Ames, feeling like his life was over. The double-whammy punch in the gut involved his relationship with the guy, who in his mind, was his new boyfriend. The first blow came as he was sitting on the bed in Ryan's room after having made out for a few minutes.
"I've been trying to figure out if I'm gay for sure," Ryan said. "I wonder if I'm simply curious about having sex with another guy. Do you think we should both, um, make out with a girl and see how it feels? We've never even tried kissing one.
"I talked with my dad about it, and he says it couldn't hurt as long as I don't end up making a baby. He bought me some condoms to make sure I'd be safe if it went beyond what I planned. I'll share them with you if you want to try. You know Laurel Moss likes you a lot, and Sara Bergmann has invited me over to her house to get better acquainted some afternoon while her parents are at work. Maybe Laurel could come over to her house and we could find out together."
Michael had been so shocked that he didn't say know how to respond. After a bit, he complained of a stomach ache and went to his car and drove home.
The second blow had come a few days later when Ryan told him that his father's company wanted to transfer him to another branch in California for a year or two. He would have to move very soon, and his employer would be finding housing for his family and would help get the kids enrolled in school.
No one in the family was thrilled about being uprooted from their surroundings, but it was an offer which Craig couldn't refuse if he wanted to climb the corporate ladder.
Now, Michael had less chance of working things out with his boyfriend. With the miles between them, there was no hope. He cried himself to sleep, wishing Paul and Kyle were around to cheer him up.
His parents were sympathetic, knowing that the boys would be devastated over being separated. However, they didn't know, as yet, about the rift which had occurred ahead of the prospective move.
It was around 7:00 PM, and Cy had barely backed the Airstream onto the slab next to the garage when Michael came over to the house. He'd met all the guys, briefly, but was, of course, more attached to Paul and Kyle than anyone else.
Paul saw him first and knew, by his demeanor, that something was terribly wrong.
"What is it, Michael?"
"Ryan's moving to California and I'm losing him forever!" he sobbed in Paul's arms.
"I know it's a long ways away, but that doesn't necessarily mean you've lost him."
"Yeah, it does. He's already not sure if he's gay or if he could go either way."
Seeing that the teen was heartbroken and needed the counsel of Paul and Kyle, the other two couples told them that they would take care of bringing in the perishable food from the camper and putting the bedding in the washer. Whatever else needed to be done, could wait for another day.
Michael stood in the living room with his two buds on either side and poured his heart out. He'd been crying some every day since learning of the move, and he'd not eaten much either. If there is such a thing as having lovesickness, he was certainly a victim.
About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang. On the front steps was Ryan looking nearly as distraught as Michael.
Beau answered the door and let him in.
"Michael's mom said he's here, and I have to see him! I've really messed up."
"He's in the other room and he's totally upset. I hope you're not going to make him feel worse!"
"No, I promise I won't."
"Michael, you have a guest," Beau said as he led Ryan in.
"We need to talk," Ryan began.
"What is there to talk about?" Michael snapped. "Are you here to tell me we're through for sure?"
"If I felt that way, I could have phoned you or just not done anything."
"Perhaps you'd like some privacy to discuss this," Beau offered. "The little bedroom upstairs where Michael stayed is pretty far away. Just don't do anything to hurt each other."
Ryan followed Michael to the room where he closed the door behind them.
The young men of the household sat down for a few minutes, hoping things in the bedroom would be okay. They didn't know if they should order pizza for a celebration snack after Michael and Ryan made up, or if it would be a bad idea to offer something to eat if the boys ended up having a fight. They decided that food could be a good thing either way.
"I'm glad we're through high school," Beau sighed. "That can be a time filled with drama."
"We had our share of it toward the end," Cy agreed. The rest of you guys have heard our story."
"Yeah, but you guys ended up together," Derek said. "I had many anxious moments when I thought we'd get caught and disowned by our families. At least it didn't happen until we got to college. I'm kinda glad it finally came to a head so I could quit agonizing over it. I'm much happier being away from my family – especially since Len has taken us in like a real family!"
In the bedroom, Ryan was determined to make it right with Michael and find a way to keep them together.
"Michael, I can't tell you how sorry I am for hurting you. I've cried for the past three hours."
"Big deal!" Michael snorted. "Try three days. That's how long I've been crying."
"Please forgive me; I'm begging you. I'll do whatever it takes to prove I'm sorry."
With that, Ryan fell to his knees in front of Michael, undid the drawstring on his basketball shorts, and pulled them, along with his underwear, to the floor.
"I'll be a submissive puppy and show you."
Michael winced momentarily when he felt Ryan's warm, wet tongue laving his ball sac, but soon felt a warm glow spreading through his body. Ryan's licking and sucking was having the desired effect on his favorite appendage which began to thicken in response.
Next, Ryan moved around behind Michael and began to nibble on his buns, causing another shudder of delight.
"You don't need to do this," Michael protested.
"Yeah, I do!"
Ryan proceeded to spread Michael's cheeks and was ready to lick between them when Michael turned quickly to prevent it.
"Don't put your tongue there if you want it in my mouth later. I haven't had a shower today!"
Without further conversation, he joined Ryan on the floor and kissed him. While doing so, he managed to get Ryan naked from the waist down. Now their cocks dueled like lightsabers, leaving a sticky trail on each other's abs.
"May I lick this without offending you," Ryan asked, wrapping his fist around Michael's dick.
"Um, yeah, if I can do the same."
Sixty-nine was a new experience for them but they were quick learners. Within a few minutes, their mouths were filled with warm, sticky cum. They kissed deeply, sharing the results.
"So, does this prove you're gay for sure?" Michael asked.
"I'm still not sure if I'm gay or bi, but I do know I don't want to stop doing this with you. I've gotta tell you the whole story so there'll be no secrets. I hope you won't hate me when I'm done."
"That's not gonna happen!" Michael insisted.
"Don't promise until you hear everything.
"This afternoon, Sara invited me over to her house. She said she'd like to practice kissing and maybe some other stuff.
"So, I went over with a couple of rubbers in my pocket and a tube of KY jelly, thinking I might have the chance to use them. I know how this sounds, but please don't pass judgment until you hear me out.
"First of all, kissing her felt kinda strange. I closed my eyes and tried to pretend it was you. That didn't work because she didn't smell like you."
"Do I stink? Or did she?"
"Neither of you, really. It's just that the scent of a girl isn't the same to me. I love sniffing your balls, and even your armpits.
"Anyway, she seemed to like having her nipples licked, but it didn't do much for me. I've heard guys in the locker room bragging about how hard it makes them when they suck on a girls tits, but I didn't get a raging boner.
"I was trying to figure a way out of the whole scene, like saying I was sick, when we heard the garage door go up. Her mother actually was sick and came home from work early.
"Sara had her bra back on and her shirt pulled down before her mother got into the family room. However, Sara wasn't supposed to have a boy in the house when her mom wasn't home. She suspected we'd been doing more than kissing and she had a cow. Sara is grounded for a week, and I'm not allowed to come over without supervision. I was panicked about nearly getting caught and relieved that I got to escape.
"It was scary, and I don't think I like to do it with a girl as much as with a boy. Then, I realized I had probably messed it up with you forever, and I cried all the way home. I couldn't even eat dinner. Finally, I decided I needed to face you no matter how angry you might be.
"Michael, please say you'll forgive me."
One part of Michael wanted to make Ryan suffer for what he'd been put through and the other part wanted to hold him and hope they could stay together. The latter part won out.
When the two younger teens came down the stairs holding hands, the rest assumed their fight was over.
"Oh, good!" Beau grinned. "It looks like we made the right decision in ordering pizza. There was a two for one special tonight on sausage, so we're getting a bunch. I hope you're hungry!"
"I'm starved!" Ryan exclaimed.
"Me too," Michael seconded.
"Do you think there's any chance you two might spend the night here?" Paul asked. "No one has any claim on that bedroom but Michael. I know it's only a double bed, but I'll bet the two of you could manage."
"May we use the phone to get permission?" Ryan asked.
"Of course!" everyone said in chorus.
Author's notes: Thanks for reading this story. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. Please put the story title in the subject line in case your email goes into the spam folder.
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Thanks, David
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