The Least of These

The Least of These pt 6

Author's Introductory Notes:

For other writers — let me tell you about editing. I have two friends editing this for me. One, in Australia, Michael, is very good at spelling, punctuation, and grammar. He gets first crack at my drafts. The other editor/friend, Pecman, is a damn good writer and excellent with nuts and bolts suggestions about everything from scene development to writing conventions.

If you are a writer and thinking about using an editor, let me explain the nature of love-hate relationships... aaaaaaaugh!!!

I proof and proof and finally send a chapter off to Michael in Australia. He sends back corrections and edits, all excellent, though I do watch for an occasional Aussie spelling or convention. I work the edits in, often rewriting some things. Then I send the chapter to Pecman. He sends it back, sometimes changing what Michael changed, back. I go over his edits and suggestions and work them in. Then I send the chapter back to Michael for a final check before posting, and Michael sometimes changes back things Pecman had changed. That's alright. I change them both.

You will see some things changing as I go. For example, my use of ellipses had been traditional. But Pecman friend pointed out how much better it works to follow an ellipse with a space. And so you will see that in this chapter. He's much freer with dashes than I am, but I've loosened up and you will see more of them. He also hyphenates two word combinations, such as good-looking more than I do (good looking works for me), but you will see more of them because he is technically correct. He is big on putting "he said" after the quote begins, rather than before. By and large, that does work a lot better. You will still see exceptions. Oh, and I grew up deprived; we have very few contractions in our house. I'm having to learn to use them more. Any of you who read Sea Change will notice a night and day difference. I still have trouble, though, using as many as Pecman suggests. I'm workin' on it.

I'm still trying to decide how to handle thoughts. Pecman suggests italics, and I think that probably is good. However, I didn't do that yet, with this chapter because it represents a rather dramatic change in form. So I'm still thinking about it.

In all cases, I will try to follow the spirit, more than the letter.

I know I have a rather idiosyncratic form that doesn't always work. I'm endeavoring to develop what does work for me. Glad you guys are giving me feedback on that. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

As usual, I retain all rights, but am more than glad for anyone wishing to offer this story to others at no charge to do so with my gratitude and permission. Josh.

THE LEAST OF THESE**...**

**CHAPTER 6— Brandon
**

There was good news and bad news on Monday. The bad news was, we got our grades and as of half-way through the year, both Davey and I had a real problem with English. He had an “F” going and I had my only “B.” The really bad news would be breaking it to our moms.

The good news was that Davey and I were home, and would have some time to ourselves. I was anxious to continue working on Knox’s last assignment.

But first things first; I wanted to teach Davey to shave. I’d been plucking wild hairs off his face for a few months now, but he had some peach fuzz on his upper lip that represented way too many hairs to pluck. At fourteen, I was shaving a little facial fuzz a couple of times a week. It was time for Davey to learn.

I warned him I was going to shave him when we got home. That was a mistake. As soon as we were in the door, Davey bolted for my room and locked the door.

I sighed as I walked down the hallway. “C’mon Davey.” I called, as I knocked on the door. “It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s no big deal. Honest.”

“Uh-uh!” came his muffled voice from the other side of the door.

“C’mon. We’re going to make you beautiful.”

“Nope.”

“Davey, I promise. You might even like it.”

“Go away.”

“Davey,” I said, as I leaned against the door frame. “I’ll fix red Jell-O.”

Silence.

“Davey, I’ll rub your back.”

Nothing.

I grinned as an idea struck me, “Davey,” I said in a softer voice, “we can do it naked.”

“Naked?”

“Yeah. We’ll have a naked shaving party!”

Silence.

“And when we’re done and all naked,” I continued, “we can do whatever you want to do. Your choice.”

“You’re making me get…hard,” he called from the other side of the door.

“Open up. I’ll take care of you.”

I heard the knob turn and the door cracked open. He opened it wider and leaned against the inside door jamb so that his face was only an inch from mine as I leaned against the outside door jamb. “You going to let me do it?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Course you know, we were going to get naked anyway.”

He nodded and grinned. His eyes sparkled.

I grinned. “I love you. You know that?”

He nodded and reached to my belly where he began pulling my shirt out of my pants. I kissed him.

Minutes later, I stood behind Davey at the sink, holding the shaving cream in one hand and a new Trak 2 razor in the other. Davey rubbed his bare butt against my stiffening cock, and I sighed.

“You aren’t going to make this easy are you?” I asked.

He smiled and shook his head dramatically as he watched my face in the mirror and rubbed back against me again.

My sink counter was about three feet wide, and covered with ceramic tile. Over the backsplash was a square mirror of the same width and height. I loved that mirror, especially when Davey was in it with me.

I looked at his reflection and wiggled my eyebrows. “You realize I have a razor in my hand and this is going to be a delicate operation?”

He grinned and reached behind on either side, grabbed my hips and pulled me against him.

“Damn,” I tossed the razor and shave cream in the sink, pointed my cock up along Davey’s crack, and wrapped my arms around him. I ground against his butt and kissed his shoulder. “You know we just went a week without doing anything,” I said, smiling at his grinning reflection in the mirror.” You’re taking unfair advantage of me.” I kept my eyes on him in the mirror and kissed his neck. Sliding a hand down his chest and stomach, I grabbed his cock.

Davey leaned back into me, grinding his butt back as I ground the underside of my cock against him. He reached up over his shoulder to run his hands into my hair, and his lean body stretched out, reflected in the mirror.

“Davey,” I whispered, as I breathed into his neck. “I’ve really missed us doing this.”

He turned in my arms and our cocks pushed out between us as he looked fondly at my gold necklace and swept his hand down from it along my shoulder. We kissed. His lips were as much mine now as my own. They were firm… warm… familiar. His mouth opened and I pushed in with my tongue. “Ummm,” was all we could manage to say. Our hands found each other’s butts, and I lifted one leg wrapped it around the back of his thighs. His tongue pushed mine back and into my mouth.

My heart was pounding. I broke for a breath. “What do you want to do?” I asked, gasping.

Davey smiled and turned back to the sink. He put his hands on the counter and pushed his butt back toward me. I stepped up and laid my cock into his crack. Grabbing his hips, I rubbed my cock up and down. “This is what you want?” I asked throatily.

He looked at me in the mirror and nodded.

“Be right back.” I ran to my room and dug the KY out of its hiding place; then I dashed back into the bathroom.

Davey was still standing at the sink, legs spread, running his hand over his balls. I knelt behind him and ran my hands over the backs and insides of his thighs. Then while he continued to fondle his balls, I reached up with my tongue to lick between his legs just behind his scrotum. As I licked, I rubbed his butt. Davey moaned and started to sink, lowering himself downward on my tongue.

I took the KY and lubed up his asshole, then standing, I lubed my cock. I stepped up behind him, put my hands on his hips, and pointed the end of my cock at his hole. Then I leaned over to watch as I pushed in slowly and felt his tightness pass over my crown and onto my shaft. He felt hot inside on the tip of my cock.

Davey tensed. I looked up to his face in the mirror and massaged his back with my right hand to help him relax.

“Ready?” I whispered.

He nodded.

I pushed in a bit more, then began rocking the first half of my cock slowly in and out. Davey arched his head back and groaned. I pushed in deeper and deeper as I pumped and felt his tightness pass up and down my cock, and his heat envelope it.

Davey gasped, “Oh, Oh, OH…” louder and louder.

I abruptly stopped. “I’m sorry, Davey,” I said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s OK,” he said, gritting his teeth. “It helps to…make the noise. It feels…good.”

I kissed his back. “Then make the noise all you want,” I said. I ran my hands up and down his slender sides and tight back. Then I moved my hands to his smooth firm butt and I pushed myself in, until my loins pressed the back of my hands.

I began to thrust, again, and our eyes locked in the mirror, and I maneuvered us sideways so we could both watch my cock go in and out of his butt, my loins flatten his cheeks each time I pressed forward.

There was the sloppy sound of my cock and the light slapping of our bodies as we moaned together. Davey’s hard cock pointed straight out under his belly, and we watched each other’s bodies in the mirror as I pumped faster. I moved my left arm around his waist and reached down with my right to take his cock into my hand. I laid my head down on his back to watch and stroked him as I pumped. I could feel the muscles of his back moving under me and I snaked out my tongue to gently lick his shoulder.

Glancing at our reflection, I could see the muscles of Davey’s belly, sides, and even the top of his butt moving under his skin as he rocked his ass back to meet my thrusts. I stood up so I could see farther down the reflection to the top of his legs, where muscles also worked.

Each time I plunged forward, I could feel his smooth skin with mine. I laid my chest back down on his back, so I could feel more of him against me. We groaned together as I watched Davey’s eyes slowly close in the mirror.

I took my left arm from around his waist and grabbed his shoulder so I could hang on while I pumped with the whole length of my cock. I watched in the mirror as the entire shaft would appear between us, then disappear in the seam of our bodies. Our rhythm built faster and faster as my orgasm rose, pulling me inside out by the balls. I wrapped both arms around Davey’s waist and pounded into him. When I came, I plunged deep and held him tight against me as I squirted all I had into him. I throbbed and throbbed and when I was done, I still didn’t want to pull out. But I still had Davey to take care of.

After I caught my breath, I carefully pulled from him and then knelt down. I turned him to face me and took his cock into my mouth. He was ready, so we didn’t waste any time. After only a couple of bobs on his cock, I was deep-throating Davey. He watched in the mirror and grabbed my head, pushing himself all the way in.

It took less than a minute. When he arched and squirted down my throat, I choked it down until he was all done. He leaned back against the sink counter, exhausted.

I got up off the floor and wrapped my arms around his waist, stepped between his legs, and pressed my crotch to his. “Did you like that?” I asked softly.

He put an arm behind my neck and pulled me forward to kiss. I wrapped him in my arms and let him clean his cum from my mouth with his tongue. He finished, and I grinned at him and kissed the tip of his nose. “Do you think we can shave you now?” I asked.

Moments later, we were back into position… and damned it he didn’t do it again! I was standing behind him, razor in hand, showing him how to shave off the shaving cream from his upper lip when he backed his butt into me… again… on purpose. “Don’t make me jump,” I warned.

I stayed pressed against his butt while I first showed him how to handle the razor and then helped him finish. While he rinsed his face, I held his hips and pressed my stiffening cock to him. After he dried off, he took my hand and led me to the living room couch.

Davey had me sit, and then he sat across my lap just like he’d done that last night in Colorado, in the hot tub. I put my left arm behind him and cupped his balls with my right. He took my face in both his hands and looked into my eyes.

“You like this, Davey?” I asked. “Did you like when we sat this way in the hot tub?”

He nodded.

He kissed my nose and cheeks, then my lips, and his arms went around my neck. We held the kiss and I pulled him close and gently fondled him while my cock rose up hard under his butt. His cock hardened in my hand.

We took a breath and he rested his forehead against mine. “You want to try anal like this sometime – sitting down?” I asked. “I think we could do it.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Let’s try it…now. We don’t have to… do the whole… thing. But I wanna… try.” He pressed his mouth to mine, then pulled on my neck to lift himself up off my lap.

I lifted his butt with my left hand and positioned my cock at his still loose hole. He slowly sat down, all the while keeping his lips on mine. When he settled in, he moved his lips to my cheek. Using his arms around my neck for leverage, he raised and lowered himself on me.

I wrapped my left arm around his back and caressed his cock and balls with my right. “This is nice,” I whispered into his ear.

“Yeah.”

* * * * *

It almost seemed that Mom was less concerned about my “B” in English than I was. Maggie, though, was just as worried as I was about Davey’s “F.”

I later wondered, though, whether Mom was more worried than she let on because she started checking up on us. I preferred to think her concern was about my grade rather than the other possibilities that occurred to me. I wondered if the necklace made her suspicious… or if maybe I missed some of Davey’s cum on the couch — or if we had leaked some of mine. Because it was the very next day that Mom pulled into the drive early, while we were studying.

It was fortunate that I took the grade thing seriously, because I had insisted that afternoon that we get right to work. Otherwise Mom might have caught us working on Knox’s assignment instead. When she walked into the kitchen, we had textbooks spread across the table.

“Hi, Mom,” I said, momentarily surprised. “What are you doing home?”

“Oh, just had an errand to run. Thought I’d stop by. I’m only gonna grab a coke and run.”

And she did.

When we came home the next day, I checked for Mom’s car in the driveway and looked around inside the house just to be sure she wasn’t home. And just in case, we set up all our books on the table so that it would at least look like we’d been studying if Mom came home suddenly.

Only then did Davey and I head for my room. We had our shirts off and our hands in each other’s pants when I heard a car pull up outside. I peeked out through the shutters just in time to see her slam the door.

“Shit! It’s Mom. Get your shirt on…come on.” I grabbed my shirt and ran for the kitchen, Davey on my heels.

By the time Mom walked into the kitchen, she found us bent over our books.

“Oh hi, Mom,” I said as casually as I could. “I didn’t hear you pull up.”

She shrugged. “I parked out front this time.”

“Out running errands?”

“No — actually I took off a little early today. I just wanted to catch up on things around here.”

That sounded suspicious, but I remained casual. “How come you parked out front?” I asked.

“Oh,” she shrugged. “I’ll move it in a little. Unless you want to.”

“Sure! Be glad to.”

She tossed me the keys.

When Mom left for her room, Davey and I exchanged looks.

* * * * *

That evening after supper, I spent some time teaching Davey to use his recorder. Mom looked up from the novel she was reading. “When are you boys going to start using your weights?” she asked.

“Well,” I said, “I was thinking we needed to get our grades up first, but I guess we can start.”

She shook her head. “No, your grades are more important,” she said. “Get those up first. Have you decided where you’re going to set the weights up?”

“For now, I think the garage, Mom.”

Mom raised an eyebrow. “The porch will be cooler in the summer.”

“Maybe I won’t mind being seen using them in the summer. For now, I think I’ll hide out in the garage.” I stopped Davey’s playing and helped him with his fingering.

“Mom,” I glanced over at her, “Davey and I were thinking of seeing if Chase and his brother want to go see a movie this weekend. OK with you?”

“Which one?”

“Tootsie”

She looked up at me from under her eyebrows. “That movie sounds a little strange,” she said, then sighed. “I guess it’s alright. Just let me know if you two won’t be here for family dinner.”

* * * * *

The next day was Thursday, and as hard as it was for me to believe that Mom might stop by for the third day in a row, she did. But we were ready. Even though we were totally horny after three days of ‘good behavior’, we were studying when she walked in. As she did Tuesday, she said hi, grabbed a soda and left.

Davey and I walked to the front window and watched her drive away.

“Will she be… back?” Davey asked, staring out the window.

I stuck my hand down the back of his pants. “No, I don’t think so.”

Davey turned to me, then grinned and stepped closer. He stuck his hand down the back of my pants. “My turn… this time.”

* * * * *

Since I never wore the necklace Davey had given me during phys ed, it wasn’t until I wore a T-shirt to school on Friday that the necklace was “on display.” During the morning, when anyone asked about it, I simply said it was a Christmas present – which it was — and dashed off to my next class. I thought if people got use to my wearing it, they might forget to wonder how I got it. I loved the necklace and sure as hell was going to wear it after Davey gave it to me. I just didn’t want anyone teasing me about a boy giving it to me.

When we sat down to lunch, Amy said, “That is such a cool neck chain, Michael! Christmas present?”

“Yeah,” I acknowledged, and then tried to divert attention. “Did you get anything interesting for Christmas?”

“So,” Amy persisted with a studied mild interest, “who gave it to you?”

Davey looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. What the hell. “Davey,” I said proudly. “Just a gift from my best bud.”

Amy’s face brightened. “You’ve got good taste,” she said to Davey.

“It looks great on you, Michael,” Larice added. “Makes you almost look like a hottie.” She batted her eyes at me teasingly.

“At least a girl didn’t give it to him – huh, Amy?” Janie said with a devilish grin.

Amy blushed.

While still chewing a bite, Al muttered, “I gotta get me one of those.”

Chase snorted. “As if that’d make you a stud. The only thing you’d turn on would be a computer.”

Al loaded his spoon with potatoes and aimed at Chase.

“Whoa!” Chase cautioned. “Don’t even think about it.”

And that was that. It was cool with everyone that Davey gave me the necklace. I was free to think about other things — like how I felt both flattered and guilty that Amy was wasting her romantic ambitions on me.

* * * * *

That night, Chase’s dad, Ed, grilled burgers for a nerd sleep over. Later, after the other guys were all involved in games, and Davey and Hunter were playing checkers, Chase motioned for me to follow and led me to his room.

I thought, damn he must be horny if he wants to jack off while the other guys are still up. But when we got to his room, Chase had me sit down on his bed with him and said, “I gotta tell you about Janie.”

I raised an eyebrow.

He leaned closer. “I walked her home after school yesterday and no one was there. We wound up really making out. I felt her boobs, Michael. She let me. And I rubbed her legs. And I sorta rubbed my body on her.” He whispered. “I came in my pants.”

“Way to go, Chase,” I said, slapping him on the back.

He sighed and sat back. “We gotta get you together with Amy. She’s hot for you. I bet she’ll totally put out.”

“Maybe,” I said, trying my best to sound interested.

“Look,” he said, a little nervously. “Usually somebody is at Janie’s house — you know, after school. Ummm…do you think we could like, come over to your place? I mean, your mom doesn’t get home till real late and maybe we could just use your room. I’d owe you big time.”

I shook my head. “No way,” I said. “My mom’s been coming by every day to check on Davey and me. We both need to pick up our grades.” What was I going to say?... No, Davey and I use that room to bang each other after school?

He thought on that. “Maybe we could use Davey’s house.”

“No, Chase,” I said firmly. “Maggie trusts me. I couldn’t do that — it wouldn’t be right, y’know.”

He sat looking at the floor. I patted his back, “You guys will get another chance.” And I stood up to leave.

Chase looked up at me and sighed. “It’d better be damn soon.”

* * * * *

Sunday afternoon, Davey and I were trying to match notes, his recorder to my guitar, when Maggie rushed in the door, her face flushed and streaked with tears.

Mom stood up. “What’s wrong, Meg?”

She rushed to Mom and buried her face on Mom’s shoulder. “He’s gone, Gloria,” she sobbed, and broke down.

Mom patted her back. “Your dad, Meg?”

Maggie nodded, unable to speak.

Mom caught my eye and nodded at Davey.

I turned. Davey was sitting wide-mouthed and stunned.

I took his hand and said, “I’m sorry, Davey…I think your granddad has died.”

He just looked at me. Maggie, hearing Davey’s name, turned around as if realizing for the first time he was there. She held open her arms and he rose up and came to her. They hugged and Maggie cried onto his shoulder. Davey stood woodenly, looking at the wall beyond Maggie’s shoulder.

After a few minutes, Mom took Maggie to the kitchen to get her something to drink, and to sit at the table where they could make plans.

I walked over to Davey and put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you OK?” I asked.

He looked at me, and it was as if I could see the reality finally sink in. His eyes filled with tears and his mouth twisted. I put my arms around him, and he put his around me, holding me tightly as he put his face into my neck and began to sob.

Maggie and Davey left for Houston the next morning. I went to each of Davey’s classes and got his homework assignments. And I did the same Tuesday, promising each teacher I would get Davey caught up as soon as I could after he returned.

Maggie called that evening. The funeral would be the next day. When I talked to Davey. He told me that in addition to the flowers Mom and other friends had sent, Chase’s family had sent a large arrangement. And then he cried.

I cradled the phone with both hands. “Be strong, Davey,” I said. “Maggie needs you to be strong.”

“But Mickey… I need you!” He sobbed, and I broke down and cried with him.

* * * * *

br> Davey got back Thursday afternoon, and we spent every spare moment through the weekend trying to get him caught up with his classes. Somehow, neither of us was very interested in sex.

In fact, the entire next week, we studied our butts off and Davey did well on his first English test of the semester. Most surprising of all, Mom did not come by the house even once all week.

Davey and I planned to begin our weight work outs the following Monday. It was an in-service day for our teachers and we had the day off. I told Davey to show up early. “And we’ll wear our jocks,” I reminded him.

* * * * *

Davey came over early, just after Mom left for work. I could hear him giggling as he crossed the porch. I hid behind the door when he came in and then closed it behind him and jumped out. I was wearing only my jockstrap. I had been admiring myself for several minutes already and my hard cock jutted up under the waistband.

Davey turned around, and I said, “Happy New Year, Davey,” and stood in a Superman pose, fists on hips. His eyes widened and he got a big grin. He tossed his jacket off onto the couch and stepped closer. His eyes roamed my body and he put his cool hands on my chest. He felt my pecs, then ran his hands over my shoulders as he stepped around behind me.

His hands explored my back, traveled down my sides to my hips, and then onto my bare butt. “You look nice, Mickey.” He stepped up against me and put his arms around my waist, his lips touched the back of my shoulder and he pressed his crotch into my butt.

I laughed and stepped from his arms. “Uh-uh, not yet! You’ve got to put yours on.” I took his hand and led him to my bedroom. Once there I tossed him his jock and turned to
go. He slapped my butt, and so I wiggled it at him before I closed the door.

Moments later, he came into the living room wearing only his grin and the jock strap; between the two, the jock won my attention. Inside it, his hard cock angled up toward his hip. I never saw a sexier sight than Davey in his jockstrap.

I took the chain from my neck, and put it around Davey’s. “I’ve wanted to see how this looks on you,” I said. Then I stepped back to study the effect. Davey was stunning. I could feel precum ooze from my cock in anticipation.

We stepped up to each other and used our hands to explore the muscles and planes of each other’s chest and belly. From there, our hands moved to our sides and backs, then we stepped closer and closer until foreheads rested against each other and our full jock pouches pressed tightly together. I bent my head to kiss his shoulder. He kissed mine.

I put my hands on his waist and rotated him until his bare butt rested against my front. I kissed down his back, tracing his spine with my tongue and teeth. Taking the globes of his butt in my hands, I licked the top of his crack, and then between his cheeks. He bent over and I snaked my tongue into the back of the jock pouch, down between his legs, and felt the back of his balls with the tip of my tongue. Davey sighed.

I turned him again, so that he faced me and I ran my hands lovingly over the muscles of his thighs. I nuzzled his pouch and breathed in the smell of cotton and sex. Davey put his hands on the back of my head and pulled my face against his jock. I shook my face against it and looked up at him. “It looks crowded in there, Davey,” I said, my voice slightly thick. I pulled the jock pouch to one side, freeing his balls, and then I reached under to pull out his cock, which flopped heavily alongside my nose. Davey giggled.

Burying my face into his balls, I licked them. Davey spread his legs and sighed. I flicked my tongue against the tip of his cock and then took it into my mouth. Davey moaned and began to pump into my mouth. Then he bent over me, his hands traveling down my back to my butt, which he began to knead.

Smiling, I stood up. “Wait,” I said, and I ran to my room to retrieve the KY. I spread some into my butt, and then lubed Davey’s cock down to where it held the jock pouch aside. Then I bent over, spread my feet apart, and put my hands on the back of the couch. Davey stepped forward and his cock slid into my crack. I swayed my back to give him a good shot and he pressed in.

“Go ahead,” I said quietly.

He slid in slowly, and I felt myself fill up. When he was all the way in, he pressed the full length of his body to mine. His lips rested on the back of my neck. As he began to move, I slid my own jock pouch to the side, pulled out my cock and began to stroke. “You like your jockstrap, Davey?”

“Uh-huh.”

* * * * *

We had set the weights up in the garage, and began getting out there most afternoons. Mom had quit checking on us, so we worked out wearing just our jocks, though we kept our pants handy in case we heard her car. And I made sure the door into the garage stayed locked when we were in there.

I had taken a large old throw rug out and spread it over an open spot on the concrete floor. We put the weight bench over it to one side and left the middle clear for sit-ups and push-ups. We discovered that push-ups in jocks is definitely a spectator sport.

I read the instruction book that came with the weights, and I checked out a book from the library on weight training, but still didn’t feel like I knew what we were doing. Of course, we weren’t all that dedicated. Our sessions amounted to lifting a few weights between modeling our jocks and making love. We must have done some good though, because after a couple of weeks we both started to look, well, almost buff…in spots.

Chase was impressed with our efforts and came over to work out with us a couple of times. Of course, on those occasions, we wore shorts. That didn’t stop Davey from checking out Chase’s body and ‘equipment.’ At least I only did that when Chase wasn’t really looking. I decided I would need another talk with Davey later.

* * * * *

Typical of the last weekend in January, the weather was cold and damp. The drive back from Houston had been quiet. I sat by the passenger door, watching telephone poles fly past. Davey, in the middle, slept with his head on my shoulder. I glanced at Maggie behind the wheel and was glad to see she was no longer crying.

I watched her from the corner of my eye. To me, she was no less beautiful than the day we met. Somewhere in the last eight years, her eyes had gotten older, and her hair had lost some of its sheen. But her smile was as sweet as ever and her eyes just as blue. I wondered how Davey would look in his late thirties.

Something shifted in the back seat and I looked back at the large pile of clothes, books, and boxes that had belonged to Maggie’s dad.

Maggie glanced over at me. “Thanks for coming to help, Michael,” she said. “Davey and I would have never loaded the U-haul right.”

“I had fun,” I said. “It was interesting. Your dad had a neat house.”

Maggie began tearing up again.

I cursed myself. “I’m sorry Maggie,” I said.

She shook her head. “No — it’s OK, Michael. It really is.” She looked at me. “I was just thinking that it’s just you and me now, and Gloria.”

“What do you mean?”

She looked lovingly at Davey, whose mouth hung open in sleep, and nodded towards him. “We’re the only family he has left now.”

“Oh,” I said. And I realized then that we must be the only family she had left, too.

Maggie looked steadily at me and her eyes filled completely with tears, I wondered if she could see to drive, and I wanted her to look at the road. She did, but then looked back at me, blinking the tears away. “You have no idea how grateful I am for you.”

She turned back to the road and became quiet. I thought the conversation had ended, but then she said, “If it weren’t for you, I’d be the only one Davey has.” She looked at me once more. “I’m glad he has you, Michael. You and your mom.”

“I’m glad we have you and Davey,” I answered truthfully.

She threw me a smile. “I’ve found a new specialist for Davey,” she said. “One who’s supposed to be really good with cognitive disorders. I’m going to start taking time off from work to take Davey every second Tuesday of the month.”

She smiled, “I really think this new doctor is going to help.” Then she looked at me. “Since you’re the one who’s always working with Davey, maybe I ought to take you with us sometime.”

I shrugged. “Sure.” And then the thought struck me that if this guy was a good psychologist or something, he might see through Davey and me. I looked over at Davey as he slept. He looked so innocent. What would a psychologist think of me? Of what I’d been doing with Davey?

* * * * *

Chase called that night. Mom was watching TV so I took the call in the kitchen.

“Michael,” he said. “We did it.”

“Who did what?”

“Janie and I — Saturday morning. She was home alone and called me to come over. It was… it was incredible, Michael! Oh shit — you’ve got to ask Amy out! I mean, you can’t believe how great it is…”

He went on like that for some time, with details on the details. It actually did make me horny and I wondered about having sex with a girl again sometime, just not my fat cousin.

I figured that Chase and Janie getting it on would be the death knell for nerd sleep-overs. Which was OK ‘cause Davey and I could do other stuff. But I would miss seeing Ed, Debbie, Hunter, and Kim.

Then Friday, Chase pulled Davey and me aside at lunch. “Mom and Dad want you guys to come over Sunday afternoon,” he said. “Dad always grills out Sunday afternoons. He said to invite you guys this weekend.

“Really? I’d like that. We’d like that. What time?” I asked.

“Come around one or two. We usually eat around two or three.”

* * * * *

One of the things Maggie got from her dad was a nice thirty-five millimeter camera. She had used the camera before, but Saturday morning, decided to ‘brush up’ on it with Davey and me. We posed on the porch, in the yard, apart, together. When she’d shot three full rolls of film, she took them down to the supermarket for overnight processing.

There is a quality that comes through on a picture when the photographer loves the subject of the photo. The next morning, Sunday, we looked at the photos, and there were several I thought were truly remarkable. I even liked all the ones of me.

I picked one of Davey, sitting on the porch railing, reflected sunlight lighting his broad grin; one of me, leaning back against the tree in their front yard, looking almost like a fashion model, with a package; and one of Davey and I with our arms over each other’s shoulders, both laughing – and took them back to the store to get two enlargements of each; one for me and one for Davey.

* * * * *

That afternoon, Davey and I walked over to Chases (which was quite a walk and the reason we didn’t see each other more often outside of school) and got there just after two. Both Ed and Debbie, Chase’s parents, gave us hugs. Hunter dragged Davey off to show him some new game he’d gotten. Chase stayed inside with Janie, and I hung out at the grill with Ed, where the smell of mesquite smoke and grilling meat made my stomach growl.

“It smells great,” I offered.

He smiled and opened the grill hood. Steaks.

“Oh, man, that looks good,” I said as my stomach growled noticeably louder.

He lowered the hood. “Needs a few more minutes. C’mon.” He stepped off into their large back yard, picking up a baseball from the patio on his way. He tossed it to me and I almost dropped it. “So, have you and Davey been practicing?” he asked.

“Tossing a ball?”

“Yeah,” he said.

“Guess I need to go buy a ball,” I said sheepishly.

We stepped out into the yard and threw the ball back and forth. “So how’s school?” he asked.

“Fine,” I said, trying to concentrate on actually catching the ball. “Davey and I both were having trouble with English but I think we’re back to doing good… or should I say, doing well,” I said with a chuckle.

He tossed one from behind his back.

“Show off!” I complained. Then I asked, “Say, Ed…Just what do you do at your company?”

He tossed one high up and answered as I waited for the ball to fall back. “I’m a VP, Michael. I handle the division of the company that provides high-speed data line service.”

“So are you like an engineer?”

He laughed. “Probably should be. But no — I’m a reformed bean counter. My background’s accounting. I’m a CPA.”

“Cool. Do you work in the tall gray building close to the river downtown?”

“Yep. Corner office.”

“High up?”

“Yeah, pretty high up. Eighteenth floor.”

“Can I come see it sometime?” I asked. “I haven’t been up in many tall buildings. Just mainly, you know, the Tower of the Americas.”

“Sure. I’ll take you down there sometime. But right now, I need to check on the steaks.”

Ed knew how to grill – an art form in our part of Texas. Besides the steaks, Debbie had corn on the cob, salad, rolls, and pie for dessert. Afterward, Ed took all of us bowling. Having bowled twice with my grandpa when I was in Chicago, I wasn’t as bad as Davey, which I guess really wasn’t saying much. Ed, a man of infinite patience, helped us both.

When he dropped us off in front of my house, he said, “We have a backyard cookout almost every Sunday afternoon and you two boys are always invited. OK?”

“Sure,” I answered. “Thanks, Ed.”

“Thanks, Mr. Armstrong,” Davey said as he got out.

To make sure we understood the invitation was a standing one, Ed called me himself Friday night to invite us for the next Sunday. When we got there, Ed gave Davey and me each a new baseball and glove.

Davey looked at me nervously as he slipped his glove on. He tried closing his hand inside the still stiff glove. Chase worked it some, with Davey’s hand still in it.

Chase looked up at Davey. “You ready?”

Davey’s eyes widened. And widened more as Chase ran to the other side of their big back yard.

“Just keep your eye on the ball,” Chase yelled. Then he fired a long high ball directly toward Davey. I held my breath.

Almost defensively, Davey held up the glove… and caught the ball. Everyone applauded. Davey looked at me, grinning from ear to ear.

“Way to go, Davey!” I cheered. “Guess we’ll have to practice at home now.” Then I wondered about a naked version of catch.

* * * * *

Fate always comes disguised. So many times, what we thought at the time were minor choices, small decisions, turn out to pivot our world. Often, what seems so innocent at the moment ends up changing the path of our lives.

One day in early March, I noticed Brandon sitting by himself at lunch. Brandon, the tall; Brandon the red-headed; Brandon the jock who had knocked me to the floor last fall; that Brandon never sat by himself. He always had a crowd of friends around him. I asked Chase, Janie, Amy, and the others around our table if they knew what was up. Nobody had a clue.

By the next day, though, the whole school knew. Brandon was alone again at lunch. Chase, leaned in confidentially and told us, “I know why nobody’s eating with Brandon,” He said in a low voice and smiled as he got our attention. “He got busted.” Chase chuckled. “I heard he got busted at the park, exposing himself to an undercover cop…a male undercover cop. Maria Ramos, one of the junior girls was at the park with her boyfriend, and they saw them take Brandon away.”

Damn, I thought. What goes around comes around. I mulled over how sweet justice could be. But then I noticed the way Davey looked over at Brandon. It was obvious; Davey felt sorry for him. Did Davey understand what Chase had implied? Or did he just instinctively feel compassion for a boy he saw sitting all alone? Shit, I thought, there goes the happy revenge feeling.

Each day Brandon sat alone at lunch. And each day, Davey watched him with sad eyes. Finally, after a week of it, I told Davey to follow me after we’d gotten our trays in the cafeteria, and I walked us up to Brandon’s table.

“Can we sit with you?” I asked, nodding to the empty seats across the table from him.

He barely glanced up at me. “Geez, Bentolli,” he muttered. “Isn’t it bad enough? Buzz off.”

Well, I’d tried. I turned to leave when I heard Davey say softly behind me, “I like you Brandon.”

“Shit,” was Brandon’s only reply.

I scowled. “Come on Davey,” I said, gently pushing him toward the nerd table. “He’s still too good for us.”

We went on to our usual table, but Davey kept looking back over his shoulder. Brandon sulked over his food for a few moments, then angrily got up from his table and left.

The following Tuesday, Maggie picked Davey up at school to take him to the specialist, and I was walking home alone when Brandon drove up beside me in his car and rolled down the passenger window. “Hi.”

At first I wondered if he had a knife or a gun or if he was planning to run me over with his car.

“Want a ride?” he asked.

There was something in the invitation that almost sounded warm. I watched his face warily, and decided. “Yeah, thanks,” I said, and climbed in.

We rode together in silence until I finally asked, “How come I’ve never seen you drive home this way before? Where do you live?”

“Oh, I drive this way sometimes,” he said with a shrug. “I live off Mulberry.”

“Oh.” Mulberry ran through Monte Vista.

Brandon fell silent again. When we came to my house, I put my hand on the door handle and said, “Thanks for the ride.”

“Wait.”

I turned and waited.

He fumbled for words and kept his eyes forward. “I wanted to thank you. For… y’know, trying to sit with me.”

I’d been around Davey too long — a brief wave of sympathy passed over me. The way he sadly hung his head, his cute profile…the guy really was good looking…I almost wanted to give him an ‘it’s okay’ hug.

“Sure,” I said. “If you ever want us to, we’d like to sit with you. It’s no big deal.”

He looked sternly into my face and his eyes flashed. “I don’t need your sympathy, you know.”

“Shit, what a prick,” I snapped, my face suddenly hot with anger. “So what if Davey and I feel a just a little bit of sympathy for you? Maybe we understand how you feel, you asshole!”

He turned away. “You can’t possibly understand,” he muttered. “Being a nerd — no offense — and being… well, like Davey, isn’t the same as being… like me.” He turned sadly to me. “At least people still talk to you.” Then he looked away, his eyes rapidly blinking.

I took a deep breath. Should I put my life and Davey’s on the line for this turd? Oh hell. I sighed. “When I said that we understand how you feel, Brandon,” I said very slowly, “I meant you aren’t the only one who likes…well, I understand how you feel better than you think.”

That sank in and he slowly turned to look at me. I nodded. “Yep.”

“You,” he almost whispered, “like guys?”

I shrugged and gave a slight nod.

“Davey?” he asked incredulously.

“Leave Davey out of this,” I shot back.

“Shit,” he shook his head. “It’s all your fault, you know.”

“What the hell is my fault?” I asked dumbfounded.

Brandon ran his hand over the steering wheel. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s not really your fault. It’s just…” He pounded the steering wheel and sat, pensive. He turned to me. “Look, can we talk?”

“You want to come inside?” I nodded toward my house.

“Yeah.”

“Come on then.”

I led him in, parked him at the kitchen table and got us both sodas. I sat down on the end of the table next to him.

“OK?” I asked.

He nodded. Brandon was pale and his hand shook as he took a sip from the can.

Poor guy. Shit, he was almost two years older than me and I felt like the older one — like he needed me. As much as I didn’t want to like Brandon, I couldn’t help myself.

I put a hand on his arm and squeezed. “Tell me about it,” I said quietly.

Brandon flashed me a grateful smile. He took a deep breath. “Yeah, I need to tell somebody.” He stared hard at me. “You aren’t shitting me, right? I mean… you’re like gay or something?”

“Yeah, or something,” I said with a grin.

Not only did I feel really… I guess… mature, trying to help out a sixteen year old, but also it occurred to me that it might be nice to have another gay guy close to our age for me and Davey to talk to. I mean, Knox was great for advice, but someone our own age would be so cool. Especially one as hot-looking as Brandon.

He rubbed his eyes, then ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I’ve, you know, liked other guys since I was a kid,” he said. “But I never did anything, with anybody. I mean… who was there to do anything with? I’m not sure I would’ve ever tried doing anything with another guy. But then the way Davey kept looking at me… well, you know the way he can look. And he’s so damned… cute!”

“Yep,” I agreed and took a sip of Coke.

Brandon glanced at me, then continued. “He’d watch me and I’d start getting hard,” he said with a note of exasperation. “And then I’d get angry at him — and at myself! Like the last thing I needed was to be outed in school, y’know? Even after our fight… and I’m sorry about that, by the way, but you did take the first swing.”

I bit my tongue but kept my hand on his arm.

“Anyway, after that, I kept imagining what it would be like to do stuff with Davey,” he said, then glanced up at me and his voice softened. “Or with you, to be real honest.” He looked deeply into my eyes, and I was suddenly aware how intimate my hand felt on his arm. Not only was Brandon damn good looking, but he was older. And he liked me!

I flushed and pulled my hand away, then stared at my can of soda.

He cleared his throat, “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that you and Davey both look so… well, hot. And you’re always together.” He looked at me sheepishly. “Well, I just got this favorite daydream of doing stuff with you guys — not that I ever dreamed you really were… or that we would…” He put his head in his hands and managed a feeble laugh. “Oh shit. Anyway, I kept thinking about it. And I really, really wanted to do something with somebody.”

He lifted his head and looked at me. “Well,” he continued. “I’d heard about guys getting’ blow jobs at the park. So I started sneaking to the park to watch. Just watch. One time, I even got lucky and from the bushes, I saw one guy give another a blow job.”

He took a sip of soda. “Anyway,” he said. “I finally couldn’t stand it anymore and built up the guts to try it myself. I mean — it really settled it when I saw this really hot guy that looked like another high school guy, like us. He had that look… like he’d do it, y’know? I followed him up a trail behind some trees and he stopped and looked back at me. Well I was all horny and hard and I just unzipped and pulled out my cock. And then he pulled out a badge.”

A shudder ran through him. “My life is so fucked up,” he groaned.

“Damn,” I agreed. “It is.”

“I’ve dropped outta sports. No one talks to me. Even my best friend Geoff avoids me. What am I gonna do?”

I thought about it, and decided. “Davey and I got a new weight set this last at Christmas and we’ve tried working out,” I said. “But we have no idea what we’re doing. You want to come over sometime and show us how to work out? I mean — you willing to be friends with a couple of nerds?”

Brandon’s eyes softened and he nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I’d like that.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah. After school? Here?”

I grinned. “Sounds good.”

He stood up. “Well, I guess I oughta to go now. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I followed him to the door. Before he reached it, I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder — a damn strong, muscular shoulder. I mean, after all, I really did feel sorry for him.

“Hey,” I said.

I turned him around and gave him a hug. At least I meant it to just be a hug. But he wrapped me tight in his arms and squeezed me to him. His lips pressed into the side of my neck. Damn, he smelled good, and the light stubble on his face tickled, and his strong body felt good against mine. Not only was my cock stirring, I could feel his growing against me.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat. He loosened his embrace, and stepped back, a little flustered. He turned to leave but I held him by his arm.

“It’s just that me and Davey… well, you see, we’re sorta…”

He nodded. “Together,” he said.

“Look,” I said. “You’re hot Brandon. We’ll find you someone.” I leaned in and kissed his lips.

I know — stupid. Suddenly, we were in a lip-lock and back in the embrace. It took several struggling moments for me to break free again; struggling with my own body, not his.

He smiled sadly, then gave me a kiss on the cheek and left. “Tomorrow,” I called after him then watched as he hopped into his car, gunned the engine, and disappeared down the street.

* * * * *

That night, Mom said she had a big announcement and took Maggie, Davey, and me to Earl Abels for supper. After we ordered, the three of us looked expectantly at Mom.

She took a deep breath. “I’ve been promoted; I’m the new Administrative VP.” Mom almost glowed as she explained the new job to us.

“I’m sorry, Michael,” she said, “but it might mean I’ll be working even longer hours. And I may have to do a little traveling to branch offices twice a month.”

“That’s OK, Mom,” I said enthusiastically. “It’s fine. In fact, it’s better than fine! Congratulations! Does that mean we’re going to be rich?”

Mom laughed and shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s more a title change than a promotion. But I will make a little more money.”

“And I can help with the boys,” Maggie offered.

“What’s to help?” Mom answered. “They’re doing fine.” She reached out and took Davey’s hand and then reached over to take mine. “I wouldn’t have taken the job if I thought I’d worry about them.”

She looked at me. “I’m proud of you boys for pulling up your English grades. I know it’s been hard work for both of you.”

“Thanks,” I said, and felt a little guilty because my mind wandered to the extra private time Mom’s new job would be giving Davey and me.

* * * * *

The next day “Brandon The Asshole” still didn’t ask us to sit with him at lunch.

On the way home from school, I told Davey what had happened with Brandon and about inviting him to work out with us.

“That is, if the asshole even shows up,” I said.

“We’ll be nice to… Brandon. He… needs it,” Davey said.

I was almost surprised when Brandon actually did show up not long after we got home. He tried to be cool, but Davey grinned at him until Brandon couldn’t help blushing. I enjoyed that.

We led Brandon out to the garage, and he nodded approvingly at how we’d arranged the gear. As we took our jackets off, I made him an offer I couldn’t have made to Chase. “I’m not sure how you want to do this,” I said, as I pulled my shirt off. “We normally just work out in our jocks.”

“Or naked,” Davey said smiling.

Brandon grinned. “I can work out in my underwear.”

“Cool,” I said. “Davey and I will just wear ours.”

Once inside the garage, we began to strip, Davey and I watching Brandon, and Brandon watching Davey and I. Looking at Brandon’s body, I felt a new commitment to weight work outs. He was meaty, but no fat. Just slabs of muscle. He was not a big guy like iron pumpers, nor as big as his friend Geoff. He just looked like a perfect athlete. And we could see the differences between a sixteen year old body and our fourteen year old ones; several magnificent differences. Shit, all three of us were getting hard.

The barbells were set up for Davey and me to do some really challenging bench presses. Brandon stepped over and began using it for curls! Davey and eye exchanged glances; the guy was strong!

As he did each bicept curl, he told us how to hold our elbows, how to stand straight, how to breathe, how not to jerk the weights or bend over. Davey and I stood mesmerized by the movement of the muscles in his chest and arms. The veins rose on his biceps and forearms and he began to glisten with sweat.

Next, he had me try, after we took off quite a bit of weight. I began slowly and he nodded his approval. But then he stepped behind me, holding my elbows still. I felt his breath on the back of my neck. His closeness made concentrating nearly impossible, and I trembled slightly, but managed to get through ten repetitions.

Next he had Davey do a set, and gave him the same stand behind treatment. Davey backed into him, his butt just under Brandon’s balls and hard cock. I would’ve been jealous if I wasn’t getting so damned horny.

Brandon’s dark red hair really set off the whiteness of his absolutely flawless skin. His body was as hairless as Davey’s. The contrast of his black underwear made his skin seem to glow from just under the surface. I guess at our age, every boy’s skin is beautiful, but Brandon’s was truly remarkable; not a blemish. And I have always loved beautiful skin.

We did two more sets with closer and closer supervision from Brandon. All three of us had wet spots on the front of our briefs.

Brandon moved the weights to the rack over the bench and added several plates. “We’re going to do bench press next.”

Davey and I moved up alongside the bench. As Brandon lay down on the bench, his hard cock sprang out of the top of his briefs. He reached up for the weights and Davey dropped to his knees beside him. While Brandon worked his hands on the barbell, getting ready to press, Davey reached out and gently rubbed Brandon’s belly. Brandon’s hands froze.

Well, I was always one to go with the flow, especially when I was horny as hell and the flow was in that direction. I bent over Brandon, dropped a hand to his chest and gently caressed a nipple. I looked down at him. His eyes were open wide, and he was shaking.

I bent and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “Relax,” I said. “We’re going to make love to you.”

He looked at me and I assumed it was gratitude, even if it did look closer to panic.

Davey skinned Brandon’s underwear down from his cock and off his hips. Brandon had a thick bush of red pubic hair and a thick cock about the length of Davey’s. It lay up on his stomach. Below it were two big balls in a smooth sack. I knelt down, opposite Davey and traced my fingertip over the creases between Brandon’s ab muscles.

Once Davey had the underwear out of the way, the two of us gently explored Brandon’s balls and cock with our fingers, and Brandon squirmed. Even though he was circumcised, his cock had thick, soft skin that slid freely up and down the shaft. His belly looked so vulnerable, so bare. I bent to kiss it and drew my tongue in a line from his navel to his pubes. Davey bent to kiss Brandon’s cock.

“Michael?” he said, hoarsely.

I glanced up. Brandon had his head up, looking down at me. “Yeah?”

“Could I see… um, could I touch your… you know?”

I laughed. Damn shy for a jock, I thought. I stood up and shed my underwear and then stepped over the bench to stand astride Brandon’s shoulders. My balls hung over his neck and my erection stretched out over his face. He reached up with both hands, felt my balls, and lightly grasped my cock. I put my hands on the barbell to steady myself.

Brandon closed his eyes and arched his head back, gritting his teeth, and I knew Davey had taken Brandon’s cock into his mouth. Then Brandon began stroking me, even before he opened his eyes again and smiled, “I like the feel,” he said, then looked up at me. “It feels nice.” He examined my cock carefully, then tensed and sighed as Davey must have swirled him good.

Brandon pulled my cock down and very slowly, licked the tip. I bent over more, pulled back my foreskin, and pointed the end at his mouth. He closed his mouth tentatively over the crown, and gently sucked.

“Bob your head up and down,” I instructed. “Like Davey is doing to you.”

Brandon complied.

I felt a scrape and winced. “Ouch!” I said. “Watch the teeth! Cover them with your lips or keep them out of the way.”

Brandon nodded and began to warm to his task. It was clear he had some natural talent; soon he was sending shockwaves of pleasure up through my cock — and he was receiving it too. I had only begun to think about cuming when suddenly Brandon began humming on my cock and sucking more frantically. I felt him bucking under me and then he froze and whimpered.

I’ve got to hand it to Brandon. Even as his own orgasm was finishing, he caught his breath and resumed work on me. And it felt damn good.

“You keep that up, Brandon,” I said, “and I’m gonna cum.”

He pulled his mouth away and asked, “How does it taste?”

I smiled. “Davey seems to like it,” I said. “And I sure like his. Might take a little getting use to, though.”

Brandon returned his mouth to my cock and what he lacked in technique, he more than made up for in enthusiasm. I felt Davey’s hand slide under my butt and rub behind my balls, and I moaned loudly. Damn, I thought. Davey sure knew what I liked. Within seconds, I blasted off in Brandon’s mouth. Some cum trickled out the side of his mouth, but he got most of it down.

I let him clean me, and then I stepped off him. I bent to lick my cum from around his lips and kissed him. When I straightened up, Davey and I stood on either side of Brandon’s hips. Davey’s cock pointed toward me over Brandon’s body. I took it in my hand and gently stroked it.

Brandon slid back and sat up woozily, letting out a long sigh. His flaccid cock rolled to the side. “Thanks guys,” he said. “That was great.”

I looked up at him and grinned. “That was nothing!” I said. “What makes you think we stop after one time? Davey and I usually like to cum twice…each.” Which was sometimes true.

Brandon’s eyes widened, and his cock rolled as it filled with new blood. And so Davey and I traded. I took Brandon’s cock and Davey straddled his shoulders. In moments, our low moans filled the garage.

* * * * *

Brandon finally asked to join us at our lunch table at school the next day. Davey slid over to make room before Chase or any of our other friends could say no.

Afterward, Chase pulled me to one side. “Hey,” he whispered. “You know Brandon’s gay?”

I shrugged. “Maybe, but he’s a nice guy…”

“Nice guy?” Chase hissed. “This is the same guy that punched you to the floor a couple of months ago. He’s an asshole!”

“Davey felt sorry for him,” I explained, “and well, Brandon’s not bad. He wasn’t an asshole today. Besides, we can always use another friend. Won’t hurt the nerds to have a little more muscle around.”

Chase cocked his head at me. “Geez, Bent,” he said. “You’re an interesting guy. For friends you pick Davey — and now Brandon.” He gave me a curious look. “No offense, but it makes me wonder what’s so strange about me that you’re willing to be my friend.”

I laughed. “I could give you a list,” I offered. “But really, I just love you for your dad.”

He looked at me seriously. “You know,” he said, a little sadly, “I could almost believe that. Sometimes, I’m even a little jealous of how Dad treats you and Davey.”

Now I regretted what I had said. I gripped his shoulder and looked into his eyes. “C’mon, Chase,” I said. “You and I were friends long before I met your dad. I was kidding just now. Honest.” I looked down. “But he’s a neat guy, Chase. I’m the one who’s jealous. Your dad’s the best…thanks for sharing him.” I looked him in the eye. “Please don’t stop.”

Chase smiled. “I’m not gonna stop sharing my dad with you. That’s what makes us brothers, you asshole.” He pulled his arm from my hand and patted my back. “And as for Brandon, I guess any friend of my brother’s is a friend of mine.” And so that day, Brandon joined the nerds.

As Chase walked away, I felt a pang of guilt. I felt so damn deceptive. Chase was my best friend, that is, besides Davey. But the friend Chase thought he liked wasn’t real. I wondered how either Chase or his dad would feel if they knew the truth about Davey and me.

* * * * *

The next day, Brandon brought his jock in a bag. Davey and I took our jocks out to the garage and we all changed there. By the time we stripped and put on our jockstraps, we found ourselves in a three-way hug and feel-up. That day we all settled onto the old carpet and tried our first oral daisy chain.

That was Thursday. Brandon didn’t come over Friday. Saturday, I went to the Olmos Pharmacy and bought a second tube of KY for the garage, which took some guts. Especially when the lady behind the counter raised an eyebrow and gave me “the look.” Davey waited outside.

Our next workout together was on Tuesday. After we put on our jocks, we started doing our routines. But while Brandon was doing some bench presses, Davey began rubbing himself on my butt. By the time Brandon finished his second set, I was on top of Davey down on the old carpet. He had me all wrapped up in his arms and legs and we were frotting each other like humping bunnies — well I guess technically, bunnies don’t frot face to face — but we were definitely humping.

Brandon knelt beside us and tugged down my jock. I lifted my hips so he could clear my cock and I stayed up on my knees until Brandon pulled Davey’s jock off. When Davey and I pressed back together, Brandon’s hands worked between us, feeling our bellies and cocks. Then he was behind me, reaching through my legs to feel my balls and Davey's. When his hands moved to my ass and back, I told him where we’d hidden the KY. That day, Brandon got to fuck a guy for the first time — me. And it wasn’t bad, frotting with Davey while he did it.

Perhaps because of the things we were doing together, perhaps because of the care Brandon took in helping Davey and me with the weights, perhaps because he was older, perhaps because he was so damn hot-looking, but mainly because of him, I was beginning to like Brandon more and more.

Chase and I were still best buds, but he was always with Janie now. And Brandon was gay. I could be myself with him.

* * * * *

Wednesday, Mom made her first out-of-town trip for her new position. I talked Mom and Maggie in to letting Davey sleep over with me so I wouldn’t “be all by myself.” At school, I told Brandon that Davey and I wouldn’t be working out that day, and I looked forward to having an evening just to ourselves.

Maggie volunteered to pick up her own supper somewhere so Davey and I could just eat and snack when we wanted. Both our Moms said they would call that night to make sure everything was alright. I thought about taking the phone off the hook, but knew that would arouse suspicions.

It was spring, and the weather was mild. Davey and I sat on the front porch swing after supper and played our guitar and recorder as the sky grew dark and lights came on in the houses.

It took a little while to teach Davey a song, but once I did, he could play well enough to accompany me. I definitely had to lead because Davey didn’t have much in the way of a sense of rhythm.

We played our last song in the dark. I put my guitar down beside the swing and pushed off. As we began to swing, Davey laid back, putting his head in my lap. He looked up at me and in the faint light, his eyes glinted, and his long hair looked faintly silver lying across my legs.

With one hand, I stroked his hair; with the other, his chest. “I like making music with you,” I said.

The subtle joke was lost on Davey. They often were, but I always enjoyed them anyway. It was like touching Davey with my spirit. Just like when I stroked his hair, I didn’t expect a return.

He rested a hand on the hand I was using to rub his chest. “You OK?” I asked.

He nodded in my lap. “Yeah.”

I continued to swing us, and thought. “We’ve been having a lot of… sex lately, Davey, you know — with Brandon and all. But sometimes it’s nice to just sit like this. Just you and me”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“I was thinking that later, it’d be fun to just get naked and lie around watching TV together.”

“Um-hmm,”

“You aren’t falling asleep on me, are you?”

“Uh-uh.”

We swung together, and I thought out loud. “Sometimes I worry about people finding out about us, Davey. I didn’t use to worry. But now we have so many friends at school. I mean, there’s all the nerds, and Ed and Debbie, and Chase and Hunter…”

“Hunter’s gay.”

I rolled my eyes. “Davey,” I said, “he’s only eleven. I know you felt each other up in the hot tub in Colorado and jacked off together…”

“Here, too.”

“When?” I asked taken aback.

“At the last…sleep-over. You and Chase were in… his room. So Hunter and I… went to his… room.”

“Hmmm,” I felt the faintest stirring of fear. “Did you tell Hunter that we’re gay?”

“No!” Davey answered, as though I‘d said something stupid.

“Did Hunter say that he’s gay?”

“No.”

“How do you know he’s gay then?”

Davey shrugged. “’Cause he likes to…do stuff.”

“What stuff?” I asked. “Just jacking off, or have you guys done something else?”

He shook his head. “Just jacking off.”

“Davey,” I explained. ”Chase likes jacking off together too, but he’s straight. Hunter’s probably straight as well. I’ve read books – they say guys our age sometimes play around with other guys, but it doesn’t mean they’re gay. You’ve got to be really, really careful.”

Davey’s eyes were on my lips. He often watched my mouth.

“Davey,” I said.

He shifted his gaze to my eyes.

“I don’t know what would happen with our friends if they found out we’re gay,” I said. “We might lose some friends.”

Davey nodded. “Like… like Brandon did.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Like Brandon. He’s in trouble with his parents, nobody wants to talk to him at school. It’s a big mess.”

Davey gave me a sad smile. “But… we’re his friends now,” he said.

I sighed. “Yeah. But, look — just promise me you won’t tell Hunter we’re gay.”

“OK,” he said, nodding his head in my lap.

“And Davey, it’d be best to not do more than jack off with Hunter…not unless he starts something.”

He frowned. A faint breeze blew through the porch. It suddenly felt a little cold.

“Let’s go inside,” I said. I put my arm over his shoulder and he put his arm around my waist as we went back in the house.

I closed the shutters in the living room, and we stripped. Then I sat on the floor with my back to the couch and my legs spread. Davey backed up between them and I grabbed his hips to pull him back snug, and he lay back against me. I used the remote to turn on the TV, but then I muted the sound.

“Davey?”

“Uh-huh,” he replied, and then turned his face to kiss my cheek. His hair tickled my shoulder and he smelled faintly from the sweat of the day. It was a good smell.

I let out a long breath. “I do get scared sometimes that our Moms will find out.” I said and wrapped my arms over his chest. “I don’t ever want them to split us up. As long as we can be together, I can handle everything else…even losing our friends, if it ever came to that. I just don’t ever want to lose you.”

He rubbed his hands along my thighs and sighed back against me.

I buried my face in the hair behind his ear and hugged him to me. “I love you so much, Davey.”

“I love you, too…Mickey.” He wiggled back into me. “This is nice.”

When I awoke later that night, on my back in bed, Davey was snuggled up to me, one leg over my crotch and one arm over my chest. I felt his warm breath wash over my shoulder and turned my face to smell the top of his head. My arm was already behind Davey’s back; we adjusted to each other in our sleep these days. I ran my hand over his back and rested it there. I wished we could sleep that way every night.

* * * * *

Brandon was back Friday. “OK, guys,” he said. “Today we really work out. No messing around.”

“That’s what you say every time, coach,” I kidded.

The three of us stood facing each other in our jocks. “OK, Bentolli,” he punched my chest with a finger, “for that, give me thirty push-ups.”

I stared defiantly at him. “You just want to watch my butt.”

He grinned and slapped my ass. “Come on. I’ll do ‘em with you…c’mon!” He got down on the old carpet.

I got down beside him while Davy watched. We were on the seventh push up when Davey pulled the backs of each of our jocks simultaneously and let them snap.

“Damn it Davey!” I protested. “You need to do push-ups too. Get down here!”

He giggled and popped our jock straps a second time.

I turned to look at Brandon who was still counting off out loud. “If he does it again,” I said, “we take him.”

Brandon nodded. He waited until the twenty-second pushup, and then Davey snapped them again and dashed for the door. Brandon and I sprung up from the floor and chased him out into the backyard.

Brandon reached Davey first and tackled him.

“Hold him, Brandon,” I encouraged.

And Brandon did, holding Davey down on his side, Brandon pinned Davey’s legs between his own and held Davey’s neck under his armpit, so that Davey’s butt was all exposed. Brandon and I took turns popping the back of Davey’s Jock.

Davey meanwhile, grabbed Brandon’s balls and squeezed. When he did, Brandon rolled away and sat up, and Davey sat up too. They both had obvious erections, I realized we were all a bit ‘exposed.’ Good tall wooden fence or not, I was a little concerned about us wrestling with hard-ons in the backyard…in just jockstraps.

“Uh, Brandon,” I said, “let’s get back in the garage.”

Brandon stood up and grabbed both of Davey’s hands. He jerked him to his feet and then dove for his mid section. In one movement, Brandon had Davey over his shoulder and turned for the garage, but not before I slapped Davey’s upturned ass.

While I closed the door, Brandon put Davey down onto his back on the old carpet and pulled off Davey’s jock. Then Brandon pulled his off, and his rock hard cock sprang out, wagging over Davey’s prone body. Brandon dropped to his knees between Davey’s legs and lay himself down on Davey from cock to lips.

“Uh, what happened to that serious workout?” I said, kidding.

“Gimme a few minutes here,” Brandon answered huskily.

Davey wrapped his arms over Brandon’s back and they began to hump. As Brandon’s slim hips moved, his butt muscles flexed and relaxed and every muscle in his back worked under his smooth skin.

I watched that for a moment, and then tore off my jock and retrieved the KY. Kneeling behind Brandon, my knees outside his, I rubbed the tip of my cock up and down his crack and asked softly. “Ready to learn something new, Brandon?”

“Do it, man,” Brandon grunted into Davey’s neck as they continued to hump. I lubed up my cock and then Brandon’s butt. I ran a finger into his hole and probed for his prostate. He groaned. When Brandon began humping back onto my finger, I leaned forward, pulled my finger out and pushed the tip of my cock in.

Brandon’s powerful butt muscles tightened his crack onto my cock and his sphincter locked down. He groaned.

“Just relax, Brandon,” I said soothingly. “It’ll be fine if you relax. I’ll go slow, OK?”

Brandon’s butt eased and I slowly pushed in, working it, taking my time. I put my hands on his firm butt and watched the muscles of his back as I moved more deeply in and out. When Brandon’s butt was snug in the V of my legs, I waited until he began to hump against Davey under me, and then I started thrusting. He was incredibly tight and the hardness of his butt between my legs felt awfully good. My cock made a slop, slop sound as I thrust with my hips, in and out.

I planted my hands beside them on the floor and began pumping and grinding deep into Brandon. That’s when I looked up from watching my pelvis press Brandon’s butt and saw Davey.

Brandon’s strong shoulder framed Davey’s flushed upturned face. His eyes were closed and he was obviously in ecstasy. And it was wrong. It was all wrong. It was supposed to be me in Davey’s arms and I wanted Davey in mine. It was all wrong that Brandon was between us. But those fleeting thoughts were pushed aside as Brandon’s strong body humped under me and tightened on my cock with each thrust against Davey. His back was hard as steel and I could feel his muscles with my belly and chest.

As good as Brandon felt beneath me, I still wanted it to be done and Brandon out from between us. I thrust faster and faster.

I pressed my nose into the back of Brandon’s hair. It smelled clean and felt good on my face. I breathed deep and pumped faster. And when my orgasm came, I pushed as deeply into Brandon’s firm ass as I could and pumped my cum into him. When I cried out, it was more from frustration that he held Davey in his arms than from my own ecstasy. I stayed in him as he ground on and I throbbed out the last of my cum, shuddering at the further stimulation. And then Brandon clenched his butt hard and groaned, gripping my cock hard with his sphincter as he spilled his cum onto Davey.

When he finished, I pulled out and knelt up just as Davey stiffened up and clutched Brandon’s back and humped up until he, too, was spent. There was a roll of paper towels in the garage, and we passed them around as we each cleaned up.

“Wow,” Brandon sighed. “That was incredible! I’ve never cum so hard in my life. We need to do that again…but give me a rest first.” He grinned, and as much as I didn’t want to, I liked his smile. My emotions were mixed, to say the least. I was suddenly feeling very, very uncomfortable with our new situation. But we were way into this now and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what to do to get back out of it. As selfish as it was, I wanted Davey for myself.

Brandon had been intimate with Davey; even worse, Davey liked it. He also liked Brandon. Hell, it was because of the way he kept looking at him that the whole thing started to begin with. It worried me that Davey might start feeling more than a school boy crush for him.

After Brandon left that afternoon and Davey sat down at the kitchen table to study, I hugged him from behind. “I love you Davey.”

He snuggled back into my arms. “I love you, too, Mickey.”

“More than Brandon?” I casually asked.

Davey twisted in my arms and looked at me. He studied me a moment, and then said, “You’re silly.”

He turned back to study, and I hoped his answer meant what I wanted it to.

After that afternoon, when things started to get hot with Brandon and us, I would try to get the three of us back onto weights or to study. When things would continue to heat up, I offered my ass whenever it would keep me between Brandon and Davey. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like being jealous. I didn’t like how I felt. And that was partly because I had come to really like Brandon, too, as a friend — a real friend. But I only wanted him as a friend, and not our third lover.

* * * * *

Late one Thursday night, at the end of April, when Mom was out of town on her second business trip and I had gone to bed, there was a tapping on my window. It scared the shit out of me. I pulled back the shutters to find Brandon on the porch side of the glass. I pulled on my underwear, opened the window, and stepped out onto the porch with him. “Brandon. What’s up man?”

It was hard to see his face in the dim light, but he looked like he had been crying. “I just needed to get out of the house, Michael,” he said. “My old man hasn’t been the same since I got busted. We had a fight.”

“Sorry, Bran.” I moved to the porch swing and motioned to the seat next to me. “Sit down.”

Brandon wore running shoes, shorts, and tank-top. I couldn’t help but notice the powerful muscles in his shoulders when he sat down beside me.

I pushed off and we swung, silently. Far away, I could hear traffic several blocks over on the McAllister freeway. I pushed again and we swung some more.

Brandon rubbed his face with the back of his hand, then turned to me. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Do you like me?” he asked. “I mean… really, Michael. Don’t shit me. Do you like me, or do you just feel sorry for me? Or do you just tolerate me because Davey wants to be nice to me?”

I looked away. “Course I do, man. After what we’ve done together? Why are you asking?”

I could feel him staring at me. “Because sometimes you act like you wish I weren’t around.”

“Shit.” He’d nailed me. I tried to sort through all the emotions that suddenly welled up in me. I looked at him, and had to admit one emotion that really was undeniable; I really, truly liked him.

“Oh hell,” I said, “I’m sorry, Brandon.” I hung my head. “I like you… a lot. You’re probably the coolest guy who’s ever wanted to be friends with me — not that Davey isn’t cool. I just …”

Brandon put his big, strong hand on my leg. “Thanks for sayin’ that.”

“No, really,” I protested. “I’m not just saying that. I really do like you… Damn, that just doesn’t sound right. I don’t just like you — I mean, I do love you. You’re special to me.”

“Yeah, I know,” Brandon said with a sigh. “Just not as special as Davey, huh?” He looked into my eyes. “I really envy you guys. And I can’t believe you have included me… ya know?” He bit his lip, then took a deep breath and said, “Geoff was always my best friend, but we hardly talk now. And, well. he and I never did… you know… the stuff you and Davey and I do now.”

I nodded, but wasn’t sure what to say.

Brandon rubbed my leg, almost affectionately. “Forget about Geoff,” he continued, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m gonna be honest with you. I’m… I’m falling in love with you, Michael.”

I put my hand on top of his hand which was on my leg and held it still; he was making me hard. “Brandon,” I said, trying to think what to say. “ I… well I love you, too. A lot. I mean… I really do.” In my fourteen year old heart, I felt a melodramatic rush because life seemed suddenly so mature and dramatic. I took my hand from his and put it to his cheek. “I like you,” I said. I like being with you. And yeah, I guess I love you, in a way. But Brandon, I have a boyfriend already… Davey.”

Brandon took back his hand. “Sorry, Michael.”

“No,” I reached for his hand and held it. I looked into his eyes, barely visible in the dim light. “Maybe in some alternate universe, like they’ve had on Star Trek, I do fall in love with you, Brandon. But Davey’s in this universe and we’ve been together forever, you know? He’s everything to me.”

I moved my hand to his shoulder and gave him an affectionate squeeze. “Somebody’s going to fall for you… maybe somebody already has. I mean, you really are a hunk. And it’s really cool being good buds with the best looking damn sophomore in school. I really like being friends with you.”

Brandon rubbed his nose to hide a sniffle, rubbed his eyes, and cleared his throat. “Yeah, me too,” he said, then looked at me. “So then, why have you been acting the way you have? It really does seem like you don’t want me around sometimes.”

I felt like shit. I’d been working so hard to stay between Brandon and Davey — emotionally and physically – I guess he felt me pushing him away.

“I’m sorry,” I confessed. “I guess I’ve been a little jealous. No, scratch that — I guess I’ve been a whole lot jealous.” I managed a feeble laugh. “Like how the hell am I supposed to compete with a hunk like you.” My smile faded. “Brandon, I don’t ever want to lose Davey. I’m sorry if I’ve been a chicken shit. It’s just, Davey and I belong to each other, you know.”

He nodded sadly. “I don’t blame you, Michael,” he said. “I’d be protective of my boyfriend too.” He put his hand back on my leg and squeezing me, he said, “But don’t underestimate yourself. I’d pick you over me any day. So would Davey.”

He kissed my cheek. “I promise,” he said. “I’ll keep my hands off Davey. I’ll even keep my hands off you if you want.” He leaned his shoulder against mine. “But that’s gonna be hard, though. Just don’t shut me out, please? You’re the only friends I have now.” His voice sounded on the verge of breaking. “And even if you don’t love me like I love you,” he said, in a half-whisper, “I do love you, Michael.” He kissed my cheek again, more softly, longer. And his hot breath flowed down my neck.

My heart began to pound. My cock felt twisted and trapped in my underwear. When you’re fourteen years old, having the hunkiest sixteen year old you know tell you he loves you is pretty heady stuff. And when he leans close and you feel his breath on your neck and the heat from his skin…I put my arm around his back. “You are my friend, Brandon,” I insisted. “Davey’s too. We won’t shut you out. I promise. Will you... will you forgive me for acting like an asshole?”

He leaned forward and his mouth brushed my cheek, and then found my lips. We kissed and wrapped our arms around each others’ shoulders. Into my ear, he breathlessly said, “I need you tonight, Michael. Please.”

He moved a hand to my crotch and rubbed me through my underwear, and my legs spread all on their own. Then he opened his mouth over mine, pushing me back toward the arm on my side of the swing. I ran my hands up into his hair and held his head as I looked up at his handsome face. He looked hungry, for me.

I pulled his head closer and whispered in his ear, “Would you like to come inside?”

* * * * *

The following Tuesday, Maggie took me with Davey to meet the specialist, Dr. Kazan. She and I sat in the waiting room while the doctor met with Davey. Afterward, we were called into his office.

With thick gray hair and angular features, and wearing a traditional white smock, he looked like a doctor off a soap opera. He was a big man — not fat, just tall and long-limbed. His hand practically swallowed mine when we shook.

“So you’re the tutor?” he asked with a gentle smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Oh shit, I thought, hoping he hadn’t heard too much about me. “I’m… uh,” I stammered. I’m glad to meet you, Dr. Kazan.”

Dr. Kazan had us all sit down across the desk from him, and he looked at me. “Mrs. Carlson thought I should see you, Michael, because you spend so much time with Davey, and I thought it was a good idea. I think I can give you some things to help with Davey’s studies. He put his elbows on his desk and interlaced his fingers, then looked at me over them. “I understand you’re very bright.”

I shrugged. “I don’t always feel that way.”

He grinned. “Has anyone tested your IQ?”

“Sure. The last time was last year, but they said they could only give me a range until I was older.”

“Oh?” he said. “And did they give you the range?”

I glanced nervously at Maggie and Davey, then I said, “They said somewhere between 160 and 165.”

He nodded. “Are you a good student?”

I shrugged. “Usually I just have to read something once to really have it. Yeah, I guess I’m a good student. I’m good at all the academic stuff.” I gave him a rueful smile. “It’s just people I’m stupid about sometimes.”

He smiled. “When it comes to people, very smart guys can do very stupid things.”

“Tell me about it.”

Dr. Kazan lowered his arms on the desk and looked between Maggie and me. “Would it surprise you if I told you that before Davey’s brain was damaged prior to birth, he was probably destined to be just as smart as you, Michael – or smarter?”

Maggie and I just sat there, and Dr. Kazan continued. “At least, that’s my guess,” he said. There are many different kinds of intelligence, you know, and the mind is terribly complex. Initially, I thought Davey’s math acuity was a compensation for the damage to his speech centers and reasoning facilities, but a brain can compensate only so far. Davey must have had quite a bit to work with from the beginning.”

“My impression,” he continued, “after spending time with Davey is that he certainly has some mild impairment to his speech centers, along with some diminished reasoning ability, but not severely so. He just has a little trouble thinking things through sometimes, and maybe a little less ‘common sense’ than most people have.” He grinned and added, “And maybe more than some.”

Looking right at Davey, he continued. “Davey, you have a lot going for you. Your brain is just fine. You may have to work harder than some people to learn and understand some things. But maybe that’s why fate gave you such a smart mom and such a smart best friend.” Dr. Kazan winked, and I wasn’t sure if it was at me or Davey.

He sat up and sighed. “It’s a shame I didn’t get hold of Davey when he was a baby, especially if we knew then what we know now.” He leaned back. “But there are still some things we can do to help him along.”

He looked at Maggie, “I have some suggestions. I want to see Davey get more involved in physical activities. He’s told me about running and doing weights with Michael. I’d like you to consider enrolling him in a summer swim program. We’re going to try to help Davey get ‘wired up’ a little better. All the feed back the water gives in swimming exercises is very good for that.”

I could use some better wiring, I thought. Swimming could be cool.

He turned to me. “Michael, Davey is primarily a visual learner. Any time you can give him a visual representation of something, you’ll help him understand and learn. Find pictures, make drawings. For example, if you’re trying to explain a chemical process, find pictures of the molecular bindings. Whenever you can, show Davey…don’t just tell him, OK?”

I nodded.

“I also suspect that Davey might do well with a little tactile learning,” he continued. “I think when he can actually handle things, he might learn even better. Davey tells me you’re teaching him the recorder. Is he doing well?”

“Yeah, actually he is,” I answered. “He doesn’t have much sense of rhythm, though.”

“Get a metronome,” Dr. Kazan smiled. “Don’t just assume Davey doesn’t have rhythm. In fact, don’t assume any limitations for Davey. He has some, of course, but from now on I want all of you — you too, Davey — I want all of you to always begin with the belief that Davey can do just as well as any other kid. Let him find his own level of performance.”

As we were leaving, Dr. Kazan shook my hand once more and asked, “Have you considered a career in the mental health field, Michael? We definitely could use a little more brainpower.”

“It depends, I guess,” I answered, “on how much mental health I need to have myself.”

Dr. Kazan laughed and clapped my back. “You’d be surprised,” he said. “Sometimes you can get by with surprisingly little.”

While Maggie stopped at the desk to pay and make arrangements for the next visit, Davey and I stepped out of the office and into the hall. No one was around, so I put my hand on Davey’s butt and squeezed. “Ready for a little tactile learning?” I asked and laughed.

As I pulled my hand away. Davey whispered, “What does that…mean?”

I leaned close. “Tactile means holding, handling, feeling. Tactile learning means learning by touching and handling things.”

Davey thought about that a second, then grinned and leaned close, “I want to learn more,” he said, “about your… dick.”

“Damn, Davey…” I started, but then Maggie stepped out of the office.

We both straightened up and continued with Maggie down the hall to the elevator. Davey shot me a knowing glance, and we both giggled as we stepped on.

* * * * *

Brandon was an angel. For the next couple of weeks after his night visit, we spent most of our time actually doing weights and studying as opposed to other things. Then one afternoon in early May, we were studying in the kitchen and the topic drifted over to sex.

“It’s funny,” I said. “But have you two ever noticed that when you get all excited, Davey, your privates turn real red? And when you get excited, Brandon, your skin gets hot? How come I don’t do anything special?”

They looked at each other and grinned.

“What?” I asked suspiciously.

Brandon asked, “Should we tell him?”

“Tell me what?” I demanded.

They both grinned at me, and Brandon said, “There’s a list of things, Michael,” he said. “Your nostrils flare, your face turns red, and your nipples get all hard.” He turned to Davey, “Anything else?”

Davey nodded. “His legs and butt get…real hard.”

“Yeah,” Brandon agreed. “You do tense up down there.”

I was sorta pleased to have something unique too, but still flushed a little with embarrassment. I got up from the table for a drink of water. “Really?” I asked.

“We can show you,” Brandon offered.

I put down my glass and stepped up behind him and put my hands on his shoulders. “Down boy,” I said. “We need to study.” I began to massage his shoulders. I loved Brandon’s muscular shoulders and could massage them all day.

Brandon grinned at Davey and asked, “Didn’t you say that Davey needed…what was it? ‘Tactile learning?’ That means hands-on, right?”

Davey smiled up at me. “I think…Brandon’s skin is getting…hot.”

Brandon nodded, “Maybe we need to pull Davey’s pants off and check the color of his balls.” He turned his head to look back over his shoulder at me. “Your tits hard yet?”

Then Brandon glanced at the window behind me. “Shit!” he shouted, and broke for the door. He threw it open and ran outside. Davey and I chased after, wondering what the hell had happened.

What we found was Brandon pulling Geoff back from trying to climb out over our back fence. Brandon wrestled him onto his back on the ground and then knelt on Geoff’s biceps and pinned his hands in the classic school boy, ‘I’ve-got you pinned-with-my-cock-in-your face’ position.

Brandon looked up at me. “He was spyin’ on us through the window!”

Well Geoff was bigger than Brandon. I wasn’t sure just how good an idea this was. But Brandon was really angry – madder than I’d ever seen him.

I felt Davey grab my sides from behind as he peeked around me.

Brandon turned back to Geoff. “What the hell were you doing, asshole?”

Geoff’s face was flushed, and his eyes were wide, but he kept his mouth shut.

Brandon released a hand briefly enough to slap Geoff’s face, hard.

Shit, I thought, talk about ‘bearding the lion.’ Behind me, Davey jumped.

“Answer me,” Brandon yelled. “What were you doin’?”

Geoff glanced at me and back to Brandon. His face was red, especially where he had been slapped. Still he said nothing.

Brandon slapped him again. “You aren’t getting’ up until you tell me what you were doing, Geoff!”

Geoff’s eyes squinted and watered. His mouth curled in anger and desperation.

“Well?” Brandon demanded.

Geoff turned his face away. “I just wanted to see what you were doing,” he said quietly.

“Why?” Brandon growled. “Why did you want to see what we were doin’?”

“Damn it,” Brandon growled and raised his hand as if to strike again.

Davey gripped my sides. “Brandon, no!” I barked. “Stop it.”

He glared at me, but dropped his hand back to pin Geoff’s. “Alright,” he said evenly. “Why did you want to see what we were doin’?”

“Because,” Geoff kept his face turned away, and his voice lowered almost to a whisper, “I wanted to do it too.”

“Do what, too?” Brandon demanded. “What did you think we were doing?”

Davey stepped past me, looked back at me and pointed to Geoff’s crotch. Geoff’s erection was obvious through his trousers.

“Brandon,” I said quietly.

“What?” he asked, then looked back over his shoulder.

Davey pointed out the obvious. Brandon’s eyes widened, and he turned back to Geoff in surprise.

I cleared my throat. “Maybe we should all go inside,” I suggested.

Brandon did not give Geoff a choice. When he climbed off him, he wrapped one of Geoff’s arms behind his back and forced him to follow Davey and me into the house. Once in the kitchen, we sat around the table and I offered Geoff a soda. He shook his head.

As he came down off his testosterone high, Brandon sat next to Geoff, studying him. “What did you think we were doin’?” he demanded. “And what do you mean you wanted to do it to, too?”

Geoff glanced at Brandon, then at me. Then he grumbled, “Why did you ever have to go to that park, you asshole.”

Brandon just sat dumbfounded.

Geoff, looked at him steadily. “I miss you, man,” he said. “I really do.”

“That’s been your choice,” Brandon answered.

Geoff glanced nervously at me one more time, and then looked back at Brandon. “You never needed to go to that park. If you just weren’t so damned thick.”

Brandon raised his eyebrow.

“Hey, guys,” I said. “Why don’t you two go back to my room to work this out? You can talk privately back there.”

Both of them looked at me, then Brandon stood up. Geoff stood more slowly, hesitantly. They looked at each other and Brandon lifted his hand to Geoff’s red cheek. “I’m sorry Geoff.”

Without taking his eyes off Brandon, Geoff reached up and held Brandon’s wrist, then turned his face to kiss Brandon on the palm of his outstretched hand. Geoff closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Brandon stepped close and they embraced, cheek to cheek.

They held each other awkwardly. I guess it can be quite a transition from best friend to lover. Davey and I did have more time to work it through.

Brandon turned to me. “When does your mom come home?” he asked in a husky voice.

I looked at the clock. “You have a couple of hours.”

Brandon put his arm around Geoff’s shoulder and headed toward my bedroom. After we heard the door close, Davey stood up and walked around to my chair. He straddled me and sat into my lap facing me. He put his arms over my shoulders and asked, “Is everything OK, Mickey?”

I put my hands on his waist and smiled. “What do you think?”

Davey smiled. “I think everything is OK.”

I smiled and kissed his lips. “Yeah. I think everything is very OK.”

Davey grinned. “Geoff is really… cute… and strong. I think he is very… handsome. He and Brandon…” Davey’s eyes widened, “Can we go…peek…in your window?”

I shook my head. “No, you doofus!”

He grinned and kissed my forehead. “Geoff is real… pretty. We can see them… naked! We can watch them.”

I poked his ribs. “If you’re that horny,” I said, “then let me take care of you.”

Davey grinned and put his forehead to mine. “They are gonna be happy. Like us.”

I wrapped my arms up his back. “You’re wonderful, Davey. You know that?”

He laughed and hugged me.

I squeezed him and then I looked into his eyes. “I wonder if you’ll ever understand how much I love you, Davey.”

His face became very serious. He bent my head back and stood up over my lap to kiss me. His hair fell over us to give that little curtained, private space to our eyes and lips. “I understand, Mickey,” he said. “I understand.”

His eyes glistened as he looked down at me, and I believed him. It was there in his eyes. His lips descended onto mine again, and I hugged him hard as his tongue forced its way into my mouth. He moved his crotch against me and I felt his cock high up my belly.

“Let’s go to the garage,” I suggested.

Davey kissed me again, and then stepped back from me. His fine, long hair hung down over his face.

“Davey,” I said, “Don’t ever cut your hair short.”

Davey smiled, and led me by the hand out the back door.

* * * * *

Wednesday, a little over a week before the end of school, I awoke to a tap on my window. Glancing at my alarm clock, I saw it was only a few minutes past midnight. I pulled open the shutters to find Brandon’s smiling face. I sighed, then pulled up the window and sat on the sill, covering my naked lap with my hands. “What’s up?” I asked.

Brandon sat down on the outside window ledge. “Big news,” he said sadly, idly rubbing a hand on the side of my leg. “My dad just told us tonight that he’s trying to get transferred this summer or find a new job somewhere else. He wants to move.”

I leaned back against the frame to take in what Brandon had just said. “Why?”

Brandon gave me a “duh” look. “He wants me to have a new chance. He wants me back in sports. And I think this whole thing’s been hard on him. Everybody seems to know about me getting busted.”

“Tell him you’re OK. Tell him you want to stay here in San Antonio.”

Brandon looked down at the floor. “Maybe moving would be good for me,” he said. “People still avoid me, Michael. Hell, even Geoff avoids me in public, the stupid shit. It’s not like I have somethin’ like you and Davey have.”

I patted his leg. “You want me to come out there so we can talk?”

He looked steadily at me. “Can I come in?”

“What? What about Geoff? Why don’t you go over to see him?”

Brandon laughed ruefully. “No, Geoff and I aren’t the friends we used to be. He’s into the sex alright, but... ” He shook his head and looked up at me. “When I’m with you, Michael, I know you really care. When you held me that night, the last time I came over, it was like the only time in months that I felt things could ever be right for me. Please, Michael?” He reached in and rubbed my leg.

I thought of Davey, and was surprised that I wasn’t that anxious to have Brandon in my room, in spite of how hot he was. I tried to gauge how much Brandon might actually need comfort and how much he might be just horny.

“C’mon, Brandon,” I said. You’ve got Geoff now. It took you a while before you’d sit with us nerds. Maybe he just needs time.”

Brandon hung his head and stood up, with his back to me. “OK, Michael,” he said, defeated. “It really would’ve been fine if you just held me — that’s all I needed. I’m sorry. I won’t ever bother you again.” He began to walk away.

“Shit!” I cried. “Brandon, wait!” Without thinking, I scrambled out naked after him. He was at the screen door when I caught him. “Wait, please.” I grabbed his arm and turned him. There were tears on his face.

“Oh, man, Brandon! I’m sorry.” I put my arms around him and held him. He sobbed. I patted his back.

“It’s nothing you said,” Brandon said softly. He put his arms around my shoulders and pulled me tight. “My dad… he hit me tonight. My dad has never hit me before, Michael.” He took a ragged breath. “I yelled at him. I…I can’t go back home tonight.”

I only thought a moment. “You can stay with me,” I said. “Come on. I took his hand and led him back to my window. We climbed in. “Are you hungry?” I whispered. “Thirsty?”

He shook his head. “No,” he said wearily. “And before you ask, I pissed outside before I came onto your porch. I’m just real tired.”

“Come to bed then,” I said. I wasn’t worried. Hell, my cock was completely soft.

I climbed in and when Brandon had stripped, he climbed in too. Then he asked, “Michael, could you hold me?”

In answer, I turned on my side to face him, ran my arm under his head, and put my other arm over his waist. He rolled up on his side to face me, wrapped his arms around me, and we pressed together. We both became hard, but I just held him and he snuggled in.

For a long time, I could tell by his breathing that he wasn’t asleep. I stroked his back. “Do we need to get you off before you can relax and sleep?” I whispered.

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “This is nice. I like this.” He reached between us and found my hard cock. “Do we need to get you off?”

“I like this, too, Brandon. I’m fine right now.”

He released my cock and snuggled back into me. We finally dozed off. Sometime later, while it was very dark and still outside, I woke on my back to find Brandon lowering his body onto mine. He was hard and his skin was hot. “Please?” he said.

In the morning, I left Brandon in bed, slipped on shorts, and left the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind me. “Morning, Mom!” I said as I came into the kitchen.

“Why aren’t you getting ready for school?” she asked suspiciously.

“First period’s a test my teacher said I don’t have to take. I’m tired so I’m going to sleep a little longer, OK?”

Mom might have guessed that the teacher never said anything like that, but she didn’t argue. She needed to get to work and so kissed me and said, “OK. I’ll be gone when you get up. I love you, honey. I’ll see you tonight.”

Then I called Davey and told him to go on to school without me and said I’d catch up with him later. After that, I went back to the room and crawled back in bed with Brandon and fell asleep beside him.

“Holy shit!” he said when he woke up and realized the time. “We’re late for school!”

“Yeah,” I yawned. “Relax.” I crawled out of bed. Brandon gathered up his clothes. I scratched my balls and then smelled my hand. “I think I need a shower. Want to join me?”

He looked up at me, then smiled and let his clothes fall back to the floor. “Hell yes.”

Afterward in the bedroom, while I toweled his back, Brandon grew thoughtful. “So do you plan to be with Davey like, forever?”

I chuckled. “Do you want me to put you on the waiting list?”

He turned and looked me dead in the eye and said, “Yes.”

I turned away and reached for my necklace off the dresser; the necklace Davey had given me. Behind it on the dresser top were the pictures of me, Davey, and us together. I lifted Davey’s picture and ran my finger tip over his cheek.

Brandon put his hands on my shoulders and stepped up close behind me. He kissed the back of my head. “You really do love him, don’t you?” he asked softly.

I nodded, “With all my heart.”

“And forever?” Brandon asked and wrapped his arms around my chest.

“Yes. Forever.”

He kissed the back of my head once more. “For you,” he said, “I could almost wait that long.”

As always, emails are greatly appreciated at btomandback@hotmail.com