Tommy and Tanner, Chapter 72
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of similar age. If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so. It is not my intention to offend anyone or to get you in trouble.
The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit authorization from me.
This is not my first attempt at writing fiction. My longer stories on Nifty include: "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004), "Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004), "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Tales from Bentonville" (November 16, 2008), and "Second Chance" (September 24, 2010) under "High School" and "Someone to Watch over Me" under "Beginnings" in the gay male section. There are a few short stories also: "Brad and Alan's Canoe Trip" (April 22, 2004 under "Camping", "Of Angels and Dragons" (November 8, 2008) under "Camping", "A Christmas Tale" (December 22, 2009) under "High School", "Brazil Affair" (October 1, 2010) under "Beginnings," "Seth's Gift" (October 10, 2010) under the Science Fiction/Fantasy category, and "A Technological Christmas" (December 23, 2011) under "Beginnings."
I am listed on Nifty under the category of "Prolific Net Authors" which will make it easier for you to access earlier stories. Some of these stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us along with those of other writers that may interest you.
My only reward for contributing to Nifty is your emails. Please write if you like the story. Please include the name of the story in the title of your email because my email service sometimes puts them in the "spam" file.
Thanks and hugs to Tom and David (boxerdude) who edit for me so that there are fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable suggestions.
Finally, David has a new site that is hosting a number of authors. It's at: www.saberpeak.com. My first story, "Always and Forever," is posted there.
David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tommy and Tanner, Chapter 72
Their time in the Boundary Waters was passing more rapidly than any of them wanted it to. The weather was warm and mostly dry - much different from what it had been when Eric and Josh were there several years before. The only rain in the first three days was a light shower on an afternoon when they were skinny dipping, so it really didn't bother them at all.
Their food supply was still holding well because of the fresh fish they were able to catch pretty frequently. They would probably be stuck with meals consisting of freeze-dried concoctions on the last day or so, but those were actually pretty tasty because the outfitter didn't stint on quality.
A couple of nights before they were scheduled to meet their tow back to shore, a big storm broke out about 3:00 a.m. with all kinds of lightning and extremely strong straight-line winds. The fury awakened them out of a dead sleep. They hunkered down in their tents, not knowing what else to do.
When a tree came down across Tim and Tuck's tent, the rest of the guys feared for their lives. Tommy and Tanner were first on the scene to check on their brothers. They found both of them shaken, but uninjured. The huge pine had stood only about six feet away. Had it been further, it probably would have crushed both of them, but root system saved them. Since it was growing on a rocky surface the roots were spread out like the base of a patio umbrella only on a huge scale. Therefore, when it came down, the roots actually lifted the base into the air preserving enough space to prevent the trunk for touching their tent.
As all of the guys were huddled there, thankful that the two were safe, another tree came down crushing the tent that Tommy and Tanner had recently left. Until the storm passed a half hour later, they all sat cold and wet in the relative protection of the tree that was over Tim and Tuck's shelter, hoping to stay safe.
With the first light of dawn, they discovered how lucky they were. A number of trees had been uprooted and debris was everywhere. The tents that the other four guys were using remained untouched, but many of the spots that they had considered setting up in were littered with heavy branches.
"We need to start a campfire to get everyone warmed up," Colt said as he began to gather what wood he could that was dry enough to burn.
He started the fire on a rock slab close to the lake and away from the branches that might ignite if they got hot enough. Dane improvised a long clothesline to dry things on while Colt rummaged through the supply pack for pancake mix.
Next, Dane helped Colt start breakfast while Josh and Eric got out the saw that had come with their gear. Taking turns with the rest of the guys, they began to trim away the branches that were over Tommy and Tanner's tent. When they'd cleared a large enough opening, Tanner crawled in to retrieve their sleeping bags and personal packs. Most things were undamaged, but the tent was a total loss. Although they had taken numerous pictures, Tanner pulled out a chunk of it as proof that its destruction wasn't their doing. He assumed the outfitter would believe them, but wanted to be prepared in case he didn't.
As they were finishing breakfast, they heard the sound of a speedboat. It was startling because they were many miles from where it was legal to use motors. The boat came as close as it could and two DNR officers waded ashore.
"Is everyone here okay?" they asked.
"Yup, we're uninjured, though one of our tents is toast," Josh told them. "We were lucky that the two guys who'd been sleeping in it were out checking on their brothers at the time. Otherwise they might not be here!"
"Give us your names and tell us who we should contact. We won't tell them about the near miss, but will inform them that you're all safe."
"Thanks!" they all exclaimed.
"Mom will be worried if she hears about the storm," Tommy said.
"She won't be able to miss it; it's all over the national news," the officer informed them. "There's been one death confirmed, so I'm sure many families are concerned. This wasn't anything like the great blow-down in July of 1999. That lasted 22 hours and destroyed millions of trees. We're lucky this time."
The officers headed on to check other sites, leaving a group of relieved guys. They'd all been wondering how they could contact loved ones since there was no communication out there other than by satellite phone and they hadn't chosen to rent one because of its cost.
After things were pretty well dried out and packed up, the guys headed out to search for a campsite that was only a few miles from where they'd meet their motorized ride around 10:00 the next morning. They didn't want to be late for the rendezvous, but didn't want to arise too early on the last day. It would take a few good hours of sleep to restore their sense of wellbeing again.
Despite being short on sleep, the guys made good time on the lake. They might have stopped to explore one more island, but figured they'd better reach their destination early enough to ensure getting a spot to camp.
It was a good thing that they kept pushing because one of the sites they'd hoped to secure was already taken. That wasn't a bad thing in the long run since it forced them to travel even closer to their rendezvous point before they eventually found a vacant campground.
They set up camp, albeit minus one tent. Tim and Tuck said they could accommodate an extra person in their tent and the other couples insisted they could too. Not wanting to intrude, Tommy and Tanner said they would make do with the dining fly held up by a rope to make it into a tent shape.
"That will never do," Josh exclaimed. "The Minnesota state birds will carry you off."
"Huh?" Tommy said.
"The mosquitoes!" Eric explained. "We call the mosquito our state bird because they're so huge! One of you can bunk with us and the other with Dane and Colt. We're not taking no for an answer. We're all bros and we're all in this together."
After that was settled, the guys all took a nap. Some were out like a light, but four of them awakened after about 20 minutes, feeling refreshed. They were ready for a bit of exercise and a change of scenery.
Gathering their fishing rods, Dane, Colt, Josh, and Eric headed out to see if they could supplement their dinner with fresh fish, leaving the others still asleep.
They didn't catch quite enough for supper, but did have plenty for a hearty afternoon snack. As they were heading back, they met two men who appeared to be in their mid 20's or possibly a bit older. The men said they'd been paddling from one site to another unsuccessfully looking for a place to spend the night. Everywhere they'd stopped, the camps were taken by people who were eager to leave the area ahead of schedule because of last night's terrifying weather.
The guys who'd been fishing invited them up to their campsite for the moment until they could double check with the Torrance boys. After a quick conference with them, Josh invited the men to share their site. They all knew how they'd feel in their shoes.
Brad and Alan introduced themselves and quickly checked to make sure the others would be comfortable in their presence.
"Before you take is in, you need to know something about us. We're married to each other. We'll keep moving if you're not." Brad said.
"I'm sorry to break the news, but there are only two straight guys in this whole group," Josh laughed. "Tim and Tuck are into girls, but the rest of us are in same-sex relationships. Eric and I are husbands as are Dane and Colt. Tommy and Tanner won't be old enough to get married for about a year and a half unless their parents sign for them."
"Wow! The Lord is certainly looking out for us today! We don't always get that kind of welcome." Alan grinned.
The four who'd been fishing quickly cleaned and prepared their catch to share with their new acquaintances. When they were done, there was more than they'd estimated. There would be enough for all to enjoy as a snack. Dane said he thought it had multiplied like in the story of the loaves and fishes in the bible.
As they were eating, Brad and Alan regaled them with tales about their kids and the rest listened eagerly. They each had a son by a surrogate mother which would keep their bloodlines going, but each considered both of the boys their own and loved them equally.
"In fact they're brothers because the eggs were from the same donor, so they have a lot of characteristics in common. Being only 18 months apart, they're quite a handful sometimes, but we're very lucky to have them." Alan said.
The other gay couples asked questions and actually took down the names and phone numbers of people to contact about starting families of their own. Tommy and Tanner were right in the midst of the discussion.
Tim smiled knowing that his middle brothers might have a chance to raise kids of their own too. It was good to see gay men having the same kind of normal life that heterosexual couples take for granted. Maybe the "new normal" was a reality and not just a clever title for a TV show that was supposed to premier in the fall.
There was more than enough food for supper that night too because Brad and Alan had extra meals that they wouldn't be eating and wanted to use some of them up. Supper and cleanup were all shared efforts.
They sat up around the campfire talking until about 10:00. Brad and Alan also had a story to tell about the previous night's storm. When the fire died down, they drowned the embers and climbed into their tents to sleep.
Brad and Alan went with the guys to the rendezvous point hoping to be able to get a lift sometime later in the day. The place was crowded with campers anxious to leave. Some of them tried to get on the tow boats that had arrived for the guys.
The young men driving the boats restored order quickly.
"All the outfitters have pledged to keep the shuttles going until everyone is on the main shore, so you don't have to worry. These boats are for the Larson-Brady party and they will be taken first if they're here."
"That would be us," Josh said, stepping up to show his ID. "Do you have room for two extras?" he asked the driver.
"Sure, if you're willing to crowd together we can accommodate them. It's good of you to share."
The driver motioned them all to place their canoes on the racks and set their backpacks in the boats. Seating was a bit close, but the boats were within the weight limit so it was legal.
The trip to the main shore seemed shorter than it had a week before. Perhaps the anticipation had made the first journey longer, or maybe it was because they really didn't want their adventure to end that made the return trip go faster.
While waiting for the van driver to secure the canoes on the outfitter's trailer, Brad offered to pay the guys for letting them come along.
"No way!" they all shouted.
"We all have to look out for each other," Eric told them. "I think that's part of why we're on this earth."
"At least we'd like to give you our leftover supplies. Since some of you have a place to camp regularly, you could use them before their expiration dates," Brad offered.
The Torrance boys graciously accepted.
On the way to the outfitters, the driver told his passengers to help themselves to the beer and sodas in the cooler. The older guys went for the beer. Tim took a beer too and offered one to each of his brothers if they were so inclined. They thanked him, but the three younger ones went for the sodas.
The outfitter's crew checked out all the equipment and said that they fully understood about the ruined tent. They thanked Tanner for the mangled remnant and the pictures he promised to send because it would help in making a claim to their insurance company.
The first thing the guys did after getting back their keys, billfolds, and cell phones was to call home to let loved ones hear their voices to know for sure they were okay. After that, they headed for their cars to dump their dirty clothes and find clean outfits to put on after they had showers.
When Tommy and Tanner saw Josh and Eric enter the same stall together, and Dane and Colt do likewise, they decided to share one too. It had been a few nights since they'd shared their bodies and they were certainly up for it.
After washing each other's hair and soaping each other up thoroughly, they rubbed their bodies together while kissing deeply. Their fingers strayed to intimate places and their breathing became ragged. In a very short time, they exploded, producing enough cum to make the floor of the shower slippery. Along with their jizz, a lot of stress and anxiety from the storm flowed out of their bodies. They scrubbed the floor with their feet to help send it all down the drain.
From the grins that other couples wore upon exiting the showers, Tommy and Tanner knew they weren't the only ones to have had some quality time.
Tim used a razor he'd kept in the van to trim his beard into a chin-strap with a pencil thin line down his jaw. He looked really hot! He was pretty sure his efforts would get him a warm reception from Melody when he got home and was "saving" himself until then.
The only one who didn't have a partner to help him out anytime soon was Tucker, and he'd found release by his own hand while getting the lake residue off his body. He hoped to get inspired again at Mazo Beach the next afternoon.
After bidding Alan and Brad adieu, the rest of guys got on the road for southern Wisconsin. It would have been out of the way for Eric and Josh, but Mazo Beach wasn't far from Madison and they were planning to spend a few days with Dane and Colt who were currently living in the area. They invited the Middleton bunch to stay with them too, but the Torrance boys figured it would be too much of an imposition and insisted that they wanted to camp out close to the beach because it would shorten their drive home the next day, but would meet them at the beach.
After getting their tents set up at the campground, Tim asked his brothers if they wanted to get supplies to cook there, but they all opted for a meal in a restaurant – something with a big salad. They had camped rough long enough and were eager for a taste of civilization again. However, when they returned from dinner, they did build a small fire to make a few s'mores.
During the night, an electrical storm passed over. The precipitation didn't amount to more than a few sprinkles, but the lighting and thunder presented quite a show. In the middle of it Tuck woke up screaming. Tim was afraid that his little brother was in pain, but it turned out to be a nightmare.
"Man, it was like this big tree was crushing my chest! I couldn't breathe!"
"Come over and lie on my sleeping bag. We can pull yours over us. I'll protect you from the elements."
"I'm not a baby," Tuck protested.
"I know you're not. You can be my Teddy bear and we'll protect each other."
"Okay, but I'll have to look for my boxers."
"No problem. I'm naked too. It's not as if I'm gonna rape you."
"I know you'd never hurt me. I'm okay with it if you are."
Tuck went back to sleep nude in the comfort of Tim's embrace.
Early the next morning, they broke camp and packed up the minivan. After a big breakfast at a local café, they headed for the beach by way of a grocery store where they purchased bread, lunch meat, cheese, fruit and bottled water for a picnic.
Tuck and Tim settled in the "family section" while Tommy and Tanner staked out a spot in the area where it was all males. Tuck was sort of hoping to see a girl his age like he had the year before. Kylee still appeared in his dreams occasionally, always accompanied by great feelings and a wet spot on his sheets. On this day, he wasn't having much luck. However he did catch sight of a college girl that piqued his interest and made it necessary for him to turn over on his stomach.
This year Tommy and Tanner weren't hesitant to be around a bunch of guys they suspected were gay, and didn't need the presence of other family members to make them feel comfortable in the situation. They were pretty sure they could handle anything that might come up, but didn't think anyone would be overbearing. Everyone, young or old, seemed pleasant enough and not scary at all.
They'd been at Mazo for about an hour when the other four joined them. Josh and Eric picked a spot near them while Dane and Colt went off to talk with Tim and Tuck.
Since it was Sunday, the place was pretty busy even in the morning. Many of the guys in the all male section seemed to be even less inhibited than the ones last year. Two middle-aged men were performing oral sex under a big umbrella and a couple of younger guys were slowly jacking each other, backing off about the time either of them was about to cum.
Tommy and Tanner weren't sure they were ready to do a lot in front of a bunch of strangers, but they did exchange sensuous kisses. Josh and Eric made out some as well. They were all sporting hardons when Colt and Dane joined them.
"I haven't seen this much wood since the blow-down up North a couple of nights ago," Colt quipped.
"It is an amazing and wonderful sight," Dane agreed.
A couple of other young guys who were nearby overheard the exchange and wanted to know about the storm. They were fascinated by the details that they got firsthand. Josh pulled his digital camera out of his bag to show them some of the pictures of the destruction. It wasn't long before they'd made two new acquaintances.
Tim and Tuck came along around noon carrying the cooler and a couple of bags of bread and chips. Dane had packed a similar lunch, so there was more than enough food for everyone. They invited the two guys they'd just met to join them.
After lunch, Tim said he thought they should get on the road within the next hour so they could be home well before dinner. While it would be nice to stay longer, the beach was becoming more crowded and they were already getting more exposure to the sun than they probably should. He handed out lotion and made sure his brothers were well "basted" so they wouldn't burn anything important.
When it was time to leave, they hugged their buddies before they got dressed to hike back to the van. Anyone witnessing the exchange would know it was an expression of brotherly love and nothing sexual.
The ride home was quiet except for Tuck's soft snoring. Evidently his sleep pattern had been disrupted enough by the storm to knock him out. His brothers let him rest. Tommy and Tanner did enough of the driving to let Tim have a nap as well. They kept each other awake.
From the reception they got at home, one would have assumed they'd been off on a long military deployment. Melody was there as were Lee, Peter, Jared, Bobby, and Jake. Jake's brother and Drake were visiting a college friend in one of the western suburbs and his father was stuck in LA until Monday evening, so he'd been staying with Lee and Peter.
Tark had steaks ready to grill and the fridge was loaded with salads, watermelon and other summertime favorites.
After the boys had unloaded the van and put their tents and sleeping bags on the clothesline to air, they sat for a while in the living room to share stories of their adventure. In the midst of it, Tori toddled over to her basket of board books and pulled out one about a fuzzy caterpillar. She climbed up on the love seat where Tommy and Tanner were sitting and proceeded to nestle between them.
"Read," she said as she thrust the book toward Tanner.
Everyone was surprised that she didn't choose Tim or Tuck, but were more than pleased that she was bonding with her other brothers as well. None was happier than Tanner. He pulled her up on his lap and read to her, tuning out everyone's conversation.
Having their tummies filled again made the returned campers drowsy. They weren't the only ones. Tori had lain down across Tommy and Tanner's laps and had nodded off. As soon as they were sure she was sound asleep, Tim picked her up and carried her to room. Melody went with him.
After Tori was placed in her bed, Tim and Melody kissed hungrily. When they came up for air, Tim told her how much he had missed her.
"Being up there with the guys was awesome but it was really hard being away from you."
"It still is hard," she joked as she caressed his package.
"What are we gonna do? I think I'll be in pain all night," Tim sighed.
"Not to worry, my future husband and father of my kids; you're taking me home in a few minutes."
"Okay, but you know how it scares me to get caught by your dad. I don't know if I could look him in the eye."
"He's not so naïve that he doesn't know we make love. Besides, I didn't tell you whose home we're going to. Don't you remember that Mindy's parent took Chas and her to a resort in Missouri for a long weekend? She gave me the key to their house and promised not to be back until Tuesday night."
The smile on Tim's face grew bigger and bigger. Now the only problem was getting out of the house without his parents seeing the tent in his shorts.
Teri lay awake for a bit thinking about her boys. When she'd heard the news reports about the storm in northern Minnesota, she had been concerned about their safety. She knew them well enough to assume they would survive whatever came their way. They were young, strong, and resourceful. However, a mother always worries – at least a little.
When they had jumped out of the van, it nearly took her breath away to see how adult they all looked – even Tucker. In her mind, she knew they hadn't changed much in the week they'd been gone, but she was now looking at them with a fresh eye and could see she'd missed how mature they'd become. Her nest would be emptier in a little over a year when Tommy and Tanner went off the college. Tuck would follow a couple of years later. At least she had her little daughter to nurture until one or more of her boys gave her grandchildren to spoil.
She snuggled up to Tark's back and went to sleep. She didn't hear Tim creep up the stairs sometime after 1:00.
Author's notes: Thanks to the many who emailed since last week. They include: Roger L, Bob, Walter Sz, Walt S, Bill T, Tom A, Rutabaga, Danny A, Paul F, Jim M, Jay G (Someone), Ott H, Harry T, Jim W, Jim C, Trish R and Paul R.
Please offer your thoughts and prayers for the many in Colorado affected by the devastating forest fires.
David