Two's Company; Three's... Awesome!
© 2022 by David Lee
In their first year of college, Ian O'Brien, Aurelio De la Garza, and Adrian Cumberbatch were thrown together in the same large corner room at McKensy Hall, the oldest dorm on campus. It was furnished with bunk beds and a twin. The latter was set against a nearby wall. The guys were going to flip a coin to see who would be stuck with the upper bunk, but Ian offered to use it because he'd had that situation growing up with an older brother. At his suggestion, they made up their beds so their feet were pointing toward the same corner. He knew that guys' feet were often more offensive than their morning-breath.
The teenagers were from three different worlds. Ian was of British Isles descent, Aurelio's grandparents had emigrated from south of the US border, and Adrian came from Barbados, where his parents still resided. His ancestors had been brought there as slaves from Africa to work the sugar cane fields several centuries ago.
They were different in appearance too. Ian had fair skin, pale blue-green eyes, and ginger hair. His cheeks were rosy with a few freckles. He had a lean, lightly-muscled body from swimming and running track.
Aurelio was a mixture of Spanish and Aztec ancestors. His hair was jet black and his eyes were a chocolate brown. His skin always looked as if he spent time in the sun. However, it was a natural tan that many Caucasians would kill for. He too, had a firm body, but its contours were a bit softer than Ian's.
The darkest member of the group was Adrian. If he spent time in the sun, the exposed parts of his body resembled polished ebony. With hair the color of black ink, eyes nearly as dark, and teeth like pearls, he was stunning. When he smiled, his full lips opened to create a glow the likes of which could have been used in a toothpaste ad.
Given their differences, it would seem like they would have nothing in common, much less that they might become close buddies. However, life doesn't always play out in accordance with human suppositions.
Fate seemed to have had a hand in their placement. Each, for various reasons, had ended up being part of the last three males registered for the freshman class that year. It resulted in having no choice in where, or with whom, they'd be housed for the first term.
Ian, being a white boy of privilege, with a well-developed social conscience, decided that he should be the one to make everyone feel comfortable in their unplanned situation. Perhaps it was presumptuous on his part, but that thought never entered is mind. He had learned his notions of acceptance from his family. In fact, these young men had all been brought up in households which believed that everyone was created equal and no one should be treated differently because of the color of their skin or which holidays they observed. Of course, experience had taught them that not everyone held the same opinions.
Unbeknownst to them, there was another trait they shared, but it was a secret which they were hesitant to disclose. It's not always wise to reveal too much to strangers about one's inner being.
Ian began what he considered his "mission" by getting everyone to share some ordinary, non-controversial, details about their lives. He took the opportunity to emphasize their mutual interests as opposed to their outward appearances which differed so greatly. In the process, the guys discovered that they all came from families who valued education and who had the means to support their sons in pursuing their college ambitions. All three families were politically progressive and practiced the Christian religion but didn't feel the need to impose their beliefs on others.
The boys were alike in other ways, too. All had scored well in their college-entrance exams and none was into abusing drugs or alcohol. In addition, all three were blessed with an easy-going temperament and a wicked sense of humor. They would soon find that the things they had in common far outweighed their racial and cultural differences.
The three also had several of the same core classes; however, they were in different sections for some of them. It was going to be advantageous to study together for tests. It might even make the process enjoyable.
At the end of the first week, the trio decided to go to the rec center to exercise and relax. They took workout clothes, clean underwear, and towels in their duffel bags so that after they showered, they could go directly to dinner without making a return trip to the dorm.
It turned out that all of them had some experience in weightlifting and using various exercise equipment. They coached and spotted for one another and generally had a fine time.
As they were toweling off after their showers, Adrian noticed that Ian seemed to be looking at his body with what appeared to be more than a casual interest.
"Are you checking out my big black dick, white boy?" he said with a disarming grin.
"As a matter of fact, I am, stud," Ian bantered back. "What are the odds that two out of three roommates would be uncut?"
He dropped his towel on the bench to prove that he was uncircumcised like his friend.
"I'd say the odds are better than having all three roommates with their original skin," Aurelio snickered, moving over next to them to show off his prepuce. "I think we're a bit of a rarity in the US. We'd blend right in with many guys across the pond."
"Awesome!" Ian exclaimed. "Once again, we have shared traits."
During dinner, they teens kept grinning at each other and joking about their newly discovered similarity. They'd been almost overly modest about not baring it all in their room. Now, that barrier had been broken. They felt closer for the experience, and the conversation during their meal showed it.
"Um, I've been hesitant about bringing up this subject, but I believe now is a good time," Adrian said. "Am I the only one who dislikes wearing boxers to bed? Do either of you hate getting your balls strangled?"
His roommates raised their hands, Ian raising both.
"So, you're proposing that we should all sleep raw if we wish, and no one would be offended?" Aurelio asked.
"Yes," Adrian continued. "We're all guys and we live on an all-male floor. Even if we were stark naked with the door open, no one would be shocked. I'm fairly sure that some others hang around with nothing on at times. I went by Tim and Allen's room and caught site of Tim's bare bum as he was sitting at his desk working on his laptop."
"I'm in favor of being more causal," Ian added. "My older brother and I used to run around like nudists when the `rents were gone."
Freshmen don't always get ideal class schedules, especially when they have late registration numbers. Although computer programs help to make things better than the old field house system of 50 years ago, some will have gaps in the middle of the day or have unusually early or late sections. Such was the case for this trio. Aurelio and Adrian were forced to get up earlier than they liked. Ian had one class which ended around 4:30 PM. He especially hated that on Fridays.
All three used the gaps in the middle of their days to study in the library, sometimes together when those periods coincided.
It was on one of those late Fridays that Ian's professor had a medical emergency and class was canceled. Ian was irritated that he didn't know about it until he'd trudged all the way across campus to Morgan Hall. However, he knew the teacher didn't have any control over the situation either. At least, there would be time to kick back with his roommates before dinner.
Arriving back at the dorm, Ian slipped his keycard in their door and entered the room quietly. He was surprised to see Adrian and Aurelio lying close together in their underwear on Adrian's bunk. From the bulges in those briefs, it was evident that they hadn't been discussing a math assignment.
"Um, what's going on here?" he inquired.
"Oh shit!" Aurelio exclaimed. "Please don't tell on us! We'll understand if you don't want to room with us anymore, but please don't out us!"
"We didn't think you'd be home," Adrian added, casting his eyes at the floor. "We wouldn't have embarrassed you on purpose."
"Okay, I'm not upset with you and I'm not going to tell anyone. I am disappointed that you didn't trust me enough to let me know. I'm also sad that I can't be as close to either of you as you seem to be with each other, if that makes any sense. I'm into guys just like you appear to be and I find you both extremely attractive. I'd love to get off with you!"
"Are you serious?" Aurelio asked. "We've discussed how hot you are and how bad we feel about not being upfront. Would you be interested in shucking your jeans and shirt and joining us?"
By way of answer, Ian got undressed down to his briefs while the other two moved the twin bed next to Adrian's lower bunk to give them a bigger space to play on.
Ian was ecstatic. He'd jacked off with buddies in middle school, but he'd never cuddled or kissed with another male. Suddenly, he was doing both activities with two other guys. His dick expanded until it felt uncomfortably confined. As he tried to adjust it, Aurelio pulled his brief down to free its contents. Ian sighed in relief as he helped his roommates out of their underwear too.
"Let's not make a mess on the sheets which I just changed yesterday," Adrian asked. "We can wash the throw rug if we get anything on it."
The trio moved to the floor where they sat cross-legged with their knees touching.
"Looking at Aurelio, Ian said, "How about I jack you and you jack Adrian, and he can jack me. Then, someone can call for us to switch and we'll do the other one, so we get to participate equally."
The others were fine with Ian's proposal and they began to slowly pleasure one another. Adrian kicked it up a notch when he used his free hand to fondle Aurelio's balls. Aurelio did the same to Ian who passed the favor on to Adrian. It wasn't long before they were nearing the point of no return.
"Switch!" Adrian cried, wanting to experience another guy's technique before he blew.
They switched. Then Ian leaned his head closer to the middle and said, "Kiss?"
The others responded immediately. Three pairs of lips met and opened. Three tongues began to wrestle together. That was all the stimulation the boys could stand without exploding. No one was certain who shot the first volley because their orgasms were so closely timed. Everyone's abs were soon covered with jizz.
This time, Aurelio took the lead and smeared the cum from his body on the other two guys. They followed suit until everyone was equally coated. Then, Aurelio got a big grin on his face and licked his fingers. Again, the other two followed his example.
Amazingly, no one felt any guilt or embarrassment. They all participated in kissing in the afterglow.
"You were right, again, Ian," Adrian said.
"About what?"
"That we all have a lot more in common than anyone could imagine!"
After dinner, the guys agreed not to let their new level of intimacy distract them from getting their homework done before Monday. They were determined to do well in their studies. Adrian said that his parents would insist that he return home if he didn't keep up a good average.
However, they did decide to all sleep together that night. The twin bed was still pushed tight against the bunk and the boys were interested in snuggling. Ian won the coin-toss and got the middle position. After sleeping on the spot where the metal frames came together, he wasn't sure if it was a win. However, the presence of another nude male body on each side of him was definitely a plus.
As the fall semester progressed, the roommates realized that there were several benefits in their relationship. For one thing, they weren't wasting time going out looking for playmates. They had all the intimacy they wanted right in their room. Also, they didn't experience any of the drama that often accompanies the search for a soulmate. On top of that, they helped each other with studies rather than being competitive.
Their grades at midterm were higher than those of many of their friends. Life was looking very good.
The only downside of fall term was that Thanksgiving would partially split them up. They hated to be apart for even a few days. Ian managed to salvage things to an extent. Knowing that Adrian wasn't planning to go to Barbados for the short holiday, he invited him to his house. Since Aurelio lived only half an hour away, Ian asked him to come on Friday and Saturday if his parents were amenable.
Ian's parents were delighted that he'd made good buddies in college, and they were pleased to have the other boys as guests.
Thanksgiving isn't a holiday that's uniformly celebrated around the world. Many countries have some kind of harvest festival, but the dates vary widely. Adrian wasn't used to it because Barbados doesn't have an official one. There is a celebration in summer, but it's not like the ones on the North American continent.
He was delighted to take part in the feast with all of its traditional foods. Having been brought up to be mannerly and polite, Adrian was the perfect guest.
Ian's brother, Sean, was home for the holiday, and the two of them shared their bedroom with the bunk beds. Adrian was given the guest room with a queen sized one. He would have loved to be sharing it with Ian, but that was currently out of the question.
Things changed for the better when Sean left on Friday to spend the rest of the break with his girlfriend and her family. Aurelio arrived in the afternoon and Ian's parents had a dinner obligation that evening.
The boys order pizza for an early supper and spent a couple of hours in Adrian's bed while they had the house to themselves.
"We've all tasted each other's cum, so what I was thinking about doing shouldn't offend any of us."
"I wouldn't be offended about doing anything with either of you," Aurelio grinned. "I'm not sure I'm ready to take either of those monsters up my butt, but the idea doesn't upset me, it's only the thought of the pain!"
"I'm not ready for that yet either," Ian said. "I was thinking about the most egalitarian form of sex two people can engage in. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be the same for three."
"I'm mystified," Adrian admitted. "Haven't we done that with mutual masturbation?"
"I guess, but I was thinking of doing something oral."
"Wow!" Aurelio exclaimed. "Like sucking!"
"Yup. It would be similar to 69. When more than two are involved, some people call it a daisy-chain. We could switch about halfway through so everyone gets to taste everyone else. If we take the loads in our mouths and share them in a three-way kiss, it would be about as equitable as we could get."
"I'm in," Aurelia said.
"Me too," Adrian agreed.
It was awesome!
On Saturday, Ian planned a hike for his friends at the Palisades Kepler State Park which was only about a half-hour's drive from his house. It had a number of trails and some great scenery. Although the weather would be relatively cool, it would still be decent. The leaves had long-since fallen but the views along the river were great even when the trees were bare. Ian's mother packed them a picnic lunch with a large thermos of soup to help keep them warm.
The crisp fresh air was welcome after spending several days indoors with little exercise. Ian's guests were delighted with the plans he'd made. They were among the very few people to be out on that day. Probably most were either out getting a jump on Christmas shopping or home watching football.
On one of the trails, there's a six-sided gazebo made of rock quarried locally. There are walls about waist high with benches built on the inside. At this place, the guys stopped to eat their lunch.
The sun was shining brightly by early afternoon and the temperature had risen higher than predicted. The guys really didn't need the winter coats they'd worn and decided to shed them. Ian got a mischievous grin on his face as he posed a question.
"Have you ever thought about doing something risky?" he asked.
"Like betting on the Cubs to win the World Series next year?" Aurelio grinned.
"Or having unprotected sex with a complete stranger?" Adrian frowned.
"Well, not exactly that dangerous, but sex is involved," Ian said. "I was thinking about doing each other out here where there might be a slight possibility of getting caught."
"Hmm.... You have my full attention," Aurelio ran his hand over the bulge in his jeans to illustrate his point
.
Knowing that someone could hike in their direction and catch them in the act heightened their senses. The partial walls were high enough to keep them pretty well hidden from the waist down. Of course, there were the open doorways which could expose their activities.
In the interest of fairness, Ian proposed that two guys could stand at the same time and the other kneel. The kneeling person would give one of the standing guys head while the other kissed him and kept watch over his shoulder. After a few minutes, the guy who had been getting sucked would take care of the boy who had kissed him while the original sucker kissed the guy who was being serviced. Then they would switch again. Each one would be on the giving or receiving end sometime in the process. It sounds a bit complicated, but it worked out. Eventually, everyone came in someone's mouth and all shared deep kisses which left them feeling fulfilled.
A few minutes later, they saw a couple heading their way and realized that they'd been lucky.
Back a school, the guys had mixed emotions about the end of the term. It would be great not to have the pressure of studying when their finals were over, but the prospect of Christmas vacation and being apart for several weeks put a damper on their elation. While Aurelio and Ian lived close enough to see each other during that time, Adrian would be going home to Barbados to be with his family. When they discussed it, Adrian took an unselfish stance.
"I hope you two can get together for some fun while we're apart. I'll be okay with, um, taking myself in hand. I promise not to be jealous, though I'll envy you just a bit."
"I don't know how we can have sex without feeling like we're cheating on you," Aurelio shook his head.
"Okay, here's the deal. Neither of you is married to me, and I've already urged you to share your bodies in my absence. Perhaps you can send me a few details and maybe some pix so I can fantasize while I'm getting myself off."
"We can do that," Ian agreed. "Still, we're gonna miss that big cock of yours."
"And I'll be missing two big cocks," Adrian grinned.
The roommates felt good about their final exams. They had studied hard and consistently throughout the whole semester and knew that they'd done well.
For the upcoming semester, they'd been offered different accommodations since some students were pledging to fraternities and others weren't returning. Of course, none of them wanted to break the bond they'd formed, so they chose to remain in the three-person room.
Being apart for the weeks of winter break was difficult for the trio. The only positive thing was that it made them realize how strongly they'd become attached. All three exchanged emails frequently. Each had accounts that their families knew nothing about, and that made it easy to share pictures as well as notes. Adrian started it by sending a photo of his abs covered with cum. It looked particularly impressive against his dark skin. He included a selfie in which he licked some of it off his fingers. That inspired his roommates to send him similar ones.
Aurelio set up a pose with the two of them lying opposite directions on the bed with his legs over Ian's and their balls touching. This placed their dicks within easy reach so they could jack one another at the same time. He made a short video which began just before they started to cum. Knowing that their partner would be sharing it made them all the hotter. Both unloaded like porn stars.
Ian and Aurelio managed to get together twice during vacation. The second time, Aurelio invited Ian to his house for New Year's Eve. Aurelio's younger siblings were going to be at an all-night gathering in the church basement. His parents were invited to an adult party which would last into the wee hours. Therefore, the college boys were left alone in the house to do as they pleased.
Consuela De la Garza had prepared several tasty snacks for the party she was attending. She left samples of several for the boys along with a small bottle of Champaign and a warning about not driving anywhere. Aurelio rolled his eyes at her admonition, but he appreciated the fact that she was interested in his wellbeing.
At 11:00 PM central time, Aurelio's laptop signaled that he had incoming mail. It was from Adrian with the title, "Cumming into the New Year." As one might imagine, it was a short clip of him doing just that.
The boys responded that they would send him something similar when they reached the magic hour. Of course, they carried through with a juicy greeting for him.
When winter break ended, the three buddies renewed their union as soon as they could. Ian and Aurelio were 10 minutes early to meet Adrian's plane at the airport. His smile, upon seeing then, was bright enough to light up a whole room. They nearly hugged the life out of him before accompanying him to the baggage carousel. Had it not been a public place, they would have kissed him as well.
In their dorm room, Ian suggested that Aurelio and he should give Adrian a four-hand massage with a happy ending to show how much they'd missed him. Adrian said he needed to shower first, so the guys all went to the bathroom on their wing. Since no one else was in there, they left the curtains gapped open and showed off for each other. All three boned up and had to turn the water toward the cold side to tame their cocks enough to wrap their towels around their loins and hurry back to their room.
After they'd pulled the twin bed away from the wall, Aurelio spread a big beach towel over it. He asked Adrian to lie face-down. Then he moved to one side of it and Ian took the other. They warmed the lightly-scented oil in their hands and began to work on Adrian's back. They'd watched several videos on the `net in preparation for this reunion.
When they got down to Adrian's waist, the moved to his feet and worked their way up to his buns. There, they spent more time in rubbing ever close to the cleft. Adrian adjusted himself so that his big phallus pointed toward his feet. It got lightly brushed occasionally as the other two worked on his thighs again.
Eventually, they asked Adrian to turn over. When he did, his erection proudly pointed toward the ceiling. He was hoping his roommates would massage it soon and bring him relief. However, that wasn't in their plans, just yet.
In tandem, they sucked on his nipples while running their hands over his armpits. In response to his moans of pleasure, they licked those as well.
Then, they went for his feet again, sucking on his toes before licking their way up his legs. For the finale, they licked and sucked his nads and then trapped the head of his cock between their lips and tongues.
Adrian's whimpering let them know he was close. He clawed at the towel and his whole body went rigid just before his orgasm hit.
In the afterglow, the two masseurs lay on their sides with a leg over one of Adiran's. They kissed, sharing the load with him.
"Maybe I should take a two-week vacation every so often. If this is the reception I get when I come back, it might be worth the abstinence," Adrian said. "I've never felt anything like this -- not even close!"
Since a number of their dormmates went home on weekends, the guys often took the opportunity to all sleep together on Friday and Saturday nights. By pushing the twin bed against the lower bunk, they could make it up like a king-sized one. If they roped them together and slept on it sideways, no one was in danger of falling in the crack feeling the bed-frame as much.
It was on a Saturday night in early February that Ian said he needed to make a confession to his roommates. Both wondered what he was about to say.
"I have to get this off my chest. I hope you won't be angry with me when I'm done. The truths is that I've fallen in love. I didn't mean to, but it happened."
"Um, who is he, or is it a `she?'" Adrian asked. "Is it someone we know?"
"Yup, it's you, that is, both of you. I thought I could just enjoy playing around without involving any emotions, but I was wrong. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry; I'm thrilled," Adrian replied.
"Me too!" Aurelio added.
"Oh wow!" Ian exclaimed as both of his lovers embraced and kissed him.
The happy trio celebrated the new plateau of their relationship by engaging in their favorite activity of lying in a triangle and pleasuring each other orally, switching positions from time to time so all participated as equally as possible. As usual, they shared the results in a three-way kiss.
On Sunday afternoon, while rearranging their beds in case they had visitors, they discussed how they could make their relationship last.
"You know, some Mormons out in Utah marry more than one person" Aurelio said. "Remember there was the reality show about sister-wives?' Why couldn't there be brother-husbands?'"
"Well, for one thing, those people don't believe in same sex marriage. Also, it's against the law in most places in the US." Ian reminded him.
"Maybe we could marry each other in different countries," Adrian suggested. "Like you two could marry here and one of you could marry me in Mexico, and the other could marry me in a Caribbean country."
"That would still be illegal because we'd have to lie that we were single when applying for a marriage license," Ian shook his head. "We have to find a way to stay together. We need to work on a plan to keep Adrian in the US this summer and find a place to live together for the rest of our time in school.
"I'll bet some of us could get jobs as campus guides to show prospective students and their parents around in the summer. There might be internships available too," Ian thought aloud. "All of us have either scholarships or doting grandparents to help pay our bills. We wouldn't have to get high-paying jobs."
"That's easy for you to say, Ian," Aurelio grumbled. "Your family has money and hasn't faced the discrimination some of us minorities have in this country."
"My immediate family hasn't, but my great-grandfather did. He came over here at a time when job ads specified that no Irish need apply."
"Wow, I didn't know that."
"Me neither," Adrian said. "I thought all white Protestants were equal."
"Many of them were. However, my family was Catholic at the time. I've read that some people wouldn't vote for John F Kennedy because he was Irish and Catholic. Joe Biden didn't have that problem, but some priests denied him the eucharist because he doesn't oppose abortion," Ian reminded them. "I think we've established that all of our families are Episcopalian now."
Before the month of February was over, Ian texted his father, Riley, about the possibility of purchasing a little house or a mobile home where his roommates and he could live for the next three years of their college career. He was surprised to get a message back almost immediately from his dad who said he would look into it soon. Traditionally, property in a college town held its value through all sorts of economic ups and downs.
"Are you sure that your roommates are going to be comfortable sharing with a gay man?" Riley texted. "I think you need to be completely transparent."
(Having been on his high school debater team, Ian was able to formulate his response quickly before he answered. He didn't want to out his buds because he knew that Adrian's parents didn't know about their son's orientation. Aurelio hadn't come out formally either. Therefore, Ian needed to be careful in what he said.)
"I've been upfront. They know I'm gay and they're okay with it. We don't keep any secrets from each other," Ian replied. "Having darker skin, they have a lot of empathy for other people who are often discriminated against because of factors they can't control."
"That's great! I've been well impressed with them when they've been to our house. I don't think you'll ever find better associates."
And so, the search began.
In March on the Friday before spring break, Riley O'Brien came to town to meet with a real estate agent who had found something which might be suitable. It wasn't exactly the kind of property Ian had mentioned, so his dad wanted his roommates and him to see it before he made an offer.
It had initially been a neighborhood grocery store. The brick structure had been turned into a four-unit apartment building about 40 years before. The downstairs floor was devoted entirely to a three-bedroom flat. Above it were three small one-bedroom apartments.
The couple who had lived there since repurposing the building were in poor health and wanted to move to a retirement community. The husband had suffered a slight stroke recently and his wife had convinced him to put it on the market.
Several things contributed to the deal they were ready to make. Family homes were scarce, but there wasn't a lot of interest in this kind of dwelling. It was a sound structure but needed a lot of updating. The couple had to have cash to be able to put a large enough amount of money toward the condo they were about to purchase.
After taking a tour of the downstairs and one of the second-floor apartments, Riley huddled with the young men to get their take on it.
"If I buy this place, I'll need your help in refurbishing it. I know Ian can paint and do a lot of fix-it jobs, but he'll need assistance from you. Also, if I own it, I'll give him the largest bedroom and you two can flip a coin for the others. I will charge you less than you're paying for your dorm room. Of course, my son will live here free. With the rents from the upper units, I'll still be fine financially. I have the cash to cover the sale, so I think I can talk them into lowering the price a bit. I don't want to cheat them, but I'm not going to go above what I think I can get out of it when I eventually sell it.
"Another advantage for all of you is that it will be available before the semester ends. You could begin repainting your rooms before you have to move out of the dorm and you would have a place to live this summer if you can get jobs here. In return for the painting you do, I won't charge you any rent until fall."
"I think that would be wonderful!" Adrian enthused. "I'm getting a paid internship with a local business which will allow me to stay here instead of going back to Barbados. I'm pretty certain that the color of my skin is part of why I was picked, but that's okay with me. The place is trying to show that it has a diversified workforce, and I'm darker than anyone they've ever seen."
Adrian stayed in the states for spring break. None of the guys chose to go south for it. Yes, they'd have loved being in a warmer place to play in the surf, but with the crowds getting rowdier in Florida, they felt safer in chilly Iowa. When reports of West Point cadets overdosing on drugs and shootings taking place, the young men felt they'd made the right decision.
This time, Aurelio's family invited Adrian to spend the vacation with them, and Ian got together with them a couple of times. On one occasion, Aurelio invited Ian for a sleepover. This was a new experience for Adrian. It wasn't a custom among his group of friends back home, and since the climate there was warm, he didn't have a sleeping bag to use when they "camped out" in the family room. So, Aurelio lent him one.
They stayed up late eating popcorn and watching movies. They also played around after they were sure everyone in the family was sound asleep.
A few days later, the guys all went for an extended bike ride. Ian lent his brother's 21-speed to Adrian. It was a sunny, warm spring day, and within an hour, they didn't need the lightweight windbreakers they'd had on at the beginning of their ride. Those got tied around their waists by the sleeves.
At noon, they saw a wooded area not far from the trail which looked like an inviting place to take a break and have lunch. Locking their bikes together around a small tree near the edge, they penetrated a bit further on foot. There was a small clearing, about 15 feet in, which was a perfect spot to eat and relax.
They ate slowly, not wanting to feel overloaded when it would be time to get back on the trail. After polishing off their food, they put their jackets on the ground like pillows and lay down close together to let their lunch digest. The warm sun felt great. This might not be a beach in Florida, but it was almost as pleasant.
Ian looked over at his two companions and thought about how lucky they all were to have connected. Everyone's manhood was nicely displayed in their lycra shorts. He couldn't resist the urge to run his hands over his buddies' bulges. In doing so, he caused them to test the strength of the fabric.
"You're a naughty boy, Ian," Aurelio grinned.
"Yeah, and what are you gonna do about it?"
"I think I'll suck that spot of precum that's forming in your shorts."
With that, Aurelio turned around and made good on his vow, forming the second side of what would soon become a triangle. It wasn't long before all of their shorts were rolled down to their knees and they were giving one another the pleasure they craved. Ian was the one to call, "switch" this time. After a few more minutes, each received his sticky reward which they shared as usual.
"I think you're an instigator, Ian," Adrian said.
"How so?"
"You're the one who gets things started. You took the lead and got us to realize how much we have in common. You checked out my dick in the locker room and got us comparing our foreskins."
"Are you saying I was using my `white privilege' to push you guys?"
"Nope. I'm not complaining! Call it whatever; you helped turn us into the tight group we are today. I love you guys."
"Me too," Aurelio spoke up.
"Me three," Ian grinned.
School started back up with a vengeance after break was over. In the past, the guys had experienced the phenomenon of time seeming to speed up the last part of the term. However, it was more dramatic in college. Not only were the usual class expectations present, but there was also the expectation of working on the apartment building when Ian's father took possession. Fortunately, that didn't happen until the end of exam week.
When it did, there was more work than Riley had bargained for. The lady who was selling the place simply ran out of energy to get it properly vacated. Her kids were all busy with their jobs and she didn't feel she could spend a lot on hiring help.
Riley came to her rescue by agreeing to accept the building with most of the furnishings still in it. He encouraged her children to take whatever they had a sentimental attachment to, and he would deal with the rest. It would work out okay for all parties involved. The owner wouldn't have to worry about disposing of everything and there was plenty of good-quality furniture for the guys to use when they moved in.
Ian was particularly pleased with the king sized bed in the master bedroom. He planned to have both his lovers share it with him. It was relatively new and was squeaky clean. With new bedding, it would be more sanitary than sleeping in a hotel.
The dining set and the living room furnishings were all in good shape and in neutral colors. Once there was new paint and carpet, a few decorative items would pull together a color scheme which would make everything work.
The dressers and beds were made of good hardwood and could be cleaned and polished to look like new. They were superior in quality to a lot of what was on the market these days. It would require elbow grease, but the results would be great.
Adrian could have squeezed in a trip home between the last exam and the beginning of his internship, but he decided not to for several reasons. For one thing, he wasn't happy about the prospect of spending the money. His parents would have sent him the ticket, but he didn't wish to be a burden on them.
Also, he had no desire to be away from his buddies like he had been over Christmas break. Then too, he felt he should contribute time working on the building since he would be living in it rent-free for the summer.
As a result, his mother, Ayanna, decided that she would pay him a visit instead. He wasn't sure how his friends would feel about it.
"Hey, Mates, I have good news and bad, all rolled into one. I'll get to see my mum, but she's coming here and that could throw a spanner into the works."
"We'll have to paint one of the bedrooms so she'll have a decent place to sleep. That is, if she doesn't mind staying with us," Ian said.
"You're ready to play host to my mother?" Adrian asked, a bit astonished.
"Of course," Ian answered. "I'm sure she'd do the same for one of us. We need to see if we can get all of our families together for a least one meal while she's here. You've met Aurelio's parents and mine. I think all the in-laws should get acquainted."
"That's the other problem. She doesn't know that I'm gay. I haven't come out to my parents in any way, shape, or manner. Your parents know about you. Something embarrassing could arise that I wouldn't know how to deal with."
"My family won't say anything about anyone's orientation," Aurelio said. I doubt Ian's would either. Let's play it by ear. She might not assume you're gay by association even if she finds out about the two of us."
"Okay," Adrian sighed. "I'll tell her she's welcome to stay with us and empathize that we're in the midst of redecorating and she can decide if she wants to spring for a motel room."
The college guys soon traded their books for paint, brushes, and rollers. The day of the last final, they moved out of the dorm and into the lower apartment. Ian made up the large bed with fresh linens while the other two arranged their clothing in the walk-in closet. It was outfitted with two tiers of rods for shorter things and a higher one for longer ones, separated by a tall chest with drawers for underwear and socks. Given the size of it, they wouldn't need any furniture besides the bed and nightstands. They considered adding a recliner just to use up some of the space.
They still had cafeteria privileges until after dinner the following night, so they decided to take advantage of the meals rather than to have to cook. That would give them time to paint at least one bedroom and maybe two before Adrian's mother arrived.
A slightly warm white was the color of paint they chose for all the ceilings and walls of the main part of the apartment. They agreed that it would be easier than trying to cut in close with a brush or mask part of it off. They could always add bright pillows in the living room and comforters and bolsters in the bedrooms to make the place look colorful.
Before Ayanna's plane was scheduled to land on Saturday evening, the bedroom and bathroom she would be using were both finished and aired out enough so the paint odor shouldn't be a problem for her.
Ian's parents came on Friday night to check on the painting progress and to take the guys out to dinner. They had another motive. Riley thought he should leave their big SUV to use while Adrian's mother was in town. He would drive Ian's pickup back home. Adrian was impressed that his buddy's family would go to the effort for his mother's comfort.
The connecting flight from Atlanta was about 20 minutes late in leaving but made up most of that time in the air. Thus, the boys didn't have a lot of time to kill before Ayanna's plane touched down.
She was exhausted, having arisen very early for her initial plane to the US. Adrian and Aurelio waited with her at the baggage carousel while Ian went to the short-term parking to get his parent's vehicle so he could pull up to the door about the time the luggage arrived.
It all went off like clockwork. Ayanna was thrilled to be picked up without having to walk far, and then to be whisked off to a comfortable bed to sleep. She ate a bit of the offered snacks the boys had provided and then retired to her room.
"I guess I'd better sleep in the other bedroom tonight," Adrian said. "If she discovers we're all sharing the same bed, it might be difficult to explain."
"We could say that we're camping out together while repainting that room," Ian suggested.
Adrian decided to sleep with his lovers and get up early enough so that his mother wouldn't see him coming out of their shared bedroom in the morning.
Like her son, Ayanna proved to be the perfect houseguest. She offered to pitch in on the sorting of items which had been left by the previous owners, and she said that she would be pleased to cook for the boys if they didn't mind eating Bajan cuisine because it was mostly what she knew how to prepare.
The guys did let her do some cooking but insisted on doing all the cleanup. They enjoyed everything she made, but they did their share of meal prep, as well as taking her out. They didn't want to make a slave of her.
They also insisted that Adrian take time off from painting to show her some of the tourist sites in the state. Ian offered the family SUV so she could go in comfort. Adrian took her to Amish country and also to the Amama Colonies.
While seeing some of the sights, Adrian had more one-on-one time with his mother than he would have had if he'd gone to Barbados. It was good to be in each other's company.
As they were sitting in the little brewery in Main Amana having lunch, Ayanna surprised him by bringing up the subject of orientation.
"Did you avoid coming home because you were afraid to face us?"
"Um, why would you think that?"
"Well, in your emails you talk about your roommates all the time and there's no mention of meeting any girls. Are girls not your thing?"
Adrian closed his eyes trying to compose his thoughts. The moment he'd dreaded was here. Though he'd rehearsed in his head what he might say in response, nothing seemed to come out except for a couple of tears.
"It's okay, Son. Your father and I will love you just the same as we always have."
"I'm sorry, Mum."
"There's no reason to be sorry."
"But Father is so straight."
"He'll be okay. His brother, your Uncle Bernard, died at the age of 20 when he got caught in a riptide. Your father never believed it was an accident. About a week before, their parents had discovered that Bernard was gay. There was a big row. Your grandfather said a lot of hateful things. Bernard seemed to lose the will to function after that."
"Oh wow! I've never heard that story."
"It was never discussed as long as your grandparents were alive and they've been gone only a little over a year, so it just hasn't come up.
"Your father blamed their attitude on the teaching of their fundamentalist church and joined the Anglican faith shortly thereafter. He said he would never hurt his children like his parents had done to Bernard."
"So, you're okay with it for me?"
"Yes. I can't say that I exactly understand why some people are attracted to their own gender, but I can't judge them."
"Thanks, Mom!"
Adrian could hardly contain his excitement when he came home that afternoon. He didn't want to bring up the subject around his mother because he thought she might figure out the relationship he had with his buddies. He wasn't sure how that would go down with the family.
His opportunity came when his mother opted for a nap after the guys assured her that they had dinner plans under control and didn't need her assistance. So, as they prepared the food, he filled them in.
Of course, Ian and Aurelio were elated that he was out and still had the love of his family. They would all relax more. They decided not to come out to her for the same reason he was telling them his news privately. They were concerned at what she would guess about their relationship with her son.
After Ayanna went back home, Adrian started his internship. Because of it, there was less opportunity for him to help with painting their flat and other maintenance jobs. He felt like he wasn't holding up his end. However, the other two insisted that he needed to devote his time to his job. It was more important that he have a good recommendation so he could obtain a Green Card and stay in the US when he finished his schooling. His future in their lives was far more important than using a paintbrush!
Aurelio and Ian had some busy periods of time hosting campus tours, but that was sporadic and left them with idle periods of time. Therefore, they were able to paint the two upstairs apartments which were empty until the fall term, as well as get their own place decorated to their specifications.
Their sophomore year seemed to pass more quickly than their freshman year had. They were still taking some core courses, but they were also getting into some of the introductory classes in their majors. All three were in engineering. Adrian planned to major in electrical engineering while his companions were more into computers with some EE background. Thus, they still had reason to study together.
Their love for one another grew. By spring, they wanted to do something to ensure that they could be legally bound in some way.
"We could have some kind of private three-way commitment ceremony and get some legal documents drawn up so that we could look after one another in case of illness and share our material goods in common, Ian suggested."
"That might be a solution in the long run, but what can we do in the near future?" Aurelio asked.
"I think we could form a corporation," Ian said. "I'll talk to Dad about having us officially manage this building. We could leave our share of our "business" to each other in our wills. We could eventually have power of attorney to make decisions if one of us became gravely ill. We would be able to have the safeguards which married people take for granted."
Ian's father was fine with the idea. He consulted with his lawyer to see how it would work out.
By July of that year, the guys had a legal connection.
A year later, they wanted to cement their union with a commitment ceremony. In checking on the Internet, they found a number of people who had become certified to preform weddings. They contacted several to see if they would do some kind of ceremony for three people who wanted to bond. Eventually they narrowed their choice to a lady, Jane Wordsworth, who promised to be discreet. Her fee was modest and she had no qualms about performing a rite which included more than just two people. She reminded them that while their union wouldn't have any legal standing, she felt it would be valid in the eyes of God. That was enough for them.
So, in the gazebo in Palisades Kepler State Park, in the month of July, the trio recited their vows to each other in the presence of Jane and her wife. It was a simple but beautiful ceremony which they would never forget.
They honeymooned in a cabin on a lake in another state park.
From that day forth, when any of them was asked about his marital status, he would smile and say that he was in a committed relationship. No one ever chose to question further.
Upon graduation the following spring, Adrian was hired by the company where he'd served his apprenticeship. Ian got a job writing security software for a bank, and Aurelio found a similar position with an electrical utility company. In all cases, some of their work could be done remotely. Therefore, the guys opted to stay in the house Ian's father had purchased. Their "corporation" bought him out.
And so, three individuals who began rather far apart, continued their journey as one.
---------------------------------End-----------------------------------
Author's notes:
Thanks for reading this story. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. If you put the title of this tale in the subject-line, I'll be able to find it if it ends up in the spam box.
Thanks to David S for editing. He finds the typos and missing words! He also makes valuable suggestions.
Thanks to Nifty for providing this free service. It costs the site to do it, so please consider donating to defray their expenses.
https://donate.nifty.org/
Thanks,
David