Written in the Stars, Chapter 4
Being home with family was good for all concerned. Parents were eager to be with their kids, and the guys were happy to have a time to relax after fall term.
However, Toryn and Troy missed one another by Monday. Soon, they were texting several times a day. Their siblings noticed. Sean wasn't the only one who observed how dependent the two were on each other for company, despite being home with family. Alec and Hannah might have teased their brother a little, had their mother not warned them against it. She was aware of the attraction between the college boys and she felt it was best to let nature take its course. Both were sweet, level-headed guys, and if this turned out to be a romance, she wouldn't interfere.
She probably didn't need to caution them because Alec was a laidback kid who believed in "live and let live." And Hannah didn't pay much heed to what her older sibling did, being caught up in her own middle school activities.
While at home, both young men were pressed into helping with the Christmas Eve services. Troy accompanied the children on the Clavinova when the usual accompanist got stranded in Chicago because of flight delays. Since he could sightread well, he was able to pull it off with only a warmup rehearsal.
Toryn was asked to accompany the final carol with his acoustical guitar. It was a tradition in their church to honor the origin of Silent Night which was composed for Christmas Eve in 1818 after the church organ in a small Austrian town had broken down and there was a need for music which could be performed on a simpler instrument.
In Toryn's church, everyone held a lighted candle during the singing. It was a beautiful finale.
There were the usual holiday meals and gift exchanges. In the absence of little children in the households, there wasn't the wide-eyed excitement which accompanies the awaiting of Santa. However, it was a joyful season.
New Year's Eve was fun for the younger males. Both sets of parents had company parties to attend. Hannah was going to a sleepover with several of her friends. That left Toryn, Sean, Troy, and Alec on their own. Troy decided to invite his housemate and brother over to his home to see the new year in. He asked them to bring sleeping bags so they could spend the night. No one was going to get drunk, and not having to drive on a night when some people would be, would help keep them all safe. The parent generation was elated.
January 2nd saw Toryn and Troy back on campus for J-term. The experience turned out to be great. The course they enrolled in promoted good mental and physical health practices which could prevent students from becoming depressed or unstable due to the stress they were often under. It was divided up into segments which gave information and put the lessons into practical use.
When they learned about beneficial exercise, they spent time in the gym actually doing the exercises. There was also a unit on learning strategies which could help them make the best use of the time they had for study. Then there was a section devoted to eating right and getting adequate sleep.
By the end of the four-week period, most of them felt more relaxed and energetic than they would have if they'd spent the time loafing around the house. And they got credit toward graduation as well.
Spring semester began with a bang. Unlike fall term, it seemed like all the teachers gave out homework immediately and had higher expectations for the students. It wasn't just a feeling. Many professors poured it on early so that they could ease off a little at the end when there were more distractions. Spring fever was a real thing.
Everything moved along well for the guys until late February. At the end of the month, Troy came down with an illness like what is often called stomach flu. On a Friday afternoon, he came back to the apartment and rushed to the bathroom in the nick of time. He felt like everything in his stomach emptied out. But he was wrong. Before he could get up, he had to grab the wastebasket when he promptly puked up whatever was left in his system.
Toryn hurried in to see what he could do to help. The odor was pretty bad, but that didn't deter him. He turned on the exhaust fan and got a wet washcloth to wipe Troy's face. When he touched his housemate, he knew that the guy was running a fever. Getting out the thermometer his mother had insisted he have after his bout with appendicitis, he took Troy's temperature. It was 103 F, which is relatively high. He gave Troy a couple of Tylenol tablets and a glass of water, hoping that he could keep them down.
"Okay, it's my turn to act like a parent," Toryn said. "We need to get you cooled down. When I was little, Mom used to have me sit in a tub of cool water to help reduce my fever. Since we don't have a tub, I suggest that you take a cold shower. I'd better help you get undressed.
Troy didn't make any smart-alecky remarks. He knew this was for his own good. He appreciated the help because he felt as limp as a rag doll. Toryn turned on the water to a fairly cool temperature and stripped down to his underwear so he wouldn't get his clothes wet if he had to get in to keep Troy from falling.
It took a while to work, but eventually, Troy's fever broke. When it did, the chills set in. Toryn dried him off and wrapped him in a large bath towel before helping him to the bedroom.
"Okay, I changed my bed this afternoon and you're going to sleep in it. I can't trust you not to get dizzy and fall out of the top bunk."
Troy was going to object, but he could see the wisdom of being lower to the floor. He did feel unstable, and he was freezing. Toryn changed into a T-shirt and pair of boxers. He stood by the bed making up his mind on how he should proceed.
"You're still shivering. Which side of the bed would you like me on? I suppose it would be best for me to be in back against the wall in case you have to run to the bathroom again. So, if you lie facing that direction, I'll snuggle up from behind to help you warm up."
If Troy felt uncomfortable being held by another guy, he didn't show it. In fact, he kind of melted into Toryn's embrace. Before long, he stopped shaking. Eventually, he fell asleep.
After a bit, Toryn eased his way to the bottom of the bed and got up. He put on some sweats before going to the kitchen to find something to eat. It was nearly 6:00 by then, and he was famished. Finding nothing that appealed to him, he made a quick trip to Walmart where he purchased a rotisserie chicken and some side dishes. He also bought two large bottles of lemon-lime Gatorade, knowing it was Troy's favorite flavor. He wanted to make sure Troy's electrolytes didn't get out of balance.
The minute he got home, he checked on his housemate again. Finding that he was still asleep, Toryn went back to the kitchen. Before eating, he took all the meat off the chicken and put the bones into a pot with water, celery, onion, and salt to make broth. Then, he proceeded to eat his dinner. He kept the pot simmering while he did some reading for his classes.
About 9:00 o'clock, Troy shuffled out of the bedroom to the bathroom. There, he emptied his bladder and brushed his teeth. After rinsing his mouth with Listerine, he felt more normal.
In a few minutes, he sat down in a chair not far from Toryn.
"I feel a lot better! That Imodium you gave me seems to be working. I only had to pee – no runs. Boy it smells good in here. What are you making?"
"Just some chicken broth. Do you think your stomach would tolerate it?"
"Yeah, I'm starving. Could I have a few crackers with it?"
"Sure, but I'd advise going slowly with how much you eat."
"Yes, Daddy, I'll be a good boy."
Toryn could tell by Troy's teasing remark that he did, indeed, feel more like himself.
The broth tasted like manna from heaven to the young man who had felt so miserable a few hours ago. It made him think about things his parents had done for him growing up when he was ill. The Gatorade seemed to restore his energy as well. He appreciated Toryn's care.
Troy ate slowly and tried not to overload his tummy. He thought it would stay with him, but he was afraid to overdo it.
"Thanks for everything," Troy said. "I'm probably well enough to climb into my own bed."
"Nope, you're not allowed to. We're going to sleep in the lower bed. I don't want you to take any chances and I'm going to snuggle against your back unless you object."
"I really liked what you did this afternoon, but I don't want to expose you to the germs."
"If I haven't been exposed already, I don't think there's a lot of danger. Besides, I like being close to you. Um, I'm not sure how to say this, but I really care for you. I mean more than being a good bud."
"Are you thinking the "L" word?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry if you don't feel the same. I'm not going to push you into something you don't want."
"I'm good with this!"
Troy got up from his chair and joined Toryn on the sofa. They held each other closely for several minutes.
"If I weren't sick, I'd kiss you," Troy exclaimed.
"If you weren't sick, I'd probably not have gotten up the nerve to tell you how I feel," Toryn admitted. "My brother told me he thought we were good together, but I've been afraid to take a chance of scaring you off. I didn't want to lose you as a friend."
"Sean sort of probed me about being your partner, but I deflected his question by saying we were, um, collaborators in our musical ventures. He didn't pursue it after that. He probably thinks I'm dense."
"No, he thinks you're a perfect match for me. Hmm..., maybe he thinks we're both dense.
"Speaking of our group, I texted Tommy and Tanya about you being sick and they're going to cover for you on both gigs tomorrow. Tanya can play her keyboard. It's not as fancy as yours, and it won't be the same without you, but it will work. I'll join them if I'm not under the weather by then. We'll rehearse at the church in the afternoon instead of here so you can get your rest."
"Good! I'm glad the show will go on. If I continued to improve like I have tonight, I might have pulled myself together, but I know it would be foolish to overdo and I don't want to expose anyone else. Thanks for taking care of it."
As they lay in bed together that night, they shared a number of thoughts which they'd kept private until then. Toryn took the lead.
"You know that psychology class we took last fall caused me to do some deep thinking – sort of like psychoanalysis, I guess. After getting closer to you, I began to realize why I've been kinda asocial most of my life. I think I was uncomfortable around other people because I was afraid to be who I am. I lived in fear of being made fun of for being different. I feel like I've changed inside since being with you."
"I can relate," Troy said. "I've never been shy, but I haven't let myself become close to anyone outside of my family. Like you, I've been anxious over the possibility of being hurt. I've never confided in anyone like I am now. Do you think we were intended to meet?"
"Maybe. Are you trying to make an old fashioned Presbyterian out of me by bringing up predestination?"
"Maybe."
"Do you think God caused your car to break down so we'd become soulmates?"
"When you put it like that, it sounds a little crazy. But can it be merely coincidental? That doesn't seem logical to me. I suppose we'll never know for certain. What I do know is that I'm very happy about how things have turned out despite losing my car.
"Remember Aesop's fable about Androcles and the lion? A kind deed led to saving both of them in the long run. Whether the cause was fate or Divine Will, we're examples."
Saturday morning, the guys had some school work to do. Troy seemed to be well enough to study. He did take a nap after lunch because his strength still wasn't quite back to normal. He was asleep when Toryn left to rehearse.
After the Saturday service, Toryn came home to grab a bite to eat before going on to the jazz club. He was surprised to find Troy had cooked a substantial dinner for them.
"Wow! You've rebounded quickly. I'm guessing you're not contagious anymore."
"I don't think I ever was. I got a call from Rob about an assignment and he told me he had the same symptoms. He had checked with several people and found that we all ate the same thing for lunch on Friday. A couple of the guys went to the health center and were diagnosed with food poisoning. It was probably the potato salad that was tainted. I didn't eat as much of it as the others did, so I didn't have it as bad."
Both guys ate well. Troy was still careful not to stuff himself, but he did eat a decent amount and he didn't suffer any consequences. Toryn was sorry that he had to leave to play the club gig. He would have loved to stay home and cuddle with his housemate now that they seemed to be on the same wavelength about their relationship.
When Toryn returned from Berkley Square, Troy was sound asleep. He undressed quietly and slipped into bed. Troy roused slightly and snuggled back against him. It felt natural and comfortable.
On Sunday, Troy woke up fairly early, feeling much better. Other than a little fatigue, he had no additional symptoms. It made him more certain that he'd suffered a bit of food poisoning and not the flu bug. He would be fine for going back to his regular routine on Monday.
Toryn took a shower and started breakfast while Troy took his. Troy helped by setting the table. Both were dressed in their usual Sunday attire of T-shirts and sweat pants.
Having some reading to do, they spent the morning getting caught up. Troy finished first, allowing him to get lunch together. Both put the kitchen in order before lazing around in the living room.
The sun shined through the large south-facing windows, creating a pool of warm sunshine in the middle of the room. Toryn went to the bedroom to get the thick comforters off both beds. He laid them one atop the other in the sun.
"Wha'cha doin', building a nest?" Troy grinned.
"Kind of. Actually, it's more like a stage setting for a fantasy. Do you want to help?"
"Sure. It sounds intriguing. What should I do?"
"Please bring our pillows and put them on this end."
"Okay, Toryn said, after Troy returned. "This is a warm spot in the sand on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean. We can take off our Ts and sweats and bask in the rays."
"Um, that will leave me in my birthday suit because I'm going commando."
"It's a clothing-optional beach."
"Private?"
"Very private. Let me help you undress."
By the time both were naked, they were throwing major wood. They eased down in the warm spot together and kissed. Any hesitation vanished as they explored one another's body. For two fairly naïve young men, they were rapidly learning what to do.
"I want to make you cum," Troy gasped.
"I want to do the same for you. Hold that thought while I go find a couple of things."
Toryn returned moments later with a large beach towel and a bottle of body lotion. After placing the towel in the middle of their spot, he proceeded to slather lotion on Troy's groin. Troy returned the favor. Then Toryn lay on his back and pulled his housemate on top of him. With their phalluses side by side, trapped between them, they began to rub their bodies together. Open-mouthed kisses intensified their desire. Toryn's hands caressed Troy's buns, teasing the cleft between them. That was the last straw for Troy. With a cry of ecstasy, he began pumping a big load between them. Of course, that set Toryn off before he'd finished.
Coming back down to earth in the afterglow, they continued to exchange kisses.
"That was the absolute most awesome thing I've ever experienced," Troy exclaimed.
"For sure!" Toryn agreed. "Okay, I yield. You win."
"Huh?"
"I don't know if it was fate or Divine Intervention, but I'm convinced that this was meant to be."
"Cool!"
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Author's notes:
First, I want to that all who emailed since last posting: Rod V, Bob D, Tony C, Chris L, Marty H, Ott H, Paul R, Mendy D, Tim T, Si R, Andy R, Ken McC, Rod R, Charles G, Jim W, and John L.
Thank you also for reading this story. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. Please put the story title in the subject line in case your email goes into the spam folder.
Thanks to David S for editing. He finds typos and missing words! He also makes valuable suggestions.
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Thanks, David
P.S. I have a chronological list of all my posted stories which I can email to you if you have an interest.