David and Tristan

DAVID & TRISTAN-BOYS IN SCHOOL is a continuation of the story, Boys on the Farm, about two teen boys named David and Tristan. It is a story of discovery...what the boys learn about life, about themselves, and what it means to be gay. If sex between male teenagers is offensive to you or if you are underage then you should move on to something else.

DAVID & TRISTAN--BOYS IN SCHOOL is a work of pure fiction -- the characters and the events do not represent any person or situation. Copyright (c)2003 by D.Z., all rights reserved. You may contact me by emailing ndman72@yahoo.com.

PREFACE:

As you've come to expect, this space is devoted to an email from a middle-aged reader who is like so many of us out there. Wade repressed his inborn sexuality as a gay young man in order to conform to his parents and society's expectations. Now he has been married for 17 years and is the father of two sons, the same as I did. Yes, I have two fine biological sons (both are straight) of whom I am very proud. And yeah, that gives you a clue of my age, doesn't it? I also have two "adopted" sons who are gay and of whom I am equally proud. As I write this preface, it is the 19th birthday of my youngest gay son.

Anyway, rather than focus on myself, I thought this email from Wade tells very clearly how a person may try to repress being gay, but how it will suddenly become a powerful force to be reckoned with at some later time. Here is what Wade had to say and how he's feeling at this stage of his life:

"Wow, I've been reading about "your boys" for the last couple of weeks and I have to say that you sure can write. Sometimes I feel like I'm with them, sometimes I feel like I am one of them and I can relate to something in each one of them.

My favorite is David and I'm not sure if I relate to him or if I am in love with him. I, too, am one who is cautious in my dealings with others. And I understand why he is, especially after that last chapter. I can't understand why people feel they have to react that way. David was right on about what he said to his dad about his dad's behavior.

When I was a teen I had no clue what was happening to me. In grade school I had a fleeting encounter with another boy, my face brushed his, and I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks. In my early teens I had another much more explicit encounter with my best friend but it was understood that we just touched, fooled around and it wasn't love or anything like that (or so I was told by him.) What did I know? But it wasn't until 2 years into college that I finally talked to someone who was gay and realized what I was--gay. At that point I came out.

However, 2 years later I studied the Bible and decided that was sin and stopped my "bad" behavior (I hope you hear the sarcasm in my typing as I am now in the process or re-evaluating my earlier decision.) Needless to say my parents were relieved. That was 17 years ago and I am now married (for 12 years) and I have 2 boys (who I secretly hope will be gay just to shock everyone I know, well, maybe not). Although I am happily married, I realized quite a while ago that my feelings for my wife, although it is love, is not the same as that described between Tristan and David and I'm not just talking about infatuation.

Now, my only disappointments from here on in are that I have to wait for new chapters. I get so spoiled reading a long story that has many chapters posted already then to get to the end of that and have to wait - it is excruciating. David and Tristan have been a large part of my life for the last 2 weeks. I look forward to reading successive chapters (that line was for Craig) and hope that they won't be too long in appearing. Also, I don't want to see David get hurt (I'm begging cause I really to love him) but at the same time, I hope you can get that over with very soon. I have to say that I hate Dan Brandt (I know the Bible says that to hate is to murder.) I can't help it. You make me want to put my fist into the computer, yank him out and pulverize him. You know what that says about your writing, don't you? I should also let you know that your story can never end because I find that to be depressing. (How's that for pressure to continue writing forever?) Seriously, keep at it and thank you for being there for all of us who suffer (and those who don't).-Wade"

Thanks, Wade, for allowing me to use your personal story as an example of how we can allow other's expectations to trap us into situations that become progressively more difficult as we move into later stages of our lives. I say that because our delayed response to our sexuality involves the lives of a spouse and quite often children when the decision is made that as a gay person we can no longer deny our basic sexuality. This scenario happens to a great many guys and so that's why I think its important to realize how critically important it is for young gay guys to recognize the potential consequences of conforming and attempting to be something you are not. OK, enough preaching, here's my latest effort at telling the story of David and Tristan.

CHAPTER 21. PRESSURES CONTINUE TO BUILD.

Once outside from their visit with Sean and Brian, the two boys turned towards Drew's home.

"Can you believe those two?" Tristan asked as they walked away. "I mean David and I have had sex outside, but we knew there wasn't anyone else around for miles."

Drew chuckled. "Yeah, I guess the love bug must have bitten them or something."

"Oh yeah, big time!"

"Hey, it's cool, Tris. They thought they would be alone and we busted in on them, even if we didn't mean to. You wouldn't want someone busting in on you and David, would you?"

After a pause even Tristan had to admit, "Um, no. I guess not."

A light sweat began to highlight the brown skin tones of the tall, muscular teen as he made quick strides down the sidewalk. "I need to get home quick like, Tristan, so I can get showered before going to pick up my boy and bring him home from the hospital," Drew said as he flashed an gleaming white smile at his buddy.

Matching him step for step, the equally tall yet slightly thinner white boy with curly dark hair answered with a sympathetic smile, "You're pretty anxious to get him home, aren't you?"

"Yup. Sure am. It's like I'm missing a piece of myself while he's away."

"Yeah, I hear ya there. It's driving me nuts with David being grounded, and I know he feels the same way. Monday can't get here soon enough."

"You're coming too, right?" Drew asked as they thoughtlessly brisked through a blinking "don't walk" signal at an intersection.

Tristan shrugged. "I dunno. You sure you want me along?"

"Of course! I'd like to have the whole gang there, waiting for him to get home, but maybe it's better with just you and me for today."

"Yeah, he might not feel like having a lot of excitement just yet," Tristan said thoughtfully. "He's still pretty sore, isn't he from his incision and stuff, right?"

"Yeah, he says he definitely knows when its time for another pain pill. And those strong ones make him sleepy. At first they were giving him some shit that made him goofy. He wasn't feeling any pain at all then," Drew smirked. "We had to convince him to stay in bed because he wanted to dance with me."

"Oh God, so how did you keep him in bed?" Tristan asked, his interest piqued.

The darker skinned boy threw a glance at his friend. "Don't laugh."

"I promise. I won't laugh."

"I had to hold his hands and we danced with our hands. He sang and we danced. His mother left."

The giggles just flew out of Tristan's mouth. He tried so hard not to it hurt. Laughing he gasped, "Oh, I'm sorry, Drew. I couldn't help it. I wish I could have seen that."

Another glance came from Drew with the dry reply, "Yeah, thank God he tired out pretty quickly and went to sleep." Then he added on a different train of thought, "His mom is picking me up at 2:00 to bring him home. I'm sure she won't mind if you come along."

"As long as it's OK with her it's fine. I have the time and I'd like to see him." Tristan checked his watch. "It's 1:40, you don't have much time though."

"Hey, another block and we're there. I'll quickly jump in the shower. If you want, you can borrow one of my shirts and shower if you hustle."

The two boys breezed into Drew's home intent on their mission. "Hey Mom, I'm home for a quick shower. Anthony's mom is picking me up at 2:00 so I can help bring him home," Drew called out as they headed for his bedroom.

"Not so fast there, young man." Drew's mother appeared out of thin air with her hands on her hips and her mouth pursed. "Oh hello, Tristan," she said, her face relaxing into a brief smile of welcome before she turned back to her son to frown at him. "And just what time do you think you'll be home again?"

The boy looked up and to one side before he shrugged. "I don't know. Ten for sure?" he half stated, half asked, and hoping above all that his mother wouldn't embarrass him to death in front of Tristan.

"No." Her right hand came off from her hip and went automatically to that laying down the law finger shaking as she continued, "You will be home for dinner at 6. We haven't seen you hardly at all these last several days so its high time you remembered where you live."

"Mommmm, this is serious," Drew complained as he kicked the floor with one foot in frustration. "I gotta help bring Anthony home."

His mother held her ground. "That's why I'm giving you until 6. Unless you would rather discuss this with your father?" she asked pointedly.

He gave up. He knew he was pushing his luck when that reference was made. "No, ma'am, 6 o'clock." He then excused himself saying, "I have to shower Mom."

"Yes, you'd better hurry it on up." She checked her watch before adding, "Fifteen minutes and she'll be here."

"I know Mom, I gotta cruise," Drew said before spinning around and heading down the hall.

Tristan had tried to make himself invisible during their conversation. It was obvious that Drew's parents were reaching the end of their patience with Drew's being away from their family. Like he was Drew's shadow he followed the boy into the bedroom.

Once they were inside, Drew closed the door, pulled his shirt over his head and flung it angrily to the floor, exclaiming, "Shit, my folks are getting all hyper on me."

"Yeah, that's the way it goes sometimes," Tristan didn't know exactly what else to say but kept going anyway. "But at least you can spend some time with Anthony before you have to be back," he said while trying to put a positive note to it.

"Yeah, whatever," Drew grumbled and then opened his closet. "Here, pick out a shirt and then get your smelly ass ready to take a shower," as he pulled fresh clothes out his closet. "You can wear anything of mine you want, we're pretty much the same size," he added over his shoulder as he headed out the door, snagging a clean pair of underwear out of his dresser on his way by.

"I'll have you know my ass does not smell," Tristan retorted.

"Riiiight," Drew's voice came back from the hall. "Come in when you're ready," and then the door closed.

Tristan rummaged through Drew's closet and found a shirt he liked. He snagged a fresh pair of boxers out of the same Drew took his, pried off his shoes and waited a minute, debating with himself. "Would David mind if he did this?" he asked himself. After a moment's internal debate he decided. "I'm waiting until he's out and drying. I'm not staring and I'm definitely not touching. It will be just like the locker room. David can't mind that." His motives pure, Tristan waited until he heard the water shut off and then waited another minute before knocking on the bathroom door. "Can I come in?" he asked softly through the door.

"Yeah, get in here!" came the impatient reply. Drew was mostly dried off and was vigorously toweling his dark, kinky hair as Tristan entered. Once inside, Tristan stopped in his tracks. The sight of Drew's body was something Tristan never grew tired of seeing, and it was rather interesting to see Drew's ample cock sway as he moved.

Drew noticed and peered from under the towel with his dazzling blue eyes. "Get your butt in the shower, boy," he ordered.

With a start Tristan did was he was told in a few economical moves. He shucked off his clothes swiftly and had the shower curtain pulled in no time. It was one of the fastest showers Tristan took in recent memory. Shutting the water off, he opened the shower curtain and poked his head out, "Got a towel for me?"

A dry towel came flying at him as he caught a glimpse of the other boy brushing his teeth, the round globes of his beautiful butt displayed as Drew bent over the sink. The sound of running water followed as Tristan started toweling off behind the curtains.

The running water stopped. "No need to get all bashful on me here, Tris," Drew snorted. "Besides that, I'm about done in here. Get your smelly ass out of there and get dressed. I left my deodorant out if you want to use it."

"OK," Tristan retorted, "thanks, but I already told you, my ass does not smell," and he stepped out of the shower.

Drew gave him a quick look from the mirror as he finished pushing his damp hair into place. "OK, I'm outta here. Cover yourself if you want," and he made ready to pull open the door.

Hastily Tristan pulled the towel over his middle just in case someone was coming by while the door was open. He felt a little strange to be showering with Drew, but there wasn't enough time for them to take leisurely turns in the bathroom. Still half wet, he dressed awkwardly, almost forgetting to use some of Drew's deodorant. "Phew. He likes the stinky shit," Tristan thought to himself as he rubbed the stick into the tuft of dark hair under each arm. He combed his unruly hair and did his best to pat down the unruly curls here and there. Finally he picked up after himself before opening the door to meet Drew standing at the end of the hall.

He was obviously anxious as he stood there waiting and watching for Anthony's mom to drive up. "Throw your stuff in my room," he said as he glanced towards Tristan.

"Wait, I have a better idea," his mom said as she appeared out of the kitchen. "I'll get a sack for you. That way it won't disappear into the black hole that Drew calls his room." In a matter of seconds she was back and holding the bag open for Tristan.

"Um, thanks," he said before he stuffed his dirty clothes into the bag, trying to keep his underwear out of sight as he did so. Somehow the idea of any female seeing his underwear was intensely embarrassing for him. Just then a car horn honked outdoors.

Drew ran to the front door and opened it to look outside. "Yup, it's Grace. Time to boogie Tristan. Bye Mom, see you at 6," and out the door he went leaving Tristan to catch up. When Tristan reached the Miller Toyota, he found Drew leaning inside through the window, showing off that attractive ass of his once more. His timing was perfect. Drew pulled his head out and grinned over at Tristan. "Jump in the back, Tris, and we'll get Anthony home in two shakes."

Once inside they took off with a little lurch as Grace popped the clutch of the older car a little too quickly as she pulled away from the curb. Tristan grabbed for the door handle to brace himself and met the grin Drew threw back at him. It wasn't any too soon for Tristan when they reached the hospital and were parked. His legs weren't the only relief he felt as he was getting out of the cramped back seat of the import sedan. "I bet Anthony is pretty anxious to get out of the hospital," Tristan stated the obvious as he strove for some conversation.

"He wanted to leave this morning but the doctors wanted to run one more set lab tests before releasing him. The paperwork should be done and once I sign him out, he can come home," Grace said with a slight smile for her son's friend as they strode into the hospital, the woman's heels clicking on the hard floor.

Drew could only fidget as they rode the elevator to the third floor. Grace looked over at Tristan and smiled a knowing smile, recognizing the signs of a love struck teen. And when the elevator doors opened he was the first one out and headed on down the hall on his mission to spring his boyfriend loose.

Tristan and Grace came through the door to see the tail end of their kiss. "Nice show," Tristan teased.

"Hi Tristan!" Anthony was sitting up in bed and dressed in loose pants and a T- shirt. "I heard that David is grounded. That sucks," he added quickly as Tristan grimaced at being reminded.

"You boys can talk about those things later when we get you home, sweetie," Grace prompted. "If you are ready to go, I'll sign you out."

"Oh yeah, I'm so ready to go home," Anthony said. "Get me out of here Mom, the sooner the better, ok?"

"OK sweetie, but you have to stay in bed until I get back with your wheelchair, promise?" his mother admonished gently.

"Yeah, I will. Bye Mom," he flashed a quick smile to his mom and then patted his bed before adding, "Sit down with me you guys until my chariot comes."

"Chariot?" Drew asked with a furrowed brow. Comprehension dawned almost immediately. "Oh, the wheelchair."

"Yeah, they told me I had to ride in it all the way to the car if I wanted to go home today." Anthony scrunched up his face in a grimace before he added in a subdued voice, "I'd just about do anything just so I can go home." Then his eyes snapped around to lock onto Drew's, "You'll push me, right?"

"Course I will, Little Man," came the answer with a single affirming nod.

"Good, then sit down you guys, right here," and he pointed downwards with his index finger to a spot right next to his legs.

Drew sat first and leaned against his knee with an elbow, leaving room for Tristan to sit at the end of the bed on the other side. "How's this?" he asked.

"Perfect," Anthony replied. "And Tristan, will you bring my stuff?" the smaller boy beseeched as he looked at the boy he considered his second best friend.

Tristan smiled back. "Sure, I'll bring your booty, what all do you have?"

Once again Anthony pointed with a slender finger. "It's over there in that bag. "I have a buncha get well cards in there and some chocolate the doctor says I can't eat and I have a little present from Drew in there."

"Oooh, a present? From Drew? Awww, that's great. What kinda present?" Tristan asked mischievously while he wiggled his eyebrows. "Does it have anything to do with booty?"

Drew just rolled his eyes. "Your mind is always in the gutter," he told Tristan.

Anthony giggled a little then stopped abruptly and crossed his arms around his middle. "Ah, that hurt. Don't make me laugh, it hurts too much," before beaming over at Drew as he continued, "He gave me a stuffed little dog to keep me company while he was home."

"Awwww, sweet," Tristan said and punched a blushing Drew on the arm. "Way to go there, stud."

"You tell anybody and I'll kick your ass," Drew threatened as he glowered over his left shoulder at his friend.

Tristan rolled his eyes. "Don't worry Drew. Like who would I tell except maybe David? And you know he's going to keep quiet about it."

"OK, whatever then."

Anthony interrupted, "Hey, don't argue now. You guys are supposed to getting me out of here."

Tristan stood up. "I'll see if I can find a wheelchair," he said. "I remember there was one by the nurse's station when we came."

"Yeah, good idea," came from Drew who then grabbed Anthony's left hand in his own. "I'll keep this guy company while you're gone."

"Kay, I'll be back in a flash so no funny business," he warned with a smirk and a wink.

"Sheesh, what does he think we're going to do with the door open and everything?" Anthony asked incredulously.

"Um, you know Tristan," Drew murmured with a grin. "He must be getting rather hard up with David being grounded."

"He's not the only one," Anthony confided. "Those damn hospital gowns don't hide anything and there was this cute male nurse who helped me shower this morning."

"Oh yeah?"

"Um, yeah. He said he had to help me get clean and so he washed me down. He saw everything Drew." Anthony looked down and whispered. "I didn't want him to see me that way-only you."

Drew squeezed the boy's knee gently. "Awwww my man, now don't you let that bother you. I know you didn't mean for it to happen."

The smaller boy peeked up. "You sure you're not mad at me?"

"Positive."

His face brightened. "Can I have a another kiss then?"

Drew leaned over and their lips touched for the second time that day.

"Ah hem. If somebody wants to go home maybe he could stop kissing," Grace's voice interrupted.

Their heads came apart and whipped around to see Grace standing there trying to look stern while Tristan smirked as he stood behind a wheelchair and the cute Hispanic male nurse whose name tag said "Jon" looked on with a wide grin.

Moving slowly and with the assistance of Jon, they got Anthony out of bed and seated in the wheel chair. His legs weren't very steady and while Tristan held the chair, the nurse and Drew held until to Anthony's arms until he was completely seated. "There you are, Anthony," the Jon said while giving the boys shoulder a slight squeeze. "Just do the same things in reverse as you get into the car and you'll be fine. We don't want you coming back anytime soon, so take things easy, ok?"

"Yeah, me neither. And thanks," the boy blushed slightly, "for everything."

The younger man smiled and winked and then watched from one side as Anthony's entourage filed out of the room. Drew carefully pushed the wheelchair down the hall while Tristan and Grace followed, encumbered respectively with Anthony's loot and paperwork.

Craig called down the stairs, hoping that Brian would hear him over the noise of the music emanating from his room. "Brian." No answer. Brian!" No answer again. "BRIAN!"

The volume of the music suddenly diminished. Brian poked his head out the door, just out of Craig's line of sight. "You want something Doc?" came Brian's disembodied and slightly mocking voice.

"I'd like your help with washing the car. That's your chore for today."

"Right now?"

"Yes, please."

A quiet "that sucks" floated up the stairs.

"I heard that, Brian. You can do dishes tonight instead if this is too inconvenient for you."

"Fuck no."

"Brian! We don't use language like that in this house, remember?" Craig admonished the Brian about his language for the umpteenth time.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be up in a minute once I get some clothes on," came a final and resigned reply.

Craig walked away from the stairs and was busy gathering up his car cleaning supplies when Sean went slipping by, his face flushed and hair mussed up.

"Oh, I didn't know you were down there," Craig exclaimed as he kneeled by the sink. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Kinda," Sean squeaked out as he stopped in his tracks, looking like a deer caught in the headlights as he watched Craig out of the corner of his eye.

Craig fought to keep from grinning. He had to duck his head for a second before looking back at Sean to answer, "Oh. Well I'm sorry to have interrupted then. But there's plenty of opportunity for that later, right?"

"Yeah," was Sean's faint reply as his blush deepened at least two shades before he fled off to his bedroom, firmly shutting the door.

A few minutes after Craig finished gathering his supplies and running warm water into his bucket Brian showed up, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. "I'm ready," he said dryly.

"I see that. Let's get going then. I'll run the hose, you do the soap," Craig instructed as they stepped outside.

"Sure Doc, whatever you say."

The two of them worked in silence as they began their task. It wasn't long before the bright sun had them both feeling warm from their labors. Brian stood up, stretched his back and then lifted his shirt up in front to wipe his sweaty face, revealing a slim and defined torso rising above low-slung shorts. His package was outlined by the clinging fabric which accentuated the image of raw sexuality that exuded from the 18 year old.

Craig tried not to stare and decided he needed to say something to change the direction of his thoughts. "You know Brian, I wanted your help out here so you and I could have a bit of talk, just the two of us. I have this feeling that you and I have gotten off on the wrong foot. I know we are all trying to sort out how we fit together but I would like for my home to be a place where you and Sean can both feel safe to be yourselves."

Brian dropped his shirt and stared back at Craig. "Well, don't expect us all to become just one big happy family," he said with a tight, bitter smile.

Craig held his ground and replied innocently, "And why can't we?"

"Aw, was the good doctor hoping for the son he never had? Sorry, but I've had my fill of wonderful fathers who pretend to love their perfect children. I'm not playing that game anymore."

Craig spread his hands and made the hose spray water out in the street. "It doesn't need to be a game. I realize you are a bit too old to be a child sort of son to me, but I was hoping that nevertheless we could find some common ground while you stayed here. Would you rather leave?"

Brian started washing the car again, ignoring Craig.

Craig waited for an interminable number of seconds before he grew tired of waiting. He dropped the hose before placing his hands on his hips and said, "Well? I need an answer."

The youth continued to ignore Craig for a short time and then suddenly dropped his sponge with a splash into the bucket. He looked off in the distance, not meeting Craig's gaze and pressed his lips firmly together before mumbling something that sounded like, "I never asked to be brought here."

Craig continued to hold his hands to hips and said, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Nothing." The youth bent over to pick up his washcloth again to resume his endeavor.

"No, I really want to know what it was you said, Brian. Please tell me."

Brian turned away saying, "No. It's nothing."

Craig quickly closed the distance between them and tugged his arm to make him turn and face their conversation. "Tell me, Brian," he insisted.

The boy-man resisted briefly before spinning around and put his face into Craig's. "I SAID," holding him with a solid, strong gaze, "I never asked to be brought here. I never asked for a drunk as a father, I never asked for a mother who was more interested in her fucking tea parties than she was in her own son, I never asked to be beaten whenever it hit their fancy, I never asked to be knocked down over, and over, and over again. I never asked to be fucked by my father whenever he was drunk, I never asked to be thrown out of my home, I never asked to be gang raped, I never asked to be treated like a piece of worthless shit, I never asked for any of it. So why don't you just ..." he tried to swallow the lump that was lodged in his throat and his voice broke as he croaked out, "Why don't you just fuck off." He then turned his back on Craig and tried to go back to scrubbing at the hood of the car, the soapy water disguising the drops that were falling from his eyes.

After a moment's silence the older man said in a gentle, yet firm voice, "Where would you be, Brian, if I just fucked off, as you say? You'd be back on the streets or in jail because those are your choices. You came from hustling on the streets and I agreed to have you live with me so you wouldn't have to live that way."

The only answer Craig received was the sight of Brian's stiff back and shoulders. He tried again. "Is that what you want, Brian? To go back on the streets and try to make it on your own with no one who really gives a shit about you?"

"What the fuck do you think?" Brian asked roughly as he stood frozen and tense over the hood of the car. "You want to get rid of me...or just fuck me too?"

"Is that what you're afraid of? That I'm someone who only wants to use you for my own lust?"

Brian turned slowly, his shoulders hunched as though he were ready for attack while his bangs dangled loosely over hooded eyes. "Why not?" his voice was low, raspy. "They all did. All the old fuckers like you...all they wanted was some young meat. So let's quit with the fucking games, Craig." The teen's jaw was clenched, his eyes blazing with his characteristic burn of anger. He stepped forward clenching his hands, the knuckles whiter than bone beneath them. The sponge bled its remaining drops of filmy water as Brian's hand tightened around it. "Tell me what you want from me. You want me to fuck you? A blow job? Or did you want to top, huh? What?" The sponge became dryer than a rotting corpse with each pronounced word that flew from his mouth.

The expression on the doctor's face remained steady, his eyes settling calmly on the tortured boy before him, and when he spoke, his voice did not waver. "You are not here as a sex object, Brian. I will never demand that of you, ever. I took you in because I wanted to give you a safe place to live and a chance to start your life over."

Brian stared, his stone features unfaltering as his mind struggled with Craig's protests, trying to clutch at the truth that seemed to be there. The man was so honest with Brian, and his words penetrated his heart in a way no other adult's ever had. His gaze trembled on the verge of dropping, and the teen remained silent, both hands clenching and releasing the wash sponge he still held.

The doctor spread his hands before him and said gently, "I know you are afraid that the past will repeat itself Brian, but this is now, and this is a place where I want you to feel safe to be you."

"Fine," came the terse reply. "I won't have to keep wondering when you'll want sex from me."

Craig laughed softly. "I think you are getting plenty of that the way it is."

The boy couldn't help it. His features softened and he smirked, looking out from under his lowered brow to say, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"So are we on better ground now Brian?" the older man asked as he placed a friendly hand on other's shoulder.

The boy suddenly jerked away and said roughly, "Don't fucking TOUCH me!" The words seemed to be ripped from his throat, strained and raspy.

"That's fine, I won't then," Craig said softly. "But you still have to tell me what you want. Do you want to stay....or to go? I won't keep you here against your will because I refuse to be a jailor. I want this to work Brian, but I need your help."

"What's not working?" the boy glared back, the distrust within him rekindled.

The man gestured with his hands towards himself. "I want to feel like we can communicate like we did today, Brian. That wasn't working until now so if we can keep the lines of communication open, then I think it will work out.

'Yeah well, if you hadn't noticed," Brian looked up, causing an unbidden tear drop from his eye, "I don't really get a sense of joy out of communicating."

Interlocking his fingers in front of him so as to resist his desire to pull the hurting teen to him, Craig observed calmly, "If I may say so Brian, you have a lot of emotional baggage you are carrying around, and it might not be so much fun to deal with, but until you do, it will be a load you will carry for the rest of your life."

Furiously Brian flung the useless sponge to the ground. "What the fuck do you know about emotional baggage?" he spat, "and what the fuck business is it of yours?"

Willing himself to stay calm, the man unlaced his fingers to spread his right hand outwards towards the teen. "I know about it because I have a doctorate in psychology...and"

Brian interrupted. "No, you're wrong, Doc. You don't know shit until you live in it."

"Helping youngsters like you is what I want to be doing....but I can't help anyone who doesn't want to be helped. I can't live in it, as you say, but I can help you find your way out of it."

The boy froze momentarily before he looked away and roughly thumbed a tear out of the corner of his eye and whispered, "No one can help me."

"I heard that Brian. And there's only one thing that makes you right. No one can help you if you won't let them. All you have to do is let me help you, first by staying here so you can get your education and rebuild your life. Then, later, if you want, we can look at the things that you don't want to talk about now."

The boy snorted derisively. "What the fuck chance do I have? I don't have any money and I barely graduated from high school. No fancy assed college would want me."

"The local college will take you under my sponsorship. I can do that and I'm pretty sure we can get you enough financial aid so your tuition would be covered. And there are a lot of career fields you can prepare yourself for in our community college such as law enforcement, nursing, accounting, management, marketing and sales, music..."

Brian stared, finding no words that could justify the frustration that pulsed through his veins. He didn't represent any of those meandering things as a person. He would never discover any interest in them. He would end up dying listlessly of boredom, could feel his blood slowing now at the thought of plunking away at a computer for the rest of his life, filing documents. He blinked once. Twice.

"Well, what sort of career appeals to you?"

"I dunno."

"Well, what is something you like to do and seems natural for you?" the man questioned.

Brian placed an impatient hand on his jutting hipbone. "Doc, the only thing I know how to do is to hustle," a quiet smirk followed. "and if I have to say so myself, I'm pretty damn good at it."

"Ah, that would be the equivalent of selling. The same principles you employed there can be applied to other products. You might want to try selling cars instead of your body."

Brian stared again. Rejection.

Craig read the boy's lack of interest and sighed before trying again. "What about insurance? There's good money to be made in the insurance business."

"Too boring. Isn't there something that would have some flair to it?"

"Ah, flair. Well, maybe we'll have to explore what would have some flair to it, but regardless the basics are the same and we can get you enrolled for the spring semester."

Brian retrieved the sponge from the ground and brushed the bits of grass and dirt from it before saying, "Yeah, whatever, Doc. I'll believe it when it happens."

"It can happen if you want it to happen, Brian. Trust me," Craig said before bending over to retrieve the hose that had created a puddle at his feet.

"Yeah, trust you. That seems to be today's sermon, Reverend," was the sardonic reply directed to the stooped man.

Craig straightened up and again their gazes locked. "It's either that or move on, Brian. Like I said, I won't hold you here against your will, but if you are going to stay here, I expect you to work at obtaining a future for yourself."

"Fuck."

"You think about it. Let's finish the car."

The older Toyota pulled up in front of the house, the brakes protesting as it squealed to a halt. Simultaneously all four doors popped open and there was a general scurry to where Anthony was trying to stand up from the passenger side of the front seat. "Whoa there boy, you're not going anywhere on your feet," Drew ordered protectively.

"Like how do you expect me to get into the house then? Float?" Anthony asked waspishly. He was suddenly tired and he hurt. The ride home took more out of him than he ever imagined it could.

Drew knelt on one knee in front of his love and looked into the car at him before answering, "No, I could either carry you or you can walk between me and Tristan, whichever you want."

"OK, you can carry me then. I'd like that cuz my stomach hurts," Anthony admitted.

"No problemo. All you have to do is let me help you swing your legs out and then I can pull you up before I carry you. Now help me swing your legs out."

"OK," Anthony said as Drew helped him move his legs and pivot around in the seat causing him to huff from the twinges of pain that the twisting movement caused him.

"You ready to stand up?" Drew asked next, concern filling his vivid blue eyes.

"In just a minute," Anthony said, his hazel eyes flickering nervously. "It's going to hurt."

Drew stood up and held out his hands, the lighter skin of his palms facing upwards. "Just say when you're ready and we'll go slow and steady," he reassured.

With one final apprehensive glance up towards Drew, Anthony dropped his head and said nervously, "OK, let's get it over with. Just don't jerk me up." The boy grasped Drew's outstretched hands firmly and held his breath, then nodded to signal his readiness.

Slowly, carefully, the standing boy backed away from the car and pulled the person he loved beyond all others from within. And then, that task completed, he quickly enfolded Anthony in his arms and held him upright.

The injured boy's breath came in tiny pants as he fought off the spasms of pain that were shooting from his bruised ribs, buttocks, and legs as well as his stitched abdominal incision. He clung to Drew, his pillar of strength, willing the pain to go away. "OK, now you can carry me," were his next words as the hurt slowly diminished and his breathing steadied. In the next heartbeat Anthony felt himself swept from his feet and cradled safely in Drew's arms. This is where he belonged and he rested his head against Drew's strong chest and smelled Drew's unique scent. No matter where he was physically, being in Drew's arms was his magical place of security, of comfort, and of love. They were moving. "Get the door Tristan," he heard Drew's bass voice order and then they were swiveling their way through the door into his home. "Where do you want me to put you?" came the next words spoken softly into his ear. "I'd like to be in my own bed with you there with me," he whispered back.

"No prob," came the gentle reply. "We'll get you all settled and comfy in your own bed real quick like," he heard and felt the rumble in Drew's chest from speaking as they made their way through the house. And then he felt the welcome softness and smell of his bed that enfolded him. "I hurt," he murmured. "Will you get me one of those pain pills they said they were sending home with me?" he implored.

"Sure thing, Anth. I'll be right back."

Listlessly Anthony watched Tristan take his cards and the small stuffed bear from the bag he carried in. "Where do you want the dog, Anthony?," he asked as he pulled it out.

"On the dresser so I can see it," came a subdued answer as Anthony watched lethargically.

"OK," Tristan said as he carefully leaned it against a picture frame on Anthony's dresser, then busied himself with arranging the cards. "These are some nice cards you've got, Anthony," he commented as he read them and stood them up, one by one.

Grace appeared next with a glass of water in one hand a pill in the other, knowing her son was hurting from the pinched look in his face and his quietness. "Here you are Sweetheart," she said as she lifted his head so he could sip at the water and swallow the pill.

That done, Anthony laid back down and whimpered, "Hold me Drew. Just hold me, but not too tight, OK?"

Drew looked over at Tristan then Grace. She gave a tiny nod of permission and only then did he kick off his shoes and gently lay next to his boyfriend, resting an arm over Anthony's chest. Burying his face in back of his boy's hair, he murmured, "Little Man, I have to be home at six but I'll stay as long as I can, OK?"

"Yes, that would be nice. I'm so tired. I'll just have a little nap and then I'll feel better," Anthony said, then closed his eyes and gingerly snuggled into Drew.

"I'll be going now," Tristan said to Drew. "See you guys later."

Drew silently picked up his hand from Anthony's chest to wave a mute goodbye.

"Bye," Tristan said and then he left and was followed out by Grace who partially closed the door. Moments later they could hear Grace thanking Tristan for his help and the sound of the front door closing firmly. Silence reigned and they slept, secure in their love for one another.

"Where's Drew?" Dev Andrews demanded in irritation of his wife as he pulled his chair out from the table to sit down. Already seated and pouring his milk was Drew's younger brother, Matthew. Matt was a younger version of Drew, only his eyes were brown and he didn't quite have the same athletic grace and confidence as Drew did. It was impossible for him to compete with Drew's looks, personality, and athleticism and so he always seemed to find himself in his older brother's shadow.

Amanda was busy snatching baked potatoes out of the oven to join a steaming meat loaf on top of the stove, next to a kettle of furiously boiling corn. "I told that boy in no uncertain terms that he was supposed to be here for supper tonight, Dev. He said he was helping Grace Miller bring Anthony home and he hasn't called to tell me anything different."

"That boy is pushing the limits, that's for damn sure," his father sputtered as he held out his hand to Matthew for the milk.

"Are you going to ground him?" Matthew asked, his eyes bright with anticipation. Secretly he was delighted that his faultless brother might finally get kicked off the throne of perfection Drew had occupied for so long.

"We'll see. Depends on how late he is," came the still irritated answer as Dev poured milk for himself. "You just mind your P's and Q's or we'll be talking about grounding with you, you hear?"

"Yes sir, but I haven't done anything wrong. At least I'm not the one who acts like I can't live without a certain Anthony Miller."

That simple statement of Matthew's scored a bulls eye on both parent's worry buttons. Their eyes met in a mutual glance of unspoken apprehension for their oldest son, the one who was always reliable and never before was a disappointment in any way. Grace began setting the food on the table when the back door opened and Drew rushed into the house, banging the door shut behind him.

"I'm here," he announced unnecessarily and a little out of breath. He ran the entire distance from Anthony's because he knew he was late. It was five minutes to six when he finally pulled himself away from a sleepy and groggy Anthony, promising he would at least call later on.

"And you're late," his mother said crossly. "I told you to be home BY six, didn't I?"

"Yes ma'am, but I'm not that late. It's only 6:10," a perspiring Drew said as he started to sit at his place.

"You're all sweaty. You weren't born in a barn boy, go wash up," Dev ordered, emphasizing his words with the fork he held in his right hand.

"Yes sir." Drew pivoted on his heel and hurriedly did as he was told, stripping off his sweaty shirt as he went down the hallway. He wasn't going to push his luck since he could tell that both of his parents were irritated with him. He ran cool water into a washcloth and wiped the sweat away from his face and chest, dried himself and grabbed a clean, white T-shirt in under 60 seconds. Pulling it over his head as he came back to the table and sat down. Looking up he noticed everyone's eyes were on him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing, we were waiting for you," a seated Amanda said unconvincingly. "Who is going to say grace?"

"Me!" Matthew volunteered, surprising the other three. He never wanted to say grace and would do so only when Grace insisted that he take a turn. They all folded their hands and bowed their heads.

"Almighty God, we gave thanks this food you give unto us and we ask your blessing upon our family, especially Drew. He needs it. Amen." He looked up from his prayer to see the other three staring at him. "What's wrong with that?" he said innocently. "It's the truth, ain't it?"

"No, I don't NEED it," Drew retorted, scowling at his brother. "Being late for supper isn't a sin, Matt."

"That's enough you two!" Dev's voice lashed out at both boys, effectively ending their bickering, at least for the time being.

A mother of teenaged boys knows how to get a contentious subject changed. All she had to say was, "Dish up now before the food gets cold. I made this big meal tonight since we haven't sat down as a family all week hardly so now eat." The meat and potatoes disappeared from the serving dishes and soon the men folk had their plates piled with buttery baked potato, corn, and meat loaf given its mantle of ketchup.

"Mmm, this tastes good, Ma," Drew said as the first mouthfuls of food passed his lips. This was his kind of meal, that being meat and potatoes. Lettuce and crappy salads didn't do a thing to fill him up.

"Yes Baby, it tastes as good as it always does," Dev seconded, not to be bested in complimenting the cook by his older son.

Matthew was busy picking the onions that he saw out of the meat loaf. "Mom," he whined, "You always put too many onions in your meat loaf."

The woman sighed. "Can't make something everyone likes, can I?" she said almost to herself before looking over at Matt. "There's no such thing as too many onions for the rest of us, so you'll have to pick them out. I cut back on them just for you."

There was little conversation at the dinner table that evening. Some were too busy eating the tasty good and some had too much on their mind to concentrate on the flavorful meal. Drew's fork scraped up the last bits of potato and melted butter and popped it in his mouth before laid down his fork and started to push back his chair. "Thanks Ma, it was great," he said.

"Stay put, Drew. You can just sit there until the rest of us have finished," Dev ordered as he pointed with his fork. With a glance at Amanda, he gave up eating and put his fork down. "Son, we need to have a family talk here. Your coach has called me about you skipping football practice. And you weren't able to play in last night's game because of it."

"It just isn't his football coach that has called, Dev." His mother tossed her two cents worth in. "His English and History teachers called to tell me that his grades are slipping down to C's."

Dev's hand slapped the table, making everyone else jump. "That's it. C grades are not acceptable in this house. I mean it Drew. You are spending entirely too much time with him, " he declared angrily.

His cheeks burning, Drew clasped his hands tightly before him and under the table while mentally he struggled to find an acceptable answer. "Dad, it's just because he was attacked. I can get things back on track next week, I know I can," he implored.

Tightening his rose tinged lips, his father shook his head negatively. "No. We still think you're spending too much time with him. You obviously see him at school and in the last few weeks you've been over at his house every spare minute. We don't see you at home anymore and we want those grades back where they belong"

His heart sinking, Drew's brow furrowed before he asked, "So then what does that mean?"

"It means you can't go over there," came the parental edict.

Drew's mouth fell open and words deserted him as he gasped in dismay. In the next instant rebellion surged within his breast and came out in open defiance. "No way! He needs me. I'll do my homework and get my grades back up, I promise!"

His father's eyes bored into his. "No. Not until those grades are back where they belong."

Restlessly he shifted in his chair, thinking fast. "And Anthony's is the only place I can't go?"

"It seems to be the root of the problem now, doesn't it?" his mother observed somewhat ironically.

"How long then?"

His dad shrugged. "That's up to you, Devlin Jamal Andrews III. It depends on how long it takes you to get your grades back up to a 3.5 grade average."

Drew visibly cringed when he heard his full name. He hated it when his parents used his real name because when they did it always seemed like he was being convicted by a court of law. "Can he come here?" he attempted to plea bargain.

"No."

"Shit." It just slipped out of Drew's mouth. Actually he wanted to say far more than that and scream curse words to the four winds. He was inwardly trembling with anger at the limitations his parents were imposing.

"Drew! You watch your mouth!" his mother reprimanded him instantly, "or you'll be doing dishes too while you wash the soap out of your mouth."

He sighed heavily as he locked down his emotions into an outward show of dutiful compliance. "Yes ma'am. May I be excused now?"

Again an exchange of glances occurred between his parents. "Is there anything else we need to talk about?" Amanda probed.

"No. Nothing." Drew was pissed. If they wanted to keep him away from Anthony, then they were going to pay. He had nothing to say to them from this moment on. He just stared down at his clenched hands and waited. Achingly long moments of silence passed.

"OK, you can go then."

Normally Drew carried his dirty dishes to the sink for his mother. "Not this time...not ever while they thought they could separate him from his Anthony," Drew thought angrily to himself as he stood up and stalked out. "Why couldn't they just understand that he loved him and needed him?"

"Too bad you can't go over to your boyfriend's," Matt taunted as his older brother as he left the table. "You're acting like you're in love with him."

Drew stopped in his tracks, stunned. Matthew knew. He could tell and he's blabbed it to their parents. Now furious, Drew spun around to rip into his brother for revealing his secret.

But his parents were faster. "Matthew, that was totally uncalled for!" Amanda shrilled at him.

"Don't you ever say that again!" Dev ordered. "Just for that wisecrack you can help your mother clean up the kitchen."

The crisis delayed, Drew slipped away to his bedroom, fighting to keep the sobs that were pushing out from within in his chest and revealing the betrayed hurt that he felt. He slammed his bedroom door shut and locked it, then leaned against it with his eyes closed, the heels of his palms pressed to his pounding forehead. The shuddery sobs from deep within started then as his anger and grief ran hot within him.

David was lying on his bed that early Saturday evening. It was as quiet as a tomb in the Brandt household after last night's fireworks. He reviewed the events of the prior evening in his mind, trying to decide what he should do. Ashley had run off with her boyfriend, Brad Mills, the family drama playing out on their front lawn for the neighbors to hear. Even worse, the police were called to the scene and showed up with lights flashing, ensuring that the entire neighborhood was alerted to their shattered reputation as a "virtuous" family. Ashley single handedly put the lie to that illusion now that she was pregnant in the beginning of her senior year. It was nearly dawn before the sounds of his mother's sobbing and father's shouting in their bedroom died into silence.

Even more astonishing was what happened when Jimmy had come into his room soon after his parent's uproar had started, his eyes open as wide as they could go, the whites clearly visible around his irises. "David, I'm scared," the trembling youngster had said as he stood in the darkened doorway.

Lying on his stomach with his eyes closed, David replayed the events of the previous night in his mind, the images and emotions as fresh and clear as if they were happening once again.

"Come in then and close the door," David said as he lifted his head from his pillow to peer at the outline of his little brother lit by the dim light of the streetlight outside.

Jimmy did as he was told, his actions putting the room into total darkness and cutting the volume of sound from their parents in half. It was still all too obvious from the sounds below that this crisis had thrown their family into chaos. David longed to be at Tristan's house, away from the raw emotions that were ripping his family apart. "Come here Squirt - just feel your way to the bed and climb in."

"You want me to sleep in your bed?" Jimmy questioned in astonishment. "What will dad say if he sees us?"

"He won't see us. Lock the door then if you're worried about it."

Jimmy fumbled around until he had managed to lock the door and then shuffled towards David's bed. Thunk. "Ouch! I stubbed my toe! Ow, that hurts." He sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed his foot as pain stabbed through his little toe. It all became too much for the 7th grader and he started sniffling.

"Awww, Jimmy, don't cry," David told him, close to tears himself. "It'll quit hurting pretty soon."

"I'm not crying. It's just everything is bothering me, David," his little brother said in a quivery voice. "Ashley running away, Mom crying, and Dad shouting stuff makes me really scared."

David whispered back, "I know. Me too. Come on, climb in here," as he lifted his bedcovers up.

Jimmy climbed in and David wrapped a protective arm around his chest, careful not to make close body contact with him as if he were Tristan. "There, that's better now, isn't it?" he asked his little brother.

"Yeah, sorta." Jimmy sniffled and then lay there silently, listening to the random noises of family discord that emanated through the darkness. David, his older brother, was his idol. He was bigger, stronger, and smarter and always looked after him. Ashley, the oldest child, was the boss of the siblings, but David was his protector. He couldn't stop himself from trembling each time the sound of his parent's angry voices rang out through the stillness. Even though he was half grown up, this was more than he could handle and he knew what he wanted right that moment. He needed to be held, to feel sheltered in the midst of the turmoil of his family. With that realization newly foremost in his awareness, Jimmy spooned back into David, seeking what he badly desired.

"Good Lord above Jimmy, do you have to do this?" David protested hastily as he hunched his torso away from his brother's pajama clad ass.

"Yes, I have to. I'm scared David so you gotta hold me," Jimmy implored in his best little brother voice and snuggled back into David once more.

"You're sure about this," David questioned.

"Yeah. I'm sure." He laid there, soaking up the feelings of warmth and closeness from his older brother. Within a very short time, however, he became aware of something hard was pressing against his butt. At first he was puzzled by it, then awareness dawned and he wiggled, giggling as he did so. "David's got a boner!" he teased.

"Yeah, and you're not helping me any with this," David growled at him. "So quit the wiggling if you want to be held." Internally the older teen was totally embarrassed to have popped woody while holding his brother, but his dick didn't know the difference. It was too much like having Tristan in bed with him and he was horny--that is all there was to it.

Jimmy laid still, his mind racing as his thoughts were diverted away from his parents and instead began to focus on some things that had been bothering him of late. "David, does yours get hard like that a lot?" he asked, brave in the cover of the darkness.

"Why are you asking me that," David questioned, trying to escape from answering.

"Well, mine has been doing that a lot lately. Yesterday I was standing up in front of the class and when I stood my pants brushed it and just like that, it was hard and sticking out."

David laughed softly. "Yeah, that's happened to me too. So what did you do about it?"

"I stuck my hand in my pocket. What else could I do? The teacher wanted me to stand up in front and do a math problem on the chalkboard."

"Uh huh, that's about all you can do except maybe think about something gross so it goes away," the older and more experienced boy advised. "It happens to everyone, Jimmy."

"David, can we, uh, talk about stuff and you won't get mad at me?"

"What kinda stuff?" David asked, already knowing what was probably coming.

"Sex stuff."

"Oh man, Jimmy. Are you sure you want to talk to me about this?" David's guts squirmed with this new source of uncertainty.

"Yup, you're the only one I can ask. And besides, you know I saw what you and Tristan were doing."

"Yeah, like how could I forget?" the older boy grumbled, his face flushing hotly with remembered embarrassment.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it a lot. And I think I've figured it out."

"Figured what out?"

Jimmy took the plunge. "That you're gay. You and Tristan are boyfriends. You liked what he did to you that day."

David sighed heavily. "What do you want me to say, Jimmy? I'm not going to lie to you since you spied on us and saw all of it." Then he added, "And we saw what you were doing too, remember."

Jimmy squirmed then, making things worse as far as David was concerned. He had just gotten semi relaxed when Jimmy's squirming brought him to full mast once more.

"Stop that Jimmy! You're not helping me one bit here."

The younger boy giggled. "Oh don't worry about it David, mine is that way too. Wanna feel it?" he asked with obvious pride.

"No, I don't need to feel it," David said as neutrally as he could. "I'll take your word for it." His little brother was silent for the next few moments, making David wonder what he was thinking. He wasn't prepared for what came next.

"David, what does it feel like to have Tristan's big thing up your butt?"

"Oh my god Jimmy. You really think you need to know this stuff?" David gasped in shocked dismay at his little brother's outspoken curiosity.

"Well, what if I'm gay too?" he asked quietly.

"Don't you think it's a bit early for you to decide if you like boys?" David replied. "I mean it took me a long time with Tristan to let myself admit that I could want to be in love with another boy."

"That's what I'm trying to figure out...if I like girls or boys. And it's why I really want to know the answer to my question," Jimmy reminded pointedly.

The older boy sighed and stayed silent.

"Come on, tell me!" Jimmy demanded.

"Well, it hurts some at first, but then it's really nice. Tristan knows how to do it just right and it makes the good feelings that much better when he hits that sweet spot inside. I always tell him he fills me with his love...that's how it feels to me. Does that satisfy you, squirt?"

"Mmmm hmmm, I guess so." He added wistfully, " I wish I could have that kind of sex. I love how it feels when I shoot out my stuff. I've done it every day since that time the last week."

"Just don't let mom or dad catch you," David warned. "They'd freak out."

"Well duh!" Jimmy exclaimed. "So David, how do I know if I'm gay or not?" Another big sigh came from behind him.

"I don't know exactly how it is for someone else Jimmy. Do naked boys or naked girls make you hard?"

"Yup, both do," came the speedy reply.

"Huh. Well, I used to be that way too. Maybe you're bi then."

"What's that?"

"Bisexual. It means you like both," David explained. "And there's no hurry for you to decide. You're only in the 7th grade for Pete's sake. You'll know where you fit one day when you find the right person to fall in love with."

"But how will I know for sure?" Jimmy half whined.

"Listen to your heart and to your dick," David replied. "They know and will tell you the right answer every time."

Jimmy was still for a space of time as he digested what David had to say. Then suddenly he turned to face David and spoke, his voice hushed as he stared into the vague outline of his brother's face. "But what if I'm gay like you David? You know how much Dad hates gays. What are you going to do?"

David swallowed audibly twice before he answered, "I don't know, Jimmy. It's really hard to be around him when he goes off on gays. If he learns about me being boyfriends with Tristan, he'll probably kick my butt out. So you have to keep my secret, Squirt, cuz I'm a goner if you blab. I'll be out the door just like Ashley was tonight."

"I won't tell on you David. I already promised you that. And I don't want to be the only one left here with them, especially if they're going to be like this," the boy confided.

"Well, we'll see what happens. Nothing is for sure in this whole mess. But you can be sure about the fact that you'll always be my brother and I'll always love you, OK Squirt?"

"Yeah, same here," came the reply.

"That's good to hear. Now do you suppose we can try to get some sleep?"

"Only if you hold me like before, ok?"

"OK, but just because you're my brother."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. My name isn't Tristan so don't worry," Jimmy retorted.

David sighed, suddenly lonely again. "Just try to go to sleep Jimmy."

"Yeah, I know. Night David," Jimmy said as he turned over once more before he snuggled back into David's warmth.

Secretly David admitted to himself that it felt good to have Jimmy there to hold. He really missed having Tristan with him and their body contact. "Night Jimmy."

Remembering his conversation and his closeness with his little brother the prior night only intensified David's loneliness and longing for Tristan. Here he was, stuck home alone on a Saturday night, cut off from all contact from his friends and the boy-man he loved. It wasn't fair at all. He heard the clock on the fake mantle in the front room strike midnight. That was it. It was now or never. He had only 6 hours he could spend with Tristan if he left right now. Dressing quickly, he tiptoed down the stairs, checking to make sure no one else was out of bed. The coast was clear and so he slipped out of the back door, doing everything in his power to avoid making noise.

He grabbed his bike and ran with it down the sidewalk before hopping on and speeding through the shadows towards Tristan's. Luckily his route was an extremely familiar one as he sped on through the murky darkness of the park and avoided the few cars still on the streets. His breath puffing into the coolness of the fall night, he braked to a stop in Tristan's driveway and surveyed the house. All was dark within. Pressing against the pedals with his strong legs, he powered his bike up to Tristan's window and knocked softly. There was no answer. He knocked again. "Tristan! Wake up!" he called. It seemed to take ages for Tristan's head to show and for him to open the sash.

"David! Why are you here? Is something wrong? Did you get kicked out?" Tristan babbled questions anxiously through the window.

"No, nothing is wrong like that. I just needed to escape from jail so I could be with you. Let me in, will ya?" David said, his teeth chattering as the chill of the night air affected him.

"Yeah, sure. Go to the back door. I'll be right there," and then Tristan's face was gone.

David parked his bike out of sight and picked his way through the darkness to find his bare-chested hunk holding the door open for him. In a flash a nearly nude Tristan had him pulled inside and was crushing him in a bear hug, kissing his face.

"I think someone missed me," David laughed softly.

"Yeah, big time. Come on, let's go in my room. When do you have to leave?" asked Tristan.

David leaned into Tristan, the warmth and longed-for smell of his boyfriend surrounding him and beginning to sooth his frazzled nerves. "Oh, I need to get home at dawn, so I suppose 6 o'clock or so," he answered as he pushed the back door shut behind him.

"Awesome! Let's not waste any time then," and the taller hunky boy was pulling him by the hand towards his room. Again, the door was closed behind them before they melted into each other's arms and held the other, savoring the tender kisses they shared as they wordlessly traded a more intimate hello. They pressed themselves tightly together, Tristan's arms around David's neck and David's hands on his boxer clad buttocks pulling their groins tight. Automatically David's hips were moving, hunching into him. "I think somebody really missed me," Tristan giggled. Dropping his arms down from around David's neck, he lifted the bottom of his boyfriend's T-shirt, pulling it up. "You're overdressed, Davie, let's get this stuff off."

"Yeah, good idea," came the response immediately and David was removing his arms from the shirt and then it was gently tugged over his head. And right afterwards he felt Tristan's practiced fingers opening the waistband and fly of his jeans, moving warm hands around his ass to slip them off so he could step out of them while he pried his shoes off and kicked them away. Now they were equally clothed, their underwear being the only remaining impediment to their uninhibited body contact. The next thing David knew was that he was being pushed gently towards the bed while at the same time his briefs were being expertly peeled down. This was nothing more than he expected, because Tristan most often took the lead in their lovemaking, leaving David to be the leader in the outside world affairs. "Lay back Loverboy," he heard Tristan's throaty whisper urging and as he did so, his knees were spread apart as the other boy moved between them. "What are you doing?" he asked. "What do you think?" came Tristan's muffled voice from between his legs just before the artistic fingers touched his rigid and leaking teencock. "Mmmmmm, I think I know," David moaned, spreading his legs wider. He felt the warmth of Tristan's breath an instant before his boyfriend's talented tongue swirled around his exposed glans. "Oh god, that's so nice," David breathed in rapture as his hips pushed up on their own accord.

Tristan giggled softly and answered, "Yeah, I can tell you're a horny toad, so this is to settle you down for some serious loving." Then he resumed his oral attentions to David's privates. And he knew all the things that the blonde haired football stud loved. He would push up David's foreskin and nibble it and suck on it. Then there were the long licks down David's pole, the gentle sucking of his balls, and the tongue tickling at the very bottom of his sack had him panting and squirming in ecstasy.

David could feel that his precum was pooling on his belly by its obvious cool wetness but that soon became eclipsed. Tristan was back to bobbing on his rod, the curly haired youth doing an expert job. It had been days since he had last cum and his abounding sex drive asserted itself as his hips rose to meet every descent Tristan made on his cock. He could feel the cum boiling in his balls and he began to make those involuntary short jabs preparatory to blowing his load. "Oh my god, Tris, I'm gonna cum," David gasped out in warning as his hips bucked up in their final lunges. Soft fingers brushed his pucker and he lost it in that instant. Deep moans of carnal fulfillment rolled out of his throat as he shot streams of his boy juice into Tristan's hungry mouth. Only when Tristan was sucking and licking his oversensitive cockhead to get every last drop did David come back from his orgasmic high. "Stop that Tris, it's way too sensitive now," he half whined and squirmed before pulling the curly haired youth's head towards his own.

"Aww, I like making you buck and whine," Tristan laughed softly as he slid upwards until their lips met in another kiss, this time David tasting the flavor of his own cum as their tongues and lips met in a duel of love.

"Hmm, you taste like cum," David teased, contentment and love coloring his accusation.

"Yup, fresh from Davie's faucet," Tristan chuckled as he laid against David's left side, his right arm slipping under his lover's head to cradle it. "Don't you like it?" he asked once he was settled.

"Don't like it? Oh, you mean the taste? Well, it's ok I guess. I think yours probably tastes a little better, as least as far as I am concerned," David said as he idly played with Tristan's hair with his free hand. "Do you like the way it tastes?" he asked.

"Yup. It's all you and when I taste it, it just reminds me of how much I love you," Tristan whispered into his ear. That earned him a hug.

"I've missed you so much Tris," David murmured. "You have no idea how much I needed you last night. Ashley ran off with Brad after having a huge fight with my dad. He was trying to hit Brad and I had to hold him back."

"Oh god, David. That sounds awful."

"It was. The cops came and everything. You remember the cop at the hospital? He was there. Then my mom and dad fought the rest of the night practically and you could hear it upstairs. It was terrible. Jimmy was scared and came into my bedroom to stay with me."

"I bet. So why didn't you come last night?"

"I didn't dare Tristan. Besides, Jimmy needed me. And Dad would have probably killed me if I was caught because they were awake most of the night. That's why I waited until everyone was asleep tonight and then snuck out because they were so tired. And Tristan, Jimmy was asking questions last night. He thinks he might be gay too."

"Yeah, you think?" Tristan laughed. "That kid is a cock hound if I ever saw one. The way he was so fascinated with my cock makes me believe it."

"Well, he's not the only one," David chuckled in return as he reached out and found Tristan's pole. Then he said more seriously as he squeezed the meaty flesh he found jutting out from the other boy's crotch, "He knows we're gay. "

"Yeah, no doubt. So what did he say about it? Is he going to keep his mouth shut?" Tristan asked a bit worriedly, his worry for David taking precedence over his sexual urge at the moment.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he will since we had our little talk last night. I think he sees me as the only person he can be safe with right now so he isn't going to want to see me kicked out, you know?" David explained as he struggled to find the words to express the complex set of feelings. Absentmindedly he stroked Tristan's flagging erection to bring it back to full mast.

"Mmmm, that's nice," Tristan moaned, the distraction of the outer world forgotten once more. Soft lips found his and they sunk into a kiss that expressed all of the longing their enforced separation had stockpiled. And while he was kissing Tristan, David's fingers were kneading and gently pinching Tristan's quarter-sized aureoles, sending flashes of desire throughout his body and causing his hips to hunch in response to each tremor of desire. He felt David move down, his wet tongue tracing a hot path down his chin and throat to end at his left nipple. And then, wonder of wonders, David was sucking and nipping at that bitty piece of sensitive flesh, making him gasp for air as the fires of his lust roared hotter and hotter. The wet tongue snaked its way across his chest to find his right nipple and soon it joined its twin in a state of heated arousal. All the while David nibbled and sucked at his chest Tristan's hips were moving and twisting in sensuous abandon, while moans and gasps of pure pleasure streamed from his mouth. Lifting both hands, he pushed down on David's shoulders, telling him without words what he wanted and needed. David understood and the wet tongue worked down the dark treasure trail that was making its first appearance on Tristan's belly. And then David's practiced lips and tongue were there, working their magic on his fully engorged manhood. Mews of delight escaped unnoticed from his lips as his fingers worked their way through the blonde hair of David's head. Then, just as his passion was rising to that peak of perfection, David's head lifted. "No you don't. Not yet and not like this."

"David," Tristan moaned in frustration. "I was so close!"

"Too bad dude, you know where I want it. Where's the lube?"

"Where it always is, under the bed," Tristan lifted up on one arm to watch David retrieve the bottle of lube he kept handy. "You want me to do it for you?" he asked with a half smile.

"Nope, I'm going to do it because I'm not waiting any longer. You know how you like to tease me," David said as he liberally coated the first two fingers of his right hand and then reached back to anoint his nether regions.

In the dimness of the night light, Tristan watched his boyfriend do his version of an erotic belly dance, his erection swaying in an arc as his hips gyrated. "That's pretty damn sexy there Davie. You'd make a pretty good belly dancer."

"What?" David asked in puzzlement.

"The way you moved when you were lubing up was sexy as hell. You should do more." To his amazement, David laced his fingers behind his head and did just that. His David, the country boy who seldom let his self-restraint loose, danced on the balls of his feet to an ancient melody of inner passion. His hips swayed and bucked forward in an uninhibited display of eroticism. It was another of the magic moments that he would replay in his mind for the rest of his life-David and his perfect body doing a belly dance, the shadowed and rampant figure of the man/boy on display for him. He couldn't wait any longer...the precum was dripping in a steady stream by now in his readiness to join their bodies and their souls together as only two lovers can. He leaned over and pulled David by the hand down onto the bed. "I'm more than ready Davie-babe, are you?" he whispered with a voice laced with lust into David's shoulder as he nuzzled his lover's ear.

"Yes, you know how I need your love Tris. Give it to me!" he huskily demanded as he lifted his legs and waited for Tristan to position himself. Then, he felt the familiar pressure of Tristan's cockhead pushing against his pucker, and slowly open him. Inch by inch Tristan sunk his rigid manhood into the welcoming heat of David's most private place until, finally, he could go no deeper. The first orgasm of Tristan's came fast and hard, his lust fully aroused and prompting him to plant his seed deep within David as he shuddered through massive blasts of cum. Still inside of his lover, they kissed while David's chute rippled against the erect organ that filled it. Moaning into each other's mouths they then began their true lovemaking, a more leisurely delight in the bond they shared. And when David eventually went over the edge from the battering his prostate was receiving, he took Tristan with him in a shared climax.

Their passions banked into smoldering fires by this time, their kisses were tender and the "I love you's" flowed from their lips numerous times. "I need to turn," David finally murmured, "but stay in like usual."

Expertly Tristan flipped David's leg over his body so they could spoon together, David now filled in all ways with Tristan's love. His body jumped as his exhaustion took over and he began to doze, safe and secure in Tristan's bed. His arm holding David close and hearing the deep breaths of sleep come from the boy in his arms, Tristan closed his eyes and drifted into a contented slumber.

"Tristan, wake up. Tristan, I gotta get going!" The urgent sound of David's early morning voice penetrated the sleep-induced fog in Tristan's brain. Reluctantly he roused himself from the best sleep he'd had since the last time he and David shared a bed and could tell they were still connected via his 8- inch morning erection. "Mmmm, this is how I like to wake up, Babe," Tristan murmured and pumped his hips slightly.

David squeezed down and felt Tristan's pole claiming him in a very physical reminder of the bond they shared. "Yeah, me too but I gotta get going before my folks wake up and find out that I'm gone," the resolve in his voice betrayed by the prelude to lovemaking his body was talking.

"What time is it?"

A quick glance at the alarm clock on his side of the bed provided the answer. "Five forty-five."

"How about if you stay another fifteen minutes and we'll make the most of it, OK?" Tristan murmured as he nuzzled into the back of David's neck and wrapped a practiced hand around the other boy's rapidly hardening cock.

"How can I say no to the best offer I'll get today?" David joked half seriously. "It'll be our last chance for this week unless I can sneak out again."

"Yeaaaaah," was all he got in reply. By this time Tristan was getting into the loving of his blond-haired God of a boyfriend. David worked at bringing things to a rapid conclusion since he was worried about the time but at the same time he wanted the intimate love Tristan was so good at one more time. They were so attuned to each other that in a relatively short time their mingled moans gave voice to their ball draining eruptions. Spent, they stayed joined together as their heart rates slowed and their breathing came back to normal. "Tris, I really need to go now," David reminded all too soon as he lifted Tristan's arm that was draped over his rib cage.

"I know, but you have to give me a decent kiss before you go," the curly haired boy demanded before slowly pulling his plump cock out, leaving David feeling empty and alone before he'd even left Tristan's side.

As David turned over to give the kiss that was to be their goodbye kiss, Tristan surprised him by pulling him so David was laying on top of Tristan's chest. "Come and live here with me, David," the boy beseeched. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about your dad anymore."

David heaved a huge sigh as their noses touched in the darkness. "I can't, not now at least. God, I love you, Tristan, and I wish could. But I'm not ready to abandon my family....not yet. Besides, Jimmy needs me with all the uproar Ashley has caused. If I leave too then it will be even worse for the kid. Just wait and see what happens, Tristan. Besides, your dad might not want me staying here with you."

"You know that I love you with all my heart, David. And my dad would too let you stay if you weren't able to live at your house any longer. It's just that this last week has felt like forever and I want us to be together all the time like we were at the farm."

"I know, I know. Just hang in there dude, and I'll try to get over here another night if I can, ok?"

"Yeah, this was a really nice surprise. Now how about that kiss you promised me?" Their nose-to-nose touching easily became a full-fledged kiss. However, from Tristan's viewpoint it was more in the way of a goodbye kiss rather than the tender closing of their lovemaking, leaving his romantic spirit feeling somewhat unfulfilled even after their bout of sex.

And then David was climbing out of bed and dressing hurriedly. "Dang, I'm going to be leaking all the way home," he grimaced as he pulled his jeans up and fastened them. Immediately thereafter the t-shirt was going over his head and he was sitting on the bed putting his socks and shoes on while Tristan watched.

"You want me to come to the door with you?"

"No need for you to get all chilled. I can let myself out and I'll lock the door with the button, ok?" David said briskly as he stood to leave.

"Yeah, that'll work. I love you David," and he reached out for one last little kiss.

Pecking the full lips of the boy that stole his heart, David gave a quick smile, "Love you too Trissy. See you in school tomorrow. Bye." And with those words said, he slipped through the door and headed back to the place he called home. More and more Tristan's place felt like home since he was most free there to be the person he was growing into. He wondered for the countless time as he left how something that felt so good and so right for the two of them could be considered so bad.

For the second time that morning someone was disturbing his rest. His dad knocked on the door and stuck his head in. "Time to get up Tristan. It's past noon and I'll have brunch ready in a few minutes."

"Yeah, yeah, give me a couple of minutes, ok Dad?" Tristan said in his usual sleep laden voice as he pushed the bedcovers away from his head and rolled over to look blearily at the older version of himself standing in the doorway.

Randy sniffed the air before looking directly at his son. "It smells in here like it usually does after David's been here, Tristan. Was he?"

"Yeah, Dad. Now don't get all parental on me. I'll talk to you about it after we eat, ok?"

"You got that right, Tristan. It's time we talked more about you and David. Now get moving because I'm starting the waffles and they'll be done in 5 minutes." As his dad left the odor of bacon wafted into the room, mingling with the distinctive smell of man sex.

Throwing back the covers, the naked teen climbed out of bed and scratched his pubes sleepily making his tender, distended cock jiggle. A quick trip to the bathroom was a vital necessity before anything else, even before finding some loose shorts and a T-shirt to wear. His dad didn't seem to mind his nudity for brief periods on the way to and from the bathroom, but he drew the line at Tristan being naked at the table.

It was a typical Sunday brunch for them. Tristan chewed his way through the waffles and bacon his dad placed in front of him and drank two larges glasses of orange juice while both of them flipped through the Sunday morning paper. Sitting back with a belch, Tristan contemplated the fact that he had the rest of the day ahead of him with nothing to do.

Hearing that audible clue that Tristan had finished eating, Randy put the paper down. "We need to talk," he said as a way of opening their discussion.

"About what?" Tristan countered warily.

"David. You. The two of you," his father answered, his eyes flicking up to meet Tristan's before looking away.

"What about us?"

"More like what about David sneaking in here during the middle of the night and leaving before the light of day is what. You care to explain that?" Randy asked with raised eyebrows. "And I don't have to guess what you were doing, either," he added with a pointed look at his son.

"Dad, I told you he's been grounded for a month by his dad just because they had an argument. And I told you that his dad is always putting down gays and that David is getting really tired of it," Tristan said as he folded his hands into his lap to hide the tension he was feeling and looked down at them.

"So now he's sneaking over here in the middle of the night so you guys can have sex?"

"Well kinda, yeah." Tristan flushed at having to admit it to his dad, but then lifted his head. "It isn't just to have sex, Dad. He needed to be with me cuz all hell is breaking loose at his house. His sister Ashley is pregnant and ran off with Brad Mills, her boyfriend. And David says his dad is raising the roof there over this. And his brother Jimmy is scared about what's happening cuz it sounds like the family is tearing apart."

Randy lifted a hand to gesture as he questioned, "So David took the chance to come over here when if he was caught it would make things that much worse?"

"Yeah, I guess you could put it that way...but he needed it."

Randy rolled his eyes before flatly repeating, "He needed it."

"Dad. It isn't just sex. He needed to feel safe and loved again. His dad is really going nuts over things and David is sticking it out for his little brother Jimmy. That's what he told me last night when I told him to stay here."

"You told him to stay here. Like live here?" Randy asked as his raised arm dropped heavily on the table and his shock plainly visible on his face. "You think Dan Brandt will just let David come here and live so you two can be boyfriends?"

"Yeah, that's what I wanted to ask you about. His dad doesn't know about us and thinks being gay is a sin...so if he finds out about David we don't know what will happen. So it would be best if David came here to live with us and then David would have safe place to live and we could be together," Tristan explained in a rush.

The older man just sat and rubbed his face, the stubble of his beard making a rasping noise while he looked across the table at his son. Finally he found the words to say what he was thinking. "Tristan, I don't ever want David to be hurt or for you to be hurt, physically or emotionally. But real life gets in the way of what we want sometimes."

The angry words burst from the agitated boy. "Just like that you're going to say no? And what if we run away, then what? Cuz you aren't giving us a choice if his dad kicks him out. Where he goes, I go. I'm not letting David leave me, Dad, not ever."

Hearing those words Randy knew he had to defuse Tristan's emotions quickly before things exploded out of control. Gesturing downward with his hands he said more calmly to his son than he felt, "Now hear me out, Tristan. I wasn't done yet. I was about to say that if it comes to that, David can live here as long as we have either his parent's permission or somehow I am given legal guardianship so we don't have to worry about being accused of harboring a runaway minor. And it may involve telling Dan Brandt and the authorities the truth about your relationship. Are you ready for that-for the world to know about the love you two share?"

"It's not like David and I are the only ones, Dad. There's Jason and Chris, and Drew and Anthony, and Sean and Brian who are all boyfriends too," Tristan blurted out before his brain kicked in.

His father stared at him. "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. And don't go thinking that I got them all together cuz they did it themselves," Tristan added defensively. "All I did is figure out who liked whom when I saw them together and so now my best friends are guys who like guys."

"So all of you guys are gay and are best friends?" Randy asked again with a stunned look on his face before shaking it off. "I had no idea that there would be so many of you."

"Dad, it's not that many. There are five of us out of about 500 kids in my school-that's only, um, one percent. We're way outnumbered which is why we have to stick together, especially now that Anthony got jumped,' Tristan explained impatiently.

Again Randy looked confused. "Five? You said there were four couples so that means you have 3 extra guys in there somehow."

The teen huffed with impatience for dense adults. "Dad, now listen. Chris and Jason go another school and Brian doesn't go at all, so that makes five of us in Central High who are the ones I was talking about. And Brian isn't exactly a best friend. He's Sean's boyfriend, you know the other boy who stays at Craig's? Besides, what does this have to do with David staying here?" his eyes drilled into his dad with renewed focus on his goal.

"I just had this idea that you and David were the only ones in your school, that's all." Then comprehension dawned on Randy's face. "All of the guys who've been over here this school year are all gay then. I'll be damned. I would have never guessed-I mean ... you guys don't even ... look gay."

"Gee, thanks a lot Dad. You want me to start wearing a dress or something?" came the sarcastic reply. Another idea hit him and he continued by saying, "Wait a minute, you better change that to Davie as the one who wears the dress," and he smirked at the ludicrous idea of his studly David wearing girl clothes.

"Ok, ok," Randy conceded. "No need to go into all the details here," Randy flushed and said hastily as he waved his hand in negation. "I have nothing against David personally and wouldn't mind having him around on a permanent basis but not without some kind of permission from either his parents or the authorities, you got that?" he said with the look Tristan well knew that he meant business.

The younger version of the two Cochran men sighed in resignation as he looked down. "Yeah Dad, I got it. Anything else?" An uncharacteristic silence filled the room with the humming noise of the refrigerator's compressor being the only sound. The lack of response prompted Tristan to look over at his dad.

Randy was staring out the window as he uncertainly rubbed his hands together.

"Dad, did you hear me? Are we done?" the boy asked again.

"Um no, not quite," the man responded with a start. "There's something else I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Like what?"

Randy looked down and then back up towards his son before nervously clearing his throat. "I wanted to ask you what you thought about me dating."

For the first time in his life his dad was asking him for permission. It was incredible! A relieved smile lit Tristan's face as his excited words poured out. "Is that all? You want to date? Whoa. You're the dad, here. You don't need my permission ... why are you asking?"

The man shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to have a problem with me going out with someone," Randy temporized with a glance at his son as he nervously picked up his silverware.

"Hey, I hope you find someone to make you as happy as David makes me, Old Man," Tristan grinned back. So who's the lucky girl?" he asked.

"Who said it had to be a girl?" Although Randy tried to make it sound like a joke, his flushed look of embarrassment made the truth of his statement apparent. He looked out the window again, not ready to face his son's reaction.

Tristan's jaw fell immediately. He was utterly stunned. His own father had just willingly admitted to him that he was gay. Tristan opened his mouth, finding that an inordinate amount of stuffy air in his lungs had replaced all speech. He drew in a cautious breath before trying again. "You're kidding," he gasped, his eyes blinking rapidly as he absorbed what his dad just told him.

Randy shrugged. "I don't think so. It just took me longer to admit it to myself. So if you can have a boyfriend, then I figure maybe your old man might find one too."

"Whoa. That's just too much..." Tristan said as he placed both hands on the table and leaned back as he contemplated his father's revelation, looking at his dad in a new and completely unexpected light.

Pushing back his chair, Randy picked up his place setting and then looked over to his son. "Yeah, I guess that's one way of saying it. Just don't go telling anyone for now, ok?"

"Not even David? I gotta tell David, Dad. We don't have secrets from each other," the boy said energetically as he clattered his dirty dishes together in his excitement. He followed Randy to the sink and put his dishes down. Then he stopped suddenly turned to look directly at his dad. "Can I ask you a question?"

Randy froze and then turned slowly to face his son. "I guess so," he said hesitantly. "What is it?" as his eyes gazed warily into the matching ones of his son's.

"I was just wondering...did you like guys when you were a teenager? I mean, like why did you get married then?"

"I guess you're old enough to hear the truth Tristan...now that you know the other," his father told him with an discomfited look. "The truth is that I was trying to prove to myself and everyone else that I was straight...that I could do it with a girl. We did it alright, enough times so she became pregnant with you. And to answer your question, I knew that I was turned on by guys but in those days what it meant to be 'gay' wasn't discussed by anyone, anywhere. I thought I was the only person who felt that way and that there was something wrong with me."

"So why were you so shocked when I blurted it out in Lubbock?" the boy asked.

The man sighed. "Because I never suspected that you were the same as me. I had hoped all these years that you wouldn't have to deal with it and I have done my best not to influence you otherwise."

Tristan moved closer to his dad and gave him a one-armed hug. "Dad, you've always been the best dad there is and I wouldn't change you for any other. I guess this makes me a real chip off the old block, doesn't it?"

Slipping an arm around his son, Randy hugged him back. "Yup, I guess so. The best thing I ever did was to have you as my son."

OK, that's it for this chapter. Sorry for making all of you wait this long, but life gets busy at times and other times the words don't want to flow. What will happen with David and Drew since now both of them are restrained by their parents from seeing their boyfriends. How will Anthony feel when he doesn't hear from Drew? Tristan's life may be getting easier at home, but so far he's the only one. What becomes of Jimmy? All of these things and more will be coming out in the next few chapters. Any and all constructive feedback is more than welcome. Send it to me, DZ, via ndman72@yahoo.com.

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