The standard warnings apply here. If you are under 18 don't stop here, just go away. If you are offended by stories of gay love between two consenting young men, just go away. If you live in a place that limits your freedom of thought and expression by repressive laws and ordinances, just go away. If you are looking for hot steamy sex, there isn't any in this chapter. All that said, feel free to read on. The authors retain all rights to this story.
Authors Note: This is our first story so please be patient with any mistakes we made. We'd like to dedicate this little tale, which is entirely fictional, to a dear friend who has quietly encouraged us to write for several months now. Without his kind and patient guidance and enthusiastic support we would have never attempted the project. We humbly dedicate Will and Tyler's Odyssey to our friend from the frozen wastes of the Great White North. Derek this is for you man. We love ya Dude. Mike and Alan 02.28.01
Will and Tyler's Odyssey Part One: In the Beginning
I've just helped Ty get into bed. He's been in a lot of pain for the past several days now and I hope that my best friend and lover will be able to sleep throughout the night again. His muscle cramps have not responded to the medications like they used to but the long hot oil massage I'd given him earlier seemed to have helped some. I hated to see him in such pain: his suffering rips my heart out especially knowing that it's only going to get worse as time goes on and he refuses to take the narcotics that his doctor has prescribed.
I swished the ice around in my cream soda and took another big swallow before I closed the journal we've been keeping since we met in High School. I looked at the bookshelf across our living room and counted the journals on the middle shelf.
'My god there are ten volumes,' I thought to myself.
We have been keeping these journals since Mrs. Thomas's English class. That was almost eight years ago. So much has happened since the first day I met Tyler that I wondered briefly why there were only ten, eleven counting the half full book in front of me.
I could hear my lover calling me to come to bed, so I closed the journal I was writing in and turned out the lights before joining Ty in our bedroom. It had been a long day for both of us. After kissing Ty's sweet lips, we snuggled against each other in our usual bedtime positions with me spooned in behind Ty, my arm hugging his chest and his hand resting lightly in mine.
Tyler fell asleep quickly, the sound of his soft snores usually a lullaby to my ears, but tonight sleep would just not come to me. I lie there listening to my love's breathing, feeling his chest rise and fall slowly and began thinking about what was contained in those journals. There were so many memories, so many emotions contained in those journals - ranging from the heights of true love and happiness to the depths of rage, hatred, and bigotry. Our successes and our failures too.
Sleep was still eluding me after an hour or more so I eased away from Ty's sleeping form, carefully covering him again. Quietly going into the den and turning on the desk lamp, I opened that first journal we began writing in English class so long ago: a blue colored composition book that over the years has developed quite a ragged cover. It was the one that marked the beginnings of the many things Tyler and I now share. It held the thoughts and emotions of the first few precious months when we found our love for each other to strong to deny and of the time that we were first severely tested as young men. Those words flowed from the pages and became images that replayed themselves vividly in my head and I remembered...
Chapter One
"William...Will, get up now! It's six fifteen and breakfast is ready. You've got to be at the pool by seven!"
"Alright Mom! I'm up, I'm up."
I rolled over and groaned as the cool morning air from my open window instantly chilled me when I tossed the covers off. I missed the warm spot that my body had made during the night immediately but I knew if she didn't hear me moving around soon, she'd be back. My cock was like steel this morning, as it is every morning before I have a chance to drain my bladder. While I stretched out on my bed to work the kinks out of my muscles, I stroked my seven inches slowly enjoying the sensations that raced up my spine. If I had more time I'd have quickly jerked-off, but I knew that I didn't this morning.
First day of the new school year and the first day of swimming practice at the new pool house at University High had arrived all to soon, but I was really glad to be able to get back into swimming again. I had been in a swim club or on a junior team since I was seven and I enjoyed the hard workouts that kept my body firm and toned. I also enjoyed the competition as well; it is something I'm really good at too.
I showered quickly and dressed, grabbing my bag as I ran down stairs and into the kitchen. I saw that Mom had made one of her "special breakfasts" this morning.
"Thanks Mom," I told her and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"Well you'll need a good breakfast every morning but since this is the first day at your new high school and swim practice, I just thought I'd perk your morning up a little son," she said smiling at me.
I chopped up two bananas into the hot oatmeal and served myself from the platter of scrambled eggs, honey glazed ham and toast too before I devoured everything in front of me. I knew that by lunch I'd burn most of it off and I'd be starving. I drank my orange juice and then had my single cup of black sweet Columbian coffee that I allowed myself.
We were out of the house more or less on time and Mom dropped me at school before she went on to work at the hospital. Her first stop before going into the office is always to see her patients that she'd performed surgery on the previous day. Mom's oncology practice kept her very busy, but she'd always been there to take me to school after making breakfast.
Since she'd divorced my father when I was four, Mom always made a point to be there in the morning when I got up, if she could be. She was my best friend too. Mom also knows that I'm gay and except for the first time I'd told her about how I felt - her shock and disappointment was evident at once but well hiddden - she'd been a real help for me while I'd worked through some of my early emotions about my sexuality. I wasn't out.that would have been foolish right now. I was only in the 10th grade. I didn't have a boyfriend; in fact I was not very social at all. I'd seen what happens to kids who were thought to be gay and I didn't feel like I wanted to be the object of ridicule and assault that I'd seen some others suffer. That was the way it had to be, for now.for me anyway.
Practice went well that morning and I was surprised that I hadn't lost any time in my backstroke and freestyle over 1500 meters. I had to improve some in the butterfly and breaststroke but our coach was pleased that I'd kept up my medley workouts over the summer. The new pool facility was truly magnificent too. At the old University High pool, we'd sometimes have to collect pieces of the flaking concrete ceiling off the bottom of the pool before we could practice and the pool heaters were unreliable too.
I walked to my locker before going to my first class while the halls were still mostly empty. I heard some voices around the corner laughing loudly so after I put my kit into the locker I went to see what everyone was laughing at.
There in front of me was several heavyset guys pushing a kid in a wheelchair back and forth between them.
"Stop it.please stop it! What did I do to you? Stop! Please! " There were tears flowing down his face as the boys taunted the kid and kept pushing him back and forth between them.
"HEY, what the hell are you guy's doing? Leave him alone!" I shouted at the bullies that I'd recognized as football jocks on the JV Team including Barney Coleman, an asshole bully who'd tormented weaker kids since elementary school. I loathed him and his behavior - something that he knew well too. We'd had run- ins before.
"Butt out Water Boy. He ran over my foot with his wheel and he's gotta pay for it, so butt out!" Barney yelled at me with a smirk on his face and a glint of evil intent in his eyes. The other two idiots with him were just that: idiots willing to follow their powerfully built leader.
One of my major shortcomings in life is my sometimes-explosive temper and nothing sets me off faster than seeing dumb jocks tormenting other kids.that and being called "Water Boy" a nickname that had stuck with me through middle school and had followed me here.
"Like hell I will. Leave him alone NOW!" I grabbed Barney's hand and pulled it off the kid's chair. He tried to swing at me but I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm up behind his back and pressed his thumb into his palm causing severe pain. It wasn't cruel, but I needed to get the big jerk's attention.
"AHHHH! Let go of me you little son of a bitch. Let go!" Barney squirmed and tried to break my hold on his arm. "ARRGGGHHHHH!"
His buddies had stopped what they were doing, stepping away from me and Barney, looking on slack mouthed as I pressed their leader into the wall of lockers.
"You ever touch this kid again and I'll break your fuckin' arms and don't ever call me Water Boy again. GOT IT?" To emphasize my point, I twisted his arm just a little further.
"AAGGGHHHH...alright. ALRIGHT!" He yelled as I added a twisting movement that I'd learned in martial arts.
"ALRIGHT I SAID, I'll leave him alone." The words sounding slightly slurred as I pressed his mouth and nose into the unyielding metal with my other arm behind his neck.
"Yes, you will won't you Barney?" I heard a deep voice behind me say to my captive.
"You can let him go now Will." I released the boy from my grip stepping away too and he immediately grabbed his shoulder in pain and cradled his arm in his other hand. There were tears welling in his eyes and his face was flushed red with rage.
When I looked behind me I saw that Todd Anderson the Varsity Quarterback was holding two of Barney's so called "friends" by the scruff of the neck.
"You two go on now and if you do anything like this again I'll get coach to toss your sorry ass's off the team, after I have a personal "discussion" with you about your behavior. You understand Jason? Aaron? You too Barney, never again, understand? Never again!"
"Yea.sure Todd, we were just having some fun, we'll leave the kid alone," Barney told Todd. But if looks could kill, I'd be dead. I'll have to watch that one I knew as he almost ran from where Todd and I stood next to the kid in the wheelchair. Barneys confederates did run away, in the opposite direction.
"You alright Ty?" Todd asked the boy in the wheelchair.
"Ya Todd, just scared that's all." I saw that he was smiling in relief although there was a haunted look in his light blue eyes and traces of wetness on the cheeks of his face.
"I thought they were gonna dump me onto the floor in my chair," he replied.
Todd turned to me and smiled as he put his hand on the kids shoulder and squeezed. "Thanks Will. I appreciate you helping my cousin Ty out. If any of those guys give you a hard time, just let me know."
I nodded my head as I looked closely at the kid in the wheelchair that Todd had called "Ty".
"I don't think Barney and the Clowns will try anything again, but if they do.." Todd made a fist into his palm gesture and I understood meant Barney would have to watch out too.
"Oh, I guess you two haven't been introduced yet? Ty, this is Will Johnston, Will this is my cousin Tyler Anderson. Will's our sophomore swim champ Ty."
"Thanks for helping me out with those assholes Will. Nice to meet you." He shook my hand with a surprisingly hard grip and a broad smile.
"Hey Tyler, nice.to meet you too," I said as I looked at Ty, really looked at him for the first time. He had short brown hair and his deep blue almost purple colored eyes that were surrounded by the longest eyelashes I'd ever seen on a boy. Those eyes seemed to be looking right through me too. He had broad shoulders and really well developed arms that bulged with muscle no doubt from having to wheel around everywhere. I guess he'd have been 5'8" standing, but no matter how tall, sitting or not, this guy was gorgeous.
"Uh, Will you can let go of his hand now," Todd said to me chuckling a little.
"Oh, yes, sorry Ty, I guess I just spaced out for a moment. Coming off the adrenalin I guess.." I tried to cover my obvious staring but I could feel my face flush red but I didn't know why.
The bell rang then and I left Tyler and his cousin to go to my first class after saying bye, but as I walked away, I turned around to look at him wheeling down the hall with his cousin beside him.
o0o
"What else do you know about him Todd?"
"You've got it bad don't you Ty"
"Well.maybe.but I just met him and he's so.nice. You know that I haven't any real friends, except for you, and you can't keep.." Todd noticed his cousin was hesitating again at what ever he wanted to say.
He'd always been an outspoken and free spirit before the accident, but since then, he'd had difficulty expressing his feelings and Todd had developed his own way of dealing with Ty's reluctance.
"Out with it Ty. What do you really want to say?" Todd stopped next to his chair bound cousin and knelt down next to him looking at Ty straight into his eyes.
"Todd I appreciate everything you've done for me, but I think it's time I tried to make new friends and I think I want to get to know Will better."
"OK Ty! That's great and I don't think you'll have any problem meeting Will again. He's going to be at the pool the same time that you'll be doing your exercises. Besides you may have some classes together, you're both in 10th grade, but I know for sure you'll see him this Saturday."
o0o
My day always begins with that damned alarm clock going off too early in the morning but today was Saturday and even though it wasn't a school day, I still had swimming practice this morning. We had our first meet scheduled for about a month away and I had a lot to do between now and then.
I used my car this morning because Mom was at the hospital very early due to of some kind of emergency, so I got to the pool house before anyone else. I was surprised when I saw Todd at the door waiting with Ty.
"Hey Todd. Hi Ty. What's up? How come you guys are here? I asked after I parked the car near the door.
"Hey Will. Ty is here for his workout in the pool. This is his first day."
"Great Ty, I hope that you can swim with .oh.sorry." I was going to say 'I hope that you can swim with me,' but I shut my mouth and I knew that I was turning red. Me and my big mouth! I just hoped that I hadn't hurt Ty with my thoughtlessness.
"That's right Will, I'll be in the pool with you today and every morning workout and practice too."
I looked at Ty closely and saw the smile on his face; those deep blue pools that are his eyes seemed to be looking into my soul again too. 'God he is so cute,' I thought.
"Wait till I get in the water Will. My legs don't work too well, but I'll bet ya I can keep up."
The custodian arrived then and unlocked the door to the pool house. He gave the three of us an odd look and stared at Tyler for a moment before he turned and walked away towards the main buildings without saying a word. I'd never seen him before and his staring at us made me feel uncomfortable for some reason. I remembered what Ty had said to me then and turned back to walk in with him and his cousin Todd.
"OK Ty, you're on." I told him taking in his sparkling smile once again as he and Todd went into the locker room.
I dropped my bag at poolside and went to the little control room to get all the timers on line for practice and to check the automatic chemical sensors and temperature settings.
When I returned to the pool area our coach was talking with Todd.
"Hey Will! Come on over here will ya?" He yelled at me across the still empty pool.
"Hi Coach. What's up?"
"Will, Todd tells me that you know his cousin Tyler. Can we both ask a favor? Would you partner with Ty for the next week or so during workouts? I know that you've kept up better than most of the team this summer and you're in a lot better shape too, it's just.."
Coach Roberts paused a second appearing to think about what he wanted to ask me.
"Will, I think Ty would feel comfortable with you more than anyone else," Todd said interrupting the Coach. "I'll come back and pick him up when the practice is over."
"Todd, you don't have to ask me to partner with Ty, I was going too anyway and don't worry about picking him up either. I've got my car here and I'll bring him home too, OK?"
The Coach was smiling at me and I knew on one level I'd scored high on his "sportsmanship" meter. Coach Roberts is definitely from the old school - where sportsmanship counts above anything else - winning or loosing. He had suspended some senior divers last year right before state finals because they'd taunted another school's team when they hadn't scored higher in their diving attempts.
Todd offered his hand and I shook it. He locked eyes with me and when I smiled at him he gripped my hand hard and nodded his head as if I'd answered some question that had been left unasked.
"I'll tell Tyler about working out with him Will and thanks."
"Todd, let me tell him please, and wait a minute too, in case this arrangement isn't OK with Ty."
Todd looked surprised but smiled again. "I don't think he'll mind at all Will, but I'll wait around for a little while anyhow."
I went into the locker room and saw Ty sitting on a bench trying to get his swimming suit on. I stopped and looked at him. Ty's shoulders and arms were highly muscled and he had a well-developed set of abs that rippled as he struggled to pull the trunks up over his useless legs. His gluts are firm and strong but as I was observing his fine looking body, he turned slightly and saw me standing there.
"Uh.sorry Ty, I didn't mean to stare, I mean I..I... Todd wants to know if its alright if I bring you home later.I'm going to be your swim partner today and I have my car here too." I felt my face flush with heat, knowing that I must have been blushing strongly in my embarrassment.
"That's great Will. Sure I'll be glad to ride with you, if it's not too much trouble." He smiled at me again with the most perfect set of white teeth I've ever seen.
"OK Ty. No problem.no problem at all." I smiled back at him and felt a strange heat building in my chest. "Let me tell Todd it's alright with you and I'll be right back Bud."
When I returned to the lockers, I saw that Ty was still struggling to get his trunks pulled up.
"Will? Can you help me for a second? These damned shorts are too tight and I'm having a problem getting them on."
"Uh.sure. What do you want me to do?" I felt my throat suddenly constrict as my eyes saw his flaccid four-inch cut penis nestled in a neat halo of straight light brown hair. His full sack was held high against his cock most likely from sitting on the cold bench.
I could feel my own rod beginning to stir a little at the sight of him too.
"Just help me to stand up Will and balance me while I pull these shorts up OK"?
I went over and bent down in front of him. His scent was clean and smelled slightly of the soap he'd used. Ty's hair shined and smelled of herbs and spices.
"Just let me wrap my arms around your neck then stand up. Hold on to me while I pull the shorts up all the way, OK?
"Sure Ty, anything you say. Tell me when you're ready."
"OK Will, stand up now."
I stood and held Ty around his back tightly to me. He let go of my neck and reached down to pull the trunks up over his firm cheeks and slim hips then pulling the cords together before tying them neatly. When he lifted his head again our faces were just inches away from each other. Our eyes locked and I could smell the peppermint flavor of Ty's toothpaste on his breath.
We didn't say anything to each other for what seemed to be an eternity. I felt Ty wrap his arms around my neck again but I was lost in his eyes and at that moment I knew that he was lost in my gaze too. A few more seconds past slowly when I heard someone clear their throat.
"Uhhh, sorry to interrupt you two but I'm going now." We both started at the sound of Todd's voice.
I lowered Ty back to the bench and then turned to look at Todd. He was shaking his head and smiling broadly at us.
"Oh.OK, I'll see you later Todd, Ty stammered to his cousin as he turned to leave.
"Yea...g'bye Todd," I croaked out to him, my mouth suddenly very dry.
I sat down next to Ty on the bench. I could also feel that my cock had swollen a bit due to the close contact with Ty's body, I also noticed that the bulge in his shorts had also gotten quite bigger too.
I told Ty more about being partnered with him for the next several of days and about the exercises that I did to warm up: swimming laps to loosen up and then doing the flat out sprints. He seemed pleased that I wanted to help him out, but he suddenly got a very serious look on his face and looked at me fixing his gaze on my eyes.
"Look Will, I have to be honest with you. I really appreciate what you're doing, but I won't accept your help unless we can agree to something right now. I can't stand sympathy.I mean.well.so many others have tried to help me because they feel sorry for me. Since the accident I've been smothered by kindness and it makes me sick.just let me ask for help when I need it OK?"
"Sure Ty. I didn't ask to be your swim partner because I felt sorry for you man. I wanted to do it because.because I really like you. I like your spirit Bud and that means a lot to me. Just let me try OK? If I'm doing too much or if you feel like I'm being intrusive, you've got to tell me, alright?"
"Yea kewl, thanks Will.and Will? I like you a lot too," he told me very softly, breaking eye contact and looking at the floor of the now filling and noisy locker room.
The practice went by fast that Saturday. Ty was able to keep up with me during my laps and short sprints pretty well too. Although his legs didn't work, his powerful arms and upper body compensated well enough so that he finished only a few seconds or so behind me. He was really close on the butterfly sprint. I didn't see it then, but Coach Roberts was watching Ty and me closely during that sprint and if I had noticed, I'd have seen his eyes as big as saucers at Ty's performance.
For an hour we worked on a series of exercises that kept his leg muscles toned and loose by stretching and bending. He used a collar float to take the pressure off his spine while he attempted to move his legs independently. I found out that he'd progressed to the point that he could stand for brief periods of time, but he still needed help to get-up until he could lock his knees - and to sit down again too.
Overall we had a lot of fun that day, splashing each other and diving to the bottom playing tag until the coach called an end to the practice for that Saturday. The rest of the team met Tyler too and throughout the morning my teammates would call out words of encouragement to Ty as he went through his own routine. He seemed to glow with the attention the other guy's were giving him. Once again, Coach Roberts' emphasis on sportsmanship was obvious in their greetings and kind words.
I helped Ty change again, and again, his beauty captivated me and like the first time, I felt a growing warmth suffuse my body as I held Ty closely. This time my cock only swelled a little and not to the embarrassing state that Todd had seen me.us.in earlier.
I liked being around Ty for another reason. His sense of humor belied the toughness that I felt from him. I knew that some of the stretching and bending caused him a lot of pain, but he just kept it up and asked me to press harder and stretch those muscles in his legs and in his back. My new friend is no quitter. He's doing his damnedest to overcome his life altering injury, but in the meantime he's also getting on with his life. Ty is a young man of many fine qualities and to my eyes many fine quantities too!
We got into my car, Mom's old one, a Chevy Caprice: "The Beast" with doors so big that Will handled transferring himself into the front bucket seat and getting his chair onto the back in literally seconds! The Caprice is a huge animal - but it's all mine and I was thankful right then that Will was able to negotiate getting in "The Beast" without needing any help at all. I discovered that he is an independent guy who wanted.needed to attempt everything on his own first before asking for help.
o0o
In the shadows of the walkway that led back towards the main campus, Barney glared at the sight of Will and Tyler driving away from the Pool House. The anger he felt for the two boys was almost a palpable thing. His tear filled eyes belied the hatred he felt for the two new friends as memories of his humiliation earlier in the week replayed over and over in his mind. How his drunken and bigoted father had found out what had happened that day was still a mystery, but the beating he'd suffered last night had again reinforced his need for revenge.
But his tears were also caused by the jealousy that he felt. Will Johnston was so handsome and Barney remembered jerking-off that morning while fantasizing about Will's nude body, but he knew that he could never tell Will or anyone about his true feelings. That made the humiliation he'd suffered that much more painful. The beating his bastard father had given him didn't compare to the pain he felt each time he saw Will...and Tyler together.
'If that little crip thinks he's gonna be friends with my Will, he has another thing coming,' Barney thought to himself as he giggled insanely in anticipation of cornering the wheelchair bound boy again. Alone and soon.
He turned and walked slowly away from the walkway back into the woods surrounding the path. If he'd known that the streaks of blood seeping from the wounds of his beating were visible on the back of his white t-shirt, he'd have been much more careful being on the school grounds. As it was, Coach Roberts had seen him leaving the walkway after observing Barney for several minutes from his office window. He'd seen Barney Coleman watching the pool house before when the swim team got out of practice. He shuddered as a cold chill passed through his tall wiry frame and felt the small hairs on the back of his neck raise with the goose bumps the sudden chill had caused. He looked back out the window once more, but Barney was gone into the woods.
o0o
We drove most of the way to his house in companionable silence, every few blocks; giving me directions and casting shy glances at each other. Every time I looked at him, Ty was looking my way and smiling. I smiled back too.
We arrived at his home in 15 minutes and I was slightly surprised at the size of the low and rambling ranch style house in his neighborhood of older multi-story homes. There was a long sloping ramp leading to the front porch, and a winding path through neatly trimmed landscaping that lead to the edge of the driveway.
"This is it Will," he said to me, while we sat for a moment in his driveway.
"Nice place Ty. Have you lived here long?" I asked him.
"My Dad and I moved here in June, Will. After the accident...well our old house was a little too cramped with my chair and all. Dad would have to carry me upstairs to my bedroom and whenever I needed to use the bathroom. We used to live in Timberland but Dad wanted to move closer to his brother, my Uncle Andrew, Todd's father. Anyway Dad bought here and he got a good deal too. Todd helped to move us with a bunch of his friends from the football team. Yea.this is a good house. My bedroom is huge too. Do you want to come in and see it?" Ty asked me shyly.
"Sorry Buddy, but I have to do my chores still. Maybe you can call me later this afternoon. I might be able to come over then." I noticed a momentary sadness in Ty's face before he smiled broadly and offered his hand.
"Sure thing Will." Ty said as he shook my hand strongly and fixed on my eyes, smiling his wonderful toothy grin.
"I want you to know how much I appreciate partnering with me today Will. It was great to exercise in a big pool instead of the little one at the PT Department. I got a real workout swimming with you too."
"My pleasure Ty - really! I had a lot of fun this morning and for the next week or so, we can do it every day too, but no Sundays! We both get a day off." I laughed and Ty giggled lightly. I noticed that he was blushing again, maybe remembering our joint embarrassment when Todd had seen us together.
I wrote down my cell phone number and Ty gave me his before the got himself out of the car and shut the door. I watched Ty wheel himself up the path to the ramp and waved at him as I backed down the driveway.
I drove slowly home trying to process what had happened today at the pool. I was feeling that strange warmth in my chest again as I recalled the events of the morning. I didn't realize it at the time, but that Saturday was the first day of what would became the beginning of a long friendship. I admired Ty's courage - no sympathy - real admiration. I think that I also began to fall in love with him that morning too.
End of chapter One...to be continued..
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