Boys to men

  
© 2012 by Jeff Austin

   He never had much desire for college, but once he was offered football scholarships, he gave it some thought. It wasn't the idea of going back to school that aroused his interests, it was the chance to play football.

   Offers came from three small colleges in the Midwest: southern Illinois, Cincinnati and someplace in rural Indiana. He didn't own a computer, so after work one night, he brought a cold six-pack over to Brook's trailer to use his. Casey could check out these colleges and answer any offers he like using email, something he never tried.  
   Brook lived in battered, 60'-style, aqua blue trailer home parked on three acres. He was renting it from a man he worked for real cheap. It was located close to work and he could even hunt right outside his back door.

   "So, ya gotta' think 'bout this a minute, buddy. Remember, you're gonna have to live in one of these places for a while." 

   Brook was trying to keep Casey from relocating out of town. Out of the four friends, Ryan had already accepted a big time football scholarship at the University of Arizona and Lance announced his plans to join the Marines.  The original foursome -- who'd grown up together in a small, rural Idaho town near the Kaniksu National Forest -- would be splintered apart. With summer nearing an end, everything seemed to be moving too fast for the boys. Life started to seem lonely and surreal. After all, the boys had just graduated from high school 3 months ago and each one had celebrated their eighteenth birthday; they were now legally men, but with little direction and not much in the way of parents or adults to guide them.

    "I'm serious, Case. Ya have to ask yourself, 'am I gonna be able to hunt for elk in the woods?' Certainly not in downtown Cleveland. I don't know, maybe in the corn stalks of Indiana and Southern Illinois you might find mule deer on that flatland." Casey laughed as he tipped back a cold, 16 ounce Rainier.

   "And are you gonna be able to fish for Cut-throat or German Browns in the most peaceful and beautiful mountain streams in the US? And then there's no more midnight runs to the ocean!" The boys beamed at each other and clacked their beer cans together recalling the great memories of sharing the driving duties so that they could travel non-stop, straight into Washington State to spend a few days fishing for Chinook salmon from all points on the Pugent Sound.

   Brook didn't have any football options or an appetite for the military. But he had the skills as a horse trainer and managed to build up a local reputation -- and enough customers for private lessons and breaking green horses -- to eek out a decent living without leaving his home.

   Casey had a decent job at the feed store and made enough money to live comfortably. And better yet, now that he was graduated from high school, the family owned business he's worked at since he was 15, had offered him full-time employment. 

    The following weekend, the four boys decided to party it up a bit since it was the last Saturday night before Ryan left for college. Lance still had a few weeks before he had to report to boot camp in North Carolina. It was probably the last time they'd ever be able to raise hell together for quite some time, or maybe ever.

   The boys drove to Hayden, a town that was about 50 miles from where they lived. They found a crappy little bar that Brook's dad used to hang out at before he died of lung cancer. The bartender only asked Lance for ID, then after studying it for what seemed like a long time, he handed it back and asked them what they were going to be drinking.

   They all sat at a small table nursing draft beers and discussed -- under their breath -- why every man who entered the bar was staring at them and seemed to be looking for a fight.

   "They're probably wondering what the fuck four strangers are doing at their bar on a Saturday night."  Casey answered guarding his face with a beer can as if one of them at the bar might be able to read his lips. 

   "Yea, let's buy a few sixers to go and get the fuck out of here, what d'ya say?"

   The boys all agreed and everyone reached into their Wrangler jeans and piled up a wad of crinkled bills on the table. Casey counted the cash, determined that they had enough money for a case, and went over to the bar and bought Hamms tall boys. Lance gave one of the guys a real long look as they headed out the door.

   "So where to?" asked Brook as they all piled into Lance's jeep.

   "Let's head back towards town," he said as he put the Jeep into fourth and sped down the dark, cold highway into their side of the planet. Once they reached a logging road near the high school, Lance parked the rig and they all jumped out. Leaning against the trees in the pitch darkness, Casey and Ryan talked about college football with Brook weighing-in periodically. As they pounded down beer after beer, the topics skipped around from hunting, work, plans for the future, and girls. Ryan did hid usual to rub in the fact that he was a football star and dominated the conversation before Brook could finally squeeze in and challenge him. It was lies that both boys tried to pass. As anyone knew, the pickings were pretty damn slim in this tiny timber and ranching town. There were only so many girls and even fewer good looking ones. The stories that were told, arrived from embellished adventures that supposedly happened while sneaking out to neighboring towns. It was difficult to check the validity of, so they were free to embellish.

   Casey would occasionally call their bluff, "look, you ain't screwing no fuckin' rich-bitch from Spokane! Give me a fucking break here!" they all laughed at Ryan and tossed empty beer cans his direction.

      "You're probably sucking some gay dudes cock over there anyway!"

  "Fuck you asshole!" Ryan shot back. Brook looked down at the ground, not wanting to make any eye contact with his pals when they talked like this. He was very nervous about any of them getting any idea about what he thought about in his private moments. He often thought about leaving this small, one-horse town. Maybe heading to Seattle where he could experiment. But it was here that he had developed so many good customers in the horse training filed. What could he possible do in Seattle or even Portand to make a living? He often thought about heading over to Boise, but was afraid someone might see him coming out of a bar and word would spread like wildfire. If that were to happen, he'd be ruined. Nothing unordinary was happening on this typical Saturday night drunk-talk from the four pals. Lance was getting exceptionally drunk and kept poking at Ryan, accusing him of harboring gay temptations. 

   "I wonder if any of those dudes on your football team are queers?"

   "Who the fuck knows and who the fuck cares!" Ryan answered him getting angry.

   "Come on guys," Casey broke in, getting uncomfortable with the level of joking.

   "Hey, I ain't gay-bashing," Lance testified trying to set the record straight. "But I ain't against no queers. Now that the Marines are letting gays serve, I might finally get my dick sucked! These fucking bitches around here are too prissy for that!" The boys laughed nervously. Brook remembered the many times that the four buddies would go skinny dipping on hot summer days in Frog Lake. For days later the images of Ryan's well-defined chest, Casey's buff naked ass cheeks and Lance's swinging cock would dominate his thoughts. 

   The boys finished drinking and with a good buzz going, jumped into the Jeep and cut threw the back roads hoping to avoid running into a sheriff's deputy. After dropping Ryan off at his parents house, each of the boys embraced him and wished him well. They all knew this was probably the last time they'd all be together like this, probably for years to come.

   Lance partied like hell, for the remaining weeks before he was to leave for boot camp. His drunk and abusive stepfather had kicked him out of the house just before he was to leave. The final days were ugly and the sheriff's deputy -- after responding to a domestic disturbance call -- suggested Lance find another place to stay until he left for boot camp. Without many choices, he asked Brook if he could stay at his trailer. Brook figured it couldn't hurt, since he'd be gone soon.

   "Hope I'm doing the right thing," Lance blurted out to Casey and Brook one night as they both sat in front of the TV screen watching a football game.

   "You having second thoughts?" Casey asked him, eyes glued to the  TV.

   "Naaa, just...I don't know. It's six years, man, but I guess now that they repelled that DADT law..." At first Casey didn't realize what he had said. Then before he spoke, Lance interrupted him, "I mean it's just, you know a long time."

   "Dude, what's 'don't-ask-don't-tell' have to do with anything?" Casey suddenly turned to Lance, somewhat alarmed.

   "I...I don't know why I said that...never mind." Lance got up and stumbled over to the refrigerator, opened the door and grabbed two more cold beers and tossed one over to Brook. Casey had long suspected that Brook was harboring something. He always got along with him the best and was hoping that he could spend a little time with him now that Ryan was gone. But with Lance there for another week, he'd just have to wait. 

   "So, where am I sleeping?" Lance belched, looking up at Brook. 
   "Maybe you guys should sleep together," Casey couldn't believe he had said that. 
   "Just kiddin', don't get all shitty." Brook's eyes were glued to the TV set, frightened with fear. Lance laughed and  fed the flames.
   "Not a problem with me! 'Sides, Brook has an adorable ass!"
   "Fuck you!" Brook shot back, trying to give off the image that he was disgusted by this kind of talk.
   "That's it, I'm out of here," Casey got up and made for the door.
   "Suit yerself, You'll miss out on all the fun! Me and Brook is gonna touch pee-pees, once we get REAL drunk, right Brook?" Brook kept his eyes straight ahead, trying desperately not to make contact with Lance. Was he serious? If not, he could find himself in great danger for making any advances. It was really hard to tell. All the while he knew Lance, he'd never acted like this.
   "See you guys tomorrow," Casey said as he got up and made his way to the door. He realized he had left his cellphone on the ledge of the window. Conveniently, this would give him a great excuse to come back for it. 
   Eventually the football game had ended and they were now watching cage fighting.
   "Kind of reminds ya of human cock fighting," Lance remarked. "Damn, those fuckers are buff!"
 The two fighters delivered a continual stream of kicks and punches inside the fenced-in ring, ring, competing for an Ultimate Fighting trophy. Brook tested the waters by casually mentioning how Lance's body compared with the fighters on TV.  
   "Dude, you are looking like one of those fighters. You been working out?"
   "Fuck yea," Lance answered while looking down at his abs. As he looked back up at Brook, he ran the tip of his fingers over his abs to check for muscle. "No way do I want to get my ask kicked in boot camp like those other suckers. I'm going to be in shape and ready from day one!"
  Lance was always in the best of shape among the four-some of friends. Growing up, he always thought they were jealous of him. Now his body was looking cut and tight, but not massive. Even though Casey was always lifting weights, he never got as ripped as Lance. There was no question, with his bright blue eyes, tight-cropped hair and handsome, rugged face, he looked the part of a rugged ultimate fighter, he was a terribly sexy guy. 

   Looking around the dumpy little trailer, there was little opportunity for Lance to lay his head. The simple furnishings bore the resemblance of a young bachelor's place. In front of a small TV set, an old recliner with the marks of the years of slumbering; a swatch of silver duct tape on the arm served to keep inside stuffing from falling out. A wooden vegetable crate acted as coffee table and an old wooden rocker sat to the other side of the crate. Inside the tiny bedroom which opened up to the living room sat a single mattress on an iron frame. 

   "Don't have any other sheets or anything," he paused as Lance looked around the room looking for some sign of a tolerable night's sleep. "I guess you can sleep in my bed." 

   "Thanks pal." Lance smiled and playfully slapped his pal on his back as he made his way into the bedroom. "Dude, I hate to do this to you..."

   "Naa, hey, it's the least I could do for my best friend," Brook interrupted. "...besides, you're a future Marine whose going to be defending this county."  

   "Best friend?" Lance smiled as he removed his t-shirt. "Likewise here pal." As he dropped his body on the bed, the springs made several squeaky sounds. 

   "Nosey! Good thing you ain't got any close neighbors. They'd be pounding the walls every time you was screwing on this thing!" Lance seemed as if he only made that remark to see what type of reaction he'd receive. Brook laughed nervously while fidgeting with hands. He tried hard not to make eye contact with Lance as he followed him into the bedroom. 
   "You getting much action? 
   "Ah, you know, slim pickings 'round these parts. I get what I can." They both laughed, before Lance's voice took on a serious tone.
   "Hey, listen man, I like to sleep naked. You OK with that?" This made Brook stop his fidgeting and look directly at him. 

   Casey had driven about a mile away from the trailer, onto the highway when he decided he'd turn around and go back. There wasn't any traffic on the two-lane highway. The stars were scattered across the rural sky. He slowed down and went over in his mind just how he'd set it all up. He couldn't just pull up to the house and startle Brook and Lance. If they were actually doing something, he would be unable to catch them. Instead he decided to drive back to the turn off down to Brook's trailer. It was a choppy, potholed, dirt road that went back about a mile or so to where the trailer stood in a vast prairie of scrub grass and pine. He would get within a walking distance before pulling over and turning the engine off. He would then say that he had engine trouble and discovered he left his cell phone back at the trailer. Hopefully he could just sneak up and peer into the window and maybe see them naked. He has no idea if either one of them were really dropping sexual hints, but it sure sounded like that. Regardless, Casey had become so horny this past summer, he could barely contain himself. Once he turned eighteen, he moved in with a couple guys who worked on the local ranches. Both were older guys; one a sloppy redneck, they other an incredible stud. He secretly hoped he could somehow catch the man coming out of the shower, but he was usually up very early and didn't return from work till way after Casey was fast asleep. The only chance Casey had to masturbate was when neither one was how and he was safely in his room. But that was rare and very dangerous. He new that photos of naked men were available on the internet, but since he didn't own a computer he was unable to browse. The situation made him ghastly horny.
   "I hope ya don't mind that I sleep in the raw." Lance asked very casually. Brooks looked confused.

   "In the nude, man, I sleep naked." Lance spoke as if he were trying to wake Casey up from a strange nap. 
   "I can't sleep with shit wrapped around my body; too constraining. Are you cool with that?"
   Brook did his best to look unsurprised. But in reality, he was not expecting this situation. He was nervous and excited at the same time. He tried changing the subject.

   "Yea, it's fine. So... boot camp is, where, South Carolina?"
   "North Carolina, " Lance answered methodically. "Camp Lejune, North Carolina." He was leaning back on the bed looking very relaxed with his hands behind his head.  He slipped his thumbs into the elastic band on the inside of his briefs and slowly began pulling them down. Past his hips his knees and finally below his ankles. He kicked them off to the side and breathed a deep sigh.
   "Wow, you've got some real six packs there," Brook said, standing in the doorway. 

   "I do a thousand sit-ups a day, dude; seriously."

   "I just can't seem to get past 50," Brook remarked, somewhat disappointed. "It ain't that I can't do 'em, it's just that my back starts hurting. I must be doing something wrong."  

   "Yea, you have to go only half way. Let your muscles do the work, not your back. Here, let me see how you're doing them." Lance set his beer can down and walked over to Casey who had found the courage to ditch his jeans and was wearing only his underwear and t-shirt. His beer-buzz was intense. He got down on the floor and started doing some clumsy sit-ups to show Lance. 

   "Dude, no way. You are putting way too much strain on your back." Brook looked up at Lance; he was standing directly over him, his cock dangling above.

   "You have to bend your knees and put all the pressure on your abs. Here, I'll show you." He reached his hand down and gave Brook a lift up on his feet before dragging his fingertips over Brook's abs and commenting, "Not too bad yourself, dude, not too bad at all. You just have to increase reps and do them the right way. OK, watch me."

   Lance laid down on the carpeted floor and began doing perfect sit-ups.

   "Watch me now, see how my knees are bent and how my hand is slightly behind my head? I'm letting all the pressure go to a six inch area in my abs." 

   Brook stood with his back against and admired Lance's matted hair. Lance, like him, had grown up on a working ranch and all the beef and brawn came from working horses and cattle not from a city gym. He watched the way Lance's nude ass curved under his knees, how his balls hung down and scraped the carpet. Soon, Brook's erection was pronounced enough to sport an outline from under his underwear. 

   "Yea, you just keep going and counting..." Lance said as he noticed Brook's  erection was growing. 

   "So, you think you can do that? C'mon down here and try try it?" 




The night air was cold and crisp. After he closed the door and shut off the headlight's, Casey put his hands in the pocket of his jean jacket to stay warm, pulled his cowboy hat low over his eyes and started walking down the dirt road, his boots stumbling over the uneven, gravel road. He walked briskly till he reached the trailer. There were no other homes for a good mile or so. The lights were on in the back bedroom. He cautiously moved through the chain link gate and was careful not to let the metal latch clank down on the pole. He walked in the shadows until he came around the back of the place. From the distance, he looked into the bedroom but couldn't see them. His heart raced wondering if they were one the bed. Suddenly, he saw Lance get up from the floor and walked over to Brook; it was clear now, he could see Lance naked. Why were they working out nude? Then he saw Brook get up and stand in front of him. Even Casey could tell from the distance outside in the dark that he had an erection. 

Brook attempted to change the subject, "Yea.  I'l try that tomorrow, I know what you mean now."

   "Tomorrow my ass, I want to see you try it so I know that you have it down. C'mon, lay down and give me some proper sit-ups."

   "Ah, I'm good, I'll get to it tomorrow."

   "What's the problem, you've got something that you don't want me to see?"
   From outside, Casey could not hear them, but he could certainly tell there was an intense exchange. Casey felt butterflies in his stomach as he slowly worked his way behind the garbage cans. He was now getting an erection of his own. 
   Desperately wanting to just change the subject and be done with this sit-up thing, Brook was hoping that the embarrassment would make his erection would go limp; but instead it just grew that much harder.

   "No, you ain't going anywhere until you do fifty sit-ups," Lance said moving right up in his face. The smell of his body made Brook's already tight erection tingle

   "All right, all right," Brook agreed and motioned back down to the carpet. "Jesus, you gonna be a drill sarge or what?"

   "Thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, good, good..." Lance was holding down Brook's feet, his eyes fixed on the erection hat seemed to grow longer, fatter and harder.

   "Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty! Great job." Lance playfully slapped Brook's abs and held out his fist. He removed his arm from behind his head, bumped him back, then leaned back down and closed his eyes. As he did, CaCasey'sey's grabbed the hem of his underwear and yanked them down around his ankles.
   "Hey, what the fuck!"
   Brook fought him, but Lance was far too strong and overpowered him.  Once he had removed the briefs he tossed them outside the bedroom door into the living room. 
   "Hey, you fucker!"
   Lance's hearty laugh was good-natured. He playfully pointed at Casey's erection, trying to embarrass him.
   "You motherfucker, you!" Lance held him down with a knee on his chest, his own naked cock was bouncing around excitedly. With his right fist he grabbed Brook's cock like a gear shift and motioned it around as if he were driving a sports car.
   "Waaaaaa, thrum, thum, first, second  third!"
   
   Outside the window, Casey struggled to see what was going on inside. He moved closer to the window and using an old rusty pail, he turned if over and stepped up to love inside. He was just in time to see them both of his buddies lying naked on the floor.

"Well, look at that monster pee-pee will ya?" Lance poked fun at Brook. When he realized that Brook was embarrassed, he changed his tome.
   "C'mon, just relax, it's OK." Lance's voice was low, soft, assuring and steady.
   "I didn't mean to razz ya about your erection dude, you know?" 
    Lance's voice soothed him and made him immediately feel comfortable. He leaned back on the wall staring at Lance with his pretty, soft brown eyes.
   "You should actually be proud of that, you have a nice erection, dude!"
   He held out his fist as Brook smiled cautiously and bumped him back. For a few moments a lengthy silence lingered in the air between them.
   "Mind if I ask you something," Lance asked. The tone of his voice was beginning to arouse Brook in an odd way he wasn't sure how to handle.
   "What's making this so erect, dude?" As Lance pointed to Brook's cock, a tiny, glistening sliver of pearly liquid popped out of his penis head and slithered down his stiff pole. 
   "I don't know," shrugged Brook. "It's...ah, I don't know. Probably because I've never just hung around with my clothes off."
   "Hung around? Dude, you ain't hangin', your at complete attention!" Lance laughed loudly. "Ah, just messin' with ya man. Hey, you gotta admit, it feels pretty fucking good to be sporting a big, proud one now,  don't it?" 
   "Hell ya!" Brook proclaimed, finally smiling. Another long silence. He kept feeling that Lance was working up to something. It was frightening, yet fresh and exciting.
   "You like blow jobs?" Lance finally asked. He was on all fours, leaning over Brook, their lips uncomfortably close, with Brook's penis brushing against Lance's tight abs. His naked ass bent over pointing towards the window where Casey secretly was watching through. Lance's dangling balls was perfectly framed by his two incredible buns. 
   Still standing on the bucket, Casey quietly unbuckled his belt, unzipped his zipper and quietly pulled down his jeans and lowered his undies so he could play with his own erection. He squeezed his pole at the base and pumped his fist harder and harder while he watched Lance and Brook.
   "I...don't... know, I've never had one," Brook answered without looking at Lance. He 
  "Really? You serious?"
  "Yea, I just... I dunno, just never had one, that's all!" Brook leaned back against the wall with his erection waving in the air. He was completely nude, wearing nothing but his sneakers. 
   "Well, then, you probably ain't never kissed a man before, either," Lanced asked boldly, he was fascinated with the image of Brook jacking off in front of him. 
   "S'cuse me," Brook answered. "Like, you talkin' 'bout gay shit?"
   Lance laughed, "no dude, I mean sexy shit, manly shit!"  Brook's hair was messed up, with ends flung in all different directions. Both guys sported sexy, shabby stubble. Suddenly, Lance leaned in and brushed his own lips across Brook's, then focused his gaze on his friend for a few seconds. Brook's instincts ran parallel knowing they were thinking the same.
   "Dude, we're friends, man. We really shouldn't be doing this," Brook whispered with a lump in his throat. His mind whirled; he was scared and also aroused at the same time. 
   In the meantime, Casey's eyes were fixed on his two boyhood friends as he watched their buff, tough naked bodies through the window outside perched on an old dairy bucket. He felt he shaft of his hot, pulsating cock under his fingertips. He opened his athletic thighs, closed his eyes and pounded away at his own cock. Soft, slippery semen oozed out from the slit in his penis. He imagined him self inside next to those two man butts. He opened his eyes and watched as Lance and Brook braved-out a meeting where both of their well-formed erections met.

   "Let's touch pee-pees!" Lance's smiled faded to an intense look of exotic love. Brook let his inhibitions go and released himself not having any idea where this would all lead. He felt his spine initial tingle as there cocks met and slithered around like two eels making love. Brook closed his eyes and felt as if he were suspended in time, he slowly walked backwards as Lance led him to the bed and slowly laid him back like an empty dress. 


Casey watched through the outside window at his two buddies playing with each others naked bodies, their penises writhing in sexual ecstasy like an exotic animal. Slowly he lowered his pants to the ground and felt the cold wind on his naked ass, his erection throwing heat into the frigid fall air. He wanted to catch them, yet he didn't want to alarm them and therefore stop. Instead, he pulled his jeans all the way down and stood outside the window and he masturbated, slowly, watching the as they made love. It seemed just like all the nightly dreams he dreamt and the just like all the day dreams he induced. It was now happening  right in front of him, before his own eyes. The deep, secrets he held inside the erotic crevasse of his wild mind. And it even seemed as if it were all happening in slow motion just like his dreams. Brook's tender ass was even cuter than he'd imagined and Lance's cock was even bigger and prouder than he'd ever thought. He wondered if he could be part of it, if he could actually enter his dream? But how? If he were to go inside he would certainly startle them. But maybe they would welcome him, maybe he could even arrange it so that they caught him. Then he decided that he be better to just stay outside and enjoy it from a safe distance. This way he could decide tomorrow how he could get closer.

  Lance stood over Brook and thrashed his erection at Brook's like they were swashbucklers having a sword fight. Lance's fist held his own cock from the base and slapped it hard against Brook's cock as he laid back and laughed deliriously. 
   "Take that, you rustler," the cock's slapped against with the sound cracking the walls of the old trailer. Lance stood over Brook, who was lying on the bed, the window just a few feet away where Casey watched the scene unfold. He was just barely out of sight. If Lance chose to, he could look slightly to his right and without much effort, detect Casey glaring back at him. Maybe he should expose himself. After all, if he were to be discovered, maybe Lance would be so sexually aroused and soaring in a fit of erotic prowess that he'd demand Casey to bend over on the bed while Lance slap his cock into his own ass while Brook be told to wait. 
   The look in Lance's eyes were of out-of-control homo-erotic fit. He was certainly not to be stopped. Maybe he was so far out of it that Casey could just enter the room and be ordered to undress without as much as a word. If he was going to do it, the time was now. But just as he was preparing to step down he saw Lance pull Brook up and on his knees. Slowly, Lance moved closer until both men's lips met. Suddenly it was quiet, He watched as they kissed for a long time. It wasn't so much a furious, stammering sexual romping kiss, no; this was a tender, soft kiss of two lovers. 

   The shadows in the trailer bedroom were long and grey. In the heat of romance, they hadn't time to turn on a light. It wasn't so dark that they couldn't see, just dark enough to throw cold, charcoal shadows across their naked, buff bodies. And Lance pulled his lover up from the bed and took his hand and led him to the other end of the room. He backed him against the wall and holding his cock, he planted a manly kiss, like a great lover from an old silent film on Brook's sweet lips. This kiss was explosive, raucous, wet and deep. He held Brook's arm of over his head as if he were arresting him and with his other hand, stroked his ceramic-like cock low and sweet. Brook closed his eyes and cupped Lance's rock-hard ass while slipping his fingertips into the crack of his ass.
   Casey wanted to blow it all right there, but he pulled back and watched in awe as both men's naked, brawny bodies slowly  pushed against the cheap plaster wall of the run-down trailer room. Lance's ass repeated a figure eight while he pushed his cock deeper into Brook's abs. Eventually he stopped and like a school boy, led his new lover-boy away from the cardboard wall and towards the bed. There, he lured him into turning over and relaxing on the messy bed. 
   Casey was enthralled as Brook obliged Lance's every move as if he were some kind of buff, Aztec slave boy being led away to a homo-erotic sacrifice. For a moment, Casey stopped masturbating and just leaned his ear close enough to the cheap window glass as Lance called the shots. It was apparent that he had done this all before. Casey was very aroused how stern, but gentle he was. Lance was confident, his mind was working like a wild stud mustang fighting for as much sex as he could muster. 
   "Lay down on the bed, on yer elbows and knees, with your ass in the air."
   "Wha...what for? Wha, why lance? What are you doing?" Brook looked back over his shoulder at Lance whose calloused, big hands griped at his thighs and was fixing and planting the frightened boy into position.
   "You have a sweet, little asshole buddy. Would you like me to eat you?" he suggested smiling. 
   "You, you mean um...what, what are you thinking about doing man?" Lance was now clearly taking a delight in knowing that Brook was frightened.
   "Thinking about?" Lance laughed loudly and then slapped Brook's ass cheek hard enough for his eyes to well up bit. He looked worried as he wiped a tear away. Lance lowered his voice and whispered, "I'm gonna lower my mouth down to your ass, and eat it for a while. Don't be surprised if you giggle."
   As he started to lick Brook's asshole, Casey was stung with an insatiable feeling of wild, erotic lust. Brooks closed his eyes and giggled like a young girl as Lance went from a slow tongue-tip tasting, swirling along the outer edge of his butt, to a slurping motion and finally a full mouth, wild beast-eating feast of his lover's tender virgin ass. 

   "Jesus, oh shit!" Brook moaned and gasped as Lance's mouth and jaw continued to work away. His arms eventually weakened and gave way from under the weight of his numb body. Meanwhile, Casey's eyes were just inches away, staring from the other side of the of the frigid glass window pane. 
   After watching a surreal, homoerotic dream before his every eyes for what seemed almost an hour, the brisk fall evening had finally taken its toll on his bare naked ass. He lowered himself down below the view of the window and quickly pounded out an orgasm with the sounds of his pals whining and moaning just overt a couple of arms lengths  away without their knowledge. Once he completed, he pulled up his pants and slowly rose to take another look inside the window. It was that last time he would see Lance.

It was a full military funeral with all the honors. As the boys had hoped, even Ryan showed up. He was now a well known college football hero and even a candidate for the Hiseman trophy. The boys sat next to each other, as red-eyed women moved casseroles and large plates of sliced meats around on the antique table. Casey felt guilty as he watched the many Marine officers and enlisted men move around the room dressed in their dress blues. As people lined up with clean plates and silverware in hand, to serve themselves the vast amount of food that had been brought to Lance's funeral, Casey waved off his chance of being invited to be among the first in line and instead moved outside to catch some fresh air. 
  As he made his way over to the patio and eased his body down on a chair next to several pots of blooming flowers, he heard a voice behind him.
   "I was surprised to see Ryan here." It was Brook; he had followed Casey outside.
   "You ain't hungry either?"
   "Na, I'll let all those Marines eat first," Brook said while leaning against an old oak tree.
   "Why would you be so surprised to see Ryan here, we was all friends, ya know," Casey answered before putting the glass of scotch to his lips.
   "Yea, I know, it's just what the news said about Lance an' all."
   "You mean that Lance was gay?"
   "Well, yea. Just think that with Ryan being a big time All-American football star, he wouldn't want that kind of exposure." Casey looked up at Brook who seemed to be wanting to ask him something.
   "Well, that's why we made sure there was to be no media here for Ryan."
   "You think it bothers him?"
   "Awe, come on man, Lance his his friend, he's our friend. It doesn't matter that he's gay!" There was a tension in Casey's voice.
   "I didn't mean to imply that..."
   "Then what did you mean?" Brook walked over to Casey and placed his hand on his shoulder. 
   "Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it in a negative way, I'm just, well..." Casey noticed there were tears welling up in Brook's eyes.
   "I'm sorry, Brook. Shit man, I didn't want to make you feel bad!" He got up from the chair and placed his hand on the back of Brook's head and roughed up his hair in a playful way. "C'mon pal, sit down. You want to talk about it?" Both boys stared at each other for a long time in silence.
   "Oh, God, if only I could." He wiped the tears away using the back of his sleeve. He smiled and grabbed the glass of scotch away from Casey and took a long sip. 
   "You want me to get you a drink?"
   "Na...I mean yea, don't leave yet."
   "Sure. Here, just finish mine; I've had plenty." They looked at each other again in silence. The mummer of the crowd grew respectfully louder in the distance as the food and drink started to help drown the mournful emotions of Lance's friends.
   "Look, I am your friend you know that. We are all hurting, you can talk to me about anything."
   "Anything?" Brook asked as he looked up and stared directly at Casey.
   "Fuck yea, man!"

   "Ya know, Lance had dreams about getting killed over there. It was like he had PTSD, only before going to battle. He would have dreams, bad ones. I used to wake him up and he would be sweating and frightened." Brook looked deeply in Casey's eyes, "It was a good thing I was there with him."
   "Yea, he stayed here for a couple weeks before he left. Did you actually run to his bed when he was screaming?"
   "My feet never hit the floor," he said grinning. "We slept together, you know." He studied Casey, waiting for a reaction.
   "I know, man."
   "I mean, we were in bed together, every night."
   "I get that, Brook."
   "I mean, well, the only time we actually slept together was when we weren't having sex." He stared again back at Casey in silence; it felt good finally getting this off his chest. But little did he know that Casey had seen it all through the window one night. And not only did he see it, he was aroused by it. 
   "You are not shocked?" Casey smiled back.
   "No man, I could tell." 
   "Really? Jesus, what gave us away? Does anyone else know in this one-horse town?"
   "No, no. I... ah..." He paused for a long moment. Was this the time to tell Brook that he watched them have sex, even masturbated to them? Should he tell him that he too is attracted to men. Should he tell Brook that he has been attracted to him since they were boyhood pals? Maybe they can just both say their good-byes and leave this town, for good. Together.
   "No, I ah, I knew it from Lance." He immediately felt a profound surge of guilt. He lied. 
   "What? Are you serious?"
   "He loved you, I know that."
   "Really?" Suddenly he could see the tears welling up inside Brook's eyes once again. How could he tell Brook how he felt? This just wasn't about him, it was all about Lance and Brook. This was a very important time and he certainly wasn't about to be selfish and destroy this moment in Brook's life, even if it was finally an opportunity to come out. Brook was vulnerable and it was probably a very good probability that if he spilled his guts, he could be lying next to Brook's naked body tonight. But it wouldn't be right, it would be all for himself. It would just confuse Brook at his time of mourning; he just couldn't take advantage of this situation, even if he could finally be with the boy he'd secretly always loved and even lose his virginity tonight. 
   "You are an awesome friend, Casey; thank you." He stared into could his stunning, blue eyes. 
   "No, you are an awesome friend; more than you'll ever know." Brook wrapped his arms around him and buried his head against his stout chest. Casey could smell the alluring scent of Brook's hair and that same intoxicating body fragrance that has sparked his fascinations since the early days of his youth and when he realized just what he meant to Casey. As they pulled back, he savored, perhaps, the last opportunity to be this close and stare at his sexy friend. Brook's hair was tousled in all directions. For a fleeting moment, he considered throwing all caution to the wind and kissing him. How often, throughout the years, had he lied alone at night imagining just what it would be like to kiss him. Then, just as he started to lose control of his reasoning, just as the sparkle of Brook's beautiful eyes began to disorient him and just as the glisten of Brook's plump, tasty lips began to make him feel dizzy, he heard a familiar voice in the distance growing closer.
   "Hey, you guys, c'mon and eat before all the food is gone!" As Ryan approached them, he carried a heaping mound of turkey breast, meatloaf, potatoes and vegetables on a plate.
   "You guys haven't eaten yet, c'mon! This food is delicious and going fast. Damn I miss home cookin'!" With his free arm he wrapped it around Brook's shoulder and moved in between the boys. He had no clue of anything that may have transpired.
   "Hey you guys are my pals, I really miss ya!"
   "We miss you too buddy!" Brook said as his eyes widened and he put his arm around the big buff frame of the college football star.
    "C'mon back to the house guys, let's eat and have another drink. I wasn't interrupting anything was I?"
   "Naa," proclaimed Casey, "Your timing was perfect! Just as perfect as when you throw those awesome 20 yard passes and hit a receiver point blank!"
   The three men laughed as they wandered past the old horse barn, through the vegetable garden and to the back door of the kitchen.