Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2012 16:54:49 -0500 From: Jayson Vascardi Subject: Tale of Three 5 A Tale of Three By J.C. Vascardi -o-0-o- Legal Disclaimer: This story is fictional, as are the characters featured herein, which are solely the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, is entirely coincidental. If you are under the age of eighteen, offended by male/male material, or if such material cannot be legally viewed where you live, then you should be leaving now. Otherwise, please enjoy the story. Character Profiles: http://jayson.worldofslash.com/a-tale-of-three/profiles/index.htm Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/storiesbyjayson Writing Journal: http://jaycolin.livejournal.com This story is ©2004-2010, 2011 by J.C. Vascardi. This story is the sole property of its author and may not be copied, in whole or in part, posted on any other website, or included in any form of book or media, without the explicit written permission of the author. -o-0-o- Chapter Five, Part One Kyle's Perspective Tuesday, January 4, 2005 -o-0-o- When I arrived home with Jordan and Matt told me that Chris had called to say that Sean was at the house, I practically fainted as a flood of emotions hit me all at once. I mean, I was overjoyed to know that Sean wasn't dead, because planning his funeral is just something that I really don't ever want to do. I remember days a couple years ago when I still lived at my parents' house in Jacksonville, and there'd be mornings when I'd wake up to find my mother standing over Sean's bed, worry written all over her face. I knew she was worried that she'd come in to wake him up and find him dead from all the drugs and alcohol he was doing. It's probably amazing that I never started doing anything, since I'd shared a bedroom with Sean ever since I was five and he was seven. Before that point, I had my own room and Sean and Jake shared a room, but when I turned five mom and dad decided that as the second oldest, Jake deserved his own room, so they made Sean move in with me. Not that Sean and I really minded that much because we'd always been pretty close to one another, but all that changed when he turned sixteen and started doing drugs and drinking. Instead of the brother I grew up with and loved, Sean became a shell of the guy he had been and was constantly fighting with everyone. It wasn't long after that when Sean purchased a safe which he kept on the top shelf of his closet, where we all suspected that he kept a supply of drugs. A year or so passed, and while we should have been trying to do something about Sean, he made it more and more impossible because we all knew that he didn't think he had a problem and that we were the ones with a problem if we thought that he had a problem with drugs and alcohol. I suppose some would wonder why mom and dad didn't just force him into a treatment program, considering that at that time he was still only seventeen they were still his legal guardians. The reason is they both firmly believed that unless Sean admitted to himself that he had a problem, all the treatment in the world wasn't going to do any good. Some of the other emotions that flooded me at the news of Sean's return were anger and fear. I was angry because the last time we'd heard from Sean, at that point, was over a year ago. I was angry with him for staying away so long, so that all we could do is worry that he was dead. The fear stemmed from knowing that dealing with Sean was going to be hard, because it wasn't really Sean that we would be dealing with. It was the drugs and alcohol that were clouding his judgment that we'd be dealing with. At one time, Sean was really a very kind and sweet guy, but since he started the drugs and alcohol he changed and became this mean, argumentative person that none of us recognized. Of course, another reason for my fear was that he'd overdose on something while here, that I'd have to see him lying there dead, and in turn have to plan his funeral. Of course, there really isn't that much to plan anymore, because our mother already planned everything right down to the pallbearers. When mom and dad bought their cemetery vault, they even made sure to buy a vault that would hold three coffins because they figured that Sean would probably die from his drug use long before the thought of buying a vault or plot of his own ever entered into his mind. I suppose some would view that as giving up, but what else can you do in a hopeless situation? I don't for one second believe that once a person starts taking drugs and drinking too much alcohol, the idea that they can recover and turn their life around for the better is hopeless. I do, however, believe that in order for any of that to happen, they do have to admit to themselves that they have a problem and seek treatment, which is one thing that Sean has never done. When we arrived at the house, Chris let us in and we went upstairs to find Jake and Ryan standing in the upstairs hallway outside Sean's and my old bedroom. While we never lived in the Wilmington house on an official basis, we did spend about three or four weeks out of the year there, and since it had the same number of bedrooms as the Jacksonville house, we all had the same sleeping arrangements. "Dr. Canfield is in with him right now," Jake said, as Dan, Matt, Chris, and I approached them. "We thought it best to have him examined, since he was unconscious when we found him." I tried to say something, but I quickly found that I just couldn't form the words, so I simply nodded. We all stood there in an almost eerie silence while we waited for Dr. Canfield to finish examining Sean. After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Canfield came out of the room and, as much as I was hoping I'd be able to read something from her expression, I couldn't. "Well, he's alive," remarked Dr. Canfield. "From what I can tell, he's in an alcohol-induced stupor and will probably be okay. Just keep a close eye on him, and if you think he needs medical attention, feel free to call me, day or night." "Thank you, Doctor," I replied, finally finding my voice. Dr. Canfield simply smiled and nodded as Chris accompanied her down the stairs to see her out. Jake and Ryan then headed into Sean's room, and as I took a step forward to follow, Dan said, "We'll go downstairs and give you some time alone." "No," I replied as I turned to face Dan and Matt. "If I'm going to go in there, I need you guys with me for moral support." Matt and Dan just smiled at me as Matt replied, "Of course, Ky. You know that Dan and I will always be here for you." I smiled as Matt and Dan followed me into the room, though I didn't really get very far before I stopped dead in my tracks. I suppose it was seeing Sean for the first time in over a year, but I just couldn't seem to move no matter how much I may have wanted to. He looked so peaceful lying there, and if it wasn't for the fact that I could see his chest rising and falling, I honestly would have thought he was dead. I couldn't help but smile though as I felt Matt and Dan wrapping their arms around my waist, and it was at that point that I regained my ability to move because knowing that they were there for me just calmed me down somehow. I walked over to my old bed and sat down with Jake and Ryan while Matt and Dan sat down on two nearby chairs. We all sat there for awhile, watching him, until the sound of Dan's cell phone, which uses *NSYNC's 'I Want You Back' as its ring tone, cut through the silence. I just looked over at him as he got this sheepish grin on his face. He pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket, answered it, and walked out into the hall. -o-0-o- Chapter Five, Part Two Jordan's Perspective Tuesday, January 4, 2005 -o-0-o- "Hello, this is Jordan," I said into my phone as I walked into the hallway. "Hey Danny," replied the familiar voice of my older sister, Jessica. Jessica is the only one who calls me Danny, and while I've never really liked being called Danny, there's nothing I can do about it. I've told Jessica that I don't really like it, but she then just laughed at me and said that as long as I was her baby brother, she would call me whatever she liked. Seeing as how it's extremely doubtful that our parents will ever have another child at this point, considering that they're both in their late fifties, I guess I'll always be Jessica's baby brother and I'll just have to deal with her calling me Danny. I suppose I should at least be thankful that she just calls me Danny, rather than Danny-boy like Jake does, which I really hate. "Hey Jess, how are you?" "I'm fine," Jessica replied. "Where you are? I came over to the apartment to visit and nobody is home." "I'm over at Chris and Jake's house," I replied, "Kyle's brother Sean came home." "Oh my, how is he?" asked Jessica, concern evident in her voice. "Well, he's alive at least," I replied. "Jake and Chris had their doctor come over and examine him. She says that he's currently in an alcohol-induced stupor and should be okay." "Well, that's good." "Yeah, it is," I said, "though the problem still remains really because, as far as we know, he's still an alcoholic, chronic gambler, and drug addict." "Well, yes, but at least he's alive," Jessica said. "As long as there's breathe in his body there is hope that he can turn his life around." "Yeah, that's true, but before he can do that he's going to have to admit that he actually has a problem and agree to seek treatment. From what I've seen of Sean over the years, I'm not so sure that that's ever going to happen." "Oh, Danny, must you be the eternal pessimist?" "Jess, I'm not trying to be pessimistic here," I replied. "Nothing would make me happier than to see Sean change his life for the better, because I know how much he means to Kyle and I know that it would make him so incredibly happy to have his brother back. It's just that Sean has always insisted that he doesn't have a problem and that anyone who thinks he does is insane, so unless something has changed since we last saw him, I can only assume that we're in for more of the same argumentative behavior that we dealt with the last time he was in town." "I know, Danny, I know," Jessica admitted. "Remember I saw some of his behavior the last time." "Yeah, you did," I agreed as I remembered it, "and if I remember correctly, you really let him have it." "Well, he was insulting you," Jessica said in her defense, "and you know I won't stand for anyone calling my brother that horrible word. I don't care if it's only because his mind and judgment is controlled by the drugs, because regardless of that, I could still tell that it hurt you and I just won't allow anyone to hurt my baby brother." "You know Jess, I'm not really a baby anymore," I said. "I mean, I am twenty-one years old and in my junior year of college. I have my own apartment and two wonderful boyfriends whom I adore. I swear sometimes the way you talk it's like you think of me as this innocent, virginal little boy, and, by the way, I haven't been a virgin in quite awhile." "Oh you don't have to tell me that, Danny," Jessica said with a laugh. "I've heard you with Kyle and Matt. I know you lost your virginity a long time ago, but despite that, you will always be my baby brother and I just want you to know that I love you. If you ever need anything, I don't want you to hesitate to ask me. As for my protecting you, well, don't expect me to stop, because I won't. I know you're all grown up and capable of protecting yourself, but it's just not in me to stay quiet when someone is hurting a person that I love." "I know Jess and I'm thankful that I have you," I admitted. "It's just that sometimes you can be very annoying!" "I'm your older sister; it's my job. Anyway, I'll let you get back to Kyle. I know he must need your support right now. I love you, Danny." "I love you too, Jess," I said, "and we'll get together soon for a visit, I promise." "I'm going to hold you to that," Jessica said. "Bye." "Oh I know you will," I agreed as I said goodbye to Jessica and pushed the end button on my cell phone. Before going back into Sean's room, I turned my phone off so that the ringer wouldn't interrupt again. -o-0-o- Chapter Five, Part Three Aaron's Perspective Tuesday, January 4, 2005 -o-0-o- Two hours had passed but I was still in shock. 'Mom is pregnant,' I thought. I just couldn't believe that in about four months, I'd have a new baby brother or sister. Of course, at the time, I also couldn't help but wonder if the baby would even live, considering that the last time mom was pregnant, the baby, my sister Amanda, was stillborn. For my mom's sake, I prayed that this baby would survive, because no woman should have to suffer the pain and anguish of giving birth to two stillborn babies. Since this was likely the last child mom would ever have, I really wanted her to have a healthy baby, because I knew she missed having a young child. Mom is possibly in a minority among women, but from what she's told me, she always enjoyed every second of my baby years, and that includes diaper changes and two a.m. feedings. Of course, even though I'm almost seventeen years old, mom still treats me like her little boy. I suppose that's normal, but I think she redefines the definition of overprotective mother. I suppose that my birthday has something to do with it, considering that I was born on leap day, February 29th, so if you want to get technical, I'm only four years old. Of course like most people born on leap day, I do celebrate my birthday every year, it's just that I celebrate on February 28th instead. Some choose to celebrate on March 1st, but my mom and dad picked February 28th, so that's when I've always celebrated. I remember when Nick's uncle Erik took us down to the Department of Motor Vehicles to apply for our learning permits. Nick was joking in the car on the way there that they might refuse to give me my permit because I was only four. Thankfully, Nick didn't say anything while we there and they did give me my permit, despite my leap year birthday. I was certainly happy about it, because the idea of waiting until I had celebrated my true birthday sixteen times was totally unbearable, since I'd be seventy-six at that point. There's no way that I would be able to stand not being able to drive until I was seventy-six years old just because of the fact I was born on a day that only falls once every four years. Anyway, I was brought out of my thoughts when the doorbell rang and I heard Nick's uncle call from the kitchen, "Aaron, could you get the door?" "Sure," I replied as I stood up and walked over to the door. Looking through the peephole in the door before opening it, I quickly recognized the two people standing on the front porch, so with a smile I opened the door and said, "Jason, Jesse, hi!" "Hey AZ," replied my cousin Jason as he came into the house. "We tried next door but there was no answer, and since Aunt Karen's car is in the driveway, we figured you were probably over here." "Yeah, Nick had a little trouble today," I replied, knowing that my cousins would know what I meant because they're among the few people who know all the secrets of Nick's past. "I hope he's okay," replied Jesse, obvious concern in his voice. "He's doing much better now." "What happened to your hand?" Jason asked when he noticed my bandaged hand. "Oh, um, I was cutting an apple earlier when I got some very shocking news and the knife slipped." "What shocking news?" "I'll let mom tell you," I replied as my mom and Nick's uncle Erik came out from the kitchen. "Jason, Jesse! What a nice surprise," said my mom as she came over and pulled them into a hug. Once the hug ended, Jesse asked, "AZ mentioned something about shocking news?" "Oh yes," replied Karen. "Well, perhaps you two should sit down." Jason and Jesse just looked from one another to my mom and back before Jason sat down in a nearby armchair and Jesse sat down on the arm of it. "Brace yourselves," my mom said, before taking a deep breath. "I'm pregnant." Jason's mouth dropped open, and Jesse was so caught off guard by the news that he fell off the arm of the chair into Jason's lap. I can't say that I was at all surprised by their reactions because I did, after all, slice my hand on a knife when I heard the news. Actually, when compared to that, Jason's mouth dropping open and Jesse falling into Jason's lap seemed pretty mild really. After a moment of stunned silence, Jesse finally replied, "Pregnant? Wow, congratulations Aunt Karen!" "Thank you, Jesse," my mom replied. Ignoring the fact that Jesse was still sitting in his lap, Jason asked, "Who's the father, if you don't mind my asking?" "That would be me," Nick's uncle Erik replied as he stepped forward and raised his hand a little. "Well, congratulations to you too then, Erik," Jesse replied. Due to the relative shortness of my mom's marriage to Nick's uncle, my cousins never started calling him their uncle. They didn't know him very well and felt strange calling him that, especially since he wasn't much older than they were. Erik is three years older than Jesse and four years old than Jason. "Thanks, Jesse," replied Erik. "I'm pretty excited." Before anyone could say anything else, there was a loud thudding noise and then a small yelp of pain from the direction of the stairs. I quickly ran over to the staircase and helped Nick up from where he had fallen, having tripped over a box which someone had left sitting at the foot of the stairs. Jesse jumped up off of Jason's lap, came over, picked up the box and exclaimed, "Oh man, Nick, I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have put this there." "It's okay Fox, I'm fine," Nick replied, calling Jesse by his last name, which is also his nickname. "Are you sure?" asked Jason as he stood up and walked over. "I feel really bad that we were so careless as to leave that box sitting there, especially knowing now that Aunt Karen is pregnant." "Really, I'm fine," Nick replied as I asked, "What's in the box anyway?" "Oh, well, it's the reason we stopped by," Jesse replied as he started grinning from ear to ear. "Why don't we all sit down and Fox and I will show you," Jason added as he also started grinning. Once everyone was seated, Jason and Jesse walked over and set the box on the coffee table, at which point Jesse announced, "Drum roll, please." Jason made a drum roll sound and Jesse, whose smile had only gotten even bigger, opened the box and pulled a book from it. "We brought first editions of our first novel for all of you." Looking at the book in Jesse's hand, I quickly noticed that 'Jason T. Fox' was written at the top and 'Jesse M. Fox' at the bottom, with the book's title, 'Deadly Deceptions' written between their names. "Oh my word, congratulations guys," my mom said as she stood up and hugged them both. She took the book from Jesse's hand and looked first at the cover and then at the back, where a picture of Jason and Jesse sitting in front of the fireplace of their small condo was printed. "Hmm, any chance we could get the authors to sign it?" Nick asked as he took the copy that Jason handed him. Jason just grinned for a moment before pulling out a felt-tip pen and replied, "I thought you'd never ask." We all just laughed as Jason and Jesse sat down on the loveseat and took Nick's copy and, opening it to the inside cover, each wrote short notes to Nick before signing their names. Jason and Jesse then signed my copy, followed by my mom's and finally Nick's uncle Erik's copy, before the three of us started asking them tons of questions, such as did they think this book would do well, when the next book would be out, et cetera. -o-0-o- Chapter Five, Part Four James' Perspective Tuesday, January 4, 2005 -o-0-o- The ride back from the theatre was pretty quiet, since Drew and I don't really talk to each other as much as other siblings might. We're so much alike that talking with each other is kind of like talking to ourselves, and it gets very boring after awhile. That isn't to say that we never talk to one another, because we certainly do, but we don't make small talk with one another because there's really not much that we could talk about that the other doesn't already know. Anyway, we arrived back at the apartment and I pulled my car into its' parking space in the underground garage. Drew and I got out and headed over to the elevator to go up to our fourth-floor apartment. As the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor, I said in amazement, "What on earth are you doing here?" "I could ask you the same thing," replied the last person I would have expected to be waiting for us when we got back. Call it twin telepathy if you will, but without even looking at Drew I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. What on earth would bring these guys here to Wilmington, North Carolina? Another good question was how in the hell did they find out where in Wilmington we lived? Of course, the answer to that question came to me pretty quickly, because it was obvious that their aunt, Drew's and my step-mother, must have told them. Standing there before us, looking like they couldn't believe that people belonging to a billion-dollar family would live in such a place, were Drew's and my step-cousins, identical triplets Tiernan, Tristan, and Trevor Carmichael, along with another friend from Atlanta, Kevin Perry, who I guess is now Trevor's boyfriend. I couldn't help but wonder if Trevor knew that Kevin had slept with both Drew and I, not to mention having slept with both Tiernan and Tristan. I decided that if I managed to get him alone, I'd ask. "Look, just because we don't pay over a thousand a month in rent," Drew said, "doesn't mean that this isn't a nice place to live." "This? Nice? Are you crazy?" asked Tiernan, "This place is a rat hole! As billionaires you really shouldn't be living in such squalor." "I hardly consider this squalor, Tiernan," I replied. "True, it isn't a mansion or an oceanfront condo, but it suits our purposes well enough. Now, is there a reason you came all the way up here from Atlanta?" "Could you at least invite us in?" Tristan asked. "Or must we stand out here in the hallway all afternoon?" "Fine, come on in," I answered as I grabbed my keys from my jacket pocket and unlocked the door to Drew's and my apartment. As they followed us in, Kevin looked around and said, "Well, it's a bit small, but at least it's well furnished." "Yes, I must admit that you did at least get furniture that suits your social class," Trevor said in a bit of a snobby tone. Drew just rolled his eyes as he collected everybody's jackets and hung them up in the small closet near the door as I invited everyone to have a seat in the living room. As Drew accompanied our guests into the living room, I headed into the kitchen to try and scrounge up some refreshments. Opening the refrigerator, the most immediate thought that came to mind was to grab six cans of Coke, but thinking about that for a moment, I quickly realized that Drew's and my rich cousins would be insulted if I served them soda pop. Moving the Coke cans out of the way, I reached further into the refrigerator and pulled out a seven-hundred dollar bottle of Chateau Lafite 1982. Red wine is probably better suited to dinner then mid-day refreshments, but it was the only alcohol we had on hand at the time, so I figured it would have to work. Then came the problem of what to serve with it, because you just don't serve pretzels or popcorn with a seven-hundred dollar bottle of wine. Checking through the refrigerator, I realized that we were fresh out of caviar and truffles, but that's not really all that surprising considering that Drew and I have never much cared for either of them. Realizing that they'd probably start thinking I'd gotten lost, I quickly grabbed a bowl of fresh strawberries and washed them in the sink before putting them on a tray with the wine, six wine glasses, and a small dish of whipped cream. Thinking I should perhaps provide something more, I grabbed a box of gourmet crackers from the cabinet and placed them on a plate. I then grabbed a brick of cheddar from the refrigerator, cut several small slices of it, and then arranged them on the plate with the crackers. 'Well, it's something,' I thought to myself. 'At the very least nobody can say I'm a bad host by not offering them anything.' Quickly grabbing the corkscrew from a drawer, I set it on the tray before picking it up and carrying it into the living room. I set the tray down on the coffee table and, grabbing the corkscrew and wine bottle, remarked, "I apologize if the lack of fancier snacks to go with the wine is offensive, but we weren't expecting company." "Not to mention the fact that Jay and I much prefer normal food over things like caviar and truffles." "What do you call normal food?" asked Tristan, stressing the word normal. "Well, we're fond of McDonald's food for instance." "You have got to be kidding me." "Tiernan, if it's good enough for Princess Diana, God rest her soul, and her sons, it's good enough for us." "Well, I suppose you have a point," Tiernan replied very grudgingly, "but McDonald's?" "Have you ever even tried their food, Tech?" Drew asked, calling Tiernan by his nickname, which is derived from the fact that he really likes computers. "No, I haven't." "Well, Tech, don't knock what you haven't tried," I replied with a grin. "You might actually like it." "There are many things that I haven't tried which I already know I wouldn't like." "Such as, Will?" asked Drew, referring to Trevor by his nickname, which is derived from his middle name. "Well, being poor for example." "Oh please," I replied. "Like you ever have to worry about that. Your dad is worth quite a bit after all. Sure, he's not worth anywhere near as much as mine, but I still don't think you need to worry." It might seem snobby to bring up that fact in a conversation, but I didn't really feel bad about saying it. I knew that if the tables were turned, Tech, Alex (Tristan), and Will would have brought it up and made a point of rubbing my nose in it. It's just the way they are. They're not really bad people; it's just that when you grow up with a silver spoon in your mouth, basically being spoiled rotten in an environment where money is considered to be the only thing of any true importance, you tend to over inflate its value. It certainly is helpful, but it's not everything. As the saying goes, you can't buy love and you can't buy happiness. You can certainly buy a lot of nice things, but as the other saying goes, you can't take it with you, so Drew and I realized awhile ago that it's best to seek other ways of being happy. Tech, Alex and Will just hadn't quite learned that lesson yet. I'd have said that Kev hadn't learned it either, but I knew full well that he already had found something other than money that made him happy. I'll give you one guess what that is; here's a hint: it's a three letter word beginning with 's' and ending in 'x'. "Okay, you guys never answered Jay's question," Drew reminded everyone. "What are you guys doing here in Wilmington?" "What, now we have to have a reason to visit friends?" I just looked at Drew for a moment and then replied, "Yes Tiernan, now what is it?" "Okay, well, truth be told, we came up here to consider enrolling." "Enrolling?" Drew asked, looking at Tristan, shock evident in his voice. "You four? Enrolling in college? You're kidding, right?" "Well, dad said he was going to freeze our trust funds if we didn't go to college," Trevor replied. "He was drunk at the time, so I don't know if he was serious or not, but we figured we should at least come up here and check into things, just in case he was." "Well, that explains you three," I replied, turning my attention away from the triplets and onto Kevin. "What about you?" "Me? Well, I go wherever Will goes." "Ah, yes, that's right, you two are dating," Drew replied. "In other words, Kevin, you had to come so that you can continue to fuck Will four or five times a day." "We don't do it that often," Kevin said, obviously a bit embarrassed. "Really?" I asked. "Your reputation says otherwise." "Well, reputations aren't always true." "Well, yes, Alex, you have a point," Drew replied, with a grin on his face. "I mean, back in boarding school, you had a reputation for actually having a brain in your head," with a mischievous grin that made it clear he was joking, he then added, "And we all know that isn't true." "Oh shut up," Alex replied, laughing, as he picked up a throw pillow and threw it at Drew's head. -o-0-o- Chapter Five, Part Five Matthew's Perspective Tuesday, January 4, 2005 -o-0-o- Quite understandably, Kyle didn't want to leave Chris and Jake's house that night. Eventually, Jake convinced him that Sean would be fine because Ryan was going to sleep in the other bed in Sean's room to keep an eye on him during the night, and that if anything happened they'd call right away. At first Kyle protested, figuring that it would be better for him to stay as well, because he thought the more people in the house to watch over Sean the better. Finally, though, it was a discussion on sleeping arrangements which made Kyle realize that coming back to our apartment and trusting Jake, Ryan, and Chris to take care of Sean was the best option. While it's true that there are four bedrooms in the house, there still really weren't that many options in terms of sleeping arrangements due to the size of the beds. Both beds in Sean and Kyle's old room were twin size, as were the beds in Jake's old room and Ryan's old room. The master bedroom, now occupied by Jake and Chris, was the only bedroom in the house which would have been large enough to comfortably accommodate Kyle, Dan, and myself. While it may be possible for two grown adults to share a twin bed, it's not the most comfortable of arrangements and for three grown adults to try and share a twin bed is just plain out of the question. Kyle didn't want to take the master bedroom away from Jake and Chris, so finally he agreed to leave, on the condition that he be informed immediately if something happened. When we arrived back at our apartment, Kyle flopped down on the sofa and I could tell that he was still worried out of his mind about Sean. Exchanging a quick glance with Dan, he nodded at me before disappearing down the short hallway off the living room which leads to the bedrooms. The nice thing about being together as long as we have is that oftentimes I can convey thoughts to Dan and Kyle without actually saying anything. About twenty minutes later, Dan poked his head out of our bedroom and nodded to me to let me know that he was ready for me to bring Kyle back. Walking over to the sofa and kneeling next to Kyle, I ran my fingers through his soft brown hair and kissed him gently on the forehead before asking, "Why don't we retire for the night?" "It's a bit early to be going to bed, isn't it?" "Well, yes, it is," I replied with a grin, "but only if you intend on sleeping." Kyle gazed up into my eyes for a moment as a grin spread across his face. I just smiled at him a moment longer before locking my lips against his, placing my arms under him and lifting him from the sofa. We kissed the entire way down the hall as I carried him down to our bedroom, at which point we finally broke the kiss and came up for air. When we did, we both were in awe by what we saw. In the twenty minutes that Dan had spent in our room, he'd turned it into a romantic paradise. There were at least a dozen candles lit scattered about the room and white rose petals thrown on the floor and across the bed. The peaceful flickering of the candles and the sound of soft, romantic music playing in the background made my heart flutter with a love so intense that I can't even find the words to describe it. Looking momentarily at Kyle, I could see from the look on his face that he was having the same reaction. We both soon turned our attention back to the bed, however, where Jordan was laying in a seductive pose, wearing only a pair of black socks and black boxer-briefs. Between his lips was the stem of a single white rose, and the loving glow in his gorgeous amber-colored eyes was beckoning Kyle and I to come closer. Without a word, Kyle and I both approached our bed, mesmerized by the beauty which was, and still is, the muscular and totally ripped body of our mutual love. As we approached the bed, Jordan moved into a kneeling position and looked first at Kyle and then at me. With the rose stem in his mouth he couldn't smile, but peering into his eyes, the windows to his soul, I could tell that he was smiling. Without a word spoken between us, Jordan removed the rose from between his lips and slowly, seductively dragged the white blossom over his chest and his six-pack abs, which Kyle and I knew was his signal that we should take our own clothes off. With a smile, I turned to Kyle and began unbuttoning his shirt as he began to unbutton mine. As we finished unbuttoning each other's shirts, we both took a moment to run our hands over each other's chests before pushing the shirts from each other's shoulders and allowing them to drop to the ground. Turning back to Jordan, he smiled at both of us, and then ran the rose blossom over Kyle's chest and abs for a moment before doing the same to me. Standing up from the bed and allowing the rose to slip from his hand, Jordan wrapped his arms around Kyle and me, pulling us close to him. As my naked chest came in contact with Jordan's and Kyle's naked chests, I could feel a rush of euphoria throughout my body. Jordan simply smiled that smile of his, which never fails to melt my heart, as he moved closer and pulled me into a passionate kiss, his hand gently massaging my back. Not one to be forgotten, I soon felt Kyle wrap one of his arms around my back as well and start massaging it as he began to ever so gently kiss and lick my neck, knowing that nothing turns me on more then to have Kyle's or Jordan's soft lips and velvety tongue on my neck. This continued for several minutes, until Jordan backed off from the kiss and stared into my eyes, a look of love and of intense passion and desire burning in his. Kyle soon stopped his assault on my neck, and before long the three of us all leaned together and were soon locked into a passionate three-way kiss, our tongues wrestling with one another. My tongue darted from Jordan's mouth to Kyle's, and back and forth, desperately trying to explore every inch of the already very well known territory of their mouths. As the kiss continued, I wrapped my arms around Kyle and Jordan and simply held them close to me, pulling their hot and muscular bodies to me. The feeling of their flesh pressing against mine was more amazing than words, and I could feel an electrical charge running down my spine, filling my body with intensely erotic feelings of lust and longing. I never wanted the moment to end, but like all good things, the moment did eventually end as the three of us parted lips and came up for air. We were all still holding on to one another tightly however, and we all just stood there for a moment, smiling at one another and drinking in the sheer beauty of each other. I know that some people would probably at this point be thinking, just get on with it already! I'd be lying if there wasn't some small part of me which wanted to push Kyle and Jordan down onto the bed and ravage them right there and then, but, of course, I didn't. Over the years, I have overcome the overactive hormones of my teenage years and learned from lots of experience that sex is so much better when those involved take their time getting to the main event, rather than rushing into it. Some may not agree, but I really don't care what others think, because all that really matters is my own opinion, which I knew that Jordan and Kyle shared. Jordan's hands soon stopped massaging Kyle's and my backs, and ever so slowly I could feel his fingertips lightly tracing a line down my back as his hands got lower and lower. Kyle soon started to kiss and lick the right side of Jordan's neck, and I just smiled for a moment before I began to kiss and lick the left side of his neck. Jordan's hands continued to go lower until finally I felt his hand gently pushing itself down the back of my pants. Squeezing my ass in his hand, he pulled me closer, and I instantly knew he was doing the same to Kyle, as I also felt his midsection being pulled closer. Jordan began grinding his hips into Kyle's and mine for a few minutes as we continued to kiss his neck and shoulders. All too soon, I could feel Jordan pulling his hand out of my pants, and I probably would have protested if it wasn't for the fact that I could feel Jordan's fingers brushing against my skin, slowly caressing it as they worked their way towards the front. I could soon feel his hand unbuckling my belt, and I knew that he was at the same time unbuckling Kyle's as well, which he did with an ease and grace that comes from practice. After unbuckling my belt, I could feel Jordan's hands undoing the button and then pulling at the zipper before I could feel my pants falling down to my feet. Due to the close proximity, I could also feel Kyle's pants falling, at which point the three of us stood there in each other's arms, with Kyle and I now matching Jordan in terms of what clothing was left on. Kyle and I stopped kissing Jordan's neck as he began to move backwards toward the bed. As the backs of Jordan's legs came into contact with the bed, he fell backwards, pulling Kyle and I down on top of him. This is a move that we've practiced many times over the years that we've been together, and through that practice we've learned how to do it just right so that we can remain in each other's arms, yet not crush or knock the wind out of whichever one of us has the other two falling on top of them. While Kyle and I certainly are that person from time to time, it's usually Jordan, simply because, of the three of us, he is the tallest and thus has an easier time of handling Kyle's and my weight falling on top of him. After landing on the bed, the three of us almost immediately resumed our kissing as our hands ran all over each other's bodies. Our kissing lasted for what seemed like an eternity, as the three of us really got into it and slipped off into our own little world where we are the only residents. I know that might sound really sappy to some people, but it's true. Kyle, Jordan, and I share a love for one another which defies reason or explanation, and it usually also defies any attempts on our parts to accurately put into words just how deep it really is. While it's true that the three of us have only been together officially since the beginning of high school, so roughly seven years, we've known each other almost our entire lives. When the three of us met in pre-school we were instant friends, and in talking to some of our past teachers, almost all of them have said that they've never seen students become friends as quickly as the three of us did. It's as if we were life-long friends in another life or something, because we've been almost inseparable since that very first meeting. I think deep down, I knew I was gay and in love with Jordan and Kyle long before the thought had ever crossed my mind. Of course, when it finally did when I was about thirteen, I'll admit that I dismissed it at first because, to be honest, I didn't want to be gay. Part of the reason was I was afraid that my parents and siblings would disown me if they ever found out. I've always been very close to my parents, so the thought of ever doing anything that would jeopardize my relationship with them terrified me. I also highly value my relationship with my brother Taylor and I simply can't imagine my life without him. As for my other brother, John Jr., who is actually my half-brother from my father's first marriage, I honestly wasn't sure how I would react if he ever turned his back on me. I'd be lying if I said that we had been close growing up. The difference in our ages, and the fact that we didn't really have any common interests, is probably the reason for our never being that close. However, my greatest fear about being gay is that I'd lose Jordan and Kyle if I told them. I realize now that fear was totally irrational, but at the time it was something that went through my head. Everyone who has ever dealt with coming to terms with being gay has probably dealt with the same irrational fears that I had at the time, although for some people the fears aren't irrational. However, everything did work out in the end obviously, because here I am years later, very comfortable with my sexuality and more in love with Jordan and Kyle than ever. As the three of us kissed and explored each other's bodies with our hands, we began to roll around on the bed until eventually it was Jordan and I on top of Kyle. This was, of course, the plan from the get go, because both Jordan and I knew that with Sean's sudden return bringing Kyle's worries and fears about him to the forefront, he needed some love and care. Jordan and I soon stopped the kiss and moved down to start kissing opposite sides of Kyle's neck as he started to run his fingers through Jordan's and my hair. Usually I don't like it when people touch my hair because they might mess it up, but I make an exception for Kyle and Jordan during lovemaking because I know that it's a sign of affection and not an attempt to mess up my hair. Yes, I admit it; I'm a bit obsessed about keeping my hair looking just right! Jordan and I kissed and licked the sides of Kyle's neck for several minutes before we slowly moved on to his shoulders, and then started kissing our way down his chest, stopping for a moment to swirl our tongues around Kyle's hard nipples, which I knew was a serious turn on for him. Slowly and seductively, Jordan and I continued our descent, kissing, licking, caressing, anything to comfort Kyle in his hour of need. Eventually, Jordan and I reached the soft black fabric of Kyle's boxer-briefs, which had an obvious tent in the front. Jordan and I began to kiss Kyle's tool, which was straining and begging to be released from the confines of the material. After spending a few minutes on Kyle's covered cock, Jordan and I lifted our heads up and shared a quick, passionate kiss of our own before we both grabbed the waistband of Kyle's underwear in our teeth. Working together, Jordan and I pulled Kyle's boxer-briefs down, and finally his hard six-and-a-half inch tool broke free from its cotton prison and slapped up against his tight six-pack abs. Jordan and I continued to pull the underwear with our teeth until they were all the way off, at which point we tossed them aside and returned our attention to Kyle, this time kissing and licking our way up his legs as one of our favorite songs, "Drowning" by the Backstreet Boys, began to play . Don't pretend you're sorry I know you're not You know you got the power to make me weak inside Girl you leave me breathless But it's ok Cause you are my survival Now hear me say... As we reached Kyle's thighs, Jordan and I continued to kiss our way upward, all the way back to Kyle's mouth, locking ourselves once again in a kiss filled with passion as our tongues wrestled in the familiar erotic dance which the three of us have mastered. Once the kiss ended, Kyle looked up at Jordan and I with love, desire, and overwhelming passion burning in his eyes, and Jordan and I both knew that Kyle was silently begging us to move on with the main event. Jordan smiled at us both, once again melting my heart, as he pulled off his underwear and his rock hard seven-and-three-quarters inch member sprang from confinement and bounced off of his perfect washboard abs. I just smiled at them both, before I too removed my underwear, releasing my own rock hard seven-inch member. The three of us just reveled for a moment in running our eyes over each other's bodies, drinking in every inch and curve of each other's naked bodies. While it is something we've done countless times, it's also something that we never get tired of doing. I can't imagine life without your love And even forever don't seem like long enough Of course the three of us weren't entirely naked, as we all were still wearing matching pairs of black socks. We didn't bother to remove them because of what I guess you could call a fetish of Jordan's, who thinks that there's nothing sexier than a handsome guy wearing only socks. Moving closer to Kyle, Jordan and I gently rubbed our tools over Kyle's abs as Jordan leaned forward and pulled me into another passionate kiss. I could soon feel Kyle's hand on my balls as he ever so gently rolled them between his fingers, and I knew that he was doing the same thing to Jordan. 'Cause every time I breathe I take you in And my heart beats again Baby I can't help it You keep me drowning in your love Every time I try to rise above I'm swept away by love Baby I can't help it You keep me drowning in your love Jordan and I kissed each other passionately, our tongues dancing around in each other's mouths for a few more minutes before we stopped, smiled at each other and then at Kyle, who just beamed back at us. Looking down at my beloved Kyle, I could see the look in his eyes, which were filled with passion, desire, and an intense pleading. I knew he was pleading for Jordan and me to comfort and relieve him of stresses and worries, and of course Jordan and I were only too happy to comply. Maybe I'm a drifter Maybe not 'Cause I am longing the safety of floating freely in your arms Forgetting for a moment about our own raging hard-ons, Jordan and I moved into position so that each of us was on one side of Kyle. Jordan and I then started to kiss and lick Kyle's shaft as he let out a moan of pleasure upon feeling our tongues touch him. We continued to swirl our tongues around on Kyle, and from the precome that had started to leak from the head we knew that he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Jordan and I eagerly kept up our motions for several minutes until finally we stopped, at which point Jordan went down on Kyle in one fell swoop, easily taking his entire length into his mouth. It never fails to amaze me how easily Jordan can deep throat Kyle and me, because even after many years of practice, Kyle and I still have a little trouble doing it to Jordan or each other. We can do it okay if we work our way down the shaft slowly, but we just haven't been able to master taking it all in at once without gagging. I don't need another lifeline It's not for me 'Cause only you can save me Oh, can't you see? As Jordan continued to suck Kyle off with fervor, I moved up and sealed my lips onto Kyle's. Kyle gladly began to return the kiss that I had initiated, and I soon felt his tongue pressing against my teeth, begging for entrance, which I more than happily granted. As our tongues met and started the erotic dance that we'd perfected, a wave of contentment rushed over me. I knew that I could handle anything at all, as long as I had Kyle and Jordan at my side, and it's this feeling that Jordan and I both desperately wanted Kyle to have right now. We knew that he was going to be under a lot of stress and that he would be worrying a lot about Sean, so if Jordan and I could do anything at all to relieve some of his stress and make him forget his worries, if only for a little while, it's something that we would do without hesitation. I can't imagine life without your love And even forever don't seem like long enough (Don't seem like long enough, yeah) After several minutes, I ended my kiss with Kyle so that we both could come up for some air. Looking down at Jordan, I could see him speeding up his up and down movements on Kyle's shaft. I then began to run one hand gently through Kyle's soft brown hair as I used my other hand to play with and pinch Kyle's right nipple. From his moans I knew that he was getting very close to orgasm and I was right, for not soon after that I could see his toes curling and he bucked his hips violently upward. Jordan stopped his up and down movements, and I could see him swallowing load after load of Kyle's cum before he finally removed his mouth from Kyle's tool. Cause every time I breathe I take you in And my heart beats again Baby I can't help it You keep me drowning in your love And every time I try to rise above I'm swept away by love Baby I can't help it You keep me drowning in your love Jordan moved up to where Kyle and I were at the head of the bed and pulled us both into a passionate kiss. As Jordan opened his mouth, some of Kyle's cum, which he hadn't swallowed, escaped and soon found its way into Kyle's and my mouths as we continued to kiss passionately, our tongues wrestling. This kiss, while just as passionate as our previous kisses, seemed better somehow; possibly because of the sweet and succulent flavor of Kyle's come being introduced into the mix. The kiss lasted for a few minutes until Kyle pulled back. He smiled at Jordan and me and said, "Thanks, guys. I needed that so badly." "It was our pleasure," Jordan replied with a smile. "Of course, we didn't do it for free." "Oh really?" Kyle asked with a bemused grin on his face. "Nope," I replied, smiling as I nibbled Kyle's ear. "We intend to collect our payment." "What, pray tell, is the payment?" Kyle asked in a mock curious tone, because we all knew he already knew the answer to his question. "Oh, I think you already know," Jordan replied, grinning from ear to ear as he started to tickle Kyle. Kyle, who is a bit ticklish, laughed and replied, "Yes, yes, I know. I suppose I can't be in the middle though can I?" "Nope," I replied. "This is about Jordan and me now, and besides, it isn't your turn, because you were in the middle last time." "Who's turn is it anyway?" "That would be me," replied Jordan with a smile. "So Kyle, I hope you're ready for me." "Oh I think I can handle it," Kyle replied with a smile. Jordan and I just smiled as Kyle rolled over onto his stomach and I reached over to the nightstand drawer for lubricant. Usually, when we make love, we do it in a position where we can see each other's faces and kiss during it. However, looking at the clock, I realized that we'd been in the bedroom for over three hours already and it was now nearing ten thirty-five at night, meaning that we should probably be getting to bed soon. True, we were still on vacation from college for another five days, but I knew that Kyle would want to get over to Jake and Chris' house in the morning, so we all silently agreed to take care of the business at hand and then get to sleep. After Jordan came inside Kyle and I came inside Jordan, the three of us went into the bathroom and took a quick shower to clean ourselves up before going back into the bedroom. Jordan was the first into bed, followed by Kyle and then myself, the three of us spooning each other as we laid our heads on the pillows to call it a night. As Jordan reached over to turn off the bedside lamp, Kyle whispered, "I love you Dan and Matt." "I love you too, Ky," Jordan replied, "and you too Matt." "I love you Ky," I replied as a mischievous grin spread across my face, "and Danny-boy." Possibly too tired to argue, Jordan let out an exasperated sigh and Kyle and I just laughed as the three of us drifted off into dreamland. -o-0-o- To be continued.