Chapter Sixteen: Coop.

    We all laughed at Coop's remark, then rose almost simultaneously to clean ourselves off in the shower.  Over the sound of streaming water we laughed and talked about the events of the last few hours.
    Our ablutions finished, we dressed and moved to the patio.  Before anyone could ask, Gil said,

    "We can pull the cushions out onto the lawn and hose them down later.  I think we could all use a rest!"

    "I second that!" I said "Who feels like a coffee?"

    "I think I'd rather have something to eat." said Randy "All that physical exertion sure gives you an appetite!"

    "I'll second that one!" said Dan "What's everyone in the mood for?"

    Various suggestions were made, but in the end it was decided we'd order a couple of pizzas.  Gil insisted on paying and left to order the food.
    There were still the remains of the liquor and sodas on one of the tables by the door, so everyone fixed their drink of choice and settled down to wait for the food.
    Gil returned with his bag of weed.

    "How about something to mellow us out while we wait for the grub?"

    There was general agreement to his query, so he proceeded to roll two joints.  As he made his preparations he turned to Coop,

    "So, Teach!  Any guesses about who's queer now that you've had a chance to see some action?"

    "I was a little distracted, so beyond what I knew when I walked through the door, I can only pin down Ian and Jordan.  That's four out of five, but I couldn't possibly hazard a guess about the rest."

    "Well, it'd be cruel to keep you in suspense." I said "So why don't the unknowns reveal themselves one at a time?"

    "I'm straight." said Gil.

    "I'm bisexual." said Greg

    "Straight." said Norm

    "Ditto." said Randy.

    "Queer as the proverbial three dollar bill!" said Cam

    Stu remained silent, so Coop said,

    "I guess that makes you straight Stu.  According to the breakdown I got earlier."

    Stu smiled,

    "Like I told Dan last night; I think of myself as sexual.  I don't feel like the whole label thing really applies to me.  Or anyone for that matter.  I don't think who you have sex with should define who you are.  To me, the most important thing in a relationship is the emotional bond."

    Jordan rolled his eyes and said in a facetious tone,

    "Here comes the philosophizin' again!"

    Dan punched him in the arm and said,

    "Shut up dick for brains!  You got what you wanted, so sit back and listen!  You might learn something!"

    Jordan punched Dan back, saying,

    "I'm just goofin' around butt breath; and you know it!  If there's one thing my parents taught me; it was the value of a good discussion. I just hate postponing the sex with a round table debate.  It takes the fun out of it!  I know we have to worry about the repercussions, especially considering homosexuals as a group are not exactly the most popular folks on the planet.  God knows I wouldn't want to go through what your cousin did."

    "What happened to your cousin, Dan?"  asked Coop.

    Dan explained how his cousin had been diagnosed as mentally incompetent because of his sexuality.  Gil, Coop and I listened with growing horror as Dan detailed the "treatments" his cousin was forced to endure.
    When he finished, everyone remained quiet.  Gil finished rolling the joints and we smoked them in silence.
    Norm cleared his throat and spoke.

    "When you told us about your cousin last night I was really pissed.  I can't believe he went through all of that just because he's gay.  I always thought we lived in a free society; that we could live our lives any way we wanted as long as we didn't hurt anyone else.  That story reminded me of the stuff we learned last year about the Middle Ages."

    Coop smiled and said,

    "Nice to know you were paying attention Norm!  You're right.  Intolerance is a large theme in human history.  Majority rules rarely take into consideration anything which is contrary to what is considered 'normal'.  In most cases, so-called 'abnormal behaviour' is not only frowned upon, but it's also made illegal.  The justification of 'protecting' society can be used to great effect.  If the behaviour is contrary to religious belief or teachings, it becomes a larger issue.  As mankind has become more civilized, moving away from the tribal model, it has lost some of its humanity along the way.  When I was competing in gymnastics, I roomed with a guy my own age who came from one of the Northern Reserves.  We discovered we were both gay, and had a brief fling.  We spent most of our time together and he told me about what life was like for him."

    At this point the doorbell rang.  Gil jumped up and headed for the door.

    "Hold that thought, Coop.  I really wanna hear this."

    Gil returned with the pizza a few moments later.  He left the boxes on a table and went to the kitchen for some plates and napkins.
    When everyone was settled with their meal, Gil said,

    "So you roomed with this native guy.  Was he hot?"

    Coop choked on his pizza, laughing.

    "Interesting question, coming from a straight guy!  Yeah.  He was pretty hot.  He had long black hair that he braided when he was competing.  His face was round, but not fat, with strong features.  His eyes were dark, and when he looked at you, you felt like he could see what you were thinking.  He was a couple of inches taller than me, but compact and muscular.  When you saw him walking toward you from a distance, he looked like he was just another skinny kid, but as he got closer, the definition became more obvious.  He was one Hell of a gymnast!  Everything he did looked unforced and natural.  When he was on the pommel horse he went through his routine without showing any strain at all.  His floor routine was amazing!  He used some kind of tribal drum music and it always looked more like a ritual dance than a gymnastics routine.  To this day I still maintain he should have beaten the pants off me."

    "How come he didn't?" I asked.

    "Because the judges were a bunch of stuffy old coots who wouldn't recognize an innovative performance if it jumped up and bit them on the ass!  I also think they were prejudiced against him because he was a native, but it's hard to prove something like that.  I protested, but my coach told me to shut up and take the medal.  That was the year I dropped out from competition because of the accident that killed my parents.  I found out later the coach knew about me and Jason and was afraid it would get around if I protested too loudly.  Jason never competed again."

    "What happened to him?"  asked Randy.

    "He went back to the Reserve for a while, but he couldn't settle down.  He came to visit me a year later, on his way to the States.  He had a cousin in Los Angeles who did stunt work for the movies.  He stayed at my house for two weeks, and that was the last time I saw him.  He wrote me a couple of times, but he moved around a lot so we lost touch.  I wish I knew where he was; I'd love to see him again."

    "Were you in love with him?" asked Cam.

    Coop hesitated, then said,

    "I don't think I knew him long enough to say yes or no to that.  I can say he was the person who helped me understand and accept who I was as a gay man, and I'm grateful for that."

    "How did he do that?"  asked Jordan.

    "Well, it goes back to what I was talking about before the food got here.  Until I met Jason, I knew I was gay, but I was ashamed of it.  I'd had sex with a few guys, even had a boyfriend of sorts when I was in high school, but I always felt as if I was doing something wrong.  I remember the first day Jason walked into the room we shared for the competition.  I was putting my stuff away in one of the dressers when I heard someone come into the room.  I turned around, and there was this god-like man standing in the doorway holding a gym bag...

      Coop stared wide-eyed at the apparition of manliness which stood smiling at him.  Outwardly, it was obvious they were around the same age, but there was a sense of maleness radiating from the stranger which belied his apparent youth.  He was wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt, his long black hair was pulled tightly to the sides of his head and lay on his back in a tight braid.

    "Is this fourteen-A?" said the stranger.

    "Huh!?" said Coop.

    "I said, is this room fourteen-A?  I'm Jason Raven.  I'm supposed to room in fourteen-A."

    "Uh.  Oh.  Yeah!  This is fourteen-A.  Sorry!  I was a little shaken up.  I'm Albert Cooper."

    They shook hands and Jason said,

    "So should I call you Al or Bert?"

    "Neither.  Call me Coop.  I only go by Albert if I absolutely have to."

    "How come?"

    "Long story.  It's one of those weird family things that would take forever to explain; and you'd probably be no better off at the end than you are now."

    "I see."

    Jason looked around the room for a place to set down his bag.  His eyes opened in surprise when he saw there was only one bed in the room.
    Coop noted his expression and said,

    "I hope you don't mind sharing a bed.  They got things screwed up and we ended up with this.  It's only supposed to be for one night, coach says we'll get a cot in sometime tomorrow."

    "Fine with me.  I share a bed with my older brother at home, so this shouldn't be much different.  Unless you roll around a lot when you're asleep!"

    Coop laughed.

    "Nah!  I shared a bed with my younger brother for years until we moved into a house and I got my own bedroom.  I think I can manage."

    "Well now that that's settled,  I'll stow my gear and we can have a look around the place.  That is if you don't mind."

    "I was gonna wander around after I unpacked.  I wouldn't mind some company."

    "Great!  Give me a minute and we'll give the campus the once over."

    Jason quickly unpacked his bag and within a few minutes the two youths were walking around the campus of the University where the Gymnastics Finals were being held.
    They found the cafeteria where they would eat their meals, the shortest route to the sports complex, and as a bonus, the campus pub.
    Neither of them were old enough to drink, but they had been told they could use the pub to socialize as long as no-one abused the priviledge.  There were hints thrown out that the closing night party might have the rules relaxed, but only if the two weeks went by without incident.
    They were part of a small group who had been granted permission to arrive early because their families were leaving for vacation and they had nowhere else to stay.
    After familiarizing themselves with the campus, they returned to their room to find a note from their coaches telling them to go to the sports complex for a meeting.
    They arrived in the main gymnasium to find a group of twenty-two people standing in the centre of the room.  Coop and Jason separated to join their respective coaches.
    A competition official was outlining practice schedules and repeating the general rules of the competition.
    The meeting lasted half an hour, and after a private talk with their coaches, Coop and Jason made their way back to the room.
    Jason threw himself on the bed.

    "That's what I hate about these things!  Rules. Rules. Rules!  Everytime you get together, someone reminds you about the rules."

    "Well I guess they just want to make sure everything goes smoothly."

    "I know, but it just ticks me off.  Say!  You mind if I take a shower?  I feel all grungy from the bus trip."

    "Go ahead.  I had one when I got here.  There's towels and face cloths on the rack, but I hope you brought your own soap and shampoo."

    "Wasn't that rule twenty-three?  'Contestants will provide their own cleaning products'."

    They both laughed, then Jason began to unbraid his hair.

    "That must be a pain to do up every day." said Coop.

    "It's not that bad.  You get used to it after a while.  I usually don't bother unless I'm going out or when I'm competing."

    Jason unwound the last strands then shook his head.  The hair flew from side-to-side like a horse's mane, then settled on his shoulders and back.  It was much longer when it was free, stopping half-way down his back.
    Coop watched this with interest, and found himself becoming aroused by the sight.  He watched with increasing lust as Jason removed his clothes and placed them neatly on the bed.
    When Jason was standing only in his underwear, he shocked Coop by casually removing the white briefs and placing them on the pile of clothes on the bed.
    Jason stood for a moment, then stretched his arms over his head with a peculiarly feline movement.  Every muscle in his body seemed to flex and stretch beneath the golden skin.
    Coop was mesmerized by the beauty of his new friend.  Jason's skin was unblemished, and while it looked like a spectacular tan, there was no white tan-line.  The skin was a consistent dark honey colour over his entire body, except for his genitalia, which was slightly darker.  Jason had no body hair except for his head and his pubic region.
    The uncircumsized cock hung flaccid over the hairless ball sack; five thick inches of flesh which caused Coop's already rock hard prick to jump with excitement.  Jason's balls hung loosely in their sack of flesh; the size of medium grade-A eggs.
    Coop was enthralled by the vision, but was recalled to the world by Jason's voice, asking,

    "You OK, Coop?"

    "Huh!?"

    "You were a million miles away.  You were looking straight through me a second ago!"

    Coop breathed an inward sigh of relief that Jason had mistaken his leering for distraction.

    "Oh.  Sorry.  I was just running through a part of my routine in my head.  It happens every once in a while.  I was also thinking I'd like a soda.  You want anything while I'm out?"

    "Yeah, grab me a Coke.  I'll give you some change."

    "Forget it.  My treat."

    "Thanks, Coop.  I owe you one."

    "Don't sweat it!  I'm not keeping tabs!"

    "Besides, I'm in your debt after that little show!' thought Coop.

    Jason walked into the bathroom, and Coop adjusted his still hard cock to conceal it as well  as he could for his journey to the pop machine.
    There was no-one in the hallway, so Coop made it to the machine and back without being seen.  He put Jason's Coke on the dresser, then sat on the bed with his knees bent to conceal his raging hard-on.
    He wished he were alone so he could jerk-off to get rid of the gargantuan lump in his pants.  He reflected that this was one of the disadvantages to having a monster between his thighs; hiding it was next to impossible!
    This thought caused him some momentary worry.  How could Jason not have seen it?  He'd have to be blind to miss it!  But he was completely calm, and seemed to accept Coop's explanation.
    The train of thought caused Coop's prick to return to its flaccid state.  As it deflated, Coop became more relaxed and dismissed his fears as groundless.
    Jason came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.  Coop breathed a sigh of relief, but found himself becoming slightly aroused at the sight of Jason's glistening body.  It wasn't enough to make him hard again; his fear helped with that as well, but he found it difficult not to stare.
    The golden youth had the best muscle definition Coop had ever seen on a man who wasn't a professional bodybuilder.  All the muscle groups were clearly defined, but there was no sense of bulk.  In his clothes Jason appeared skinny, not emaciated, just thin.  There was no hint that beneath the fabric lurked an awesome body.
    Jason flopped onto the bed brushing his long, black hair with a brush he picked up from the dresser.

    "So you wanna go eat after I get dressed?" asked Jason.

    "Sure!"

    "Maybe we can catch a movie in town before we hit the sack."

    "Sounds good to me.  I'll grab a paper while you change."

    Coop got up and left the room quickly.  He stopped one of the students and asked where he could find a paper with movie listings.  The student laughed and told him there was only one movie house close to the campus.  He gave Coop directions, adding that the last show started at nine every night.
    When he returned, Coop found Jason dressed, sitting on the side of the bed.  Instead of the complicated braid, Jason had tied his hair in a pony tail to keep it out of his eyes.
    Coop felt his balls tingle at the sight of the sexy youth.  He briefly wondered how he was going to share a bed with this golden beauty without giving himself away, but dismissed the thought as something he would have to deal with when the time came.
    He told Jason about the movie situation, and they agreed to walk over to check out what was playing after they ate.

    An hour later they were walking down the main street of the University town.  They walked in silence until Jason said,

    "I hope it's a Western!"

    "What!?"

    "The movie.  I hope it's a Western."

    "Why?"

    "My cousin's a stunt man in Hollywood.  Sometimes he gets work as an extra on Westerns.  Once, the film company flew him to Spain to work on one of those Clint Eastwood movies.  I don't remember which one; to me they're all the same, but when it came out we saw Johnnie in a couple of crowd scenes.  The funny thing was, he was dressed like a Mexican!  That's Hollywood for you; they hire Mexicans to play Indians, and Indians to play Mexicans, no wonder they call it 'The Dream Factory'!"

    "So you're an Indian?"

    "Well, we prefer to think of ourselves as Natives, or Aboriginals, but when in Rome!  What did you think I was?"

    "I wasn't sure.  I meant to ask at dinner, but we spent so much time talking about me, I didn't get the chance.  To tell the truth, I also didn't want to be rude."

    "It's never rude to ask a question.  It's what you do with the answer that matters!"

    "I never thought about it like that before!  But then again, I was brought up to believe differently."

    "That's because you come from a culture that worships privacy.  My culture didn't have it to the same degree until we met yours.  You can't have restrictive privacy taboos in a culture where everyone lives closely with one another, relying on one another to survive.  'Mind your own business'  is a stupid statement when you have to co-operate to stay alive."

    "I see your point.  You might regret that lesson about questions though."

    "Why?"

    "Well, I'm fascinated by History, in fact, eventually I'd like to become a teacher.  I've never looked into the Native side of things before.  I might ask more questions than you'd be willing to answer!"

    "I'm always willing to answer questions!  Just don't expect too much.  I got all my information from my grandmother, but I can't claim to be an expert."

    "As long as you don't make anything up, I'd be happy to learn whatever you care to pass on!"

    Jason stopped walking and stood rigidly still.

    "I never lie!  If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a liar!  That's another thing your culture brought here that we didn't want or need!"

    Coop stopped and turned to Jason.

    "Sorry, man!  I didn't mean to imply you would lie to me!  Shit, Jason; it was just a joke!"

    Jason began walking again.

    "I know Coop.  You just hit one of my buttons by mistake!  It's a real sore point with me.  Earlier I called Hollywood 'The Dream Factory', but to me and my people it's really been 'The Lie Factory'!  As a student of History I'm sure you know that most historical films bear little resemblance to the events they claim to portray?"

    "Sure, I've noticed that they tend to get things mixed up a lot."

    "Well, it might seem harmless, but the bad reputation of Native people is largely due to Hollywood!  We've been portrayed as scheming, dishonest, lazy, and aggressive.  The truth is, all the Natives ever wanted was to be left alone to live as they'd always lived.  Expansion of so-called civilization, made that impossible!  The Natives didn't lie, they were lied to!  Treatys were made, and broken at the convenience of the colonials, and the resultant clashes were blamed on the Natives!  I'm not saying there aren't or weren't any decietful Natives, but Historical Truth, and Hollywood Truth are usually two totally opposite things!"

    As Jason finished, they approached the theatre.

    "Well, I really want to hear more," said Coop "but let's save it till later.  Look, it's a comedy!  That should lighten the mood a little!"

    "Sorry to rant like that Coop, but I feel very strongly about what's been done in the name of Progress!"

    "Not a problem, Jason!  I understand, at least as well as I can.  I really do want to hear more, but we've got a week and a half before the meet.  Believe me, you'll probably want to stuff a sock in my mouth when I get going.  Let's just go in and have a few laughs."

    "You're right!  It's not like I can solve all the problems of the world by shouting about them in the middle of the street!  Lead on!  I could use a good laugh!"

    They bought their tickets, and were soon laughing at the Monty Python comedy And Now for Something Completely Different .

    After the movie they stopped at a small coffee shop before heading back to their room.  They laughed as they walked through the campus, imitating some of the characters from the film.  They became more subdued when they reached the dorm area, not wanting to be reprimanded for causing a disturbance.
    Once safely behind the door of their room, they kibbitzed a little more, ending up sitting side-by-side on the bed.  They talked about their families, their friends, then the conversation turned to relationships.
    Coop told the story of his friend Robbie and his on-again, off-again romance with the girl he eventually married.  Jason related a similar story, ending up with a comment about early marriages.
    There was a brief silence, then Coop asked,

    "And what about you?  Did you have a high school sweetheart?  Or were you just the love-em' and leave-em' type?"

    Jason became quiet, the same serious expression on his face as he had when he stopped on the street.  After a moment he said with a wan smile,

    "It's a painful subject, Coop.  I'd rather not ruin things by going into it now."

    "I understand."

    "I doubt it, but let's leave it be.  What about you?"

    Coop was about to relate his well crafted cover story about his cheerleader girlfriend, when something about Jason's tone made him reconsider.  A thought crossed his mind, but was immediately rejected.  It couldn't be what he thought.  Jason's voice had the same plaintive note to it as his own did when he discussed his sexuality with the few people in the know.  There could be a hundred other reasons for the pain in Jason's voice.
    The last thing he wanted was to alienate the guy he was going to spend the next two weeks with.  All the shame and frustration of dealing with his sexuality burned through Coop's mind like molten lava.  He couldn't take the risk!  He didn't dare!  He'd end up sleeping on the floor with a black eye and a busted lip!  The humiliation he'd suffer!  It was too frightening to contemplate what would happen if he opened his mouth and said the words,

    "I never had a girlfriend, Jason.  I had a boyfriend.  You see, I'm gay."

    Coop lept off the bed and stood shaking as he realized he had actually said the words out loud.  He put his hand over his mouth to stop from screaming.  What had he done!?  It wasn't supposed to come out like that!  Any minute now the beating would start!  Jason was looking at him with a look of shock on his face.  He rose from the bed without taking his eyes off Coop.

    "Wh-wh-wh-at did you say?" said Jason.

    Coop was frozen in time.  He couldn't make his voice work as the horror of his situation washed over him.  Jason was getting closer.  He rounded the end of the bed and picked up speed.  Coop closed his eyes, waiting for the first punch he was sure would land any second.
    He felt Jason take hold of his arms and move them down.  Coop winced, anticipating the pain of the blows.  Jason was standing in front of him now. Why doesn't he hit me!?  Bastard!  He's just waiting to make it worse!
    Finally Jason made contact, but instead of the dull pain of balled fists, Coop felt the warm moistness of full lips as they pressed against his own.
    Coop's eyes flew open to find himself looking into Jason's.  What was this!?  It had to be a trick!  The evil bastard was toying with him; drawing him into a trap so he couldn't deny it!
    He tried to pull away, but Jason drew him closer, wrapping his strong arms around the frightened youth.
    Confused and terrified, his brain overloaded with conflicting emotions, Coop collapsed sobbing into Jason's arms.
    Jason moved one of his hands to Coop's head and began stroking it softly.

    "Shhhhhhhh!  It's OK!  Everything's gonna be all right!  I'm not gonna hurt you!"

    "Y-y-y-y-you're n-n-n-n-not!?   B-b-b-b-b-but wh-wh-wh-why n-n-n-not?  You m-m-m-must huh-huh-huh-hate me!"

    "Why?  Because you're gay!?"

    "Y-y-y-y-yes!"

    "If I hate you for that, then I'd have to hate myself as well."

    "Wh-wh-wh-what!!!!?"

    "I know you're confused, but would I be holding you like this, kissing you, if I wasn't gay too?"

    "Y-y-y-you m-m-m-m-m-might!"

    "Why!?"

    "T-t-t-t-to t-t-t-t-trick-k-k-k-k m-m-m-me!"

    "You're upset and scared, so I won't hold that against you, but remember what I said tonight?  I don't lie!  I haven't told a deliberate lie since I was five years old!  I meant that.  Now let's sit down on the bed and talk about this till you've calmed down a bit."

    "OK."

    Jason moved to the bed and gently lowered Coop to a sitting position.  He sat down beside him, putting his arm around the still shaking youth.

    "Now what made you blurt it out like that?  I'm glad you did, but it was a bit of a shock!"

    "I d-d-don't know!  I w-w-was running through all the r-r-reason's n-not to!  I was g-gonna tell you the s-same s-story I used to tell at school, but something stopped me!  Something in your voice.  At first I thought I'd only said it in my head, but when I realized I'd blurted it out, I was terrified."

    "I could see that, but why were you so scared?"

    "Because of what happened in my last year of high school!"

    "It must've been pretty awful!  Tell me about it."

    "It was in the last few weeks of school.  I was running over a routine with one of the guys on the gymnastics team.  Ashley was his name.  I'd had a crush on him for years, but I knew he was straight.  My boyfriend and I had broken up because he was leaving for University and I didn't want a long distance romance.  He was pissed, but I never realized how badly.  Anyway, we finished up the routine and headed for the change room.  I usually waited until I was alone, 'cause I was sick of all the jokes about my dick."

    "What kind of jokes?"

    "Well, it's kinda big, and I was an easy target.  That particular day I had an appointment after school, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a quick shower and split.  Ashley was joking around as we got into the shower, kidding me about my dick.  All of a sudden, he reached out and grabbed it!  He hefted it a few times and commented on how heavy it was.  I figured it was just a joke so I went along with it.  He made a few comments about how it must be hard for a girl to take it all.  I laughed, and said I hadn't found one yet who could.  You have to understand that even though I had a crush on him, I didn't know him all that well.  We didn't chum around, so he was a complete mystery to me."

    "I get the picture."

    "Anyway, through all this, he hadn't let go of my dick.  He started stroking it lightly and I was getting hard.  He leaned over and whispered to me that he'd always wondered what it would look like hard.  I was really turned on, and told him if he kept pulling on it he'd find out.  He squeezed it harder, and pretty soon it was hard as a rock.  He stepped back and took a good look at it, then leaned in again.  In a whisper, he asked me if I was gay.  At first I didn't know what to say, but when I looked at his dick, it was hard too.  I swallowed once, and admitted the truth.  In seconds the scene turned from an intimate conversation into his fists pounding my face and stomach!  He was screaming at me, calling me a lousy faggot, accusing me of trying to seduce him!  I was so stunned I couldn't defend myself.  He gave me one last punch to the jaw, then left me bruised and bleeding on the floor of the showers.  I looked up into the changing room and saw my ex-boyfriend smiling with this evil look on his face.  I knew then I'd been set up."

    "What a bastard!"

    "You got that right!  For weeks I worried that my secret would be the talk of the school, but nothing happened.  I found out later that my so-called boyfriend had been blowing Ashley for years, even while we were going out."

    "So why did that make a difference?"

    "My ex didn't want to expose me in case he got dragged down too.  Ashley wouldn't tell anyone for the same reason.  Ever since then, I haven't been able to tell anyone about my sexuality unless I know them very well.  I've only known you a few hours, and when I blurted out the truth, my defenses kicked in automatically."

    "I can see why you reacted like you did!  That and why you were still upset after I kissed you.  It's hard to trust after you've been set up like that."

    Coop leaned forward, kissing Jason lightly.

    "Thanks for understanding, and helping me through it."

    "It's the least I can do.  Most gays I've met aren't as comfortable with their sexuality as I am.  There's a lot of negative baggage that comes with finding out you're queer.  It can drive some people crazy."

    "Tell me about it!  I can never shake the feeling that I'm doing something wrong!  That I'm bad, flawed somehow, because of who and what I am.  Are you saying you don't feel that way?"

    "I used to, but I don't anymore."

    "Then how come you side-stepped my question about having a girlfriend?  If it doesn't bother you why were you so cautious?"

    "Because being comfortable with my sexualty doesn't mean everybody else will be!  If you found out by accident, I wouldn't deny it, but as you pointed out, we've only known one another a few hours!  Even after the way you were checking me out when I stripped for the shower, I couldn't be sure!"

    "You noticed that!?"

    "Come on Coop!  There's a big difference between being distracted and staring at someone!  It's just that I'm used to being looked at like that because not too many guys have seen a Native guy naked before.  There aren't exactly a whole hell of a lot of us in your average suburban high school!"

    "That's true!  Sorry if I sounded pissed."

    "Understandable, given the circumstances."

    "So how did you learn to be so comfortable with yourself?"

    "Let's talk about that some other time.  It's late, and we've just discovered we're both gay.  I can think of a few other things I'd rather be doing than talking right now.  Can't you?"

    "What do you have in mind?"

    "Well for starters, I'd like to find out whether 'kinda big' means the same thing to me as it does to you!"

    "Prepare to be amazed!"

    Coop stood up, kicked off his shoes, then falling back on the bed,  peeled off his pants and underwear in one fluid motion.  His rapidly inflating cock fell onto his stomach with a loud slap.
    Jason gulped loudly as he watched the massive organ swell to its full twelve inches.

    "Kinda big is the understatement of the century!  To quote the goddesses of porn; 'My God!  Is that thing real?'."

    "Why don't you touch it and find out?"

    Jason swiftly removed his clothes, then joined Coop on the bed.  Coop removed his shirt and socks at the same time.
    They lay side-by-side, naked and erect.  Jason's cock had swelled to a respectable eight and a half inches.  He seemed reluctant to touch Coop's gargantuan organ, almost as if he feared it would disappear before he could fully appreciate it.
    Impatient at the hesitation, but understanding Jason's need to proceed at his own speed, Coop turned on his side to begin kissing the hot Native stud.
    Jason ran his hand over Coop's chest, tweaking the hard nipples, then ran his hand down over Coop's rippled abs.  Gingerly, he placed his flat palm over the hard organ, touching it's tumescence for the first time.
    He could feel the beat of Coop's heart as the blood pumped to maintain the rigidity of the magnificent penis.  Jason drew in a deep breath and held it as he slowly closed his fingers around the formidable prong.
    Releasing the breath with a low moan, Jason registered surprise at the iron hardness he held in his hand.  A finger's width of air seperated his fingers from his thumb as he grasped the rigid behemoth.
    Jason squeezed once, then, satisfied this was real, not illusion, began to move his hand up and down.  Licking his lips in anticipation, he shifted position on the bed, and moved his mouth over the bulbous head.  He flicked out his tongue, teasing the sensitive organ, then drew the head into his mouth.
    Coop gasped as he felt the head of his cock enveloped by the warm moistness of Jason's mouth.  He grasped Jason's hard prick, stroking it with a slow rhythm.  Coop felt a slick wetness on his hand.  Precum was oozing slowly from the piss-slit of Jason's throbbing member, evidence of his heightened state of excitement.
    Coop flicked out his tongue to taste the clear fluid.  It tasted slightly sweet, with a hint of garlic from the Italian food they'd had for dinner.  Coop opened his mouth, enclosing several inches of cock in his wet orifice.  He decided to take the entire length, so began to loosen his throat by pushing forward and swallowing at the same time.
    Jason was only able to take three inches of Coop's massive cock into his mouth without gagging.  Frustrated, but resigned, he began to move his head up and down while stroking the exposed shaft with both hands.
    As his cock slowly disappeared down Coop's throat, Jason became more aroused, but relaxed at the same time.  Jason felt his throat muscles relaxing, and was able to slip another inch of Coop's love muscle into his mouth.  He was surprised to find he could still breathe through his nose, so as the fear of being choked ebbed away, he was able to take in more of the immense organ.

    "Ooooooh Jase!  That's so fuckin' good!  Swallow my monster!  Take it all in!  You'll be the first!  I want you to be the first!  Please!  Ple-e-e-e-e-ase!!"

    Encouraged by Coop's obvious enthusiasm, Jason closed his eyes to concentrate on the daunting task.  With agonizing slowness he forced more and more of the thick cock down his gullet.  After what seemed an eternity, he could feel the silkiness of Coop's pubes tickling his nose.

    "You did it!  You did it, baby!  No-one's ever taken the whole thing before!  It feels so weird!  I love it!  Can I move it around?  You'll be OK?  Just slap my ass if you want me to stop!"

    "Nnnnn-hnnnnnn!"

    Coop slowly pulled his hips back, withdrawing a few inches from Jason's throat.  He slowly pushed back in, keeping to slow short strokes which would allow Jason time to adjust.
    Jason gagged a few times, but soon adapted to the friendly invasion.  To signify his readiness for more, Jason began to bob his head in rhythm with Coop's thrusts.
    Coop took the cue and began to increase the length and speed of his strokes.  Soon, the twelve inch love piston was gliding smoothly in and out of Jason's willing mouth.
    Coop was unable to speak, so he popped Jason's cock back into his mouth.  He quickly swallowed the Native youth's prick up to the pubes and began matching his head strokes to the undulation of his hips.
    They were siezed by a frenzy of lust, each pleasuring the other in ways neither had thought possible before.  Their coupling was the culmination of a day which had created a bond unlike any they had known before.
    Each of them revelled in the sensation of the hard prick in their throat, the warm mouth on their cock.  Eight and a half and twelve inches of man-flesh became the conduits of their passion; joining them to one another on a primal level.
    All too quickly, the inevitable happened; Coop stiffened, then Jason.  Simultaneously, they were gripped by the orgasmic vise, pouring their jock-stud spooge into one another's throat.
    They quietly pulled apart after the last numbing waves of pleasure washed over them.  This severed the direct connection created by their cocks, but a less tangible one still remained.
    Jason moved to lay on top of Coop, drawing the young blonde into a deep kiss, the residue of their essences mingling as their tongues caressed.
    Coop ran his fingers through Jason's long black hair, then gently disengaged his mouth from the passionate kiss.

    "That was the best,  the most intense, sexual experience I've ever had!  You are one sexy guy Jason Raven!"

    "Thanks Al-bert!  I was just about to say the same thing!  I've never felt that way before.  It wasn't so much what we did, it was more like some kind of spiritual thing.  Not something from my culture or yours.  It felt more universal, but intimate and personal at the same time.  I don't know if that makes much sense, but that's the closest I can come to describing it."

    "As weird as it sounds, I understand what you're trying to say.  And don't call me Al-bert!"

    They laughed and joined together in another kiss, eventually falling asleep in one another's arms.
 

End of Chapter Sixteen
Coming Soon, Chapter Seventeen: Jason.

Thanks to everyone who has written me to say how much you enjoy the Tales.
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Thanks Again, K.