Author's Note: So now you have seen that this story is not glorifying drugs. Far from it, but neither does it deny the reality of experimentation.

We are nearing the end of this tale now. Several loose ends are tied up here. I probably should have broken this multi-faceted, whirlwind chapter, into at least two chunks, for it ended up being quite long. Regardless, as always, these wild things manage to stir both trouble and fun.

Temper Tantrums and Too Much Sex

Ricky and Nicky tried to rest in Ricky's gazebo the morning after the party, but neither could sleep. Idly, Nicky finally remembered a forgotten question and asked Ricky what he had said to Sarah that made her so agreeable at the dance so as to let them take off with Roger and Eric. Ricky told him that he'd come out to her by whispering in her ear while they were dancing, and she had cried.

"She cried?"

"Yeah. I didn't realize it, but she is in love with me. Even though we are cousins and all, she can't help it."

"I could have told you that," Nicky said, shaking his head.

"Well, you should have, Nicky. I could have used the advice, man!"

Almost every time Nicky had been friends with anyone older than him, no matter what, the older guy would somehow get the idea that he really did think of Nicky as a social inferior, but not Ricky. Nicky could not recall a single instance of Ricky ever patronizing him. He would give him shit. He would tease him. He would disagree. He would correct knowledge gaps. He would sometimes go on and on about something, but Nicky always felt like he was an equal. The thing about Ricky was that he was very, very smart!

Like his mother, Ricky was deinos smart sometimes!

But other times, he was so stupid, naïve, and foolish! So eelíthyos!

Nicky protested, "You're usually so smart! It always surprises me when you are stupid!"

"That's what I'm saying, Nicky! You shoulda' told me!"

That was the other thing about Ricky. He was never insulted when his foolishness was pointed out. Ricky knew when he did not know something. He was never defensive about anything he was ignorant about. He knew he was smart, so it was impossible to insult him that way. Anyone who did not see that for themselves was — in Ricky's opinion — an idiot. Nicky had seen this in action. Ricky would ask some question, and the other person would have an answer, but then, like an immature child, this other person would thereafter think of themselves as more knowledgeable than Ricky on every subject. Ricky's older cousin Danny was like that; as a result, Ricky had no respect for him. He would hardly speak a single word to him. He wouldn't argue. He wouldn't correct Danny. He would just let Danny make a fool out of himself.

Nicky had seen Ricky cruelly fuck with Danny many times. He'd get Danny into a rage that way and laugh at him. Zeus help anyone who gets on Ricky's bad side!

Danny's mother, Ricky's aunt Michele, did see that, and she had a very suspicious attitude toward Ricky. He had told Nicky that one time she had called him "cruel and manipulative" when he was actually trying to help Danny with some homework. He was reading Danny's book for him out loud. But his aunt had stopped them angrily, saying he was "making fun of Danny," when he was not. Then, stupid Danny got mad at Ricky even though Ricky was honestly trying to help him.

Ricky told him that after that? He never helped Danny with anything, ever.

Nicky knew that Ricky had a dark side. But one had to really, really cross over Ricky's carefully marked circle of justice in order to get on his dark side.

Achilles Meets the Geminis

After failing to nap, he and Ricky decided to go to the swimming hole. It was there that Nicky finally saw Ricky's "Rage of Achilles."

The fight was over Ricky's "spot" at the swimming hole.

Ricky had that same, certain place on the rocks he always liked to sit. It was the same spot Ricky was sitting the first day they met. There was a rule the kids had, if you got there first, you got that spot for the rest of the day, so long as you stayed at the swimming hole.

It was right after Ricky's second dive into the river that the fight happened. He had done his usual dash down the high path, up and across the taller backs of the furthest rocks in his fast, running on his toes, flying leap style. The final jump carried him up and out over the deep, dark, slowly eddying water of the upper part of the pool, this time, nothing showy — no flips or spins mid-air, but owing the the speed with which his fleet-footed one had accelerated in the last, few, giant strides, He saw Ricky fly far, far out before, finally, SPLASH!

Nicky was in no hurry, however. He had his own way of enjoying The River. He had sent Ricky on ahead with a quick nod and a smile while he began taking deep breaths and walking slower and slower. He wished to infuse his body with oxygen before dropping down to the dark, cold, bottom of the high pool, there, to catch the undercurrent that would carry him upstream behind the haunts of fish with still much wind left to wait, and, perhaps, catch a fish from behind and below.

That afternoon, he had not even seen a fish of the kind he deemed worthy prey.

But he did see Ricky.

When Nicky emerged from the water, silently, beneath him, he saw Ricky in much the same pose as his first sight: one leg out, one knee up, rippling hard belly slightly arced with but one, sharp wrinkle across the line at his navel, head back, eyes closed, directly facing the white, hot light of the high sun.

Clambering up and standing near Ricky, he saw then the blond twins. They had hair so blond, it was white. They were gorgeous! Nicky immediately thought of them as Scandinavian. There was also not a gram of flab upon them. These were active guys. Young! Thirteen?

They were new to the place. Later, they learned they were up only for two days. But these two kids had started shit with Ricky. What happened astonished Nicky. He had expected Ricky to be sweet and flirtatious with the pretty blond twins, but no!

Nicky studied them. Ricky had told him that identical twins had different belly buttons. Nicky saw a perfect opportunity to test that. He made no secret of his glances. He looked at the two in the eyes and let his own freely rove, not being at all coy. If confronted by something like, "What are you staring at?" he would answer, "I'm looking at you!"

Never shy, Nicky was nevertheless emboldened with Ricky near. No one could harm him when his boyfriend was in the scene.

Yet, the twins mainly seemed to avoid eye contact and seemed to hold their heads in such a way that their long, bright bangs tended to hide their faces, faces which on close inspection seemed a bit more chiseled than those of thirteen year-olds. And yes, the bones were bigger. The muscle harder and more cut. These were fifteen to sixteen year-olds. Nice tans, too. Big, high butts and strong legs. Upper bodies still light.

In Nicky's eyes, splendid. They had startlingly masculine facial features, with hawklike eyes, lush lips, and sharp, strong eyebrows.

But shy, it seemed, and, indeed! They had different navels! One had a chickpea, the other a deep wrinkle. Satisfied, Nicky stopped inspecting them. In a bit, he might walk over to the diving block where they had sat, looking at The River. They were newcomers, Nicky surmised. Not knowing how to address a kind of water unknown to them?

As if with one mind, he and Ricky shot into the water again. Ricky launching himself straight out off the rocks, he with a low energy drop down and upstream, his lungs even more deeply full of air than the first time.

Nicky saw the whole thing just as he surmounted the rocks to the upstream side of the diving block. He saw Ricky shoot up from the deep water just beneath his spot, using almost the same move Nicky used to spin and land his rump on the ledge. But Ricky did not spin; instead, he kept going straight up, landing his feet on the ledge, using a little push with his hands.

Nicky watched that move, and saw Ricky put his hands on his hips at the same time he replanted his feet, first one, then the other until he was in a strongly braced position. Ricky's eyes were dead level with the one Nicky knew as "Wrinkle." He knew this because his own eyes were dead level with the navel of "Chickpea."

Ricky's voice is calm and even when he tells the pretty blond, "I was here first. That's my spot."

The kid says, "Fuck you! You left! You were in the water."

Nicky sees Ricky's whole look change. Ricky seemed to shiver. He starts speaking in his scary, low, growly voice. "Did you just say 'Fuck you' to me?"

"Yeah I said, 'Fuck you.' I'll say it again! Fuck you!"

Ricky simply picks the kid up and throws him in the water!

He grins as he holds the screaming, writhing boy over his head. He grins, but his eyes are hooded and dark. He throws him almost casually, but Nicky sees that the stance he chose from the first was in preparation. It merely looks like he is using only his arm strength. Ricky uses his whole body, especially his strong thighs, which pump up as Wrinkle is sent waving and kicking into the water.

That freakish strength Ricky has! He pauses there, laughing in that way he has, deep, "hunh, hungh, HUNGH."

Then? The other twin, Chickpea, is upon him! Whoosh! Ricky somehow quickly snakes an arm around the back of the other's arm, an arm then propelling an angry fist at Ricky's face! And this accompanied by an enraged scream! But Ricky tips his head to the back and side while getting his forearm across the lovely blond's flat, tan belly and with his other hand, pushes down at the top of the boy's back just at the neck, and Ricky FLIPS Chickpea! Careening head over heels in a fast spin! He spins exactly one and a-half times, but he is shot feet first into the deep!

Ricky calmly sit down in his "spot." The boys come up screaming curses.

Of course, the adults begin to arrive.

This is bad. Ricky is going to be in trouble.

In his deep, growly way. Ricky is muttering, "Fucking cunts. Fucking little cunts!"

This huge man, a big Swede-looking, hairy chested guy, obviously the father — Really huge! He looks like a wrestler! He has not much fat on him! — rushes over! He is yelling at Ricky, and Ricky, now standing on the highest part of the rock, is looking down at him, for the sand behind the rocks is lower.

He is staring at the man. His body is perfectly relaxed. He's standing on one leg now. The other is bent at the knee.

Ricky's uncle Paul catches up and tells Ricky to leave, "immediately."

Nicky sees Ricky slump then. He hangs his head. But he holds up a hand! He says something to the father, and Nicky sees the two men exchange glances and shrug. Ricky turns to the twins and begins to apologize.

His first words are, "They are not making me apologize. I offered to do it."

But the boys begin a loud chorus of accusations. Ricky holds up a hand toward them and turns back to the father and says, "I should be allowed to confess without being interrupted by accusations. I think that is fair. Is that fair?"

The father merely says to his sons, "Let him finish."

They let him finish. It was a fine speech about a failure to properly welcome guests and asking for an opportunity to try again on a more cordial basis. But what was magical to Nicky was how the faces of the pretty twins went from snotty to curious. Soon, they were shrugging their shoulders. In fact, Ricky invited them to a bar-b-que!

And so it happened that he, Ricky, Elijah and Samuel; that is, Chickpea and Wrinkle, respectively, were walking back to Ricky's spread together! Laughing!

Ricky has a new flirt style. Nicky sees it then. It sounded like "jock talk," so if pressed, he had an exit, but it was gay as fuck! The twins know this game! It is Samuel who starts it!

"So I was thinking," Ricky cheerfully tosses back over his shoulder, barefoot, shirtless, in only his sagging jean shorts, too short, as he does that almost skipping glide up the gravel road, a road only the most hardened feet could walk barefoot, "that since I did something so mean and rough with you guys? And even though you seem to be cool? Still, I feel I owe you."

"Oh, let it go, Ricky," Elijah says. He is the bottom, Nicky can tell. The sassy one, Samuel, is the top. Nicky is certain.

Sam disagrees. He is grinning when he says, "I was thinking I'd let you suck my dick; that is, before I fuck you with it!"

Ricky laughs, "Oh, that old joke! But, well, if I had a twin, I'd sure as hell be doing all kinds of kinky stuff with him, so I guess you guys practice on each other?"

This made the twins laugh. Eli pointed pointed out, "Dude, you just totally admitted you'd have gay sex with yourself!"

Ricky happily agreed, "Of course! I mean, isn't jacking off totally same sex, sex?"

Nicky, who had been quiet, once again saw the twins happily agree with Ricky. They had just "gone gay."

It ramped up from there. Nicky added his quip, "So what I've been trying to figure out is which of you likes to suck cock more than he likes to get fucked? Or? Which of you likes to get fucked more than he likes to suck cock?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Sam shot back. We could ask you the same thing! You both look like dick lovers to me!"

Nicky noted that Sam had said, "We" at first but it was, "me" at the end.

Ricky, ahead of them, stopped on the road, turned, spinning in one spot and with his arms wide suddenly swooped them all into a group hug!

The twins, Nicky had noticed, habitually remained extremely nearby each other. They were often a hair's breath from touching, but rarely touching. In this case, they fell together naturally, and they all stood straight, not arching their butts back to shield the genitals. It had all taken a split second, it seemed, for when Ricky said, "Let us all just hug and kiss and suck and fuck each other. Then there will be no more arguing, and it will be fair for everyone."

It is not entirely obvious that they were not kidding. That is the secret of this kind of flirting.

Elijah, however, takes it to the next level. "That sounds good to me! I haven't fucked my brother in weeks!"

"Except," Sam demurred, and essentially repeated his earlier proposition in different words. "You were really mean to us, Ricky, so we should get to fuck you. You can suck my dick first. That's fair."

Nicky, with his head in the giggling huddle, agreed. "I think that is fair, Ricky. You should just totally suck their dicks and lick their cracks while one or the other fucks you. Or both!"

Ricky sighed. He broke the embrace. He mock complained, "The thing is, guys, Nicky and me were at a super hot, totally gay orgy last night, and both our asses are really, really sore."

Nicky laughed. Ricky made it seem like a joke, but he was telling the complete truth.

"We'll be gentle," Sam promised.

"We'll fuck you really, really slowly." Eli added.

It was a fun game. The banter went back and forth like that all the way back to the gazebo. In the end, somehow, it was understood. Nicky and Ricky were boyfriends. The twins did indeed fool around with each other. Without getting specific, despite the detailed taunts, it was tacitly agreed that Ricky should pay back the insult he had given the twins with hotly erotic service. one way or another, he would satisfy them. That was fair.

It was fair, in Nicky's opinion.

After the big bar-b-que, the sex happened not at Ricky's gazebo, however, but back at their own lair in a screen tent on a platform close to the river at the far end of Sweetwater Falls, down the road from Nicky's cabin. Few of the cabins had any structures right by to the water due to a history of flooding, but the cabin the twins' family used did have such a place. It was loud there because of the rushing water, but also on account of the shape of the banks and the way sound was deflected, they could all be loud themselves. No one would hear them giggle and screech as they played with each other.

Nicky, the twins, and Ricky were thus safely ensconced in the big tent by the river with the light so low, only well adjusted eyes could see, but they could see each other. The tent had none of the elaborate luxuries of Ricky's gazebo, but Nicky and Ricky had brought sleeping bags from his cabin and pillows from Nicky's bed, so it was all soft and comfortable. They had water to drink, and best of all, a nice spot by the river to drop in to wash. It was very private. Nicky and Ricky had even tested the sound. From the tent, one had to shout loudly to be heard at all from the deck of the twin's cabin.

Needing to break the ice, Nicky simply stripped off his clothes and asked, loudly "Who wants to get their dick sucked?"

Ricky was ready, Nicky could see. He was ready for cock, and he was feeling slutty. He looked a little bit stoned to Nicky too. He wondered, Has he been sneaking weed? I know he has some.

Ricky joined Nicky in his nudity, and without a word knelt down before one or the other of the twins on their spread out sleeping bags and began to work the front of his shorts.

Within seconds, Nicky was doing one guy's pretty penis while Ricky did the other, all completely naked. They had nice pricks. On the slender side, and not man-length yet, above good, solid, virtually hairless balls. They had cute little blond tufts above their pale shafts, and they tasted delicious!

Nicky was able to swallow their cocks whole!

Judging by his strutty, bossy quality, for Nicky could not see his belly button, it was Sam who fucked Ricky first. He used a bunch of special, medicinal lube on his dick, and he began so very sweetly, rubbing the head of his lube drenched dick on Ricky's puffy, red, anus. He made it healing! Instead of fingers, he used his dick to apply the salve! When he finally fucked up into Ricky, on all fours, from behind, it slipped in easily and made Ricky sigh with pleasure.

Nicky knew that sigh.

They had explained that one time Eli had been busted fooling around with one of the guys on their baseball team. They were in a hotel bathroom during playoffs away from home, and Eli had gotten forcefully gang-banged. His ass had been tore up, so Sam knew what he was doing about helping with that. Eli also told them how they had taken vengeance on the abusive members of the team — one by one — ganging up on them themselves. These twins were fierce! They made Ricky laugh with the telling of that tale!

Nicky loved tough boys.

But Samuel, the really deadly one, was so gentle with Ricky. He reminded Nicky of a mean and lean tomcat, a ferocious killer, but sweet and loving if he trusted you. He fucked Ricky extremely slowly, Sam on top, Ricky on his back, while he and Eli sixty-nined. Elijah was extremely skilled at that, saying he and Sam had been practicing since they were babies! Nicky liked a good sixty-nine himself, so the pairing off that way worked out well.

Nicky forgot about Ricky and Sam then. He wanted to fuck Eli, and fuck him he did, well and hard in many positions, ripping into him roughly. Judging by the laughing, "Hnh, Hnh" noise Eli was making, it was fun for him too.

I was right, Nicky thought. Elijah is the bottom. Samuel is almost straight.

But soon, Elijah, under him, squirmed a bit, so Nicky popped out, and Elijah jumped over behind his brother to lick his ass while Sam continued to fuck Ricky. Slowly.

Nicky, sensing the direction the action was going, grabbed the lube from Ricky's backpack and did Eli the favor of getting him sloppy wet and slippery. He was up his brother's ass then, who groaned while Eli chortled, "I'm fucking you, Sammy!"

Nicky had three mouths to stick his dick into, and he stuck it in all of them, after first having his super slutty partner lick it clean of Elijah's ass.

Sam made a lot of noise as he came in Ricky's ass. He slipped out and Eli slipped in! Ricky complained, saying he was truly sore, but Eli was gentle too. Nicky pulled Sam away and attempted to give it to him, but Sam had had enough. He shoved Nicky away, not rudely, but Nicky got the idea.

He heard Ricky complain again about being sore, but Eli soothed him, saying he wants to just stick it in and hold it there, just to get the "feeling of fucking." Ricky allowed this, and Eli came with a long, sweet sigh.

Nicky knew from Ricky's look what Ricky wanted then, so when Eli slid out, Nicky made himself available, and Ricky gave it to Nicky well enough to make them both come together.

It was hot sex. They all washed in the river then shivered on the bank, air drying, before returning to the tent to rest.

Elijah asked him, "What did you say to our dad to make him stop being so mad at you, Ricky? That was not like him. You were within an inch of getting picked up and thrown into the river yourself, you know?"

"I know! It's just that I suddenly realized what a cunt I had been. I think I was all hungover from all the drugs me and Nicky did. It made me feel all distant from my emotions. So I told them I could understand why he was mad. I told him that if I was a dad? And I saw some kid do that to my kids? I'd be mad too! So I asked him if I could apologize, and I also asked, 'They are good kids, right?'

"He said you were good kids. To me that meant you might just accept my apology and not hold a big grudge, and you did. Your dad is right. You are good guys. I'm sorry."

Nicky could not tell which of them it was who said, "Apology fucking accepted!"

So Ricky had that dark side. He did. He had a mean streak! Nicky had heard of it, but that day he saw it. He also saw the way Ricky tried to deal with his own demons.

Nicky only loved him more.

Stories within Stories

The next morning, both Ricky and Nicky were still tired, so rather than do much, they instead went to Nicky's nearby cabin and lay down in his bed. The plan was to meet up with Sam and Eli later in the afternoon and take them "tubing." But in the meantime, the after-effects of their debauches made them need to recuperate. Ricky brought up the sex party they had. "Still, even with all that puking, that was hot sex we had together, huh?"

"Yeah. But you know? That drug? The "speed?" I do not like the way it made you act, Ricky. You just went off on those kids! Also, you snuck in some pot last night, didn't you?"

Ricky got quiet then. Finally, he admitted it. "Yeah, I was so tired. It got me going again."

"That is not a good sign, Ricky. I must say."

Ricky sighed. Nicky would not press him. He had made his point. In a few minutes, Ricky asked, "Have you really been with, like, a fifty guys?"

"Yes. I started when I was ten, like I told you, with my cousin, and then, when I was twelve, like I said, with Cici. He kept it secret. He was careful with me. But I did not tell you he tried to get me to do sex sex for pay! He told me I could make mega Euros! He said that I could score two thousand in one night!"

"How much did you love him?"

"I liked him a lot. He was so... ah, he had knowledge of the world. I was just a little boy. I loved to swim in the sea and sail my little boat. I liked that I had work, and people were treating me very kindly because I was so happy to do little things for them, and I was always getting nice tips and sent around to deliver packages and things, and I was feeling very... ah, manly, like I had a place. But he had been on boats and travelled in the Middle East. He wanted to move to Athens. He was saving money. He would get his own house in Piraeus — that is the port, and he had been with MEN, many men!

"He liked big, hairy men. He was man crazy! But I was his lover. I was his special one. He would tell me about all the things he did. The men were usually kind to him. In addition to money, they bought him presents. Later, as I said, I found out that my grandfather knew he was selling himself... Oh! I forgot what I was saying!"

"You were saying your grandfather knew he was a puto?"

"Yes! You know this word! But yes, Grandpapa knew, and Cici gave him money, or the men gave him money and he sent Cici to them. There were different 'arrangements.'"

Nicky sighed then, sadly.

Continuing, Nicky admitted, "This made me sad. My grandfather? But it was good for business. People come to Greece for boys, like I said, you know. The legal age is fourteen, like Italy, but in Greece, it is more... expected would be the word.

"So I learned things from him. I learned how to turn guys on."

"But you never did sex for pay?" Nicky had said he had not, but Ricky had noticed that Nicky was not always consistent with his stories.

"I did not. Also, I told you this!" He frowned at Ricky suspiciously, but carried on. "In Greece, they say, 'A boy who takes money for sex is a lost boy. He has lost his family. He has lost his city.' The word for 'city' in Greek is 'polis,' but it means more than 'city.' It means... 'the love of his people!' Like you use the word 'clan,' and maybe the word 'tribe' is like that. Yes! It is more like the way Roan and Mason use the word 'tribe.' For Greeks, one's polis is more than one's home. It is one's whole life, his people, his earth, and his sky. Without one's polis, one is a stranger, homeless, at the mercy of every thing and every one. With one's polis, one is protected and a part of the whole. You will never understand what it means to be Greek without understanding how we feel about our polis, so I teach this too you now!"

Ricky laughed, he said, "Yes! Show me how to set a sail!"

"Ah, Ricky! You understand!

"So you understand why I could never do it. I was not like Cici with no father, no mother, and no home. But, I did do many things! I became a boy hunter!"

"Will you tell me?"

Nicky loved the way Ricky asked. He sounded like a little boy.

"Yes. I will tell you. What happened was there was this one English boy, Luke. He looked a little like your Joshua, but he was even thinner, and you know, Ricky, I am a fool for blonds."

"Are you?"

"Oh, shut up. Do not be eelíthyos! He was seventeen, but he looked younger. He was one of those who grow up slowly, like you. And his parents were always off on some yacht or drinking or gambling, and he was always alone by the pool, trying to tan, for he was very white, and he had this way of talking in English that was so... Well, to me he sounded like a teacher. His accent was British, and I knew he was wealthy, but he had this way of talking. Grrr! How can I say? In Greek, there is this word that gets translated as 'whore,' or 'fag,' or 'cocksucker!'"

"Malakós?" Ricky asked.

"Yes! Oh, I forgot. I told you this word! I told you that Justin was like this, and maybe even Mason. It means 'soft.' It comes from an old, old, old word for 'fresh plowed.' It is a terrible insult in Greek, and it is also a word used between friends, like 'you motherfucker,' but for Luke, it meant, to me, 'one who would like to be plowed,' what you call a 'bottom.' And it was in his voice, so soft, so pretty! I adored him!"

"I think I understand," Ricky said. "My Ryan was like this. I enjoyed him much."

"Yes!" Nicky agreed. "He was not a 'poof,' as you say. He was sweet and soft is all. So I befriended him. I was not thinking, 'sex.' Ah, well, maybe I was, but I had no plan. I simply would see him reading English magazines by the pool, usually in the shade, and I only wished to be kind to him, for he was always alone. My duties were not vast. It was permitted that I attend to guests in conversation, and even the first day, I asked him, "Do you not suffer from loneliness with no other Englishmen of your age for conversation?

"Well, I know it now. He fell for me in that instant, and he was all questions. To you my accent is Greek, but to him my accent was American. So I explained that I was born in New York, that I was actually American and all about my mother and father and all that, and did you know, Ricky? English people, ah, rich English people are very touchy about their class?"

"I have heard that, but I do not know any English people."

"Well they are. And it is not just English people, but in Europe in general, but anyway, and he told me this later, it was important to him that I was not an 'employee' but that my grandfather owned the hotel and my mother was from a wealthy Lebanese family, and my father owned many ships, so for him, I was of his class.

"Later, I saw that all his questions were his way of finding out if I was one who could be loved or if I was one who was just a 'fuck.'"

"So I guess you passed the test?"

"Yes. He asked me, 'What do boys do for fun around this "desolate island?"' Those were his words. I told him that the really fun thing for me was the sea. I loved to sail my boat and spear fish, for though the island was rough and barren, the sea was teeming with fish!

"He called me 'Water Boy.' Like you and Collin call me 'Otter boy!' That is funny! Is it not? But he asked me to help him. He wanted to explore the island. He wanted to sail with me and swim with me. So I asked my grandfather if I could take him out, and my grandfather said, 'Yes.'"

"And of course," Ricky said, "You were hot after him."

"Yes, but, ah, I did not think of it that way, really. He was just beautiful, and he liked my company. That was all. We went out on scooters first. There was a place to rent them by the harbor, and my grandfather is a partner in many shops there, so I could simply 'sign things out,' if this makes sense to you"

"Yes. Of course. You were saying?"

"There are the ruins of an old fort and a temple to Poseidōnas, ah, Poseidon! These temples to Poseidon are rare. Luke told me this. He was a not a much venerated god for reasons I do not understand, though the sailors still say prayers to him. I told this to Luke, and he was interested, for, he said, they do not teach that in school. But anyway, Luke knew about things like that, and he often taught me Greek history! Many Englanders are crazy about us Greeks! Did you know that?"

"No, not really, but they sure do like to quote Greeks in many of their older writings, so that makes sense! But anyways?"

"The ancients, he told me, often combined their fortresses and temples, then, later, palaces, but in early times, there were no palaces by the temple. This was the abode of gods and a retreat for all people in war, not kings! Luke said that after Alexander, whom you call 'The Great' but we call 'The Macedonian' or 'The Third,' and the Persians call 'The Destroyer,' this changed, for the early Greeks shit on kings! Hah! I love it! Did you know this?"

"Uh, some of that, yes, but was there the ruins of a palace at the temple of Poseidon?"

"No! You see, I did not know this! But Luke was very excited. Later when I told my Pappooús, he said he knew that, for the ruins were quite ancient, and after that I became more interested in Greek history. I am saying all this because it was this English boy who got me interested, so, you see, it was not merely about sex."

"I get it, but you and he did have hot sex, didn't you?"

"Oh, the hottest sex!"

"Hot gay sex?" Ricky asked, having fun.

"Really hot gay sex!" Nicky was giggling in Ricky's enfolded arms, warm in the soft fabric of the spread sleeping quilts. They were both getting erections.

Once on the 'high city,' for this is the meaning of 'acropolis,' where we went there first, I pointed to the best fishing spots, and I remember, he was always, always looking at me, and I guess I didn't tell you this, but I was wearing my little shorts and a white T shirt, but he had on a suit! Yes! A white suit with a black bow tie, but the legs of his pants were short. He looked like someone out of a movie! I tell you, Ricky, that guy knew how to dress! Like you!"

Ricky laughed.

"OK, OK! I was just saying! No big deal! "But anyway, he looked really kalós His hair was blowing in the wind, covering his face a lot, and he would toss his head and stare at me.

"Knowing what I know now, I would know. But then I did not..."

"But wait, Nicky," Ricky interrupted, "Was this before the Sicilian busboy, or after?"

"This was during."

"OK. Continue?" Ricky was pleased to know that his Nicky, though worldly in all matters sexual, was once like him — naïve. It meant that he could learn to pick up signals better.

"Well, he was waiting for me to give him a sign. I was not seeing that this guy wanted my action! He was — to me — just a beautiful friend who liked my company! But anyway, I pointed out that beach and a kind of little bay, and he wanted to go to it, but I told him there was no road and too many thorn bushes, so we had to sail, and he wanted to do that. But by the time we got back, it was already too late. His parents had returned. The restaurant was getting busy, so we had to wait until the next day. But I made sure my boat was ready with everything we would need, like these kinds of spears you Americans call 'Hawaiian Slings'..."

"'Hawaiian Slings?'" Ricky asked.

"Yes. They work like a sling shot. There is this tube that your spear fits through — I make the tubes out of plastic pipe — and there are two bungees that stretch from the tube to the back of the spear, and you pull back on the spear and shoot, like this!"

Nicky showed Ricky how it worked, saying, "You have to get within, perhaps, a meter. They do not shoot far. Even from a meter away they lose a lot of power, but that is enough! Today, I was working with Roan and Mason to make some, but we did not finish, but, anyway, Sea bass are the best there, but they are really hard to catch! You have to catch them resting on the bottom, really, but anyway, I got my boat loaded with the spears and water, and a life jacket for Luke — you know that if you are a good swimmer a life jacket is no good. You can't even swim with one on, and I lashed everything down, so we would be ready."

"What kind of boat?" Ricky asked.

"It was what you call a 'skiff,' about three and a half meters. Mine was made in Holland with wood from Norway. It looks like a little Viking boat, already named 'Friday.' My father bought her in England! But anyway, I kept the name. She likes her name, my Friday. It would be cruel for me to change her name, but everyone knew her! She is famous, my Friday."

Nicky sighed. "I miss her! She has a mast in the bow with a sprit sail. You know what that is?"

"I think so. The 'sprit' is a stick that holds up the top corner of the sail in the back."

"Yes," Nicky answered, "So if the wind starts blowing hard, you just release the sprit and the top, aft part of the sail comes down. A very fine feature for the Aegean, in which the winds blow strangely, swirling, from all directions and sometimes rising up suddenly."

"Did it have a center board?" Ricky asked.

"'She,' not 'it,' Ricky! You seem to know more about boats than I thought! I would like to build one like her at home, only bigger so it is faster and more comfortable for two; also, there is a kind of rig popular in Europe called a 'gunter rig,' or, maybe, a 'lug' sail, but never mind that! Too much explaining! Listen!"

"I am listening."

"OK, anyway, yes, she has a center board and a rowing seat on that. I always took rows with me, and when I went to ask my grandfather if I could have the day off tomorrow, he said that actually, I was working! Luke had hired me as a tour guide, and he paid my grandfather! Isn't that funny?"

"Yeah. But that meant you didn't have to worry about getting in trouble. So... nice! But I am worried about this thing I have not told you Nicky!"

"Eh? What 'thing?'" Nicky asked this as he tossed one of his sturdy legs across Ricky's hip.

"I keep thinking about how we deceived your mama and everyone else last night, and how the drugs made me crazy, and how I wish we had just come home with Sarah and how I wish it was just you and me together. I feel guilty. I feel dishonest. I do not like it."

In response, Nicky moved so that he was on top of Ricky, and he nuzzled his head in the crook of Ricky's neck. "It was exciting, all that sex, Ricky. But I feel what you feel. All it did was make me want you more. We have this!"

By "this," Nicky meant what happened when they merely lay close together.

"Yes," Ricky agreed with one hand petting the back of his beloved's neck. Ricky got the signal: That was then. This is now.

"So I was telling you about Luke and my Friday. Do you want to talk about last night instead?"

"No. Tell me about Luke and your Friday.

"Yes. So! The kitchen made us a lunch, and I put that in the ice chest with the water, and by that time my little boat was pretty loaded down! And in Friday, you must always sit carefully, for she is small, and the reason I'm saying that, is that when we were sailing, Luke had to sit very close to me, and he had to move with me when we moved the boat, and that was when I started to think he was interested in me in a sexy way."

"You had not really thought of that, Nicky?"

"No. Honestly Ricky! Even though I had played with Cici and my cousin and his friend, I did not know! I was simply enjoying him. His presence. His smell. His beauty. His kindness. A part of me had an urge, but I was a small boy, and young. I did not make the connection. But I had a yearning that he liked me in a way that would make him kiss me, but you know how it is, there are like, twenty times as many straight guys as there are gay guys, and I had no clue how to flirt with boys yet, and as I told you, I had been ridiculed for one innocent act, so when he was always sitting by me with his skin against mine — closer than he had to — I got the idea that he liked to touch me! So I started touching him back, and he did not get shy from that!"

"So with Cici, you knew because you saw him visiting men in their rooms, so that made you confident he would not out you, even if he refused you?"

"Yes! But that is another story! I am telling this story!"

"OK!"

"OK! So with Luke, I did not know about that stuff, but the way he touched me was giving me these little boners, and I know he saw that. Or, I should say, later I knew that, but then it was deinos!"

"And the way he was always touching you told you that he thought you were hot, huh?"

"Yes! But I still did not know how to say, 'So you want to fool around with me?'"

"I get it. So you sailed to this beach?"

"Yes, and I could not think about anything but sailing, for the sailing around that island is difficult. Either the wind or the waves were always trying to push you into the rocks or take you out to sea, so I had to sail far out before turning around, and once in blue water, I could see he was nervous, so he clung to me, and that made me feel like I was the man, and in charge, and he trusted me. That was great!

"And then, when we got to the beach, he was so relieved. And I never told you this, but Luke did not wear Speedos like most European boys. He wore American style surfing shorts, so I had never really seen what kind of good stuff he had down there, but he had seen mine. I saw him looking down there, and I was still pretty small then, you know. I was only twelve, but I had already grown a few hairs, and I have noticed that dark haired Mediterranean types of guys get hair earlier than you Northern, blond, Germanikós types. Have you noticed that?"

"Yes. But I am guessing that Luke wore those kinds of shorts to hide his dick? So he either had a really big one or a really little one?"

"He had a really big one," Nicky giggled. "Bigger even than yours!"

Ricky smiled in his arms. He asked, "And how did you get to the 'get naked and show bone' part?"

Nicky giggled. "That was my idea. After we dragged the boat on the beach, we made a little camp in the shade of this little tree. I had brought towels and everything needed. Even glasses for wine! These were all things that our people used in the hotel taking people out on tours of the ruins and everything. My grandfather liked to offer these nice picnics. Nothing cheap looking! And Luke just loved it! He said it was 'Romantic.' I always thought that was a funny expression because the Romans were not 'Romantic,' the Greeks called them the 'Iron Men.' But anyway, I suggested we go spear fishing nude because that was such a secret spot. Even the boats passed far away, and I didn't wait. I just popped off my Speedo, and I watched his eyes. He tried to hide it, but he could not stop looking!

"I was not hard though. I just went to the boat and pulled out the masks, snorkels, and fins, but he stayed in the shade and did not take off his shorts, so I said, "I guess I have just embarrassed myself!

"But he said, 'No, I am afraid it is I who am embarrassed, for I have a dreadful erection!' He talked like that. All Englishy."

Ricky laughed. "I got a total bone the instant I saw you too. You have that effect!"

Nicky laughed at that and continued, "So I figured right then that it was time to 'go for it,' as you say in California, but I just went, 'Well, so what? I do not care,' but in my mind I was willing my own dick to get hard. You know how it is. We talked about that before, how we make our cocks stay soft even when we are showering with fifty hot guys at school, right?"

"Yeah, but all we have to do is just let go, and bang, insta-boner!"

"Exactly. So as I was getting the things together, I looked at him and imagined him sucking my dick, and bang, 'insta-boner!' That is a funny expression! In English you can just make new words up, and everyone understands you! But, anyway, I even thrust at him with my hips! And that did it! He whipped off his shirt and dropped his shorts and tra la! It was like twenty centimeters! bigger than yours!"

"How big is that?" Ricky asked.

Nicky held up his hands to show him the measurement

"So that's like eight inches! I have an eight inch dick," Ricky insisted.

"No you do not. Yours is at least two centimeters shorter, which is actually very big, and actually preferable to giant cocks, but anyway, when I saw his big dick I got a little, ah? Faint?

"But instead of being embarrassed then, he was laughing, and he stroked it in front of me, and I just ran to him and jumped on him! I kissed him and kissed him, and he laughed and laughed and kissed me and kissed me, and he told me I was so cute that I just made him crazy!

"I did him then. I did something that Cici had taught me, and I had even practiced with him. And this you and I have done many times in this very position."

"I want to fuck you right now, Nicky, that same way."

"My hole is tender, Ricky. Perhaps you could use your fingers with some of that jelly you keep? Gently?"

"Yes, but I do not want to move you from me. Can you reach my kit?"

Nicky sat up then and reached for the little bag in which Ricky kept his toilet articles. He handed this to Ricky, who, after rummaging a bit in the dark, managed to find his tube of KY jelly.

While Nicky talked, he played with Nicky's hole using his lube slicked fingers.

"So Cici told me that the guy was often nervous, and he liked it when the whore boy took the lead and did all kinds of nasty stuff without hesitating, so I did that. I went nasty! I grabbed his big cock and sucked it well! When I looked at him, I saw his big eyes, surprised to see that I was such a little faggot who knew how to suck cock and liked it! And! After getting it all wet by licking it up and down, laughing up at him, I sat on it, facing him — Cici had told me that was a good way to handle with big cocks, and I rocked my hips and made my cock bounce so he could look at it and his big dick going up in me — which was not far! It did not really hurt. I had practiced. Cici's cock was about as thick. But Luke shot me with spermies quickly!"

"Wow. That's fucking hot! I do not wish to shoot 'spermies quickly.' I want to fuck you slowly, Nicky."

"Fuck me slowly then, Ricky. Just like this!"

Nicky assisted Ricky in making the entrance into his tender ring. Slowly then, they made love even as Nicky carried on.

"It was hot! But then Luke threw me on my back and lifted my hips and sucked the sperm fish from my ass! He licked me all over! Cici never did that! And then he wanted me to fuck him! He lay on his front and had me ram him!

"He made a lot of noise. He loved it! I fucked him good! And I came pretty fast too, but I did not lick him there. I was a 'chicken.'

"We went spear fishing then. I speared a lot of fish. He did not get any. He swam on the surface and watched me, carrying the fishbag. It was fun! Then we got out, and we gathered wood and made a fire and roasted the fish and had bread and cheese and olives and fish and wine. And then we fucked more. We fucked and fucked. All day. Swimming, hunting, sunning, sucking and fucking."

"How long did he stay?" Ricky asked, grunting a little as his boyfriend rocked on top of him with a cock up his sweet ass.

"He stayed another week. We went out everywhere. He bought me presents. Every day, he bought me things. Clothes, mainly. He liked to be seen with me wearing nice clothes. He said it made him feel proud. Cici told me that I was just a high class whore, but I never asked for anything or expected anything other than just fun sex with a guy I liked and thought was beautiful. Besides, it is not inappropriate to buy presents for one beloved, and I was his erômenos; that is the word in Greek for the beloved boy."

"That's a great story, Nicky. Come to think of it, I have not bought you a present in a long time."

"That is not true. You bought me clothes for the dance! I have not bought you anything either! Let us buy presents for each other!"

"Yes, but after that you were then scoping the boy action all the time, huh?"

"Hah! Cici told me that once a guy had a few beers in him, he was usually ready for some head, at least, so I started getting more risky, just asking, 'You want a blow job?' And then talking them into it if they said, 'No,' at first. Sometimes I would smoke a little hash with them. That usually got them in the mood too."

"Straight guys, you're talking about?"

Nicky only sighed then, for he was rolling his hips, enjoying Ricky's cock in him, and they kissed before he answered, "Eh? What were we saying?"

"Straight guys?"

"Yes. But every once in a while, there would be a guy who wanted to kiss or suck me or get fucked, and sometimes, a straight guy wants to get fucked, did you know that?"

"Yes, I did." Ricky did not explain how he knew this, and Nicky did not ask.

"After a while," Nicky continued, "I figured out that was what I wanted. Blowing straight boys was as easy as picking crabs from a tank, but finding the gay ones who were also butch was an art! And I also figured out that the faggy kind of gays were not exciting."

"I hear you. If you want that, get a girl. But wasn't Luke kinda fem? Didn't you say he was 'malakós?'"

"Yes. But he wasn't prissy and bitchy. And also, because I was called this, perhaps, I try to 'own' this word? But, I will say, like you, I despise 'poofs.' They may act nice at first, but once you get to know them, you find out they are cunts, and they talk behind your back."

"You have, I take it, personal experience with this?"

"Yes. We had this one 'swishy' waiter, like you say in America, and he heard of my "activities." He said that. He said, 'I have heard of your "activities" with handsome fellows.' Where he heard this, he would not say, so I spurned him, but he kept dropping hints. And he was cute, so I told him he could blow me if he wanted, but the way he did was creepy. It was like he was trying to suck my soul into him. I couldn't even come. He disgusted me. I told him it was a mistake, and I left. And then I found out he was talking skatá about me, running down my reputation, saying he knew what kind of boy I was."

"So what did you do?" Ricky asked, fucking him slowly, making Nicky sigh happily.

"I had a couple of my dad's crewmen have a 'talk' with him. See, those guys did know what kind of boy I was: the kind they liked! A good, hard working boy, not a goat! After that, I had no problem with that waiter."

"Ah ha! So it is not just me who has a willingness to draw blood! What did those guys do to him?"

"They never said. They just said it was 'handled,' but that waiter was walking funny for the next couple of days!"

"That's a funny story! What's funny, is that the whole world thinks that kind of gay is what we all are, but they are actually a rare type."

Nicky disagreed. He said, "No, Ricky. I think we are the rare type. Most gays are swishy little bitches, I am sorry! But I have seen this! They are neither worth a spear nor the time of day. Us studly types are not common, not at all. You have been lucky that way."

Ricky nodded. He said, "I think my friends Josh and Ryan would agree with you, Beloved. Hmmm.... Well, maybe there is this whole, secret scene that happens with jocks, and we just do not break the circle, so the poofs don't even know about us, even though they think they know all about it."

Nicky said he thought that Ricky might be right about that.

Finally, after resting enough, they took the twins tubing as they had planned.

Both boys were athletic and good swimmers. They learned the ways of the river and the tricks of back-paddling inner tubes quickly. Ricky and Nicky took them to their favorite fuck spot where Sam and Eli put on a show for them by beautifully sixty-nining each other in the sand by the old, fallen tree.

Satisfied, the twins brought up a subject that had evidently been on their minds. It was Eli who said, talking to Ricky, "We were wondering if you could take us both together."

They were talking about fighting.

"In what kind of match, Eli?"

"How do you know I'm Eli?" he asked.

"I can tell. You guys are totally different, but my question?"

Sam and Eli looked at each other and grinned. Sam said, "We were thinking of wrestling."

Ricky shrugged. "It would be difficult to hold you both down in a three second pin. I don't think that would be fair."

Nicky suggested, "In ancient Greece, one lost a match if thrown to the ground even once. In true combat, you would die in the next second if you fell down. You guys could do it that way."

In the manner of jocks, they discussed the rules. They agreed that getting "thrown" had to be defined as being downed and in a vulnerable position. Nicky would judge whether it was a true throw or a fast roll. They began in a standing position without touching in the ancient way. When Nicky shouted, "Fight!" both twins immediately hit Ricky from one side! But Ricky managed to stay on his feet, running backwards, making them stumble, and he managed to simply lift them up by their waists, both of them! And just as he was going to toss them down, both twins cried, "Uncle!"

They were laughing. "He really is strong," Eli agreed cheerfully.

"He could even beat our dad," Sam commented.

"Maybe," Eli, shrugged. "Dad is pretty amazing."

To Ricky and Nicky Sam said, "Dad wrestled in college and he still does MMA and Tai Chi."

"MMA?" Nicky asked.

"Mixed Martial Arts. He even teaches ju-jitsu in Sacramento. He's pretty famous."

Ricky smiled. "I wondered. You guys are fucking fearless! You practice with him, huh?"

"All the time."

They all then talked endlessly about sports. Even as they were tubing back down the river. By the time they returned the the swimming hole, the twins had persuaded Ricky to wrestle their dad!

Mr. Thorson was not so easy to persuade, however.

"Ricky," he chided, "I got a hundred pounds on you!"

"No," Ricky disagreed. "I'm almost one eighty. You are what? Two twenty-five? How about I have to just pin you for a one-count, but you have to pin me for a three-count? Two out of three?"

Even the other adults at the beach thought that was fair. So it was agreed. Except for the count handicap, they would use college wrestling rules. They fought in the sand pit behind the diving block.

Ricky met his match. Mr. Thorson was not only stronger than Ricky, he was almost as fast, and more highly skilled. He was not able to easily beat Ricky, but beat him he did, twice in a row. When they shook hands, Mr. Thorson commented, "You could become one of the better fighters around, Mr. Boone. A little more training and some tougher opponents is all you need. Impressive!"

That afternoon, Mr. Thorson played "coach" while all the teens wrestled. Nicky had always avoided any form of combat, but he was pleased to try, even if only to please Ricky. He decided that learning to fight could be fun, and he did have someone who could teach him.

It was a great day.

The next day, they all played sex games again, but Ricky's bottom was still healing, so assplay remained off limits for him.

Still, they managed to be serviceable lovers, ever attentive to their friends' needs. It had a rough start, but in the end, it was perfect fun and over too soon, for Sam and Eli had to return home.

Diverging

The weekend gone with the twins, the next day, Monday, Nicky's mom invited Ricky for an outing to the city, and he was happy to go along. She had been longing to see the bookshops with all the "New Age" literature, and, in particular, one shop that sold only dictionaries and language learning aids!

It was a fine afternoon. In the latter bookstore, Ricky learned that they mainly did business online, for a small town like that one could hardly support such a big city type of small business. This got Ricky thinking about how it was possible to live in the country but still make money in ways that were formerly only open to urban dwellers.

Over lunch at what was ostensibly a French restaurant, but which Nicky's mother referred to as "Mixed Genre Cuisine," Ricky talked with her about money making ideas using the internet. In particular, Ricky was thinking of music productions. He had only vague notions. But she understood that it was merely a theory, and she encouraged him to keep studying the idea. How very different from his stepfather, who used every original thought as a means to humiliate him for not having "a plan."

She was disappointed that no one spoke French in the restaurant, including the chef. The food, though excellent, left both boys still hungry, and Nicky made them all laugh when he said, "Yummy! Delicious! Now let us go to the Taco Bell, for I am hungry!"

They did, in fact, stop in another place for frozen yogurt loaded down with all kinds of goodies.

During the day, Justin kept texting Ricky about the scene at the Bodhi Tree, but Ricky texted him back saying he was obligated to do "family time." He was avoiding all that. It had been a strangely eerie experience with all those older guys. He was not comfortable with it all, and he felt guilty about the drugs and the deception.

When they returned to the cabin community on the river, Ricky wanted to give Sarah some attention, so in the evening, he and Nicky got her to come to the beach at the swimming hole to hang out and play guitar.

This was another rite-of-passage, tradition at that community. The young people; that is, the young adults as opposed to the teenagers, would tend to gather at the beach in the evening. Instead of convening at Doc Jameson's yard for "kick the can," they gathered at the beach. But Nicky, ever mercurial, soon disappeared.

Ricky played guitar, and Sarah sang. She was happy to do it. Sarah had a lovely voice, and she knew a lot of songs. Ricky had to fuss around quite a bit figuring out chords that went with the melodies, but his piano training kicked in, so they could keep it up.

Ricky then made up a silly song, rapping the words extemporaneously:

First I fucked the dog, but she bit me in the ass

Then I fucked the horse, but she kicked me in the face

After that I fucked the cow, but she would not stop farting

So then I fucked the chickens while the rooster slashed my ankles

Finally I fucked myself, both in the mouth and ass

'Cause I'm a barnyard animal who likes to fuck and fuck

Yes I'm a barnyard animal who likes to fuck and fuck!

"You are an animal, Ricky! Stop that nasty talk!" Sarah complained, laughing.

They gathered a crowd, not so much of an audience but participants, particularly so when another guitar player joined, a woman who Ricky had never seen, a blond with short hair in a hippy looking tie dye shirt. She had a dark, butch look, and another, smaller, more feminine brunette was at her side.

She was a much better guitar player! And she knew way more songs. Ricky soon deferred to her and played a sort of bass rhythm to her chords. They played into the night. Someone broke out a couple of joints, and just as one was being passed to Ricky, a hand reached out and snatched it!

It was Nicky, ever fabian, appearing and disappearing at will, who had been coming and going from the beach party. He had reappeared again. "Give me that!" he bossed, and after taking a long slow hit, passed it to Ricky and leaned into him from the side, slightly behind him.

When Ricky turned his head, he caught a whiff of Nicky's sweaty, sexy scent and another scent mingled in. He whispered in Nicky's ear, "You smell like sex!"

Nicky laughed lightly. He said nothing, but he cuddled up to Ricky affectionately.

Ricky enjoyed the warm presence of his beloved. He was so relaxed. Nicky was not shy about hanging on Ricky. He never really was, but that evening he was more overt than usual, never letting go of Ricky, even nuzzling his neck, and saying nothing, nothing all, but laughing at every word anyone said.

The kids all knew that Nicky was touchy-feelie. No one even gave his display of affection a second glance, but the guitar player and her girlfriend gave Ricky knowing looks of approval.

Not too long after that, the few that were left all went skinny dipping. They had no towels, and once out of the water, they all simply put their clothes back on over their wet skin; that is, except for Ricky and Nicky, who had gone upstream behind the rocks to warm themselves up in their own special way.

Nicky was in a particularly passive-receptive mood. He wanted to be fucked, badly! Nicky usually wanted to ride Ricky's cock, cowboy style, from the top, with Ricky on his back, but that night he wanted it standing, from behind. After he sucked Ricky's cock in a delightfully wet, giggly way, Nicky stood up, turned around, placed his hands on the rock, and stuck his butt out.

"Make me feel really fucked, Ricky!"

Nicky, as usual, was a mix of tight and loose. Ricky had to spit on his dick quite a bit to get it worked in. He could have used some lube, so to make Nicky feel, as he said, "really fucked," Ricky pulled Nicky away from the rocks and lifted him up with his hands on Nicky's ass until Nicky's feet came off the ground. Then he bent his knees and straightened them powerfully, like he was jumping up into Nicky's ass without going in and out.

"Do you feel really fucked, Nicky?" He asked.

"I feel really fucked!"

They left off then. Their disappearance would arouse curiosity. When Ricky pulled out, Nicky farted, making Nicky giggle.

Ricky knew that he would have a bad case of stinky dick then, so he gave Nicky's butt a whack and said, "Thanks for browning my meat, you fag! Now I have to jump in the water again!"

Nicky just laughed.

Back on the beach, they remained nude. The night was warm, and they felt like displaying themselves. Everyone there was older. No one cared.

Eventually, back at the Boone cabin, Nicky took the opportunity to defecate, using the WC in the back. Ricky's uncles' gang were settling down in the screen tent, but Ricky and Nicky wanted to shower, so they used the shower on the back deck, once again indifferent to the stares, male or female, as they soaped down outside the shower while the other rinsed.

Sarah, just coming out from inside, said, "I see your reputation as a nudist is well earned!"

Ricky said, "Speaking of getting naked together, we could go up to the Bodhi Tree Hole, tomorrow, if you wanted."

"You're only saying that because you need someone to drive you. What? You have another hot date?" Sarah commented.

"I do need someone to drive me; that's true. But I could get that without asking you. You could bring a friend. We'd have lunch. You'd be the alpha girl, watching over your flock! It would be fun, Sarah, and you know, you have a body that makes the Sun Himself smile when He sees it. Besides, I want you with us!"

Sarah laughed. "I love it when you compliment me, Ricky. I'll tell you what, you think of more nice things to say, and I'll think about it!"

That night, in the gazebo, Nicky surprised Ricky yet again, when he said, ever so casually, "So anyway, while you were at the beach? I was playing 'kick the can,' and this girl, she's sixteen, Felicity! You know her?"

"I know who she is, yeah, but what about her?"

"Well, she was saying how cute I was, so I asked her, like I heard you do, saying, 'Are you hitting on me? I'm a stupid boy, you know. We are dense that way,' and she said, 'I am totally hitting on you!'

"So I told her I did not have any experience with women, only guys. I called her a 'woman.' That was 'slick' of me, huh? I copy you, you know?"

"Yeah. That was slick. So?"

"So she said, 'So you are gay?'"

"I said, 'Yes', but that does not mean I do not see women!" Then she asked if I had ever wanted to try a girl, and I said, 'Of course! I may be gay, but I'm not crazy!'"

Ricky laughed. "I thought you told me that you had no interest in girls and you never wanted to have sex with one!"

"I say a lot of things, Ricky. Then it is the next day! Have you not figured that out? Besides, there was 'The Challenge!' And besides, you were right to always be saying, 'You really should try a girl, Nicky.'"

"I am not always saying that."

"You have said it many times."

"OK. So?"

"So I said, 'Ah, so are you offering?' She said, 'Are you interested?' I said, 'I think you are beautiful and you are not making fun of me because I told you I liked guys, so that makes you cool, so if you want to, I would really like to try!'

"She wanted to. We came here, to your gazebo! We kissed and kissed. She told me to feel her, you know, down there. I did! She was wet! She said that showed that I was a good kisser! I am a good kisser, am I not, Ricky?"

"The best; well, after Roan. Roan is a good kisser."

"Fuck you, Ricky Boone!"

"You know I am just messing with you."

"Yes. Well, anyway, I smelled my fingers. I even tasted them, and she really really liked that I did that! It was 'nice,' like you said. Girls really do taste nice! Like Pringles potato chips with a half-drop of vinegar!"

Ricky laughed at Nicky's description. "Did you eat her pussy?"

"No. Should I have?"

"There are no 'shoulds' and 'shouldn'ts.' It's about what your partner craves."

"Well, she did not 'crave' that. I guess. She told me to put it in her, and she took off her shorts and panties, and I took down mine, and I MUST say 'WOW'!

"I like pussy. Ricky. I do! It felt great!"

"But did you use protection?"

"No. I just did it. I did not ask. I should have asked. Huh?"

"Yes. But anyway?"

"I though you said 'there were no shoulds and should nots?'"

"You know what I mean, Nicky. But? Anyway?"

Nicky laughed. "Well, I was really excited. I came pretty fast! And then I was sad. I told her, 'Wow. I do not usually come so fast!' But she liked that Ricky. She liked that. She said, 'So there you go. You are at least a little bi.' But you know what I think?"

"Hunh."

"I think everyone is at least a little bi."

"That is what I think too. Why would God make us any other way? Nothing else makes sense! I mean, obviously we are equipped to make babies, but sex is so fun, and obviously it is not all about making babies! That is just dumb! But after? How was she? And did she come?"

"I do not know if she came. How do you tell with girls?"

"Did she arch her back, moan, scratch your back, and make animal noises?"

Nicky seemed to be thinking. Finally he said, "No. She, like, panted a little?"

"OK. So? After?" Ricky was thinking, No. She didn't come, but girls don't always need that. They are like gay guys that way.

"After? She kissed me. She told me she had to get back to her family. They are leaving tomorrow."

Ricky considered all that. He was glad for Nicky. "It sounds like she enjoyed you, Nicky."

"Yes. She 'enjoyed' me. And I enjoyed her, but all I could think of after that was how much I wanted to get fucked by you!"

"Yeah, well, I want to fuck you again, Nicky. Right now!"

"Yes. Fuck me again. But listen! I have met your challenge, Ricky. I did it! It is now my turn!

"I have thought about it, but I am not ready to tell you. I tease you! And right now? All I can think of is you. I want you to fuck me. I love getting fucked by you. Fuck me hard! Make me feel really fucked! Make me come with your cock in my ass!"

Ricky fucked him. He fucked him hard. He tossed him around the way a cat might bat a mouse around. He made him feel really fucked. Then, behind him with Nicky on his knees and his hands on the bench, he got the right angle to rub against his hot spot the right way. He made him come with his cock in his ass.

After cleaning up, Nicky flopped back onto their sleeping bags on the floor of the gazebo and sighed happily, "I think I can finally honestly say I have had too much sex, Ricky. How about you?"

"No."

"Fuck you, Ricky."

"Right now?"

But Nicky was already asleep. Ricky stared at him in the dark. Amazed. He pulled a cover over his nude boyfriend. He was, indeed, like water: busy, bright, and moving at the surface, but hiding endless depths and secrets.

They say fire and water don't mix, but sometimes they balance each other perfectly.