****************************************************************************
  *                          "NEW TO TEACHING LOVE"                          *
  *                                (part 16)                                 *
  *                              by Vince Water            September 6, 2005 *
  ****************************************************************************
  |  Copyright 2005-2006 by Vince Water                       Corrected 5/06 |
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

     I'm tearing up this service road at forty miles an hour. The expression:
  'Going no place fast...' certainly applies since I have no idea where we're
  headed. At least we won't get lost on this straight track. Dust bellows up
  behind my truck. I think Jake is sulking against the passenger side window
  because he's not turned to look at us for the past ten minutes.

     :We've given him a lot to think about,: Says Jesse.

     :Yeah. Maybe too much.: Jake was told about that spirit Passed into us
  from the Power Bundle. It's what has given us abilities beyond our
  Connection. Mine is to Glean what has person has done in their life while
  Jesse can Look into a person to know their thoughts and emotions by
  touching them. He was born with this ability that's now been heightened. In
  spite of our Powers, we can't Reach into Jake. He's blocking us and won't
  reach out. All we see is that mask of his.

     A dip in the road gets us bouncing in our seats. Our windows are rolled up
  because of the dust. It's sure hot in this truck. I'm feeling parched. My
  mouth feels gritty and sweat has my shirt clinging to my skin. The sun is at
  its hottest position now. My watch tells me it's 2:28, not quite an hour
  since we left Jake's school. Winna claimed fatigue so that's why she remained
  behind to 'rest' but I suspect what she's really wanting to do - talk with
  Fr. McMillan again. Alone.

     :Here, love.:

     Jes hands me a bottle of water. :Thanks.: I'd purchased a six pack of
  Dannon water back in Havre for our trip down here. I gulp down half its
  contents before handing it back to my lover. He finishes it. Jake had been
  offered a bottle but he only shook his head. :Is your cousin alright?: I Ask.

     :He's enjoying the scenery.:

     :What scenery? It's a whole lot of nothing like the reservations I've
  explored back in northern Montana.:

     :Jake is losing himself in that nothingness. He doesn't want to think about
  anything at the moment; just be. That's something you can learn, love.:

     :Doing nothing?:

     :Not thinking so much,: corrects Jesse. :There is comfort in looking at
  the land around you and falling into its tranquility.:

     :Sort of like meditation?:

     :Yes. You could call it that. Why not try it yourself?:

     :Someone has to drive the truck.:

     Jesse raises his right hand. :I volunteer.:

     I'm laughing. :You're certainly a better driver than Jake and almost as
  good as me.:

     :Maybe better. At least I didn't drive us off the road like you did.:

     :Hey! I was trying to catch that left turn at the last moment. Were you
  really scared, my love?:

     :It shook me up. My silly cousin laughed in delight at your recklessness
  when we could easily have gone into a few rolls.:

     :Grass is soft.: Jes Sends me an image of my truck rolling over a few
  times in the field where we come to a rest upside-down. :But we didn't!:

     :Luck favors the foolish, silly.:

     :But who's more foolish? The fool or the one who follows him?: I'd taken
  that line from the first Star Wars movie: 'A New Hope'.

     :Let's hope that Jake will open up to us. I don't know what he's told mom
  in the garden but it's made her cry, in a good way.:

     :His eyes were red, too.:

     :I don't mean to make my cousin cry on our little 'outing'. To hear the
  boy laugh and be himself in front of us would be enough.:

     I'm nodding my head in agreement. Jake has been peeking at us - me when
  I've laughed and nodding my head and when Jesse raised his right hand. He
  knows that we can Talk without using our mouths.

     "Where are we going?" asks Jake.

     "I'll know when we get there." A smile graces my lips which earns me an
  elbow jab by Jesse. We drive over a rise and to my surprise, a large pond
  comes up on our left. Water out here in all this nothingness!

     "We're finally here," Jesse announces. :Stop the truck, love.:

     I'm pulling off to the side of the road. Jes gives me a sly grin and I
  gather his intent without mind speaking. "Who's up for a cool swim?"

     Jesse raises his hand. "I am, I am!"

     Jake doesn't appear to be that eager though. "You can swim, right?"

     "Of course. I didn't bring a bathing suit though," says Jake with a
  disappointing sigh.

     "We didn't either." I'm giving Jesse the eye and he smiles back at me,
  turning to an uncomfortable looking Jake when he gets it.

     "Someone may see us."

     "Way out here?" The boy sees that my lover and I are intent on going for a
  swim. In the buff. I'd like to get an eyeful of this teen naked and Jesse
  shares my curiosity mixed with excitement. Jake is slowly shaking his head.
  I fold my arms against my sides and flap them while making a chicken sound.
  "Buck... buck, buck, buck... buuuuuck."

     "Chicken!" mocks Jesse. "Oh... Don't be afraid, cousin. We're not going
  to jump you in the water."

     Jake is trying to read my face to see if that's so. I can't stop myself
  from smiling. I hope he doesn't think I would jump him because I'm not gonna.
  Just get a good look at his smooth brown Indian body at sixteen.

     :He is an attractive guy,: Says Jesse. :Don't you think so, love?:

     "Yum." I've answered my lover out loud to give the boy a scare. He gives
  me a sly grin instead but we can tell that he's still a bit anxious about the
  whole affair. After all, he knows we're gay and we know he's gay and he knows
  that my preference is for Indian boys. In his shoes, I'd suspect that
  something was gonna happen at the pond when we get naked.

     The word 'chicken' is mouthed by Jesse and he starts flapping his arms at
  his sides. Jake's eyes glow green. He tries Gleaning us but I'm blocking it.
  No help to him there to find out if we'll jump him. The boy is squirming in
  his seat. He's caught between being called a chicken and really being scared.
  Ah, sweet revenge! We can dish it out as good as Jake can give it.

     I'm opening my door. Jake rushes to open his and he flies from the truck.
  Oh-oh! We've scared the boy into running away.

     "Last one in is a rotten egg!" shouts Jake.

     Relief fills us. I watch Jes chasing after his cousin. He's forgotten to
  shut his door but I'm closing mine, running to catch up to those two. Jake
  already has his shirt off. Jesse is a quick second. I'm pulling my shirt
  off, reach down to tear off my shoes and socks. Then my jeans come down
  followed by my underwear... Oh! I better take a look at Jake before he's in
  the water. A brown figure is taking a running leap into the pond, head first.
  I am given a glimpse of his backside before he's lost from sight. Man! What a
  nice ass. All his weight lifting has sculptured his cheeks with a wonderful
  muscle tone. Jesse is streaking towards the pond. He jumps in, feet first.
  I've already started running but end up being last.

     "Mike's a rotten egg!" sings Jake.

     :For what it's worth, I don't think you smell, love.:

     I'm surfacing after my head first leap into the pond. Jesse is treading
  water near me. :Thanks. At least we got the boy naked. I wasn't sure he was
  gonna go for it. He could have kept his underwear on.: I'm looking for Jake.
  He's swimming around us out of arm's reach with only his head sticking from
  the water. There's a sly grin on his face that proves he knows I'd LOVE to
  catch sight of more of him. An idea comes to me. I turn away from the boy
  and stick my butt up from the water. A careful push back there... I manage
  it! A thundering sound comes from my cheeks when I fart at him.

     Jake sings, "Mike smells like a rotten egg!"

     :That was really clever of you, love, but pee-yew!:

    "...smells like a rotten egg!"

     We ignore the boy's taunting by not even bothering to look at him. I swim
  closer to my lover. He meets me half way and with much longing on his face,
  we manage a kiss. If the water weren't so deep, we'd embrace too. :I love
  you, Jes-ee-ah.:

     :I love you too... smelly butt!:

     That has me laughing. I'm looking at Jes with his nice smile on his lips,
  the glow in his eyes and such happiness bursts in my heart to be with him.
  It's a sweet aching not to be able to hold him in my arms at this moment. He
  treads water closer to me. Another kiss happens. That's when I notice Jake
  isn't singing anymore. We both look for him.

     :There he is,: Jesse Calls out while pointing at the boy.

     I catch a glimpse of a brown butt disappearing under the water followed by
  kicking feet. I'm sure Jake saw us kissing but didn't want us to know he did
  and that's why he dived. Jes touches my shoulder. I see concern in his eyes.

     :You will behave yourself when we leave the pond.:

     :Of course. We don't have anything to prove to that boy.:

     Bubbles from below tickle my butt. Jesse Says he's feeling them too and
  in the next moment, Jake surfaces at our side, smiling slyly.

     "This was a good idea of yours, cousin. I'd gotten so much dust in my
  mouth that I could grow onions!"

     Jake lowers his face to the water, gargles, then spits it out. I'm doing
  the same since my mouth had filled with dust from our wild drive earlier. Jes
  fills his mouth. He wades a bit closer to Jake then spits it out at him. That
  gets the boy splashing back in revenge. I defend my lover by splashing Jake.
  I fall to my back and kick up a storm. Jesse does, too. There's a slippery
  warmth felt against my back so I'm dropping my feet down into the water. Jake
  surfaces close by. He's grinning from ear to ear. Hmm. Did he plan to rub up
  against me or was it just an accident? My cock is tingling.

     Jake throws me a seductive grin. He winks at me. Then he falls onto his
  back and I'm preparing for him to kick up a storm at us. He doesn't. The boy
  gets the front of his body sticking out from the water. I look of course. His
  dick flops against his belly (not hard). I'm impressed by his large balls.

     :That was bold of him,: Comments Jesse.

     :Yeah.: I tear my eyes away from Jake to look at my lover guiltily.

     :It's his fault if he wants to put on a show, love. Don't feel bad. I
  looked too and it's nothing you and I haven't seen before. At least Simon
  wasn't coy about letting us see him. My cousin... he's playing with us.:

     We hear Jake slapping the water for attention but Jes and I won't look.

     "Hey. You want to play an old Indian game I've heard about?" asks Jake.

     We slowly turn to the boy. "What's the game?" A funny one comes to mind:
  'I'll show you mine if you show me yours?' Jes has picked up on my thoughts.
  He giggles.

     "I don't know how deep the pond is here but the game is to dive down to
  the bottom as quick as you can, grab a handful of mud and be the first one to
  surface. Wanna try it?"

     "Sure." Jesse agrees, and we get ready to dive. A big breath is taken
  into our lungs. We look for the boy's signal.

     "Ready... set... Go!" Jake shouts.

     I'm diving deep with my feet kicking hard. The water gets really cold with
  an undercurrent running past me. This pond must be spring-fed. That explains
  its unexpected appearance in this wasteland. The sunlight fades, filtering
  through the mud being unsettled by the current. I reach down to squishiness.
  Grabbing a handful, I turn and manage to kick off the bottom. My lungs are
  aching me for breath but I'm surfacing in triumph! Oh. Jake beat me to it.

     "I won."

     I'm looking around for Jesse. My concern grows after three heartbeats and
  Jake's eyes are widening in alarm as mine have. "There's an undercurrent!
  Maybe Jes..." At that moment, my lover surfaces and tosses mud at both of us.

     "Hey!" complains Jake. "Don't be a sore loser."

     "I'm not," explains Jesse. "According to the actual 'Indian' game, the
  boy who's reached the surface first with his handful of mud gets to toss it
  at the others, usually the ones coming up last and especially if they didn't
  manage to grab a handful for themselves."

     Jake looks at his right hand. I'm holding up my hands in surrender 'cause
  I don't want to get pegged again. He tosses mud at Jesse. A pitiful effort
  since the water has washed most of it from his hand. My lover sticks his
  tongue out at Jake.

     "Six rounds are played," says Jesse. "At the end, those boys who come up
  short have to pull on the game victor's..." His voice trails off suggestingly.

     Jake's eyes light up. "Pull on his... what?"

     From Christopher, I know what the losing boys have to do. They're usually
  the youngest in the group but they don't mind getting the chance to touch a
  more mature dick where cum can be brought back to their small balls to
  empower them. It was hoped that they would grow up faster from that male
  empowering rite. I've helped them with that lots of times in my former life.

     Jesse giggles and says, "His thing."

     "Really? Or are you making that up, cousin!"

     "I'm not," Jesse defends. "That's what the losers have to do."

     "How do you know?" asks Jake to press his advantage.

     "Let's just say that I have it on personal authority that that's how the
  game ends. Okay?"

     Although Jes and I haven't actually played this game before, our former
  selves have but we're not ready to confide in Jake about that yet. He's
  already been told a lot and we need to know that he can keep his promises.
  He may not even believe if we tell him about Good-eyes and Christopher being
  reborn in us.

     "Are you ready for a second round?" asks Jake. "Then we'll see which of
  you is the loser who's gotta pull on my 'thing'."

     My cock tingles at that thought but I'm remembering that undercurrent.
  "Did you notice how cold it was below?" I ask. "This pond is spring-fed. I'd
  felt a strong undercurrent that can be dangerous if you're caught in it."

     "I felt that too," says Jake. He laughs. "If we were to play out those six
  rounds, I'm pretty sure who'd be losing on purpose."

     Jake glares at me. "Who says that I wouldn't be the winner and it was you
  who lost?" Our eyes lock in combat.

     "You two are such cock-a-boo's," scolds Jesse. "There is a dangerous
  undercurrent that could drown someone. I'm not going to play anymore."

     Jake shrugs his shoulders. "No skin off my teeth."

     My lover has managed to prevent a confrontation between Jake and me.
  Besides, we'd told the boy that we weren't gonna jump him. Jes starts
  swimming towards the far side of the pond. I think I know what he has in mind
  so I'm swimming after him, looking over my shoulder to see if Jake is follow
  us. He is. The sun is beating down hard. It's warmer water close to the
  surface. Sure beats playing that diving game. Brrrrr!

     "This is the next game," Jesse explains. "One of us closes their eyes and
  no peeking! The other two take turns holding him from behind, in front or
  touching a part of his body. He has to guess who it was."

     Jake shakes his head in dismay as if not liking this 'touching' game.
  "We've played this before with a boy named Simon. It's really fun. I got
  fooled when someone embraced me who I couldn't lift off their feet. Jesse's
  uncle Running Water had entered our game to trick me!" I'm laughing but Jake
  obviously isn't thrilled to play this game.

     "Maybe my cousin is too shy," teases Jesse.

     Jake says in an angry outburst, "I've played naked games with the boys at
  my school. It's no big deal."

     :Don't say anything, love. I'm surprised that he was even able to admit
  that to us just now.:

     Jake continues to tread water while we've left the pond. Jesse sits down
  in the grass. I sit close behind him but won't wrap my arms around him as
  much as I'd want. That might upset Jake.

     "I have another game we can play," says Jesse.

     Jake wades closer to the bank. "What is it this time? Something else to
  get your jollies off?"

     "That's mean of you to say, cousin."

     "Sorry. What then?"

     "It's a good game," explains Jesse. "It's called: 'the truth'. You can
  ask Mike or myself any question and we'll answer it. Then whoever you asked
  can ask you a question that must be answered truthfully."

     "What's the point of that?" asks Jake.

     "Are you asking me or Mike?"

     "You." Jake is glaring at his cousin. "I'm not playing this game yet."

     "I'd like us to. We don't know each other well but I'd like to, cousin.
  We're blood family. I'm curious about you as you must be curious about me.
  This game allows us to know each other better and I swear that anything you
  don't want my mother to know will be kept between us. Okay?"

     "I can ask the two of you anything?" asks Jake with a sly grin.

     "If it concerns a tribal matter or something we're oath bound to keep
  secret, we'll cover our mouths to indicate that. If you're asked a question
  that you'd rather not answer, then don't."

     "I can agree to those rules," says Jake. "Do I get to go first?"

     Jesse nods.

     "My question is for Mike. Have you had sex with anyone before Jesse?"

     Damn! This kid has really gone for it by asking me that. "Yes..." Jake
  smiles wickedly and I feel pressed to explain that to him. "It was with
  Running Water."

     "Jesse's uncle?!"

     I'm nodding but my eyes don't fall from the boy's since I'm not ashamed.
  "Running Water is gay. He's been with a lover for six years before he was
  murdered like I've told you." Jakes eyes widen in surprise. "Yeah. It was Ron
  who was your uncle's White lover. Anyway, Running Water didn't know that Jes
  and I were falling in love so he tried winning my heart. When I'd come from
  my shower, Running Water followed me into my bedroom. He liked the way I
  looked naked. That led to pulling me in his lap and he rubbed over my cock.
  It felt good. I'd never been with a man before but my heart cried out how
  wrong it was! I didn't know who he was as a person. In my fright, I'd ran
  from the room."

     "So you really didn't have sex together."

     "Not then. There was another instance where Running Water wanted to have
  sex with me. After driving me home from class, he undressed in the kitchen to
  show me his body. I liked the way he looked. He undressed me though I was
  reluctant for him to do so. He sucked on my cock. That's too ticklish a
  sensation so he turned around and led me into his butt."

     "You fucked him?" asks Jake.

     "That's two questions you're asking Mike. I'm keeping track, Jake."

     "Okay!"

     I'm taking a deep breath. "Yeah. I started fucking him when he reached
  back to pull over my ass. I'd never performed as a man with anyone before.
  Then my heart cried out again. I wasn't in love with this man but with
  Jesse! Having sex with his uncle felt wrong. I pushed him away but Running
  Water attacked me. Well. A tight embrace where he rubbed himself off against
  my cock. I didn't cum. Afterwards, I'd felt angry at myself for allowing him
  to get so far with me."

     Jake is panting with excitement. He hides it by lowering his head as if
  pondering over what he's heard. "It wasn't a big deal, Mike. That's what I'd
  expect gay guys to do with each other. Sex, sex, sex."

     "But with the wrong guy! At that time, I couldn't separate sex from the
  act of love. It felt like I was betraying Jesse by doing it with his uncle."

     Jesse speaks up. "Okay, Mike. You have two questions to ask Jake." He
  flares his eyes at his cousin to answer truthfully.

     "My first question is... What do you think it's like to be gay?" I ask.

     "I'm not so how can I tell you what it's like? That's my answer."

     "You must have an idea. Tell me what you think? We won't get offended."

     "Is that Mike's second question?" asks Jake.

     "No," answers Jesse. "It's his first question that you haven't really
  answered. Mike answered your questions about my uncle." He flares his eyes in
  warning at his cousin.

     "Alright, alright!" Jake breathes in deeply before answering. "I'm not
  gay though I've messed around with the other boys at my school when I was
  younger and stupid. Just curious about what it's like, is all. Getting off
  with a friend doesn't mean we're gay."

     Jesse is slowly nodding. He peers at his cousin to continue.

     "What is it like to be gay?" says Jake. "Obviously, it means a guy likes
  to get it on with other guys. They are attracted to each other physically.
  Since no baby will result from it, they can have lots of sex together. No
  loyalty to anyone. That's why everyone thinks it's bad to be gay."

     Jes and I let that pass for the moment. It's sad Jake thinks that's what
  being gay is. He kneels in the grass before us. His dick is semi-erect. I'm
  tearing my eyes from it before Jake notices. "My second question is... How
  do you know you aren't gay?" I see the boy's eyes flash in alarm. Anger then
  blares from his face and he shakes his head violently back and forth.

     "I've told you that I'm not!"

     "Prove it. You've admitted to having sex with your school friends."

     "Like I said, that was when I was younger and stupid. There was a class in
  school that taught us about sex and how to be safe. My instructor said that
  boys perform homosexual acts out of curiosity and the need to feel good.
  That's all I was doing in my early teens. I've done it with a girl so that
  proves I'm not gay."

     :Don't press him any further, love.:

     "That answers my second question." Yet my slight head shake lets Jake know
  that I'm not convinced.

     "Your turn, cousin. Do you want to ask me a question?"

     "Sure..." Jake pauses from asking but he goes for it. "Have you had sex
  with anyone other than Mike?"

     When Jesse slowly nods, I warn him, :Don't tell him it was with Ron!
  Even your mother doesn't know that!:

     "With whom?" presses Jake.

     "I can't tell you that yet since my mom doesn't know. It would upset her.
  What I can tell you is that he helped me understand what it means to be gay
  and that it's not a bad thing. We didn't love each other. This man helped me
  to be ready to find Mike."

     Jake looks down at his knees. He's dreading Jesse's question to him.

     "If you were allowed to, would you want to come back to live with your
  aunt in Montana?"

     Jake's eyes widen in surprise. "What? Live with you and your mom?"

     "Think about it, okay? You don't have to give me an answer right now."
  Jesse smiles. "Now it's your turn to ask one of us a question."

     "What does your tribe think about you two being together?"

     Jesse takes that question. "A lot of them don't know yet or only suspect.
  We're not ashamed of it. We're going to show them that it's alright to be who
  we are, not from flaunting it but that we're two 'people' who are in love
  like any straight couple. Others in our tribe who think they're gay will take
  heart from our example. We want to help bring them into the Light. Those in
  my family who know about us are very accepting of it. They know how much Mike
  has helped bring me out of myself like you'd seen when we first met. I'm
  autistic. That means I hide from the world by staying inside myself a lot.
  I've come out and can act normal because of Mike's love for me. He saved me!
  I can now following in my grandfather's footsteps to be our tribe's next
  shaman after he's trained me."

     "You!" gasps Jake. "He's chosen you to be the tribe's next holy man?"

     Jesse nods. "In fact, Shaman He-who-runs-up-mountains will be 'marrying'
  us in a few Saturdays before family and friends. That bundle you may have
  noticed hanging down from Mike's neck contains our wedding rings that
  grandfather crafted for my uncle and his lover when he bound them together as
  a couple. Those rings came to us to wear so we'll follow in their footsteps
  as a couple."

     Jake mouths the word 'wow'. When he peers at me, I take my turn asking him
  a question. "What are your interests? Sports and such."

     The boy smiles. "I like to weight lift." He raises his arms and gets their
  muscles bulging. "I've won a regional championship in wrestling last year.
  It's important to develop my body. For my mind, I like working with computers
  as you know."

     That has me smiling. "You're really good with the hardware aspect that I
  could learn from you. My expertise is in writing software. I've made a good
  living at it."

     "But you don't anymore?" asks Jake.

     "Not since I met Jesse. I'd burnt out from my job so I took a six month
  vacation to get away. That led me to Havre where I've met Jesse." My arms go
  around my lover. He covers my hands, rubbing the back of his head against my
  chest. I kiss his soft hair.

     "That game was alright," says Jake. He gets to his feet in a rush and
  dives back into the pond.

     :We've spooked him,: Says Jesse.

     :Yeah.: I lift my lover to his feet and we run into the water to swim
  after Jake who's had a good head start. I'm often peering at my lover beside
  me. Our breast strokes are in beat to each other like our drumming when we
  matched tom-tom strikes as One.

     We reach the bank and wearily step up onto it. We've had a good swim. A
  little more of Jake is coming through from our talks. I like what I'm seeing
  yet it's disconcerting that he thinks being gay is all 'sex, sex, sex'! It's
  almost as if he can't consider that bodily pleasure between two guys is also
  an expression of the love they're feeling in their hearts for each other. Jes
  and I tried explaining that to him but his ears closed. Hmm. Simon has the
  opposite problem from Jake. My young charge thinks that having sex leads to
  loving someone. That's why he fell for me first, then Running Water after
  fucking his butt and lastly, for Jesse. Having sex can be a powerful force.
  That's why I resisted being with Jes that way until we got to know each other
  better. After we felt the first stirrings of love in our hearts and let it
  grow stronger, then we laid together under a blanket (in Winna's front room)
  to express it with our bodies. Even after that pleasure faded, the feelings
  in our hearts didn't. Why can't Jake accept that being gay is alright?

     "That was a pleasure!" exclaims Jake. He looks back at the pond.

     "Yeah. It's nice skinny dipping." I look at the boy to enjoy his gorgeous
  body. He really does look like that poster Jesse saw in his room of that
  Native guy weight lifting in the nude. Jake is younger. Muscles bulge in his
  arms and chest but not so much that it makes him appear too buff. His skin is
  a chocolate brown. A really nice ass, smooth and more shapely than my lover's.
  His cock is sleeping over a large set of balls. A tuft of groin hair above.
  I'm feeling my attraction for this teenager but remind myself that he's
  Jesse's cousin which makes him family. I won't be chasing after his ass.

     I look for Jesse. He's not commented on my lustful gaze of his cousin.
  I'm Feeling embarrassment from him but not because of me. His back it to us.
  :What's wrong?:

     :It's... hard.:

     :You?: Oh. He doesn't want his cousin seeing his erection out of a sense
  of embarrassment for himself. My cock is semi-hard. Jake can look at it if he
  wants but we're not gonna do anything with the boy. Jesse certainly won't
  since he considers it taboo having sex with a family member.

     Jake is lifting his arms up to the sun. He's enjoying the warmth over his
  nakedness (I've got to tear my eyes away!) so I'm walking back to my lover
  standing at the edge of the pond. I turn around and press butts with him.

     :That's not going to help, love!:

     :If Jake sees us touching and I get hard, you popping a boner will make it
  seem natural to him. Two 'gay guys' just wanting sex like he said. I'm gonna
  show him that we can feel excited but not give into our carnal desires. You
  are so much more to me than someone to get my dick off with.:

     :That's how he explained doing stuff with the other boys at school. Not
  from really being gay. He is, though. It's funny how my cousin acts like two
  different people. You noticed that?:

     :Yeah. He's a vulnerable teen one moment who opens his heart to us and
  then the next moment it's like he's an actor on stage doing his best to charm
  the audience.:

     :I've heard that's called a 'defense mechanism'. When something is too
  painful or a person can't face the truth about themselves, they ignore it by
  putting on a mask to hide from others. Jake is often doing that.:

     I release a tense sigh. :Jake has to let us in if we're to help him.:

     "You're Talking to each other, aren't you?"

     I'm nodding to Jake.

     "About me? Maybe that's not polite since I'm standing right here." The boy
  walks those few steps over to the pond while strutting his stuff.

     I look Jake over again. He stands a little taller than me but his body is
  slimmer in spite of its muscular development. A flat stomach. His chest is
  well defined and what strong arms! Dark brown hair hangs down limp about his
  shoulders from getting wet. Not black like Jesse's. An attractive face; not
  boyish cute yet he is a good looking young man. Jake notices my eyes on him
  and smiles knowingly. I drop my gaze that catches sight of his dick drooping
  over his balls. Some fuzz over that dark sac. This boy isn't anything like
  Simon, I'm reminding myself. He's much more complicated. Maybe too much for
  Jes and me to handle.

     "What's so interesting about the pond?" asks Jake.

     "Nothing," Jesse quickly answers. He continues touching butts, facing
  away from his cousin to hide his erection from him.

     I take a quick downwards look at my erection. Jake is staring at it.

     "Yours is cut."

     "Yeah. My mom didn't want the doctor to but they had her signing away my
  foreskin without her realizing it when she was in labor at the hospital. I
  feel cheated by that loss."

     "You don't know what you're missing." Jake rolls his foreskin back to
  reveal its rosy knob. "It gives a guy a natural look that turns girls on.
  When she sees it popping out in excitement, she can't wait to feel it inside
  her pussy!"

     "You've fucked someone already?" I ask, surprised. Probably wasn't a girl.

     "Sure. That's how I know I'm not gay since I've performed as a real man."

     Jesse turns around. His long brown arms come around my belly while his
  dick slips into the crack of my ass. Hmm. That feels nice. I remember Jake
  standing in front of us. :You're not gonna prove that we're 'real men' by
  fucking in front of him, are you?:

     :No, silly.: He peers over at his cousin in astonishment. :His is big.:

     I know what Jes means. Jake is rolling his foreskin back and forth like he
  means to get off. I'm trying to avert my gaze but my eyes are glued to his
  dick. It lifts straight up his belly. Maybe as long as seven inches and his
  knob popping out is blood red in contrast to his brown foreskin. His balls
  are a handful. They bounce between the boy's legs when he really starts going
  at it. I'm given a nonchalant look, like it's no big deal to be doing this in
  front of us. My left hand slowly lifts at my side but I stop myself from
  reaching my hard cock out of a sense of anger. "Are you trying to entice me
  or something? I'm not game, Jake."

     Jake shrugs his shoulders. "Just showing you what you're missing, is all."
  He lets go of his dick with a sly grin. "Hey, cousin. You know what I mean by
  having kept your foreskin at birth. It sure feels good in hand, huh?"

     "I don't handle myself," whispers Jesse. "Not ever."

     "Really? You haven't gotten off alone when you're feeling horny?"

     Jesse shakes his head back and forth. Jake's eyes widen and he looks at
  me as if figuring something out.

     "Is that why you're with Mike? So he can help you get off since you can't
  do it by yourself?"

     "I'm with Mike because I love him."

     "Okay, sure. I'm not trying to tease Mike or anything. I haven't gotten
  off in a while. Not after learning about my mom..."

     We see that charming expression on Jake's face change to something more
  real. The sadness from losing his mother and need for comfort. He appears so
  vulnerable at this moment that I want to hold him so he'll know it's okay.
  This fragile moment passes. Jake puts back on his mask that keeps us out and
  himself inside.

     Jake's left hand resumes to tug over his foreskin as if in anger. An anger
  at himself for needing to beat off or anger for being gay. I won't Glean him.
  He'd Feel my attempt and ruin any chance we have to reach him.

     "Aren't you going to hurt your foreskin that way?" asks Jesse. He shakes
  his fist savagely to mimic his cousin's rough handling.

     Jake shrugs his shoulders. "I've always done it this way."

     The boy closes his eyes in concentration. He's not seeing my lover kissing
  the back of my neck, his hands fondling my nipples or the expression on my
  face that shows how much I'm enjoying being in Jesse's arms. Sad, that. If
  Jake won't open his ears to what we've been trying to tell him, maybe his
  eyes will see this truth and get through to his guarded heart.

     Jesse's left hand lowers to my cock. He pulls over it for my pleasure.
  "You know. I could never beat off using my hand before I met your cousin."
  Jake's eyes pop wide open.

     "Don't tell me that you can't beat off either! All you white boys do it
  from an early age even if you can't cum yet."

     "I didn't say that I didn't beat off." I'm taking a deep breath when
  deciding to admit something to Jake. "I didn't have an older brother or
  friend to show me how to do it 'right.' When I was around nine, I started
  pushing my erection down between my thighs and rubbing it for thrills."

     "Didn't that hurt?" He stares at Jesse's hand pulling over that pink dick.

     "I couldn't beat off when fully erected so I tricked myself to get a
  little soft by not thinking about what I was planning to do with myself."
  I'm taking another deep breath. "Since I couldn't cum, my dick could get
  thrilled again and again until I was out of breath. That's when the greatest
  pleasure came. It helped me go to sleep at night."

     Jake is nodding. "That's why I beat off, too. It gives me a comforting,
  tired feeling afterwards so I can go to sleep. Then when I could cum, I had
  to do it a lot or end up thinking about sex all the time. I relieved myself
  in hand, with boys at my school at first then with a girl."

     I've taken over pulling on my cock from my lover. He's holding my tummy.
  Jake is talking again, really talking and I don't want him to slip on his
  mask. Jes squeezes me from behind. His brown hands press over my groin hair.
  I'm feeling his hard dick throbbing between my cheeks but he won't dare fuck
  me in front of his cousin. Well. He is giving me a few pokes in my asshole.
  Jake looks at the two of us. He's curious, but something inside prevents him
  from reaching out to us. The boy concentrates on getting off. I'm surprised
  by how brutally he handles his foreskin. A tight back and forth rolling of it
  that gets his rosy knob popping in and out. It's exciting to watch. I wonder
  if he's ever used that part of his body to express the feelings in his heart
  for someone even if it's only in fantasy. What he's performing now is a lone
  boy's act. I'm not. My lover is holding me in his arms and he Shares in my
  growing pleasure from beating off.

     :He's told us about being with a girl,: Says Jesse.

     :Maybe he lied.: Somehow, I'm thinking that was the truth we've heard from
  Jake but perhaps he only tried it with a girl to find out what it's like.
  Teen boys play around with each other out of curiosity. What I've Gleaned
  from Charlie comes to mind. :Your cousin let his younger roommate fuck him.:

     :That proves Jake is gay,: Answers Jesse, :by taking it in the butt. Ron
  helped me realize that I was gay when he satisfied my longing to give myself
  to a man's need.:

     :Charlie was too young to cum in Jake's ass though.:

     :A little boy's thing can still feel good in the trying, love.:

     :Yeah.: I remember many nights where I've thrilled my stiff pole between
  my thighs without the hope or even knowing that it would shoot until I was
  older. Charlie stopped having sex with Jake when he got older. Maybe when the
  boy reached puberty, he realized that he was straight. Their close friendship
  didn't end though.

     "Are you fucking Mike?"

     "No. I'm just holding him," answers Jesse.

     I try hiding my sly grin from Jake. My lover has been tipping into my hole
  but by not being fully inside me, he doesn't consider it fucking.

     Jake has stepped to our side opposite of where Jesse's head was peering
  around me to watch his cousin's action. Maybe the boy wasn't really intending
  to beat off but enticing us to show him something gay.

     "A guy's asshole needs to get lubed up first," says Jake.

     How would he know! "Have you seen a butt get lubed up?"

     Jake shakes his head back and forth. "It just figures. A girl's pussy
  feels wet when I fuck her. Gay butts don't have natural lubricant."

     I'll be bold by telling him, "A tongue can do that by pushing spit in."

     "Have you two done that to each other?" asks Jake.

     He's really asking if we fuck each other. Before I can Ask Jesse if I
  should answer that, he does. Well. In a round about way.

     "When Mike and I make love, we express what's in our hearts through our
  kissing, nice massages, the way our eyes peer at each other and of course,
  by having sex."

     "Who does the..." Jake quickly rewords his question. "How do you have sex?"

     I answer that. "There are lots of ways for two guys to make love. When I'm
  with Jes, whatever we're in the mood for goes. It doesn't always have to be
  by fucking. I want to kiss my lover and hold him close in my arms so the joy
  in our hearts can fly like an eagle."

     "But you two butt fuck, right?"

     "Uh-huh," answers Jesse. "The backside of our bodies offer a place to
  satisfy our love for each other. We're a couple like any other who are in
  love. Haven't you seen the way a girl's eyes look at her boyfriend's and the
  way he looks back at her?"

     "Sure. But at least they're straight and society accepts that. They're
  going to get married and have kids. That's the point of loving someone."

     "It is sad that a child won't come from my union with Mike. That makes my
  mom sad but she understands that our feelings for each other are no different
  from a straight couple who love each other. It's not the sex, Jake. I'm not
  with Mike because he helps me get my dick off. I love him with all my heart!"

     "Sure." Jake becomes somber and thoughtful as he looks down at his feet.

     Jesse turns from my back to stand close at my side to face Jake. We hold
  hands. He offers his right hand to his cousin. It's seen, but not taken as if
  in fear of what he'll discover - the truth. That's what my lover is offering
  the boy.

     "Don't hate yourself, Jake."

     "I don't hate you!"

     The boy's anger turns to surprise when he realizes what Jesse actually
  said to him.

     "Do you remember when we first met?" asks Jesse in a soft voice.

     "In Rosemary's office?"

     "No. Outside when you Felt me comfort you."

     Jake stares at my lover's outstretched hand. I Sense Power building in us.
  We offer truth to open this boy's eyes to who we are yet he's afraid. He
  peers at me with fear like I'm gonna attack him.

     "Mike will not Glean you, Jake. He cannot. You are shielded from anyone
  who tries to. What I'm offering you is to See us like you briefly did in the
  garden. Will you not take my hand?"

     Jake lifts his right hand but pauses from touching Jesse's hand. It's
  only inches away. I'm moving my foot forward so Jes can follow me and bridge
  that gap but he pulls to stop me.

     :It's up to Jake now. He must make that leap of faith by trusting us.:

     I'm smiling to put the boy at ease but his eyes are on my lover. The Power
  in us is at its peak. We're Glowing like a sunburst of truth if only Jake
  will open his eyes to See it. 'Please take my lover's hand!' I Plead.

     Right when it seems like he's gonna, Jake smiles and drops his hand to his
  side. Disappointment fills us that the boy has decided to hide behind his
  mask again.

     "I have to take a piss."

     Jake is nearly running around the right side of the pond. I hear Jesse's
  deep sigh. :You tried.:

     :When my cousin is ready to accept this truth about us and himself, we'll
  be there for him.:

     :Maybe. There's barely three more days to our visit. I have to return home
  Monday morning to show up in court. You and your mom could stay longer...:

     :We're not, love. She's promised to attend all your court sessions and
  we're going to!:

     :Alright. I just wanted you to know that it's okay with me if you want to
  stay a while longer to help Jake.: Our eyes meet. Jesse gives me a kiss
  before he walks away. Not to join his cousin. Huh?

     :I have to poop. Promise to be good, love, while I'm away.:

     :I will be unless your cousin attacks me or something.:

     :Be careful with what you wish for. You may get it.:

     I'm chuckling to myself. There's no way Jake is gonna jump me now, not
  after making the point that he's not gay by saying that he's fucked a girl.
  I believe him. Yet I've heard about gay guys who've married and had kids who
  realize that men can do something more for them so they frequent the bars.
  It's gotta be hard having a secret life. And when the wife finds out... God
  help him!

     Jesse goes along the left side of the pond to some tall grass where he's
  lost from sight. I find Jake standing to my right. His back is to me and both
  his hands are down at his side. Probably to prove that he's not trying to
  piss out something white. My eyes are glued to his butt. I can't help myself
  when it comes to enjoying an Indian's backside where I've found such pleasure
  by performing as a man. Jesse's ass is more like a boy's. Nicely rounded and
  soft whether I'm fucking into it or pulling over his cheeks during our belly
  rubs. Running Water's ass is muscular and hard like Jake's. When I fuck my
  brother's butt, it's like the conquest of a strong warrior who loves me
  enough to play the squaw. My ass has been given to both of them. I want Jes
  to perform as a man with me while Running Water's cock has nothing to prove -
  just its necessary release in my hole where I've enjoyed his longer reach
  that's tickled my prostate.

     My cock is tingling from such thoughts. I tear my eyes from Jake's ass
  with a sense of guilt. Not from my lusty looking but because of what he's
  said about us gay guys just wanting sex. Jesse and his uncle mean much more
  to me than a good fuck. I'm in love with them both! This kid has nothing to
  worry about. Even though he's gay (but in denial), I won't jump him. I've no
  strong feelings for him other than sadness and pity. He's my lover's cousin.
  A teen who could use our help if he would but reach out to accept it.

     Jake is returning. I'm trying not to look low on him but I can't help to
  notice that his cock has grown soft. He's not smiling at me. He turns his
  head back and forth in concern to find Jesse. "Over there," I point out. He
  looks but even I can't see where my lover is squatting in the tall grass.
  "He's taking a shit." My vulgarity gets the boy smiling.

     I'm given an appraising look by Jake who slowly circles around me. He eyes
  my arms, chest and my legs. Probably checking out my butt when he's behind
  me. When the boy faces me, he makes a point not to look down at my cock. It's
  grown soft so there's nothing to see.

     "You have good legs," says Jake. "The muscles to them, I mean."

     "I've done a lot of hiking in Montana."

     "Mine could use some more work. I've concentrated on developing my upper
  body strength for wrestling. I've easily won over opponents like you."

     There's a wicked look in Jake's eyes when he's said that. I hold out my
  right hand to stop him but he springs at me! Both my arms are held in a vice
  grip. We're circling over the grass locked together until Jake knocks my
  left foot from under me and I fall hard. Then he rushes on top. My arms are
  pinned to the ground while he squats over my groin. I'm panting for breath.
  There's a look of victory in the boy's eyes that puts me to shame. Especially
  when he boasts.

     "See how quickly I've put you on your back!"

     I strike his butt with my cock but it's limp. Jake laughs, lifting himself
  from my groin. I spread my legs between his and with a sharp twisting of my
  hips, turn us onto our sides. The boy rolls us over the ground. He ends up on
  top again belly to belly with me. My upper arms are held down to the ground.

     "I've pinned you again."

     With a teasing rub of our cocks, Jake looks me in the eye to see if I'm
  enjoying that. You'd think so because I'm tumbling with a naked Indian boy
  but anger fills me instead. I didn't want us to wrestle! He's only trying to
  prove how strong he is over me as if that makes him the better man. I'm
  thinking of Calling out to Jes for help but I won't. "Let's stop now, okay?"

     Jake smiles wickedly. "I don't think you want me to."

     He's right. I'm given some more stabs to my cock that's growing hard like
  his. Jake is trying to shame me rather than offer us pleasure. In anger, I
  wrap my legs around his ass and turn us onto our sides. He was expecting that
  move, rolling us over the grass until he ends up on top again. Our bodies are
  slippery from the pond. That allows me to twist around until I'm facing the
  ground on my belly. He sits on my butt.

     "I could rape you so easily," Jake boasts. "Not that I want to."

     My anger burns the hotter. When he reaches forward for my right arm and
  tugs on it, I feel his cock against my cheek. I'm slowly forced to turn onto
  my left side. His legs wrap around my waist and when he throws his weight, I
  fall into his lap with both our backs towards the grass. His hard dick sticks
  into my butt. Instead of being excited, I'm burning mad! He wants to fight.
  Sure. I'm game now.

     I turn around in Jake's arms until I'm on top. He pushes on my shoulders
  while I try pressing his down to the ground. I've nearly pinned him.

     "Good move," says Jake. He's breathing heavily not so much out of exertion
  but from the excitement of the challenge.

     I relax my hands to show that I'm done wrestling but Jake isn't. He pulls
  on my shoulders to turn me onto my back. We roll over the ground a few times
  until I end up on my stomach. He's laying fully over me. A harsh twisting of
  my left arm forces me to start turning. I'm grunting out in pain. "Stop it,
  Jake! I really mean it!" He lets go of my arm.

     Jake relaxes over my back. We're both trying to catch our breath. Him most
  of all that surprises me for being in better shape than I am. He grips my
  shoulders. Not to turn me but he's sliding his body over mine. That's when I
  notice his cock rubbing me. His balls are mashed against my butt. His shaft
  has sunk between my cheeks with his knob throbbing against my lower back. I'm
  feeling a wetness there. My eyes widen in surprise when I realize what he's
  done. Before I'm able to say anything about it, I see a pair of brown legs at
  our side. I'm unable to look up but know that Jesse has come to my rescue.
  Too late, though. Jake has had his way with me leaving me feeling shamed by
  my ineffectiveness to defend myself.

     "Get off him, Jake."

     He doesn't. When Jes tries pulling his cousin off me, I quickly explain,
  "We're just resting for a moment. Can you go get our clothes?" I've said that
  out loud for Jake's benefit.

     "Sure," whispers Jesse. "They're laying by the pond." He runs off to get
  everyone's clothes.

     I've Sent a mind burst to Jes about what's happened. Getting 'wet' that
  is. He's grateful that I'm being a good guy by sparing the boy embarrassment.

     Jake gets to his knees and wipes my back with a quick flick of his hand.
  He's probably wondering why I didn't tattle on him to his cousin. Maybe he
  thinks I don't know it happened. When he gets off me, I'm getting to my feet
  while glaring at the boy. His head is hung to his chest. No need to shame him
  further though I'm raging mad at him for forcing us to wrestle. Jes Calls out
  to me to join him.

     We're putting on our clothes. Jes peers at me and I release a tense sigh,
  assuring him that I'm not gonna say anything in front of Jake. My lover gives
  me a kiss. I'm stretching out my hurt left arm. Jake had twisted it pretty
  hard. Damn, it hurts! Luckily, my right arm is alright.

     Jake approaches to get his clothes. "Did you hurt your arm, Mike?"

     I'm nodding while keeping my anger inside. He knows how that happened.

     "You use pain to turn an opponent the way you want," Jake explains. He
  smiles slyly at his cousin. "I pinned Mike a few times."

     My eyes burn after hearing that. Jesse grasps my arm, Asking me to keep
  my cool. I'm taking a few deep breaths. Words spill from my mouth to explain
  how a boy bested me. "I've not wrestled since my high school days so that was
  an unfair match that I didn't ask for."

     "Sorry, Mike."

     "You should be." I'm glaring at the boy, wondering if he's truly sorry or
  just said that to appease his cousin. He peers at Jesse uneasily while he
  dresses. I avert my eyes. Kinda stupid to be doing so since I've already seen
  him naked and up close. Hugging close, in fact, but not enjoying it much.

     "You don't have to prove how strong you are, Jake. We know you are."
  Jesse glares at his cousin. "I want you two to shake hands and make up."

     I'm putting on a smile, offering my right hand to Jake who accepts it with
  good eye contact. We shake. His eyes then fall to his feet.

     "I've been pretty tense these past two weeks," Jake explains. "Ever since
  I learned about what happened to my mom. Sorry."

     Jesse is given the lead in to ask Jake something he really wants to know.

     "The doctor who attended Mike yesterday said that she'd been murdered."

     Jake sadly nods. "Detectives from LA showed me a photograph of my mother's
  face for me to... identify her. It was her." Tears form in the boy's eyes
  when he struggles to continue. "She'd been brutalized by her boyfriend. He
  murdered her! The cops say... that drugs... were... involved."

     Jesse offers his arms to Jake. He buries his face in my lover's chest and
  sobs. I'm feeling badly for the boy. That happened some five years ago but he
  didn't learn of his mother's death until recently.

     "Shhh... It's alright," whispers Jesse.

     I'm turning away from them to look at the pond as if that'll help. It's
  hard for Jake to give into weakness. He's crying up a storm in his cousin's
  arms and in a way, I'm relieved that the boy is getting it out of his
  system. He's cried with Winna too in the garden yesterday. Was she told how
  her sister was murdered?

     Jesse rubs over his cousin's back. Then they slowly separate with Jake
  wiping his face dry. I look back at the pond. Footsteps over the grass has me
  peeking over my shoulder.

     :Come on, love.:

     I'm spinning over my feet and catch up to them. My truck door is opened.
  They get in, joining me over the seat and slam their door closed. I start the
  engine. "Seat belts." A grim smile comes to my lips in remembrance of our
  wild ride earlier. That had been fun.

     It's a long drive back to the paved road. Jesse has distributed water
  bottles with us sharing one. Jake drank all his down. No one has said a word.
  I turn left and soon near the entrance to the Rosebud Indian Mission School
  when a thought strikes me. A quick glance at my watch confirms it. Winna may
  need more time with the Headmaster so I make a suggestion. "Is anyone hungry?
  I am."

     Jesse picks up on my idea and says, "Yes." Jake isn't that enthusiastic.
  "I'm also needing to fill up in town." When he doesn't object, I head into
  Rosebud. Hmm. Where can be go to eat? I'll ask Jake.

     "There's a decent pizzeria we can go to," he suggests. "Turn right at the
  second intersection then curve around. I'll point it out when we get near."

     I've glanced at Jake. He had a plain expression on his face instead of
  that feigned grin. I hope he's alright. I make that turn and note a gas
  station to fill up at after we've eaten. The pizzeria comes up on our right.
  I'm turning into the parking lot.

     The sign on this restaurant reads: 'Pizza's Last Stand'. There are a bunch
  of cars parked out front which is an indication of good eats. Jake leads us
  through the door. I'm looking around while the smell of baked crust gets me
  hungry. A waitress escorts us to a booth. She's a young Native girl who Jake
  eyes rather too obviously. We pass a display showing a pizza man mounted on
  a horse with an Indian war party in pursuit. They've shot arrows into the
  pizza that become toothpicks holding squares of pineapple to the cheese.

     "Good afternoon," says the waitress. "My name is Samantha." She pulls out
  an order pad.

     Jesse and I are turning to Jake. "What do you like on your pizza?"

     "Everything."

     It figures. This growing boy needs his energy, especially for them muscles
  of his. I've tested my strength against them and lost.

     "I don't like those little fishy things," says Jesse.

     "Those are anchovies." Jake makes a grimace too and shakes his head.
  "We'll take a pizza with everything but anchovies... extra large, please."

     "Thick or thin crust?"

     I'm shrugging my shoulders. When no one speaks up, I ask for thin crust.

     "Would you like anything to drink?" asks Samantha.

     "Glasses of water. A Coke for me. What would you like to drink, Jake?"

     "Sprite."

     Samantha smiles, writing all that down on her pad. She gives Jake a quick
  grin before leaving our table and she's rewarded with the boy's warm smile.
  :Your cousin is quite a charmer.:

     :We already knew that, love.:

     I'm looking around and see the booths around us are filled with folks.
  Mostly Native. A heavy set man waddles past us with a feather stuck through
  his hat. I can't help but smile. He looks at Jake, Jesse and then myself.
  My hand automatically lifts to greet him silently.

     "How." The man chuckles to himself after raising his right hand.

     I think he's teasing me since a lot of people know that Indian word from
  the movies. It's the Blackfoot word for 'goodbye'. I answer him in Siksika:
  "Hello, brother. How are you?" That draws a startled second look from him.

     "I am fine," the man answers in English. "Do you know more Siksika?"

     "Ah. Nita iit ooh tsi mi." I've just told him that I understand Blackfoot.

     "You speak better than me!" The man comes closer to their table.

     "My name is Mike Short Hair. This is Jes-ee-ah and his cousin, Jake."

     "I'm called Duck Crossing Pond. My cousins are Blackfoot from Northern
  Montana. They live near Cut Bank."

     Jesse speaks up. "I have cousins who live in Shelby which is close to
  there. Mike and I live in Havre."

     "What's brought you down here?" asks Duck Crossing Pond.

     We're turning to Jake.

     "Visiting with my cousin at his school," answers Jesse.

     "You playing hooky?"

     Jake smiles briefly.

     "Don't get caught or it'll be your hide, boy. I've heard that them Jesuits
  are pretty strict. Uh. It was good meeting you."

     I raise my right hand in farewell. "How." That gets Duck Crossing Pond
  laughing in a booming voice. He waves me off with his right hand, then heads
  to a table where he appears to be alone.

     :Showing off, love?:

     :Come on, Jes. He got me started you have to admit! Does he look at all
  Blackfoot to you?:

     :It's hard to tell. His face is rather big but he said there's Blackfoot
  in his family.:

     I was gonna suggest that the man probably enjoys too much pizza. Jes
  catches my thought and giggles. That stops abruptly when his cousin elbows
  him in the ribs.

     "Yes, Jake?"

     "Can I join into the conversation?"

     "Anytime you want, cousin." Jesse offers his right hand but the boy shyly
  declines, shaking his head.

     I'm Hearing Jesse Sending him his thoughts that makes me blush. He's
  Asked the boy if my butt felt good to rub against that got him to come out.
  :You're naughty, my love!:

     :Hmm. Jake didn't Answer me but we both know he likes your ass.:

     When I smile at the boy, his face is turning red. Jesse looks at his
  cousin with surprise.

     "You Heard?" asks Jesse.

     Jake shakes his head back and forth. "Mike's face is easy to read so I
  figure he told you something naughty about me."

     I'm struck that Jake used the same word I scolded my lover with. Jes pats
  the side of my butt. :You can have it anytime you want.:

     :And Running Water, Simon, and my cousin though his aim was pretty bad.:
  Jesse giggles.

     I'm stifling a laugh in my throat but it ends up bursting out of me.
  :You're embarrassing Jake!: We're looking at the boy while trying to hide
  our grins. The boy's face is red as a beet.

     "Our pizza is going to take a while," says Jake. "We can play the games if
  you want."

     "Sound great," answers Jesse.

     We get up from our table just as the waitress is setting down our drinks.
  Jake takes a quick sip of his Sprite. He gives Samantha a big grin that gets
  my eyes rolling in dismay. Then we're led to the back of the restaurant. I
  see a row of video arcade games but what catches my interest is Air Hockey.
  I'm pulling out my wallet. A dollar is inserted in the bill feeder which
  greedily takes it from sight. The score board lights up. A yellow puck drops
  in Jesse's goal which he places onto the table. He smiles across at me.

     'Gink'. I'm striking the puck back to my lover who expertly hits it back
  towards me. I defend my goal with my hand paddle. No real need to though.
  'Gink.' Our hands are zipping over the table to send the puck flying back and
  forth. 'Gink... gink... gink, Gink, GINK.' We're both enjoying the sound that
  reminds us of a drum beat speeding towards a climax. Our Connection allows us
  to anticipate the other's strike. We're not trying to get the puck in a goal;
  just exchange it between us at lightning speed. It becomes a yellow blur over
  the table. What a thrill!

     "When are one of you going to score?" whines Jake.

     Jesse strikes the puck hard but mine is even harder where it becomes
  airborne. It sails through the air to hit Jake in the chest. He manages to
  grab onto it.

     "That's not how the game is played!"

     "Good catch." Jesse giggles when I announce, "We've won." Jake shakes his
  head in dismay.

     "Let me play against my cousin," he asks, "and show you how it's done."

     :Weren't we doing great?: I Ask my lover. Jake grabs my paddle so I give
  him my spot at the table. Jesse grips his paddle in anticipation. 'Gink.'
  A quick score is made against my lover.

     "Lucky shot," says Jesse. He removes the puck from his goal and sets it
  down over the table.

     A few teasing 'serves' are portended. Then my lover actually strikes the
  puck, sending it flying towards the left side of the table where it bounds
  off the edge, nearly getting past his cousin's paddle. Jake laughs.

     "Good try!" He tops the puck with his paddle to position it in the center.

     "Foul!" I cry out.

     "What?" blurts Jake.

     "According to the rules, your paddle can't ever be topped over the puck.
  And you've moved it too. Jesse's serve now."

     "Alright." Jake sends the puck gently over to his cousin's side.

     Jesse strikes the puck right away to catch Jake off guard but his hand
  paddle blocks it. A hard strike sends it back towards my lover. He barely
  prevents it from scoring. The two exchange 'blows' until Jake scores by using
  a tricky bank shot. Jesse retrieves the puck from his goal. He mimics his
  cousin's last shot and scores. "Good going, Jes!" The score is 2-1.

     Jake proves to be very good at Air Hockey. I suspect that he's played many
  a game on this very table. Jesse picks up on his moves but their game ends
  with the score 7-4.

     "I won," announces Jake. He lifts his paddle from the table and points it
  in challenge at his next opponent.

     Another dollar is fed to this machine. Jesse offers me his place at the
  table but I decline. "Come over here, Jake."

     "Why?"

     "The winner has to switch places," I explain. "That's according to the
  rules, and also in case there's some advantage to your side of the table that
  Jes and I don't know about."

     "One side is as good as the other," says Jake. "I'll whip you good."

     "You can try." We walk to opposite positions with the table between us.
  Jake is shaking his head in dismay.

     :Is that really in the rules, love?:

     I look across the table at Jesse. :It sure is. I've played Air Hockey
  with my Dad lots of times. His great love was tennis, though. He taught me
  the rules to both games along with all the tricks. There could be an
  advantage to this side of the table.:

     :Maybe. I don't think it's going to help you any, love.:

     Jake obviously agrees. I'm given a wicked grin from him while he awaits my
  serve. I strike the puck which the boy easily deflects back towards me. We
  exchange hits until he scores. I've gotta watch them bank shots! The puck is
  removed from my goal and I put it back into play. 'Gink.'

     Jesse offers me suggestions during the game. I've been watching the way
  the boy plays too, putting what we've learned into practice. That proves
  difficult though. Jake scores again. He raises his right hand in triumph.
  :Your cousin is very competitive,: I comment.

     :Weren't we all at his age?:

     :I wasn't. I didn't like playing sports to 'win' but for the fun of it.:

     :I've never played sports at all,: Says Jesse. :Maybe we're wrong about
  Jake. His could swing both ways.:

     If Jes had said that out loud, I wouldn't have understood what he meant.
  Our Connection makes for an explicit communication between us. :Bisexual?:

     :Jake could be. He claims being with a girl after having sex with the boys
  in his early teens.:

     :If only you could Look inside him, Jes. Then we'd know for sure.:

     :I can't unless he lets me in.:

     :I'm thinking all his talk about not being gay is just denial of who he
  really is. Look at him.: We both do. Jake is crouched at his side of the
  table waiting for me to serve. Muscles bulge in his arms and chest. There's a
  serious expression on his face like his life depends on winning this game.

     :My cousin desperately wants to appear masculine,: Says Jesse.

     :If Jake were straight, why try so hard?: I send the puck towards Jake. He
  easily defends his goal, striking it back towards me at lightning speed. I'm
  Sensing Power rising in the boy which presses against my shields. My eyes
  widen in realization. He Gleans his opponents to anticipate their next move.
  No way he can cheat that way against me since my mind is hidden from him.
  Hmm. Jake's ability seems to differ from mine. It's a mixture of Gleaning a
  person's past and Seeing them in the present. Not as strongly as Jes and me
  though. I score unexpectedly. Jake doesn't appear that upset so I'm thinking
  he'd given that to me. The score is 1-2.

     The yellow puck flies back and forth across our table. Jake scores again.
  I'm trying to score but the boy is too skilled at defending his goal. He's
  really serious about winning. To me, this is only a game for fun. It doesn't
  matter who wins or loses.

     Jake ends up winning 7-5. I've only managed to score one higher than Jes
  against the boy. He is good at this game. With a beaming face, Jake offers to
  play against his cousin again.

     "Our pizza is waiting," says Jesse.

     "Sure. We can play another round afterwards."

     We're eagerly returning to our booth. The pizza is piled high with meats,
  vegetables and oozing cheese. It's quickly devoured. Jake gulps his Sprite
  while Jes sips on his water. Jake takes big bites from his slice while Jes
  only nibbles. There's a fierceness to the boy. My lover is dainty like a
  woman when he eats. I've not really noticed this in Jesse before.

     "Isn't this great pizza?" asks Jake between bites.

     "Yeah." I'm grabbing a third slice. Jesse has just finished his first one
  and to my relief, takes another. Jake is already on his fourth slice. He
  wipes sauce from his mouth with the back of his hand. My lover uses a napkin.
  For some reason, it bothers me by how Jesse acts. Not manly or something. I
  cast that thought from my head and drink down the last of my Coke.

     Our waitress returns to see if we need anything. I'm ordering another
  Coke. Jake wants a refill of Sprite while Jesse only shakes his head. He
  still has some water left in his glass. Samantha smiles at the boy before she
  leaves. He throws her a big grin. I'm surprised that Jake doesn't ask for her
  telephone number.

     "What do you do for fun outside of school?" Jesse asks. "Or do they not
  let you get out?"

     Jake seems startled by the question. He shrugs his shoulders while
  grabbing his glass to fill his mouth with ice to crunch on. Jes waits for an
  answer. I'm Sensing that the boy is hiding something.

     "They let us out on the weekends." Crunch. Crunch.

     "And what do you do?" asks Jesse.

     "I come here with friends. That's why I whooped you both at Air Hockey."
  Jake swallows the remaining ice in his mouth and laughs. "There's not much
  else to do in this town," he quickly adds.

     "Is this where you meet with your girlfriend?"

     Jake shakes his head. "She lives in Pierre."

     I speak up. "That's pretty far away. How do you get there?"

     "The school busses us up on Saturday mornings. While the other boys are
  going to movies, playing in video arcades and such, I'm meeting with her."

     "Have you been dating her for a while?" asks Jesse.

     "Kinda. It's hard seeing each other on account of her parents."

     "Is she Native?"

     Jake nods. "She's not supposed to see me on account that I'm not Sioux."

     "How do you two... get together?" I'm asking delicately. Jake knows what I
  mean when he grins slyly.

     "A motel."

     Huh? How can they get a room if they're both under eighteen? Jake realizes
  that himself when he blurts out an explanation.

     "There are certain motels that don't ask questions. Fifty bucks gets us a
  room for a few hours."

     "What's her name?" asks Jesse.

     Jake has to think about that. Our waitress has returned with our drinks.
  Jake acts shy in front of her.

     "I'd rather not say..." the boy answers after Samantha leaves.

     "Oh, come on cousin!" exclaims Jesse. "We're not going to tell Winna or
  your Headmaster."

     "It's Kate."

     "You use protection. Right?" I ask.

     "Sure. Don't want to catch something."

     I'd think Jake would be more concerned about getting the girl pregnant.
  The thought pops in my head that this boy has been getting it on with a man.
  Not quite Gleaning, but a strong intuition from what he's said and that
  uncomfortable look on his face.

     "What else do you do on the weekends?" asks Jesse to change the subject.

     Jake sighs with relief. "I come here with friends like I've told you.
  We're not given much of an allowance by the school to spend."

     So how did he purchase that new laptop? I'm staring at Jake who begins to
  squirm in his seat. Before I can ask him, Jes scolds me for my thinking. He
  wants to have a nice talk with his cousin. Not grill him.

     "Do you visit the sites?" asks Jesse.

     "Like what? You mean in the reservation? There's not much to see unless
  you're really into Indian stuff."

     That remark draws our attention. "Don't you consider yourself 'Indian'?"

     "Well, yeah. But I'm not Sioux. I can't join into their ceremonies and
  stuff. I've told you about Kate's parents not wanting me to be with her."

     "I'm only asking because my mom will likely want to spend a day with you
  away from your school. We'd pack a picnic lunch and go to some scenic spot
  and maybe hike afterwards. Are there places like that we can visit?"

     Jake slowly nods. "There's Ghost Hawk Park. It's just northwest of Rosebud
  where we can have a picnic if she wants."

     I can tell that Jake isn't thrilled by the idea.

     "We only have a few more days to visit with you," says Jesse. "I'd like
  us to enjoy that time together and get to know each other better. You've been
  so long away from your family."

     Jake shrugs his shoulders. "Didn't know anyone cared about me."

     "We do." Jesse grasps his cousin's shoulder. "If my mom knew that her
  sister had a son, she'd have come to see you sooner."

     "I know that," answers Jake. "I've never had family before."

     "It's a wonderful feeling! You have cousins, uncles, aunts and grandfathers
  who'd want to meet you. As part of our tribe, you can participate in events
  that are really fun."

     "Like what?"

     "Dances. You should see how fine the People look in regalia at the powwows.
  We give our thanks to our Father while coming together as a tribe. There are
  initiation events for the young people. I think you would like an event
  that's coming up in early October. Men and boys face off to wrestle."

     "Really?"

     Jesse nods. "It may not be the style of wresting that you're used to yet
  it requires strength and skill to drop your opponent to the ground. I'm sure
  that you'd do great."

     :There is a wrestling event?: I Ask Jesse. He Sends me quick images that
  satisfies my curiosity. Older boys and young men strip down to their shorts.
  A pair faces each other. They grasp each other's waist and try lifting the
  other off their feet until they're dropped onto their butt. It's not the
  style of wrestling Jake has practiced for. No 'pinning' an opponent to the
  ground like he's done to me at the pond. Jes was excited by the matches. He
  admired the near naked bodies struggling with each other that always got his
  thing hard. If not for Marfan's Syndrome, he'd be facing off with a boy his
  age in that sensual 'embrace'.

     For Jake's benefit, Jes gives him a similar account of 'Indian' wrestling
  but leaves out how excited we are about the near nakedness part. The boy
  doesn't seem very thrilled. To entice his interest I suggest, "You could give
  me some pointers, Jake. I'd like to wrestle some Indian and whoop him like
  you did me." For a moment, I see the boy's eyes light up.

     "Your tribe is too far away for me to attend events."

     "It's only a fifteen hour drive."

     "But how would I get there?" asks Jake. "Even if I could be given a ride
  and left Friday afternoon, I'd be dead tired on Saturday to compete then face
  that long drive on Sunday back to my school."

     "You're off in a few weeks, aren't you?" asks Jesse.

     Jake nods uneasily. "For summer vacation."

     "You can come and visit with us then. We'll find a way to plane or train
  you up to Havre. A month long stay. Wouldn't you like that?"

     "Sure."

     Jake appears cheerful but he's showing us that charming mask he puts on
  for people to hide how he's really feeling inside. I don't think he wants to
  leave his school and the life he's known these past eleven years. If Winna is
  asking the Headmaster to take Jake away from all that to come live with us,
  he will likely not want to.

     "Then we'll plan on your visit," says Jesse. "It'll be a lot of fun!"

     Jake is slowly nodding. "Is there an extra bedroom in your house?"

     "No. You can bunk down on the front room floor," answers Jesse.

     I'm exchanging looks with Jes when we realize that could be a problem if
  the boy were to come live with us.

     "My mom could move out her wood carving stuff from the back room so you
  could sleep there."

     "She doesn't have to go to all that trouble on my account," says Jake.

     I've noticed the boy's lack of accent. He speaks perfect English and from
  what he's told us, doesn't know a thing about his Blackfoot culture. The only
  'Indian' stuff taught him at his school was of the Sioux. Jes has picked up
  on this. He's telling his cousin about the events and recent history of their
  tribe. All the good stuff. I'm zoning out since I've seen with my own eyes
  how bad off many of the People are to be living on the reservations. No jobs.
  Forced to live in run down trailers and shacks. The rampant drug and alcohol
  abuse amongst the kids. I'm surprised that Jes isn't scolding me for my glum
  thoughts. Oh. He's too busy talking with his cousin. I'm feeling left out.

     Jake sips on his Sprite. He's been very quiet, listening to Jesse go on
  and on about what it means to be Blackfoot but he can't really know. I do.
  I've lived amongst them for nearly three years in my former life. As Mike,
  I renewed that wonderful sense of family by having Winna for a 'mother',
  Running Water as my brother and my relationship with Jes-ee-ah is accepted by
  his cousins, uncles and grandfathers. Jake can't comprehend what is means to
  have family. Well. Blood family, that is. He's been stuck at that Jesuit
  school for nearly all of his life.

     I excuse myself to go take a piss. When I return to the table, I find it
  cleared off. Jes and Jake are waiting for me by the register where I'm handed
  the check. I pull out my wallet to pay.

     Jesse is walking out of the restaurant with his cousin, right arm draped
  about the boy's shoulders. I'm quick to catch up. So cute! It aches me that
  I can't hold my lover in public. Anyone seeing them would smile, assuming
  that they're related or good friends. Jake laughs and says something that
  gets Jesse laughing even louder. :What's so funny?: I'm smiling in
  anticipation of some joke between them.

     :Just told him that you're acting jealous, love.:

     :Of Jake! Whatever for?:

     :For me spending so much time with him that takes away from us being
  together. He answered that we blew our chance at the pond.:

     My eyes widen in surprise. :Jake would've let us make love in front of
  him? I sure wouldn't have let him watch us!:

     :He was only joking like I was about you being jealous.:

     Oh. We get into my truck. I start the engine but turn to Jake before
  backing out of the parking spot. "Is there anything you need in town?"

     "No. Thank you. Ah, what time is it?"

     A quick glance at my watch. "Nearly four."

     "We should get back now."

     "I have to fill up the tank first." Jake nods. Jesse turns to me with a
  playful grin.

     "What's the quickest way out of town?"

     "Why?" I've caught my lover's intent that he's gonna be funning Jake.

     "What say we kidnap this boy and have some more fun with him?" Jesse
  wraps his arms tightly around his cousin. "I'd like to steal this guy away."
  A sharp giggle.

     Jake has 'attacked' his cousin with tickling to escape. Jes tickles him
  back. The two end up laughing which is music to my ears. They're acting as
  cousins should. Happy to be together and acting silly. I'm glad for them.


     At the gas station, Jake runs to the restroom. I cast away my concern that
  the boy will get jumped in there like Jesse did at that truck stop. Rosebud
  is a small town. Mostly Native residents. He'll be alright, I assure myself.

     My tank is filled up. Jes offered to pump gas for me but considering his
  past performance, I'm doing it myself. He's sitting in the truck sulking. I
  hear someone calling out Jake's name. The boy is running towards me while
  ignoring the man. Didn't he hear him? He rushes to sit beside his cousin.
  The door is slammed shut.

     I'm looking at the man as he gets into his car. An expensive Lexus. He
  appeared White but it's hard to tell from only seeing the back of him. I get
  into my truck. Jake gives me a tense expression when I ask, "Who was that?"

     "Nobody."

     I decide not to press the matter. Hmm. That Lexus pulls into the street
  and speeds away. I'm heading in the opposite direction to return to Jake's
  school. Winna has had enough time for her talk with the Headmaster. I'm
  wanting to get dinner over with so I can spend a nice evening with my lover.

     Jesse grasps my shoulder. After making a turn, I'm able to peer back at
  him and see the fire burning in his eyes for me. That gets my cock tingling.
  He leans onto me with his face pressed into my neck. Heavy breathing. Kisses.
  :How long has it been since we last made love?:

     :Only since yesterday morning. You fell asleep last night, love.:

     :It was a very long drive. I've rested up since so tonight...: We're both
  excited at that notion. My cock is straining inside my pants. I can't wait!
  Jesse rubs over my chest that gets me even more excited. If Jake weren't
  with us, I'd pull over to the side of the road and kiss my lover.

     :I want that, too.:

     We're driving through the school's archway. I'm Feeling Jesse's desire
  that matches how I'm feeling for him. We did blow our chance at the pond
  but it wouldn't have been right to make out in front of his cousin. It'd
  only prove to him that us gay guys just want 'sex, sex, sex'. All I want to
  do now is hold my lover for a long moment. Some kisses. We'll do the bed
  stuff in our motel room later tonight.

     I park near the administration building. Jake is rushing out his door when
  Jesse calls out to him.

     "We'll just be a moment."

     The boy turns to glance back at us. Then he's running off to the building.
  Jesse closes his door. I'm looking around for anyone watching us when my
  lover slips sideways into my lap. My left hand steadies him by holding his
  bottom. His long arms fly around me. Our faces come close. A kiss.

     :I want you, love!:

     We kiss passionately. I'm pulling over his backside with my lust for it.
  :After dinner, you're gonna get raped.:

     :Oh yes, love!:

     A sobering memory returns to me that that's exactly what happened to Jes
  in Roundup. We've not made love that way since. I'm ashamed that part of the
  reason why is because it made Jes seem dirty because that man took his ass.
  He couldn't help it. A sharp emotion from Jes proves that he's picked up on
  my thoughts. "What is it?" I ask out loud.

     "I didn't know he would play rough."

     "What?!" I've caught the meaning behind Jesse's words. We stop kissing.
  In my lover's eyes, I see shame mixed with guilt.

     "In that restroom, I'd Sensed Ralph's desire for me. He showed me his big
  cock while I was standing beside him at the urinals. I showed him my butt.
  When his hand felt over it, I wanted him to take me but he did it rough."

     "Jesse!" He drops his eyes from mine in shame.

     :Forgive me, love! I wasn't myself then as you know... like when giving
  myself to Ron. That man at the restroom didn't have to force anything. I
  wanted it to be over with so you wouldn't know what had happened.:

     :Why are you telling me now?: Tears sting my eyes. I wish that he'd kept
  that to himself!

     :There hasn't been a chance to before. I've only recently returned to
  myself and I thought you should know.:

     I'm giving Jesse a tight hug. He's crying, relieved for having admitted
  that what happened in the restroom may have been his fault but anguish fills
  him by how I've reacted. How would he expected me to react? I cast away my
  anger when remembering that Jes hadn't been himself. That's how Ron was able
  to take advantage of his innocence. "Shhh. It's alright Jes. It wasn't your
  fault. When our Connection was broken, you'd reverted back to that little kid
  I met. Ralph took advantage of you."

     We peer at each other uneasily. I'm trying to hide my anguish from him.

     :I know I should have waited to tell you about it when we got back home
  but it's been weighing heavily on my mind.:

     Jesse peers at me with shy eyes. I wipe them dry with my fingers then
  lean forward to kiss him. My lover drinks of my lips. We gasp for breath
  after a moment. :Are you really alright?: I mean from what Ralph did to him.

     :Yes. That man didn't hurt me, love. Not my heart. He'd never reach that
  part of me like you do.:

     More tears spring in Jesse's eyes which I mouth away. What's really hurt
  my lover is not telling me all this time. That he'd given his butt to Ralph
  freely but it was taken in a brutal manner. And Jes had feared that I'd get
  raped by his companion who'd held me. :He didn't. We got away and that's all
  that matters, my love. Let's put it behind us.:

     :Okay.:

     I give my dear lover another kiss. He holds me close while trying to
  regain his composure before we leave the truck. We only have to endure a few
  more hours with 'family' matters. Then we'll finally be alone.


     We're sitting down to dinner with Fr. McMillan. A woman has joined us.
  She's introduced as Ms. Klein, the school's social worker. I already knew
  that from Jake when we'd seen her substituting Mr. Braxton's science class
  earlier. The woman has forgone her jeans and t-shirt to wearing something
  more formal. She sits near the Father opposite from Winna. Jake is beside
  her. Jes and I are at the far end of the table. My lover has been very quiet.
  Me too after learning the truth about what had happened back at that stop in
  Roundup. I'm telling myself that it wasn't his fault for what happened. He
  wasn't himself then.

     I'm not up to eating. That pizza had been filling so Jesse and Jake have
  also accepted only small portions of the meatloaf being served. There's not
  much talk around the table. The older adults are busy eating but I catch the
  looks being exchanged between them. This isn't lost on Jake. He's squirming
  in his seat since he doesn't know what's going on here.

     :My mom is going to pop the question to Jake tonight.:

     :How do you know?: Jesse flicks his eyes at his mother who's looking at
  Jake between bites. Her face does appear tense. Hungry even, though not for
  the food.

     "You boys aren't eating?" asks Fr. McMillan.

     I'm peering at Jake who remains silent. Jesse, too. It's up to me then.
  "We had pizza earlier." The Father turns to Ms. Klein who seems prompted to
  ask me a question.

     "Will you be teaching more classes this summer?"

     I shrug my shoulders, taking a quick glance of Winna's face to learn if
  she's told them about my legal troubles. No help there. I'm not gonna Glean
  her as much as I'd want. "If they'll let me, I will." No surprised reactions.
  Winna must have told them about me not finishing out my MS-Word class and why.

     "Mrs. Winnapah has told me that you're a good teacher, Mike."

     "Thanks." Ms. Klein doesn't let the matter rest there.

     "I'm called on occasion to cover for a teacher. It's a welcomed diversion
  from facing the many problems I have to deal with as the school's social
  worker let me tell you!" She glances at Jake.

     I Sense the woman's great concern about something but stop myself short
  from Gleaning her. Jake stuffs his mouth with corn bread. There's no green
  glow in his eyes when he looks up after the silence. He's Sensing something
  amiss too but doesn't employ his special ability to find out.

     "Have you considered teaching computer literacy to members of the
  Blackfoot Tribe?" asks Fr. McMillan. "That would help them get jobs requiring
  data entry or enhance their secretarial work. Winna has told me that you're
  tutoring her in MS-Word she needs for her job."

     "Sure. That's a great idea, Father." It's funny how I've never considered
  that myself. Miss Owens probably won't want me back to teach at her community
  college though. She knows now that I didn't return to Indiana for a 'family
  emergency' like I've told her. How can I face her after telling that lie?

     "The Blackfoot currently have no computer lab from what Winna has told me.
  If you're serious about teaching again, I can offer you the computers Jake
  has fixed up. He can even help you set them up."

     That draws a shocked look from Jake. "I was planning on using them to
  replace our older computers, Father!"

     "What's in the lab now is meeting student needs, aren't they?"

     "Yeah... But why give them away like that?" Jake complains. "It took me a
  lot of work to fix them up. They were donated to our school for us to use."

     "We'll be getting more donations, Jake. Why not help your own People?"

     The boy is at a loss for words. An uneasy silence follows when he looks at
  Ms. Klein, the Father and then turns to Winna. He knows something is going on
  between the three of them that concerns him.

     "Jake?" whispers Winna. "I want to bring you back to Havre."

     "To live with you?"

     "Yes."

     "I have given your aunt my blessing," assures Mr. McMillan. "You have been
  too long away from family. She can give you something our school cannot - to
  rejoin your People and learn what it means to be Blackfoot."

     "How can I? You've raised me Catholic and this has been the only home that
  I've ever known! I'm not really an Indian. My father's Mexican. My mother ran
  away from the Blackfoot even before I was born. What is there to go back to?"

     "That's what I want you to find out," says Fr. McMillan.

     "Do I have a say in this?" asks Jake with desperation in his voice. He
  turns to Ms. Klein for help.

     "Of course you do. The Father and I think it would be in your best
  interest to go live with your aunt now."

     The boy is violently shaking his head. "I don't want to leave my school!
  She only came down to learn about what's happened to her sister and we've
  told her everything that we know. I'm not grieving for my mother anymore.
  There's no reason for her to take me back with her."

     "Are you sure about that, Jake?"

     "I am! Why do things have to change right now?" Jake demands. "I'm a good
  student, aren't I? Who else do you have to supervise the computer lab? And
  there's still three weeks remaining of school for me to attend. I'll graduate
  in two years. When I'm eighteen, you'll be sending me on my way so why not
  wait until then?"

     "The school has been taking care of you in absence of parents, Jake. We
  can't find your father. Your mother is deceased. Now that we've found your
  aunt, she's offered to take care of you."

     Jake thinks of a way out. "There's no room for me in my aunt's house. Only
  two bedrooms and Mike is sleeping in her son's room!"

     I'm shocked that Jake dared to say that. I look for reactions from the
  Father and Ms. Klein but they're not showing surprise, disgust, or anything
  I'd expect from realizing that Jesse is my gay lover. They must have been
  told about us already.

     "There is room for you in my house," Winna defends. "I work for a
  construction company so they can convert my unused space into your own
  bedroom with a door. Please, Jake. Come and live with me. You have a family
  now who will love you."

     Fr. McMillan speaks up. "Any boy at this school would jump at the chance
  to go live with family. I think it would be best for you to do so, Jake."

     "That's my professional recommendation as well," says Ms. Klein.

     "But it's still my decision," asks Jake with his voice becoming stern.
  "Right, Father?"

     "Yes."

     I see the earlier fright and desperation in Jake's face fading. He turns
  to Winna with a grin. "Thanks for coming to visit with me, Aunt Winna."

     "You don't... want to come back to live with me?" Jake shakes his head.
  Winna turns to Mr. McMillan for help.

     "I suggest, Jake, that you sleep on it," the Father asks. "It's obviously
  come as a surprise to you so I ask that you give it due consideration. Your
  aunt's offer is a gracious one."

     "My decision isn't going to change in the morning," whispers Jake.

     Fr. McMillan is barely containing his anger. He has an Ace up his sleeve
  to change Jake's mind but it can't be revealed in front of us. I've just
  Gleaned that from him before I could stop myself. Jes Thinks to me.

     :I need to get my mom away before she breaks down,: Asks Jesse.

     :Okay.: I watch my lover go to Winna who's staring down at her plate. She
  turns to her son as if in a daze, allowing him to help her leave the table.
  I'm giving Jake a long glance. He meets my eyes briefly, then turns to the
  Father who's giving the boy a Look that would curdle milk.

     "We'll see you tomorrow morning, Winna."

     "Yes, Father. Thank you for dinner." Winna is led out of the room by her
  son without looking back at Fr. McMillan, Ms. Klein and especially not at
  Jake. She's trying not to break down in front of them.


     It's deathly silent in the truck when I drive out the school's entrance
  and head into Rosebud. Winna took the boy's refusal pretty hard but she's not
  showing it by crying, angry shouting or anything. Jesse is sad of course.
  He's tried to reach out to his cousin so we can help him but noooooo. Jake is
  your typical teen who has all the answers. Why should he leave the only home
  he's known these eleven years to be 'mothered' by an aunt he's only met the
  day before? His own mom had abandoned him when he was five. His school is
  predominately male: a 'Father' as Headmaster, older brothers for teachers and
  most of the boys in attendance are younger brothers to him. Jake has status
  by being the computer lab's supervisor. In his shoes, I wouldn't want to
  leave all that behind for a new uncertain life. The last thing I need in my
  life right now is more troubles!

     Jesse Sends, :You seem relieved that Jake said no to my mother.:

     I'm not surprised that Jes was Peeking on my thoughts just now. He's
  always doing that to me when I'm not guarding them. :I am glad that we won't
  have to deal with him living with us.: There's no shame or guilt in me for
  admitting that to my lover.

     :Why do you dislike my cousin so much?:

     I glance at Jesse to read his face but it's too dark in my truck. He's
  guarding his feelings so I don't know if he's mad, sad, angry or simply
  disappointed in me. Mind speaking prevents any attempt at lying between us.
  He wants to know why I don't like Jake. I'll Tell him. :It's for a whole
  bunch of reasons and not just because he acts like an asshole.: Another
  thought strikes me. :Your mom didn't even ask me if I thought it was okay
  to take the boy into our home.:

     :But you knew that on your own,: Says Jesse.

     :You obviously knew that too by asking Jake if he'd want to come live with
  his aunt. Your 'truth' game at the pond, remember?:

     :Maybe my mom was afraid that you'd have said no to her if she asked. You
  own half the house for having paid off her mortgage.:

     :I did that so she wouldn't lose it! Both of you need a place to live so
  why not in the home of your childbirth?:

     :That was a noble gesture on your part, love, but wasn't it also to assure
  that you would be living in that house yourself, with me?:

     Damn! Jesse is always right. No need to Say that in mind talk since he
  has just read my thoughts.

     :My dearest love! You're only being human for feeling the way you do about
  this situation with Jake. I understand it. Maybe even better than you are
  willing to admit. Would you like me to put all the cards on the table?:

     I'm startled that Jes has referred to cards. Fr. McMillan has an Ace up
  his sleeve that he thinks will change Jake's mind in the morning. I doubt it.
  :Sure. Go ahead.:

     :I'll start at the beginning. You came to Havre and met the man of your
  life. To be with him, you've had to endure scary Indian magic, gay prejudice,
  legal troubles and hardest of all, convince my mother that you and I want to
  be together, no, NEED to be together. You have accomplished this last thing.
  She accepts our love for each other. As to Indian magic, you're getting there.
  We still have to face what people will think about us for being a gay couple.
  As to your legal woes, they only seem to get worse. I knew that you were
  seriously considering taking that plea bargain to protect me and my mom.:

     :You knew about that!?: I Ask. Of course he would. None of my private
  thoughts can be kept from him.

     :I would have stopped you, love! I'm not going to let you go to jail for
  something embarrassing Ron has written in his diary about me.:

     :But Jes! If your mom learns that Ron was having sex with you, it would
  devastate her. The shame of it! You wouldn't be accepted as the tribe's next
  shaman and they'd never accept my love for you, thinking that I'm yet another
  white guy taking advantage of Winna's autistic son.:

     :I'm no longer hiding in myself. Your love has brought me out and the
  People have seen this even if they don't know why. Our Connection, brought
  about by that spirit Passed into us from the Power Bundle only enhanced our
  love! It's not the reason why we chose each other and neither is it because
  our former selves were a couple.:

     :I know that, Jes.:

     :But only just recently, love, at the fountain. That's why our special
  bond returned when you no longer denied the Power granted us and by releasing
  that anger for yourself. The good red road you've been following these past
  weeks have been difficult. You stumbled a little along the way but you've
  picked yourself right back up. That's made me so proud of you, love!:

     Tears are filling my eyes. I'm quickly wiping them away so Winna won't
  notice. The road in front of me becomes a blur.

     :Back to them cards on the table, love. I know how difficult things have
  been for you to be with me. The challenges we still face with your court
  battle, what others in the tribe will think about us and all that. Here comes
  Jake out of the blue. You two didn't start off on a good foot and it's been
  down hill since then. He thought you were taking advantage of me at first.
  Now that he knows it's not so, he thinks that we're both together just for
  the sex and doesn't have a clue as to why my mom allows it. The boy can't
  accept that we really are in love with each other. How can he when he can't
  even accept that he's gay, too? We need to help him.:

     :I want to but Jake sure ain't making that easy.:

     :He's a teenager.:

     I'm rolling my eyes in dismay. Everyone knows how much trouble teens can
  be. That reminds me. :Just to get down to see Jake has caused us trouble! You
  were raped by that trucker, my attorney has warned me that I've violated my
  bail agreement for leaving town so if the police find out, I'll be put back
  in jail.:

     :I didn't know that,: Says Jesse. :Not Jake's fault.:

     :No. But those things are the result of our coming down to visit with him.
  I don't know how court is going to turn out, Jes. By fighting Mr. Benton, I
  may very well end up going to jail anyway. That means each day I remain free
  is precious to us and how are we spending them?:

     :We're still together, love. I know that our visit hasn't been what you'd
  hope it would be. No early honeymoon for us. We'll get away to be alone when
  the right moment comes.:

     :When?: I Ask skeptically. :There's always something new happening to us
  that we're having to deal with. I need a break soon or I'm gonna go crazy!:
  Jes doesn't Answer me. He knows what I'm talking about and I'm feeling bad
  for making it seem like everything's been his fault. A sign up ahead
  announces that we're nearing Mission. It'll be good to lay down since my
  head is throbbing.

     I turn into our motel's parking lot and pull into the spot in front of our
  rooms. The engine is shut off. I'm getting out, close my truck door and step
  onto the walkway with my room key in hand to unlock the door when I realize
  that I'm alone. Winna remains sitting in my truck with Jes. :What's wrong?:

     :I'll join you later, love. She needs me right now.:

     :Okay.: A weary sigh blows out my nose. I've been so wrapped up in my own
  woes that I've forgotten how Winna must be feeling. Damn Jake! If any of us
  had any sense, we'd be returning to Havre in the morning. That boy doesn't
  need us. He'd made it clear at dinner that he's happy to remain at school.
  That last remark of his: "Thanks for coming to visit with me, Aunt Winna."
  I'm surprised that Jake didn't add, "Have a safe trip home!" He's not wanting
  to endure another two days with us. Me neither. What's the point since Winna
  won't be taking him home with her now.

     My room door automatically locks behind me. I'd wanted to leave it open
  for Jesse when he returns after speaking with his mom but now, I'll have to
  keep awake until his return. I drop into bed. My head hitting the pillow
  feels so good! I'm quickly sitting up to prevent myself from falling asleep.
  The television catches my eye. Naw. There's probably nothing good to watch
  and besides, I'd rather indulge myself in my favorite past time - stewing in
  my troubled thoughts.

     Have I made things difficult for Jake? No. He started it with them mean
  eyes given me when he suspected that I was 'with' his cousin. Jes went and
  told him that we were a couple and the boy thinks that's just for the sex.
  I know that because when I'd asked Jake what he thinks it's like to be gay,
  he told us that guys have lots of sex together. No loyalty to anyone and
  that's why everyone thinks it's bad to be gay. We didn't even try to contest
  that! He'd closed his ears when Jesse told him that when we make love, we're
  expressing what's in our hearts through kissing, nice massages, the endearing
  way that we look at each other and of course, by having sex. Jake didn't ask
  how we fell in love, what it's like to be in love or believe us when we tried
  telling him that it was no different from a straight couple being in love.
  All he wanted to know was if we were fucking each other. He's fucked a girl
  that's made him a 'real man' and proves that he's not gay. Give me a break!

     Wrestling with Jake comes to mind. He'd nearly fucked my ass when pinning
  me to the ground. His balls were mashed against my butt, the lower shaft to
  his cock sunk between my cheeks and I'd felt his knob throbbing against my
  lower back. He'd cum on me! Would a straight guy wrestle naked with a gay guy
  and end up cumming on him? I don't think so. I could have made a big deal out
  of that by saying that proved he was gay but I didn't want to shame him.

     Jake has taken every opportunity to shame me though. In the computer lab,
  he sloughed off that I've earned my living at writing educational software.
  Never even heard of the Learning Tree Company. He's so proud to be the lab's
  supervisor and an expert in computer hardware by fixing up donations while
  cheating guys like me out of Royalties by installing multiple computers with
  software from one CD purchase. I know a lot of schools are doing that. It
  just made me angry when he said that money is better spent on other things at
  his school. He's taking the credit for being a computer expert but not paying
  the price. How far would he get in the real world?

     My ears are ringing. Perhaps I should stop thinking too much as Jesse has
  warned me about. Can't help myself! What really makes me angry about Jake was
  when he belittled my relationship with his cousin. Jesse admitted to not
  beating off and Jake seized on that by asking, "Is that why you're with Mike?
  So he can help you get off since you can't do it by yourself?"

     I'm angrily punching the bed with my fist. In Jake's eyes, I'm nobody to
  him but Jesse is his cousin! How dare he make that insulting remark to him?
  I should have punched that kid in the mouth! My hand is trembling. Damn. I'm
  letting that kid upset me and you know, it's my fault. There's the saying:
  'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' That also applies
  to shaming me twice, thrice... so I'm not gonna subject myself to more abuse.
  Tomorrow, I'll drive Winna and Jesse over to the school so they can 'enjoy'
  another visit with Jake but not me. I'll go explore the Rosebud reservation.
  Alone.

     My head becomes quiet. No more stupid thoughts filling it since I've found
  an escape. I'm smiling to myself. I'll return to that pond tomorrow and maybe
  find a few Native boys enjoying a cool swim. If they let me join them, we can
  play some games in the water and afterwards, dry off in the sun though my
  butt gets wetter. Yeah. I'd love to get fucked by some Indian braves and it's
  in keeping to what Jake said about us gay guys having 'sex, sex, sex' without
  loyalty to anyone. I won't get off with anyone since I am loyal to Jesse.
  We've pledge the front of our bodies to each other.

     My daydreaming turns more fanciful. When our own tribe learns that I'm
  gay, certain Natives will be chasing after my ass. I'll let them catch me
  after going around the reservation to set up computers or something that'll
  get me invited into some guy's trailer or run down shack. His hungry eyes
  will let me know. The bulge in his pants needing relief so I drop my pants
  and kneel over the edge of his bed, legs spread, my pale ass ridden into the
  sunset. A glorious wet movie ending. Yeah.

     Chris was known to the boys of his tribe as a good ride. Even on his first
  day in camp, he was broken in. Breechclout-boy tried first but Chris felt
  that he was betraying Owopspec's love. He pushed that kid from his butt. In
  the squaw-man's lodge, boys gave it their all. That cross dresser was often
  servicing any needing male be it a warrior or little boy. Chris watched all
  that fucking and was himself fucked. A youth named Caquay-mummea (Night Fish)
  stuck his skinny erection into Chris and rode him towards a dry climax.

     A yawn fills my mouth. I turn onto my belly over the bed, clutch the
  pillow and relive more exciting things in my former life.

     Chris had lots of fun with Indian boys. They liked fondling his pale ass
  lacking a deerskin flap to cover it. That was an invitation for Indian love.
  At the river, in the woods or out in the prairie they were fucking him. A
  thirteen year old boy named Looks-in-hole would rim Chris to make the way
  slippery for his waiting friends. His name was well earned. Each boy took
  their turn with few of them able to cum. When Christopher satisfied them all,
  Looks-in-hole sucked out cum from that pale ass but he wouldn't put his own
  inside. I don't remember him ever getting off with us. When we swam, Chris
  had noticed the boy's small balls for his age. He probably suffered from a
  lack of manhood like Hawk Flying Over did.

     I can't enjoy youths as my former self had done in his day. It's illegal.
  Chris freely gave his butt to boys big and small but didn't allow a man to
  take him except for Owopspec. That's where he drew the line to remain loyal
  to his lover. I'm different from my former self in that respect. Men can fuck
  me but I won't cum with them. Chris released with his friends with belly rubs
  and in 'pissing' contests with those youths who had sperm in their balls. I
  think boys are cute and sexy to look at but don't touch! Simon comes to mind.
  He's barely of age to handle the sex Running Water, Jes and I had with him.
  It takes more than being able to cum to prove maturity.

     Jesse wants us to take certain boys on camping trips in the reservations.
  An even number so they can pair up. At that age, they aren't ready for love
  but can learn acts for when they are. Jes and I would teach them. Good things
  to fill their heads while we show them how to express love with their bodies.
  "This is how you prepare a butt." I kiss over Jesse's soft rear curves with
  my tongue licking into him deep. Spit is put in. The wide eyed youths would
  see how two males join their bodies and maybe try it with their companion.
  We'd watch boys practice love acts; not join in.

     I'm rubbing myself against the bed for thrills. Guilt fills me since I'd
  rather share this pleasure with Jes. Where is he? I Reach out and learn that
  he's still talking with his mom. He Asks me to go to sleep since it could be
  another hour. Our thoughts separate. I'm feeling very alone without him but
  his mother needs him. Damn Jake! Because of him, Jes isn't with me right now.

     Another yawn fills my mouth. I'm about to fall asleep.

     The coming months will see Jesse parted from me for stretches at a time
  to be with his grandfather. I don't begrudge my lover's training as the
  tribe's next shaman. He has much to learn in the few moons remaining for
  our aged shaman. Winna has returned to working full time. I'm left alone in
  the house but it isn't empty since Jake is with me during the summer. This
  boy is coming around to accepting that he's gay with our help.

     We've become good friends, Jake and I. He's often wrestling with me in
  bed. Sometimes naked. Our strength is tested against each other but he has
  the skill to pin me easily. Again and again. I'm enjoying the feel of his
  smooth body against mine as we twist in different positions. I end up facing
  the sheets. Jake lays fully over my back while pulling on my shoulders. His
  balls are mashed against my butt. The lower shaft of his cock is sunk between
  my cheeks while he thrusts. He's a needing boy without a lover to be with.
  Instead of getting a wet back this time, I stick my ass up that slips his
  oozing knob towards my hole. He's too deep into his thrusts to notice. Our
  male bodies connect where I'm savagely fucked. Only after he cums in me does
  he regret what's happened. "I've given myself to Jesse's uncle so why not
  his cousin?" Jake accepts that.

     While we catch our breath, I rub against the bed for my own release. His
  cock moves through my asshole by my body 'stretching'. It feels great! I'm
  getting close when Jake goes for seconds. He has reach to massage my prostate
  gland that's driving me wild! "Ride me hard, boy. Go for it again!" I cum.
  That tightens my hole around his cock which spurts in me again. Oh, yeah...
  I'm losing myself to that soothing male relief putting me to sleep.


     Feeling my need to piss, I get up from bed. I'm in an unfamiliar place
  until my foggy head realizes that this is a motel. At the toilet, I lower my
  pants and underwear. Ahhhh. It almost feels as good as cumming to relieve
  myself. I break out in a yawn. And another. My underwear is slipped back up
  and that's when I notice its wet spot. I've had a wet dream much to my
  embarrassment. What really gets my face burning was that it was about Jake.

     I stagger back to bed. It's empty, and when Reaching out for my lover, I
  Sense that Jes is deep asleep in his mother's room. Another night is lost to
  us. How many more do we have together before I'm put in prison?

     My head hits the pillow. I Share in Jesse's dreams that puts me to sleep.

     "We will meet again, Michael."

     Why did Charms A Bird call me by my father's name?

     "That is the name you'll be going by," he answers. "A different place and
  a time. I won't look to you like I do now but you'll recognize me. Help my
  previous self from the angry Blackfoot. They don't know me like you do."

     I'm slowly nodding my head, not quite understanding what he means. We're
  sitting naked in bed at that motel room in Great Falls. Jesse's former self
  has agreed not to take over my lover since his great need has been Passed to
  Charms A Bird, shaman to shaman. He will hunt Trickster Eli Kie down for him.

     "There is one last rite to perform before we part."

     I get the idea that it'll be sexual. My cock is tingling. I'm drawing Jes
  into my arms as we face this Omaha Shaman, deciding whether or not to go
  through with it.

     "You two will become the next leaders of the Mahyee-na after me. My rite
  now will conduct you into this secret male society and you'll seek out new
  members to prevent the Darkness from subverting them."

     He means turning them into evil Tricksters. "What is the Mahyee-na?"

     "I will tell you but afterwards, your memories will be obscured until that
  time when I am gone."

     "Very well." Jesse answers likewise. Charms A Bird holds out his right
  hand and I See it. Both with my eyes (a plain silver ring he wears) and from
  Inner Sight when it glows with Power. A Brilliance that nearly blinds me!


     I'm startled awake by a phone ringing. My eyes open. I feel the lingering
  of my dream about Charms A Bird and try to recapture it. So real! Another
  wailing ring from the phone. I'm trying to ignore it but the memory of what
  that shaman had performed for us in the Great Falls motel room is fading...
  Gone. Silence fills the room. I grab the phone but hear only a dial tone.
  Who was calling me just now?

     :Love! Are you awake now?:

     :Yes. I was trying to remember something.:

     :We dreamed about Charms A Bird.:

     My eyes widen. :What do you remember about his Mahyee-na rite for us?:
  Jes doesn't Answer me. :It has something to do with his silver ring.:

     :It's a shaman concern.:

     That means Jes will hold me to my vow not to press him about such matters.
  :Was that you calling me on the phone?:

     :Yes! Get up and shower so we can get over to the school. We're ready.:

     My decision from last night returns to me. I'm guarding my thoughts since
  Jes won't likely think kindly of me. Jake hasn't changed his mind after
  sleeping on it, I'm sure. They can go visit with him while I avoid further
  abuse at the hands of that dumb kid.

     :Where are you, love?:

     I fly from my bed. :On the way to the bathroom and a shower.: My underwear
  is pulled down and cast to the floor. I'll rinse out its wet spot later. When
  sitting down on the toilet, I Ask Jes something. :Do you need to get into the
  room for clothes or something?:

     :No. I've only brought two sets so I'll wear what I have on right now.
  Hurry, love! My mom is anxious to see Jake. Maybe he's changed his mind.:

     Yeah, right. I'm flushing the toilet. I step into the shower with a razor
  in hand. It's quickly done since Jes is pressing me. I towel off. :What time
  is it?:

     :Nearly nine. We'll meet you by the truck.:

     :Okay.: I streak into the bedroom and put on the previous days clothes
  that have aired out. I'm sniffing this pair of underwear. They'll pass. After
  checking myself in the mirror, I leave the room with the door closing behind
  me with an assuring click. Winna is standing with Jes by the passenger side
  door of my truck. She looks like hell.


  AUTHOR'S NOTE:
  I dedicate this story part to Khasidi. He's wounded my pride through meaning
  to be kind by emailing me detailed corrections to part 15 NtTL, his sharp
  critique and offering comments. Much of his editing doesn't jive with my
  writing style but suggestions of his, sometimes harsh, gets me thinking about
  story elements that I can pursue or improve upon. Receiving praise from my
  Readers is always wonderful. Yet people like Khasidi from the 'dark side'
  really helps me to improve my story telling. Don't take license from my
  remarks to continue offering me exhaustive editing of future story parts,
  Khasidi, but do keep them sharply barbed critique and useful suggestions
  coming my way! I've 'borrowed' that scene he offered me where Jes wants to
  steal Jake away and they end up tickling each other. Thanks.

  I welcome comments, suggestions and questions from all my Readers. If you
  tell me that my stories are great, I smile silently to myself. Sharp barbed
  commentaries gets me roaring in my corner of the Internet as you've seen
  but I welcome that, too. Thanks everyone.   - Vince Water -

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