Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 06:55:25 -0700 (PDT) From: Thomas Gaige Subject: Brothers, Friends, & Lovers - Chapter 7 DISCLAIMER: The following story is FICTIONAL. It contains descriptions of sexual activities between men, teenage boys, and between men and teenage boys. If you are not over 18 years of age, or if you find this type of story offensive, or viewing this material is illegal where you are, then please DO NOT READ IT! If you choose to read it, then - I hope you enjoy it! Brothers, Friends, & Lovers Chapter 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jason drove Paul to the airport in Burlington. He helped Paul get all of his luggage inside and checked. The airline allowed him to take his extra baggage - for a fee of course. Paul used his "emergency" credit card his parents had given him to pay for it. "Might as well make some use of this, before he cancels it," he said ruefully, as he shoved the card back in his wallet. Jason hung around for a while with Paul, until it was time for Paul to go to his gate. As it got close to time for them to part, Paul was getting more and more nervous. He realized he wasn't at all sure of what Darren's reaction would be to all of his news, expecially the fact that he was HIV positive. He hadn't called Darren since he found out. Oddly, Darren hadn't called him in the interim either. Regardless, he knew that no matter what Darren's reaction would be, that their relationship would be altered forever. Jason tried to reassure him that everything would be OK, and promised him that he was just a phone call, e-mail, or IM away, if he needed to talk. "Well, if things fall apart with us, I can always quit school, and get a job and an apartment," Paul said. "I won't be coming back here though, no matter what!" "Paul, don't say that!" Jason said. "You don't know what'll happen after your father thinks things over for a while." "Yeah I do. Nothing will happen. He never changes his mind about anything," Paul said, sadly. It was time for Paul to go then. The two stood up and faced each other. Paul's eyes watered, as he realized this might be the last time he saw his best friend for a long time. Jason too, felt choked up. He wrapped his arms around Paul and hugged him tightly. "I love you man. And I'll always be there for you. Even if I am clear across the country!" Jason whispered in Paul's ear. Paul wrapped his arms around Jason too, and lost it. While Jason held him, he wept bitterly, with his face buried against the front of Jason's shoulder. "I love you too Jase! And I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me!" He whispered finally, when he got himself together. Then he kissed Jason on the neck, and hugged him tightly. The two stood, remaining in their embrace for a couple minutes. Finally Paul released Jason. "I'll be OK. Promise you'll come visit though!" Paul said. Jason grinned, as he wiped his eyes dry, and said, "Sure thing! I've always wanted to check out California!" Paul grinned and said, "Bye Jase. I do love you!" "I love you too," Jason said. "Safe flight! Call me or e-mail me and let me know that you got in OK." Paul nodded. Then, wiping his eyes, he turned and put his carry-on bag in the X-Ray machine. He emptied his pockets and put everything in a bin and handed it to the security guard, then walked through the metal detector. On the other side, he refilled his pockets, and picked up his bag. He looked back at Jason, one last time, and waved. Jason waved back. Then, Paul turned around, and as another tear escaped his eye, he walked swiftly down the concourse toward his gate. * * * While Jason was seeing Paul off at the airport, his father, Herb Anderson, was at work. He was in a stall in the men's room sitting on the toilet with his pants down around his ankles. A wad of toilet paper was in his left hand, waiting to catch the globs of semen that were about to shoot out of his penis, as his right hand, which was wrapped around his shaft, stroked swiftly up and down its length. A few minutes earlier, Herb had been sitting at his desk, ignoring his work, worrying that his sons might be gay, and that if they were, it was his fault. He'd thought of little else since he and Marge had witnessed their younger son Luke, as he slept snuggled up in bed with his best friend Brian. The image of Luke being so intimate with another male was permanently etched in his brain. Everytime he thought about it though, it reminded him of himself as a teenage boy, and how he had slept the same way with his friend Ralph. Everytime he thought of Ralph, the image of himself and Ralph, copulating in front of the mirror in the upstairs hallway of Ralph's boyhood home flashed into his mind, and he became horny. This of course lead to a trip to the men's room. This was already the third time today that Herb had locked himself in a stall in the men's room to violate himself. As he masturbated, Herb's mind wandered over the images of himself fucking Ralph, and Ralp fucking him. He'd also begun imagining images of Luke and Brian fucking each other on Luke's bed too. As he was masturbating, these images excited him more than any other fantasy he imagined. In particular, he imagined what Luke would look like, and how it would feel for him, if he had Brian's dick up his ass. Herb compared this with how his image looked in Ralph's mirror, and how he felt as Ralph's meat pounded in and out of his rectum. With these thoughts in his mind, it didn't take long for his orgasm to begin. As Herb's orgasm approached, he felt euphoric, and sped up his stroking a little. A couple minutes later, his orgasm was almost there. No one else was in the men's room, so he stood up off the toilet and began pistoning up and down his rod, as fast as he could. Within seconds, he let out a soft groan, as his semen shot through his urethra, and squirted out into the wad of toilet paper he held to the tip of his penis. Herb kept on pumping, and a few more times, over the next several seconds, he gasped quietly, and ejaculated more of his seed into the toilet paper. Just as his orgasm was ending, he heard the men's room door burst open, and he quickly sat back down on the toilet. "Good timing!" Herb thought to himself. Through the crack in the stall door, he saw the new young blonde boy from Accounting position himself at a urinal. He heard the boy's zipper open, and saw him push his butt back slightly, as he dug in his shorts with his fingers, to retrieve his penis. A second later, he straightened back up fully, and Herb heard a loud, strong stream of urine hitting the porcelain. "Damn he must have a huge bladder," Herb thought to himself, as the boy peed for some time. "Must have a big dick too, from the sound of how thick his stream of piss is," Herb also thought. "Sure as hell wouldn't mind getting a gander of his tool!" Herb added to himself. Finally, the blond boy finished peeing. Through the crack in the stall door, Herb watched as the boy's ass muscles flexed a few times in his tight jeans, as he squirted his last few drops of urine out of his urethra. Then he leaned slightly again, pushing his butt back toward the stalls, as he replaced his penis in his pants. Herb heard the zipper close, and the boy walked to the sinks. He washed his hands quickly and left. "God what a cute ass," Herb thought. Then, quickly, before anyone else came into the bathroom, He stood up and wiped the final drops of cum from his now, soft penis, and threw the toilet paper into the toilet. He flushed, then re-dressed. As Herb stood before the mirror washing his hands a minute later, he looked in the mirror, and saw the look of disgust he wore on his face, for himself. "Why do I lose that happy feeling so quickly after I cum?" Herb thought. Within a minute or two after every orgasm he ever had, all Herb felt was loathing disgust for himself! "That's because, Herb," Herb continued thinking, "You are a sick and twisted pervert! You should loathe yourself!" Thoroughly disgusted with himself, Herb went back to his desk. It was quitting time by then, so he packed up his things and left. * * * As Herb was driving home, he continued thinking about what a disgusting person he was. He got angrier and agrier with himself. As he drove along, he saw a tavern in the distance, on the side of the road, and decided to pull in and have a couple belts. Maybe that would take his mind off his sexual problems. When he entered the dark tap room, Herb was surprised to see Ray Kelsey sitting alone at the bar. He was more surprised to see that he was drinking a double whiskey, rather than his usual pint of Guinness. From the sound of him, and his actions, this wasn't his first drink either. Although he really had wanted to drink alone, Herb sat down next to Ray, as it would've been really impolite not to, since they were good friends. "Hhi Hherb!" Ray overexaggerated his greeting to his friend, drawing out his "H's". "Hi Ray! How are you?" Herb asked. "Loushy!" Ray replied. "What's wrong?" Herb inquired. "Don' wanna talk 'bout it!" Ray slurred. "OK," Herb said. "I hope you're not driving though Ray, I think you've had too much to drink, if you are." "I wash, but I'll take a tackshi I guessh," Ray said. "He gave me his car keys when he got here and told me to call him a taxi when he was ready to go," The bartender said. "I'm probably going to cut him off after one more anyway." Herb smiled slightly and ordered a double shot himself, telling the bartender he wouldn't be getting drunk, and would be able to drive. Ray ordered another then too, and the bartender told him that was his last one. Ray just gave him a wobbly nod. As the two men drank their drinks, Herb asked Ray again if there was a problem. Ray, who was drunk enough now, not to remember he hadn't wanted to talk to anyone about it, blurted out "YESH! Of Coursh!" "What's wrong?" Herb asked. Unsteadily, Ray looked at him, then he looked around. No one was sitting nearby, so Ray leaned into Herb's face and said "I losht my shon!" "What?" Herb asked. "Paul," Ray replied. "He'sh gone..... Fer good." "What? Why?" Herb asked, wondering if Jason knew what had happened, and if that's why Paul had slept over the night before. "I found out he'sh queer!" Ray answered, tottering a little, as he leaned closer to Herb. "What?" Herb asked, incredulously. "He'sh a fag, 'n he'sh got AIDS!" Ray said finally, pounding his fist on the bar. "He's got Aids?" Herb hissed quietly. "Yup! Shosh I threw 'im out!" Ray said. Herb's eyes got big. "That would account for why he seemed so strange at dinner," Herb thought. Then he was thunderstruck. He remembered that Paul had slept in the same bed with Jason. "Holy Fuck! Is Jason gay too? Does he have AIDS too?" Herb thought. He quickly downed the rest of his drink, got up, dropped some money on the bar and raced out the door, with only a quick good-bye to Ray. * * * When Jason walked in the door, he found his mother cooking supper. She looked worried. "Your father's in the living room. He wants to talk to you," she said, drying her hands on a towel. Jason looked questioningly at her, but she didn't reply. Wondering what was going on, he walked into the living room, with his mother trailing him. His father was sitting in his favorite chair, drinking a large glass of whiskey. He looked at Jason accusatively. Luke was sitting on the couch, playing with his GameBoy. "You wanted to see me?" Jason asked. "Luke, go to your room!" his father said, harshly. Flashing Jason a slightly frightened look, Luke scampered out of the room, and up the stairs. "I ran into Ray Kelsey on my way home tonight!" Herb said, staring at Jason. Jason felt his heart beginning to race. He didn't say anything. He just continued looking at his father. "He told me something rather shocking!" Herb said. Jason just continued looking at his father. Herb stared at him a moment, then continued. "Did you know that Paul is queer?" Herb asked. "Oh my!" Mrs. Anderson, exclaimed with surprise, as she walked into the living room. Jason didn't know what to say. "Well, did you?" Herb asked. Jason was in a quandry. If he told the truth, he was sure his father would put two and two together, and figure out that he too was gay. On the other hand, if he lied, his father probably wouldn't believe him, and then he'd think everything he said was a lie. Jason was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. Finally, Jason looked at his father somewhat miserably, and said "yes." Jason heard a bump on the stairs, and glanced out into the hallway toward them. Luke was sitting half way up them, listening. He looked at Jason in shock. "You knew?" Mr. Anderson asked, staring at his son incredulously. "Yes," Jason repeated. "How long have you known?" Mr. Anderson asked. "I don't know," Jason said, averting his father's stare. "Then you've known for a while! You didn't just find out yesterday?" his father asked. Jason just nodded slightly. There was a pause for a moment, during which Mr. Anderson continued staring at his son. "And you've slept in the same bed with him, knowing all along that he's a homo?" Mr. Anderson asked, incredulously. "It's not like that! He's my best friend!" Jason said, anxiously, dreading what his father would say next. Herb looked at his son. In the split second Jason looked him in the eye, he knew. He saw the overwhelming guilt. In his heart he knew what it meant if a boy shared his bed with another boy who he knew was queer. No straight boy would do that, and most wouldn't even maintain a friendship with a fag. He knew that his son wouldn't be an exception to that rule. He knew that if his son was heterosexual, he wouldn't sleep with Paul. He also saw the fear in his son's eyes. He knew Jason was dreading his next question. He considered dropping the subject, but he couldn't. It seemed to Jason that his father had a glimmer of sadistic pleasure in his eye as he asked "So are you YOU a homo too? I mean I don't know any hetero guys who would sleep with a homo, no matter what good friends they're supposed to be!" Jason felt his eyes misting. His chest constricted too. He was scared to death that if he told his father the truth, he'd end up being booted out, just as Paul was. At the same time, he expected that if he said he wasn't gay, that his father wouldn't believe him. Again, he was in a quandry over what to say. As soon as Herb saw the new look of anguish in his son's eyes, he instantly felt ashamed of himself for torturing the boy like he was. Afterall, he remembered, if Jason was a homo, it was his own fault. Jason would've gotten it from him. Before either Jason or his father could say anything else though, Mrs. Anderson stood up and berated her husband "That's enough with the inquisition Herb! You leave Jason alone! He can't help it if his friend is gay! This discussion is over! Jason why don't you go upstairs and wash up for supper. We'll eat in ten minutes." Before anyone could say anything else, Jason bolted from the room, and ran upstairs, trailing Luke, who'd jumped up and raced up the stairs ahead of him. As he ran upstairs, Jason overheard his mother saying, "Don't you bring that up again either! I won't have you questioning our children like you're some grand inquisitor from Spain!" In the living room, Herb just stared at his wife for a moment, as she glared at him. Then, after she'd spun on her heel and marched back out into the kitchen, a tear escaped Herb's eye and ran down his cheek. He wiped it away, and downed the rest of his whiskey. Then he got up and walked into the downstair's bathroom. * * * "Are you alright?" Luke asked his brother, as Jason brushed past him, and ran into the upstair's bathroom. Jason looked at him through watery eyes, and nodded, then shut the bathroom door. He was feeling a myriad of emotions ranging from pain to fear to anger over his father's questioning. He was also marveling at how his mother had intervened and stopped his father from questioning him any further. He wondered if she suspected that he was gay, and it was her way of keeping things on an even keel, by ignoring a suspicion, or if she felt that he was straight, and had been insulted herself by her husband's interrogation of him. Either way, it had worked. At least for the moment he was off the hook. Ripping a couple Kleenexes from the box sitting on the top of the toilet tank, Jason sank down onto the toilet and sat for a minute, drying his eyes. After a couple minutes, he'd gathered his emotions. He got up, splashed some water on his face, and dried it. He peed, and washed his hands, then went to his room and began packing his things, as he was due to leave early the next morning for school again. Five minutes later, Luke stuck his head in the door and said it was time for supper. Glumly, Jason followed Luke downstairs to the dining room. As they all sat down to eat, Jason and his father kept glancing at one another. Mrs. Anderson gave her husband a stern look after a minute of silence. Mr. Anderson cleared his throat and said simply, "Jason, I'm sorry about the third degree earlier." Jason didn't respond. He just looked up at his father. They looked at each other for a moment. Sensing the obvious tension that still hung in the air, Mrs. Anderson began a conversation about something funny that had happened to her at work earlier. Luke jumped in, and the two directed the conversation away from serious topics. By the end of the meal, there was still an uncomfortable feeling between Jason and his father, but the whole family was talking. * * * Once supper was over, Jason went back up to his room and finished packing. Luke joined him in his room, and as Jason packed, they talked about what had happened earlier. Luke wanted to know what Jason would've told their father, when Herb had asked if he was gay. "I really didn't know what to say," Jason answered, as he finished packing the last of his things. "Now though, I know if he ever does ask, I should say I'm straight. Otherwise, he might throw me out like Paul's father did!" Luke didn't reply. He just looked at Jason miserably. "You'd best not do anything to cause him to suspect you're gay either," Jason said to Luke. "Most certainly, make sure your door is closed, and locked when you and Brian are together!" Luke turned red in the face, and averted Jason's look. "You saw us the other day didn't you?" he asked after a few seconds. Jason smiled slightly and said, "Yeah. You two are hot! Looks like you know how to enjoy yourselves too!" Luke turned beet red then, and Jason smirked at him a little. "Just close your door from now on!" Jason said, finally. "I will," Luke said softly, as the redness started to fade a little. Jason stepped closer to his brother, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. He picked Luke's face up by the chin and looked down into his eyes. "And if anything ever goes wrong, and Dad gives you trouble. Come to me! I'm your brother and I love you! I always will! And, I'll always be there for you!" Jason said, seriously. Luke smiled up at Jason and said, "Thanks! I love you too!" Luke suddenly wrapped his arms around Jason and hugged him. Jason bent and hugged Luke too. "C'mon! The doughnut shop's still open. Let's go get some!" Jason said. Grinning, the two boys ran downstairs, grabbed their jackets and hollered that they were going out for doughnuts, then they ran out and jumped into Jason's car and drove to the doughnut shop. * * * While Jason and Luke were sitting in the doughnut shop, munching on a big box of doughnut holes, and drinking chocolate milk, Paul was disembarking from his plane in California. As he walked through the gate and headed for the baggage claim area, he wondered if Darren would be waiting for him. The plan had been that Darren was going to pick him up, but he hadn't called Darren in a couple days, and Darren hadn't called him either, which Paul found strange. It was almost as if Darren was trying to avoid him, as much as he was trying to avoid Darren. Paul's heart leapt as he cleared the secured area of the airport, and he saw Darren waiting for him. But then he remembered everything he had to tell Darren, and his heart began racing he was so nervous. Darren, who looked very somber at first, smiled half-heartedly at Paul, but he sure didn't look very happy himself. Neither boy seemed inclined to kiss the other, so they merely hugged. Quietly they walked together to the baggage claim area. "How far out did you park?" Paul asked suddenly. "Why?" Darren asked. "I have more luggage than when I left," Paul said. "How come?" Darren asked. "It's a really long and involved story. I have a lot of things I need to tell you, but I really don't want to talk about it, until we get back to our room, OK?" Paul said. "OK," Darren said, "I need to talk to you too. But I want to wait too. C'mon, you grab your bags, and I'll get a cart, I'm parked a good distance away." Darren got a cart, while Paul began pulling his luggage as it went around the conveyor belt. "Holy Shit!" Darren said when he saw all of it. "I won't be going home again, so I brought everything I wanted," Paul said, without elaborating. Sensing that this was part of what Paul wanted to wait to talk about, Darren didn't say anything. The two piled up Paul's luggage on the cart and silently rolled it out of the terminal, to Darren's car, loaded it up, and then drove back to the school. * * * When the two boys got back to their dorm, they unloaded everything and got it up to their room. "Storing all this is gonna be Hell!" Darren said. "Actually, most of it can stay packed in the suitcases and slide under the bed," Paul said. Both of them used the bathroom, then, they sat down facing each other. "You go first," Darren said. "Mine will keep." "I only hope you'll still want to tell me when I'm finished," Paul said. Darren looked at him expressionlessly. All during his flight back to California, Paul had rehearsed what he had to tell Darren. By the time it was time to say it all, he'd already agonized for several hours about how Darren might handle it. He'd agonized to the point of exhaustion, and now just wanted to get it off his chest, regardless of Darren's reaction. "I have a few things to tell you. None of it is good," he began. "First though, I need you to know that nothing about my feelings for you has changed. I still love you, and want to be with you. However, I'll understand, if after you hear everything I have to say, if you don't want me anymore. I'll find somewhere else to live. All I ask is you give me a few days to do it in." Darren looked a little scared now. Paul didn't give him a chance to interrupt though. He launched into his story, telling how he'd been so sick he had to go to the doctor's, and about the tests for STDs that the doctor had done. Darren didn't say a word, but just kept looking steadily at Paul. Paul continued then and told Darren about the results of his tests. When he finished, both he and Darren had tears in their eyes. Darren looked at Paul and said "That's all pretty much the same thing I had to tell you too. I don't have any warts, that I know of, but I've got gonorrhea, and I'm HIV positive too. I found out over the holiday as well." Both boys started crying then. Paul got up and moved over to Darren's bed, and the two sat crying, wrapped in each other's arms for a few minutes. Once they'd both gotten control of themselves, Darren quickly told his story about finding out. They talked about it then, and found they both were on the same types of medication and had the same instructions from their doctors. They tried to figure out how they got it, and who they got it from, but they couldn't come up with an answer. In the end though, they both agreed that it wasn't either of their faults, that one or both of them had to have gotten it from one of the guys they'd had sex with after classes at the baths or porn shops. They talked some more yet, both saying they still wanted to be together, but both agreeing to hold of on any sexual activity until all their STDs (except the HIV of course) were cleared up, and that they'd never again go to the baths or porn shops. Afterward, both of them were smiling a little at each other, and both felt greatly relieved. They still had each other! "So, you said there was more," Darren said, questioningly. Paul smiled wrly then and told Darren about his father's reaction. "THAT BASTARD!" Darren exclaimed, after he'd heard about Paul being thrown out by his father. Darren said that his parents had been accepting of the fact he was gay, and were just devastated that he was HIV positive. They were being most supportive, and Darren felt they'd like Paul too. Paul smiled a little when he heard that. They talked for another couple hours then, until both of them were exhausted. They both got ready for bed then, and Darren waited a minute while Paul sent a quick e-mail to Jason, saying he'd arrived OK, and that he and Darren had talked and everything was OK between them. He mentioned that Darren had gonorrhea and was HIV + too. After Paul sent the e-mail, the two crawled into Darren's bed, and snuggled up together. "This is nice. It's what I missed the most while we were gone!" Darren said. "Yeah, at least we can still snuggle, even if we can't have sex," Paul said. Both of them fell asleep soon afterward. * * * On the east coast, Jason and Luke had returned from the doughnut shop to find their parents in bed, most likely sleeping already. They both went to their rooms and got ready for bed, then a few minutes later, Luke appeared at Jason's door, asking if he'd like some company. Jason grinned and let Luke in. The two had crawled into Jason's bed, and Luke unabashedly snuggled up to his older brother. Jason smiled to himself in the darkness and wrapped an arm around Luke. As the two boys lay together, their thoughts both turned to sex, and each wondered if the other would be interested in getting intimate. Neither was brave enough to broach the subject though, and the two had finally fallen asleep. In the morning, when Jason's alarm went off, Luke jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom. It was a school day, and he had a bus to catch. Jason waited while Luke used the bathroom, then after Luke had vacated, Jason ran in and used the toilet and took a shower. While he was dressing in his room a few minutes later, Luke knocked. He was all set to go out the door. He ran in and he and Jason hugged each other good-bye. Then Luke tore down the stairs and out the door, heading for the bus stop munching on a pop tart as he walked swiftly down the street. As Jason was heading downstairs, carrying his bags, his mother was coming up the stairs. "I was just coming to say good-bye, and have a safe trip! I have to be at work early today!" she said. They hugged and kissed good-bye, then Mrs. Anderson took off out the door too. Suddenly, Jason realized he was alone in the house with his father, and he felt his stomach begin to do back-flips. Just then, Herb Anderson came out of his bedroom, wearing his housecoat yet, and noticed Jason. "Ready to leave?" he asked. "Yeah, I was just going to grab a pop tart before I loaded up," Jason said. "Have a cup of coffee with me," his father said, heading for the kitchen. Herb poured two mugs of coffee and added liberal amounts of 1/2 & 1/2 to them, while Jason toasted a couple of pop tarts. When they were done, he toasted two more. Then, he and his father sat down together and shared the pastries, and their coffee. The paper was on the table. Together they looked at the front page headlines, and discussed world topics for a few minutes. When the conversation died down, neither said anything. The silence was awkward, and both hurriedly finished their breakfast. Afterward, Jason packed his car up, then he and his father awkwardly said good-bye to each other. Jason went out and got in his car, and headed back to school then, as his father watched through the window in the door. After Jason drove away, Herb went to the bathroom, stripped, and got in the shower. Using the hand-held showerhead, he directed the spray of warm water onto his genitals, enjoying the tingling feeling. Once his penis was fully erect, he suds'd it up with some beauty soap of his wife's, then he slowly beat off, only this time he wasn't imagining himself and Ralph, or Luke and Brian. This time the image in his mind was of Jason fucking Paul up the ass. Just as Jason began pumping Paul's rectum full of cum, and Paul began spraying the sheets of Jason's bed with his semen, in Herb's fantasy, Herb began ejaculating his own cum, all over the shower curtain. When he was finished, and had rinsed away the evidence, Herb's mood changed and he felt like he was going to vomit. Mentally, he berated himself for having fantasies about his son having sex with another boy. He felt completely disgusted with himself, as he dried off and dressed for work. * * * Jason was happy when he got back to school. Dan was there already. Even though it was late, the two sat up talking even later into the night. Dan spoke first, telling Jason about his vacation. When he was through, Jason asked how Lisa was. Dan looked guiltily back at him, and didn't answer immediately. Jason said "Are you still together?" Dan nodded. Jason smiled slightly and said, "Then I expect you slept with her. It's OK. I get it." "I'm sorry Jase! Y'all know I'm bi! An' y'all know I love y'all, but I love Lisa too," Dan said. Jason smiled, and said "Yeah." Then, Jason asked Dan if he told Roy about 'them'. Dan looked guilty again, as he said he did. Jason looked at him, and said "you slept with him too - didn't you?" Dan looked really guilty, but admitted, they'd had sex a couple times over the vacation. Jason was quiet a minute. Dan said "Didn't y'all sleep with Paul?" Jason said "No, and I never will again!" "Why? Did y'all tell him about us? Was he pissed off?" Dan asked. "Yeah I told him, but no, he wasn't pissed off," Jason said. He told Dan about Paul and Darren, and Paul's HIV and STDs. "Oh man, that sucks!" Dan said. "would y'all have had sex with him otherwise though?" Jason thought, then guiltily smiled and nodded. "Yeah - so it's OK about you and Roy!" he said. "It doesn't change a thing about 'us' though" Dan said. Then he grinned and started stripping. Jason grinned and stripped too. The two spent about 45 minutes pleasuring each other, having a couple of orgasms each, before exhaustedly crawling under the covers together and going to sleep. * * * And so it was, that Jason and Dan settled in together again on the east coast, and on the west coast, Paul and Darren settled in too. For Paul and Darren though, life was more difficult. They both had a lot of medicines to take, and doctors to see. Eventually their gonorrhea cleared up, and Paul got his warts removed. After that, since they both were HIV positive, but clean otherwise, the two settled into being a completely monogamous couple, who learned to experiment with various ways of pleasing each another. True to his word, Paul never returned to Vermont after that, opting to spend his holidays with Darren's family, who happily welcomed him as Darren's boyfriend. They became like Paul's own family. Paul did keep in touch with Jason though via e-mails, IMs, and phone calls. Both hoped that one day, they'd see each other again... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next chapter in this series will be published shortly.