Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 00:55:54 -0800 (PST) From: Pok Bepxtep Subject: Sander - chapter 7 SSSSSSSS AAAAAAA NNN NNN DDDDDDD EEEEEEEEE RRRRRRRR SSS AAA AAA NNNN NNN DDD DDD EEE RRR RRR SSSSSSS AAAAAAAAA NNN N NNN DDD DDD EEEEEEE RRRRRRRR SSSSSSS AAA AAA NNN NNNN DDD DDD EEE RRR RRR SSS AAA AAA NNN NNN DDD DDD EEE RRR RRR SSSSSSSS AAA AAA NNN NNN DDDDDDD EEEEEEEEE RRR RRR XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX by Pok Bepxtep XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Chapter 7: Secrets are fun ---------------------------------------------------- The working week after Sander's first sleepover went by in a flash, or so it seemed. The boy's energy seemed to hang around the house like some intoxicating fumes. Intoxicating in a good way, mind you. That effect was strengthened even more by the note my little prince had left on his desk, which was now attached to the fridge by two magnets, so I could read it every time I was in the kitchen looking for something to eat. It was almost symbolic, too: my appetite was inspired by my hunger for Sander's company. I didn't hear from the boy throughout the week. The tournament had been the conclusion of the soccer season, so there were no more rides to the training grounds to pick him up and drive him home. It was only when Friday arrived that I started getting a bit anxious. Before sending him home, Sander and I had agreed to not tell his grandmother about how we'd spent the morning together. But it wasn't unlikely that in his enthusiasm, Sander might have hinted at his being naked the whole time. His grandmother knew and approved of his sleeping habits and we had more or less agreed on allowing him to do so during sleepovers, but there had been no mention of what Sander was permitted to do outside of his bedroom. It was a text message from Annie, which I received while I was shopping for food for the weekend on my way back from work, that hinted at the lady knowing more about what had occurred during Sander's first overnight visit. 'We need to talk.' The message said, but I could easily detect the seriousness of her request-slash-order. I texted her back, saying I would be home in an hour and that I was expecting her. It was with a fair amount of fright that I sat in the living room, waiting for Sander's grandmother to arrive. So, unlike before, the ringing doorbell was not a sound I welcomed warmly. Still, I got up from the chair and went to the door to let Annie in. To my surprise, Sander stood by her side, dressed in a pair of blue faded jeans and a green hoodie. That made it difficult to judge what Annie's intentions were and what exactly she wanted to talk about. I tried to see Sander's presence as a positive thing, but because I'm generally pessimistic, I decided to make it out as Annie's kind offer to grant me a chance to say goodbye to her grandson. I invited Annie and Sander to take a seat and offered them a drink. When we were all together in the lounge with our chosen beverages, with Sander unexpectedly close to me, I waited for Annie to share what was on her mind. She did so after taking a sip of her coffee. "You're probably wondering why we're here," Annie started. "I am," I confessed. "But I expect this has something to do with last weekend." "It does," Sander's grandmother confirmed. "Sander told me everything you two did together." Not quite knowing what everything meant, I decided to let her explain. "Is it something I did, then?" The woman shook her head and answered: "It's rather something you didn't do. Sander told me about sneaking into your bed during the night. You should have told him not to do that." "I didn't see any harm in him doing that," I said honestly, wondering if she also knew what her grandson had been wearing when he snuck into bed with me. "It didn't bother me. Besides, I only found out until morning when it was time to get up, so he didn't even wake me." "I'm sorry I did that," Sander apologized with a guilty look on his little face. "I won't do it again." "Hey, hey, it's okay," I quickly shushed him. "You did nothing wrong, okay?" "Really?" the boy asked. "Really," I nodded, squeezing his hand in comfort. The boy smiled back at me and held onto my hand, showing me we were on the same side. Of course we both knew what really happened that Sunday morning. I then turned to his grandmother and said: "I actually don't see where him sneaking into bed with me could be wrong." "It's not," she sighed. "But Sander told me how you spent the next hour or so in bed, chatting and cuddling with him." "We did do that," I admitted. "You know as well as I do how affectionate Sander is." "Of course I know," she said, rather angrily. "He's my grandson. You're just a friend of his." "I see," I nodded understandingly, feeling a bit offended to be seen as ‚just a friend'. "So because I'm just a friend, you'd rather I push him away next time he wants to cuddle." "No," she said. "It just doesn't seem... normal for a man like yourself to get so close with a boy who's not even related to him." Finally the truth came out. What Annie was trying to say was that she thinks that I had a second agenda for my friendship with her grandson. It was a tricky situation, because she wasn't too far from the truth. I might not intend to have sex with the boy, our cuddling that morning had been a lot more personal than mere cuddling. Sander's being naked practically all morning and me rubbing his little butt were close to being sexual. I had to choose my words carefully from now on and make sure I got that nasty idea out of her head. I went with the offensive approach... I had to make sure that what Annie and I talked about next didn't raise too many questions with Sander, though. "Oh, now I see where this is going," I quickly said. "You think I want more than Sander's friendship." "You already have more than that," Annie said. "Sander loves you to bits and I can tell you feel the same way about him. I just don't know what kind of love it is you feel for him." "You're right about me loving him to bits," I said, briefly looking at my Little Prince, who blushed a bit when he heard me say that. "Sander's a special boy and I want to give him every bit of attention he deserves. That's why I would never be able to push him away if he wants to cuddle. And I'll admit I enjoyed it just as much as he did. I know the boy trusts me almost blindly and I would never do anything to damage his trust." "Then I suppose you'd do exactly the same if he showed up beside you in bed next time," Annie said. "Most likely," I nodded. "I thought it was quite nice to wake up and find Sander next to me. It happened so spontaneously. I'd have broken his little heart if I'd told him not to do it. That's the last thing I want to do." "Would you ever ask him to spend the night in bed with you?" Annie wanted to know. "No," I said honestly. "He's got his own room to go to. If he ever gets to sleep over again, I'll send him to his own bed, so he can get a good night's rest. But he's always welcome to come into my room in the morning." "Would you ever do anything besides cuddling?" Annie finally asked, wanting to know if I had any ill intentions with her grandson. "Well, I know Sander's quite ticklish," I joked, poking Sander's side to prove my point. "But other than tickling and cuddling, there's nothing I will ever do." Annie sighed deeply and thought over my last answer for a bit. She looked back and forth between the boy and me, thinking about what she'd decide. I knew quite well my friendship with Sander was at stake here. In the end she smiled at me and said: "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Something tells me your love for Sander is more than what you just told me, but as you said, my grandson trusts you blindly. Sander's usually a good judge of character and he's never been happier than since the day he met you. I don't want to break his little heart, either, so I will allow you to be friends with him. All I'm asking is that you won't damage the trust I have in you, just as you wouldn't do for Sander." It was my turn to sigh. "Thank you, Annie," I said. "I promise I will never hurt Sander in any way. I wouldn't forgive myself if I ever did that." "That's all I need to know," Annie finally declared. She then turned to her grandson, who was smiling broadly. He was clever enough to understand what had just transpired between his grandmother and me and that he could still be friends with me. "Now, then, sweetie, why don't you show me that room of yours." Happy to be allowed to show off the bedroom he helped decorating, he deftly slid off the couch and told his grandmother to follow him upstairs. I decided to let the two have a private moment, allowing Sander to proudly show his granny what a great job he'd done. I carried the cups and glasses we used for our drinks during our emotionally rather heavy chat into the kitchen, not bothering to clean them, and decided to call it a day as soon as my friendly neighbors had gone back home. When they came back downstairs, Sander climbed onto my lap and hugged me tightly. He seemed extremely excited about something. "So, my Little Prince, did your grandmother like your room?" I asked him. "Uhuh, yep," the boy nodded cheerfully and then grinned cheekily. "Guess what?" "What? Does she want to keep it to herself?" "No, silly," he giggled, slapping my shoulder playfully. "Guess again!" Not having a clue, I just shrugged. "I don't know kiddo, what's going on?" "I'm staying here tonight!" he announced almost victoriously. "Isn't that great?!" "It sure is, buddy," I smiled. I meant it, too. This sure was a nice turn of events. "I thought it was the best way to make up for scaring him, earlier," Annie explained. "Sander has grown really attached to you and it would have been wrong to separate you. I'd jumped to conclusions too quickly." "I'm glad you were willing to discuss things with me," I said gratefully. "I would have felt just as bad about losing Sander, especially if I could have prevented it by not being so indulgent." "I'm positive you will know when to say 'no' to him, Robert," she said. "I think your friendship with him is strong enough to overcome any rejections or setbacks." "I'll make sure not to disappoint you," I practically swore. "So when do you want him back home?" "At lunch, tomorrow," Annie said. "It's a Saturday morning, so I'll be tutoring a few students. Since the soccer season is over, he'd get bored at home anyway." "Okay, then. I'm pretty sure we'll find something to do," I said and then poked the boy's sides. "Won't we, buddy?" "Yep, we will," he nodded, giggling at the ticklish effect of my fingers poking him. When the effect wore off, he got up, clasping his crotch and hopping on his little feet. "I gotta go pee real bad!" "You know where it is, buddy," I smiled. "You don't have to ask if you need the bathroom. Hurry up, before it's too late." Sander quickly rushed upstairs to relieve himself. Annie got up as well and announced her going home. When her grandson returned from answering the call of nature, she gave him a big hug and told me to behave while he was with me. Sander of course promised to be a good boy and then gave her a loving goodnight kiss. My Little Prince and I then stood by the door, saying our goodbyes to Annie. "What do we do now?" Sander asked as soon as his grandmother was out of sight. "Not much, I'm afraid," I said. "It is getting a bit late. Why don't we watch TV for a bit, see if we can find anything good to watch." "Oh, okay," my little friend just said. "You do have some snacks, right?" "Sure I do," I smirked. "Go check the kitchen I'm sure you'll find something you like." Sander did as I suggested, while I sat down and zapped through some channels. Besides a football match, qualifier for the World Cup, there wasn't anything on that I found interesting. When my guest reappeared, holding a bag of salted peanuts and a glass of Ice Tea, he flopped down right next to me. He agreed to watch the footy for a bit and got comfy, kicking off his sneakers and shuffling as close to me as he could, his right arm draped over my belly. The bag of nuts was strategically placed on the other side of me, so he could easily reach for the snacks, without having to let go of me. That made it perfectly clear that it didn't matter what we were watching, as long as he got to sit close to me. At half time, Sander looked up at me, yawning. "I'm tired," he said. "I can tell," I smiled. "Why don't you go hop into bed? I'll come tuck you in in five minutes." "Okay," he nodded, getting up slowly, reluctant to let go off me. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Although that was a tempting idea, I decided to be the responsible adult, but not without giving him some options that would make him happy, after all. "It's better if you get into your own bed, buddy," I told him. "I'm gonna watch the rest of the game, so I'd probably wake you up when I go to bed, myself." "Oh, okay," he sighed, genuinely disappointed. "That doesn't mean you can't join me when you have to get up in the middle of the night to pee, or something," I then said, caressing his arm. "I'd be happy to wake up right next to you, like I did last time." Sander's face instantly lit up again, happy with the prospect of getting to spend of his Saturday morning in bed with me. I'd already figured out that was why he'd asked to sleep in my bed in the first place. I had enjoyed the way Sander and I had spent the first moments of that Sunday morning and I was looking forward to do that again, just as much as he was. I patted his thigh and said: "Now, go on upstairs and brush your teeth. I'll be with you in a bit to tuck you in." "Okay," the munchkin simply replied. I watched Sander as he clambered off the couch and slowly headed up the stairs. I picked up the remainder of the peanuts and carried them and the other stuff we used into the kitchen. I then climbed the stairs as well and headed into my boy's bedroom. It was still empty. I decided to sit down on the bed and wait for Sander to return from the bathroom, where I heard him gurgle and spit. A few moments later my Little Prince walked into the room and smiled at me. "You're too early to tuck me in, Uncle Rob," he said. "I'm not ready for bed yet." "Well, then, best get to it, huh," I smiled at him. "Yep," he nodded. It was only when he started taking his sweater off that I realized that in Sammy's book, getting ready for bed means taking his clothes off. I had seen the boy naked, of course, but I didn't know if he would mind me being there when he sheds his clothes. "Do you want me to step out for a minute so you can get ready?" I asked, wanting to give him some privacy if he needed it. "Why? You already know what I look like," he just shrugged, holding his sweater halfway up his chest. "I don't mind you watching me take my clothes off." "Okay," I smiled. "I just wanted to make sure." "Cool," he just said and carried on where he left off. Standing in front of me, he pulled his hoodie over his head and then threw it over the back of the chair that stood next to his desk. He then continued to take off the red t-shirt he was wearing underneath, asking: "What are we gonna do tomorrow?" Seeing Sander reveal his body again had me staring again. Luckily I wasn't completely focused on his bare skin yet, so I heard his question loud and clear. "I don't know, Sander," I shrugged. "We've got the whole morning to ourselves. Any ideas?" "Not really," he said as he undid the button of his jeans. He slid the trousers down underneath his buns and then sat down next to me to take them all the way off, leaving him in just a pair of plain white briefs and dark blue socks. He looked me right in the eye, hesitating to make his suggestion and then almost whispered: "I liked what we did last time. I mean, if that's okay with you." I smiled lovingly at him, knowing he simply wanted to do anything that would involve me touching and holding him. The unique physical closeness we'd shared had been the perfect way to start the day. It was something reserved between my Little Prince and me and in all honesty, I was hoping he would come back for more. I was not about to let him down. "That means cuddling, tickling and playing the bongo drums, then," I said while I watching him slip off his socks. He grinned naughtily when he heard me sum up tomorrow's activities and I reached out to rub his bare back. I leaned in and whispered in his ear as if to make sure it would be our little secret: "I liked that, too." Sander got up from the bed to put his jeans and socks on the chair with his sweater and t-shirt. He then looked over his shoulder with a look of a little devil. "You forgot chasing the little piggy," he giggled and then swept me off my feet by pulling his undies down to his knees and wiggling his now bare buns, only an arm's length in front of me. "Look, still no curly tail," he almost chanted. "You little rascal," I chuckled as I watched him standing there before me, acting silly and being naughty the way I know he would only do for me. The kid clearly wanted to play and I was not going to deny him that. I reached out, grabbed him by his waist and flung him next to me on the bed. As he tried to break free, not convincingly, I pushed him flat on his back and dug my fingers right into his armpits, commencing a tickle fest that had Sander rolling and screaming around on the bed wildly. After a couple of minutes, the boy surrendered, begging for mercy, completely out of breath. As Sander lay there flat on his back, his feet over my lap with his undies still halfway down his legs, I couldn't help but looking up and down his naked body, as always amazed by the sheer beauty of him. My eyes went slowly down his perfectly shaped chest, which was going up and down fast as he regained his breath after the tickle fest. Further down his belly, which was very ticklish and very soft to the touch. This ultimately led me to the most delicate parts of his young body. Like the week before, the effect of our brief spell of roughhousing was evident. Sander's penis stood at full mast and I had to really fight back the urge to reach out and touch it. Somehow I had a feeling he wouldn't mind if I did, but I'd already set my limits at rubbing his bare backside, which was already a treat in itself. Touching his privates would inevitably complicate things and raise the boy's curiosity. Questions about 'stiffies' would come soon enough, but I wanted to put that off as long as possible. My staring had created an awkward silence in the boy's room, but because Sander didn't move a muscle as he lay there before me, I could tell it didn't bother him much. It was only when I looked him in the eyes again that he broke the silence. "When you're done staring, I'd like to go to sleep, now," he chuckled, amused by how much attention I was paying to his appearance again. I reached out and brushed a strand of his blonde hair away from his forehead. "Oops! Sorry, buddy," I smiled. The boy returned the smile and briefly sat upright to slip his underwear all the way off. Before lying back down, he wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug and kissed me on the cheek. "I love you, Uncle Rob," he practically whispered as he lay back down. I got up from his bed and pulled the sheets over his nakedness, tucking him to make him as comfy as possible. Satisfied, I kneeled down beside the bed and leaned over him to give him a big wet goodnight kiss on his forehead. "I love you too, my Little Prince," I said as I looked into his droopy eyes. "Sweet dreams!" "'nite!" Sander yawned. Silently I closed the door to Sander's room, where I know my special guest would be snoozing soundly in no time. I went downstairs to watch the remainder of the footy match, thinking about how this evening had turned out. I couldn't see what had happened as anything but a test from Sander's grandmother. Obviously and not illogically, the boy's stories about how we'd spent our time together last time had gotten her worried. So it wasn't much of a surprise to find her on my doorstep, wanting to know what had happened and how it came to be that I had been rubbing her grandson's posterior. From her enquiry, it was clear to see that she'd drawn a few possible conclusions of her own after she found out I'd had my hands all over Sander's bare backside. I was grateful to her for at least giving me a chance to explain my motives and to try and to bar out some of the possibilities she had figured out. I'm pretty sure part of what she'd thought to be my motivations still stood firm, but luckily and with the help of a very loyal young friend, those motivations no longer excluded me from her grandson's life. I'm quite positive Annie knows I feel more than just friendship for Sander. Heck, she pretty much said so, even if she didn't say it word for word. Her wish for me to be honest about my feelings with Sander was justified. Telling Sander I loved him more deeply than he probably imagined was on the top of my to-do list. All the topic needed was a moment where Sander and I could talk. What the outcome of that talk would be, I could not predict, because I realized that it wouldn't be easy for a boy as young as Sander to really comprehend. If he needs it, I'd gladly give him all the time it takes for him to let what I tell him seep in. It would be his decision if he wants to keep our friendship alive or not. We had grown very close in quite a short time, though, and I expect the bond between us to be strong enough to overcome something so emotionally heavy laden. I went to bed right after the football game broadcast. Because I'd done all my serious pondering during the game, I could now think about something better: the sweet little boy sleeping just across the hallway who'd become the most important part of my life. As I lay on my bed, mentally replaying his silly 'no-curly-tail' act, my imagination wandered off into the dark corners of my boy crazy mind. In my fantasy, I not only tickled the naked boy, I also did those things I vowed myself not to do. In my dreams, my hands did touch those most delicate parts of Sander's body and the boy happily returned the favor. The effect of those dreams was a mixture of first ecstasy, followed by guilt. The guilt lingered the longest, virtually hitting myself on the head for even thinking about having a sexual relationship with Sander. It proved all the more how difficult it will be to not let things get irreparably out of hand. Those were the last thoughts in my mind before I fell asleep. ---------- It was the unusual sounds that woke me up the following morning. I was lying on my side and the little noises came from behind me. My eyes adjusted to the daylight seeping in through a crack between the curtains, allowing myself to slowly wake up. That's when I realized who was responsible for that yet unidentified swooshing sound that repeated itself rhythmically. I turned on my back and was welcomed by the most welcome view. "Good morning, Little Prince," I whispered, not wanting to startle my buddy. Upon hearing my voice, Sander briefly looked away from the comic book he was reading. "Morning," he greeted me with a warm smile. He then immediately continued reading, seemingly enthralled by the story. Even more obvious than the week before, my guest seemed to be perfectly comfortable. As I observed him, something I'll always love doing, I was happy to see how he'd made himself at home. Apparently, sometime before I woke, Sander had gone downstairs to get himself something to read and had then installed himself on my bed. He lay next to me, upside down and flat on his belly. His little feet were bouncing on the pillow in a steady rhythm, explaining the origin of the sound that had woken me from my sleep. Being on top of the covers, he rewarded me with impeccable view of his bare backside, the cheeks of his little butt flexing with the up and down movement of his feet. Waking up next to the most important person in my life and seeing him so at ease made this Saturday morning a precious moment. The sheer boyish innocence radiating from Sander made my resolve to keep our relationship free of any grownup complexities. Still, I couldn't resist reaching out for the silky softness of my little friend's skin. "Sleep well?" I asked silently, gently letting my hand glide up and down the back of his thigh. "Yeah," he nodded, briefly looking away from the comic book. He shuffled a bit closer to me, pressing his leg against me and keeping his little feet still. That was enough proof to me that he appreciated the touching. I knew that if I wanted his full attention I would have to take things up a notch. I moved my hand to his other leg and let it travel up slowly and past his hip. There, I ventured towards the tender softness of his bare back and then brought my hand back down until it reached the suppleness of his right butt cheek. Although he tried his best, Sander quickly lost his interest in the comic book he was reading. Only after a couple of minutes of feeling my hand following the curves of his delicious little butt, he moved the story aside. He purred appreciatively, not unlike a kitten, and looked back at me over his shoulder with a contented smile. "Feels nice," he hummed. I smiled back at him and said: "Well, I had to do something to get your attention." "Hehe, silly," he giggled cutely and then grinned naughtily. He rolled over on his side, placing his left foot on the bed and looked down at his privates, saying: "Look what happened when you were rubbing my butt." What happened was clear to see: Sander's penis was hard as a nail. Obviously, any shyness he'd had the week before about having a stiffy had gone, which I could only applaud. The fact that he had connected his penis growing hard with my rubbing his backside was new, however. I was well aware that the revelation might arise some questions with my young friend. But I was not about to say more than necessary before he popped those questions. With his little maneuver, my hand had moved from his butt to his hip. I couldn't help but stare at his genitals, which I found perfectly proportioned for a boy only a few months shy of ten years old. Luckily I snapped out of my reverie quickly enough to avoid the moment to become awkward. I caressed his hip gently and let my eyes wander up his belly and chest till they met his, which were looking right at me, expecting me to say something. "You really are a beautiful boy, my little prince," I told him. Before he could react in any way, I held out my arms invitingly and said: "Now why don't you come here and let me give you a proper good morning hug." A broad smile appeared on Sander's little face, shining brighter than any ray of sunlight. Whether it was because I told him he was beautiful or because I was offering him a big bear hug, I can't tell, but it had made him terribly happy. Within seconds he turned around 180 degrees and climbed onto me, letting himself practically melt into me. He wrapped his little arms around me, kissed me warmly on the cheek and then laid his head in the nook of my neck. I embraced him firmly, my hands skating over the smooth skin of his bare back. I kissed the top of his head, burying my nose in his slightly messy blonde hair to inhale his boyish scent. We held onto each other for a couple of minutes, my hands slowly drifting over up and down his backside, occasionally following the delicate curve of his butt cheeks. We didn't utter a single word until the need for a bathroom visit became urgent. Besides that, the physical closeness with Sander and the feel of his naked skin was having the same effect on me as my rubbing his butt had on the boy. That bothered me a bit and I didn't want to risk my little friend to discover it. So, with regret, I gently pushed Sander away from me, silently announcing my need to go pee. I stayed in the bathroom a bit longer than necessary for a simple emptying of the bladder, but I wanted the signs of my state of arousal to be completely gone before I joined Sander again. So I took my time to splash some cold water over my face and to regain my composure. Once I was fairly sure my arousal was no longer showing, I returned to the bedroom, where I found Sander sprawled on the bed, flat on his back. He didn't notice me enter the room, because he was back to reading the comic book he'd smuggled up earlier. But I quickly noticed it wasn't the story that had his attention. He was lying on his belly again, this time with his legs flat on the bed and spread a little. He used his left hand to flip the pages, his right hand was stuck underneath him. His hips were sliding up and down...only slightly, but enough for me to notice. It didn't take rocket science to know my little friend was playing with himself and I thought the sight before me was quite sexy. Sander probably wasn't even aware of me knowing what he was doing and I decided to leave him in peace. Quietly, I left the room, taking a fresh set of clothes for the day and headed to the bathroom to get dressed. I then went downstairs to fix the two of us a hearty breakfast with French toast and hot chocolate milk. Sander joined me in the kitchen about ten minutes later. He was wearing his bathrobe, probably to cover up from the early morning chill that went through the hallway and the kitchen. But what I noticed first was the deep red blush on his little cheeks. That made me wonder if he knew I'd seen him playing with himself. I wasn't going to bring up the subject, though, because I didn't want him to feel embarrassed about it. If he wanted to talk about it, I'm pretty sure he felt comfortable enough with me to do so. After breakfast Sander settled down on the couch for some TV. With the heating turned up a bit, he no longer needed the robe, so he had slipped it off his shoulders and left it draped over the back of the couch. I joined him for his cartoons, Phineas and Ferb, ten minutes later, but didn't see much of Platypus Perry and the others. Although I was already quite used to having my Little Prince with me and to seeing him without any stitch of clothing, I couldn't help but being drawn to him and watch him closely. The wonderful image of Sander's naked body still seemed like a dream to me. I really was head over heels with him and it remained difficult to restrain myself from crossing that line between a close friendship that had every potential of being unbreakable and a sexual relationship that might ruin everything. Although he didn't show it, I was perfectly aware of Sander knowing I wasn't paying much attention to the cartoons. I was still amazed at how quickly he'd grown accustomed to being naked in my presence. I often wondered if he knew he was more than just a very close friend to me. He did hear his grandmother and me talking last night, so he might be wondering what that really was all about. I could just go and tell him, but I preferred waiting until he actually asked me, which would mean he was ready to know what I really felt for him. That moment came more quickly than expected. During a commercial break, Sander got up to fetch some orange juice. My eyes pretty much followed his every move as he left the room and they were glued to him just as much when he returned with his refreshing drink. He'd even brought me a glass, which I gratefully accepted. As he handed me the glass, standing right in front of me, my look involuntarily went down to his privates. I felt a bit guilty about doing that, so I quickly looked back up at the boy's face. I found Sander with a big grin on his face, which told me he'd noticed the brief glance at his boyhood. The little rascal snickered when our eyes met, clearly amused by the effect his naked body had on me. "You sure like looking at me," he said after taking a sip of his juice and putting the glass on the coffee table. "You've been watching me all morning!" "I can't help it, buddy," I sighed a bit guiltily. "I think it's because I still think I'm dreaming when I see such a handsome boy standing before me in his birthday suit. I'll try not to stare so much if it bothers you." Sander's grin never faded when I explained my behavior. "It's cool," he said. "I kinda like it. I know you stare because you like me." "You better believe it, my Little Prince," I smiled warmly at him. "I'll get used to seeing all of you soon enough, but I can never tired of it. Mind you, I'd stare just as much if you'd be fully dressed." "Really?" my little friend asked with a blush. "Really," I nodded. He then crawled sideways onto my lap and laid his head against my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and held him closely. He purred like a kitten as I ran my hand up and down the side of his body and giggled cutely whenever my fingers crossed a ticklish spot. After a while he looked up at me with, smiling broadly. "I like this part the best," he almost whispered. I knew he was referring to our cuddling. After all, Sander was an affectionate little guy and he had learned very quickly that I would never push him away whenever he needs a big bear hug. The fact that the hugging and caressing happened with him being naked gave it a special dimension. "I enjoy cuddling just as much as I like staring," I told him, pressing him closer into me for emphasis. We held onto each other for a few minutes more, until Sander had to get up to empty his bladder. I watched him trot out of the room and sighed deeply, feeling happier than ever. Noon was slowly creeping closer by then, so I wasn't too surprised to see Sander reappearing fully dressed. He sat down right next to me and looked at me, clearly with something on his mind. "Uncle Rob?" he said quietly. "Can I ask you something?" "Of course, kiddo," I smiled, curious about what he had on his mind. "You remember when I bumped into you with my skates?" he asked. "I remember," I nodded. "You then told me you didn't get mad because you didn't want to be a jerk," he recollected. "That's right," I nodded again, slowly understanding what this little chat was about. "Was that really why you didn't get mad at me?" he asked with a look that said he wanted the truth about how I acted back then. "Part of it," I said. "I was actually about to scold you for crashing into me like that, but when I saw who it was who'd hit me, I knew I couldn't get mad at you." "What do you mean, when you saw who it was," Sander asked. "You didn't know me yet." "True," I admitted, "but back then, I saw the most handsome boy looking at me with tears welling up in those brilliant little eyes of yours. I just couldn't find it in my heart to be angry with you." "You thought I looked handsome?" the boy wanted to know. "Is that why you didn't get angry?" "That," I smiled, ruffling his hair a bit. "And I could tell you were a nice kid. Instead of scolding you, I decided being friendly would get me a lot further. A good decision, because I got to know you as a funny, witty, sometimes silly little boy whom I've grown very attached to. A thoughtful, free-spirited boy who's become the best friend I could ever wish for." "Is that what granny meant when she said I was more than just a friend to you?" Sander asked. "Pretty much," I nodded. "You are my Little Prince, Sander. You've become very special to me." "Is that why you're always watching me?" the boy carried on with his query. "That's right," I admitted honestly. "And because you're a cute little devil," I added, tickling his belly to take a little weight of all this seriousness. Sander giggled and shuffled back and forth to evade my tickling fingers. "Silly uncle Rob," he snickered, softly punching my arm to get even. He then leaned forward and whispered into my ear: "I really like being your little Prince." Taken a bit off guard by his heartfelt words, I smiled lovingly at him and reached up to let my fingers brush through his golden hair. Our eyes were glued to each other's for a while before Sander melted into me and hugged me tightly. Of course I happily wrapped my arms around him, holding him like the most valuable treasure on Earth. It was impossible not to be totally smitten with the boy and I thought it was a bit of a shame I couldn't tell him how I truly felt. But at his tender age, he might not understand if I told him I was infatuated with him. It might even freak him out and eventually put the relationship we had at stake. Honesty is a nice virtue, but it's not always the best answer. Sander knew I loved him deeply, which was all I felt he needed to know. Our chat had taken the last bite out of our time together. When I told him to get ready to head home, he clung to me for as long as possible, putting of the moment where I had to take him back to his grandmother. With a deep sad sigh he finally let go and slid off the couch. Before heading to the hallway where he'd left his shoes the night before, a big tooth grin appeared on his lips. "It's nice to have a little secret, huh," he said with a big blush on his cheeks. Of course I knew he was referring to him being naked when he snuck into bed with me the week before. "You bet," I winked at him. He giggled again and then fetched his shoes. He brought them back to the couch and slipped his feet into them, not bothering with the laces. I followed his example and went upstairs to get ready to take my little guest of honor safely home, taking more time than usual. I wanted Sander to be with me for as long as possible. But eventually, Sander and I jointly crossed the street, holding hands. An hour later, after a relaxing lunch with my little friend and his grandmother, I sat in my couch again, sighing deeply, counting the minutes until I got to see the most important person in my life again.