As always, I'm interested in your thoughts. I hope this is a chapter that resonates with you. Drop me a note or make a comment on the blog.

Keep Nifty in mind as you enjoy this platform.

 

11

 

Tariq was one of my teammates. I hadn't seen him since the last game. He was only a sophomore, but for a rookie, he was the tallest player on our team. Tariq was thin framed with beautiful black skin. I recognized him immediately out of the corner of my eye. I looked up immediately when I saw him approaching.

"Tariq! How are you, my man? Good to see you!"

"Thanks, man. How are you?"

"Okay. Trying to get ready for finals."

"I hear ya. Hey, Lance told me what happened to you," he said, his face showing empathic concern. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, brother. That was total shit."

"Yeah. It was rough. I'm working at getting over it." I took a deep breath. "I hope Lance isn't telling too many people."

"I doubt it. I was over at his apartment, and he brought it up in conversation while we talked about your performance in the last game — awesome, again."

Tariq gave me a hug. We hadn't hugged before other than on the court. It was nice. I had really felt supported by the team.

After our embrace, Tariq shuffled his feet. It looked like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure. Finally, he looked up.

"Have you spent any time with Lance? Particularly at his apartment?" he asked.

"Some," I replied, not sure where this was going.

"Have you seen him drinking? Like a lot?"

"Uhhh, he does seem to have a beer in his hand most of the time."

"His fridge is full of it, and his trash is loaded with beer cans. Should we be worried?" Tariq asked.

Huh. While I had concerns about certain parts of Lance's life, that wasn't one of them. It seemed like everyone was preoccupied with drinking while in college. It was never that important to me, but I had enjoyed a beer or glass of wine from time to time. I had noticed Lance with beer around lately.

"I'll try to be aware of it going forward. Thanks."

 

April 22

Tariq has given me something new to worry about. I now wonder if Lance is drinking too much. What is too much for a college student? Everyone drinks when you're in college. It's ... college!

However, I feel bad that Tariq has picked up on it more than me. I'm one of Lance's closest friends. Does he think of me as a close friend? I mean, does he jack off with anyone else??

Am I a good friend if I'm not picking up on clues? I hope Lance is okay.

 

I woke up Thursday morning and immediately said, "I'm 22." I said it out loud to myself. It is so ridiculous that that sounded better than 21, but it did. 21 sounds "barely legal." Now my age sounded like someone who has graduated. At least to me. I felt older.

I didn't really have birthday plans. I knew Mom asked me to spend the weekend at home, so I knew I would get cake and the works then. Today was just another day of classes, but maybe I'd treat myself with a meal out. Maybe with Lance.

My morning classes were fine. I did well on the Tuesday/Thursday classes, particularly the morning ones. It was the Monday-Wednesday-Friday track that kicked my ass.

I left my 11 o'clock and made it out into the sunlight. It was a beautiful day.

Then I made eye contact. Standing mere feet from me was Mike. Mike!!

I ran to him. We hugged. We kissed.

"What are you doing here!??"

He handed me a card.

"Happy birthday, babe," he said.

I looked at him with an expression of shock. "How did you know?"

"A man in love has his ways," he said with a smile.

"Seriously! How did you find out? I never told you."

"When we started the ... break, I was thinking about you at school. I do all the time ..."

I blushed.

"I remember you commenting you'd be 22 by the time you graduated, so I went into the office and went through our records. I was able to find your birthdate, and I made a note of it on my calendar."

"Why aren't you at school? How are you here?"

"One thing I didn't know how to do was get a card to you, so I took a personal day and made sure I was here. Actually, half a day. I taught my first three classes and then rushed here," he explained. "I was hoping I can take you to lunch."

"Yes! Yes. Yes. Yes. Anything."

I hugged him in a stronghold.

"It is so good to see you. Thank you."

I had tried hard to not run to him with everything. He doesn't know about Detrell but does know about us missing out on the playoffs. I supposed I could tell him more about Mom. And Rich.

He offered to take me anywhere, but I had a pizza craving. We both shared the same preferences in pizza, so he easily agreed.

I opened the card in the car. It was mushy, but I appreciated it. He wrote some words following the greeting:

I think of you every day. Every. Day. And I always will. I love you. Mike

Parma Sean's was full of college students, but we managed to get a table. Prior to the pizza arriving, we were able to catch up.

"I can't believe you took time off just to hand me a card," I said.

"I was worried you might skip classes on your birthday, and you wouldn't be there," he said.

"You know me better than that."

"Yes, I know. But everyone's entitled to a little fun on their birthday. I'm glad it worked out," he smiled.

"Me too. How's school?"

"Good," he said. "You only have three more weeks, I have six. Summer vacation still seems far off."

The pizza arrived. It smelled heavenly. Both our eyes lit up as it was placed before us. We each reached for a slice and made sounds and jerking motions like it was too hot and that we should have waited a minute. It made both of us chuckle.

"Speaking of summer ..." he continued. "Would you be willing to go on a trip with me?"

I gave a look of surprise.

"I mean, IF you want to," he quickly said. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to let you have space so that you're sure you really know what you want ... that you're sure you want to be with me ... and I shouldn't rush you. I'm sorry."

"I love the idea!" I quickly said to put his mind at ease. "Where?"

"Well, I thought we could talk about it and decide together. After graduation, you'll have more free time than me, so we can look into some things at that time."

Mike sat his pizza down.

"Oh! Before we eat too much, I want to get a picture of us."

He pulled out his phone, we each held up a slice and smiled. He took the selfie.

"That's the first picture of us you've ever taken," I noted.

"Really? I guess you were always the one taking them. Well, I definitely need to do it more."

"Guess who I ran into this week?" I asked.

He didn't answer with his mouth full, but his expression conveyed "Who?"

"Rich came up to me!"

"Riiiich..."

"The guy who gave me a hard time in the locker room. The teammate who mocked me for being gay."

"Uh oh. What happened."

"He totally apologized and wasn't mad for being kicked off the team."

"I didn't know he had been kicked off. You didn't tell me that."

"Yeah. The coach found out and told him it was unacceptable, and he had to sit out a week — which turned out to be our last week. I'm glad we patched things up."

"Yeah," Mike said, reaching for another slice and not saying anything further.

"Mike, you didn't tell Coach, did you?"

"Me?? No," he said with his mouth full. He swallowed. "Why would you think I did? I don't even know your coach."

"Yeah. I guess. I thought maybe ... I don't know ... you did it to ... look out for me."

"Well, now I feel crappy for not saying something."

I laughed.

"No, no, no. I didn't expect you to," I said. "I just don't know who did."

"Who all saw it?"

"Everyone on the team," I said.

"Hm." Mike didn't say anything further. Switching topics, he asked, "Have you heard from your mom since ... THE talk?"

"Oh yeah. She asked me to come home for the weekend, and we'd celebrate my birthday then. And she said the words `I love you.' I feel a little better."

"Each day will be easier for both of you," Mike said.

We finished the pizza and he told me a few things about his work.

"I hate to say this," I started, "But I do have a 2 o'clock. I'm going to have to head back soon."

"Right, I remember your schedule. I understand. I am SO glad we were able to do this. Before I let you go, I want you to be thinking of something ... I want to get you something for your birthday. I have no idea what. You're graduating, there must be something you need. Or something you wished you had. Think about it and let me know. I want to get you a gift."

"You're already my gift. This time together was fabulous."

"Look at you, throwing around gay lingo."

Mike drove me back the few blocks closer to my next class. Before getting out of the car, he said, "Seriously, I want to get you something. Think about it."

We kissed each other a few times, then I eventually got out of the car. I was so happy that he came to see me. His kisses were still magic.

 

—

 

Three hours later I was sitting in my apartment. I heard a knock on the door. I opened it up. It was Lance.

"Hey bud, I was wondering if you had plans for dinner."

"I actually was thinking about calling you earlier. It's my birthday and I thought I'd treat myself to dinner out. But Mike came to school today and took me out to lunch. I was so excited."

"Today's your fucking birthday?! Why didn't you tell me, dude?"

"Eh, it's sooooo ... look at me. Revolve around me. I don't really go crazy over birthdays. Simple things are best."

"Good. Let's jack off later then. That's simple."

"Good grief!! You are a total basket case, Lance Wheeling!" I got lost in thought. "But you have given me an idea."

"Ooooh?"

"Not what you're thinking, you dog," I scornfully said. "I want to surprise Mike."

"Like ... just showing up?"

"Yeah. I think so. But hey, want to grab something fast for dinner?"

"It's a bit early, but you're the birthday boy. My treat."

The two of us took a walk. We got burritos at Bullfrogs. I took a selfie of us sexually devouring our burritos.

We walked back and stopped at my car. Lance smiled at me and gave me a hug. If we weren't outside, I think he would have tried to sneak a kiss.

"Happy birthday, Trent. I wish you the best. I hope you and Mike have an awesome evening."

"Thanks, buddy."

"And if he happens not to be at hooooome... Well, just sayin'. You know how to find me."

I gave him a look and got in the car. It was 15 minutes to Mike's house. My thoughts ran back and forth. I had tried to maintain my distance during these two months. I was doing better in school without the distraction, even though I missed him terribly. Would he be mad that I came over? There was no way of knowing what he might think. It could be a bad move. But it was a move I was going to make. Damn it, it was my birthday, and I was going to make it special. He did come see me today after all.

It was 6:45. I rang the doorbell. Mike opened the door. There was a look of surprise on his face. Before I even let him have a chance to say anything, I blurted what was in my heart.

"You said you wanted to get me something for my birthday. I'm hoping you don't have plans tonight because I know what I want. And it's right in there."

What was he going to say? What if he had plans? What if someone was there?

Mike rushed into my arms. He held me tightly. After a strong bear hug, he pulled me inside. We kissed for two or three minutes.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"It was sort of spontaneous. I was just praying that a) you didn't have plans, and b) you wouldn't mind."

"Mind. Please!"

"You said you wanted to give me `something you need' and `something you wished you had.' Both of those things are you," I said sincerely.

"I love you so much," he said, grabbing me again for a hug. "Oh man, I just heated up leftovers. Uhhh ... I can put that back, and we can go out to dinner."

"No, actually Lance took me for a quick dinner before I came over. Please, eat what you heated up. I'll just keep you company."

"Want a glass of wine? A beer?"

"No."

I said that too quickly. I wasn't prepared to tell him about Detrell. I got up and pulled a bottled tea out of the fridge.

"Can I ask you a question? When should you worry that someone is drinking too much?" I asked.

"Do you mean me?" he asked quizzically in return.

"No, no, no. Tariq, one of my teammates, asked me if I thought Lance was drinking too much. It's college, so ... I don't know. But now, I'm kind of concerned."

Mike stirred whatever leftovers he had heated up and brought it to the table. He sat alongside me.

"Well, what's your gut feeling?"

"I don't know. I do see him drinking beers often, but ..."

"Is he drunk often?"

"No. At least I haven't seen him that way."

"Has he acted out in anger? Hit anyone that you know of?"

"No."

"Well, be a friend. Keep your eyes open, but don't assume the worst. Yet."

"I guess."

"In three weeks, he has to enter the real world, right?"

Following dinner, I joined Mike in a small cup of sorbet. He even went to the effort to find a birthday candle and put it in my scoop. He sang to me in a silly tone setting down the ridiculous celebratory dessert, but I smiled at the effort. It was just the treat I needed.

He poured himself a glass of wine. I finished pouring my tea over some more ice. We moved to the couch. The sun had set, and twilight could be seen out the window. Mike lit an aromatic candle on the coffee table, and we placed our glasses aside it. Soon, the room smelled of vanilla.

I looked over at the bookshelf. Mike had a few pictures of his family I had seen before. I noticed a new one. It was a picture of the two of us from when we had dinner at Lawrence Creek.

"Hey, you framed a picture of us!" I said with a smile.

"It has helped me through this ... being on hold. I like seeing you every day."

As the lighting continued to darken, we sat reclined on the couch, me leaning back into his body. His arms were wrapped around me. It was calming. Comforting. It was perfect. We laid still until the sky outside was completely dark. I turned to kiss him. We kissed for several minutes. I loved making out with him. My heart was happy. I realized it had been quite some time since I felt this intense happiness. I had missed him so much.

I felt my shirt being pulled over my head. Mike's hands started groping my chest. His touch electrified my skin. I unbuttoned his shirt and moved my hands inside to feel his hairy torso.

"Let's move this to the bedroom," he softly said.

As we got undressed, I went to take a quick piss, which was a little challenging as my penis was almost fully erect. I managed, somewhat. We both took a quick swirl of mouthwash and moved to the bed, already completely naked.

Then Mike left the bedroom, leaving me puzzled. A moment later, he returned with the candle and placed it in the bathroom. It reflected off the mirror and gave a slight glimmer of light in the bedroom. The smell of vanilla followed.

Mike's erection looked beautiful in the candlelight as he returned to bed. I reached for it and just sighed feeling his manhood. It had been several weeks.

Our lips returned to each other. Our faces melded with honest passion. Although it had been weeks since we made love, it seemed familiar, like it was just yesterday. Our sexual connection was still alive.

Between kissing me, Mike softly moaned as I groped his rod.

"Do you want to fuck me for your birthday?" he softly asked.

That sent a bolt of terror through me. It was too soon to have a test done following the night with Detrell. The panic of that night came back, but I snapped out of it. I kissed Mike some more until I felt calm.

"I was thinking my gift could be you being inside me."

We kissed and groped a little more. Mike was laying on his back. I maneuvered my cock to his mouth where he engulfed it. I gently slid it deep into his throat. He was a master at oral sex and swallowed its length. I let my hard-on slowly slide in and out of the warmth of his mouth. He serviced my flesh for a few minutes.

Then I moved off his body to reach down to the drawer where I knew he had lube. I grabbed it and a towel. I saw condoms there too and took one. Using my teeth, I ripped open the packet and pulled it out. I slowly rolled it on Mike's magnificent pole.

"That's a good man," he said in a husky voice.

I was going to slick up his sheathed cock, but he moved me back to the bed. Grabbing the bottle, he squeezed a large drip onto his fingers. His touch slid up and down the crack of my ass. He added more to his fingers. I felt his forefinger gently enter my ass. It explored my tunnel, which caused sensations of pleasure. A second finger entered causing me to moan. Again, it was gentle. I saw him slide lube around his dick, and he positioned it at the pucker of my ass. Lifting my legs, Mike tenderly prodded his erection inside me just barely. It went in easily. He pushed in further.

"Ooooooohhh, that feels good," I said.

It was a slow rhythm as his cock slid in and out of my hole. It was nothing like with Detrell. There was no discomfort. I welcomed Mike's masculinity inside me. He moaned in pleasure, matching my audible delight.

"Ohhhhh, Trent. I have missed you so much," he said tenderly.

He thrust his hips forward and fucked me with more force.

"Oh, yeah! Fuck me, Mike. Fuck me with your beautiful cock."

Both of us moaned for a couple minutes as his rod continued to drive wild sensations through my body. I was so aroused by seeing his iron dick move in and out beneath me, the hairy bush surrounding his adulthood and the furry chest hovering above it all. Our moans and grunts sounded more like animals than people.

He pulled his erection from my hole and kissed me deeply. Then, his arms gently rolled me to my side. He moved up behind me on his side. I felt his hardened steel work its way back deep inside me. Mike groaned in delight. Gently sliding his tool in and out, Mike rippled waves of sexual pleasure through my body.

His arm reached around me. He groped my chest, massaging my pecs and pulling me deeper into his frame. Our bodies were fused with just his dick working like a piston. Both of us moaned, occasionally calling out each other's name. His arm left my chest reaching down to my crotch. He clutched my cock and pulled on it with a manly grip. His stroking brought it back to its full hardness and complete length.

"Ohhh, yeah, Mike. Work my cock. Stroke me."

He shoved his erection harder into my ass. Pounding and pulling, Mike was in constant motion.

"Trent, it feels so good inside you. I've needed you so badly. I love fucking you," he whispered. He pushed harder. "Oh, babe, you make my cock so hard. It's throbbing inside you."

My dick felt on fire.

"Oh, yeah. Keep stroking me. Pull on my cock, Mike. Pull it harder."

His fist gripped my erection tighter, and his stroking increased in vigor. His breathing became incredibly heavy. He panted on my neck. Mike moaned and groaned just inches from my ear. He was a machine. A sexually ferocious machine.

Every vein, every nerve, every cell in my body was electrified. Current ran up and down through my phallic flesh. Every inch of my shaft pulsed with pleasure.

"Ohhhh, Mike. It feels so good. Ohhh yeahhhh. Oh honey, my cock feels incredible. You are bringing me so close."

"Yeeeeaah," he growled, continuing to push his meaty organ into my inner depths.

"Mike, oh Mike, oh Mike! I'm so close. Pull my cock harder!"

He yanked and pulled and jerked and tugged. Sensations built inside my cock like pressure within a volcano. I was going to explode.

"Mike, you're making me come. I'm going to come. Ohhhhhhh fuck! I'm coming!"

My first spasm sent a stream of liquid across the sheets. Mike pulled out and rolled me on my back jerking me harder. The second blast shot midair in the roll. The third launched up my chest. I maintained my screams of pleasure as he made my organ continue to erupt. Over and over I ejaculated on my chest.

"Ohhhh, FUCK!" I yelled when my cock eventually stopped. "Oh, man. Oh, God."

My breathing was so heavy, I almost struggled to catch a breath following the intense orgasm.

One of Mike's legs hopped to the other side of my hips. He now straddled my torso. Ripping the condom off in one hand, he rubbed his hand in my cum and then grasped his cock, jacking it with my sticky liquid. He was pounding it mercilessly.

"Mmmm. Ohhhhh. Trent, I want to come all over you," he said, his face twisted in sexual pleasure.

Mike's eyes were closed. His neck strained as he tilted his head back while his arm jerked his cock feverishly.

"Ohhhhh, babe. I'm getting close. Trent. Ohhhh, Trent!"

His breathing was deep. Anyone walking in would have thought he was hyperventilating. Watching him was magic. It was so sensually hot. This big, gorgeous man towering above me pleasuring himself was the greatest gift I could imagine. This is what was missing with Detrell. When he stuck his cock in me, it was just body parts. It meant nothing. Seeing Mike ready to come meant everything. I was connected with him. I loved him.

Mike leaned over me and looked down. He moved his cock down into more of my cum, sliding it until slick and then stroked himself to climax holding his body up with one arm.

The first spurt of his climax splashed on the bottom of my chin.

"I'm coming, babe," he said out of breath with each pulse of his orgasm. I felt the warmth of his cum land on me. His cock was a fountain. Eventually, the plumbing was shut off. "Fuck yeah!" he whispered, staring into my eyes.

He let go of his cock and rested on both arms, stiffened to hold himself above me. We looked into each other's faces. A smile crossed each of us. He relaxed his arms lowering his body to kiss me. Our chests pressed together mingling the cum of both our orgasms into a single layer of adhesive.

I wrapped my arms around him. We kissed for quite a while.

"Happy birthday, Trent. I love you so much," he told me.

"This is exactly what I wanted."

His hands gently touched each side of my face. My arms around him pulled him tighter to me. We were one.

"If we stay this way much longer, we may be permanently glued together," he said.

"I can think of worse fates."

"You know what is totally great?"

"What?" I replied.

"We need to shower, which lets me feel your whole body all over again."

My smile turned into a chuckle.

Mike got out of the bed and started the shower. He came back and grabbed the towel next to me and wiped his chest. Then he fondled my cock with the towel and wiped my body. I got out of bed and looked down at the tangled bedding.

"Hmm. I guess I should help you change the sheets."

"Were you planning to stay the night?" he asked.

"I packed a bag in case that was a possibility."

"Then we can change the sheets. If you were leaving, I think I might have allowed myself to sleep amid the lube and cum everywhere."

"You're twisted," I said, giving him a wry smile. "Which I love."

In the shower we didn't say a lot. Our hands cleaned and rinsed each other. We were playful enough to cause our dicks to get fairly hard again. The last few minutes we just held each other in the spray. It was like slow dancing in a warm waterfall, just with no music.

Following the shower, I told him that if I stayed, I would have to get up rather early to make it back to campus. He understood. I put on a pair of his boxers and one of his T-shirts. It was a Rush T-shirt. I didn't know much about the band. He went to the closet to grab new sheets. He put on a robe, and we made the bed.

I snuck out to the car in my half-dressed manner. I brought in my bag.

"Is it okay if I write a bit before going to bed?"

"Sure, fine," he replied.

I don't think he knew I meant in the journal he had given me, but when I pulled it out, I saw him smile. He let me sit at the table in privacy, and he went back to the bedroom. He moved the candle next to the bed.

 

April 23

I couldn't have asked for a better birthday. Mike surprised me for lunch. I surprised him in the evening.

Tonight was hot. Totally, freaking, smoking hot. But it helped me put several things into perspective. The two of us have been in this holding pattern for weeks now. I know he wants me to sort my feelings and make sure it's him I love and not just the idea of being in love. Things are much clearer to me.

We're good together. I truly love this man.

 

I put the book back in my bag. I took a moment to send Lance a quick text.

"Spectacular!" was all I wrote.

I also let Paul know I wasn't going to be in tonight.

I saw the robe laying on the bedroom chair. He was already naked in bed. On "his" side of the bed. An enormous smile crossed my face. We have sides of the bed. How did something so insignificant bring me such joy?

I slipped out of the few articles of clothes I was wearing and slipped inside the sheets. I moved close to place my arm around him. I wasn't sure if he had drifted off.

"Mmm," I heard him softly say.

"Were you asleep?"

"Barely," he said, rolling over toward me to lay on his back.

"I'm sorry to waken you."

"Don't be silly," he said, reaching out his arms to invite me to rest on his chest. I complied, placing my head on his shoulder. "Can I tell you something, Trent?"

I lifted my head and looked into his face. "Of course."

"There was a tiny part of me that was scared," Mike started. "I fell in love with you so fast. After all these weeks not being together, I was worried that it wouldn't feel the same. I was terrified that ... `we' ... were just a whirlwind crush. The separation only made me long for you more, not less. Everything about you that made me fall for you ... was just emphasized while we were — or are — apart. You make me happy, Trent."

I placed my head back on his shoulder.

"I can relate to that. I probably felt it both ways."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I wondered if I would feel the same, but after all this time, I was scared you might not feel the same about me, that you might be over me."

His arms held me tight.

"I'm so glad you came tonight. Happy birthday, babe. I love you."

"I love you, too," I returned.

Mike blew out the candle and we feel asleep in each other's arms.