Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2019 19:58:49 +0000 From: J. Forrester Subject: Do As You're Told - Chapter Twenty-Seven Do As You're Told Chapter Twenty-Seven: Say No If you need permission to read this story (from a master, husband, partner, lodger, boss, next door neighbour, gardener) please obtain it first. This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people, places and events is unintentional. This story is exclusively for entertainment purposes so please enjoy in safe and legal manner. FRIDAY 22ND MARCH 2019 Robin and Ben were walking up the street towards Ben's house. It was after school and the end of the week - the whole weekend ahead, but the boys were thinking only of the next few hours. Ben's parents wouldn't be in for a several hours and they had decided to make use of that time in Ben's bedroom. Ben dropped his schoolbag in a nook by the front door but he carried his camera and his art portfolio with him. Ben was rarely without his camera and the portfolio was a year worth of hard work for his Advanced Higher Art and Design class. Both of these found themselves in a designated place in the corner of his room. The first time Robin and Ben had seen each other naked had been on Groundhog Day - the day Robin had left home - but they had not progressed much beyond kissing and stroking. Robin accepted that Ben had a different pace than he did; perhaps Robin had been spoiled by The Fourth and by meeting Adam. Robin felt no desire to pressure Ben for more than he was ready to give. Robin tried to encourage Ben by showing comfort about being naked but it had made Ben insecure about his physique. On the walk home the boys had smiled and laughed at the proposition of getting naked in Ben's bedroom; there were times when Ben seemed innocent, young and naive beyond his years. Though, in fairness, most boys did not have the kind of experience that Robin had. Most seventeen year olds didn't dance and strip and masturbate on a stage. The fact Ben was willing to entertain the proposition was in itself progress. Robin wanted to move things along and Ben seemed quite relaxed as he closed his bedroom door. When Ben turned around, Robin was close and then he leaned in and kissed. Ben liked the kiss, soft and wet and nice. "You still make me nervous," Ben confessed. "What do you mean" Robin asked gently. "You look... your body is amazing," Ben said while blushing. "I'm not just flattering you, you look like you should be modelling for Teen Vogue or something." Robin laughed softly; "And that makes you nervous... because I'm conventionally attractive?" Robin used the phrase "conventionally attractive" in invisible quote marks - admitting to himself and Ben that physical beauty was measured only by click bait media and shallow talent scouts. "No, because I'm not... conventionally attractive, I mean. I keep thinking about what you said the first time you saw me shirtless," Ben said and he hoped Robin would recall the compliment. "I said you were pretty. I and meant it. You're so cute and you don't need to look like an underwear model for me," Robin insisted. "Ok," Ben said and sounded pacified, though he added with humorous incredulity; "How the hell do you look like that anyway?" Robin smiled and shrugged; "I play football and run and I like to dance." "You dance?" Ben asked. Robin did his best to hide the "oops" look on his face. There was no way he was going to tell Ben about his vocation as a performer who took his clothes off every weekend. "Yea..." Robin answered. He was about lie when a different idea crossed his mind. The closer to the truth the better the lie and the truth itself, when it can be used, is the best lie - Isaac Asimov (who probably knew very little about male strippers). "I'll show you what I mean," said Robin. Ben made himself comfortable on his bed; his shoes and blazer were off, his tie was loosened and his shirt was untucked. He looked like a messy boy and Robin found it very charming - he had meant it when he said Ben was cute. Robin used his phone to set the mood with a song: Hot in Herre by Nelly. As it began to play, Robin faced Ben and started to dance. Robin gyrated his hips and thrust his groin; squatted on strong thighs and twerked; raised his hands and shook his ass. As he performed, Robin pulled his tie off and unbuttoned the shirt until he could slip it off his shoulders. With practiced dexterity, he slipped his feet free from his shoes and opened up his trousers. When the trousers hit the floor, he stooped and slid them off his feet, removing the socks at the same time. Robin timed his performance to the length of the song so that he had thirty seconds left in which to tease Ben with his dancing in only a pair of briefs that showed of a bulge that was just waiting for total attention. Ben's penis was sore inside his trousers, throbbing at the sight of his boyfriend undressing and dancing; he could see Robin wasn't even hard and yet it was a profound and impressive bulge that caused Ben's heart to quicken. Ben was impressed by Robin's seduction - dancing just for him. The song came to an end and Robin was barely out of breath despite the excretion - after all he had been doing routines like that for nearly nine months. Robin moved towards Ben and grinned. "Do you want a lap dance now?" Robin joked. Ben laughed nervously; "You look so hot." Robin loomed and then leaned over Ben and kissed his lips; Ben's hands came up and rested on Robin's bare shoulders. They kissed with tongues entangled until their mouths were tired and then separated. Robin put his hands on Ben's knees and lowered himself to the floor where, sitting between the boys legs, he began to grope Ben's cock through his trousers. "Can I take your clothes off?" Robin supplicated. "Yea," Ben replied nervously. "You can say no if you want," Robin assured him. "You've done such a good job of stripping so far. I trust you," Ben said with a little smile. Ben was still a tentative and scared when it came to sexual exploration but he was no less excited about it than any boy of seventeen. Robin pulled off Ben's tie and unbuttoned his shirt to reveal the slim but untoned body underneath, his hairless chest and the curve of his tummy so sweet that Robin just wanted to lick him all over. Robin slipped the shirt off of Ben's shoulders and then pulled his school shoes and socks off. Ben's feet were warm to touch and the fair hair around his ankles cascaded up his legs, becoming invisible and then non-existent by the thighs. Robin soon saw those thighs by loosening the waistband and then pulling the trousers down and off. Ben was embarrassed that the head of his cock was peeking out the leg hole of his briefs and shifted his hand to conceal it, but Robin put his hand over Ben's to still it. Robin held Ben's gaze and then tilted his head down and leaned into Ben's crotch. Robin nuzzled Ben's hard-on and put out his tongue to give it a lick. "Do you want more?" Robin asked excitedly and he hoped Ben did. "Gimmie more," Ben said using informal pronunciation. Robin leaned in and licked the erection again. Robin could feel Ben quiver as his tongue made contact, wetting the tip of the five and a half inch penis. Robin kissed it with puckered lips that spread over the whole head so he could suck gently. Robin and Ben had not proceeded beyond kissing, shirtlessness and masturbation - Ben's agreement to oral sex was a nice step forward. Robin realised that the last cock he had sucked was Adam's and that had been months ago. Ben's big step forward today was accepting oral sex but Robin still had steps forward to take. He was still an anal virgin and had once desired Adam to be the one to take his cherry. Now Robin began to wonder if he might loss his virginity to Ben and what would that be like. But he was getting ahead of himself. "Fuckin' hell!" Ben moaned loudly. Robin looked up and saw Ben's face was lit up with ecstasy, his hands were gripping the bed, he was biting his lip and he was jiggling up and down from the sensations running through his dick. "Let's just take these off?" Robin suggested. Ben nodded - again this was new territory. The closest Ben had come to being naked with Robin had been on Groundhog Day - when his underwear was hoisted under his balls and they had masturbated each other. That encounter had ended when they both came on Robin's chest. Ben had been quick to cover up again but he was slowly accepting Robin's sincerity that his scrawny was attractive and desirable. They'd been dating for three months now; it seemed like the right time. Robin pulled the briefs down Ben's legs and tossed them aside. It was the first time Robin had seen his boyfriend totally naked and it made his cock stiffen inside his underwear. Robin stood up and pulled Ben by the hand so he stood too. Ben stood bare naked and glorious before Robin; seventeen, slim, average height, pearly skin, little nipples, a small patch of pubes and feather-soft hair coating his testicles - Robin was ready to do more. And so was Ben. Robin put his hands into his own briefs and pushed them down. He jerked his cock so it became fully hard and bobbed in front of him, eye to eye with Ben's dick. Ben didn't know what to do with his hands so Robin stepped closer, the two cocks now side by side, and wrapped a hand around both. He gave both an experimental and simultaneous stroke and Ben made a delighted sound. Ben put his hand over Robin's and Robin let go, surrendering the strokes to Ben, whose smaller hand struggled with the combined girth. When Ben let go he looked at Robin with an expression that asked: what now? Without hesitation, Robin dropped to his knees again and slipped the head of Ben's cock into his mouth, suckling it with wet lips and a lapping tongue. "Ohhhh," was as articulate as Ben could get. "Is that good?" Robin asked. The look on Ben's face told him it had been the right question for two reasons: 1) yes, it was good and 2) it reassured Ben that his insecurity was shared. Ben was glad that Robin needed to know if he was doing a good job - at least that was how Ben saw it. "Oh yea," Ben replied. "Would you put your hands behind your head?" Robin asked. "Why?" Ben asked uncertainly. "Because it's sexy and I want to see all of you. I want to look at you 'cause you're so pretty," Robin answered. Ben blushed and slowly did as he was told. Like his chest and tummy, the hair in his armpits was sparse. The fine, downy, fair hair under Ben's arms matched that on his legs; Robin was able to lift his eyes while licking Ben's cock to look at the whole body on display while his hands wandered Ben's legs and feet. "I think I'm going to cum," Ben said. The attention had been focused on the sensitive head of Ben's penis which was almost glowing with anticipation. Robin stopped sucking, briefly. "You make it, I'll drink it," Robin said. Robin sucked the head again and swallowed the shaft greedily. Ben's hands slid from behind his head to cover his mouth as he squealed and shot cum into Robin's mouth. The hot shots of gooey stuff was sweet Robin was as good as his word by swallowing it. "Oh my god," said Ben which was high praise indeed. Robin cleaned Ben's cock with a few more licks. "Oh my- I can't believe how good that felt," Ben added. "Yea, it feels awesome," Robin agreed. "You said you were a virgin, right? But you have done stuff?" Ben asked carefully. He was breathless and happy and Robin was worried about talking and ruining the moment. "Yea. I've done stuff," Robin replied. "With who?" Ben asked. "Whom," Robin corrected. "Shut up," Ben laughed. Robin laughed too but then Ben's face grew serious with the mystery of whomever Robin had been with before him. Who had sucked Robin's cock? Was it someone they both knew? Did Robin still see him? Robin knew there was little time to save them from all the questions that might ruin their intimate step forward. "Ben, you're the one that I want," Robin said, then attempting to sing, he added; "Ooh ooh ooh. The one that I need... yes indeed." Ben's cute smile caused little dimples in his face. Ben extended his hand to invite Robin to follow him and Ben led the way to the bed. "Can I try... you know... to keep you satisfied," Ben said. Robin did know - Ben wanted try and give him a blow job. Robin nodded happily and sat on the edge of the bed, his legs hanging over the edge and his body upright. Ben knelt down and Robin parted his legs so Ben could shuffle between his legs. It was the closest his face had ever been to a penis; it was big and erect; the head was peeking out from the foreskin; the slit was shiny with clear but sticky fluid and the smell up close was faint but musky. Robin wouldn't object if Ben changed his mind but now he was so close, Ben himself felt no desire to retreat. Ben gripped the base of the eight inch dick and lowered his face over the monster cock. With excitement and trepidation he started by kissed the head. Ben had never suck a cock before and he certainly never imagined the first one in his mouth would be so big. Eight inches! Ben didn't know if he could take it. Ben tried to remember what Robin had done... Ben kissed the head and swirled his tongue around the ridge of the glans - Robin liked that so Ben did it again. Ben parted his lips and spread them over the head of Robin's dick, his tongue flickering out to keep his lips and the penis moist. After a few minutes, Ben ventured to taking the cock properly into his mouth; slowly but surely Ben lowered his face onto the cock and began to swallow it. Inch after inch slipped in and Ben pulled up when he felt the urge to gag come upon him. He had never considered how noisy slurping on a cock could be: the sucking and slurping noises as he eased up and down the length of the shaft was exciting but he was glad the house was empty. Ben reckoned he was able to take about six inches of the cock into his mouth but that was as deep as he could go. The whole shaft was now slippery and sleek - with saliva and dick juice - and Robin's noise-making was also growing. Ben might be a novice, but he had paid good attention. Not once did Robin feel the scrape of teeth, Ben's use of tongue was exciting and the warmth of his mouth was persistent. Ben breathed through his nose and when he came up for air, he kept Robin's arousal static with slow but firm strokes. Ben seemed like he was a natural cock-sucker; this was a phrase Robin tended to avoid because the connotations of the phrase were usually demeaning, insulting and domineering. Robin meant the phrase benignly and he had no more time to think because Ben had taken Robin to the edge of ejaculation. Ben's hands caressed Robin's inner thigh, slid down to the knee to rest and then caressed again. "It's ok if you don't want to swallow... but I'm getting really close," Robin expressed breathlessly. Ben stopped long enough to stroke Robin's legs from his ankles to the back of his knees and then gripping the wet cock in his hand again. "You swallowed," Ben said nervously. He played lazily with the firm hot meat, giving it respire before whatever decision he made. "But it's ok if you don't... if you're not ready," Robin reassured him. "Thanks," Ben said contemplatively. Ben had been excited but his head was swimming now, the taste of dick was in his mouth and being given the option to take this that far but not farther was... a relief. "Do you want to just jerk me off?" Robin prompted kindly. "Was it ok?" Ben answered a different question. "It was great. I was nearly there," Robin replied. Ben was pleased but still not ready to actually swallow - or even take into his mouth - balls full of cum. He had already received his first blow job today - giving was one step too far and Robin seemed genuinely ok with not going that far. Ben was grateful to have a partner who understood him; understood what he wanted and needed; anticipated and accepted his choices. With the pressure off, Ben's hand finished the efforts started by his mouth. It was an effort to jerk Robin's eight inch dick - it was long and thick, though Ben's hands were petite, and wet. Ben slipped a thumb over the head of the cock, smearing pre-cum and adding new lubricant to the final moment. He beat Robin off until he came and shots of cum erupted, splashing over Ben's hand and Robin's groin and abs. Delicately and experimentally, Ben tested the juice on his hand and found it not too unpleasant. "That was great," Robin said, laying back on the bed; "Wow! That was just great." Ben took the compliment and tasted a little bit more cum but wiped the rest off with a t-shit that needed washed and that he'd sneak into the washing machine later. Ben stood up and found underwear, a t-shirt and baggy jeans to put on. Robin was still lying back on the bed naked and making no move to cover up. Ben was surprised and impressed with the comfort Robin felt in his body. "Are you gonna get dressed?" Ben asked. "I thought I could just hang out like this for a while," Robin suggested cheekily. "You should go around like that more often," Ben agreed. "Yea, to school maybe?" Robin joked. "That would be amazing," Ben commented; "Actually that did happen once..." Ben stopped as he realised he was going to say something he hadn't meant to. "What?" Robin asked and his eyes went wide; "Scandal at Coalwater High School?" He had been jesting but Robin had noticed the change in Ben's demeanour and sat up. When Ben didn't answer, Robin pulled on some clothes to make himself presentable and approach Ben carefully. Ben looked guilty - because he felt guilty. Ben had fostered guilt about Adam for months - the photos he'd taken of Adam's wardrobe malfunction and then the drawings he'd made during the Art prelim. Most recently the pictures Micah had encouraged him to take in the boys changing room. Ben didn't feel right about it - he didn't feel right about taking risqué pictures of other boys and not telling Robin. "Ben what do you mean?" Robin asked, acutely aware that he was so curious because Ben was so evasive. Ben heard his parents arrived back at the same moment, interrupting them from exploring what Ben had meant. Ben used their arrival as an excuse to escape and went to say "hi" to his parents but he came back looking haunted. "Ben, it's ok. Just tell me why do you seem so troubled? What did you mean about naked in school?" Robin asked. The idea of Ben being naked in school was quite appealing but seemed unlikely. Robin doubted that's what he'd meant. So what had Ben meant? "I didn't mean to talk about that, it just slipped out," Ben responded. "I know something I'm not supposed to talk about. But I don't want to lie to you or keep secrets." "I'm not following you," Robin replied. Ben crossed the room and pulled out his Advanced Higher Art and Design portfolio. "You can't tell anyone, ok? I drew these for my art prelim," Ben said and sounded slightly embarrassed. When Robin looked at the pictures, his jaw dropped. The pencil drawing was exquisite - that was not the surprising thing - but the face in the drawing was what caught Robin's attention. The figure was clearly totally naked. And clearly Adam Mansouri. "Shit!" Robin said. "I have photos too," Ben confessed. Ben revealed pictures of Adam in his school uniform but with his penis peeking through the fly and even more amazingly - or perhaps disturbingly depending on the circumstances - images of Adam wearing only a transparent pouch over his cock. That final image was one Ben had taken of Adam at Boy Appétit. "What is all this?" Robin asked incredulously. Ben could see the look on Robin's face and he rushed to explain. "I'm not a mad stalker of anything. I took most of these pictures for the underground year book, I assumed it was just an accident," Ben said of the wardrobe malfunction pictures. "And these?" Robin asked. "I took them recently. I was asked to do a job... a staff photo for a restaurant called Boy Appétit," Ben explained. "I didn't know Adam worked there... I definitely didn't know he'd look like that." Robin's face looked troubled but he no longer looked horrified and no longer looked at Ben like he was "a mad stalker." Robin didn't know what his face was doing - did he look curious or disturbed or excited or confused? Ben was too distracted with justifying his portfolio to much notice the turmoil Robin was in. "Ok... and the drawing?" Robin asked. This was perhaps the image that had most disturbed Robin. It was incredible, delicate and masterful work but Adam was naked in it. He had posed naked for it? At school? No sane person would do that. "Adam posed for the Advanced Higher Art prelim," Ben said. "Like that!?" Robin said with surprise. "Shhh! My parents are downstairs. Yes, like that. This is a legitimate piece of my portfolio," Ben stated. "Alright," Robin said for want of a better reaction. "I don't know why he posed like that," Ben added defensively. "But you didn't think there was anything strange about Adam Mansouri sitting naked in your art class?" Robin asked. "He's always been an arrogant poser, Robin. So much bravado. It didn't seem too strange that he would show off like that," Ben replied unconvincingly - not even convincing himself. Robin knew better and made no reply. He had to find out why Adam had done this because it might make sense to Ben but Robin knew better. This made no sense and in his gut, Robin knew something was terribly wrong. Adam had been there for him when he needed help and he would be there for Adam if he needed it. Ben had watched Robin digest the information, unsure what Robin thought of it all. Given Robin's concern about the nudity, he had no intention of telling Robin that Adam had jerked off after posing for that picture. Maybe Robin was right there was something strange about it all but now Ben felt guilty for not thinking of all that sooner. Of course Ben didn't know that there was much more to Robin's reaction than jealousy or concern about Ben's sense of propriety; four months ago Robin (as Teen Titan) had told Adam something that was still true today - how they felt about each other was very confusing. "What are you thinking?" Ben asked. "I think he's beautiful," Robin finally said. Robin had meant to say "it (the drawing) was beautiful." "He?" Ben asked, his face wrinkling with concern. The way Robin had said it sounded so... "I mean it. It's a beautiful piece of art. You have a real gift," Robin covered. Robin didn't want to say or ask more because he needed to talk to Adam. Something about all this was not right and Ben was not the one to answer questions about it. "You really like it?" Ben asked. "Yea. I guess I never realised how amazing you are at this. The drawing and the photography... It's beautiful," Robin insisted. "Thanks," Ben said and hugged Robin in gratitude. "You're not mad that I've been drawing other boys," Ben half joked. "Draw me like one of your French girls, Jack," Robin said in a high voice and Ben giggled; "No, it's fine you draw other boys, Ben," Robin answered with a chuckle. Ben still wore a worried expression and decided to address it rather than let his concerns linger - hadn't he already let them linger? Ben recalled how Robin had tacitly defended Adam in the school cafeteria a few weeks ago. Ben felt something niggling deep down about Robin and Adam; not the least of which being that Adam was an attractive boy with a great body. "Robin, I need to ask you about the way you looked at those pictures of Adam..." "Is Robin staying for dinner?" called Ben's dad. "No, I need to go," Robin said to Ben and called down; "I'm just going, Mr McDonald." Ben knew he had missed the chance to ask and was left with his fears - that his boyfriend wanted another boy. They descended the stairs together and saw both of Ben's parents in the hall. "You can stay if you really want," his mum said. She emphasised the word "really" and Robin knew it would not be a pleasant experience. She still was not ready to have her son's boyfriend at the table. "You really can stay if you want," Ben's dad said. He also emphasised the word "really" but made it sound sincere and Robin knew he was slightly making fun of his wife. She pinched her face and left in a huff. "No thank you, I'm fine. I need to go," Robin told the man. Ben worried about Robin's sudden haste given the abrupt end to their discussion about Adam - then he felt foolish and paranoid - Robin was pulling on his jacket with Ben and his dad watching as he prepared to leave. "Robin, your fly is down," said Ben's dad observed. However, when Robin checked he saw it was fine and correct; he looked up at Ben's dad and the man had a cheeky grin. "Oh, I meant it was down," the man said - emphasising the past tense - with a chuckle. "Dad!" protested Ben, embarrassed by his dad. Ben practically pushed Robin out the front door to get away from his family. "Your dad is cool," Robin commented - he thought it was sweet that his dad was so ok with the gay son thing. "Yea, my mum is trying really hard to be ok with it too. Give her time," Ben said as they walked to the end of the driveway. "It shouldn't be about what she thinks, Ben," Robin said gently. "It's not. I love my mum, Robin. She loves me. If she can't accept I'm gay, she'll still be my mum," Ben replied. Robin nodded without argument but thought it must be nice to be in such a privileged position. Robin stood outside Adam's house and hesitated for a minute before approaching. Last time he'd been here had been the day before he left home; the day Adam had helped him to escape the tyranny of his father. Robin wasn't sure exactly how he was going to broach the questions he had on his mind but he knew he had to ask them. Things didn't make sense and Robin was afraid for Adam. Robin rang the doorbell... Adam had been relieved when the school week had finished. He'd dragged himself through it - there were only five weeks left of school and then exams but there was still so much to learn. After things that happened with Micah, Adam had struggled to concentrate. He felt violated by Micah and there wasn't enough showering in the world to take away the taint of Micah's cock inside him. What Micah did! Adam sat alone listening to music that made him feel melancholy. A piece of music by "lafur Arnalds played softly; the track now playing was Undan Hulu roughly translated to Ahead Of A Hole. Adam feared he was sinking into that hole right now. The album was called ...And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness which was ironic since Adam could see no means of escaping what Micah did. What Micah did! Adam had been having sex since he was sixteen - mostly with men who worked for his father. But they had always been his choice and Micah had not been his choice. Adam felt sick at the thought of Micah's touch. Yet he had been hard throughout the encounter. He had cum. What did that mean? Adam missed his old Friday routine - rushing through homework, often leaving it unfinished, and then going to The Fourth. Since the reckoning between him and Teen Titan that routine had changed. Teen Titan still performed and Adam sought solace elsewhere - usually from Shiro. Now Adam didn't want to be around anyone for fear they would know he was tainted. When Adam got home he changed into shorts and t-shirt and sat down to do his homework but again his mind wandered. Adam was tired, sleeping poorly and dreaming of being held down and touched by dirty hands, kissed by grotesque mouths and fucked by mangy dicks. He'd stir a few times a night and panic during the seconds it took sleep paralysis to wear off: hands, mouths, dicks, he couldn't move. The doorbell interrupting his train wreck of thoughts was a welcome intrusion. Adam went to the front door and opened it. "Oh. Hi," Adam said and his eyes widened in surprise. "Hi," Robin replied. Adam noticed the subtle once-over that Robin gave him and felt good about himself for the first time all week - he liked Robin looking at him. Adam leaned against the door in an attempt to be nonchalant but the door swung slightly and he stumbled. "Smooth," Robin complemented with a big grin. "I was going for suave," Adam admitted facetiously. "If you're here to see my dad, he left for The Fourth already." "Why would I be here to see your dad?" Robin asked. Adam shrugged; "You work for him, it's Friday night... I dunno." Adam did know - he didn't dare to hope Robin had come to see him. "I'm here to see you," said Robin. It was precisely what Adam wanted to hear and dreaded in equal measure - dread because he never knew what was going to happen next in their saga. "Why are you here to see me?" asked Adam. "Can I come in?" Robin asked softly. Adam and Robin hovered in the living room, pacing around each other like boxers in a ring and waiting for the first punch. "I need to talk to you about something that you're not going to want to talk about," Robin said. Adam sank moodily into a chair and replied; "Then let's not talk. I've had a bad week..." Getting fucked by a boy he didn't want to fuck. "We really need to talk," Robin said firmly. If he said "no," would Robin go away? Probably. He'd said "no" to Micah for all the difference it had made. Did he want Robin to go away? Saying "no" to Micah hadn't really been an option but he'd tried and been ignored and now Adam felt overwrought. "What do we need to talk about?" Adam said hurriedly, his thoughts spinning out of control. "Ben's a talented photographer," Robin said. Thrown by the non-sequitur, Adam replied: "Okay..." "And a talented artist too," Robin added. "I can make a decent meringue," boasted Adam dryly. "I saw his drawings of the Art prelim," Robin blurted. Now Adam knew what "we need to talk" meant and he was even less inclined to talk. But the fight had gone out of him. The fight had gone out of him when he'd been tied to a desk on Monday and sullied by Micah. "What about it?" Adam asked dejectedly. "Why did you do it? I don't get it... you wouldn't do that," Robin said. "Maybe you don't know me very well," Adam retorted testily. "You wanted to pose naked? In front of a more than dozen boys? Boys you go to school with?" Robin asked; each question was measured and gentle and laden with concern. "You wouldn't understand," Adam said eventually. "You know me better than that," Robin stated - turning Adam's retort back on him; "Of course I understand. Adam, trust me... Trust me as you want me to trust you." Adam's head slowly hung until he was looking at his feet. When he eventually replied, Robin had to strain to hear him and moved closer, sitting on the floor in front of Adam's chair. "The first night I ever saw you... the first night I saw Teen Titan... right after that I was contacted by someone who had taken pictures of me at The Fourth. Pictures of me with Toulouse; with other men. The anonymous person told me he would expose me if I didn't do things..." "Oh Adam," Robin muttered sympathetically, putting his face in his hands. Adam had to force himself to continue. Now that he was saying out loud, he knew how foolish his choices to comply had been; he knew there hadn't been much of a choice but giving that first inch had surrendered a mile. "He took more pictures. He made me do things naked. He humiliated me at a men's-only gym. He stripped me and made me suck someone at school," Adam continued. "Someone? Who? You know who's doing this?" Robin interjected. Adam was surprised by the anger in his voice; he saw that Robin was angry for him and it burned to know that Adam had been compelled against his will. Robin didn't even know the half of it yet. "I don't know. The boy, the person... I don't know how he knows Mr Anonymous but he's just as bad. He's made me..." Adam searched for the right words; "Stripped me, touched me, made me touch him. And more than that... much more." "Have you told someone?" Robin asked. He'd told Shiro but only because his boyfriend faced entrapment too. Did it matter that Shiro knew? Would it matter who he told about all this? "I'm telling you," Adam said simply. Adam didn't like to talk about his boyfriend with the person who he'd wanted as a boyfriend. "You can't carry on doing this," Robin said. "You don't know what you're talking about," Adam said with restraint. "I'm talking about not letting an anonymous, or not so anonymous, person blackmail and molest you," Robin said. "Stop it, Robin. You don't know. Just stop," Adam said jadedly. "Do you want to do these things?" Robin asked gently. "No," Adam said and in his head he added; "but it doesn't matter what I want. "Then don't," Robin said keenly. "It's not that simple. The first pictures would just have outed me which I didn't want. The pictures and the video they have now would ruin my life," Adam protested. Adam felt stupid for having gotten himself so deep into such a bad situation. Then he felt himself getting angry and scared - Robin wasn't listening. Robin didn't understand. "They're already ruining your life," Robin pointed out. "Don't. Don't use logic and common sense with me. This isn't rational stuff that's been happening over the last six months," Adam said bitterly. Adam lifted his yes and more gently, said; "Just look at you and me." If the mention of "you and me" was intended as a distraction, it failed. "What they're doing to you is wrong. The art pictures, the photo of you in that thong... these people are dangerous," Robin said worriedly. Adam felt a flash of irritation - as if he needed to be told how dangerous Micah and Mr Anonymous were. He hadn't even told Robin the worst part: the thing that had happened on Monday. "I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. Every time I stand up to them, they prove how easily they could get me," Adam said darkly. "Did you see the blowjob email that went viral at school? Mr Anonymous sent that. That was me on my knees. I can't let them expose me," Adam said fearfully. "Adam..." Robin said desperately. Robin sounded so calm and reasonable and it made Adam's blood boil. "Just shut the fuck up, will you? Stop nagging me. Stop pressuring me. Just... just stop," Adam said petulantly. Robin got to his feet before responding. "I'm trying to help," Robin replied. "I don't want help," Adam said miserably. "You have to fight back, Adam," said Robin. Robin wasn't listening so Adam felt anger rise inside him. Fighting back is what got him fucked against his will. Robin hadn't listened to a thing he'd just said: the danger that he faced in doing as he was told versus the greater danger in refusing. Adam barely restrained himself from erupting angrily. "I can't, ok? I just can't," Adam replied with quiet frustration. "You can't just run away, Adam. You can't just let things happen..." Robin persisted. Adam was breathing slowly and deeply but felt needled as Robin continued to talk. "...you make a stand, you say no..." You say no!? "Oh, what the hell would you know about saying no?" Adam exploded angrily, jumping to his feet. Adam's face turned ugly as his restraint broke. "You'd still be in that shitty house being beaten up by your dad if it wasn't for me," Adam said mercilessly. His voice rose with every angry sentence; "You never fought back. You never stood up. You let things happen for years. So don't fucking lecture me, Robin." Robin felt like he had just been slapped. He physically reeled from the verbal assault - an insult against the core of his being - but he didn't move. As tears sprang to his eyes and the corners of his mouth pulled down in the picture of sadness, Robin watched Adam's boiling blood cool to a simmer. Robin was perfectly still, fighting not to cry as Adam breathed hard - his face was red with anger. Adam shouldn't have taken things out on Robin but everything Robin said was a reminder - that he was a failure. Adam felt like a failure. Robin didn't feel angry. He was scared for Adam, worried for him and wanted to help but the gesture had been thrown cruelly back in his face. Adam's words were like a wound. Robin swallowed hard turned away and walked toward the sitting room door, which shimmered though his rainy eyes. Robin had no intention of arguing or staying around to be insulted. "Robin..." said Adam when he reached the door. Robin turned back because he knew Adam was going through something tough and the last thing he needed was judgement or rejection yet what he'd said had badly stung - mostly because it was true. Robin held up a silencing finger and shook it admonishingly. "That was very hurtful," Robin said flatly. Adam deserved worse - Robin had gone easy on him, which in itself was hard. He heard the front door close a moment later, leaving him alone in his house. Adam added guilt to the shame that had already coiled inside him. It wasn't Robin's fault he was fucked up. It wasn't Robin's fault he felt like a failure. Adam couldn't help but notice he had form for pushing Robin away when he was under pressure. He had done the same thing all those years ago when he'd realised he was gay and was struggling to accept what had happened to his mum. Adam wanted to go after Robin but his feet wouldn't move; he still didn't know what to do or how to make it up to Robin for trying to help and he didn't know how to carry on coping with the escalation of events from Mr Anonymous and Micah. Twenty minutes ago, Adam had been happy to see Robin at his door. "...you make a stand, you say no..." Adam had made a stand against the wrong person; he'd said "no" to the wrong person. Adam feared that this time, Robin might never forgive him. The response to this story has been brilliant, humbling and reassuring. I'm glad so many people have gotten invested in the characters. Many thanks to the regular and once-off correspondents; I'm grateful to all who get in touch & always reply. If you fancy emailing me: niftyencomiums@gmail.com If you love the stories Nifty has to offer, remember to donate: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Visit my blogspot - https://niftyencomiums.blogspot.com - for updates including chapter synopses and excerpts. If you are enjoying this story, I have also written: School Exhibitionism - http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/highschool/school-exhibitionism The Symposium - http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/authoritarian/the-symposium/ The Embarrassment of Riches - http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/highschool/the-embarrassment-of-riches/