Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2016 15:30:23 +0000 (UTC) From: Aaron Deepneau Subject: little white pills, chapter 12 Hope you like the latest update--comments and feedback are always welcome. If you did enjoy yourself, please take a sec to visit http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html and send some money to the good folks at Nifty to keep the lights on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 12: "The Boys Are Back In Town" The weatherman had promised it was going to be a hot day, and he was right: the late August sun was pounding on the small college town, and by the time Joey and Dave got their stuff in storage loaded in the U-Haul it was 90 degrees. They'd gotten a late start leaving Dave's parents' house, but there was nothing they could do about it now except suck it up and get the move done. The apartment manager looked a little startled when she realized it was two guys sharing the place, but she got over it quickly enough and handed them their keys with a big smile. "Well that went well," Joey said. He felt a sense of relief: this was the first thing they'd really done as a couple, and they were both a little apprehensive about how people would react. So far, so good. Dave shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Not like she wasn't going to take our money." "Yeah." Joey looked in the back of the truck. "Big stuff first?" "Yeah...let's get this shit over with before it really gets hot." The next couple of hours were hot and miserable. Getting the bed and the rest of the big furniture into the third-floor apartment was an exercise in frustrated maneuvering, and then there were way more boxes of heavy shit to deal with once that was done. Joey cursed their decision to take his set of free weights with them, among other things. At the same time he could feel a growing sense of excitement: his summer with Dave had been truly fantastic, and the weeks spent camping with just the two of them had really brought them together. Dave had been a rock for him while he'd dealt with his parents' ugly divorce, providing the tenderness he'd never realized he needed. For a long time after they'd started messing around he'd thought of sex as a contest, and every time he topped Dave or Aaron he was winning somehow. But he'd realized that Dave saw it differently: for him it was a way to make Joey feel better; a gift, not a loss. It brought an element of romance he hadn't appreciated before to the bedroom. And the tent. And that waterfall. And soon here, in their first actual place together. He felt a twinge of anticipation in his groin; it'd been a couple of days since they'd fooled around, and they'd had to keep things quiet at Dave's family's house, but now.... He'd been eyeing Dave's body all afternoon as they'd worked, and the constant view of muscular, sweaty flesh was seriously winding him up. Just then Dave came out the door, heading back down the stairs for another box. His muscle shirt was stuck to his back, and Joey could see the moisture darkening the top of his basketball shorts as they clung to his rounded ass. His muscles were pumped from all the moving, and as he squeezed by Joey could smell his fresh sweat, like he'd just finished a heavy workout. He took a deep breath and his cock started to stiffen. "We almost done?" he asked, admiring the view as Dave walked on down. "I think so, just a couple more boxes." "Okay, cool. I'm ready to get out of this heat." And fuck you silly, he thought. All the tender moments had been wonderful, but it was time to get some wild monkey sex back into the mix. He continued back up the stairs with his boxes and dropped them on the bedroom floor with a grunt. How could clothes be so goddamn heavy? As he straightened up he saw a white shoebox that he remembered packing himself. "Fuck yeah," he muttered, and pulled out the bottle of lube. They'd run out of Derrick's special blue stuff a long time ago, but this would do just fine. He squirted a nice dollop onto his right palm and slid it into his shorts and started stroking. He'd barely needed the lube, his junk was so hot and sweaty. Like Dave's would be, he thought, and stroked faster. Where the hell was he? He gave his balls a gentle squeeze and groaned quietly in anticipation. As if on cue he heard Dave grunt behind him and drop a couple of boxes on the floor. "Just two more trips and we're--oh! Mmmphh." Joey had turned around at his voice, still jerking his very obvious hard-on, and before Dave could do more than register the sight Joey had pulled their faces together in a fierce kiss. Joey broke away after only a few seconds. "You have been teasing my cock all fucking afternoon with that ass of yours," he growled, "and now I am going to fuck--" he grabbed Dave's shoulders "--the living shit--" he spun Dave around to face the wall "--out of you." He pressed Dave's face into the wall, then pulled his shorts down to his thighs to expose his hairy ass. "Open wide, coz I am taking you to pound town." He slid his fingers down the sweaty crack and through the stubble until he found the hot soft flesh around Dave's hole; when he jammed two of them in they encountered almost no resistance. Fuck yeah, he thought, Dave's as hot as I am. "Fuck, Joey," the big man groaned, "ram me. I've needed that fuckin' cock since I got up." He fished out his dick and started jerking it. "Goddamn right." Joey lined up with Dave's hole, panting. "Gonna tear you open." He slid right in without stopping, the slick grip encasing his shaft in a glorious massage, until his hips slammed against Dave's taught ass. Dave gave a half-grunt, half-groan, and Joey felt his ass open all the way; he pulled back and started pounding, pure animal lust taking over. Neither one of them talked; the only sounds were the slapping of flesh slapping sweaty flesh and Dave fapping away as fast as he could, grunting each time Joey's enormous cock slammed into his prostate. Taking Dave from behind worked his dick a little differently than usual, adding extra pleasure to each thrust, and Joey could feel his balls tightening up as they slapped against Dave's. He made no attempt to hold back: the thought of fucking his man's brains out like this, here in this place that was theirs alone, made him hungry to get off and mark his territory. He reached around and pulled Dave upright, then pressed forward and slammed him against the wall, their sweaty torsos grinding together. "Who's my bitch now, beeyotch?" he panted, trembling as he got close. "Unh! Fuck me Joey! Nngggghh...harder!!" Dave didn't have much leverage but he was pushing back into Joey's thrusts, driven by his own lust. From the noises he was making Joey knew he was getting close too, and Joey wanted to feel it. He wrapped his other hand over Dave's, stroking together just in time to feel the big man come. Hot juice spurted out onto the wall and into their hands while Joey rammed hard enough to lift Dave up off his heels. The pounding against his groin was the last stimulation he needed, and before Dave had finished coming Joey was too. This time he didn't want to blow his load up Dave's hole though: the feel of Dave's jizz-soaked pubes under his hand was sexy as fuck, and he wanted to baste his backside. He pulled out just as his first shot splashed against Dave's hole and then stroked furiously as he finished, laying out tracks on each ass check and the base of his spine. "Aahh, Jesus!" Joey shuddered as he finished coming, then smeared his cock through the warm semen to spread it over Dave's rump; it was already trickling down into his ass crack. "Fuuuuck..." he was panting from his exertion, and realized Dave was too. "Holy fuck Joey," Dave gasped weakly, "that was something else." "Yeah. Jesus, yeah....You, uh, okay? I went in kinda hard." Joey thought he'd gotten a pretty good read on what Dave could handle, but he might've misread things in the heat of the moment. Dave turned around grinning. He was sweaty and disheveled, and his tee shirt had streaks of cum on the bottom; Joey thought he'd never looked hotter. "It's good babe, that was totally worth it. I've been needing that for a long time." He wrapped Joey in a tight hug and pulled their bodies together. Joey could feel his spunk soaking into his own pubes, and more of it got in his hair as Dave ran his hands through it while they kissed. Dave broke away after a minute, smiling. "You're not the only one who enjoys a good ass pounding, you know." Joey shrugged a bit but kept running his hands over Dave's muscular body; he loved the slick, slightly hairy feel of it. "I thought it'd be a good way to break in the place. Our place." He kissed Dave over his heart. Dave laughed and kissed his forehead. "Yeah, I guess we did. We'd better hope they don't use a black light, or we'll never get our security deposit back." "Believe me, by the time we move out this place is gonna look like a fuckin' crime scene, babe." Dave laughed again, then pulled away and pulled up his shorts. "Can't wait. Now let's get those last boxes so we can wrap this shit up." "Yeah." Joey pulled up his own shorts and looked around, hands on his hips; they still had a long day ahead of them. He sighed, then looked over at Dave. "Keep that shirt on though--I need some inspiration to keep working." Dave slid a hand over his belly, smearing the cum into the fabric. "Oh yeah--it's making me fell pretty inspired too." They grinned at each other, then got back to work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aaron knocked on the door to Joey and Dave's apartment, six pack of welcome beers in his other hand. It felt weird knowing it wasn't his place too, after they'd been roommates for so long. But that didn't matter--he was stoked to finally see his buds again. They'd hardly even kept in touch over the summer, backpacking spots not being so great for internet or phone service, and Aaron couldn't wait to catch up with them. They'd texted last night to let him know they were back, and he'd promised to come over first thing in the morning. Well, before noon anyway. Barely. There was a muffled shout: "Come on in!" so Aaron did just that, walking into move-in chaos. The guys had packed their shit up and just dumped it in the new place before they went on their trip, and now it was joined by the boxes they'd brought out of storage; the late morning sun shone on assorted boxes of clothes, Met-Rex tubs, electronics,...Aaron gave up trying to take it in. "Aaron!!" Joey came bounding in from the bedroom, vaulted the couch, and lifted him up in a bear hug. He was grinning ear to ear, and Aaron realized he was too. Damn it was good to see the little fucker again. Even if he was having trouble breathing. "Joey," he grunted. Joey set him down and loosened his grip slightly, then turned his head to shout "Aaron's here babe!" He looked down and noticed the six pack. "And he's got move-in beers!" Half-breaking their hug he grabbed them and set them down on the counter, then looked Aaron up and down. "Damn Aaron, you're lookin' good. You bulking up?" He slid his hands over Aaron's arms and shoulders appraisingly. "Feels like it." Aaron gave a little shrug. "Yeah, not much else to do this summer. Thought I'd take a shot a moving up a weight class this year." Joey was still pressed loosely against him, and he relished the sensation. He ran his hands over Joey's shoulders. "You're still fit as fuck it looks like--you look great." It was true. Two months of hiking had stripped away the little body fat Joey had, sharpening his boyish features and making his muscles pop. The sun had bleached his hair until it wasn't much darker than Aaron's, and he had a solid tan--mostly. "Love the tan Farmer Brown." Joey grinned. He was wearing gym shorts and a tank top, and his brown arms and legs were a sharp contrast to his pasty shoulders, chest, and feet. "Yeah, it's a pain putting the sunscreen on just right every day, but I think it's a good look for me." The bathroom door opened and Dave stepped out, still drying his hair. He was wearing nothing but gym shorts, and he looked great too: he'd gotten leaner like Joey (and had the same hiker's tan), and he'd let his hair get shaggier; his natural chest fur had grown in a bit too, instead of being shaved smooth like he'd usually kept it. His face lit up when he saw Aaron. "Hey bud!" That was it, Aaron realized: they both looked insanely happy and relaxed. Maybe it was the summer vacation--then he saw the way Joey looked at Dave, and remembered the "babe" from earlier. Oh--they were, like, totally in love. Awwww.... Dave strode over and joined Joey in giving him a big one-armed hug; he smelled like shampoo and soap. "Look at you," he said admiringly, running a hand over Aaron's chest, "gettin' all big on us. You look great A." "You too big boy. I like the chest hair." He and Joey were pretty hairless naturally; the different look of Dave's body had always fascinated him. Aaron couldn't resist running his hand over it lightly, following the trail down to his friend's eight pack. Joey was still pressed loosely against him, smiling as he watched, and Aaron took that as a welcoming sign. "You going natural all over?" There was a definite vibe in the air, just like when they'd lived together. Dave leaned in and nuzzled his ear. "Why don't you find out?" He sighed as Aaron's hand slid down his treasure trail and under his waist band, then let out a low "mm" when the blond's fingers slid through his bush to caress his shaved balls. "Guess not," Aaron said, his voice husky. He could feel Dave thickening rapidly beneath his hand, and his own groin responded in kind. There was no mistaking the presence of Joey's monster pressed against him, filling with blood, and he rocked his hips against it--just like old times. Dave's hand slid into his shorts and started stroking him, while his tongue started worked into Aaron's ear. "We got the bedroom unpacked," he breathed, and Aaron squirmed. "Just for you bro." Joey's hand joined Dave's in his shorts, teasing his balls. He leaned down to chew on Aaron's nipple through his tee shirt. "We missed you," he breathed. He slid Aaron's shorts down and knelt in front of him, and Dave relinquished his grip to let Joey take Aaron's smooth shaft into his mouth. "And your cock," Dave added, kneeling to join Joey. Aaron groaned, hands tangled in their hair, as Joey shared his cock head with Dave. Their tongues moved around the ridge, in and out of each other's moths, and up and down the shaft, stimulating and teasing. "Fuuuuck...we should have a reunion more often. Mmmmph." Joey had bent lower to tongue his balls, while Dave began bobbing up and down on him. "Goddamn that feels good....aaaahhh." He could feel twinges down to the root of his cock as the warm suction coaxed trickles of precum from it, each new droplet encouraging Dave to greater efforts. A rumble of satisfaction came from his throat as he savored the taste. Joey pulled away and looked up at him. "Let's show you the bedroom, huh?" Aaron nodded, more than ready. Joey slid his hands through Dave's hair, pulling his head back, and Aaron slid out of his mouth with a soft pop. Joey pulled their faces together, sliding his tongue into Dave's mouth to share the flavor for a minute, and then released him to stand up. "Let's go." They were naked by the time they hit the bedroom. Like the living room it had boxes scattered around, but the bed had been set up, and there was a bottle of lube handy on the bedside table. Joey took Aaron by the shoulders and guided him back up against the bed. "Lay back bro." Aaron obliged, scooting up to settle his head on a pillow; whatever the guys wanted to do was fine by him. Joey crawled up between his legs, mouth watering at the sight of Aaron's erection, then closed his eyes and groaned happily as it slid between his lips. He'd come to know Dave's flavor intimately over the summer, and savored the way Aaron was the same, but different. Aaron's muscular hands slid through his hair, guiding but not forcing as he slowly pumped his hips, and a nutty flavor bloomed on Joey's tongue. He pressed a finger into the smooth skin under Aaron's balls, and was rewarded with more of it. "You like that cock Joey?" Aaron asked in a low voice. He knew the answer of course, but it was hot to hear Joey say it. Joey pulled off long enough to answer. "Fuck yeah." He grinned up at Dave. "Been suckin' the same dick all summer--I need a change of pace." He took Aaron's 7" tool in his mouth, stopping only when his nose was pressed into the jock's cropped blond pubes. "And I've had the same damn mouth," Dave grumbled. "Help a buddy out Aaron?" He scooted forward and pushed his fat hard-on down within easy reach of Aaron's mouth, letting out an "Mmmmyeaaah..." as Aaron gripped his shaft and began tonguing the clipped head. "Fuckin' suck it Aaron...mmmm...lick that juice up bro." Dave closed his eyes and played with a nipple as Aaron took him deeper in. Aaron's cock-sucking skills were not something you forgot, and he and Joey had both looked forward to the reunion with their friend. Had jerked each other off a couple of times talking about it, in fact. And now that he was deep in that familiar mouth he was more than happy to be back in town. Joey bobbed up and down, eyes closed in concentration as he worked Aaron over while he stroked himself. Aaron was a little longer than Dave, but not quite as thick, and he adjusted his technique a bit: he could take Aaron down his throat a bit better, and he relished the opportunity. Occasionally he'd take a break to work over the smooth balls, lapping at their underside, then sucking one or the other into his mouth to clean all their flavor off. Aaron made little muffled grunts of pleasure when he did this--no question he still liked it. Joey didn't work his way lower though: there was a familiar ache in his asshole, a need to be filled, and the more he played with himself, the more of Aaron's precum he swallowed, the stronger it got. He loved Dave, loved sex with him, but Aaron knew how to fuck his brains out, and that's what he wanted this morning. He kept up the blow job, but released his cock so he could reach around and slide a fingertip into his hole, shivering as it went in to the second knuckle. In and out three times, and then he couldn't take it anymore. He sat up, panting. "Dave, gimme the lube." Aaron managed to grin at him around the cock in his mouth. Dave handed him the bottle, feeling a twinge of anticipation in his groin. Watching Joey play with himself was some of his favorite foreplay: he loved seeing that monster dong twitch and drool as Joey worked himself up, until they were both so turned on they couldn't keep their hands off each other. It'd be hot to watch Joey get fucked while Aaron blew him he thought, but the blond jock had other ideas. He pulled off Dave's dick and looked up. "Pretty fuckin' hot, huh Dave?" "Shit yeah, always man." If Aaron wasn't going to polish his knob he'd do it himself; he grabbed a hold and started stroking as Joey squirted some lube onto his fingers. "Why don't you plant your ass over here while you watch? Sit on my face bro--I wanna eat you out." Dave's eyes widened in anticipation. "Oh fuck yeah." He pivoted to straddle Aaron's chest, then pushed his hips back into Aaron's guiding hands until he felt slick warmth graze his hole; he sucked in his breath. Trained by hours of hard cock riding, his sphincter automatically opened to ease Aaron's entry, and a deep groan escaped him as the wet muscle slid in deep. He rocked back and pressed down, the feel of stubble on his taint and crack intensifying the pleasure, and a pearly white drop beaded up on his deep purple glans before sliding off. Aaron was in heaven. Derrick was happy to get a blowie, but he mainly just liked fucking, and Aaron was missing his favorite pastime. The smell of freshly-scrubbed balls and ass filled his nostrils, and he pressed his tongue deep into Dave's hole to sample its tangy flavor. He could feel it quiver and open as he did, and when Dave moaned and pressed against his lips Aaron pulled his thighs down tight to penetrate as deeply as possible. He shook his head to grind his scruff into the soft flesh around it and heard Dave groan; seconds later he felt the first warm droplet fall on his chest. The thought of it spurred Aaron on, and he ramped up his efforts until Dave's whimpers came without pause. Joey pulled two slick fingers out of his ass, then hurriedly dribbled some lube on Aaron's cock before tossing the bottle aside. He loved eating Dave out, loved how the big man reacted to it, and now he had a ringside seat as Aaron worked his man over. He'd forgotten how Dave's eyes fluttered when the tongue got him just right, or how his face looked while he made that little whimpering noise. God it was hot--and now he could get his own ass pounded while he watched the show. He stood over Aaron's hips, pausing briefly to let Dave lean in and suck his sticky cock clean, and then sat down, impaling himself on Aaron's hot shaft in one long glorious slide. It'd been almost a month since he'd had a dick up his ass, and he needed this bad. "Fuck me bro," he gasped, already grinding his hips into Aaron's groin. When Dave's mitt wrapped around his slick shaft and started stroking he cried out with pleasure. Resting his arms on Dave's broad shoulders he leaned in so they could share a deep kiss, tongues grappling as he panted hungrily. Aaron was thrusting up hard now, pounding deep against his prostate and stretching him open, and soon all Joey could do was hang on to Dave as the cock and hand working him over brought him inexorably to the brink. He could hear Aaron groaning too, and feel him stiffening as he got closer to blowing his load. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the building pleasure in his groin and whimpering with each thrust. Aaron was having trouble concentrating on both his friends at once. He loved tossing Dave's salad, but Joey's tight little ass was making his dick very, very happy. Not that it'd been neglected lately, but Joey had a take-charge attitude even when he was getting fucked that almost made it feel like a wrestling match, made him want to pound the little fucker's ass all the harder to see if he could take it. He began to thrust his hips up harder, partly to let Joey know who was in charge, but mostly because that tight ring riding up and down his shaft felt so fucking good. Each time Joey sat back down on him it sent a jolt through his groin, and he could feel his balls tightening up fast; it sounded like Joey was in the same boat. Dave sped up his strokes at the sign that Joey was close. Aaron had more or less stopped working his asshole over as his own orgasm approached, but Dave didn't care--watching Joey get off from his and Aaron's efforts was just as much of a turn-on. "That's it babe, shoot that load for me, do it, blow that jizz," he chanted. "C'mon stud, show me what that fat cock of yours has got." Joey was trembling and his thighs were quivering, and when Dave twisted his hand to rub along his hypersensitive helmet ridge he unleashed. The first blast shot into Dave's palm, providing a generous dollop of lube that made the next strokes all the more effective. Dave milked him in time with the spasms, intensifying them so that white ropes of semen shot all over his chest and groin, onto Aaron's smooth stomach, and finally as he slowed down, just running down Dave's hand to drip onto Aaron's faint treasure trail. When Dave was sure Joey was done he let go; he was hard as a rock and more than ready to shoot his own load, and he knew where he wanted it to go. He pivoted off Aaron and knelt next to his head; his friend was panting as he thrust faster and faster into Joey's ass, muscles flexing as he pumped upwards. Dave turned Aaron's head towards his crotch then started stroking himself, Joey's spunk the perfect lube. "Open up Aaron," he panted, "I've got a load for you buddy." "Fuck yeah Dave, give it to me," he panted. "Blow your load on me when you nut--I'm fuckin' close man." Hearing this Joey began bouncing up and down again. "Come on Aaron, give it to me. Fill my hole bud--do it!" "Yeaaargh!" Aaron bucked hard, every muscle standing out as he spasmed. Joey's ass clenched and slid over his iron-hard dick, ruthlessly tight, and he could feel the cum rising up from his balls. Dave's hand was a blur next to him, arm pistoning away as he jacked himself off; Aaron could smell the rich scent of Joey's load on him. The smell hit him like it always did, and his mouth fell open in a long groan as he came, dumping his load into his friend's tight hole. Seconds later Dave let out a bellow, and warm liquid splashed on his cheeks and lips. Dave adjusted his aim, and Aaron groaned greedily again as salty goo coated his tongue. He lifted his head up, capturing Dave's head in his lips in time to feel the last couple of spurts against the roof of his mouth while he finished dumping his own load up Joey's muscular ass. Dave slid deeper into his mouth, and Aaron let out a happy "Mmmmm..." as he tongued the mix of juices off of him. This is what he'd missed: getting off with the guys who knew him best. Joey leaned forward, still impaled on his erection, and joined him cleaning up Dave's cock. Their eyes met, and they shared a grin as their lips moved together over the organ, licking it thoroughly. Eventually Dave got too sensitive to tolerate the stimulation. He squeezed one last glob out for Joey to lap up, then collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily. "Fuckin' A," he muttered. Joey pulled off Aaron and rolled over to lie between him and Dave, breathing in the warm mingled scent of their bodies and sex. "You can say that again." He looked over. "Welcome back Aaron." Aaron nodded. "I do feel welcomed. Thanks boys--that was awesome. I needed that." Joey rolled on his side and looked over at him. "Hey, you can't be that hard up bro. Don't tell me Derrick wasn't taking care of you." "Oh for sure. But you know--he's Derrick." The other two nodded knowingly. They liked Derrick, and he was great in bed, but sometimes his tough guy attitude could be a bit much. He was as competitive as Joey in his own way, but without such a sense of humor about it. Dave rolled on his side and propped his head up on one hand. "So...got anyone else lined up?" He draped his free arm over Joey's chest and spooned up against him. "Well, sorta." Aaron gave them a rundown of the situation with his new roommates. "Damn Aaron," Joey said, "you're freakin' swimming in dick over there! We shoulda moved in there Dave." Dave growled and tightened his arm on Joey's chest. "Relax babe," he chuckled, "you know I'm kidding." "Damn straight," Dave rumbled, nipping his ear. Aaron watched with amusement. "So you guys seem to be doing real good. You must've had a good summer." "Yeah, it was great," Joey said enthusiastically. "I mean, I wasn't too sure when Dave said 'let's go camping for the summer,' but it was really cool." He went on for a while about the places they'd seen--he'd really liked Glacier National Park--with Dave occasionally adding a comment. "I gotta say though, when we stopped by Dave's family's house I was ready for some real food and a bed that didn't have a root in the middle of it." "And a shower," Dave added pointedly, which earned him an elbow in the stomach. Joey looked over his shoulder. "I wasn't the only one, goat boy." "So you guys stayed with Dave's parents...together?..." Aaron asked, the question hanging in the air. Dave flushed slightly. "Well, we got separate bedrooms--" "--until," Joey interrupted. "Yeah, until...." Dave gave an embarrassed grin. "Until his mom walked in on us." Aaron's eyes widened. "Wait--you mean Dave's mom walked in on you banging her little boy?! Hooooly shit! What did you do?" "It wasn't quite that bad," Dave said, "we were just kinda fooling around--" "--on the bed with our shirts off--" "Yeah. Anyway, we thought my mom was out running errands and...she was not. Very much not." "Did she freak?" "She just kinda gasped and said 'Oh! Excuse me!' and walked out of the room with my clean laundry. I mean, you know my mom. June Cleaver." "So what'd you do?" Joey raised his hand. "I bravely hid in the room while Dave talked to her." "She was actually really cool about it. I mean, she was shocked--I don't think I've ever seen my mom hitting the bourbon at eleven in the morning before--" Aaron snickered "--but she told me she loved me, and it was fine, and not to worry, and all that good stuff. It was really great, actually." She'd also asked Dave point blank if he was in love. He'd always thought about his and Joey's relationship as just "a thing," but his mom made him realize that over the summer it had become a lot more. When he'd answered "yes" she'd teared up a bit and given him a big hug. Thinking about it gave him a warm glow, and he pulled Joey closer to kiss his head. "So then I had to drag this one out from under the bed so she could grill him too." "She was super chill. I got big hugs, and even some cookies out of the deal. Pretty sweet." And that night Dave had used the L word for the first time, and Joey had surprised them both by tearing up. He squeezed Dave's big hand, remembering. "So of course after that she made me tell Dad and the rest of the family." "Wow. So how'd that go?" "Pretty good really. Dad and I went golfing, and I told him while we were walking the course." Joey raised his hand again. "Still bravely hiding back in the house." "Probably for the best," Aaron judged. If he told his parents he was into sucking dick, he would not want said dick present for the discussion. "Yeah," Dave agreed, "but Dad was cool about it. Mom must've dropped a hint, because he knew something was up. I think he was so happy I wasn't flunking out, knocking a girl up, or hooked on drugs he didn't care that I was...you know...gay." Using that word in front of his dad had been the scariest thing he'd ever done, and he still wasn't comfortable with it. Even if it was the right word. He could see it didn't sit well with Aaron either, but it was the truth, and at some level they all knew it. "My brother actually freaked out a little bit, but he's getting used to it. It'll be cool." "Wow," Aaron said, "that is something. Good for you guys--that's awesome." He paused. "So...you gonna tell the guys?" He meant their teammates. Joey turned to look briefly up at Dave, who gave a small nod. "Yeah. I mean, shit, we're in a one-bedroom apartment. Do the math." "Well, Dmitri's having a kegger at his place tomorrow night. Pretty much just the guys and maybe a few others. You could do it then. Dmitri anyway." Dave and the team captain were nearly in the same weight class, so they'd worked out against each other a lot and become pretty good friends along the way. Aaron doubted Dave's news would bother him. Dave took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Yeah, okay. Yeah." Joey squeezed his hand. Aaron sat up and clapped gripped his shoulder. "It'll be cool man, you'll see." Dave gave him a steady but not unkind look. "How about you A? You planning on spilling the beans anytime soon?" Aaron shrugged. "Probably not. I mean, I'm just hooking up, so who cares, right? It's not like I'm with anyone." He looked down at the cum drying on his chest and belly. "Okay, well you guys, but that's not really the same." Dave sat up too. "It's cool man, we won't say anything." He climbed off the bed and grabbed a hand towel off the floor to wipe his crotch, then tossed it to Aaron. "I don't mean to be rude amigo, but we have got a shit ton of unpacking to do. So unless you want to help out..." Aaron grinned as he wiped himself off. "Looking for your big dildo?" Dave snorted. "I'll be happy with plates right now." He pulled his shorts back on, and the other two retrieved their scattered clothes off the floor as well, then walked Aaron to the door for a quick hug goodbye. "Well, thanks for the housewarming party," he said, feeling awkward. When they'd lived together they'd always hung out after getting off; it felt weird to just leave. Joey slipped his arm around Dave's waist and grinned. "Anytime bro. Anytime." Something must have shown on Aaron's face, because Dave leaned in and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Don't worry man, you'll find someone." Joey grinned. "With that dick-sucking mouth of his? Of course he will." Dave hip-checked him. "Shut up Joey." He grinned at Aaron. "It won't hurt your chances though." Aaron had to laugh. "Thanks for the pep talk--I'll put that on my resume. See you at Dmitri's?" They nodded. "Okay, cool. Catch you later!" He turned and left their home for his own room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave and Joey showed up later than they'd planned at the party: it turned out unpacking took longer than they'd thought. So by the time they walked in the music was blasting and the party was in full swing: about 25 guys, mostly from the wrestling team, and some assorted friends and girlfriends, plus Dmitri's roommates. For the athletes it was one of the few chances they'd have to really blow off steam before classes and training started in earnest, and they all intended to take full advantage. The two of them saw Aaron in one corner, hanging out with a couple of teammates and a dark-haired athletic guy they didn't recognize. They waved but he didn't see them, so they headed in search of beer. "Davey boy! Joey!" Dmitri waved them both over to the keg. "You made it!" "Hey man." Dave greeted the big black guy with a hug. "Thanks for the beers. Want any money for the keg?" "Nah, it's good. My housemates chipped in--you can buy for the next party. Here you go." He handed them a couple of foam-topped cups. "Nice tan Joey." Dave was wearing a tee shirt, but Joey had gone with a muscle shirt, and his hiker's tan was on full display. "Hey, at least I've got hair." Joey lifted his trucker cap and pointed to his full head of light brown hair. "I told you man, I shave it." "Uh huh. You don't gotta lie, Craig--admit it, you're losing your hair." "Shut up Joey." Dmitri gave him a friendly shove. "Shouldn't you be talking up those girls over there?" "Yeah, I'll see what I can do about that. Later Dmitri." Joey wandered vaguely towards a couple of girls in the corner, but then waved when he saw the Gilbert twins; they'd wrestled against each other regularly and had gotten pretty tight. He headed over to join them. "So how was your summer man? You and Joey get chased by any bears?" "Nah, but we saw a few. It was really cool." Dave went on for a while about their camping adventure, then got the update on Dmitri's summer before talk turned to the upcoming season. "Aaron's lookin' swole, huh?" Dmitri asked. "Yeah, he told me he wants to try to get to 197." Dmitri whistled. "That's a long way to go man." Dave had fought hard to drop weight last year, and had barely made 184, but Aaron wasn't that big--bulking up to be competitive against a beast like Dmitri was a stretch, and they both knew it. "I know, but he might be able to. He worked out like a madman this summer." Dmitri looked skeptical, but said nothing. "So where's Denise?" She and Dmitri had been dating for over two years, and she was usually a regular at these things--she and Dave had always gotten along well. "Aah, she's at some chickfest. Said she wanted to skip the sausage party." Dmitri tossed back the rest of his beer. "So how about you man? Got anything going with the ladies?" Bending to refill his cup, he missed the blood rushing to Dave's face. "Umm...I'm...sorta seeing someone." Dave gulped his beer, hands shaking. Shouldn't this be getting easier to do? But this was as hard as telling his dad. Dmitri glanced up, eyebrows raised. "Really? That's great man. What's her name?" "Uhhh..." Dave swallowed hard. Too late to stop now. "Joey." His heart felt like it was going to bust a rib the way it was pounding. Dmitri shook his head, glancing up from his filling cup. "Sorry, what? I thought you said Joey." Dave cleared his throat, swallowed the rest of his beer, and forced himself to meet Dmitri's gaze. "It's Joey." Dmitri gave a slow uncertain nod. "Joey. That Joey, over there." He nodded to where Joey was animatedly talking with the Gilbert twins. Dave just nodded. Dmitri's eyes widened as he took it in. "Wow. I did not see that coming man, not at all. But--aw, shit!" His cup had overflowed and he flicked the beer off his hand. "Sorry. Well good for you guys. Seriously man. I mean, I gotta say I never would've thought you'd be for dudes, but...you know, you guys are family--we've got your back." He took in Dave's face, struggling to keep cool, and his own softened. "Come on bro, it's all good." He set down his drink and gave Dave a big hug and slap on the back. "We're cool man, for reals." He felt Dave relax, and let him go. "How about another beer--you could probably use one, huh?" Dave nodded, his relief clear. "Yeah, for sure." He held his cup out for Dmitri to refill. "So...you guys told anyone else yet?" "No, not yet. You're the first." "Really?" Dmitri handed him a fresh beer. "Well thanks man. That really means a lot, you coming to me. Cheers." He lifted his cup. "To good relationships." They drank, and there was a thoughtful pause while they both processed the situation. Dmitri glanced over at Dave. "So how long has this thing been going on anyway?" "A few months I guess. I mean, stuff sorta happened last year, but basically the last few months for real." Dmitri nodded. "Cool. Does Aaron know?" "Yeah, so I guess he was the first." Dave shrugged. "Roommates, you know." "He cool with it?" Dmitri's face darkened. "He's not why you guys moved out is it? Because I will kick his wisecracking little ass if he gave you any shit." "No! No no," Dave put up his hands. "He's totally cool with it. Really. We just felt like we were ready to get our own place is all." "All right." Dmitri looked mollified. "Honestly man, I don't think any of the guys are gonna give a shit, but if they do you let me know." "Thanks. We were kinda talking about telling some of the other guys tonight." He looked over to see one of the Gilberts giving Joey a big hug; Joey saw him and gave a thumbs-up. So it really was happening. He gave Joey a thumbs-up back. "I think I'm gonna make the rounds a little bit. You know." He topped up his beer. "Sure thing Dave. We'll talk later man. Be cool." Dmitri gave him another quick hug and then Dave wandered off into the room. The rest of the night was more of the same. He and Joey made the rounds, letting the guys know one by one, the talks getting easier as they downed more liquid courage. By 1 a.m. they'd talked to all their closest buds, and were taking a breather hanging out by the keg. Dave was feeling no pain at that point, and Joey was solidly hammered; they were both riding high on a wave of relief. One of the guys they didn't know so well--Paul--came up to get a beer, eyeing Joey uncertainly. "Hey Joey!" Someone had turned up the music a while ago, and they could barely hear him, but Joey turned to look blearily at him. He said something, but Joey just made the "I can't hear you" gesture. He said it again, and Joey still didn't get it. "JEFFORDS SAYS YOU'RE GAY!!" he shouted, then looked horrified as he realized that someone fucked with the stereo at that exact moment, and the music had stopped completely. It was like something out of a bad movie: the whole party turned to look at them. "Yeah," Joey slurred, "so?" Uh-oh, Dave thought. He knew that look. It was the one Joey got when he was getting ready to kick someone's ass on the mat. Paul quickly put his hands up. "No dude, it's cool! I just--uh, he said you told him you were dating, uh--" his eyes flicked to Dave, "uh, that you told him. I just wanted to know is all. It's cool, really." Whatever had happened to the stereo, it apparently wasn't coming back on--the whole party was listening in. From the back of the crowd someone guffawed. "Joey?! C'mon Paul, get real!" Obviously someone they hadn't talked to yet. "Oh yeah?" Joey squinted blearily into the crowd, swaying. "Oh yeah?! Well here's the deal, bro." And with that he reached over, grabbed Dave's neck, and pulled him into a deep kiss while his right hand slowly rose up to shoot the bird to the crowd. Paul's eyes were wide. Someone laughed--it was one of the Gilberts. "That's what you get when you call Joey a bullshitter!" As Joey pulled away Dmitri stepped forward, shaking his head and smiling. "Joey, you are one bad ass motherfucker, without a doubt." He raised his cup in a toast. Someone else laughed and shouted "Joey!!" and within seconds the tension evaporated, the crowd chanting "Joe-ey! Joe-ey!" and applauding. The guys might've been surprised, but this was hardly the most outrageous thing that had happened at one of their parties. Joey grabbed Dave's hand and held it up like he'd just been awarded a match, victory grin on his face--and then fell on his ass as he tried to lean back against the keg and missed it completely. The crowd roared with laughter, and everything was normal again. Eventually someone figured out how to get the stereo working again and the party resumed. Most of the guys (and girlfriends) stopped by at one point or another to show some solidarity, and by the end of the night Dave was almost giddy with relief. No one knew what Joey was feeling: he'd passed out behind the keg an hour before Dave picked him up and hauled him home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave groaned and rolled over, the morning sun stabbing his eyes. His head was throbbing, he'd apparently bruised his elbow on something, and his mouth tasted like ass--and not in a good way. At least he'd thought to down some water and Tylenols before he hit the sack. He looked over at Joey, still fully clothed and with a big spot of drool on his pillow. The glass Dave had put by his side of the bed was still full of water, but the waste basket was empty--call it a tie. He groaned and got up to head to the bathroom--a shower would help. Some. When he came out Joey was awake and grimacing miserably as he sipped on the water glass. He looked over at Dave with bloodshot eyes, his face pasty under the tan. "Morning Romeo. How you feeling?" Dave grabbed some clean underwear to put on. "Like hammered shit," he croaked. "How much did you let me drink?" "Hey," Dave laughed, "you're on your own with that one bro. Those beers are aaaalllll on you." He plunked down on the bed, careful not to jostle Joey too much: best to keep the waste basket empty. "Phew! You smell like hobo hangover." "Eh." Joey was in no mood for humor. He sipped some more water. "Fuck, I must've been hammered. I don't remember any of the the end of that party...." His brows furrowed, trying to remember. "...Did we make out? I think we made out. Or did I just dream that?" Dave laughed. "Yeah, yeah you could say that." He gave Joey a recap. "So I really flipped everybody off?" "Yep. And Dmitri called you a bad ass motherfucker. It was awesome." "Huh." Joey nodded to himself. "Well all right then." "Why don't you go clean up and we can go get some breakfast. How about a nice greasy pork chop?" Joey shot him a dirty look and bolted to the bathroom. "I'm puking on your toothbrush." He shut the door. "We can put butter on it!" Dave shouted. There was no reply. He went to the living room to veg in front of the TV while Joey cleaned up. It was only a few minutes later though that someone pounded on the door. What the fuck? He opened it to see Dmitri, Denise, the Gilberts, and Paul standing there, more or less looking about how Dave felt. "Morning loverboy!" Dave scowled; Dmitri was always ridiculously energetic after these things. Worse than Aaron. "Thought you might want to join us for some breakfast at Dino's." Dave's face brightened. "Yeah, that'd be great. Come on in, Joey's in the shower." He ushered them in and they squeezed into the small living room. "Um...hey, I'm real sorry about last night dude." Paul's long features twisted into an embarrassed expression. "I didn't mean to make a scene, swear to God. I'm totally good with you guys doing your thing. Really." Dave didn't know Paul that well beyond doing team stuff together, but he had to give the guy props for coming over to apologize. "Nah, it's cool man. Not your fault the stereo went out." "Hey baby," Denise gave him a big hug, looking gorgeous as always. She was a statuesque African-American--literally: her parents were Ethiopian. She'd played on the volleyball team until a torn knee had sidelined her for good, and she was as tall as he was. She was also smart as shit, and would likely be a vice president somewhere within two years of graduation; the team was fond of reminding Dmitri that she'd probably dump his ass for a cabana boy when it happened. "Dmitri told me about the party. I'm so happy for you." "Thanks D. You let me know if Dmitri gives you too much shit though, and I'll switch teams back." She laughed and let him go. "You know it baby." A few minutes later Joey joined them with a haggard wave, and after some chatting, hugs from Denise, and another apology from Paul they headed to breakfast. Coffee and greasy Greek diner food turned out to be just what they needed, and by the time they were ready to leave even Joey looked halfway human. They said their goodbyes and headed back to their respective places to recuperate. Joey plunked down on the couch and let Dave pick something to watch on TV. He looked a lot better, but it was obvious they weren't going to be doing much unpacking that afternoon. Dave sat down beside him and reached over to gently rub his scalp; he loved running his fingers through Joey's thick wavy hair. Joey sighed in pleasure and leaned his head back, eyes closed. "How you feeling?" "Better. Breakfast was a good call. I think I'll live. How about you?" "I'm good now--drank a lot of water before I went to bed." He grinned, caressing Joey's scalp. "Kinda horny actually." Joey gave an amused snort. "After last night? Where's this coming from?" "I dunno. Maybe it's coz I'm dating a bad ass motherfucker. Don't you feel kinda, I dunno, buzzed after last night?" Joey smiled, eyes still closed. "Happy. I feel happy." Dave got that warm feeling in his chest again, and leaned in to gently kiss Joey. "I love you," he whispered. Joey smiled and kissed him back. "Love you too." And they kissed again, slowly, Joey's hand moving up to Dave's neck, while Dave's free hand moved down to rest on Joey's shorts. When his fingertips found the soft ridge near the end of his shaft they began rubbing lightly over that spot; soon enough Joey could feel himself firming up. He broke off the kissing for a minute. "Okay, maybe I'm feeling a little horny too." He grinned. Dave moved his hand to slide it under Joey's waistband, down through his wiry pubes until he wrapped his hands around the warm shaft swelling in his grip. He rubbed his thumb over the helmet head and Joey lightly sucked in his breath. "Just a little?" He raised his eyebrows. "You sure?" "Maybe more than a little." Joey hunched his hips a fraction. The monster was already straining at his shorts, and would be fully hard in a minute or less. His hangover was still there, but he was definitely feeling distracted from it. Amazing how Dave could get him turned on like that, every time. "Good." Dave started stroking slowly and leaned in to nibble on Joey's earlobe. "I'd hate to have waisted a perfectly good douche." Joey squirmed as Dave's tongue traced over his ear. "You've been planning this since you got up? You are relentless!" he laughed, then let out a faint "mmph" as Dave rubbed his helmet ridge. He grabbed the back of Dave's neck and pulled their mouths together again, his tongue eagerly pushing its way in while his hips began rocking. When he pulled away again his face was flushed and his hangover temporarily forgotten. "Take off your clothes." Dave leaned back and pulled off his tee shirt, revealing his eight pack and lightly furred pecs, then flexed for him. "How's that?" His arms and shoulders bulged. "Oh yeah," Joey breathed, then slipped off his shorts in one quick move so he could start lightly jacking himself. "Show me your cock." He'd seen Dave naked and hard more times than he could count by now, and he loved it every time. Dave stood up and shucked off his shorts, his thick seven-incher springing free; the tip was already glistening. He wrapped his hand around it and started stroking slowly. "How about now?" he breathed. "Oh fuck yeah," Joey breathed. He leaned forward to take it into his mouth, but Dave put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Just sit back. I got this." Joey did and Dave moved the coffee table so he could kneel between his knees. Eyes locked on Joey's the whole time, he bent down and engulfed six inches of cock with his mouth. Joey groaned and arched his back as Dave's tongue bathed his flesh. Dave kept bobbing up and down at a steady pace while Joey smiled down on him, gasping or twitching when the stimulation hit him just right. Dave could taste a steady stream of precum, and began sucking more aggressively to encourage more. The taste turned him on like it always did, and he slid his right hand down between his legs to start stroking his cock. "Oh God Davey, that feels so good. Mmmm!" Joey arched his back and bit his lower lip as Dave's tongue swirled over his head. "Play with your ass," he breathed. Dave looked up, face flushed. "Yeah, you wanna see that?" He let go of his dick and moved his hand back to his crack, fingers searching. "Oh fuck yeah." Joey's voice was thick with lust. "slide those fingers in there." Dave shuddered as he pushed in, and a wave of pleasure passed over his face. "That's so fuckin' hot. I love watching you play with that tight little hole. Work those fingers in there big boy." The thought of sinking into that tight muscular rump made him horny as fuck. He squirmed with arousal, running his hands over his body as he watched Dave open himself up. Dave grunted as he worked two of them in to the second knuckle, then started moving them around. Mouth slack with pleasure, he lunged forward and took Joey back in his mouth as far as he could go, hungrily devouring his meat. Joey's strong grip roamed over his head and broad shoulders, encouraging him, and both of them were panting now. Dave's cock flared with each thrust of his fingers, and a line of clear drool hung from its tip to the floor. Finally he pulled his head out of Joey's lap, gasping. "I can't take this anymore," he said thickly, "I need to get fucked." He stood up. "Stay there," he ordered and sprinted into the bedroom. Joey watched him go, admiring the way Dave's tight ass bounced as he sprinted away. He still couldn't believe his luck: he had a best friend who was the sweetest guy ever, and he got to tap that ass whenever he wanted. He lightly stroked his wet cock, waiting for Dave to come back with the lube. "Close your eyes!" Dave shouted from the bedroom. "Why?!" "I got you something! Just close them!" "Okay!" Joey had no idea what was going on, but knowing Dave he'd like it. He shut his eyes and settled back, still stroking, and heard Dave come bounding back to settle in front of him. "Keep 'em closed." Joey heard some lube squirting and pulled his hand away so Dave could grease him up. Instead he felt something cold and wet press against his asshole, and gasped instinctively. "Sorry babe. Forgot to warm that up." He felt a warm hand grip his thigh, and then the pressure increased as a slick rounded surface began opening up his pucker. He let out an "Aaahh!" and relaxed to let it in. Sensing lower resistance, Dave pushed harder and the toy sped up its entry. It widened as it went, and Joey let out a happy groan as it stretched him open. "Oh fuuuuck does that feel good! Fuuuuuck!" He squirmed with pleasure, running his hands over his torso and thighs in ecstasy. It wasn't the same as a cock, but it felt just as good in its own way, and it was still getting wider as it went in. He whimpered and felt precum drip onto his stomach. "Go ahead and play with yourself if you want babe. Stroke your cock. You look so fuckin' hot like that." "Nnngh. I can't. I think I'll come if I do. Nnnnnnggh!" Joey grabbed his knees and pulled them apart to open his ass up more, and finally the fattest part of the butt plug was past his sphincter, the base flush against his ass and snugly in place. Once it stopped moving he was able to recover a bit and he opened his eyes, still breathing heavily; every part of his body was hypersensitive. Dave smiled up at him and leaned in to clean the pool of precum off his belly, then looked up. "You like that?" "Oh Jesus--you gotta ask?" he panted. "Holy shit that's awesome." He shifted his hips a little to change his position, and a fresh twinge of pleasure went through him. "Fuck yeah." "I know you like getting your ass worked over, and I know I don't do it as often as you want, so I thought maybe this would work as a compromise every now and then." He licked up the length of Joey's cock, kissing the tip to clean it. "Oh hell yeah. I'm not giving up that dick of yours, but yeah, this is definitely a good plan. Jesus." He took a shuddering breath. Riding Aaron's cock had been great, but this one-on-one action with Dave was just as hot. Maybe more. "Awesome." Dave stood up, shaft at full attention, and slapped his ass. "You ready for some of this?" "Babe, you have no idea." Dave grinned. "Oh, I think I do." He drizzled a generous glob of lube on the monster, then straddled Joey's hips and got into position. He'd been waiting for this all morning, and let out a groan of relief as the beast opened him wide and slid deep up his chute, Joey watching him intently the whole time. Once he was settled in he started moving up and down, mouth hanging open slightly as the pleasure increased with each thrust. Joey's cock was more than capable of hitting his prostate from any angle, and he let out sharp little pants each time his motion brought it into contact. As soon as he started moving Joey began whimpering again. Dave's weight made his hips rock, and that was moving the butt plug in a way that made his prostate very happy. Not to mention what Dave's ass was doing to his dick. Hangover or not, he knew he wasn't going to last long at this rate. "Jerk your cock babe. I wanna watch you stroke it." "You got it. Fuck my hole." Dave panted as he picked up speed, pumping his hips automatically as his cock and ass were stimulated. "You cock feels so good! Make me come for you. Hfff...hfff...make me come for you!" "Oh fuuuuck yeah!" Joey was pounding up hard now. He'd figured out how to move his hips so the plug felt the best, and he was loving it. Each time his hips moved down the toy pressed into him, milking his ass, and on the upstroke he sunk into the tight heaven of Dave's tight hole. He could tell his shaft was rock-hard, and he knew he was close to blowing his load. "Jerk it! Shoot that load all over me babe!!" Dave's hand was a blur as he went over the edge. "Oh God, I'm coming! Oh God, oh...Christ!!" Dave's hole clamped down like a vice as he erupted, jet after jet exploding everywhere: Joey's face and chest, the couch, his chest--it was like a loose fire hose. He felt Joey squeeze his balls and his hips jerked forward in pleasure. He was just starting to recover when Joey's pistoning went into overdrive: his compact frame convulsed as he cried out and blasted up Dave's ass. Dave braced against the couch to keep from getting bounced off as Joey cut loose, sounding like his orgasm was just as intense as Dave's own. It certainly seemed like it: by the time his hips stopped moving Dave was pretty sure he could feel some cum leaking out his hole. He gave a happy sigh of relief and met Joey's eye; they exchanged a look. "So how's your hangover now?" Joey gave a panting laugh. "Ahhh, shit. Definitely better." He pawed at some of the jizz on his chest. "Definitely the messiest cure I've ever had." He licked his fingers; he'd always thought the combination of its distinctive taste and the slightly spicy smell of Dave's warm body was sexy as hell. Dave scooped a glob off his cheek and slid it into Joey's appreciative mouth. "Well they say you should have a high-protein meal after a night of drinking." He pulled his clean finger back out. "Or an injection." Joe flexed his hips a little; he'd barely started to soften and Dave gave an appreciative little grunt, then leaned in for a long slow kiss. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until both had softened back up. "Okay, time to get up before I get a cramp," Dave grunted. He stood and gave Joey a hand up. "Whadya say we get that thing out of your ass, clean up, and take a nice long nap?" "Babe, you read my mind. You read my mind."