OPEN QUESTION.

Usual Disclaimer: If you are not 18 years old yet do not read.
If you are offended by male to male sexual content definitely do not read.
If the laws in your state or country forbid this type of material, do not read.
Otherwise enjoy the story and genuine comments will be appreciated.
The author retains copyright (2010) to this story. Reproducing this story for distribution without the author's permission is a violation of that copyright.
This story is fiction.
Thank you Nifty for the opportunity to post this story.

In chapter six Brendan enjoyed a hiking weekend and the rocket made its first appearance.

Chapter 7.

Mike was outraged when he heard about Martin, but not surprised, as he'd never thought much of him.
He was most surprised that Brendan was gay, just as they'd expected. He was also very concerned about Brendan's age and had a serious talk with him a couple of days later.

"Are you sure you're gay Brendan?"

"Um. ...Yes."

"Completely sure? You used to get on with Robin, always hugging and close?"

"It was friend stuff."

"It's not because you like Phillip so much is it? I went through that with him when I was your age."

Brendan was astonished and it showed.

"Nothing actually happened Brendan. It almost did. I worked out that he liked me physically and I used to sunbathe naked just to please him."

"How did you work it out? I didn't have a clue till Martin found out."

"I didn't either till I was a bit older. I know I was at least eighteen because I was driving his car on one of our trips when I first realised. Do you think you'll be able to control yourself still next birthday?"

"I think so."

"Brendan, you have to. It would be uncomfortable for you if anyone found out, but Phillip could get into deep trouble.

***

"Brendan, this is piss weak. What are you going to do about it?"

"Ah. ...I'll work harder next semester."

This was embarrassing, talking about his latest school results, and Phillip always asked.

"What a load of crap. You've been saying that for the last three years. I think you should quit school."

Brendan's jaw dropped. Phillip was always saying how important education was.

"Quit?"

"Well, it's a waste of time isn't it? Why do you even go?"

"I have to."

"No you don't. Legal age for leaving is sixteen and you're seventeen."

"Mum would kill me."

"No she wouldn't. She probably feels like killing you now with this report. What is it with you? You're a straight A student."

"It's boring."

"So, leave school and do something that's not boring."

Brendan really couldn't believe he was hearing this. He couldn't leave school, not with only Year Ten completed. That was for dropouts like Martin.

"So your mum battles to keep Lucas at uni, and you at school, while you don't do anything because it's boring? Is that fair?"

It wasn't fair and Brendan knew it, but it hurt to hear Phillip say it and he went very quiet. Phillip jumped out of his chair and gave him a hug.

"Brendan, you know I don't want to upset you, but it really is crunch time with your studies. I think it would be a total waste if you don't get to finish this year and next year, but you know it's pointless at the moment. I'd like you to change schools at the end of this semester and spend two nights a week working with me on your subjects. Think about it. Okay?"

It didn't take much thinking. Changing schools had worked for Lucas, and two nights a week with Phillip would be great.

***

"Brendan, how'd you like to earn some regular cash?"

Phillip and Mike were both grinning because they knew very well he'd jump at any opportunity to build up his funds.

"What would I have to do?"

"Chop wood. ...This and that."

"Chop wood?"

"Mike's uncle is giving him a huge truckload of timber from up the country and it all needs splitting."

"I'll do that anyway. You wouldn't have to pay me Mike."

"Yes I would. I'm hoping you can do two afternoons of work at the house each week and help me at the city house sometimes on weekends."

"Um. ...Can I ask how much?"

"Plenty. At least a couple of hundred dollars for the weekends, depending on how many hours we work, and sixty or seventy dollars for the regular afternoons."

It was a done deal.

"Which afternoons?"

"Tuesday and Wednesday so it fits in with your study nights."

***

"Yo Brendan. How's it hanging?"

"Get lost Martin."

Brendan had managed to avoid Martin but this time they were both waiting for a bus.

"No hard feelings. Why don't we meet at the tree some time?"

"No thanks."

"Hey, have you got it on with Phillip yet?"

Brendan felt like punching him because there were other people close by.

"Have you stolen anything from Brian yet?"

Martin glanced round then gave Brendan a dirty look. Brendan gave a dirty look back and kept it up till Martin moved away.

***

"Have you got much to do at home in the semester break?"

"Not too much. Lucas and I had a big catch up last weekend."

"How about a trip down to the coast? I want to get some winter photos."

They were both grinning.

"Where are we going?"

"Another hour on this maths and I'll tell you."

The hour took ages. Not really, it took three quarters of an hour because Brendan stopped concentrating properly and Phillip cut it short.

"We'll have four days of work painting at Mike's city house. That will boost your bank, and then I'm planning on a week at the south-west coast near Cape Otway. Do you think we can put up with each other for that long?"

"A week?"

"There's a lot to see down there. Its rugged."

It sounded very exciting and was a new place for Brendan. He'd been part of the way, to Anglesea a few times, as well as Lorne which was further along, but never to the National Park with the big cliffs and wild beaches that Phillip was describing.

"Are we hiking, or camping with the wagon?"

"Probably both. We'll take all our gear just in case."

***

The two week semester break was unreal. Mike paid him $700 for the house painting and that nearly doubled his savings in one hit, and the trip with Phillip was fantastic.
It didn't go quite as planned because they got stuck in the tent when a huge storm struck at the end of their first day's hiking.
The tent was set up on a grassy swathe at the top of a bluff with a clear view of the ocean and reefs below, with a small bay and some big cliffs on a headland about half a kilometre away. It was a great spot but with the winter sun setting so early they didn't have much time to appreciate it. A cool wind came off the ocean, which meant they had to cook inside to keep the little fuel stove from blowing out, and by the time their meal was finished the wind had strengthened so much that the tent was shaking.

"Where's the tent bag Brendan?"

"Under the left-hand fly flap, where we always put it."

"I think I'll use those extra pegs in case the wind gets any stronger in the night."

As soon as he unzipped the outer fly the chill wind blew in.

"Whoo! It's getting wild out here."

Brendan poked his head out and watched with his headlamp while Phillip hammered the four spare pegs on the windward side and tightened all the guy lines. Half an hour later the wind was shrieking and the tent constantly shuddering.

"Will it blow the tent away?"

Brendan had visions of them stuck for the night with a mess of flapping nylon wrapped around them.

"No way. It's a four seasons tent and rated for mountain camping."

Everything lit up with a brilliant flash of light and a couple of seconds later a great thunderclap sent Brendan's heart pounding.

"It nearly hit us."

"No.. At least two km away. You can tell by the gap between the light and the sound. Every second stands for a kilometre."

The wind shrieked louder and there was another flash and accompanying boom.

"It's the front of the storm. Unreal."

The lightning flashed and rumbled for another twenty minutes then receded, leaving the wind which didn't. It certainly was unreal. Four or five of the thunderclaps had been so loud they made the ground shake. At least that's what it felt like.

"We'll get into the sleeping bags."

Phillip was practically shouting to be heard. He undid both sleeping bags then connected the zips so they became one big double bag with room enough for the two of them, then climbed in. Brendan followed. The roaring and shrieking was muted by the down insulation and it became much easier to hear each other.

"I love wild weather."

"I hope it doesn't get too wild."

"No worries. This tent has never let me down yet. Wow, listen to that."

That, was the staccato sound of the rain pelting like bullets against the fly of the tent. They poked their heads out of the sleeping bag to listen to this new sound then submerged to their tiny world again.

"Feeling cosy?"

"Feeling weird. The tent's humming."

"Hug time."

Phillip's arm went round Brendan's shoulder and stayed there. It was a cosy hug, bringing them together to share the experience of the wild wind and driving rain battering against the little two-man tent.

"Have you been in a storm like this before?"

"A few times. This is the strongest one though. I was at the Grampians Range once and the wind pulled the pegs out. I slept all night with the tent collapsed and the rain pouring down."

"Was it pouring like this?"

"Heavier."

"I don't believe it."

"What?"

"This sleeping bag's too hot."

"It should be. It's rated for 15° below zero."

Phillip started laughing.

"I could have guessed. Here comes the nudist."

"Well it's hot and clothes feel wrong in a sleeping bag anyway."

"Don't you ever leave your jocks on?"

"Never."

"What about at home?"

"Never."

"How come?"

"You really want to know?"

"Only if you want to tell me."

"It makes me feel sexy. And gives me good dreams."

"Yikes! I asked for that didn't I?"

"Say it again."

"What?"

"Yikes."

"Yikes."

"I've never heard anyone else say that."

"I learnt it when I was about fourteen."

"Wow, listen to that."

They ducked their heads out to listen to an extra heavy burst of wind and rain and Brendan let out a big yell.

"What was that for?"

"It feels strange to be warm and comfy when there's a storm attacking just the other side of the tent walls."

"See, you like wild weather too... What are you up to?"

"Feeling your heartbeat. You're dead because you haven't got one."

"Feel on my neck. That's the best way to tell."

"Now I can feel it. You must be alive."

Phillip poked his head out of the sleeping bag for a moment then pulled it back in.

"Listening to the rain?"

"Catching my breath. I'm too hot."

It was Brendan's turn to laugh while Phillip struggled out of his clothes.

"How long do you think this storm will last?"

"It'll probably be gone in the morning."

"If it keeps raining like this we'll get washed away."

"No we won't. The run-off's too good."

"I'm going to have a leak."

Brendan found his headlamp, opened the zip of the inner tent and looked round. The air was cold on his bare skin so he rushed straight back under the covers.

"There's water's running straight under us."

"Of course it is... And straight out the other end. It can be ten cm deep before it comes in."

"What do we do then?"

"Float away, down into the ocean till we meet penguins at the South Pole and then you'll be in big trouble."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, it won't be trout you have to worry about. It will be penguin peckers."

"You're an idiot."

"Think how painful. The pecker pecked by penguin peckers."

"Oh My God. Robin should hear that. She'd be hysterical."

"Have you heard from her lately?"

"A couple of weeks ago. She's got a new boyfriend."

"One of her quickies?"

"Probably. ...I saw Martin last week. We were travelling on the same bus."

"Did he say anything?"

"Yeah, he asked if you and me had got it on yet."

"...What did you do?"

"Asked him if he'd stolen anything from Brian yet, ...in a loud voice."

"Good thinking. Did he say anything else?"

"No. He shut up."

"Mike saw him in the supermarket but he wouldn't even look at him. I wonder if he talks to Robin?"

"Not once. She's sent him e-mails and he doesn't reply. Hey Phillip, I've got a problem."

"What?"

"I need to have a leak."

"And you're scared the pecker will get blown off in the storm?"

"Very funny."

Phillip thought it was, because he kept chuckling. He unzipped the back end of the tent where their packs were stored in the little vestibule, then rushed back into the sleeping bag.

"Here, use this, but make sure you don't dribble anywhere."

"In the plastic drink bottle? That's gross."

"No it's not. It's funny."

It got even funnier when the top of the bottle was too small and Phillip suggested squeezing air out of the bottle.

"Go on. It'll suck you in far enough so you don't dribble on the sleeping bag."

It did suck him in and then Phillip said it looked like the trout had got him. Eventually the business was done and the bottle stored at the back of the tent. Brendan dived back in the sleeping bag to get out of the cold.

"You wait till it's your turn."

"Not a problem. I went when I put the extra pegs in. I'm not having any bottles sucking on my pecker. Hey, Robin will be hysterical when you tell her about this one."

It stormed all night. The next day it stormed too, not quite as wildly, but the rain was relentless. Brendan decided that being stuck inside the tent for the whole day was actually fun. They talked and mucked round, played various games that Phillip knew and Brendan even found out he could now beat Phillip at arm wrestling. The rocket appeared a few times, well, quite a lot, especially when Brendan persuaded Phillip to give him a neck massage, but it was kept well under control. After their midday meal Brendan had a great idea.

"Phillip, teach me how to use your camera."

"You know how to use it."

"I mean properly. How it all works and why you always fiddle with things instead of using automatic."

Phillip jumped at it, Brendan knew he would, and by the end of the afternoon he had a basic understanding of the main features of using a camera and had taken about a hundred photos of Phillip and other things inside the tent.
The rain stopped. It was great to get out of the tent but it wasn't for long as it was almost dark. They walked down the bluff to the beach and had a look at the waves marching in, then explored around the rocky edge of the bay for half an hour then quickly went back to the tent before it was too dark to find their way.

"What are you doing next year Brendan? At school I mean."

After only one semester at his new school Brendan was feeling really positive about his work.

"I'm not really sure. I'll do English and Maths and I'm definitely doing Info-tech, but I haven't worked out the others."

"You haven't got much time."

"A couple of months, and I can change my mind at the start of next year as well if I want. What do you think we'll do tomorrow?"

"Go on I hope. It would be good to reach the Cape."

Brendan snuggled close.

"Now what are you up to?"

"Just getting comfortable."

That got him a shoulder hug which kept going. They listened to the wind.

"It's a good tent. We haven't had one drop of water come in."

"I told you didn't I?"

"We could live in it. Travel all over Australia."

"What, no pressure to do anything else you mean? Just have adventures all the time?"

"Something like that."

"Some people do. They buy a van so they can live in it and go wherever they like."

Brendan rolled on his side.

"Hey, the rocket's back."

"Yeah, he likes to come visiting. He's behaving himself though."

He wasn't quite. He was resting against Phillip's hip and enjoying the feeling when either of them moved. Some time during the night the rain started again and woke Brendan.
Half woke him.
Phillip was lying flat on his back. That was the way he usually slept.
Brendan's hand found its way to the mound of Phillip's jocks and rested lightly in place. His fingers made slow gentle movements, a touch, a light trace, a soft pressure, till the mound stretched. Phillip moved and Brendan froze, waiting a minute or two before resuming the cautious experimentation. His fingers moved lightly along the hard tube to the slight ridge at the end pressing against smooth material. His free hand gripped the rocket while he contemplated sneaking a finger under the band of the jocks. No, it would take too strong an action. Phillip moved again, and then again. He wasn't sleeping soundly as last night so Brendan took the cautious path and moved his hand away.

***

"Do you believe this? More rain. At least the wind isn't as strong."

Brendan sipped at the coffee who's aroma had woken him and watched Phillip preparing a batch of porridge. He had an interesting way of making it, mixing in chunks of dried fruit, a ration of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon powder. They finished eating and Phillip put the billy outside, saying the rain could do the cleaning for them.
They went over the camera stuff for a while, Brendan feeling extra pleased that Phillip was so impressed with how well he understood it, then generally mucked around and talked. Phillip said for the umpteenth time that wood-chopping and hard work with Mike was banned from now on, when Brendan beat him a couple more times at arm wrestling.
By midday the rain was starting to ease and after another hour there were even breaks in the clouds.
When they emerged from the tent they looked in awe at the gigantic waves breaking in the bay. They used the rest of the afternoon exploring the cliffs at the end of the bay and watching the huge explosions of water where the swells smashed against the rocks and sheer cliffs.
The great swells coming off the Southern Ocean made every place they visited on the coast for the rest of their trip look wild and spectacular.



END OF CHAPTER 7.

I hope you've gained some enjoyment from this story.
Any comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated.
My email address is iarwain@aanet.com.au
Alternative address, iarwain7@ains.net.au
Should you be interested, my other stories can be found by looking under 'Iarwain' in the authors section on Nifty.
Iarwain.