This is all fantasy fiction. None of the events are real.
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This story is an original work of fiction ©Copyright 2023 Tux - Please do not copy or post without permission.
I appreciate all the emails, suggestions, offers, and support that I get and for those who haven't emailed yet and are waiting or don't feel comfortable or safe emailing let me, let me express my gratitude for reading my story and tell you a little bit about my story. I've been reading nifty for many years about two months ago I just decided to start emailing people and let them know how much I appreciate their stories. I got replies almost instantly. The responses were supportive, encouraging, and some even held spoilers. I struck up a friendship with Andrew and it grew with my confidence and now Andrew is my most trusted editor. I cannot do this without him. Other authors like Lucas and Eric Murphy offer advice and support with my stories and it means the world to me. So, take a leap email an author and tell them how you feel, did you like the story did you not like it, all opinions matter to the author. Do you have suggestions on where you think the story could go, all suggestions interest the author. So take that leap and email your favorite author, you can change his day for the better, and might even influence or change the story. Thank you to all those that were supportive to me and I can't wait to show you the rest of... Counting.
This story and my other work can be found on AO3 at the following link. Tux Edwards - Archive of Our Own
Laying naked in this hotel bed, I hold my `Junior Champion Rodeo Ironman' belt buckle award at arm's length towards the ceiling. Beau's naked body sleeps next to me, and his right hand rests comfortably on my right nipple. He makes the cutest cooing sounds as he sleeps. Every once in a while, his current dream will make his hand twitch, lightly rubbing my now hard nipple, making me giggle a little.
Colt is cuddling up with Zack on the other bed, making cooing sounds of his own. Zeke and Parker stopped having sex about an hour ago, or at least that is when the moaning and sounds of the bed hitting the wall stopped in the room next to ours. Dad says we're leaving early tomorrow and will be arriving at the house tomorrow night real late. The drive is boring and definitely the worst part of this whole trip. Although it was better than the drive from New York, that really sucked.
The very dim nightstand light makes the buckle sparkle when I move it just right. "Ironman," I whisper to myself. Not the superhero; I made that mistake, and Dad corrected me. It means one who overcomes adversity. I guess last year, some girl who was bound to a wheelchair won it. They had to strap her to her saddle so she could ride. But this year I won it.
'Ironman'... A year ago, I would have never considered myself `Ironman' material, but a lot has changed. I feel different. I remember being afraid of everything. Being told that any roughhousing or even an accident could send me to the hospital. I felt fragile and easily broken. Well, that was before I moved to Montana. So much has changed. I learned that speaking in class isn't a bad thing from Mr. Wold. Doc Ford taught me it's okay to be afraid, and it's okay to talk to someone about it. Mom taught me that even though you have a terrible experience, your life isn't over. Dad taught me to ride a horse, and Stepper taught me to trust someone else to steer.
Zeke taught me when it's time to be tough, and Zack taught me when it's time to love. I put my buckle and glasses down next to my hearing aid on the nightstand and rolled over to face Beau. "And you taught me how to be afraid again. Afraid of pushing you too fast. Afraid of touching you somewhere that will make you feel bad. I'm afraid of telling you how I truly feel. Afraid of losing you."
Beau shifts in his sleep, and his hand reaches for me, so I take it with mine. He becomes still once more, but now his tongue is slightly sticking out from his mouth, and he is making a very quiet sucking sound. I smile and continue, "I wish I could say this to you when you're awake, but I just can't; I'm too afraid. Being with you makes me happy. I want to do things with you and for you. When I'm not with you, I think of you, and when we're together again, my mind is centered. Beau I dream of you every night, and it's not like sex dreams; in them, I'm just... with you."
Mr. Andrew says that ten years old is too young to be worried about becoming boyfriends, that I should first be worried about being a good friend, and if the rest happens, then it's meant to be. I yawn and snuggle a little closer to Beau, and his body adjusts to accept me tightly against him. "Beau, I love you so much that I'm willing to not tell you until you're ready to hear it." My eyes become heavier and heavier as I struggle to stay awake while thinking about Beau and my future. Before I know it, Beau and I are sitting on a cattle fence during a sunset, and his lips are getting closer and closer to mine. This kiss will be epic. Hopefully we don't fall into the horse trough like last time I attempted this.
"Boys! I'm not telling you again; get out of bed!" My mom yells upstairs. Man, if I yelled like that through the house, she'd have me write like a hundred sentences. `I will not yell in my mother and father's quiet white, brick-trimmed three-story house with a pool and five barns with a hundred head of cattle in Cut Bank, Montana.' I know what you're thinking--the sentence is too long--but she didn't listen to my input.
Anyway, I begin to unwrap myself from Beau's arms, telling him, "Come on, Beau, she's going to see us naked, which is fine, but your hard-on is in my buttcheeks."
Beau presses his cock firmly into my buttcrack while yawning and stretching. It rubs on my hole, and I close my eyes, wondering what it would feel like past my first ring. Hehee, it's kind of embarrassing for some reason. "What?" He groggily asks and wraps his arm back around me, pulling me tighter against him and his cock harder against my hole. "What did you say?"
If that tip had been lubed up, he would have just forced it inside me. "Beau, we have to get up and get in the shower or mom will find us like this."
"Like..." he mumbles into a yawn, "...what?"
"With your dick up my butt."
I can feel his body jerk and scoot back, shocked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," he rambled on.
But I quickly shut him down by sitting up and taking his hand. "I liked it; it was nice having you that close. There is nothing wrong with us being close." He thinks about my words and nods, relaxing a bit.
"I just don't want to make you uncomfortable," he says, getting lost in my eyes.
I lean forward, kiss him, and I take his hand and slowly move it to my boy-bits. "These are yours to play with as you see fit," I whisper in between kisses. His hand just lays there at first, and then it begins to cup my balls, and his thumb strokes my dick to its full length. I moan in his mouth and take his head in my hands. Moving my legs, I straddle his well-formed body, getting our dicks as close as I can.
He gets the idea and begins stroking us both as I experience Beau's full kissing skills. He is so skilled at kissing that I lose myself in his affection. Without warning, a warm feeling washes over me, and I grip his body as I prepare for the second wave. His strong hand travels up and down my pole with perfect movements. With the added heat generated by his cock and the size of it rubbing against my dick, the sensation surpasses any handjob. I begin to whine and beg for more.
I break the kiss and lay my head on his shoulder, listening to his deep moans and heavy breathing. I tighten my grip on his back, making us as close as possible as his hand strokes and strokes. I whisper into his ear, "Beau, I want you to cum with me; everything will be fine," as my body jerks and waves of warmth wash over my senses, and I moan. His body responds in kind by jerking wildly, and when I think I can't take much more, I experience the best dry orgasm of my life. With his free hand, Beau grips my butt, pulling my cheeks open wide and has his very own dry orgasm.
Time stands still as each of us comes down from our high. The warmth recedes, and we're both left leaning on each other, sharing body heat, and breathing very heavily. "Beau, are you okay?" I ask.
His eyes look around as if they're searching for ghosts of his past before they focus on me. He smiles and says breathlessly, "Yeah, that was lit."
"Beau, I want to be with you forever," I say in between bated breaths.
He's quiet for a moment, then whispers, "AJ, I will do anything you ask me to do."
I sit up and look him in the eyes and respond with a devilish smile, "Good, my first command is for you and me to take a shower. You stink!"
I scramble towards the end of the bed before he can get a hold on me, and to my surprise, he slaps my bare butt. I look back at him, and he freezes as if he's questioning his action, so I wiggle my little butt in his face, and he smiles, swatting me again. Laughter can be heard through the house as we hurry to the bathroom to pee and shower so we may start the day.
The house is bustling with the commotion of everyone rushing off to be where they are supposed to be. Since Hoss and his friend ran the ranch for a week while we were gone, Dad has given him a few extra days off. So all the chores are on us boys, the twins mostly. Today they are driving the cattle across the river to the east forty. I want to go too, but Mom says, "No, sorry little cowboy, I need help around the house. We're doing laundry and cleaning the camper, and you need to make your birthday party list....."
Mom's list of things to do today trails off as my mind shifts to my birthday party, I almost forgot! "Yes!" I exclaim with a fist pump that almost knocks my cereal bowl off the bar top.
Mom gives me a stern look and continues, "Twenty friends, AJ, no more, and your brothers count." The names of my friends file through my head as I mentally make the list as I eat my Sugar Puffs. Beau sits quietly and watches me intently. Suddenly Beau sits up straight and looks around, then asks, "Where's Colt?"
"Your dad took Colt for me so I could get my list of stuff done."
"Awwwe, why does Colt get to go? I wanted to do the cattle drive too," I whined with disappointment.
"Next time, AJ, I need your and Beau's help. It's your party, and you need to help plan for it."
Sighing, I slump down on the breakfast bar and count the notches. "Okay," I tell her, and I go back to making my mental list.
The morning goes by pretty fast. The chores were kind of fun to do with Beau. I showed him how to do our laundry, just like Zack showed me. Mom hovered over us, making sure we didn't lose sight of what we were doing, and we started playing. It happens a few times, to be honest. When we are cleaning the camper, Beau finds a dirty pair of Colt's underwear, and we play `Don't Hit Me With That'. It is a game he makes up right on the spot. We throw Colt's dirty underwear back and forth, trying to dodge it; yuk, they smell bad too. Mom walks in on us, takes the Puppy Paw Patrol underwear, and tells us to go wash our hands.
"Those have probably been behind that bed all week, and they smell like Colt might be peeing in them at night. Watch the bed sheets, boys, and let me know. We know what to do to fix this, don't we, AJ?"
"Mom!" I embarrassedly yelled and looked away from Beau. "That's private!"
She dismisses my embarrassment with a swish of her hand, saying, "It's a common thing little boys go through. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Mom, stop!" I plead, and Beau splashes me with water from the sink. "Hey!" I splash him back, and that leads to me chasing him with a paper cup of water out of the camper and into the yard.
"Boys, AJ, drop the water! Get in the truck; we have to head into town," mom says, saving Beau from a cold splash of water to the face.
Alice parks the truck in front of the stores in old downtown Cut Bank. I can see the toy store we went to a few weeks ago over there, and there is the clothes store across the street. Today, though, we are headed into the `Cut Bank Bakery'. The outside windows show racks of sweets: cinnamon rolls, tarts, brownies, cookies, pies, cakes, etc.
AJ holds the door open, and we walk inside. The bells that are tied to the top of the door jingle, alerting the baker, who is in the back room, that we're out front drooling over all the sweets.
"Hello?" He calls from somewhere in the back. Then he emerges with a tray of cupcakes of all different colors and flavors. "Oh, Mrs. Docker, soon to be Mrs. Colter, hehee, how can I help you today?" He asks as he puts the tray on the counter and starts loading the cupcakes into a glass cabinet.
"We'll start with two cupcakes for the boys and the birthday cake design book, please," Alice asks, and we begin to dance once we hear we are getting cupcakes. She takes our cupcakes and leads us to a table in the window. "You two jitterbugs sit here and eat your cupcakes."
The baker brings the book over and sets it on the table, asking, "Who's having a birthday?"
"Me!" AJ answers excitedly. "I'll be ten."
"Well, may I be the first to say happy birthday, AJ," he says with a goofy deep bow, making me and AJ laugh.
Alice and the baker walk over a few tables, and mom pulls out three books that kind of look like our birthday cake book, but hers are white with gold trim. She sits down with the baker and flips through the pages. "What cake should I get?" Asks AJ, pulling my attention back to our table.
I shrug my shoulders and confess, "I've never had a birthday cake or even tasted one before."
The look in AJ's face makes me a little ashamed. "What? You've never had a birthday or even gone to a party?" He asked in shock.
"I didn't have time for birthdays, and my old family just didn't do parties. I don't even know what day it is. I only know the month; heck, I have no idea when Colt's even is at all."
AJ sits back in his chair, and I think I've blown his little mind. "How can you not know what day? How do you even know how old you are?"
"That's easy; all my friends in my grade at school are nine years old, so I just tell people I'm nine."
"So, you're guessing? You could be eleven or twelve for all you know."
"AJ, you don't understand how lucky you are. You've got a great family. I would have given anything to have a family like this, and now that I have one, I'll do whatever I have to to keep it."
AJ thinks through my words carefully, then nods and begins to flip through the book. Each page is a different cake. On the page are the flavors the cake comes in and how many people it feeds. Superheroes, spaceships, sports, Disney, Star Wars, race cars--there were a lot of cakes, and each one was cooler than the last. But the one that AJ settled on, which is a no-brainer if you ask me, is a cake that has a cowboy riding a bull. The edge of the cake looks like a lasso, and the trim at the bottom looks like championship buckles.
"This one, do you like it?"
I study the cake and think about it. "Sure, if that is what you want." I responded, and I quickly could tell that was not what he wanted to hear. "What?"
"Which one would you pick?" He asks, putting me on the spot. "You'll have to pick one in the next few months; you get a party too."
Wait! I get a party too. Really, I um, I never even considered having a party of my own. "I don't, um, I don't know. I'll pick the same one as you." I tell him, hoping that will make him happy. It doesn't.
"You can't pick the same one I did. Hmmm, let me think," he says, then studies me for a moment and then flips through the pages until he stops on a baseball cake. "Look, this one has two cakes. One that looks like a baseball, and the other one has the player with his bat and happy birthday on it."
This is much better than the rodeo one. I do like baseball; how'd he know that? "Yeah, you're right; I like this one much better."
AJ takes the book, and together we walk over to the table where Alice is with the baker. "...but this one has that edible gold leaf design that I love."
"Mom, we've picked out our birthday cakes."
"Our cakes? Beau, when is your birthday?" Alice asks, taking her eyes off the cake books in front of her and looking at me.
"I don't know, ma'am. I think someday in February, maybe?"
She smiles at me and picks up her phone. She sends a quick text and then looks at our choices. "Very good pictures, boys. Harry, what do you think? Can you make these by Saturday?"
"Hmm, I don't know, that's a lot to bake," Harry says, rubbing his chin. AJ and I look nervously at him until he smiles and says, "No problem, boys, I'll make the best birthday cakes you've ever had."
We celebrate with a little dance, and Harry gives us another cupcake to award us for picking great cakes. We sit down to eat, and all I can think about is... I'm getting a birthday party! But not AJ; he's staring out the window with frosting on his chin. "What's wrong?" I ask after an uncomfortable amount of time passes.
"It's nothing, I thought I saw someone, that's all. These are so good," he says and takes another bite, getting frosting on his nose this time.
Once the cake picking is done, we head out of the bakery and wave good-bye to Harry. "What's next, Mom?" I ask as I walk hand in hand with Beau.
"Time to get you two fitted for your tuxedos," she says, looking at her list. Then her phone pings, telling her she has a text. She reads it and laughs out loud, looking at Beau. "Oh, honey, I have some news for you. I know when your birthday is; do you want to know?"
"You do? Yes, tell me! I want to know!" Beau says this very excitedly.
"Honey, you were born on Leap Year, February 29th."
Beau looks at me and then back at Mom. He doesn't understand; I can see it in his face. "Beau, that day only happens every four years. That means you're like two years old," I say with a snicker.
"Wait, what are you saying? I only get a birthday every four years."
"Oh, honey, no, you get one every year like the rest of us do, but we have to celebrate it on the 28th instead. A birthday on a leap year is very rare. You should be proud," she says reassuringly, giving me a hug.
"Leap year, huh? No wonder why my parents never told me; after four years, they just probably forgot," he says plainly, like it answers the question, "How can you forget your son's birthday?"
Mom and I exchange sad looks, and when she releases him, I hug him too, saying, "We'll celebrate all your past birthdays we missed during my birthday party, so it's our party now, okay?"
"That's awesome, AJ; thanks!"
Beau gets the door this time, and we enter the tailor shop. There are a few mannequins wearing dresses or suits, but most of the store looks like a big closet. From the back room comes Mrs. Alvarez. She's Chet's mom.
"Hola Alice, How was your trip? Hey boys, nice to see you. Come in, come in."
"Carmen, it's so nice seeing you. Yeah, the trip was so much fun, right boys?" My mom responds, and Beau must be shy or something, so I tell Mrs. Alvarez how the trip went for both of us. When mom thought I had relived enough, she interrupted me, laughing, "Okay, okay, that's enough. Carmen, the boys need to be measured for their tuxedos. Jack, little Colt, and the twins will be in later before you close."
"So, who's first?" She asks, and I watch Beau slink behind mom, using her to hide behind.
I look at him a little worried, then speak up, saying, "I'll go first so Beau can see it's no big deal." She leads us through the back door to the back room, which is covered in rolls of fabric, half-made dresses and suits, and shelves and shelves of pattern books. A raised platform with mirrors surrounding it is in one corner. Mrs. Alvarez places a box covered in carpet on the platform, then picks me up and puts me on the box. "You good nino?"
"Yes ma'am," I respond even though it's unsteady and I'm a little freaked out, but I have to put on a brave face for Beau. She has me take off my shorts and my t-shirt, so I'm standing in my underwear. It's a little chilly, but I'm still good.
As she works, I use the mirror to watch Beau and Mom. When I see his eyes connect with mine, I stick out my tongue, making him laugh. He returns the gesture, and I giggle. "Try and hold still, chico," Mrs. Alvarez says, then adds, "I'm almost done."
Then movement outside caught my attention. My eyes shift to get a better look, and I see that same man from before looking in the front window. He was also sitting on a bench across the street, reading a newspaper, when we were in the bakery. He was reading the New York Times. There is something about him that I don't like. I better keep this to myself until I know more. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
"Okay, Beau, your turn," she says with joy in her voice. Beau gets up and takes off his shirt, putting it next to my clothes. She lifts me down, and I hurry over to get dressed.
"You'll be fine. If you get nervous, just think of our party and how much fun we're going to have."
He nods and pulls his shorts down. His hands cover his privates as he moves to the platform. I love looking at his tight butt. I'll have to remember to tell him. I get up from Mom's lap and stroll around, looking at this or that, until I get to the door. Slowly, I move my head so I can see outside without looking like I'm looking outside. That man is still sitting there. To anyone else, I'm sure he just looks like a man reading the newspaper, but to me, I know he's been on that same page for thirty minutes.
Mom and I talk with Mrs. Alvarez while Beau gets dressed. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the man get up and head to his old, white Cadillac, which has aged well with rust around the fenders. He starts the engine, pulls out of the parking space, and pauses like he's waiting for us.
Beau comes out of the back room and holds up his arms so mom will pick him up. She grunts as she does so without missing a beat. "Oh my god, Beau, honey, you're so big. You did so good. I'm so proud of you," our mom comforts him. Mrs. Alvarez looks at mom with curiosity, and mom says, "Beau has problems with letting people touch his body, but he's getting better at it, aren't you, honey?"
"Well, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, Nino. You were very brave."
Mrs. Alvarez digs out two suckers from behind the desk for Beau and me, and mom says good-bye. Outside the store, we stand on the sidewalk, waiting for the light to turn red so we can cross the street. The white Cadillac is going to cross in front of us as he turns right. I have one shot at this, and I'm betting the farm that if he is watching me and I'm not being paranoid, he won't kill me.
With my phone gripped tightly in my hands, I stepped out in front of his car.
The car wheels scream as the car slides to a stop, or it might have been Mom screaming. I personally am counting the seconds until it is over, and I don't stop until mom picks me up and checks to see if I'm okay.
"Mom, I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't see him."
"Oh, honey, how can you be so smart and so foolish at the same time! You didn't even look both ways before you crossed." After checking to make sure the car didn't hit me, she walks around the front of the car to talk to the driver, just like I knew she would.
"Sir, I'm so sorry. He normally looks both ways. Thank you for stopping so quickly."
I'm within a couple feet of his face, and he looks shocked and confused. He is in his early fifties, I would guess; his hair has been bleached blonde, and it's a bad job I can see his original color--brown--in the part of his hair; blue eyes; a scar on his right cheek that extends across his chin; he smokes; there are at least ten New York Times newspapers scattered around the car; a lot of fast food wrappers; and most importantly, a pillow in the back seat.
I snap a few pictures of the inside of the car and a few of his face as he explains that he was trying to beat the red light and that it was probably his fault. Mom thanks him for stopping again, and we head to the truck. He's not very smart. He let me get a good look at him. As we head home, I text Captain Lee and send him the best pictures I have.
AJ: This man is following me.
Captain Lee: AJ, are you sure? Have you told your parents?
AJ: Not yet. I will, but I don't want to ruin the wedding.
Captain Lee: I'll get back to you. Tell your mom, AJ; she needs to know.
AJ: You'll really get back to me, right? You're not just saying that?
Captain Lee: AJ, lol, leave the police work to me, please. How did you get these pictures?
AJ: I walked in front of his car and made him stop, and while mom was thanking him for stopping, I snapped a few pictures.
Captain Lee: Jesus kid. You'd make a hell of a cop. Please stop putting yourself in danger. You're supposed to tell your parents or text me if you see someone.
AJ: I did text you.
Captain Lee: (facepalm emoji)
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I hope you are liking the last few chapters of Counting. If you have extra time, check out my other stories:
"Fire" is about a time when Zack, Zeke, and Alice share a quite time on the back porch one evening. I used to know what chapter it took place in but I've written so many, I just don't remember now. It was too short of a story to post on Nifty, but I thought it was interesting. https://archiveofourown.org/works/44356165
"Not Capable of Love" https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/not-capable-of-love/
"Jaded" https://archiveofourown.org/works/46783999
"The Universe is Made of Stories, Not of Atoms" -Muriel Rukeyser