SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2017

As the week dragged on, Brian and Officer Jason Forsythe diligently executed their investigation into the threatening note left on Gavin's locker. After hundreds of interviews, they were convinced the perpetrator was NOT a student. Teenagers are notorious for blabbing and bragging. In this type of investigation, the police quickly have names and a good idea of what happened. So far, the students seemed to be as clueless as the police. Brian feared the adult that made the threat was keeping a low profile since he announced their suspicion. Even though he wanted to kick himself for letting the adult perpetrator know the faculty and staff were under suspicion, he also realized that meant the perp was less likely to make a move to harm his son. But the worst was yet to come.

Now that the investigation would place more scrutiny on the adults, it could cause the perp to lash out and take action. Instead of setting a plan into motion, the culprit could at impulsively and irrationally. This unpredictability is what the police wanted to avoid. Instead, it seems they may have created a situation where it was the most likely outcome. They needed to identify this perpetrator and do it quickly.

When he wasn't focusing on the school investigation, Brian spent time with Lars and they delved deeper into Michael's situation. Brian had a nagging feeling that there may be some connection between the two, but he couldn't imagine what the connection could be. Friday afternoon they met with a local FBI profiler, Sandra Kowalczyk, who had access to Michael's FBI case files. The sharing of information between the local authorities and the FBI, filtered through Sandra's training and Lars' filter of what Michael had told him, also led the profiler to wonder if there was some connection between the cases.

Sandra had excellent instincts and this case set her brain into motion. The same hunch kept filtering to the top despite the lack of any evidence to support it.

"This is really a long shot and I'm not sure how you would even find out about this unless you directly ask, but what if..." she paused to gather her thoughts as she gazed out the window of the Maple Street Café. "What if your suspect was a victim of sexual abuse himself? I'm thinking this is a male in his 40s or 50s. He probably suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a male perpetrator and never said anything. Now, he's having trouble coping with his abuse history, possibly even developing delayed-onset PTSD. Now, he identifies with Michael as a victim and sees Gavin in the role of his perpetrator. The perpetrator, at the time of his abuse, may have even felt he was in a relationship with his adult perpetrator but now sees the relationship differently. He doesn't see Gavin and Michael as a loving couple, but just a repeat of his own, false relationship."

Brian sifted through his notes for a moment and Lars nodded in agreement before adding, "Yeah, that makes sense. And you are right, there really isn't any evidence at all that points to anyone. But your profile makes a great deal of sense."

Brian found the list he was looking for – the list of adults in the building at the time the note was placed on Gavin's locker. The blue highlights indicated the adults that would have had an opportunity to place the note. Checking each of the highlighted person's profile, Brian jotted down three names, then circled the second.

"We have three individuals that fit your profile and one that I've had my eye on too – Mr. Joel Davies. A 48-year-old white male that joined the school faculty last year as a social studies teacher. The event occurred during his planning period, so he had the opportunity. I don't know that he and Gavin have ever interacted. Mr. Davies doesn't have Gavin as a student – he mostly teaches senior U.S. Government classes."

Lars turned to Sandra, "Can the FBI run a check on court records that may have been sealed, or omitted the names of juvenile victims?"

"Sometimes," said Sandra. "It depends on a lot of different factors."

"Well, if we can find out whether Mr. Davies was a victim before we interview him, that would be great. How long will it take for you to check him out?" Brian said as he handed Sandra a slip of paper with all the key information she needed to check out Mr. Davies.

"Since it's Friday, we probably won't be able to get anything finished until next Friday at the earliest," she offered.

"I don't know if we can wait that long," said Brian. "Can you share with me the files on Michael's case?"

"Let me see what I can do. What I will share with you, off the record, is that his case appears to be tied to an international sex-trafficking ring. That is why they FBI took over the case and so many of your documents are redacted. That investigation is ongoing."

Lars sat up straight and looked Sandra in the eyes. "I'm not in law enforcement and I know you don't have to share anything with me. But would you please tell me one thing. Does the FBI think Michael is in danger?"

Sandra looked out the window again, thinking of what she could say that wouldn't land her in hot water. "Again, completely off the record, I don't want to lose my badge." Both men nodded. "This case is a lot more complicated than the local authorities in Oregon ever knew or is reflected in your files. To answer your question, yes, Michael could be in a lot of danger, and so could the people around him."

----------------------     

Thursday the eighth-grade Sabers soccer team beat the Silverhawks from Bella Vista Middle School to advance to their conference championship. They finished the season undefeated and with the victory over the Silverhawks, they had beaten the two conference powerhouses. The middle school was on a high Friday. Nothing like sports victories over rivals to energize the student body and bring them out of the funk that permeated the entire district. The excitement about facing Madison for a second time had the school buzzing on Friday.

Because East Harbor won the regular season, they hosted the championship game. In anticipation of a large crowd, they moved the game to the high school stadium. By 11:30 am, the home stands were filling up, and the visitor stands seated a sizeable contingency of Saber fans. It was by far the largest crowd ever for any of the middle school sports and rivaled the homecoming crowd. Students kindergarten through high school were there to see East Harbor beat their arch rivals from Vista.

During warm ups, Michael missed his mother. Something he felt a lot this week. His sessions with Lars were tough and he sometimes felt very alone because no one around him had been there when it all happened. He knew he had his group of supporters in the bleachers. Lars and Zach Schultz were sitting together in the first row behind the Saber bench. Michael wasn't surprised to see Zach. He and Garrett had been home all week because of the school incident and Zach's youngest sibling, Scott, was a midfielder on soccer team.

Then Michael located Gavin, Garrett, Simon, and Lukas up on the top row with the lacrosse team and the seventh grade soccer team. They were yelling school cheers and hootin' and hollerin'. Their energy and school spirit were infectious. As the day progressed, more and more of the students and parents joined in. The Mayor and school Superintendent had spoken out against the person who left the note and started an "East Harbor Proud" campaign. The community unity felt in the wake of the weeks events also promoted the turnout and participation in cheering for the team.

The boys on the field didn't care. Playing in the high school stadium in front of a huge crowd was electrifying. The team huddled and before the coach gave any instructions, he turned the huddle over to Mateo and Scott.

Mateo started. "Michael, we wouldn't be here without you, dude. You inspired us and taught us what it means to work together as a team and leadership and stuff. So, you know, like, when we win, we win as a team, no matter what anyone's performance is. No matter what someone does by themselves, we really did it as a team, you know?" Mateo wasn't really comfortable speaking in front of a group or taking a leadership role, but he had been growing into a team leader throughout the season.

Scott realized Mateo wasn't getting to the point, so he jumped in. "Michael, you've sacrificed for us all season. You've been selfless and shared the scoring and we love you for that. But today... Today is the ultimate game for us. There are no other tournaments or championships – this is it. Our last game. Winning is everything for us today and no matter how we win, we win together. So, if you can score today, score. Even if you score 20 goals, do it. We want to win, and we want everyone to see how good you really are." That drew cheers of agreement from the rest of the team.

"Okay boys, we only have a couple minutes before kickoff. Remember what we've been working on?" Coach Lopez reminded them of their strategy for this game. He didn't need to give them a pep talk – the boys had taken that on themselves. He'd never coached a more cohesive, more prepared team. Yes, he'd had better skill and talent, but these boys gelled. They were as close as brothers and had begun to anticipate what each other were doing on the field.

"Michael!" came a shout from the stands. The young boy looked over and saw Lars waving for him to come over.

"I wanted wish a good game one more time. I'm really proud of you," said Lars, feeling like the boy's father and deep down, wishing he was. "Remember, anger can be put to a positive use. Reach inside, control it, and direct it to what you need it to do. You control the anger, the anger does NOT control you."

The boy, with a serious look on his face, only nodded. He was in game mode and Lars' words only made him more narrowly focused on the task at hand.

Madison kicked off but quickly lost the ball an East Harbor defenseman who stole the ball, controlled it, and made an excellent pass leading Mateo up the right side. Mateo's ball control had improved throughout the season and he was able to move up the field at nearly full-speed, passing the surprised Madison players. Entering the box from the side, the defenders dropped back to guard the goal and Michael on the far side. When it looked like Mateo was going to attempt a shot on goal through the defenders, he passed it to the far side of the box where Scott was waiting a couple yards outside the box. The defense shifted in his direction. Scott knocked the ball down and with a couple steps, hooked the ball into the upper right corner of the net for the first goal. The crowd went crazy.

That fast goal set the tone for the rest of the match. Michael did have an MVP day. He ended with one assist and four goals and the Sabers beat Madison 8-0. The Madison team fell behind and couldn't turn the momentum. The speed and intelligence with which East Harbor played kept the Mustangs on their heels. As the match progressed, the Mustangs frustration began to mount. They lost their focus then lost their composure. Once East Harbor achieved the 8-0 lead, Coach Lopez took Michael and Mateo out of the game to cheers from the crowd and instructed the boys play a ball control game and to not run the score up any farther.

When the final whistle blew, the East Harbor fans – well, mostly the students – rushed the field as if they'd won the Super Bowl. It was the districts first league championship in years and it came against their arch rival and the most dominate team in recent years.

The Saber teammates huddled together on the sideline wanting the moment to last a bit longer. Their season was over and they wanted to catch the magic and put it in a bottle so they could keep it forever. Some of the boys even shed a tear, or a few. Coach Lopez finally got the boy's attention and they turned to face him, still keeping hold of each other. Students and family joined in around them to hear the coach's final remarks of the day.

"Boys, I am so proud of you," the coach was choked up and had to keep wiping his eyes. "Though the game is over, you will always have these memories and these friendships. I've never coached a team that was more dedicated to working together as a team and played soccer as a unit. You didn't have the most talent, you weren't always the fastest, or the biggest, but you learned how to play and play together. Honestly, I can name a number of Freshmen or JV teams you guys would have beat today. Thank you for making this the most enjoyable, most memorable season I've ever been a part of, even as a player." The boys cheered and the crowd around them joined in.

"I hope you continue to play soccer when you get to high school next year. If you keep your focus and your dedication to learning and playing soccer, and to teach your follow teammates that aren't on this team to play the same way, I predict success like East Harbor athletics has never seen!" The crowd cheered again, and the coach herded the boys to the locker room.

Michael emerged from the locker room to find everyone waiting for him. Gavin was the first to speak up, "About time, MVP. We've got lacrosse practice in an hour. I want a state lacrosse championship to go with your state soccer championship." With that, he gave Michael a huge hug, lifting him off the ground before everyone began the trek up Maple Street.

----------------------     

Natasha Sokolov gazed out the window of her small apartment in Yakutsk. It was snowing, which was a nice change. Once fall came, it was usually just frigid cold until late spring. A light dusting of snow made the dreary city almost pleasant to look at. She hated being stuck out in the middle of nowhere in Siberia, but her boss, Yanni Oikonomou, promised her that after a few more acquisitions, he would reward her with a move to some place warmer like the Ukraine, or even Greece. She imagined herself lounging on a beach along the Black Sea instead of suffering from this damn hell hole. She was brought back to the present when her computer alerted her someone had accepted her private video chat request.

HarborBoy2004: hey

CA_MILF_32: Hey Lewis, how are you doing tonight?

HarborBoy2004: fukin Michael is the big hero again

CA_MILF_32: Well, you ready to have some fun tonight? If you do what we planned, I'll give you what you were asking for.

HarborBoy2004: do we have to

CA_MILF_32: Come on, you know you like it. I see how hard you cum.

HarborBoy2004: k

Natasha started recording the video portion of their session.

CA_MILF_32: Yeah, undress nice and slow for me. I know you want to see me naked.

Lewis began a rather awkward striptease without music, but she had to give the boy effort for trying. He really wanted to ruin Michael's life.

CA_MILF_32: Look at that boner in your tight briefs. You're enjoying this, aren't you?

The boy just rolled his eyes and ignored her comments. He just kept his eyes locked on the screen as she slowly removed her shirt and bra. Man, he loved her tits. He couldn't wait until she invited him over and he could play with them for real.

CA_MILF_32: So, tonight, put that camera like you did last time and put your feet on the desk. Yeah, just like that.

Lewis scooted down in the chair so his ass was hanging off the seat and his feet where resting on the edge of the desktop. He spread his feet wide so she could have a clear view of his butthole.

CA_MILF_32: Now lube up and slide it in. Don't turn it on until you have it all the way in.

He complied. With the practice they'd had over the last couple weeks, and the work he'd put in on his own to make her happy, Lewis worked in one... two... and then a third finger to loosen up before taking the large vibrator. He retrieved the device from the floor and slid it into his ass. Though he'd never admit it, he was beginning to like the feeling and it confused him. He wasn't sexually attracted to boys at all, but there was something about the vibrator and how it hit something inside his ass that was really good. By the time he had it all the way in, he was leaking precum on his stomach.

CA_MILF_32: Before you turn it on, slide it in and out a few times.

CA_MILF_32: Now turn it on.

He turned it on and immediately his toes curled and he threw his head back. He arched his back to making the vibrator rub his prostate just the way he liked it.

CA_MILF_32: Oh you are making me so hot, Lewis.

Natasha had a flash back to school when should told her friend that learning English was stupid because she'd never have the opportunity to use it.

CA_MILF_32: Oh yeah, baby. Are you going to cum for me without even touching your big dick?

Lewis gave an almost imperceptible nod while he gyrated his hips and slid the vibrator in and out of his ass. He sped up as he got closer and closer to a hands-free orgasm.

CA_MILF_32: That's so hot.

Natasha moved the camera so it was pointing to her naked, wet pussy. Once the camera was just right, she began to play with herself. Lewis caught sight of Natasha's new camera angle and couldn't peal his eyes away.

CA_MILF_32: Oh yeah, Lewis. You're gonna make me cum.

She could see Lewis pant and then with a muffled, "Umph!" He began to shoot as he pumped the vibrator in and out of his ass. He tried to keep the noise down so his dad would come check on him. The first blast of cum landed on Lewis face, just right of his nose, across his mouth and onto his chin. He opened his mouth as the next blast hit his collar bone letting the cum on his lips drip into his mouth. He licked his lips and swallowed as the subsequent shots painted his chest and stomach.

CA_MILF_32: I can't wait for you to shoot like that into my pussy. It will be so hot.

Lewis took a couple minutes to recover. Then he wiped the cum off and began to type.

HarborBoy2004: I cant wait tofuck you

CA_MILF_32: Neither can I.

HarborBoy2004: so when

CA_MILF_32: I think we'll be able to get together right after Thanksgiving. Just a few weeks.

HarborBoy2004: now pics

CA_MILF_32: Ah. Create a new email address on Yandex.com and send me the address. I'll create a new account and send you a zipped file. The transfer will take place sometime in the next week or so. Once I send the file I will delete my account and after you download, you must delete your account too.

HarborBoy2004: k

CA_MILF_32: Good to see you. I have to go.

HarborBoy2004: k bye

Natasha messaged Yanni, "Done. He's ready. You have things lined up?" She waited for the response.

"Not yet, a few leads, but no deal final. Can't acquire until cash in hand."

"Okay," was all Natasha replied. She knew if Yanni was patient, he'd find the right buyer and she could be on the beach sooner rather than later.

----------------------     

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017

Michael woke to find Gavin gazing at him.

"Moring beautiful," whispered Gavin. Michael smiled and snuggled up to his boyfriend.

"You doing okay? You were pretty restless last night." Gavin was concerned about Michael. After such a big day on Saturday, the younger boy was exhausted and fell asleep early. Gavin expected the boy to sleep soundly but he had not. Michael tossed and turned all night, calling out and mumbling in his sleep. Gavin was able to sooth him at times. He spent the night expecting a nightmare, or at least Michael to wake up and he wanted to be there waiting. But Michael slept through the night while Gavin didn't get much sleep at all.

Gavin had never seen Michael struggle in his sleep. Up until Saturday night, having someone to sleep with had kept the nightmares away. This weekend was different. His sessions with Lars have been more difficult and he was preparing to tell his story this evening. Telling his story, more than anything, weighed on Michael's mind.

Lars felt that the more Michael told his story, the less impact it would have on him. To do that, Michael needed a team of people around him who knew what he went through so he could go to them and talk.

This scared Michael. His family, the people he should have been able to rely on to be his team turned on him. Telling his story destroyed everything – at least that's how Michael viewed it. He loved and valued the people around him and he couldn't bear to lose them, but they were the people that needed to know. They were the people that he needed for support. Michael struggled with the decision and his solution surprised Lars.

Michael choose to bring everyone together so he could tell them all the story at the same time. For Michael, if anyone was going to think he was damaged, dirty, or unworthy of being his friend, he needed to know now. He reasoned that if some people turned on him, he would still be around the people that were his closest friends so it wouldn't hurt so much.

Lars did the leg work to bring everyone together. He wanted this to be a very intimate affair to make sure Michael felt safe. He planned to have some social time afterwards to help everyone relax, process what they'd heard, and recover emotionally before going home.

When Michael and Gavin emerged from Lukas' room, they found Lars sipping his coffee and going over a checklist for the evening.

Michael walked around the table and gave Lars a hug, "God morgen, Lars."

Lars laughed. "When did you learn that?" Michael broke the hug and headed to the refrigerator.

"I downloaded Duolingo to my phone," came the reply from the head inside the fridge. Lars just shook his head in disbelief, wondering where this boy found time to do all he does and keep top grades.

"So, what is on the agenda for you boys today?" asked Lars. He didn't want to mention the evening's affair. He hoped the boys planned to do something fun to keep Michael's mind occupied beforehand.

"I think the four of us are going to head to the school to practice lacrosse. Then we're going to come back here and swim for a bit and then Garrett and Zach are coming over and the band is going to practice for a while." Gavin was satisfied he'd hit all the highlights of the day's itinerary.

Michael returned to the table with the skim milk, breakfast cereal, bowls, spoons, and Lars' special treat - a large bowl of apples, grapes and berries mixed with a little vanilla yogurt that Lars keeps prepared in the fridge just like his mother did for him when he was a child.

Michael put everything on the table. There were place settings for all three of them. Both Lars and Gavin noticed the look on Michael's face – a look each of them had seen many times. Michael's brain was working on something. He made sure everyone had what they needed then he fetched the orange juice and three glasses. He pulled his chair out to sit but stopped and turned to Lars.

"Lars?" began Michael. He paused to make sure he wanted to continue and he had Lars' full attention. "May I call you dad?"

Lars reached out and pulled Michael into a hug. Gavin noticed that both Lars and Michael had tears in their eyes. The teen felt like an intruder on a very private moment. Lars finally replied, "I would be very proud for you to call me dad."

Michael sat down with a smile on his face and poured a bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats.

----------------------     

Carol was happy to have breakfast with just her two boys. She'd treated, and felt, Lukas as family. Now that the boys were a couple, he was as close as ever to being family. The boys entered the kitchen holding hands and hungry.

"Good morning, boys," she said as she gave each a hug and a kiss. "I've already set the table. I was thinking omelets this morning – made to order. Have a seat and tell me what you'd like."

"You're the best, mom," said Simon, giving his mother another hug.

"Well, you two are so special and I love you both so much," said Carol. When she crawled into be the night before, she realized that part of her sentiment could be her concern and sadness over Michael's situation and the threat against Gavin. It made the special bond these two boys had seem even more sacred and more fragile.

The three enjoyed a quiet morning together. Each could feel the love in the room. The food and quiet conversation seemed just perfect.

After breakfast the boys dressed and Carol went next door to visit Lars. Well, visit isn't really the accurate term. She was escaping the noise of the boys playing in the family room. They were good and she could appreciate that, but for a Sunday morning, she sought tranquility. On her way in, she ran into Gavin and Michael.

"Hi, Mrs. Novak," said a cheery Gavin as he scooted past Carol.

Michael gave Simon's mom a quick hug, "Good morning."

Carol ruffled Michael's hair. "Good morning boys. Have fun."

She entered the Meijer residence to find Lars staring off in the distance. He didn't even notice her approach the kitchen table. "What's on your mind?" she asked as she took the seat across from Lars.

"Good morning Carol," Lars said. He finished off his orange juice before he continued. "I'm just worried about Michael."

"Well, when you are worried to distraction, then it must be serious."

"I'm sorry, it's just that boy gets to me. This morning he asked if he could call me dad and I told him of course. On one hand, I'm really happy that he is comfortable enough with me to want to bond in that way. But his goal was to get his family back together. I wonder if he's giving up on that dream or just using me to temporary replacement for his father."

"If you ask me, he couldn't do better," she reached out and placed her hand on Lars' forearm.

"Thanks Carol," he placed his hand on top of hers. "But there's more."

He went on to explain how he'd noticed Michael's mood had been all over the place – happy, sad, angry, loving, frustrated, etc. – and he could never predict how he would find the boy. He'd talked to the other three boys to explain why Michael acted this way, but he still feared the boy's moodiness may harm the relationships Michael built with the boys and his friends at school. Lars got up and poured two cups of coffee and returned to the table, offering one to Carol.

"Then there is what Brian and I learned from the FBI profiler we met with," stated Lars. "First, she felt that we were on the right track with the person who made the threat being an adult. She also agreed that this person is a real threat to Gavin's safety, and possibly Michael's too." He didn't clarify or elaborate farther on that point. He took a sip of his coffee.

"What's number two?"

"Go look out the front window."

Carol had a puzzled look on her face but got up from the table and went to the front window.

"See the gentleman in the black sedan?"

"Yes, what's he doing?"

"Protecting our boys."

"What do you mean?" said Carol as she returned to the table.

"You'll hear Michael's story tonight, but the FBI haven't caught the men behind it. There was a much larger sex trafficking organization behind it and they could come after Michael."

"Does Michael know?"

"No, not as far as I can tell."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know. First, we need to be there for him tonight."

----------------------     

When Garrett and Zach arrived, the boys were already practicing. They'd all been learning some new songs and today they'd planned on playing them.

As then entered the studio, they found Simon and the double-bass and Michael on acoustic as they ripped through "Outta Me, Onto You". The sound the boys were producing blew the young men away. The three boys were gelling as a band really sounded awesome together. They were surprised someone had talked Lukas into doing some supporting vocals on this song. It was just some shouting and a little bit of harmonizing, but his voice sounded more like Michael's and they went together well.

Lately, the older guys noticed the songs the band was learning were darker than before. Michael's vocals and playing today seemed authentically angry.

"Damn, you guys sound great!" said Garrett.

Zach was setting up his equipment and agreed with Garrett. "I've never heard that song before, but I loved it."

Michael suggested the first song to practice and they arranged themselves. When Michael suggested they learn this song, he asked Garrett to do vocals on it with him, but Garrett said that Zach was the singer between the two of them. So, Zach and Michael sat facing each with their mics, and were joined by Garrett – all three with acoustics. Simon took a fourth chair with his acoustic bass. Lukas moved over to some bongos. Zach sang the lead with Michael singing harmony as they played the acoustic version of "Brother" from Alice in Chains' MTV Unplugged album.

After playing the song a few times, Zach and Michael's vocals tightened up and sounded great. They were ready to move onto another song. Michael asked they play one more song of his choosing, then they could choose the rest of the day.

They grabbed their electric instruments and prepared to play "For You" by Staind. With three electric guitars and Michael on vocals, they decided to speed the song up and make the guitar parts a bit edgier.

The lyrics resonated with the teens like never before. They each realized how personal this song was to Michael. To support their friend, they tried to match his intensity. As the song progressed, Zach and Garrett matched the anger and pain in Michael's voice with their instruments.

When they got to the point where it was just Zach on guitar with Michael singing, he listened.

"All your insults and your curses
Make me feel like I'm not a person
And I feel like I am nothing
But you made me so do something"

Michael's pain pierced Lukas' heart and the drummer directed his emotions into his performance.

"'Cause I'm fucked up
Because you all need attention
Attention you couldn't give"

When they ended, Lukas said one thing, "Again." He counted off and they boys played the song again with the energy they ended with.

This was cathartic for Michael and the other four knew it. At the end of their second run through "For You", Zach chimed in. "Michael, set the guitar down and just do vocals. Let's play 'Mudshuvel'."

"I feel betrayed
Stuck in your ways
And you rip me apart
With the brutal things you say"

At the end of the song, Michael's face was wet with tears, and so was Gavin's. Before they could play the song again, Gavin jumped in. "Guys, I think you need a 15-minute break. Michael, come here."

He led Michael to the far corner of the room where a loveseat sat facing the windows to the backyard. They sat down on the chair and he pulled Michael to him as tightly has he could. "I wish I could take all your pain away." He held the boy while they both cried.

The moments together with Gavin where just what Michael needed. Coming back together to practice some more, they boys picked fun upbeat songs. In addition to songs in their current repertoire, they also practiced some new songs.

"Open Road Song" – Eve6
"Rockin' the Suburbs" – Ben Folds Five
"All the Small Things" – Blink-182
"One Thing Leads To Another" – The Fixx
"Learn to Fly" – The Foo Fighters

As the boys were packing up and shutting down the equipment, Lukas said, "I wish we had another show to play." Simon and Michael burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Garrett.

"Lukas was the one who didn't want to play any shows and now he can't wait to play another," Simon huffed, trying to catch his breath and wipe his eyes.

"I don't think it's that funny," said Lukas, trying to pout and look offended. It wasn't working.

"I've got an idea," said Zach. "Why don't you throw a party? You could put on a show right here.

"Huh, I never thought of that," said Simon. "I wonder if my mom would think us performing is a good enough reason for us to have a party.

"No, I've got it!" Lukas was excited about his idea and everyone turned their attention to him. "Michael, why don't you have a part for the soccer team instead of having a formal team dinner to celebrate the season?"

It sounded like a perfect idea. They headed over to ask Lars and Carol their thoughts. With a call to Coach Lopez it was set. They were going to host a team party the following weekend instead of the team dinner. There would be a cookout and pool party and they would open up the sliding glass wall between the pool and the family room so the boys could put on a small concert for their friends.

What began as Zach's idea for a small gathering grew. By that Saturday, the party celebrating the eighth-grade soccer team's conference championship was celebrated by the seventh through twelfth grade soccer and lacrosse players, and the champions' family members.

----------------------     

Michael fretted and paced the house as people arrived that evening. The guests Michael selected to hear his story gathered in the family room and quietly visited and enjoyed refreshments. It was a tight fit perfectly the refreshments would make this feeling like a party, but everyone was appropriately somber. Lars, Lukas, Simon and Carol were there, of course. So was Gavin and his family, including Garrett, and Zach with his little brother Scott from Michael's soccer team. Michael was going to invite the entire team, but Lars felt it was plenty to have one team member represent the entire team.

There was one thing that Lars was curious about, but he didn't dare ask. He figured Michael would choose to sit with someone that he could look to for comfort. Initially, Lars assumed it would be him, but soon realized that would not be the case.

After he placed a call to make sure the food was due to arrive on time – and specifically not early – Lars headed to the family room to get things underway. He found Michael seated with Gavin's mother, Abby. They were able to fit comfortably together in the oversized armchair. Michael relaxed with his head on her shoulder as she played with his hair. The look on her face told Lars that she was fighting back tears because the boy she was growing to love had chosen her to be by his side when he told his story.

Simon and Lukas moved to sit on the floor right by Michael's side and Lars took their seat at the end of the sectional. He reflected for a moment on what he and Michael had agreed he would say before letting Michael take the floor.

"Thank you all for coming. This is a really important moment in Michael's life. Each of you is important to him and he hopes you will understand his story and still be his friend after his story has been told. He understands that if this is too much for you and you need to leave during his story, that you are excused. It is important for each of you to take care of yourself. We also ask that before you share any part of this story, you ask Michael's permission."

"With that said, Michael has invited you here because you are important to him. As part of his recovery, it is important for him to share his story. First, sharing this story no longer makes it a secret. Secrets hurt. He doesn't want to hurt anymore. Second, telling his story is important to his recovery. It allows him to process the events and understand who committed the atrocities and who was the victim. And third, children who have been through what Michael's been through, particularly boys, feel shame and guilt. By telling you his story and your response, it will help him place the guilt and shame where it belongs, with the perpetrators. Michael..."

Abby felt Michael tremble with fear as Lars spoke. She held him tight and when the Lars turned over the floor to Michael, Abby whispered in his ear, "You're the bravest boy I've ever met. I'm right here for you." She kissed him right behind his left ear and loosened her grip so he could prepare to speak.

Michael moved to the edge of the chair and planted his feet on the floor.

"I am a victim of physical and sexual assault." He paused to make sure the room didn't come crashing down around him or his heart explode. They didn't.

"It started with my brother. I mean, he didn't beat me or hurt me, but we started having sex. I knew I was gay and was curious. He is older than me, he's even older than Gavin. His name is Matthew and he was the best big brother ever."

"I didn't have many friends because the kids thought I was weird because I was so smart and was moved ahead in school. We had a lot of farm kids and they didn't care about good grades. They liked to pick on me. Matthew stood up for me and loved me and I loved him."

Michael told about his relationship with his brother. It was the first big secret and they kept it from their parents. But like all secrets, it eventually got out.

----------------------     

A Year Earlier - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

"Hey coach, I heard you wanted to see me."

"Yes Matthew, come in and shut the door." Matthew Grant entered Coach Thomas' office. "Have a seat."

Trying to figure out what he'd done to get called into the coach's office, Matthew took a seat across the desk from his football coach.

"So, Matthew, I heard you bragging in the locker room last week," Coach Thomas began carefully.

"Uh... ummm... wha'?" Matthew thought he was putting on a calm face, but his fear was quite evident. The guys were bragging about banging their girlfriends and pressured Matthew to spill the beans about his sexual exploits. The problem is, he did. Well, he did to a point. He tried to be careful not to give any hints about WHO he was fucking, but he did eventually rather accurately account the frequency he was dropping a load in another human being. What frustrated Matthew was the more he divulged, the less he was believed. By the time they were dressed and heading out to practice, no one believe anything Matthew had said. At least that is what he thought.

While Matthew squirmed in his seat, Coach got up and came around the desk. Standing right behind Matthew's chair, Coach leaned in and whispered in the teen's ear.

"So, you are getting some pussy nearly every day, huh?"

"Well, ummm..." That wasn't exactly what he said.

"You know, I monitor two study halls and the girls like to fill me in on gossip."

"Uh, yeah?"

"Yeah. One of the things I ask them is who the players on the football team are dating."

"Okay," Matthew said slowly. He wasn't sure where this conversation was going.

Coach leaned back and then moved to Matthew's other ear. "They tell me you aren't dating anyone. As a matter of fact, they can't recall you ever dating anyone."

Matthew started sweating. This conversation was getting really uncomfortable. Coach Thomas stepped back and then walked around in front of Matthew and sat on the edge of this desk.

"You know why I found this really interesting?" asked Coach.

"No?"

"I'm a pretty good judge of when people are lying, and I could tell you weren't lying when you were bragging to the guys."

Matthew swallowed hard though his mouth was dry.

"So, I thought, 'Who would Matthew have access to for so much sex?'"

Matthew REALLY didn't like where this was going. He took a look toward the door and contemplated simply walking out.

"The first thing I realized is you never said you were getting pussy. So maybe you are getting some ass. And if the girls are right and you haven't been dating any girls, maybe, just maybe you are dating a guy."

Matthew froze and turned white.

"But I'm not convinced you are gay either. I mean, I think if you were gay, you'd be hanging out with your boyfriend more frequently than any of the other guys and I haven't noticed that."

Matthew just stared at the coach. Coach Thomas stared back, and then leaned down into Matthew's face.

"What I have noticed is you spending a lot of time with your little brother. You know, the way he looks at you, the way he worships the ground you walk on, I bet... I just bet... mmmhmmmm..."

Coach paused. Now just an inch away, Matthew could feel the Coach's breath on his face. In an even quieter voice, Coach Thomas leaned in and whispered in Matthew's ear again.

"You're fucking your little brother."

The Coach returned to sitting on the edge of his desk and appraised the look on Matthew's face. 'Nailed it,' he thought. Matthew was white as a sheet and scared to death. He didn't dare move or speak.

Coach Thomas got up from his desk and returned to his desk chair. "So, here's what's going to happen now."

----------------------     

Michael was excited to be invited to Wednesday's football practice at the high school. He knew it was only the Freshman team, but it was high school, and it was his brother he got to see play. Coach Thomas had him hold his clipboard, take water to the players, and even be the ball boy now and then. When practice was over, Matthew collected his little bro and apprehensively escorted him to the locker room.

Matthew felt like he was going to be sick. He probably would have if he'd eaten lunch, but he hadn't eaten much of anything since his encounter with the Coach on Monday. Nor had he been able to sleep. All he could think about was finding a way out of this situation, but time had run out.

He placed his little brother on the bench by his locker and proceeded to undress and shower. Michael was flushed with excitement. Seeing all the older boys without their shirts on, stripping off their football pants, and then naked. It was more than his little brain could handle. Advanced mathematics – no problem. A high school locker room full of testosterone, pheromones, and eye candy – too much. He really would have benefitted from working up to this experience instead of just plunging in. He shifted uncomfortably as he tried to alleviate the death grip his tight jeans had on his persistent boner. He was so captivated by the sights and smells, Michael wasn't aware he should at least pretend he wasn't staring and drooling. Luckily, being a "little kid", none of the guys paid any attention to him or what he was doing.

Michael was so engrossed, he didn't even notice that Matthew had finished and was ready to go.

He leaned down and whispered in Michael's ear, "Come on horn dog. I'll help you with that." Then he grabbed Michael's arm and hauled him off the bench and towards the door. They turned the corner and Matthew stopped and looked both ways. Seeing the coast was clear, he opened the door to Coach Thomas' office.

"What are you doing? Coach Thomas isn't here. The lights aren't even on," asked Michael.

Matthew dragged Michael into the dark office and closed and locked the door. Dropping his gear and book bag on the floor, he moved up behind his brother. put his arm around Michael and pulled in close.

"Mmmmm..." purred Michael, laying his head back onto Matthew's chest. He felt Matthew's other hand slide up under his shirt and rub his chest and stomach.

Grabbing the hem of the shirt, Matthew pulled up and off his little brother. He then returned his left arm around Michael's chest and played with is right nipple as he right hand slide down the back of Michael's pants. Michael hissed when Matthew's finger tips brushed across his rosebud.

This was a new experience for the young boy. Up until now, sex was always between in their bedroom and only initiated after they were already in bed together. Matthew being the aggressor and messing around outside the bedroom put a whole new spin on the boy's idea of sex.

While gently massaging Michael's boy pussy, Matthew stepped on the back of each of Michael's shoes to allow the boy to step out of them. Then Michael unbuckled his own belt and pants, letting them drop to the floor. Matthew stepped on the pants and Michael pulled his feet free, leaving him only in his socks and a pair of severely tented boxer briefs. Briefs that accommodated Matthew's hand in the back. Michael bent his left knee to give Matthew better access.

"Take those off and come over here." Matthew removed his hand and walked over to the coach's desk. He pulled back the desk chair and reached into the top right drawer and pulled out a small bottle of lube.

Michael approached the desk in only his socks. Matthew grabbed him by the shoulders and bent him over mashing the 10-year-old's chest onto the coach's desk calendar. Matthew unbuckled his own pants and extracted his erection. He worked hard bring himself to a full erection. When he finally achieved the level of firmness, he required to penetrate Michael, he kicked Michael's feet farther apart. He was honestly surprised that he was able to get hard. However, there was something about the forbidden nature of having sex at school in the coach's office. Additionally, the eroticism of the situation had moved the true reason they were in this room, at this moment, to the far recesses of him mind.

He lubed up Michael's ass with his left hand while he lubed his cock with his right. When they were both ready, Matthew slowly inserted his manhood into Michael's ass. Matthew elbows on either side of his brother while Michael simply dropped his head and moaned in pleasure.

"Oh, gawd yes," moaned Michael. When Matthew bottomed out, he grabbed Michael's hips and started sliding himself in and out of the hot, tight hole.

Matthew established a rhythm of long, strong, firm thrusts. With each brush of his cock across Michael's prostate, the boy's body twitched and shuddered. A few minutes in, Matthew picked up the speed. Michael started shivering. He felt his orgasm build with each slap of his brother's pubic region against his young, firm ass. The boys had been having sex long enough to understand each other's bodies. They way Michael's body reacted to the fucking, and hearing the boy's moans of pleasure, told the older boy his little brother was going to cum. It set Matthew's balls boiling.

Hidden in the corner watching the event he'd orchestrated was Coach Thomas. He blackmailed Matthew into letting him watch the teen fuck his little brother. Matthew hated the situation, but felt that it was safe enough, especially if it bought the Coach's silence. The boy's biggest mistake was trusting a coach to keep his end of the bargain.

Watching the teen athlete plow that ass of his tight-bodied little brother was hot. Hearing the 10-year-old loving getting his little ass plowed was too much for Coach Thomas.

Dressed only in his socks, Matthew didn't hear Coach move from the far corner of the room, through the shadows, and right up behind him until he felt the Coach's hand grab his arm and push him out of the way.

Feeling Matthew's sudden withdrawal, Michael whined and lifted his head to see what was happening. Instead of asking Matthew why he stopped, a large hand wrapped across his face and muzzled Michael. The surprise distracted him from the much larger object at his back door.

Michael's eyes were the size of saucers as he tried to inquire through the large fingers, "Matthew?" His body quaking with fear. The answer came in the form of a fat eight-inch cock being rammed up his ass in one powerful shove.

Michael screamed.

----------------------     

"I'm sorry," begged Matthew as he tried to comfort his little brother. Tears were streaming from his eyes as he ran his fingers through Michael's hair. Michael was cried out. He just laid on the floor of the coach's office in a fetal position, arms wrapped around his stomach, hoping the pain would go away soon. Laying there, he tried to wrap his head around what had happened.

After Coach Thomas dumped a massive load in his ass, he released Michael who simply slid off the desk and onto the floor like a rag doll. Michael couldn't remember ever being in so much pain. He hurt from his belly button all the way to his butt hole. Cramps and searing pain were clouding his mind from anything and everything going on in the room. Coach had Matthew turn on the office lights then he grabbed Michael by the hair and dragged the boy up to his knees.

"Clean my cock you little faggot."

Michael opened his eyes as saw blood on the cock that had just invaded his ass. Michael's hesitation drew a swift backhand across his face, knocking him to the ground.

"I own you now and you WILL do as I say. Clean my fucking cock."

Michael struggled back to his knees. He gave Matthew a pleading look. Matthew's tear stained face was no comfort. He couldn't bear to look. He desperately sought a way out of this situation but couldn't figure out how to escape without dire consequences.

"Now faggot," demanded the Coach, pulling Michael's head back to get his attention.

Both boys flinched at the command. Michael watched as Matthew closed his eyes turned his head. Any lingering hope that his brother would protect him dissolved at that moment. He turned his head to face his abuser, and his fate.

Once the job was done, the man, that animal, made Michael pose with his huge dick or balls in the small mouth, or pressed to his young face, while Coach snapped photos with is phone. The boy's willpower was completely broken and he complied with each of the man's requests without argument.

Then Coach Thomas turned to Matthew. "Get over here and fuck your little bitch. Don't worry, I won't get your face in any of the shots. I just want photos of him taking your cock."

Matthew walked up to his brother who sat on his heels, stone faced, waiting for his next command.

"Hang on. Let me get this on video..." instructed the coach. "Okay, now suck him and get him hard so he can fuck you just how you like it."

Mechanically, Michael complied. No passion. No enjoyment. No love. No sexual urgency. Matthew realized this wasn't his little brother anymore and his heart ached.

The teen had trouble getting hard but he eventual managed achieve an erection. The coach positioned Michael laying on his back across the top of the desk, ass hanging off the edge with his legs in the air. The brothers fucked as Coach Thomas instructed and finally, as ordered, Matthew pulled out for the money shot, launching his load all over Michael's chest and stomach. Then Michael was ordered to scoop it all up and eat it.

"Now, Michael, you will do what I say, when I say it. If I tell you to be somewhere at a certain time, you better be there, or I will post these videos of you and Matthew fucking. Everyone will know what a little bitch you are and how much you like taking it up the ass, and your big brother will go to prison for sexually abusing you. And the other prisoners will just love doing the same thing to a pretty teen boy like Matthew. You don't want Matthew to go to prison, do you?"

Michael shook his head no. He would never do anything to harm his brother or send his brother to jail. The boys were told to dress and get out of there.

On the way home, Michael walked ahead emotionless. He didn't care how much pain he was in, he just wanted to get home and shower the filth off his body. He felt dirty and ashamed. Ashamed for being gay. Ashamed for his relationship with his brother. Ashamed for the things he did in the coach's office.

Matthew followed behind him trying to apologize while trying not to draw attention or let others hear what he was saying.

"Michael, I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to do that. He only told me he wanted to watch. I didn't know what to do. I'll figure a way out of this. Michael, stop. Please, please forgive me."

They kept this up until they got home. Michael headed right to the bathroom and started the shower. He stripped down and began to try wash away his feelings. Matthew retreated to his room. Perhaps more than even Michael, Matthew realized their world was forever changed. He laid on his bed trying to figure out ways to get out of the situation. He even contemplated telling his parents about everything, strategizing how to minimize the destruction to their lives – his, Michael's, and their parents'.

His door opened and there stood a naked, wet boy. Michael's skin was bright red from the hot water and from trying to scrub himself clean.

"I can't get clean," was all Michael got out before he burst out crying and collapsed on the floor. Matthew was glad their parents weren't home yet. He scooped his little brother up off the floor and laid him on the bed and wrapped the boy's shaking body in a fleece blanket.

"You're going to be okay Michael. You're clean. I love you. I'm sorry. Everything is going to be okay, I promise." Matthew said everything that came to mind, trying to find some way of comforting his little brother, trying to find a way back to how things were before today.

----------------------     

Coach Thomas didn't say anything the next couple days. Every once in a while, he would give Matthew a look that gave the teen a chill down his spine. It was an evil leer that, he only allowed Matthew to see before turning back to the drills the team was running. It was just enough to keep Matthew unsettled and in his place. Friday after practice, he pulled Matthew aside.

He grabbed Matthew and whispered in his year. "Tell that little bitch of yours to be here at the high school at noon tomorrow." Then the coach let go of Matthew's arm and walked away.

Matthew debated about what to do. He hadn't figured a way out of the situation like he'd promised Michael. As a matter of fact, when he was honest with himself, he had actually tried to wish the whole thing away hoping the coach would just forget about the whole thing and wouldn't follow through with his threat. Now the wheels were in motion and he had no idea how to make them stop.

That night, he slipped into Michael's bedroom and crawled into bed with the naked boy. The sleeping boy turned to face his brother and snuggled against the boy's chest.

"Michael. Michael, wake up. We need to talk." Matthew nudged the smaller boy until his eyes opened.

"What?" whined the boy, frustrated about being wakened.

"The coach sent a message for you," said the older teen. The words were like ice water splashed on the younger boy.

Michael sat up in a flash. "What do you mean? I thought you were going to fix this."

"I'm trying," said Matthew. It was a bit of a stretch, he hadn't figured out how to fix it yet. "Coach said you were to be at the high school tomorrow at noon."

"For what?" asked Michael.

"I don't know," said Matthew. But as soon as he said it, he realized that the coach probably wanted more of the same. Matthew decided it was better to play dumb. "I'll go with you and we'll see what he wants. If we don't you know what he'll do."

"But I don't want you to go to jail." Michael was getting very upset again. He hadn't slept well the last couple nights and the lack of sleep was beginning to extract a toll on the boy.

"I won't, I'll figure this out." It was the only thing he could think of to make Michael feel better, but he had no idea of to live up to that promise. This was way bigger than anything he could deal with on his own, but he didn't know who to go to for help. He pulled Michael into a hug and the two boys eventually fell into a fitful sleep.

The next morning the boys rode their bikes to the high school and waited for the coach to show up. A little afternoon, a white van showed up with the coach and another man in the front seats.

"Get in," said the coach out the passenger window.

Michael stood planted to the ground beside his bicycle. Matthew walked up to the passenger side to talk to the coach.

Coach Thomas looked Matthew in the eyes. "Did I tell you to be here?"

"No, but..." said Matthew before he was interrupted.

"Exactly," interrupted the coach. He then revealed a barrel of a handgun just above the edge of the van door. "Now you need to do exactly what I say, when I say, or I'm going to hurt your little brother. You got that tough guy?"

Matthew began to tremble. He looked over his shoulder to Michael and when he turned back to the coach. He was met with a backhand that knocked him down. Coach Thomas used the same hand to point to Michael. "You! Get the fuck in the van now!"

Michael didn't move until the coach reached back into the van and pulled the handgun out and pointed it at Matthew who was still laying on the ground.

Shaking, Michael hurried to the windowless van. Opening the side door, he noticed a mattress and some boxes, but nothing else. He looked at Matthew and their eyes met. Both were terrified, but Michael was the first to take action. He stepped up into the van and shut the door. Coach Thomas pulled his arm back into the van as the driver gunned the engine spraying gravel as they sped away.

Matthew moved to the shade and waited for Michael to return. Hours passed. His phone calls to Coach Thomas went straight to voicemail – the phone was turned off. He didn't know where his brother was, or what they were doing with him. He started to call his best friend Ethan, but he didn't know how to get his help without telling him what's going on. He started to dial his father but couldn't bring himself to tell their dad what was happening either. The other coaches? The police? When he imagined how each call would go, it always ended with him being arrested as a sexual predator and Michael being left to fend for himself. Matthew feared their dad might turn his back on Michael if he found out his younger son was gay. The relationship between the two had become very strained. Their father, Bruce, never approved of anything Michael did or recognized the boy's many accomplishments. He wanted Michael to be Matthew 2.0 – the upgrade to his older son. But Matthew and Michael couldn't be more different. Besides, if his dad knew what a mess Matthew had created, he would probably disown both of his sons.

It was nearly dinner time when the van arrived. A handful of clothes were thrown out the passenger window before the side door opened and a nude Michael stepped out onto the gravel. The van door shut and the driver sped off. Matthew looked but didn't recognize either of the men in the van.

The sharp gravel bit at the boy's bare feet as he retrieved his clothes and dressed. Matthew helped and attempted to provide his little brother some privacy. Once Michael was decent, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Michael didn't respond. He just wanted to go home. He gingerly walked to his bike, but it was too painful to ride. Michael dropped his head in shame and eased back off the bike and began walking it home with Matthew at his side.

"Wow! You guys were gone a long time. Dinners almost ready, get cleaned up!" Megan shouted from the kitchen. Luckily, their father was home from the offices and mowing the backyard and didn't see the boys slowing walking their bikes to the garage.

"Okay mom!" answered Matthew. He helped Michael up the stairs and grabbed some clean clothes for each of them. Michael sat naked on the toilet with the shower water running.

"Come on, I'll help," said Matthew. He undressed and the two boys got in the shower together. Matthew gently and lovely washed Michael who just stood there reliving the events of the day. Too numb to respond to his brother or to the scenes that played out in his head. With dinner in just minutes, Matthew didn't want to ask Michael anything. If the boy lost his composure at the dinner table, there would be a lot of questions to answer.

They climbed out of the shower, dried and dressed. Joining their parents in the kitchen, the Matthew had Michael take his seat and set the table himself while Megan and Bruce brought the food to the table.

Matthew tried to engage his parents in conversation so they wouldn't notice how withdrawn Michael was that evening. It worked, mostly, or so he thought. Questions weren't asked, but Megan knew something was wrong with Michael. When she mentioned it to Bruce after the meal, her husband brushed it off and said the boys was too emotional anyway. He needed to toughen up and to just let him be for now. Megan knew Michael would come to her when he was ready, she just thought he would be ready. She wasn't used to seeing the boy so quiet.

After dinner the boys when back upstairs. Matthew told his parents they planned to play video games in his room the rest of the evening, but Michael went to his room and crawled into bed. Matthew followed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Matthew.

Michael, facing the wall, shook his head no.

Matthew held the boy and fell asleep, exhausted from the emotional toll the day had extracted upon him. Michael's brain was too busy trying to process what had happened.

Coach Thomas and the driver took him to a warehouse where they met a man with a funny accent. He must have been the one in charge because very called him sir. In the warehouse, he showed the new arrivals three movies sets he'd had set up – cameras, lights, microphones... everything.

They first had Michael change into a basketball uniform. They had several and found one that was a little too small, so it showed off the boy's assets for the camera.

Michael was led through making a movie scene. He played a boy who was called into the coach's office. There, he was to suck off the coach then get fucked on the coach's desk before the coach shot his cum all over the naked boy.

When the scene ended and the director yelled, "cut," someone threw a towel at Michael and told him to clean up and change into a school uniform. The next scene took place in the headmaster's apartment. This time Michael played a boy who goes to the headmaster to beg the man to not kick him out of school. The boy eventually offers to perform sex acts for the man.

At first, the humiliation was too much for Michael. His acting was lackluster at its best. But the boss, the man with the funny accent, had ways of motivating Michael to up his game. Threating the boy, his family, finally hitting the boy and drawing a gun persuaded Michael to give his full cooperation.

His begging became more believable before he knelt in front of the man seated in his armchair. Michael unzipped the man's pants, pull his cock out, and suck it until the man was fully erect. Then Michael stood, undressed, and climb onto the man's lap and rode him to a climax. The director then got a closeup of Michael pull up off the man's rod to display his gaping hole dripping with the man's cum.

He picked up the towel again and wiped his butt before dressing for scene three. This time he wore a pair of pajamas and pretended to be asleep in his bedroom. This time, a man wearing a mask, came into the bedroom and had sex with the boy. The man stripping them both naked then straddled Michael's chest and fed him his cock, chocking Michael. Next, he folded the boy in two and violently fucked his ass. When he finally reached his climax, the masked man pulled out and shot a huge load across Michael open hole, with some splashing against the boy's balls and dripping onto his face.

When the director yelled cut, the masked man quickly left the scene leaving Michael laying on the bed sore and exhausted.

"Get the fuck up and dress," said the man with the strange accent. He took a drag off his stinky cigar and blew it in Michael's face. "You have customers waiting to meet you."

Michael wasn't sure what that meant, but he did what the man said. After being persuaded a few times at the beginning of the afternoon, he felt it was simply better to just comply with their wishes. After all, he was a faggot and this is what faggots were for, right?

Michael wiped himself off the best he could with the dirty towel and put his clothes back on. He really wanted to take a nap, but the men dragged him back out to the van and took off.

When the van stopped and the rear doors opened, they were in the middle of some woods, possibly a park. Michael was taken out into the woods where he was forced to kneel. A man approached and gave one of the men some money. Michael was instructed to beg the man for his cum. The man got into this scene, after all, it is what he was paying the men for. He finally pulled out his dick, had the boy suck him for a while, then made the boy wait with his head tilted back, mouth open, while the man jerked off and shot his load into the waiting mouth. The man had gotten a discount for letting them record the proceedings on a mobile phone.

The man recovered and staggered away, and Michael was tossed some tissues to clean up and returned to the van. He wished he had something to drink to get the nasty taste out of his mouth.

Back in the van, the men told Michael to strip and hand his clothes to the one in the passenger seat – the one with the gun. Michael did as he was told and sat patiently on the mattress wondering what was going to come next.

The van stopped again. He could only see trees out the front window, but not as many, so maybe they were back in town. The passenger got out and Michael could hear him talking to someone. Then the driver got out and the side door opened. A man climbed in and shut the door.

"Oh, you are a beauty," he said as he undressed. The man was horned up and ready to dump two loads into Michael's ass. He was thicker than the other men and Michael had some difficulty at first, but eventually the pain subsided as he endured the man's brutal pounding.

Michael fell to sleep laying on the mattress and was waken with the van coming to a fast stop. His clothes were tossed out the window and the man with the gun said, "Get out."

Laying there in his bed, comforted in his brother's arms, Michael tried to reason things out. They weren't making him do anything he hadn't done before. Suck some cocks, get fucked, and everything will be okay. No one will find out and he and Matthew will be safe. He decided that if he just went along with all of this, everything would be okay.

----------------------     

As the weeks went on, Michael was disappearing here and there, missing dinner, gone all day on a Saturday or Sunday. The coach had his cell number and Michael kept to himself. When his mother asked, Matthew came up with excuses. Michael was hanging out at a new friend's house. He was out taking a bike ride or at the library. Megan was suspicious. If true, she was pleased Michael was finally making friends. However, Michael wasn't the one sharing this information with her nor did he seem happy. Things weren't adding up in her book.

Then came the weekend of October 14th. Matthew said that his brother went to the library to study, but the library had closed hours ago, and Michael still wasn't home. Megan was worried sick and was ready to call the police when Bruce returned home from the office. He told Megan that he forgot to tell her he let Michael spend the weekend at his friend Bryce's house. The boys were working on a science project together and wanted the weekend to get a good start. Megan was pissed that Bruce had forgotten to tell her and Matthew was relieved to know Michael was okay.

But that wasn't where Michael was. That weekend he was taken to a cabin where he was put to work servicing men all weekend. By Sunday evening, we couldn't remember how many men he'd pleasured. Some of the men were nice while others were mean. A few had tried to make it mutually pleasurable while others didn't even treat him as if he was human. When they dropped him and his bike off in town, they told him to make sure he didn't take his shirt off in front of anyone because people might ask questions.

When he got home Sunday evening, he took a shower and went to bed. Megan tried to talk to him, but Michael made up the excuse that he'd stayed up too late the night before and was too tired to talk. Matthew joined him in bed later that evening.

"You have a good weekend with Bryce?" asked Matthew.

"Bryce?" asked Michael. He wondered where Matthew got the idea that he was with someone other than the coach and his buddies.

"Oh," Matthew was confused. "Are you alright?"

"I'm tired," said Michael.

Matthew snuggled up to him and they laid there, each lost in his own thoughts. Michael felt broken and unwanted. Matthew hadn't initiated sex with him since this all started. That led Michael to concluded that it was because Matthew didn't want him anymore. He figured Matthew thought he was too dirty now that he was having sex with the coach and other men.

That wasn't the case at all. Matthew only wanted to comfort his little brother and show him the love he felt. Matthew knew he was to blame for everything but couldn't find a way out for them. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were before. He was so wrapped up in his fear, anger and struggle to find a way out of this situation, sex was the last thing on Matthew's mind.

----------------------     

Megan Grant began to wonder what happened to her idyllic family. For her own part, the housing market had heated up again and she was busier than ever. She was on track for a record year and there was still time to get more homes into contract that would close this year. With the boys getting older, she was more focused on her career but that had never affected the family in the past. She and Bruce had plans to retire early and Megan, for her part, was going to try to exceed her earning expectations to make sure that dream came true. But her busy schedule couldn't be the culprit for the changes around the household.

Her rock solid, consistent older son was gloomy and often lost in thought. Normally a solid A/B student and his grades had slipped a bit. The younger, angelic son, ever the homebody, was all the sudden popular and away from the house more than ever before. She expected that he should be happy and excited by the changes in his social status at school. Instead, he was dejected and withdrawn. She couldn't wrap her head around why this would be. The two boys, usually so happy to be with each other and so loving towards each other seem resigned to shut themselves in their bedrooms, alone or together, and be apart from their parents.

Even Bruce's schedule was crazy. In the past, if he had work over the weekend, he usually worked from his home office. Lately he'd been called away to meetings on the weekends, even on Saturday nights.

With all of this going on, Megan looked forward to the long Thanksgiving weekend. She and the boys would head up to see Bruce's family in Centralia, Washington. It would do the family good to get away from the distractions and spend some quality time together, and with family.

What Megan didn't understand was how both boys were sliding into a pit of despair that fed off each other. The more Matthew worried about Michael and stressed over his little brother's well-being, the less he was interested in sex with Michael. He focused on Michael's emotional and physical wellness. As Michael became more despondent and began to show the wear and tear of his schedule and abuse, Matthew became even more concerned and distracted from what he was supposed to be doing.

Michael was being a little soldier, trying to please everyone, to prevent the sexual relationship with his brother from destroying the happy family. But Michael felt Matthew was rejecting him. Everyone else wanted to have sex with him but the one person that he wanted to have sex with didn't want him anymore. The longer things went on, the greater the demands being placed on the young boy and the men were becoming kinkier and more brutal.

When Matthew saw the marks one man left on Michael's back, he about completely lost it. But the boys couldn't figure out what to do without setting off what they perceived to be a nuclear bomb on their lives. As it turned out, the boys had less control over how and when their parents would find out about their relationship than they thought.

----------------------     

A Year Earlier - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016

Megan was surprised by a phone call at 8:15 in the morning. Sundays were typically quiet. She was up early on Sundays have breakfast and prepared for an open house at one of her listings. She checked at the number and didn't recognize it. Either way, she expected it to be one of her clients.

"Hello! This is Megan Grant. How may I help you?" She sounded way too chipper for this early on a Sunday morning, even to her own ears.

"Mrs. Grant, this is Officer John Morgan of the Clark County Sheriff's Department." This was a surprise. Clark County was across the river in Washington State. Why would they be calling?

"Ma'am, we just life flighted a boy we believe to be your son, Michael, to Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Health in downtown Portland. You need to get there as soon as possible."

"Why do you THINK it was my son?" Megan asked. She wanted to know why they didn't just ask Michael who he was, or if they could have confused her son with someone else's.

"Ma'am, we should probably discuss details in person, but we found Michael's name in the school books in the backpack we found next to the boy."

"Then you found his school ID. Is the boy you found the boy on the school ID?" Megan was starting to panic.

"Ma'am, we should discuss details in person. Would you please..."

Megan cut the officer off. "Is the boy you found the boy on the ID?"

"We can't tell ma'am. You need to get to the hospital quickly."

Megan hung up and rushed to get Bruce and Matthew.

----------------------     

Monday afternoon, the police were able to question Michael. He was sore, had trouble talking, but he was conscious and out of any immediate danger from his injuries.

"Hi Michael, I'm Detective Mitch Anderson from Clark County. You can just call me Mitch," the detective offered his hand to the boy, then realized the boy wasn't able to move his right arm to shake hands – not with a dislocated shoulder and the bandages holding his arm in place. Mitch felt awkward so he brushed his hand on his jacket and then lightly patted Michael's knee the pulled up a chair. Michael simply stared at the man.

"Michael, I'd like to ask you some questions about what happened to you. You are one lucky boy."

Michael looked away from the officer and out the window. He wished he was a bird and could simply fly away. Awake just a few hours, he was already sick of hearing how lucky he was. With the temperature in the lower 50s, if the cyclist hadn't found him, we would have probably died of hypothermia within an hour. Honestly, at this moment, being found in time was the last thing Michael wanted. He'd rather take this secret to the grave than tell anyone, especially if his parent would find out.

"Would you like to have you mom or dad in here with you?" asked Mitch.

Michael shook his head "no."

"Would you tell me what happened?"

He shook his head again.

"Someone did something very horrible to you," began Mitch. He'd dealt with cases like this before and knew he needed to tread carefully, or he could cause Michael to clam up. If he did that it could be weeks, if not months, before Michael would tell his story.

"I really can't imagine anyone wanting to harm you like this," Mitch's voice started wavering. For a split second, he imagined he was sitting there looking at his own son. Though Jacob was just months old, his young son completely transformed Mitch's worldview. This was Mitch's the first case like this since Jacob's birth and the detective was getting uncharacteristically emotional. Michael heard this in his voice and turned to look at the officer.

"I'm sorry," Mitch apologized for getting choked up. "I just imagined how I would feel if someone did this to my son." He wiped his eyes and looked out the window. It was Michael turn to be the observer.

Mitch decided the only way he personally was going to get through this interview was to be very direct. "Michael, we found you not far from my house. I need to find the people that did this to you so he doesn't hurt you again. And, I need to find them to protect my son." Mitch squinted his eyes to stop from crying, but a tear escaped on each side.

"Coach Thomas and his friend," said Michael. But his injured vocal cords made it painful to speak. Barely any sound passed his lips, but Mitch knew what the boy tried to say.

"Who?" Mitch was surprised that Michael actually told him.

Michael already concluded that if he didn't talk, what happened Saturday night would probably happen again, or he would be killed. Next time, he assumed, they'd bury his body somewhere he'd never be found. Could the fall out of telling the truth be worse? But it was Detective Anderson's please to protect his own son that tipped the scales in favor of telling. It occurred to Michael that if he didn't tell, the next boy they abused would be his fault because he could have stopped them. Now that he'd said it, the sense of relief he felt was incredible.

The boy struggled through the pain. It was slow and difficult to speak the words, but he told Detective Anderson how things got started and all of the events leading up to Saturday night. Michael relayed all the details he could about the locations, the men, and the things they said and did.

Mitch was glad he was recording the conversation. He wasn't able to take notes. This was by far the most difficult interviews he'd ever conducted.

Then Michael got to Saturday night.

"Coach said they were having a party. They took me to a farm house somewhere. They had lots of alcohol and I think they were doing drugs. I was kept in a bedroom where men would come in and do stuff to me."

"It must have been getting kind of late when they took me to another room where there were a bunch of men and a lot of their toys."

"What kind of toys, Michael?" asked Mitch.

"Whips, handcuff, ropes, dildos... stuff like that," said Michael. He thought it was weird that naming those items made him embarrassed when telling the officer the sex acts he'd performed or the things people had done to him hadn't embarrassed him.

"They put me over a padded bench on my stomach with my hands handcuffed behind my back to a chain hanging from the ceiling. The man in the mask likes the yank on the chain. He says the pain makes me flinch and tighten up back there. They made me service men... both ways... and stuff. The man with the accent kept warning them to take it easy on the merchandise. I think he was referring to me. Then the man in the mask came in. But this time they blindfolded me and taped headphones on my head so I couldn't see or hear. This time he was really mean. He got so rough he pulled the chain too hard and hurt my shoulder." Tears started streaming from Michael's eyes.

"I did what they said – everything. Why did he do that? I did my best." Michael began to cry. He earnestly wanted to know. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"You didn't do anything, Michael. They would have hurt you no matter what you did." Mitch could barely get the words out. Somehow, he kept himself together.

Michael recovered his composure and continued his recollection of events. "After a few more men, they took the blindfold and headphones off and let my arms down. But after that, everytime I couldn't do something or said my arm hurt, they got angry. Then, when the lights were off, some guy came in and wanted me on my hands and knees. But I couldn't keep my balance with one arm. I tried but he got really mad. He started hitting and kicking me. That's all I remember."

Mitch got a bit more information about the individual people, particularly everything Michael knew about Coach Thomas, the man with the accent, and the man that wore a mask. Exhausted from the interview, Mitch said his goodbye to the boy. He stepped out of the room and shut the door. Before he could take another step, he leaned against the wall, slid to the floor and wept.

----------------------     

Abby handed Michael a bottle of water and rubbed the boy's back. She was surprised he'd kept his composure during his telling of his abuse, but it was starting to crack. By giving the boy a moment to calm down collect himself, she hoped he could finish.

Michael drank deeply and took a deep breath. When Abby took the bottle, he bravely continued the story of how parents found out about him and Matthew and Matthew being sent to stay with their grandparents. He explained that he hadn't seen or spoken to Matthew since. They never even got to say goodbye to each other.

Up until Matthew was sent away, Michael had never seen his parents fight. He told his guests how his parents seemed to fight constantly, and his father wouldn't even be in the same room with him. Michael was convinced his father hated him because he was gay.

When Michael returned to school, he was an even bigger outcast than before. The few friends he had weren't allowed to talk to him anymore. Some because he was gay, some because he was dirty or a bad influence, and others because they supported Coach Thomas despite Michael's accusations. To many in the community, Michael was a lying, little brat and they didn't want their children around. Some even went to the school board to try to force the school to have Michael expelled.

"...my dad got his own place in Portland and we ended up moving here." When Michael ended his story, he slumped back against Abby who nearly squeezed the life out of the boy. He looked around the room to judge the impact his story had on the others in the room. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Zach held Lars' hand and held Scott with his other arm. Scott was clearly shaken by the story. Simon held Lukas and cried while Carol stroked each boy's hair, wiping tears from her own eyes. Brian and Garrett both consoled Gavin. The teen was so upset he visibly shook. Mostly out of anger, he felt so many emotions so powerfully, he couldn't express himself. Instead, he just cried.

Lars let things set in for a moment before he began transitioning everyone to the next phase of the evening – providing Michael with feedback.

"Michael, I couldn't be prouder of you. The way you were able to open up and tell everyone your story. I hope you feel a sense of relief and accomplishment. Thank you for sharing with us. The trust you have place in us by telling us your story is a precious gift."

Abby saw how upset Gavin was and noticed Michael staring at Gavin. The boy was convinced Gavin was upset with him and disgusted by the things he'd done. But Abby knew better.

Abby leaned in to whisper into the boy's ear. "Michael, Gavin loves you so much. Right now, he is so angry with the people that did those things to you, he doesn't know what to do with that anger. I think he needs you right now." She let go of the smaller boy and gave him a nudge to go to his boyfriend.

Everyone watched as Michael, despite his trepidation, slowly made his way to Gavin. When Gavin looked up, he held his arms open for the smaller boy and Michael fell into a hug.

"I'm so sorry they hurt you like that. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," was all Gavin could say, over and over again. He'd never imagined the pain and suffering Michael had endured. But all that horror was what led the boy to East Harbor. It was all part of the boy he loved so much. "I'll never let anything like that ever happen to you again. Never, never, never..."

"The next part of the evening is for us to give Michael feedback on how we feel about his story and about him as a person now that we have heard his story," informed Lars. "Take your time. We have food arriving shortly so take your time to process what you've heard, have something to eat, and take some time to share with Michael. And if you don't know what to say or are having any emotional problems, please come talk to me and I will help you process. Scott, will you come help me with the food?"

Scott, still shell-shocked, nodded his head and both Scott and Zach got up to help. Lars had promised Scott's mother that he would make sure Scott was okay and the boy certainly looked like he needed a break from the intensity of the evening. He planned to put Zach to work and spend some one-on-one time with Scott.

Abby stayed seated until Lars and the boys made their way out of the room, then she joined her family. Garrett moved over to let his mother sit beside Gavin. She hugged Michael and Gavin and Brian joined in from the other side.

"Michael, we are here for you. I'm sorry people treated you so horribly, but that doesn't change the way we feel about you. We love you and nothing you told us tonight changed that at all." She kissed the boy on his head and then leaned back. She motioned for Brian to join her. She took Garrett by the hand and left Gavin and Michael on the sectional.

Carol came over and sat beside the boys and stroked Michael's hair. "I feel the same way Michael. Hearing your story tonight only made me admire your strength and determination even more. I'm honored that you included me tonight. I'm proud to know you and that you are such good friends with my son. You're becoming like my third son." She patted Michael on the back and ran her hand through Gavin's hair to let him know she cared, then she made her way to the kitchen.

Michael felt at ease and relaxed into Gavin. The positive feedback affirmed Lars' assertions and the love he felt from Gavin's hug told him volumes. He twisted around so his back was up against Gavin's side and he held onto the arm that wrapped around his chest.

Lukas and Simon joined their friends on the sofa. Lukas sat beside Michael and Michael reached out to Lukas for a hug. Lukas eagerly accepted, giving Michael a squeeze before pulling back, then leaning in and giving his lil' bro a kiss on the cheek.

"You're amazing..." said Lukas. He sniffled and wipe his eyes again. "Seriously, if half of that happened to me, it would have destroyed me. I don't know how you did it. What happened to you is horrible, but it doesn't change the way we feel about you. You're our lil' bro, and one of my best friends. Nothing will ever change that."

Lukas hugged Michael again before allowing Simon to slide over to give Michael a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Yeah, lil' bro, Lukas said it all. We love you and nothing's gonna change that."

The doorbell rang indicating the food delivery. Lukas and Simon hopped up to see if they could help with the evening's meal.

Michael turned to face Gavin. They were alone so he was going to ask the question that was nagging him. Gavin had said he was sorry for what happened to Michael but hadn't told the boy what he needed to hear.

"Do you still want me?"

"Of course!" replied as exasperated Gavin. He thought the answer to this question was obvious. "I love you. We are boyfriends and nothing is going to change that."

Michael looked at Gavin with a furrowed brow. "That's not what I mean. When that stuff started happening, Matthew didn't want to have sex with me anymore. Do you still want me, or do you feel like Matthew did?"

The question almost broke Gavin's heart. "Nothing has changed. I still think you are the sexiest boy I've ever met. I don't think we should do it tonight, we'll wait until you are ready, but I can't wait for us to make love." He leaned over and placed a passionate, loving kiss on Michael's lips.

When Gavin pulled back, Michael smiled.

"Food's ready, time to eat!"

Before Michael and Gavin entered the kitchen, they knew what had been delivered. Lars had ordered from the same Indian restaurant Abby had after the homecoming dance. The aroma of the food caused both boy's stomachs to growl.

Everyone made plates and enjoyed the company as they munched on a variety of dishes from northern India. The cuisine was a pleasant surprise for Michael. He enjoyed his meal and was feeling so much better having told his story. He'd heard the saying "it's like a weight off my shoulders" but he'd never experienced it until tonight.

While cleaning up the dishes, Zach and Scott asked Michael to step into the hallway to speak to him.

Zach spoke first. "Dude, I'm always here for you. If I can ever do anything, let me know. And I'm glad you're alright."

Then Scott found his voice. "I... I ugh... I never heard anything so horrible before. I can't believe people can be so mean." Scott started to tremble again. He couldn't be certain which emotion was more potent, the horror and sadness he felt for his friend, or the fear he felt that such evil really does exist in the world, not just in the movies.

"I don't know how you did it. I don't think I could have survived what they did to you and I don't think I could have ever told anyone. If anyone ever gives you shit about anything, we've got your back. And I know that goes for the entire soccer team." Scott stepped up and gave Michael a hug. Michael felt the Scott's trembling and held his friend tightly to let him know that the support went both ways.

"Thank you for coming," said Michael. "I'm so glad you don't hate me."

"Never," said Scott. "Don't you understand? I... no, all of us, the entire team loves and respects you not because you are a great soccer player and because we won lots of games. It's because of the person you are and that you inspired us to be better people too. Did you know the team's GPA went up during the season? That we all became better friend because we all worked at being a better friend to each other. You made us want to do that. No, that's not it. You didn't just make us want to be better, you made us want to work at being better – to actually do that. You inspire us and we love you for it. We have your back because we know you will always have ours." Scott was glad he didn't start crying during this little speech, but he felt like it.

"You should come hang out with us when the band practices," said Michael. "It would be fun."

"Yeah, that would be fun," agreed Scott.

"We've got to get home," said Zach. "Mom never likes us to be out on school night. Well, not Scott anyway."

"Will we see you at school tomorrow?" asked Scott.

"Maybe," was all the commitment Michael could make at this moment. He felt like he'd run a marathon today.

"Well, I hope you are there," replied Scott. "After winning the championship yesterday, tomorrow is sure to be crazy. You deserve to be there and enjoy it." With that, the Schultz boys left the party.

Brian Parker had been waiting for Michael and Scott to say their goodbyes.

"Michael, would you step out back with me so we can talk in private?"

Michael nodded and followed. He wondered if Gavin's dad wanted to talk to him as a parent to his son's friend, or as a police detective.

"Michael, I wanted to tell you to make sure you understand that tonight, I wasn't here as a police detective, and I wasn't here as Gavin's father. I was here as a caring adult – an adult that loves you very much. If you ever need me, please ask. Call, come visit, whether at home or at the office. I'm always going to be here for you. You are one special little guy and I'm so proud to know you. I want to be part of your life – to do anything I can to help you recover and reach your full potential."

Michael was teary-eyed. The man that he felt hated him and disapproved of his relationship with Gavin now said some of the nicest things anyone had ever said to him. Brian teared up too. He'd heard horror stories in the past, and mostly not first hand from the victim. However, it was much different for Brain hearing the story as a civilian instead of being the stoic officer that conducted the interview and took notes. This time he was on the victim's side and as... well, as family. It was a new experience for the detective.

He watched the boy has he searched the ground with his eyes, then seemly finding the words he was looking for in the grass. "Mr., I mean, Brian. My parents called each other's parents mom and dad. And... well... I kinda think of Lars as a dad and he said I could call him dad. Since you are Gavin's dad, I was wondering if... um... if maybe I could call you dad, too."

"I would love that, come here," Brian held his arms out then picked the boy up into a big bear hug.

Abby and Gavin spied on the two from the window. When they saw Brian pick Michael up and give him a hug and a kiss, they knew things were good. Abby put her head on her son's should and gave him a side hug.

"I think your dad likes your boyfriend," said Abby. "I do too."

"Thanks, mom." Gavin smiled and watched his dad bond with his son's little boyfriend.

Michael was feeling pretty good by the time the Parkers headed home. He was going to miss Gavin, but they were still boyfriends. He'd told his story, and everything was okay.

Carol went back to her house leaving the four males, Lars, Lukas, Simon and Michael, sitting around the kitchen table, nibbling on the left-over food, particularly the papadum and the sweet tamarind chutney. As much as they each thought they couldn't eat another bite, they knew they wouldn't stop until the papdum were all gone. It didn't help that the restaurant had thrown in an extra box as a thank you for such a large order.

Michael yawned and looked half asleep. It was earlier than their usual bedtime, but Lukas and Simon were also beat. Lars knew the evening would take a toll on everyone, including himself, but he could tell that Michael felt like the world had lifted off his shoulders. There was no need to go around and tell everyone his story, but now there was no need to keep it a secret or worry about the reaction of those he loved and depended upon.

"You boys better head off to bed," suggested Lars.

Without a complaint, the three shuffled off to brush teeth and prepare for bed. Nearly at the same time, all three, naked, climbed into bed. To their surprise, Michael didn't want to be in the middle. He suggested Lukas take the middle that night. Lukas was happy to take that spot so he could snuggle with Simon.

Michael fell to sleep quickly while Lukas and Simon laid awake. Facing each other, they talked about whatever came to mind: guessing what the school's reaction was going to be over the soccer team's victory; how things were going to be the week following the threat against Gavin; lacrosse; music; the upcoming party for the soccer team; and anything else that came to mind.

During Lukas and Simon's conversation, Michael rolled over in his sleep and snuggled up to Lukas as the big spoon.

"Looks like you're HIS teddy bear tonight," laughed Simon.

"I hope he doesn't treat his teddy bears this way," giggled Lukas.

Simon looked at him puzzled. "Why?" From what he could see, Michael looked cute with his head pressed against the back of Lukas' shoulders and arm wrapped tightly around his chest.

"'Cause his hard boner wedged in my butt crack!"

Both boys struggled to keep from laughing and waking the smaller boy.

"Oh, I see how it is," teased Simon. "You're already tired of me and moving on to a younger stud." Simon then reached over to find Lukas was as hard as Michael. "Uh huh, I was right!"

They both laughed again. Then Lukas got a serious look on his face. "Don't be mad at me, but I'm been wanting...," but he didn't finish his sentence.

Simon was concerned, but curious to where Lukas was going with that train of thought. "Want to what?"

"I want to try topping," said Lukas.

"Oh, well..." Simon didn't see that coming. He'd never been interested in being a bottom, but he loved Lukas and it seemed only fair that Lukas should have the opportunity to have that experience. "I guess I could..."

Lukas interrupted. "But not you. I mean, don't take that the wrong way. I love you and I don't want the sex we have to change. I love sex with you. I mean, I don't think of you that way. Ummm... that came out wrong."

Simon saved Lukas from further embarrassment. "No, it's okay. I get what you are saying." Though Simon did understand were Lukas was coming from, he was still surprised by that revelation. They'd stopped messing around with friends nearly two years ago and the topic hadn't come up since. It wasn't even a conscious decision to stop messing around. They simply preferred each other and stopped inviting others over or joining in when an opportunity arose.

"Who?"

"Well..." Lukas could hardly admit this to himself and now that he'd opened the can of worms with Simon, he wasn't sure he wanted to say. He gathered up his courage and then rattled off with lightning speed, "I think Michael has a really hot ass and I want to fuck him." Lukas immediately blushed after saying it out loud.

Simon just stared at Lukas. Lukas started to get uncomfortable with the silence, but he was distracted by the boner poking between his buns.

Simon scooted closer and smiled, "I love you." He kissed Lukas passionately more blood to Lukas' steely erection.

"What was that for?" asked Lukas. He was caught off guard by Simon's reaction. That wasn't where he expected the conversation to go.

"Look. I think it is natural for you to want to experience things like being a top. I also know that I'm confident in our relationship and we could have fun together with our friends and it wouldn't change us and what we have." Lukas listened carefully to what Simon was saying.

"I think it would be fun to mess around with Michael and even both he and Gavin. But it would have to be something that is okay with both of them and we can't let either of them feel pressured into agreeing. If something happens, we need to protect their relationship as much as we need to protect ours." Lukas nodded.

"And, if we decide we want to fool around with other friends, we can have a conversation about it with them too. But before any of this, we have to agree that our relationship comes first, and if anything begins to get in the way, or is not making us happy about this, we have to stop and focus on us again."

"I promise. I don't want to do anything to hurt you. That's why I was scared to say anything. Are you sure you want to mess around with others, or are you just doing it because I want to?" asked Lukas.

"Honestly, I haven't really wanted to, but now that you've mentioned it, I kinda like the idea. It seems like it could be a lot of fun," said Simon. "It's also true that we are young. I don't want to prevent you from having experiences like this. When we get older and get married, I don't want you to regret not getting to do these things."

"What do you think Michael and Gavin will say?" Lukas didn't want the other boys to think he was some sort of pervert.

"I don't think it will bother them." Simon tried to alleviate his friends concerns. "I don't know if they will want to or not, but I don't think they will get mad if that is what you are worried about. We'll ask them when the time is right." It occurred to him that the perfect time was right now – he was getting hornier by the moment thinking about the four of them having sex together.

Simon's brain went into problem solving mode. He didn't want to wake Michael, but he wanted to do something about his and Lukas' boners. Then an idea came to him. He scooted over to Lukas and pressed his hard cock up against Lukas'. He held Lukas' hips firmly in place so they wouldn't dislodge Michael's cock, and he started to slowly hump against Lukas. He craned is neck a bit to kiss Lukas with. The body contact of Michael on his back and Simon on his front really turned Lukas on. Simon was also turned on by the thought of a naked Michael pressed up against Lukas' back. As he sped up his humping and kissing, he slid his top hand back and grabbed Michael ass, pulling him tighter against Lukas' ass. Lukas slid his top knee onto Simon's thigh causing Michael's boner to poke his boy hole. Lukas immediately came. Simon was surprised he'd gotten his boyfriend there so quickly. However, the first splash of Lukas' cum against his stomach sent Simon over the edge too. He and Lukas continued to kiss through their descent from the heights of their climax until they drifted off to sleep.