A Marine Called Jason
(Revised)
by: Peter

(© 2007-2015 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 87
Jockstraps – A Rite of Passage 

We watched with pride as the boys developed into young men, filling out with smooth muscle, and by the end of eighth grade, growing hair in the appropriate places. Kyle was developing a little ahead of Devon and he started wearing sleeveless T-shirts to show off the hair under his arms and they both walked around naked upstairs, proudly showing off their young manhood.  Our lesson early on about modesty was taken well. 

Before high school we took them shopping for new school clothes. The grade school didn’t have an athletic program, but the boys played ball in the schoolyard, and it was expected that they would go out for sports in high school.  It was nearing the time in their lives for another rite of passage….. jockstraps.

I had decided that I would order them special jockstraps for high school from a catalog I used to order mine and Jason’s undergear, but I wanted to first face them with the issue and get them used to the idea. I was curious how they would react. We skipped the sports department at the clothing store and drove to the next town to the mall where there was a Sports Authority.  I wanted them to get the feel of the atmosphere of the place. They had a good assortment of jockstraps and cups.  Jason and I began taking various ones from the racks to check them out, and it was easy to put the boys at ease by handing the packages off to them to check out as well. After a few minutes, when all the packages had been returned to the racks, we told them to pick something out.

“You need two, one for practice and PE classes, and one for the games, which you never wash, by the way,” Jason said.

They looked at him then at each other with their faces screwed up.

“Never wash them?  That sounds gross,” Kyle said.

“It’s not gross, it’s good luck,” I told him.

Both boys reached for the same kind and both picked out small size.  Jason and I reached for them at the same time, and laughed.

“Guys, I think you’d better go with a medium,” I said.

They were embarrassed, but proud that I’d suggested a larger size.

At home we tore open the packages of underwear and T-shirts and removed the tags from the shirts.  They both hated the tags at the back of the necks.  When they were tearing open the jockstrap packages, Jason told them they’d better try them on. I knew it wasn’t necessary; that he simply wanted them to get used to them before starting school.  We were in the living room, and they started to go upstairs.

“Right here is okay, I want to see how they fit,” Jason said.

“We can’t take them back anyway, can we?” Devon said.

“No, but if they don’t fit, we’ll get new ones,” I said.

I had a new appreciation for the physical attributes of the boys as they stripped down to their shorts and T-shirts, then pulled off their shorts to put the jocks on. They didn’t need instructions from us, but we both helped by straightening out the waistband and the leg straps to check the fit.

“How’s that feel?” I asked Kyle.

“Feels fine,” he said, looking down at himself with pride. I knew part of the pride was from the dark hairs sticking out of the sides of the well-filled pouch.

Jason was nodding his approval as he tugged up on the waistband of Devon’s jockstrap. The pouch lifted and fell heavily.  Jason laughed and said.  “Hell, at this rate you’re going to be back there buying a large, like next week,” he joked.

We finally got around to inviting Scott Hendricks and his son, Heath, to a cookout and to go skinny dipping. We all went swimming but then us three men got out and left it to the boys.

“I want to thank you again for the invitation,” Scott said.

“It was long overdue,” I said.

“Heath was really looking forward to it, getting together with you guys and going skinny dipping.”

“Sounds like they’re making up for lost time,” Jason said, referring to the yelling and laughter back at the creek.

I didn’t know if Jason saw it but Scott seemed pensive, even moody.

“Something on your mind, Scott?” I asked.

“Nothing important,” he mumbled.

Jason was quick to pick up on that.  “In Vietnam we had a saying with a reverse meaning.  Guys used to say Don’t mean nothin’ when they we really saying it meant everything.”

“I meant it’s nothing I need to bother you with.”

“What, I’m not good enough to be bothered?” Jason said.

“Naw, it’s not that,” Scott said, laughing. He got up out of his chair then and moved a few yards down to sit on the railing. “Okay, I’m reluctant to bring this up and I’m moving a safe distance in case you’re offended…….” 

“And?” Jason asked when he didn’t go on.

“Well, the widower thing never added up for me.  Two military guys meeting at a support group and raising their boys together….both wives out of the picture so soon….you couldn’t have been married very long and both of your wives died awfully young…..it’s all just too convenient, at least for me.”

“What are you saying?  Or asking?” Jason asked with a gaze leveled over his beer.

“First, know that I’m bringing it up for a reason and you’re the only ones I could think of to talk to about it.”

“Then let’s get to where you’re going with it,” Jason said.

“It’s concerning my son.” He paused at my raised brow. “I’m fairly certain he’s gay.”

“You’re just as certain we’re gay,” I put in.

“No, but I think you’re in a man-man relationship, and I’ve got no problem with that.  From what I can see you’ve got a far better family situation than most homes. I just don’t know how to approach Heath.”

“Is there a reason why you think you need to approach him?” I asked.

“Only that I don’t want him to deal with it by himself.  I’ve told him he can talk to me about anything but I don’t know if he’ll come to me with this.”

“What makes you so certain he’s gay?” I asked.

“The way he looks at other boys, and even men. Maybe you didn’t notice how he was checking out your boys, and both of you, when we were swimming. He could hardly keep his eyes off of you.”

“Come on, Scott, that’s normal as apple pie,” Jason scoffed. “Hell, every guy does that when the opportunity’s there.  It’s just naturally checking out the competition.”

“I think it’s more than that.  I have a feeling he’s probably done things with a couple of his friends when they stay over.”

“If he has I would rack that up as young boys messing around. Boys do that, you know, experiment with their sexuality. I did it, you did it….hell, at that age they’re romping through puberty, the hormones are raging, I think you might be just buying trouble.”

“It just nags at me. I wanta be there for him. I want him to know it’s okay, I don’t give a fuck if he’s gay. Geezuss, he’s still my son.”

“So, what do you want from us?” Jason asked.

“He deeply admires the two of you, being Marines and you a Navy SEAL, and both of you being snipers. He watches war movies and reads military books. All he talks about is being a Marine since he met you.  So I thought if you and him could get closer….you know, maybe talk about things military, maybe he would feel comfortable confiding in you, and open up about his feelings.”

I noticed that he was speaking directly to Jason.

“If he tells me things he doesn’t want me to repeat, I won’t,” Jason stated flatly.

“I respect that,” Scott said.  “But if he opens up to you and sees your reaction, he might feel more comfortable talking to me, if you encourage him to.” 

“Yes. I was kinda hoping you would feel that way. Whatever passes between you and Heath stays between you and Heath, unless he wants to tell me,” Scott said. “I just want him to be happy being gay.”

“Alright, here’s what we’ll do…….” 

As told by Jason 

So we had gotten around to having the cookout but we had not gotten around to why Scott thought his son, Heath, was gay, except for the way he looked at other boys and even men, and his obsession with the military. My mind was on the mission at hand, although I wasn’t sure how I would handle it. I knew it was sometimes hard for boys to relate with adults and hold a conversation so I’d arranged in my head a list of things we could talk about that he would be interested in; school, sports, girls, the military.  Anything to get him to open up and maybe give me a clue as to what Scott was thinking about his son’s sexual orientation.  I did not want to be wrong about this.

Heath stayed the night and the next day being Saturday, I didn’t take him home till early evening and I took him to an army surplus store on the way. He was wide-eyed with all the military gear, and full of questions.  I took note of the things he picked up to look at and when he went through the store again I noted the things he went back to.

“These would be neat to have in my room,” he said as he examined the hand grenades. 

“That’s called a pineapple, and that’s a smoke grenade,” I explained as I picked those up and handed them to him. “This is a smoke grenade,” I said, handing him a third.  “Do you want those to sit on your dresser?”

“I don’t have that much money.”

“I’ve got it,” I said. “If you don’t think your parents will freak out, we can make your room look like a supply room.”

By the time we left, young Heath was almost outfitted for combat.

Back in the truck he started asking more questions about the Marines and all the training. I filled him in as best I could for a boy that age and found that he was already pretty well informed himself. He told me his dream of joining the Marines when he turned eighteen.

“Don’t tell your mother I said this but you can join when you’re seventeen if they sign for you.  You can actually join while you’re still in high school but you still have to graduate.”

“I’ll tell them I learned it from a recruiter,” he said.

“You got a girlfriend?”

“No. There’s a girl that likes me.”

“Just one?” He shrugged.  “Trust me, stud, there’re a lot more than one that’s got her eye on you.”

“I couldn’t date a girl anyway till I get my license.”

“You could take a girl to the movies, have your dad drive you,” I said.

“Anyway, I don’t have time for girls,” he said in a dismissive tone.

“Sports keep you busy?  But hey, that’s half the reason for going out for sports, to attract the babes,” I joked as I reached over and squeezed his leg. “Girls love a guy wearing a jockstrap.”  I laughed. “I remember when I was in school, every time I pulled on my jockstrap I used to think of a girl and be wishing she’d be there later to pull it off of me.”

“I’d rather be putting on a Marine uniform,” he said. That tone was still there; like he really didn’t want to be talking about girls.

“There’s time for that,” I said, trying to think of another way to get to him. But then he opened that up for me.

“Do you really think I’m a stud, Mr. Seaborne?”

I was taken aback, but he’d just veered off on the path I was looking for.

“Don’t you have a mirror in your room?” I joked.

“’Cause I don’t feel like a stud inside.”

I eased my foot off the gas pedal. “Heath….is there something you need to talk about?” 

“I wish I could.”

“You can,” I said.  “I’m not your dad but I’m raising two boys about your age, I’m used to listening.”

“I could never talk to my dad about it,” he said.

I turned on the turn signal.  “Maybe we oughta take the long way home,” I said as I turned onto a gravel road. “You wanta talk to me, Heath?”

He took in a deep breath and let it out, sounding like he was dreading what he was about to say. But he didn’t speak. “Heath, buddy, you don’t have to….it can wait. I’ll still listen anytime you’re ready.”

“I bet your boys never talked to you about anything like this,” he said.

“Maybe they have, and maybe not.  I won’t know till you say what’s on your mind.”

“I don’t know how….except to….maybe say your….your hand felt good on my leg,” he stammered.

“It did, huh.”

“Yes, I get feelings about things like. Feelings I don’t think I’m supposed to have.”

“I don’t know if there’s any way to control feelings,” I said. “They’re there, and they come out all on their own.  That’s what I think, anyway.”

“And I liked watching you when we were swimming,” he said. “Mr. Courter, too, but you’re more rambunctious than he is.”

I had to laugh at that. “You don’t have to call us mister.  Jason and Brad will do fine,” I told him.  Then I said, “You’re a pretty impressive swimmer yourself.”

“I didn’t mean just about how you swim.”

“I think I know what you mean, Heath,” I said. “And it’s okay to have those feelings.  Doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you.”

“I wonder if my dad would agree with that.”

“Don’t underestimate your dad,” I said sternly.  “A father’s love is unconditional.”

“I just don’t want him to hate me,” he said.

“I can’t think of anything you could do that would make you dad hate you. He stood up for me at a school board meeting one time. Why do you think he could possibly hate you?”

“For feelings and thoughts I have….for things I wanta do.”

“Heath….I think we’re dancing around the issue,” I said quietly. “Why don’t we level with each other and say what we really mean?”

“You mean me say what I really mean.”

“Alright, but I’ll go first. You said you liked watching me when we were swimming.  Then you said my hand felt good on your leg. Those things mean something….something deeper than you’re saying.”

There was a short pause then his words came tumbling out.  “I said ‘em because I like you, Mr….ur, Jason, and you….you’re the one I wanta do the things with that I think about all the time, and I think you know what I mean.”

“I do,” I said gently. “I can’t speak for everybody but I think it’s okay to have those thoughts and feelings, and it’s okay to act on them but it should be with somebody your own age.”

“So I….I shouldn’t have put my hand on your leg.”

I reached over and put my hand over his as I turned into the vast wilderness park. The speed limit was twenty so I eased up on the gas and let the truck move on its own.  Some ways into the park I turned into one of the many narrow, winding lanes that led back to picnic areas, ponds and just plain wilderness sites. I drove into a tree lined area that had a couple of picnic tables and little else.  We couldn’t be seen from the road and I parked the truck facing out so I could see anyone coming in.   

“If we can’t do anything, why are we parking here?” he asked.

“To give you a chance to say everything that’s on your mind,” I replied.

“Are you going to tell my dad what we talk about?”

“Not unless you can tell me I can. I think you should tell him yourself.”

He looked straight ahead for a long moment and I longed to know what he was thinking. Finally I asked him.

“I’m thinking who’s it gonna be, besides you. I don’t know anybody else I can trust.”

I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “I want you to know, Heath, I’m not rejecting you.”

“It feels like you are,” he said. “If I was older, would you have sex with me? And how much older would I have to be?”

“Eighteen, or closer, and with you having some experience.” 

“What have you got against virgins wanting to learn?” 

“The thing is, Heath, I like everything about you, too,” I said. “You don’t know how hard it is to be having this conversation with you. I want more than anything in the world to be part of your first experiences. It would be an honor and a privilege to show you everything you want to learn, but I would be betraying your father, and in the long run, you.  I have no right to betray your innocence. But I will be here for you; you can call me anytime and ask any questions you want.”

He was quiet for a moment, then he said, “Well, I guess we might as well leave, then.”

I started the truck and drove back to the main road leading out of the park.  As we were leaving the park, he said, “Back there, I was thinking about asking if I could at least jack you off and see you cum. Would you have let me?”

“Let’s leave things the way they are,” I said. “But I want to say how much I admire your courage. Not many boys your age have that kind of courage. And while you’ve got that courage built up I think you should talk to your dad when you get home; tell him what you’ve told me.”

“You don’t think he’ll hate me?”

“I’ll bet you a steak dinner that he’ll grab you in a big hug and tell you how much he loves you and how much he admires your courage.”

It was a little late when I got him home so I decided I’d better deliver him to the door. 

“Did you have fun?” his dad asked him as the boy went past him into the kitchen.

“I had a great time.”

Scott stepped out on the stoop and let the door close behind him. He didn’t say anything but the question was all over his face.

“He doesn’t know it yet, but with your help, Heath is going to be fine,” I said.

“So you’re not going to tell me.”

“He didn’t say I could.”

“Did he say you couldn’t?”

“No, but he needs the chance to tell you himself.”

“Do you think he will talk to me?”

“I would bet on it.”

Later that night Heath called me.

“You won the bet,” he said.

“I’ll still buy you that steak dinner,” I said.

To be continued...  

Posted: 04/10/15 rp