The Storm That Turned the Tide

By: Sean E.
(© 2021 by the author)
 

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

SeanE@tickiestories.us

Chapter 9
Coming Together

"It... well, something kind of happened about a year ago, maybe a little longer, and..." Noah had begun. Before he continued, however, he prompted Jesse to sit up, then began re-working the bean bags yet again into a more comfortable position. When finished, the teen pulled his friend back close to their former position, but this time the reinforced support allowed them both to not only relax more easily, but lie up against each other in the middle.

"Do you remember Amber Wheeler? She was in our grade last year, but she moved right after Christmas, I think," Noah asked.

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, I remember her. She was the one who always flirted with everyone, boys and girls, I think. She did it a lot with all the guys this year back when school started, too."

"All of them?" Noah asked curiously.

"Well, all of them but me, I think. I was, uh, too nerdy for her, I guess," Jesse replied softly, though with a touch of annoyance. "Maybe some others, I don't know. I just know she's a big flirt."

Noah was silent for a moment before he continued. "Well, you're right. She was kind of, I don't know, restless all the time, like that type in being horny, I think. She and Ethan Craig were a thing for a while, and word is they lived practically next to each other." He glanced into Jesse's eyes. "You've heard the stories, right?"

Jesse grunted. "Oh, you mean about the sex? Yeah, I heard about it. If it was true, some said they practically did 'it' every day after school. I can believe it, too, if the other stuff I heard was true."

"What was that?" Noah asked.

Jesse giggled. "They said she always had, like, wet underwear all the time - and NOT because she had to pee or anything!"

Noah raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What? Wet underwear?"

Jesse giggled. "You never heard that one? So, she wore skirts to school sometimes, and in some of her classes she would sit and pull her skirt back at her desk. Some of the guys said they could see underneath, like, all the way up to her crotch and all - you know, between her legs. They said she was visibly wet ALL the time. Some say they could even smell her sometimes, too."

Noah made a face. "Don't girls, like, have pads or something they're supposed to wear for that kind of stuff?"

"Supposed to, yeah," Jesse replied. "But, don't ask me about it... I'm not a girl, you know. I don't know much in that department."

Noah smiled wearily. "You want to know something? I'm kind of glad you're not a girl - honest." With his one arm, he hugged the boy closer before continuing. "Yeah, well, I can tell you, she supposedly had a lot of sex, like, all the way sex - or so I found out later. Not with just Ethan, either, but a lot of guys. You could say she was a slut, or at least turned into one, and probably not be that far out in left field. That, and she was, like, always intense."

Jesse's curiosity was now piqued. "What do you mean, 'later'?"

"I need to go back a little first, okay?" Noah answered before continuing. "Amber had a birthday party last year, I think just before Halloween. Remember? She practically invited everyone in our class over to the skating rink. I mean, there were probably what, 30 to 40 of us there altogether that day. Biggest birthday party I've ever been to, for sure. I mean, I know it was kind of a big thing for her, turning 14 and all. For some peeps that's a super big deal, I guess. Anyway, she really hung her parents out for it, big cake, skating rink and everything."

"I... I actually think I remember something about it, yeah. I got an invite, too... but, meh, I wasn't interested. A lot of the guys talked about it for a while afterwards though," Jesse replied thoughtfully.

"Well, I was invited too, so I went. Even though I wasn't into skating much anymore, I knew girls that were still into it, so... you know," Noah remarked quietly. "It was the thing to do, you know? Go to parties, hang out with girls, maybe hold hands or get some kisses, that sort of thing. Right?"

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, I know. So... what does this have to do with you then, and this big secret you're holding out on me with?"

"Hang on Jesse, I'm getting there, I promise. Remember what I said about what she was like? Wild all the time, like in 'horny wild'? See, I didn't know that at the time, and I don't know if anyone else really did, either. At least some of us didn't, but we all kind of started figuring her out after that party." Noah sighed. "See, that day Amber was like in overdrive or something. She was kissing almost everyone, at least the boys, and getting pretty heavy with some of them - like, with tongue and all. That started making some of the other girls at the party mad as hell. I mean, think about it - seeing her turning it on with their boyfriends that heavy and stuff? It didn't go over very good - not good at all. She didn't care though, like I said - she was just going all out. She was... well, kind of on a mission or something."

Noah looked away. "That day, Jesse... my Mom was at the college, see, so Dad was picking me up at the skating rink afterwards. He got held up a little later than expected though, I guess because of something at work. Anyway, when the party was over, people started leaving left and right, and... eventually, it got down to just Amber and two or three of us left."

"Okay... and?" Jesse whispered.

"Well, she was really frustrated about something. I look back now and know why, but then it was kind of confusing. I mean, she was getting snappy with people and everything, mostly because a bunch of them were leaving so soon and all. When it got down to just a few of us left, that friend of hers, Donna something, she kept looking at me and then she'd turn around and start whispering and giggling with Amber and all. It was kind of annoying, at least at first, but then they started to, like, gang up on either side of me. I mean, I was practically the only boy left, see? In a way, it wasn't really all that bad. I mean, we were all laughing and joking around and stuff. They were rubbing me all over, like squeezing my muscles, goofy stuff like that, you know? Like girls sometimes do and all, but... like I said, I thought they were just only being goofy. You know, I just... I kind of played along, thinking Dad would be along sometime soon anyway. I didn't care, really - to me, we were hanging out and all, see? Even though I was getting all this attention, and... and..." Noah sighed and paused briefly before continuing. "Her parents were off somewhere cleaning up in the party room and stuff, and talking with friends or something. So, we skated for a bit longer, and then Donna's mother shows up and she had to go. By that time, it was just down to me and Amber. She was cute looking, Jesse, maybe even what you'd call kind of hot, I don't know - but with me being the last guy there, and none of her other friends around, I figured that was why we just kind of hung out together. We started talking about normal stuff for a little bit, but then, she... she started asking me these weird questions about things, about boys and sex and everything. I remember being kind of nervous because, well, that's when things were starting to get strange, before it all changed up."

There was a noticeable pause as Noah reflected on that day, reliving it in his mind. "It's like I said, Jesse. I mean, she was really horny that day or something," he whispered. "We eventually quit skating and made our way to the benches, and got our skates off and shoes on - you know, normal stuff, I guess.  But then, before I knew it, she somehow pushed me off into a corner and around to this, I don't know, this space at the back of the room. Then before I know it, we're going through this door, and she slams it shut. I was laughing, thinking it was some kind of joke or something. I mean, it was kind of crazy and all, you know? It was all like some kind of game at first. At least, I thought so until she gave me this look and then practically threw herself all over me. I mean like, physically she was clawing at me, pulling my shirt up and everything, putting her hands all over me. At the same time, she had her lips all over mine, trying to push her tongue in and everything. You know, like a French kiss, but way harder and rougher, I guess."

Jesse smiled. "Wow, really? So, she practically threw herself at you, just like that? Whoa, crap! What did you do? Did you kiss her back?"

Noah rolled his eyes. "I tried, yeah, but she was being really rough and... and intense. I mean, I'm not kidding Jess, she was throwing herself into all of it, right at me, you know? Back then, what guy wouldn't want to be with a girl, to get frisky and all with, and... and, you know, right? I mean, she was..." Noah paused and visibly gulped. "She was putting it out there Jesse, all the way. She raised her top up, and pulled her bra up off her breasts, everything, and pushed her bottoms down to her knees and all, with her underwear, and... I mean, it was so crazy, and it happened so fast, you know? She pushed my hand down between her legs so I could... could feel her there, and how sticky it was and... and... and th-then, she had my pants opened up and started putting her fingers like, down inside my front, going for my... my dick and everything. She... she was..."

Jesse laughed, in spite of the seriousness of the moment. In a way, Noah's description was almost comical, he thought. "Wow! I see why you say she was horny then!" Noah rolled his eyes, before nodding and blushing. Jesse noted the change, so he quieted and tried to calm his friend. "So, okay - I get it. She had you cornered and was going for your dick and all, huh?" When Noah acknowledged with another simple nod, but remained silent, Jesse prompted him again. "So, do you want to tell me what happened next? Or, was that kind of the secret and all you've had building up?"

Noah hesitated, and then replied with the barest of whispers. "It's not what you think. I mean, it is, but... it's not. Of course, I want to tell you... I mean, I need, I... She, I know she wanted to do it, you know? She wanted me to... you know... but... that's not the way it went down... and..."

Jesse frowned. "Huh?" He had expected to hear that the two did 'it' then, or something like that anyway. Instead, Jesse studied his friend, observing how nervous he was becoming again. "It's okay, bro... It's just me in here, okay? Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."

"I know," Noah replied with relief. "Believe me, I know... it's just... it's hard, okay? And I'm not talking about my dick, either," he added, a tear escaping down his cheek.

Jesse knew that despite the suggestive talk between them, neither were aroused by it. Whatever happened to his best friend was powerful enough it had overshadowed Noah ever since. "I didn't think that, I promise. Just, take a deep breath or something." He didn't know what else to say or do, so he waited patiently.

Noah actually did take another deep breath and let it out slowly. "So, it feels like she's trying to stick her tongue all the way down my throat and... and tear my clothes off at the same time, and I don't know what else really. She just... and... and... she got my belt unbuckled and unzipped and undid my jeans, see?" he whispered, although his voice was calmer now. "It was all going so fast, and... she... got them loose and shoved them down. You know what I mean, she got everything pulled down to my knees and... and... then she takes one look at me before coming back and... and... then she slapped me."

"What?" Jesse whispered, thoroughly surprised, but then Noah nodded.

"Jesse, I failed, okay? I mean, I wasn't hard or pumped up or anything. I mean, I was about as limp as a noodle, you know? Like my dick was broken or something. She... she saw that, and then cried out and slapped me again." By this time, Noah had slumped his shoulders, all the while the nervousness returned to his voice. "See? I... you understand, don't you? Pretty girl, kind of hot, is practically raping me in order to ... to, like, fuck her, right? It's what most every guy in our class would have dreamed of, you know? Most guys, they would have been ready to go for it right then and there, either have their dicks sucked, or... or go porker all the way, or both... right? But not me, I was so stunned, and just... flat... and... I was the exact opposite of being ready to have any kind of sex, and ... she saw that, and..."

"What happened next?" Jesse whispered.

"She started calling me names and trashing me, that's what. She asked me what the fuck was wrong with my dick and all that shit. She put her boobs up against me again and put my hands on them and... and... she asked why I didn't like her throwing herself at me? There was other stuff, too. Basically, she just went on this rant, see, about how other boys couldn't wait to get inside her pants and all, and how many she had already, you know, let finger her or even do 'it' to her by then," Noah whispered. "Then eventually it led down to what was wrong with me. Like, didn't I like girls, or was I... was I...? I mean, what the fuck..." A tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. "I could have done it, Jesse. I mean, back then I didn't know things like I do now, but I might have done it that night, with a girl, and went all the way. I could have, if... if I had just... if I had just..."

Jesse sat up on his elbow then, before twisting around so he could face Noah directly. Reaching out, he placed a hand upon his friend's chest in an effort to calm him. "Yeah, maybe, but you didn't - and there's nothing wrong with that, bro. From the sounds of it, you weren't ready for her, or even for 'it'. I mean, you said it yourself, she was the one throwing herself on you, out of the blue, right? It sounds like maybe she was hoping to get laid for her birthday or something, right? That's on her, Noah - not on you!" He whistled. "Wow, I know guys who can be horny and all sometimes, but I've haven't heard of a girl getting that way or doing anything like that," he mused softly.

Noah scoffed. "Maybe not many girls, but I can think of a few," he replied softly, then fell silent for a moment before he spoke again. "There's more, Jess. She... like, she ran out of steam I guess, and then fixed her clothes back and stormed out of the room after that. By the time I got my pants pulled up and everything, and got back outside, nobody - and I mean nobody - was even around anymore. She, like, totally disappeared, and I... I ended up sitting down and crying, and... you know? I got scared, see? My Dad, he showed up maybe 20 minutes later, so I at least had time to get over the shock of it and everything, but I went home, see, and... I- I got depressed, and worried, and I felt ashamed, and... and... I really didn't feel good for the rest of the weekend. Why, I'm not sure, other than I was afraid maybe... you know, she'd go blabbering about me around school. I mean, how would you feel if she got to school and suddenly told everyone 'Noah's got a rinky-dink-dick that couldn't even get shoved up inside a girl?'"

Jesse quieted. "She didn't though, because I never heard anything about it."

"Jess, I know that now, but... don't you see, back then?" Noah shook his head. "I saw her at school the next week, and it felt like she and all her friends turned their noses up at me and everything. It was like I never existed anymore, and... and that... you know..."

The surprising thing was, Jesse could recall seeing Noah around the time he was talking about, and thinking something had to be drastically wrong with the kid. Like most others, however, he had shrugged it off - something he wished now he had paid much closer attention to. "I'm sorry, really. I think I can remember you being miserable there for a while, and... I just kind of ignored you, I guess. I know, we weren't really friends or anything, but..."

Noah shrugged. "That didn't matter, really. Like I told you, I was kind of already screwed up anyway," he whispered, but it caused Jesse to reach out for a moment.

"No. If that's what got you so... I don't know, worried, then you weren't 'screwed up', believe me." He paused for a moment, studying his friend, and could see there was still more he was holding back on. "Go on, bro... what happened next?"

Noah became thoughtful. "You see, that went on for about two weeks I think, until I finally cornered her one morning outside her locker. She saw me and got mad as hell again, for whatever reason, and then started - I don't know, swearing at me and stuff. I mean, she was still this intense... grr, whatever she was, and it felt like I just walking up to a bomb and waiting for it to explode, you know? She was jabbing her finger in my chest, and telling me to just leave her the fuck alone, or she would spread the word to everybody in the school about what had happened that day, and how I was gay and didn't like pussy and all that shit. I... I was stunned, but... I finally made some comment about it looked like she was already spreading shit like that around, you know. To beat everything though, she gave me this... this evil look of hers and then, and... and said something like 'You don't know what I have or haven't said, you stupid asshole, so you better fucking be careful from here on out!'"

"Oh man..." Jesse started, but then shook his head. "I don't know what to say, really! That's... that's just..."

"I know, Jess. It's wrong, like blackmail, like holding something over my head, ready to just cut the rope and let it break my neck or something, right? That's the first and last time we've ever talked since that day though, Jesse, if you can call it that," Noah continued. "Anyway, I could have argued with her, maybe. I mean, we all knew she was a bit of a, I don't know, but... Jesse, if word really got out that I couldn't even get it up? It's... I mean, that... The guys at school, and... and..."

Jesse nodded. "You don't have to explain it to me, Noah. I get it, honest," he replied wistfully. He really did sympathize with his friend being backed into that kind of a position, with little to no way out. It was not totally unlike his own problem he had had to deal with involving Pete and his gang.

Noah finally lay back again in a sign of total defeat. "That's when I started making friends with Pete and some of the others, the older guys. At first, they kind of ignored me, being younger than they were and all, but eventually Linda, and then Pete, sort of let me come in with them. You see, back then I kind of thought they were the in-crowd anyway, you know? I figured, what the hell, maybe if I could get in with them and, you know? I thought, maybe if I could just..."

Jesse understood. "Get in with a group like that, then everyone might think twice before tangling or crossing up the idea you were really gay or anything, right? Maybe that would, like, match up and fight against anything Amber might come up with and say about you or something."

"Exactly!" Noah declared, before giving his friend a weak smile. After a few seconds, however, he hung his head in resignation. "Well, that, but there was more to it, too. You see, I thought maybe I could make myself go straight, too - or at least get away from the gay crap, you know, the label? Because... because, THAT really scared me for a while. Not just the label, but actually the fear of... I don't know... Maybe, maybe it would be enough to just survive getting through high school at least," Noah whispered. "But even that was wrong... At first, I never had anything against gays, until I ... until I was afraid that maybe I was becoming one myself, you know? And then the more I hung around with Pete, and the more I heard about how he and the guys detested them and everything? I guess some of it just rubbed off on me. I mean, at first, I was fighting with myself, Jess, because I was scared that I might really be gay, but yet I didn't want to be, you know? That's when I tried to push it all away by making myself believe like Pete and them did, that I hated anyone being gay, too." The teen sighed. "All I did though was make it worse for myself. I was so depressed and so torn up by it all, I started being shitty with everyone else, too - especially my parents. And then you, too. When you and your family moved in, and I heard you were going to be sleeping with me?" He was trembling again by then. "I just started to lose it again. But then, when Pete and his friends started in on you as well and... and..."

Jesse nodded. "Okay, I understand, I get it."

"I hope so, Jess," Noah resigned, more tears threatening to release. "I never really wanted to hurt you, or anyone else, honest! Not you or your brother! I just.... I was... I was an ass, okay?" He paused to take a deep breath again and let it out slowly. "And then... there's one more part to all of this. One more thing I... I feel like I've got to tell you."

"Okay, what's that?" Jesse whispered softly, trying to sound encouraging.

Noah hesitated for what seemed like an eternity then, before succumbing. "Me, Jesse. I... I started having dreams, and fantasies and... and... stuff. Even before that day at the skating rink, things had already started happening, you know? I'd wake up some mornings hard as a rock, and... and... I'd start to, you know, to beat off and everything. Or, I'd be in the shower and... you know..." He stopped to observe his friend. "You do know what I'm talking about, don't you? Please say you do... please?"

Jesse rolled his eyes. "Heck yeah, relax! So, you jacked off a lot, big deal! A lot of us guys do that, Noah!"

"Maybe, but, d-do you jack off, thinking about g-guys while you're doing it?" the teen whispered.

In the silence that followed, Jesse suddenly understood where this was going. His heart actually felt like it skipped a beat just then, as the pieces finally fell into place and he realized why Noah felt like he was gay. Noah, in the meantime, turned his eyes down and away. "Jesse, I... I'd try to think about girls, about boobs and tits and... and... you know, but I'd go flat as a pancake. They just, they didn't do anything for me, you know? But when I thought about guys, though..." Tears were now flowing down Noah's cheek unbidden as his voice finally fell even further. "And I... don't you get it? I... I..."

Jesse reached out and placed his index finger across Noah's lips to shush him. "Shh..." he whispered. When Noah finally looked up and their eyes connected, Jesse actually smiled at him. He felt relieved, somehow, that Noah finally had put it all out in the open. "Tell me something, bro... do you like boys?" Noah tried to look away, but Jesse gently grasped his friend's chin and pulled it back to face him. "Don't be afraid, just... tell me," he whispered, to which Noah finally relented and nodded.

"I think so, yeah. Some, anyway..." was the whispered reply.

Jesse smiled even wider. "Do you like me?" he whispered yet again, only afterwards this time he held his breath.

Noah did force himself to look way before answering. "Jesse, you're not gay. It doesn't matter whether I like you that way or not."

Jesse snorted, before peering into the eyes that met him. "How the heck do you know I'm not gay?" he whispered back.

The impact of those words fell like a ton of bricks, as Noah jolted back with narrowed eyes. "Jesse, don't kid around with me... The other day at school, us, all of it, you... There's no way! You're NOT gay!" He made the statement so matter-of-factly, Jesse thought for a moment his friend might make a good trial lawyer someday.

Cocking his head to one side though, he could not help but smile. "You really think so? What about that day in school? Did you even hear what I told those assholes and the rest of the crowd? All I did was beat them over their heads for the fact that they were judging me for all the wrong reasons. But did you ever hear it? I never said I wasn't gay, bro. I mean, I told them I neither got anything out of handling guys dirty laundry, nor did I ever do anything that was gay-ish with my little brother. Remember? Isn't that what you heard me tell them?"

Noah's expression turned into one of surprise, as he thought back over the incident, but then shook his head. "Yeah, but... what about us? I mean, we don't... I..." The teen sat up then so that he was sitting side-by-side with his best friend. "Huh?" he finally blurted out, the frustrated confusion running deep.

Jesse laughed, then grabbed their blanket and pulled it around them both again, but not before moving in close once more. Really close. "What about us?" he whispered in return, but then shook his head. "I asked you, how do you know I'm not gay? Have I ever told you I wasn't? Better yet, have you ever even asked me if I was?"

"Well, no, but... how? I mean, why..."

"Listen, people will judge me for who I am no matter what I do, right? Just... it makes a big deal to me that, if they do judge me for what they think or hear that I am, then they have to do it for the right reasons. Not because I love my little brother, and that I watch out for him as much as I do. Not because we take baths or showers sometimes, because what the hell, he's my brother, right? I'm not afraid of being naked around him, and neither is he with me! Good grief, we're family, you know?" Jesse stopped and sighed. "That's the picture Pete and his weirdos were trying to paint, remember? All I did was prove how stupid and idiotic they were being. But... Noah? The thing is, you don't know anything about me and this stuff, if you think about it. You only know that I've been more than willing for us strip down and cuddle, and hug and... share all the good things we feel together, right? Most guys won't come close to doing that, I know, but... you and I do. That's between you and me, though. Really, it's no one else's business what we do, is it?" Jesse leaned in a little closer. "All that, and I'm telling you, right here and now, that if you really want to know, you're not as alone in the world as you might think."

Astonished, Noah felt the energy drain from his limbs as Jesse held him close. "But... you... me... our talks, our friendship... the trust thing..."

"Yeah? What about them?" Jesse smiled and shrugged. "Between you and me bro, I was just, I don't know, I was kind of being careful, you know? I know, we've hugged and gotten to the point where we're now holding each other practically naked and all as it is, especially given tonight and everything. Honestly though, do I look like I really care?" he mused softly. "I could do that as a friend, if I trust somebody enough, and obviously you know that I do, with you. See, I knew what I was feeling inside, but... I just, I was trying not to come on to you or anything. I didn't want to do anything that would threaten our friendship together. Remember how worried you were about all this touching and cuddling in the beginning, was like being gay or something? That's the biggest reason I was being careful, I think. It might not be what a lot of people would call normal, but bro - it wasn't being gay either. That doesn't define being gay, you know?"

"But... you..." Noah started to interrupt, but Jesse shook his head again.

"I didn't want to advertise how I felt about you or anything, okay? Because seriously, I LIKED you. I've told you more than once, you're my best friend, the best I've got outside of my little brother. There's a reason for that, and I didn't want to admit to something that might tear us down, see? I'm sorry... if that made you hurt more, or feel worse, well... I'm sorry. Like I said, I was just trying to be careful, I guess." Jesse touched his finger on the tip of his friend's nose. "You want to know something though? Hearing you tell me that? Noah, right now I couldn't be happier finding out that you had a reason for it, too."

Noah was floored, again opening his mouth and shutting it more than once with no words coming out. When he finally took a deep breath, he was able to speak, but his voice was so soft that Jesse had to strain to hear him. "So, you mean... you like guys, too? Honest?"

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, I do, especially you," he whispered back. "I wish you could feel my heart right now. It's fluttering like some giddy little girl, I think." He reached out and wrapped Noah in his arms even further, this time pulling his best friend over into his lap. It was awkward at first, but then the teen shifted and wrapped his legs around Noah, bringing them both front and center to each other up close. When Jesse looked into the eyes that met his, he was elated to finally find some happiness there. "See? I told you, you don't have to be afraid. It's just me in here. I'm not mad, and you're not going to lose this between us. I mean, I know I'm not much, but you can have all I've got... if you want it. My heart, all of me... Just for you."

Noah embraced the teen deeply for a long time. "If I hear you put yourself down like that again, I'll... I'll... I don't know what I'll do, but I promise you won't like it!" he whispered with a giggle moments later. "I can't... I can't believe it, Jess. I fucking can't believe it!" He then suddenly sat back, his eyes narrowing. "Of all the things that went through my head, about how this was going to go tonight, I... you... it's just..." The teen finally stopped and giggled again before looking up with an almost defeated gesture. "You... you're not just telling me this, right? Like, to play with me, or to... to just make me feel better or something? You really... you're like me, right?" he whispered.

Jesse laughed. "If I was kidding around, do you think I would do this?" He gently pushed his hands inside the elastic band of Noah's underwear behind him, moving deep down onto his friend's butt before gently massaging it. Then he brought both hands to Noah's sides at his waist, and let his thumbs thrust inside toward his friend's groin, where they both felt and brushed across Noah's pubic hairs. It was without a doubt, breaking the ice that showed he could go beyond just the hugs and cuddles. When Jesse saw the look of surprise, he leaned in close again. "See? I keep telling you, I'm not afraid of you, bro. You're my best friend. I'm not even afraid of getting naughty, especially if it feels good, or makes you feel good. Does it, to you? Does this feel good to you?" he asked with a sly look.

"And then some, yeah," Noah whispered. After a moment, he nodded. "I believe you. You know, you're mine, too. You're my best friend, too."

"So then, tell me best friend: are you going to ever answer me?" Jesse whispered. Seeing his friend's confusion, he put his lips up to Noah's ear. "Do you like... me?"

In reply, Noah smiled and pushed Jesse onto his back then, before climbing on top and straddling his lower waist. They stared at each other seemingly forever, before the teen slowly leaned in and kissed the tip of Jesse's nose. When he saw no resistance, he leaned in even further and kissed him ever so softly on his lips. "Do you think I would do that if I didn't?" he asked as he pulled back, a renewed happiness in his eyes Jesse had not seen for some time.

In fact, a tear suddenly emerged and slipped down Jesse's cheek. This was something he had wanted to have all his life it seemed, but living where they did, in such a rural area at that, he just assumed it was an impossible dream. Having someone to hold, someone to love with his heart... He had Benji for some of those things, but it wasn't the same. Here he had found someone his own age and size, but somehow it just didn't seem real. Love and trust were something his brother gave him a lot of, but right now in this moment, it seemed Noah was giving him a whole lot more. "I love you," he whispered softly. "Ever since you stopped being an asshole, I've fallen in love with you more and more each day. I just never thought, or ever really imagined we'd end up being this close together..."

Noah pushed back and stretched out on top of his friend, folding his arms in and settling his chin on Jesse's chest. "I'm sorry. I was a prick, I know." He smiled. "I just can't believe we're... we're..." He laughed quietly. "Shit! I just..."

Jesse laughed too, before pulling the boy up higher on his chest and then wrapping him up with both his arms and legs. He giggled, and then erupted with laughter, with which Noah had to join in. As he thought about it, Jesse finally understood how it all now made sense. Why Noah had seemed like such a bastard for so long, and why he had been driven into such a dark corner, was now all out in the open. "Um, just to be sure... is there anything else? Is this it?" he whispered.

Noah scoffed. "Oh God, I hope not!" he whispered back. "I was so scared, though. I was ... you were going to hate me see, or be so disgusted with me, and...  and..." He suddenly giggled again as he hugged Jesse all the closer. After another moment, Jesse then pushed his hands back underneath the elastic band again, freely grasping and holding each butt cheek, making Noah roll his eyes. "Does this mean you're a butt boy or something?" he whispered teasingly. "You know, someone who likes looking at peep's butts?"

Jesse shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I've never had a butt to hold on to before, not like this anyway," he replied, making them both giggle at each other. "It does kind of feel cool. It's not so much what I'm doing though, but just, like, the fact that you're letting me do it, you know? Letting me feel inside your underwear and... and..." Noah smirked, but nodded as if understanding. Jesse glanced sideways for a second, thinking. "I mean it, aside from what Benji and I have seen of each other? I've never done anything, with anybody. Honest, I'm a complete virgin when it comes to others... unless you count my own dreams and fantasies and stuff."

"Really? I can almost say the same thing," Noah replied. "Only one other person has ever seen me up close, like, right in front down and all. And... it wasn't the best, as you now know."

Jesse shrugged. "You know, that still doesn't mean you're gay, Noah. The way she cornered you and all, maybe it just wasn't something you could connect all the dots with. You might still like girls, if you give them a chance."

Noah stared at him a moment before shaking his head. "Remember the other morning, when I woke up with wood?" he whispered. When Jesse nodded, he went on. "I woke up because I was dreaming about you, Jess, and how good it felt to be together and all. Not porking you, but... We were riding a bike in my dream, and you trusted me enough to ride in the seat, behind and up next to you. In my dream, we kept rubbing together, more and more. I would push up to you, and you would sit back into me, and we would... we would... and it felt... it felt so awesome..."

"Really? Why didn't you tell me about it then?" Jesse asked, but then immediately rolled his eyes. "Scratch that, okay... I get it." He giggled. "Okay, confession time for me now, I guess... I remember going to bed that night and... uh, feeling it again. I mean, you weren't physically there, but... It was as if I could feel it all happening again, you pushing up against me and all, and... and I thought it felt so cool we could spoon up like that, even if we did have boners. And although you were blushing and everything, I was so happy you weren't afraid to do that... with me, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Noah replied. "I jacked off that night, too. You should have seen the mess I made," he confessed, which made Jesse giggle.

"I don't know, I made a pretty big mess, too," he whispered. He pushed his hands further inside Noah's underwear, this time as far as he could reach and squeeze the skin he could grab, before bringing them back up to the waistband. He gave a huge sigh as they continued to stare and smile at each other. "I can't believe you're even letting me do this, Noah. It's... it's not all that sexy or anything, but it feels, like, I don't know..."

"I hope it feels like your best friend is showing how much he trusts you," Noah whispered. "Because I do. I think I always have, although I was kind of nervous about it sometimes... but now, I do more than ever." He then giggled. "Even if you are interested in my ass, I don't care."

Jesse giggled, too. "I'm interested in all of you Jesse, not just your ass," he shot back smartly. "Your dick, your balls, your hairs, your belly... lots of places, I think." He paused and sighed. "Do you want to know the truth about something?" When Noah nodded, he leaned closer. "That's what my dreams are usually about, more than anything. Just wondering how different guys are and everything, you know, in those places. Guys, and you, and..."

Noah frowned. "You haven't been out on the internet any at all then, have you?"

Jesse shook his head. "Only once. I took some time to see what I could find, but... the gay porn I found was always older teens, like 18, or older in their 20s, and with tattoos or piercings or, I don't know, just..."

"I think I know what you mean. It's always cooler to wonder about guys our own age, I think," Noah whispered back. "That was how I felt, too. I've been in some chat-rooms before though, with peeps that are our age, or pretty close." He smiled. "Some of the guys in there, they'll show, as long as you can prove you're not some perv or anything. You know, like some grown-up or somebody like that."

"Really?" Jesse asked, then became thoughtful. "Just like that?"

Noah giggled. "No, not just like that... but, sometimes a guy will be super horny, and he might open his web cam up to show. You know, let the others watch him jerk off or something. Or maybe get a close up look, you know, to show himself off." Noah shrugged. "Sometimes it's kind of ugly, but sometimes, it can be interesting."

Jesse smiled. "Do... you? Have you showed?"

Noah nodded. "Only once, but yeah, I've done it," he confessed.

"And?"

Noah thought for a second. "I didn't show everyone, not like some do. The one teen I cammed with, well, he was a year older than me, but he was... he looked okay. Different, but okay. Kind of like me, in a way, but not as, uh-"

"Big?" Jesse asked, grinning. "How was he?"

"Well, he had a lot of hair for one thing, and I mean a LOT of it - around his dick, and down his legs, some on his stomach, too. Some of the other peeps nicknamed him 'Big Bear', or something like that, see? Anyway... he had this skin stuff on the end of his dick that made him look funny-weird," was the whispered reply, before Noah scoffed. "I think they called it being uncircumcised, like uncut, but I'm not sure. He was big, too... and I mean, no shit, he was REALLY big, as in super long! When he let his dick lie back against his stomach, it almost could touch his belly button! He got a ruler and showed me that it was just over seven-inches and all."

"Whoa! That is... huge!" Jesse whispered. "It kind of sounds like he might have been older, though."

"It's possible, yeah, but then you got to see his face and his whole-body and... overall, with clothes on and everything, he didn't really look like he was that old, you know? He was just, umm... 'blessed big' I guess, that and his, um, skin and everything."

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, it's called uncircumcised." He hesitated, and then asked, "So, that must mean your circumcised, then?"

Noah smiled as he settled his chin upon Jesse's chest once again, looking deep into his best friend's eyes. "Yeah," he whispered. "You know, I'll show if you want to see me. I'm not afraid."

Jesse arched both eyebrows. "What? Did I hear you right?"

Noah blushed, before giggling. "Yeah. I mean, I've got nothing to hide from you anymore now, Jesse. I don't know if that means much to your or not, but... if you're like me..."

Jesse looked on amusedly. "Um, do you mean on a webcam? Or, like, for real?" he asked, teasing him but at the same time, he was quietly holding his breath.

Noah saw the change and laughed, before rolling to the side and stretching out length-wise beside his friend. Pulling his arms back, the teen settling his hands behind his head. "Oh no, you can have the live, real and up-front personal version of me, if you want. But... it'll have a price."

"What's that?" Jesse asked, propping his head up on his wrist.

"You have to pull my underwear all the way down, or take them completely off," Noah breathed ever so softly. "Oh, and you can't make fun of anything you find inside."

Jesse gazed amusingly. "Why? Am I going to find a pussy in disguise or something?"

Noah giggled. "No, I'm like you. All-natural, 100% boy," he shot back, but then squirmed in closer to Jesse's body. "Besides, you found out I was a boy the other morning, right? When I was rubbing up against you, remember?"

"Oh yeah, that's right," was the softened reply. Jesse slowly reached up and placed a hand on Noah's stomach just above the waistband again. "You're sure about this, right?"

"Yeah," Noah whispered back. "Just, like I said, you can't tease me or anything, okay?"

"Why would I do that?" Jesse asked, but then shook the question aside. "I admit... I really am kind of curious," he whispered, looking down at the blanket covering the lower half of their body. "Each night we get together, we seem to go just a little farther, and well... I've imagined it a few times, but I didn't think we'd ever go this far, you know?"

"Well, now you don't have to imagine or dream any more, Jess. Just do it. Honest, I don't care, I'm not nervous anymore... just go for it," was the whispered reply.

Jesse glanced into his friend's eyes one last time and found that thing between them, that understanding with each other that they had built. He pushed on the blanket until it uncovered his friend down onto his thighs, and he could help but immediately notice the tenting of the cloth there. There was no doubt as to what lay inside, pointedly curved toward Noah's left side, and as Jesse took a second to stare, he saw a throbbing pulse come from within. He slowly traced his fingers along his friend's upper leg and brushed the area where his thighs came together, before heading further up to the waistband and nervously grabbing hold.

Jesse's desire built rapidly, leaving him with anxious butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He had so wanted to do this for so long, so many times, just with somebody. He had dreams, and fantasies like it, but they never had any element of realism that had taken him beyond this point. For a second, he actually thought he was going to awaken again, but when the reality set in, he knew that this time it was for real. He had teasingly pulled up Benji's elastic band a few times before, but it was only that: teasing, horse-play sort of moments that didn't lead to anything new, and rightly so. Here, there was no doubt, no question, and that was the reality that set in on what he was about to really, finally do. It made his fingers begin to tremble, until his fumbling caused him to receive another surprise. From beneath the cloth, Noah had visibly hardened even more, to the point his dick suddenly moved upward on its own, and pointed toward his friend's navel. As it did so, its tip touched upon Jesse's fingertips, which in turn made Noah gasp and suck in his gut. With the waistband band stretched, and now more room visible within the opening, Jesse could make out the tip of Noah's boy-toy poking out, and pointing directly toward his fingers.

Jesse finally pulled the elastic up and down somewhat, hovering his grip in mid-air as he stared down in surprise. The lighting in the room, although not brilliant, was bright enough for him to see everything vividly. He lay motionless by Noah's side, rooted in place while staring at the exposure, before slowly sitting up to observe from above. He held the waistband consistently, down just enough so that Noah's jewels were gathered together above the cloth of his briefs, and the massive, 5-inch rod that stretched from its base toward Noah's stomach. Massive in size, at least to Jesse's eyes, not because of its inherent length, but because of the thickness there. Without question, his friend's shaft was far better endowed than Jesse would have imagined as being sported by other boys. Underneath it, a well-grouped patch of pubic hairs surrounded the base, blacker in color than Jesse would have realized possible. Along the shaft, Jesse could see the makings of a vein standing out until it reached the ridge. The ridge itself was stretched tight, as his friend's glans was thrust forward in all its red, circumcised glory, as if swollen and ready for action, with a helmet that protected a small hole at its tip. "Oh, wow," Jesse whispered.

Noah smiled, but then whispered, "Remember my deal: down or all the way."

Jesse blushed, but nodded as the agreement returned to the forefront of his thoughts. Glancing to either side first, he then inserted both hands into the waistband, and with a little careful maneuvering, slid the briefs down. Noah helped by lifting his rear off the bed, and as the cloth cleared from underneath, Jesse decided to go for it all the way and strip his friend completely. As he turned back, Jesse mouthed yet a single word for the second time. "Wow!" Noah just smiled, pleased for some reason, as he watched his friend surveying and taking in the view of his manhood.

"Come on, I can't be all that, you know... special," Noah whispered, after glancing down at himself briefly.

Jesse decidedly poked his friend in the side of his rib. "Shut up," he whispered, not wanting to argue the moment. At one point, he glanced up and then ran his fingers across his friend's collarbone and off to the side. There was the tiniest amount of arm hairs he discovered, never having noted them before at all - at least not up close like this. He lightly brushed his fingers back up the side of the ribcage and then over Noah's right nipple, before proceeding down toward his belly button. It was an innie that sunk deep with no visible backing, and Jesse found it fun to play with for a moment. It was not the first time he had seen boys and their navels, but it was the first time he had one he could touch and play around with as freely as he was doing here. When he finally left it and progressed south, he also felt some wisps of hairs tracking between it and his lower abdomen. "You've got a tiger tail," he whispered, which caused Noah to lift his head up and look a second time. He could see nothing really, but as Jesse brushed across them, he could feel a difference in the touch that followed.

Jesse approached Noah's groin once again, but then hesitated before touching the still throbbing member exposed there. He glanced back at his best friend, as if asking permission, and that was when Noah almost rolled his eyes. Instead, the teen lay back again and whispered, "Anything you want, go for it. I don't care."

"I just, I really... I wanted to see you, and feel you," Jesse whispered. Indeed, he was getting an electric thrill from the fact that Noah was letting someone, letting him, pay this much attention down there, especially in such a sensuous manner. Jesse gently grabbed hold, immediately surprised by the heat Noah's cock emitted, and the rubbery hard, yet softened feel that it had in his hands. He had held his own many times, of course, but never once had it occurred to him to wonder about such details, especially regarding the texture or more of himself. He heard Noah moan, causing him to glance up again, but the wide smile, the closed eyes, and the look of total bliss he observed told the teen that all was right with the world just then. At least, in their world.

Jesse turned back and continued to stare at his prize, holding it in different ways and feeling the shaft all the way up and down its length. He lifted the end at one point, wrapping his fingers around it completely before feeling its weight within his palm. Despite the length, it seemed to be a very fat dick to Jesse, with far more thickness than he himself had. It made him giggle to feel the pulsing in his hand, but remembering his promise, he hastened to speak up. "It's awesome, Noah. I mean, who could possibly want to make fun of ... of this?"

Noah sighed deeply, then thrust his pelvis upward, filling his friend's palm directly even more than before. He spoke not a word, instead reveling in the touch and having his senses run in overdrive. No one, ever, had touched him there before. It didn't matter what might have been his desires or more, other than Amber's obvious exploits. The teen had been so careful, for so long, to avoid the pretense of yearning for sexual play of some sort, even with a girl. He was not ashamed of himself, but a certain level of embarrassment was always there for him to deal with. He had had a fear of ever trying anything with a girl again - or a boy, for that matter - for having the wrong thing happen again, and thus making his life even more miserable. Another repeat episode like he had with Amber, where he couldn't react to the moment, would have devastated him. Here though, it felt totally different. Here, his best friend was showing him how not to be afraid. Jesse was holding him so intimately, fascinated by what he had in his package down there, and it sent a feeling of acceptance over Noah. He could not imagine anything more warm or complete right then, from being discovered, or to giving some small amount of pleasure back to his best friend. When he had asked if Noah was circumcised, it was then Noah realized there was a genuine curiosity there, and with his heart skipping a beat on its own, he had made his offer. Not for the horniness he was developing, or the underlying sexual awakening he was feeling, but for something far more.

Jesse finally let go of the pulsing rod and moved between Noah's legs, gently tugging one outward. Noah understood and spread them both wide then, before watching Jesse reach between and lift up the scrotum hanging there. "Wow, you've got big balls, too!" was the whispered exclamation. Jesse lifted them high and tried to peer underneath, but alas that was the limitation of the lighting in the room, which cast shadows too deep to really see anything further. He gently set them back down, but not before weighing them in his hand, and noting the parchment-like skin that protected them. He wondered if that was common, once again realizing he never even paid attention to his own that much, but then he did not dwell on it for the moment.

It was then that Jesse let go and stretched out beside his best friend again, propping himself on an elbow with one arm, but using the other to return to grasping Noah's manhood. The touch and grasp made the teenager suck in his gut yet again. Jesse made a few methodical movements, pumping the rod in his hand, and being amazed at how the little remaining foreskin could be slid forward and back with ease. "So, that's how you can jack off, isn't it?" he asked, still whispering in fascination as he did it again. Unlike someone that was uncircumcised, he could still see the shroud freely work its way up around the glans before falling back. He was no stranger in knowing those few moves were jerking off his friend, but he was fascinated with how it felt, and at how something no different than what millions of other boys around the world had, was still unalike in subtle ways. He thought about Benji, and likened what he felt now to how his brother felt doing this to him. He sighed, and then rolled into his friend tightly. He did not hug him, but the closeness sent a message at how he felt, from the inside, between them. Noah returned the gesture by rolling into the semi-embrace as well, loving the feel of having his friend next to him. "Mmm..." he whispered, feeling content other than for the stirring in his loins, and noting the strongly tented cloth that poked him along his side.

As Jesse watched, he giggled at the rapid change of expressions he witnessed. He slowed what he was doing and then leaned in close. "Noah?" he whispered, which finally caused his friend to look up at him. In a quiet, subtle but purposeful move, Jesse leaned in closer and gave his best friend a kiss on his lips. Although light and sensuous, he lingered only a few seconds before pulling back. The look of surprise that met him though, made Jesse smile and sheepishly explain. "I wanted to do that, at least just once, before you had a chance to tell me you didn't want to do it, or hated kissing, or anything like it." He gently squeezed the hardened member in his hand. "You get it, right? Letting me see and touch you, and... you know, play down here with your dick is one thing, bro. Letting me kiss you is something else entirely. I just... give me a pass, okay? Don't hate me for it...?"

"Hate you?" Noah asked in surprise, before he first shifted his upper torso closer and craned his neck forward, all the while he slipped an arm around his friend and pulled him closer. "Then, don't hate me back," he whispered, before closing the remaining distance and meeting Jesse's lips mid-air. There he pressed in and held, until they were both breathing in the air from each other. As Jesse whimpered, he felt as if his heart stopped. Then, cautiously, he parted his lips, and was ready to scream with joy when his best friend did the same. Both of their tongues met, and an all-out frenzy began, touching each other, sucking, or pushing in as far as they could reach, finding teeth and cavernous places to explore and seek out.

At one point, Jesse turned his head and opened his mouth wider, which Noah did as well, but turned in the other direction. Neither had ever thought of it so much before, but as natural as certain things are in life, this one did not escape them. The move allowed them to go deeper than before, and to consummate a feeling of intimacy between them unmatched by either in their dreams. When two people kiss, whether they be different or of the same sex, usually one of two things drove them. One was the obvious sexual stimulation that it provided, but the other was on a much deeper level. Both Noah and Jesse felt that deeper level, that connection between them expand. As Noah reached around and felt Jesse's back, rubbing it gently, but yet pulling more of his friend inside, he could feel the trust, and the ever-present shared love they were slowly building. He sought his friend out hungrily, while at the same time felt his loins going into overdrive. Jesse had continued to stroke him slowly, but with feeling, and inside Noah felt a familiar strike of electricity connecting all over. He had no opportunity to warn his friend, didn't even have that much of a chance to even register the pull behind his navel. Jesse knew though, because he could feel his friend's dick expanding in his hand to an even bigger degree. He could also feel a change from underneath, as if there was something powerful racing its way to the tip, before Noah heaved a huge gob of cum up onto his lower chest. "UUnngghh!" the teen cried out, before separating and letting his head fall back. "OOhh sshhiittt...!!!" he whispered as another, then third eruption found its way out from inside, and spurted all over him.

Jesse had rolled back slightly so that he could look down and watch, as each eruption made its way up and out. He was amazed at both the quantity and the silvery-whiteness that appeared. "OOhhhh, wow!" he whispered, as Noah continued to ooze still another five or six times before finally stopping, each becoming smaller and less intensified than the one preceding it. Jesse kept the motions up, however, knowing the price of stopping suddenly rather than letting everything follow through to the finish. He squeezed gently until Noah started to go totally limp, his breathing coming hard and sporadic. There he lay, in his bed, without a care in the world at that moment, reveling in how it felt to be held and jerked by somebody else, and his best friend at that. Jesse smiled, reaching up in the interim to run his finger thru his friend's jizz collected on his stomach and lower abdomen, swirling it in small circles and feeling its texture. He knew what he wanted to do, but wondered if that might really go too far with Noah. Perhaps there were some things he should hold in reserve, until he was reassured of his friend's commitment to what the two of them were getting into.

It wasn't long before Noah opened his eyes and smiled widely, before reaching out and grasping Jesse by the hand and holding it. "Do you know how fucking awesome that was?" he whispered.

Jesse nodded. "I think so. Even if I don't, I saw how awesome it must have been for you." He tapped his friend in the middle of his chest, right where the biggest of the cum-laden eruptions had landed. "Do you always give up this much, uh, cum?" he whispered, causing Noah to raise his chin and look down.

"Ah, fuck no! I mean, wow! No wonder it felt so... so..." He couldn't think of a word to describe it himself, so he let his head fall back to the bean bag. "Man, you... wow..."

Jesse giggled. "That good, huh?" He then leaned in. "You know what was almost as good, for me? When you let me kiss you like that," he whispered. "I almost made my own mess right then and there, you know?"

Noah's eyes then opened wide. "But... you didn't, right?" When Jess shook his head, Noah then quickly sat up and twisted himself around before straddling his friend's lower abdomen. He put a finger on Jesse's lips quickly when he saw the questioning look. "It's my turn, and yes... I want to see you as much as you wanted to see me," he whispered.

When Jesse grinned, Noah slid backward until he was now positioned over his friend's lower thighs. He turned his glance down and studied the lump that was tenting completely on one side, and noticed right away that it seemed longer than he expected. He grasped both sides of the elastic, but then halted to look up into the eyes watching him. "Don't worry, I won't make fun of you, either," he mused with a sly look. "You ready?"

Jesse nodded, spreading his arms slightly away from his body. In some ways, he likened the excitement in his friend to another certain younger boy only days before. "Like you said, anything you want," he whispered.

Noah looked down and, unlike Jesse, who had taken a rather slower approach, he simply pulled the briefs out and down, before pulling the waistband further along the sides. Noah tugged when Jesse lifted his hips, before getting the garment down and off his friend's feet. When he came back up to seek his prize however, he stopped and visibly gulped as he took in the view. "Are you... shit! You're... you're uncut!" He glanced up with a look of amazement. "That's... you're like the guy I saw on the webcam!"

Jesse had to giggle. "Well, guys usually only come in one of two flavors, you know... cut or uncut," he quipped, causing Noah to roll his eyes before turning his attention back. Unlike Jesse, he didn't wait or seek permission, instead reaching out and with a single finger, lifted the longer, but skinnier member away from his belly. "Holy...!" was all he said, before pushing and prodding, raising and turning the man-toy loose, all to see it flop back onto Jesse's lower belly.

Noah leaned in closer then and studied his friend. Like himself, he had a small pubic bush at the base of his cock, although they were nowhere as dark as his own, and also seemed to be less in quantity. He felt them though, their softness almost like silk, and when he ran his fingers through them, he could see they were more brownish in nature. The hairs also rose to just above the base of his crotch, like his own, but sharply tapered off and continued with only the thinnest of paths stretching toward Jesse's waistline, before tapering off completely. "That's what you meant by tiger tail, isn't it?" he asked. "Mine come on up toward my belly button, but yours..."

"Yeah, they stop," Jesse whispered, nodding.

Noah suddenly giggled, but then blushed. "I'm sorry, I just... I never imagined anyone, or you, being... like this," he whispered, as he grasped hold of the rod that pulsed in his hand. Looking up, he saw Jesse's eyes were closed, but the hint of the smile there also told him his friend was in another world - just like he had been only moments before. When Noah turned his attention back, he pulled the skin back so that it completely uncovered Jesse's glans, which made Noah stop again and whistle. Unlike his own, Jesse's glans was slick-looking, almost wet, with a deep purple hue in color compared to the rest of his shaft. As he stared, he suddenly heard a voice whispering in the background.

"It's because I'm uncut, see. I don't get, um, a lot of exposure to the outside air much, not when my skin covers me and all," Jesse explained. "I guess that's why you thought on that cam-to-cam it was all weird looking, right?"

Noah shook his head, however. "No, he wasn't like this, at least, not that I could see. He... we didn't pull his cam up really close or anything, Jesse." He glanced up, feeling guilty. "I'm really sorry I said it looked weird. I mean, you don't look weird at all, it was just, he was..."

"Different," Jesse filled in for him, to which Noah nodded. "I am different, but so are you Noah. You looked just as cool to me, as I'm guessing I probably look to you."

"Oh yeah, definitely..." Noah whispered, then tried a single stroke before stopping. "Does it, like, hurt you or anything to do... you know, to jack off? I mean, can you like, pull back too far, or...?"

Jesse giggled and pushed his friends hand out of the way. Pulling back, he showed his friend he could almost match his circumcised skin's state, before pushing forward and showing how his head, even in its erect state, could still be completely covered. "I've read somewhere that its different for different guys. Some can't do this, some can. Some have a lot of skin, some have just enough to cover themselves when they're not hard and everything."

Noah visibly gulped. "But... you can cover almost all the way! I mean, I still see your, you know, your end peeking out a little," he whispered.

"Yeah, but... you're not going to hurt me, I promise," Jesse whispered back, finishing his explanation. With that, like his friend, he pulled his hands in behind his head and lay there.

Noah traveled south of Jesse's hardened member for a moment and felt the teen's scrotum, lifting it up as he had done for him. Letting them slide softly back into place, he commented, "Can't see much there, can we." Jesse simply shrugged, causing Noah to blush. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be, I don't know..."

Jesse giggled then. "Be curious? As if I wasn't when I was doing stuff to you?" Jesse suddenly sat up and pulled Noah over closer. "You know something bro?"

"What?"

"I think all of this is cool. I really do," he whispered into his ear.

Noah giggled and then gently pushed his friend back onto the bed. Without another word, he replicated Jesse's position, maneuvering to stretch out by his side and free his right-hand to 'play' down below. "Do you want me to jerk you off?" he whispered.

"If you want to," was the quiet reply. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to make a quick trip to the bathroom in a minute."

Noah giggled again. "Over my dead body," he retorted, and then started to milk Jesse's personal rod inside his fist. It felt awesome really, and nothing like he would have expected. The fact that he held now a skinner, but longer shaft actually caused him to take note of other things, too. Like his friend, he marveled at the heat and texture of the touch in his hand. He also noted how much easier it was to enclose Jesse's whole member in his hand and circle his fingers completely around it. He didn't know how much longer Jesse was compared to himself, but he figured at least a half-inch or more was up for grabs.

As Noah stroked it, he could feel the pulses building, and as he continued, each continued to become more intense. More than once, the teen also felt Jesse stretch his toes forward and brush them against his own feet. His friend's breathing became more erratic, and unlike Noah, Jesse swore softly under his breath, moaning from time to time. Although he had heard Jesse swear and curse a few times, as he listened, it just seemed unnatural for his friend. He didn't bring it up now, however, as he concentrated with his task in his hand. It took his friend considerably longer it seemed, but just as Noah's hand was beginning to tire, there was a change. In silence, Jesse's entire, naked body suddenly tensed up, as if all his muscles were contracting simultaneously, and then the teen fell back he thrust his mid-section upward, deep into Noah's hand. Not unlike his friend, Jesse started spurting gobs of his own white juice, with strong eruptions spattering onto his chest and abdomen, and even one which somehow flew to the side and hit Noah on his arm. Noah watched in utter fascination, as Jesse sucked in his gut and gave up yet another huge amount that flew right into his navel.

Then as quickly as it had started, it stopped, and Noah lessened the pressure of his grip. "Holy shit, that... that was awesome!" he hissed, grinning down at his friend. Jesse, heaving deeply and trying to catch his breath, did not respond at first, his muscles succumbing to a total limp state. The orgasm had been out of this world, far more intense than anything he experienced normally on his own. Even in the afterglow, he could still feel a slight tug behind his belly, and as the receding pressure was slow to leave his loins.

When Jesse finally did respond, he whispered, "Oh wow, that was so.... fucking fantastic!" He grinned as he turned his head to look at Noah, who grinned back at him. "Was it like, that intense for you?"

"Probably. I felt like my dick was going to shoot off to the ceiling," Noah whispered back.

"Mine, too," Jesse confessed, but then lay back. "I'm like... I feel like I'm spent, you know?"

"Yeah, me too, a little at least bit." Noah held onto the now softening member. "Do you think... Um, do you think this is what sex is like? With a girl and all?"

Jesse gave him a look and shrugged. "Who cares? Really, who fucking cares? This was... awesome!"

Noah, embarrassed, slid into his friend's shoulder, letting his head come to a rest there. "Sorry," he whispered.

Jesse wasn't going to let it go, though. "No, don't be. I honestly have no clue, really. You're the only one I've ever talked to that came the closest to doing it, I think. But you know something? It's either got be less great, the same or more, right? So, if it's less, I say let them go screw themselves... we've found something better, just between us. If it's the same, then meh, what's the big deal about it being so taboo and everything, right?" He then lowered his voice. "And if it's more, then... heck, that's their problem, not ours. Because what you just gave me tonight? Oh my God, Noah!"

Noah felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Really? You liked it that much, as much as I did?"

"Oh yeah, you bet I did, if not more," was the soft reply. "Especially when you kissed me. You can stop and never do that again, if you want. You know, kiss with me, but now... now that I know what it's like, I know... I mean, I know..."

"What?" Noah asked softly.

"I know I felt something, inside, like leap out of me and into you when we did it. All the feelings I've had between us, about us... everything Noah, it just kind of came together, and it felt so awesome! I don't know if that is the same thing that happens between boyfriends or girlfriends, but I know how I felt with you and me, and right now? I think we're going to be in trouble from here on out." He spoke the last in jest with amusement, and Noah understood.

"Yeah, but we live next to each other, you know? I couldn't be happier about it."

Jesse giggled. "It's only been a month since you wanted me out of your bedroom, and out of your life, remember? If looks could kill..."

Noah hung his head just then, hiding his face into his friend's neck. "Oh no, don't remind me..."

Laughing, Jesse rolled into his friend then, until they were face to face. "You're my best friend, Noah. Don't forget it, okay? Before, now, after... it doesn't really matter, you know?"

Noah smiled. "No, it really doesn't, I agree." Then, for the first time since their escapades began, he felt something tug from inside, and with it, he reached out and pulled his friend in, wrapping both arms and legs around him. They were touching everywhere up and down their torso, but with their groins now in a soft state, it didn't matter. In fact, it felt all the better, because their intimacy could not be any closer by definition than it was right then. "I hope I learn to have as much forgiveness in my heart, as you do towards me, Jess. I was so scared about this night, and when it would come. I knew I was going to have to tell you, but I was so scared you'd hate me, you know?"

Jesse hugged him back. "I wish I had known, because if I had, I might have helped you not be so scared a whole lot sooner."

Noah pulled back to meet the eyes that looked back. "I'm not though. Think about it, Jesse. I think I had to learn it this way, because if I didn't, I might have not learned to accept this, or love you, or love us together like I have. Or at least, let us trust each other like we did. I wouldn't change any of it, not now. You made me a brother, remember?"

"Meh, you made yourself our brother, Noah, with all the benefits that go with it. Just, help me, okay? For Benji's sake..."

"He's my brother, too. Maybe not in the same way, but..." Noah began, until Jesse stopped him.

"Don't be so sure. He loves you, too, but Noah... always remember, Benji processes things a little different than we do, okay?"

Noah nodded. "I understand, and yeah... I'll help you protect him. I promise."

Jesse relaxed then and smiled. They stared at one another for several minutes, before Jesse finally giggled. "So, what now? We go to sleep, or...?"

Noah grinned. "Kind of hard to beat this one, isn't it? Are you getting hard again?" He felt he already knew the answer, but asking was for good measure.

Jesse shook his head, however. "Not really. It... it usually takes me a few minutes before, well... you know..."

Noah relaxed. "Good, I'm not either. I think I may have cummed myself dry for the time being," he teased, making Jesse giggle. "I did think of one thing, though. We're both kind of, you know, sticky and stuff with all this dried up gooey cum between us."

"I was thinking about that, too," Jesse agreed.

"So, do you want to, like, take a really quick shower?" Noah whispered.

Jesse shrugged. "Won't your parents hear the water running?"

"Maybe, but I doubt if they'll think much of it, as long as we're quick about it. In fact," Noah paused, leaning in closer. "I bet if we take one together, it'll be done in half the time."

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You want to take a shower... w-with me?" He grinned. "Isn't that kind of, in the beginning, what got this whole thing started?" he teased.

Noah, however, did not take the bait. "Don't go there," he whispered, before sitting up. "Besides, it isn't going to be a full-blown shower anyway. Just a quick, kind of rinse-off thingy. You game?"

Jesse sat up with him. "I'm game for anything, as long as you think it's safe."

Walking to into the bathroom, Jesse started to reach for the light switch, but Noah stopped him. He didn't speak a word, but instead opened the shower door and reached inside. Activating the shower, he waited until the water had warmed and then he stepped inside, pulling his friend in behind him. Together, the two moved under the stream of water, and let the flow cascade from their shoulders down. Noah initially stood grinning, to which Jesse sheepishly followed suit, but eventually Noah reached out and pulled his friend inside his arms, hugging him again. Jesse responded in like manner in the silence, finding the embrace both soothing and comforting.

After a moment, Noah stepped back and made one last effort to spray his chest, then turned and did the same to his friend before shutting the water off. All in all, it had only been a minute since they first stepped in, something that surprised Jesse, but otherwise he was also pleased. Noah, again taking the lead, opened the door and stepped through, but stopped Jesse from following him. Quick as a flash, the teen obtained a towel and dried himself rapidly, before turning and doing the same to the other boy. Once completed, both headed back into the bedroom and turned out the light, before sliding under the covers of the bed.

For both teens, it seemed the night had already been filled with firsts all the way around. As the two scooted toward the middle though, they wrapped together once again, this time Jesse on his back and Noah cuddling into his side, his head nuzzled onto his friend's shoulder. Neither had bothered to slip any clothes on, which by this time neither really had any desire to. As Noah brought his leg over Jesse's, his knee grazed by his friend's privates, but neither cared, especially when he brought his fingers down and ran them through Jesse's pubes lightly. Jesse could feel the full front of Noah anyway, which humbled him yet again to admire the trust they now fully shared. They remained silent for a moment, before Noah finally whispered, "What are you thinking about?"

Jesse smiled. "How awesome all of that was, and how this is now," he replied, equally as quiet.

"Do you have, like, any regrets?" Noah asked, to which he felt his friend shake his head.

"I've never regretted holding you, naked or not," was the reply, prompting Noah to raise his head once again.

"That's not what I mean, though," Noah started, but then saw the amused look returned to him. "You... you doofus!" he smirked, then reached up to pinch Jesse's nipple. "That ought to be worth a titty-twister!"

Jesse immediately went glum and begin to pout. "No Master, don't... little Jesse will be good, Jesse promises!"

Amused, Noah leaned in. "Maybe little Jesse, but what about big Jesse?"

"I will to," Jesse replied, giggling. Though the light in the room was now considerably subdued, there was still enough radiance that he could look deep into Noah's eyes just then. "You're okay too, right? Honest?"

Noah nodded. "You have no clue how okay I'm feeling right now, as long as you are, too."

Jesse leaned in and gave his best friend a quiet kiss across his lips, before pulling back. "I've wanted someone to do things with, I won't lie about that. But even more, I've wanted someone to just hold, and love. Benji, he's great for a little brother, but... it's not the same, you know?"

Noah nodded. "How long have you known, Jess? That you liked boys?"

"A really long time, I guess. Three, maybe four years. You?"

Noah did not answer right away, choosing instead to lay his head back into his friend's shoulder for comfort. When he did answer, his voice was filled with emotion once again. "I- I don't know. I mean, even before what happened with Amber, I guess, but... Like I said before, I wanted to deny it for a long time because I was so scared. I mean, I heard guys can be curious sometimes, but... what I felt went way beyond that." He sighed. "That whole thing, it's probably what turned me into such an asshole, you know?"

"I doubt that," Jesse mused. "I mean, it might have been a part of it, but I'll bet your ganging up with Pete and some of those guys, and then feeling so alone all the time, too, scared you even more." He hugged his friend close once again. "You know, I remember Pete from a long time ago, back when we were in grade school. He didn't seem so bad back then. I don't know what made him the way he is now, but something changed for him."

Noah thought about that for a moment. "Linda told me something once, about Pete didn't have that great of a relationship with his parents, That, well, that might have something to do with it."

"Addison told me the same thing. I think she may have even dated him for a while once, or at least, he was trying to date her or something. She said he didn't have anyone to really give him much support growing up," Jesse reasoned. "Maybe that's why he became such an asshole, then. I know this much, you heard that day - he won't give up on me. He'll be back, and he'll try to get even."

In the silence that followed, Noah squeezed in closer, making Jesse grunt. "Sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" Jesse asked. "This? It feels good..." Although there was little to nothing left between them not already huddled together, he wiggled all the same to try to seal the deal before he sighed. "You know, we could stop jerking off and everything else, but as long as we can keep this, I'd take it in a heartbeat. See, I told you... I know why you liked it so much in the beginning, and why you were, I don't know, wanting it more and more maybe. It... It takes a lot of trust to break some rules, you know, for two boys to do this. It's not the same for girls, I think, and you know what it's like if a boy can get a girl in bed with them or something. But... boys, cuddling like this? Especially naked?"

"Yeah, I know, Jess," Noah nodded. "It's kind of like being brothers, though, isn't it?"

"No, between us it's a lot more than that," Jesse whispered. "You feel it, don't you? Inside?"

"Oh, yeah... more than you know," Noah whispered back. With that, he leaned in and kissed Jesse ever so softly before pulling back. "That's how I feel about you, and a whole lot more." With that, they both fell silent again, and drifted off into a peaceful sleep. 

******* 

When Sunday morning arrived, the sun's rays beamed brightly over the valley, dissipating the shadows and dispelling the morning frost that covered much of the ground. The sun had already risen substantially before either of the naked teens rolled over and decided they needed to empty their bladders. Jesse rose first, and the image of him walking away and returning made Noah giggle, watching Jesse's boyhood flop effortlessly to each side as he walked. Jesse raised an eyebrow in question, but Noah ignored him, crawling from under the covers and taking his turn. Upon returning however, Jesse suddenly grinned as he realized what had happened moments before. Never once had he thought about such things as being so amusing, but then again, why should he, really?

As Noah crept back in under the cover, he launched himself in such a way as to end up on top of Jesse, completely pinning his guest underneath him. "So, prisoner, what kind of punishment should we inflict on you today? We have to teach you, you know, not to be such a bad boy."

Jesse giggled. "Um, I don't know. Does master have something in mind?" he asked, letting his hands reach down behind and grasp Noah by his butt again.

Noah grinned before collapsing. "Honestly? I just want to lie here naked with you for a while, play around some, maybe jerk each other off some more, but... I know we can't get away with that. Mom is probably making breakfast upstairs now."

"Yeah, I think I heard some footsteps in the kitchen a little bit ago," Jesse nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, we'll do this again before long, I promise. Even if you're at my house, there's no reason we can't cuddle up like this some more."

Noah arched an eyebrow. "Really? What about, you know, your brother?"

"I doubt he'll ever know, but even if he does, it's no big deal," Jesse replied. "You... you do understand, right? What I meant about Benji, and stuff like this?"

Noah nodded. "I think so, yeah."

"Addison mentioned it to me once, I don't know, I guess back when the tornado struck. Benji, he's seven, but he's not ignorant of everything about sex. He teases about it some, but... he processes stuff differently. It's even funny to watch and listen to him sometime, because I can laugh, remembering what things were like for me when I was his age. And besides... he likes me for a brother, and that makes a big difference, you know?" Jesse wrinkled his nose. "If he was a couple of years older, it would probably be all different, I think. I mean, I think we'd still have our love and trust, but I'm not so sure we'd have the freedom around each other like we do now."

"Have you..." Noah hesitated, suddenly thinking he might be encroaching on something that might not be his business. So, instead, he let it go and wrapped his arms around Jesse's sides and lay his head on the teen's chest. "I can hear your heartbeat," he whispered after a moment.

Jesse smiled and wrapped his arms around the lower part of his friend's back. "Have I what?" he asked quietly, prompting Noah to raise his head back up and stare into Jesse's blue eyes.

"Nothing, it's none of my business, Jess," he whispered in reply.

"What is none of your business?" Jess asked, now curious. "I thought we put that behind us, Noah. You can ask me anything, bro. I won't get mad at you."

Noah studied him for a moment before speaking again. "I was going to ask if you and your brother have ever done anything much, besides taking showers or baths together. But... I was afraid that might kind of cross a line, you know?"

Jesse smiled. "In some ways it does, but... not with me. It's okay, honest. If I ever can't tell you something, I'll say so, alright? But... asking me that is okay." He hesitated only slightly before he continued. "Benji likes my pubes, and of course, he thinks I'm super-sized, which in a way I guess I am, compared to him. He even," Jesse paused to laugh. "He even keeps asking me if he'll get to be as big as me!"

Noah grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah, but... we don't really do stuff, Noah. I mean, we see each other, he's touched me a few times, and I guess I have touched him some, too. Not that long ago, he caught me doing the big thing, you know, jerking off, so he asked me a lot of questions about it and all." Jesse shifted under Noah's weight. "It's funny; like I said before - he processes sex a little differently, so it wasn't as huge of a deal for him. At least not as much as it was for me to figure out how to tell him about it. He wanted to know, and so... I... showed him."

Noah grinned at him. "Honest? You showed him...?"

Jesse blushed. "Yeah, I did it while he watched. He even, uh, helped me out a little, till I erupted and everything."

Noah laughed, then shook his head. "Wow! I wish I had had a big brother show me and all!"

Jesse giggled. "You figured it out just fine though, right? I mean, probably like I did. I didn't have anyone to show me anything either, or answer questions and what have you. I had to learn it all on my own, or at least with books, or listening to the guys in the locker room."

"Same here," Noah responded. "We've got this anatomy book upstairs, that's pretty plain in showing diagrams and stuff about all of it, including when guys and girls have sex. The rest though, well... you kind of just learn by listening, I think. That's the way it was for me. Oh, that and being in the chat-rooms some nights, and watching others talk and everything."

"Do you have a computer or something? I've don't think I've ever seen one in here..." Jesse asked.

Noah scoffed. "Dad has one up in their bedroom is all, but I'm only rarely allowed to get on it. So, no, I don't have one, BUT I do have this..." he turned and crawled over to his nightstand, before returning back to lie at Jesse's side. He handed his friend his tablet. "I got this last Christmas," the teen explained.

Jesse held the device and nodded. "I saw you with this in the beginning, yeah. You were listening to stuff each night when I came in to go to bed."

"Yep, I have some of my music loaded on it. Look, see?" Noah took the device back and signed in, before navigating to his music collection and then handing it back over. Jesse was impressed that the teen had over 300 songs listed, all in a wide variety of music styles, including pop, easy listening and country.

"I didn't know you liked country music..." Jesse stated, impressed as he looked up. "I don't know of anyone our age, really, who likes listening to country music. Mostly just our family."

Noah shrugged. "I like some of it, yeah. I'm not big on country, because it's always like beer music, or songs about doing someone wrong, or - you know, the sappy stuff. But there's some good stuff out there, too." He then reached in and navigated to another screen and pointed out two files near the bottom of the list. "I listen to those at night sometimes, because they help me sleep and all."  Jesse looked down to find Thunderstorms of the Rockies, and Blizzards of the Arctic. "They're just nature sounds and all, about an hour each. I like listening to them because they settle me down and everything, when I'm worked up or something."

Jesse smiled. "I didn't even know stuff like this existed. I mean, I've seen those discs in Walmart, about relaxing with animal sounds and music and all, but... not this." He then handed the tablet back. "So, you do have a kind of computer, then."

Noah nodded, and brought up another application. "This is a chat program, that hooks into Discord. That's like, this monster text exchange service for hundreds of groups, and some of them are just for teenagers. That's the chatrooms I keep talking about."

Jesse scanned the list, paging through them slowly. "Wow! There's... there's everything in here!"

"I know, right?" Noah replied with amusement. He then took over and scrolled to another section until he found what he was looking for. "See these?" He showed Jesse several entries that were teen-only, some based on music, others on lifestyles, including some that were gay-themed. "That's where I've been before, both for straight and not-so-straight peeps." He sat back then, and as he shifted, so did Jesse, falling back onto the teen's side.

"Wow," Jesse replied, before sighing and setting the tablet down. "I never knew, honest."

"A lot of teens don't, but then you'd be surprised at how many 'do'. I only come across it by accident one night, while I was surfing around the internet," Noah explained. "If you want, I'll loan it to you for a night or two."

Jesse smiled, but shook his head. "As tempting as that is, I don't think I should. For one thing, keeping it out of Benji's hands would be almost impossible. I mean, I'm not afraid of him finding something like this, but he'll be out looking for games to play everywhere, and... and... I don't know. Mom and Dad," he started, before continuing. "They don't mind us being around computers, as long as they're nearby - but that's all. Dad is kind of strict about it, because of all the naughtiness you can get into. He says he'll get me one when I'm older, but until then..."

"Well, there is some of that stuff, yeah," Noah admitted, but then he shook his head. "Not as much as you think, though. There are filters setup everywhere now, even with this one, to keep you out of porn sites and stuff. That is, unless you know how to get around some of them." Seeing the look on Jesse's face made Noah grunt. "The guys in the chat room told some of us a few tricks and everything."

"Oh, I get it, okay," Jesse replied, but then relaxed. "You want to know something, though? What you and me have, what we just did? That was way better, I bet, than any porn site could have done." He grinned. "I like the thought of having the live version way better, one I can feel and touch and everything."

Noah returned the smile to him. "Oh yeah, way, way better." He hugged the other boy again, lightly letting his hand roll up and all over him from his chest to his hips, and more. "Way better, yeah," he whispered again, and Jesse could not agree more.

Just then came a soft knock at the bedroom door. Instinctively, although they were already well-covered, both boys pulled the blanket up even more, as a voice followed. "Are you boys up yet? I've almost got breakfast ready."

"Yeah, Mom, we're up. We'll be upstairs in a few minutes," Noah called out, which his mother responded with a simple 'Okay' before disappearing. The teen sighed as he turned to face Jesse, and both began giggling before wrapping each other up close again. "I think I'm in trouble already," Noah finally whispered. "It's like last night and this morning both, I don't want to let go."

Jesse nuzzled his friend's neck. "We'll do this some more, even a lot more if you want to, and soon. You're my bro, remember?"

"Yeah, I do," Noah replied before pulling back. He stared deeply into his friend's eyes. "Thank you, for everything."

Jesse leaned in a kissed him on the nose. "You don't need to do that, you know. What we did, we did for each other, right?"

"Maybe, but still..." Noah sighed. "Jesse, 24-hours ago I was facing the prospect you might walk out my door and never want to talk to me again. Yeah, I know, it's like you said - I loved being able to just hold you and all, but I knew I needed to answer what was going on with me, you know? You needed to know, Jess, and now that its over? I could almost cry again - not for being sad, but for being really happy..." He reached up and touched his heart. "... in here."

Jesse smiled. "I'm happy, too, I promise."

Noah smiled weakly, but then his countenance changed and he rolled away. "Stay there," he commanded in a hushed voice. Jesse then watched as he saw the teen looking about the floor before stooping down. When he came up, he was holding two pair of briefs. Grinning, Noah climbed back onto the bed and pulled the covers off and away from his friend. Then, after carefully making sure he was holding one of the garments correctly, he scooted toward Jesse's feet. The teen raised one foot and then the other, letting Noah pull the underwear up the length of his legs, before lifting his torso and letting the boy finish the job. Noah let the waistband snap into place, but not without first making a comical peek inside, and then patting his friend's groin afterwards, causing Jesse to giggle.

"You just wanted to see me up close and soft, didn't you?" When Noah arched his eyebrows a couple of times and grinned, Jesse scoffed and pushed the boy back onto the bed, before repeating the same performance on his friend. They were becoming infatuated with each other, but Jesse had the notion it wasn't just for the taboo, or the sex of the situation. If it had been, both would have been rock-hard, and ready to go another round by then, he was sure.

After Jesse sat back and rolled toward his side of the bed, he felt content. Finding his jeans, he slipped them on and pulled them up, buttoning and zipping them into place. He turned to see Noah had done likewise, and both were smiling at the other almost like little kids again. Jesse then reached for his pull-over from the night before, something more desirable in the considerable cooler weather, and was pleased to see Noah go to his closet and pull out a similar top. The knitted material was welcomed, but not as much as their last gesture they made for each other together. Noah had walked around the bed and stood in front of Jesse, and without preamble, inserted his hands and arms inside his friend's shirt before rubbing his back. Jesse returned the gesture, and they locked themselves together for several seconds, neither really ready to let go.

Separate they did, however, as they sat on the side of the bed and each donned a pair of thick, woolen socks. "So, I've got some board games we could get out, if you want. Or, if it warms up enough, we could play some more basketball," Noah offered, thinking aloud. "Oh, and I don't know if you like football or not, but Green Bay plays today, and I bet they'll be playing in snow conditions. That's always a blast to watch!"

"Those all sound great to me," Jesse replied. "We don't have any math homework, right? Then, we can have all day to just hang out, until my Mom and Dad get home at least."

Noah smiled widely as he stood to his feet and offered a hand to his guest, who accepted and allowed himself to be pulled up. "We'll do great, with all kinds of stuff, Jess. You'll see," he whispered. Both boys then turned and headed out the bedroom door, already smelling bacon in the air.

To be continued...

Posted: 03/19/2021