When Shadows Pass

By: Sean E.
(© 2019 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 7
Some Roads Merge Into One (Part II)

Jason met Elliot's gaze directly, and there they stared for another full minute, before he gently pushed away. "Okay, wait here," he whispered, as he rose and disappeared from the room. Elliot was simultaneously amused and curious as he watched him leave. He could hear Jason racing up the stairs, before crossing the floor above him. He was in their room, Elliot was certain, but within a short time heading back out into the hallway. Elliot heard him descend the steps as well, but his cousin did not immediately reappear. That piqued Elliot's curiosity even more, but he waited patiently, and was finally rewarded when Jason reappeared.

There was something about his expression, as he stood in the doorway, that made Elliot pause. "Okay, what's going on?"

Jason, however, said nothing. Pausing for only a few seconds more, he slowly crossed the floor to where his cousin still sat. Quietly, Jason extended his hand, which Elliot reached and grasped, welcoming the assistance as he climbed to his feet. There they stood again, before Jason gently tugged, indicating his cousin should follow him. Elliot giggled as Jason led him, walking backwards toward the hall, still confused but loving the mysteriousness of the moment. He willingly obeyed, especially when Jason reached and was now grasping both of Elliot's hands. Jason smiled as he guided them both, until they moved through the hall and into the kitchen.

Once there, Jason led his cousin through the opposite door and inside the bathroom. When he shut and locked the door, Elliot could sense something getting serious at this point. "Jase..." he began, but Jason quickly put a finger to Elliot's lips to hush him, so he obeyed.

What happened next would be forever burned into Elliot's memory. Jason, slowly but with a determination that held no reservation, reached out and grasped the bottom of Elliot's t-shirt. Lifting it up caused Elliot to hesitate, however. "What are you up to...?" he whispered. His eyes widened, however, as the realization dawned on him. At least, of what he thought was going to happen. He visibly swallowed hard, becoming nervous and unsure. Jason, however, kept smiling at him, and seeing his cousin nod encouragingly, Elliot calmed himself. It was a reassurance of sorts, so Elliot lifted his arms and felt the fabric roll off his fingertips.

The light in the bathroom was brighter than the lamp in their room, and for whatever the reason, it cast a different illuminating quality about them. Jason marveled at Elliot's chest, slowly brushing his fingertips across it. Dwelling in various places, he pressed gently and felt the skin that slid by under his touch. He paused at each of Elliot's nipples and fingered just the tips, looking closer now and realizing how insane his comment had been before. Both boys were really built about the same.

Briefly Elliot closed his eyes, unable to believe not only what was happening, but that it was happening in such a sensual way. When he felt the fingers play down onto his chest to his navel, he opened his eyes to see Jason smirking at him, but in a fun, cool sort of way. He stood there awestruck, until Jason reached for his hands and tugged him closer. Guiding him, he helped Elliot take hold of Jason's shirt and waited.

Of all the times Elliot had teased ... even daydreamed of something like this before, it had never reached this degree. He had wanted to shower with Jason, yeah, IF that was what they were going to do. He still wasn't sure if it was going to go that far or not - at least, not until his eyes fell upon the bundle of clothes already on the nearby shelf. Recognizing them, he understood it was really going to happen. Jason had gone to their room and gathered fresh underwear and t-shirts for them both. He stared, his hands still clinging to the bottom of Jason's shirt, but shaking. Elliot's eyes filled with wonder. "Are you sure? Really sure?" he asked, his voice soft as a whisper.

Jason nodded again and gave Elliot's hands a tug before reaching for the sky. Slowly Elliot did it, reciprocating what had been done for him, and suddenly the two boys were standing in the bathroom, shirtless, their garments fallen to the floor. Elliot spent a few seconds mimicking what Jason had done to him, reaching out and wanting to feel what it was like. This was new territory for him as well, and Elliot knew it. Not often did boys get to really examine another boy up close - not this personal, not this way. It wasn't just the examination though. Elliot could feel their connection yet again - and to him, it was just right.

Eventually Jason stepped closer still and pulled open his belt, unhooking it from the loop. He stood with his arms to his side and waited, causing Elliot to look down in confusion. After a few seconds, he finally realized that he had no belt on at all. Jason was, for all purposes, trying to get him to even the score. Grinning briefly, he grabbed hold of the end and, with little resistance, threaded it away from Jason's waist until it pulled clear.

Once that was done, Jason stepped up again until he set his foot down on top of Elliot's. Using his toes, he managed to pin Elliot's sock to the floor, and for once Elliot understood immediately. He withdrew his foot, pulling free from the sock that had clothed him. They repeated the performance for the other foot, and then Elliot again reciprocated for Jason.

Both boys were now even, in terms of their attire. Moreover, both were now about to enter more unknown territory with one another. Sure, they had already undressed, to some degree, each night before getting into bed. But never had they done it this way - never this purposefully. Neither had undressed the other, especially with this much resolve. Elliot knew he wanted to do this, but he couldn't help but feel guilty. He knew Jason was only doing it now because of him, because of what had been happening almost since he had arrived. That bothered Elliot, especially now that everything had finally come out. "Jase... I..." he started again, but hesitated. What could he say - and how - to be sure the magic of this moment was real?

Jason sensed the nervousness and uncertainty. Leaning in close, he finally broke the silence that had engulfed him for so long, by whispering into Elliot's ear. "It's okay, I promise. I have nothing to hide anymore. I want to do it, too. You don't need to be afraid, okay?"

Elliot met the smile that reached out, disarming him. Slowly, Jason unsnapped the buttons and unzipped Elliot's jeans. He wondered how the heck the kid ever kept them up to begin with, especially without a belt, given they were at least a size too large, if not more. The front flapped open, and grinning widely, Jason locked his gaze with Elliot's. Reaching around, he worked the garment loose from his cousin's hips with hardly no effort at all. Within seconds the jeans descended to the floor, gravity taking over as Jason waited for Elliot to step out, one leg at a time.

Elliot tried to do the same in return. The jeans Jason wore, however, were better fitted and clung snuggly to his waist. He chastised himself, thinking about how Jason did this without any hesitation, with a steady hand and assurance, free of any nervousness. Yet Elliot's own hands were shaking uncontrollably. Although he could get Jason's jeans unsnapped, unzipping them was another problem. Elliot also found he couldn't just push them off, without also pulling his cousin's briefs down. He giggled nervously and took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. Finally, breaking eye contact, he looked down to focus on the task at hand.  Jason made no move to stop or help, other than he finished unzipping his fly. Elliot noted that his cousin seemed not to care less, especially if he lost everything at once or not.

Elliot didn't want it to happen that way, though. Hooking his thumbs in what he hoped were the right places, with a flourish he circled the jeans on both sides in a way to separate them from the garment underneath. It seemed to do the trick, as he worked the outer garment down over Jason's hips. He only had to tug once so that Jason's briefs stayed in place. Jason finally giggled, but maintained his stance and silence, holding his arms loosely by his side. Elliot had to bend over and push them the rest of the way to the floor, as well as help hold each leg so that Jason could step out. Unlike Elliot, however, Jason had to steady himself while they worked it out, until the last foot came loose.

Elliot found it hard not to let his eyes stray as he stood back up, noticing that Jason's groin was already tented and very filled out. It did make Elliot feel better, because he knew that his own state was similar. He visibly gulped though before quickly reasserting himself with a deep breath as he stood. The final leg of this adventure was now at hand. Jason stood looking smugly, grinning at him, and Elliot could not help but be caught up in the infectious moment. However, before either progressed any further, Elliot turned and stepped into the shower. He turned the faucets on and began working them, until the stream of water reached a desirable temperature. Once accomplished, he returned to stand in front of his cousin. "You ready?" he asked quietly.

Jason glanced about the room and then nodded. "Yep. You first."

Elliot shook his head. "But, it's your turn."

Jason giggled. "Yeah, but I started it all. This time, you have to finish it." Seeing the look Elliot gave him back made Jason laugh. He leaned closer and then added, "It's okay Elliot, I promise." Jason thought, for once, he truly was surprising Elliot, which made Jason feel good. Jason understood, however, what Elliot was feeling now. If anyone had remotely suggested this was going to happen 24-hours before, especially this way, Jason would have laughed it off as being absurd. Yet here he was - Jason - leading them into something as carefree as one could imagine. He knew what was about to happen, and he understood it all the way. Moreover, he knew Elliot understood it, too.

Taking a half-step closer, Jason spoke again, his voice softly carrying in the room. "You don't have to be so nervous man, honest. I mean, you've been wanting to get me naked in, like, forever, right?" As far as Jason was concerned, standing before him was the one who had broken his shell, and in the last few hours had changed his entire world. Jason felt like he owed showing Elliot just how much that now meant. At the same time, Jason wanted to do something fun, something totally off the wall and out of character. There was no issue of trust anymore, not right now. Jason felt completely relaxed, and it showed in his smile. THIS is what had come to him earlier, and THIS is what he knew would be cool for them both.

Jason had to admit though, he wondered if Elliot would go through with it - especially like this. After hearing everything that had happened, would Elliot still want this? Or, could Jason have missed it all entirely, confusing the signals all this time? Maybe that was it, maybe he misunderstood what all the hints had been leading up to. Inwardly, however, he tossed those thoughts away. He couldn't have misinterpreted it, especially now. Elliot practically admitted it before school that morning, only a week ago. Jason knew it was real, and looking at Elliot now, he knew his cousin understood it was real, too. Not just what they were doing, but what they were about to do - and he felt okay with it.

When Elliot stood still in awe, Jason struggled to keep from rolling his eyes. "I told you - I trust you. So, come on, just do it." He smirked as he blushed just then. "Just umm... don't laugh at my boner, okay?" Jason said it to try and break the tension, to let Elliot know he was committed. He knew he had been bashful up to this point, but insofar as his body went now, he wasn't bashful anymore.

Elliot finally relaxed, truly surprised to see both shyness and a bit of embarrassment in that last statement. Without looking down, he replied, "You mean, like the one I'm sporting now, right?" Jason glanced down quickly at the tented garment pointing out at him, before looking back up into Elliot's grinning face. They were already close to each other, so Jason positioned himself with his feet closer together. When Elliot didn't move right away, Jason grasped his cousin's hands in each of his own. Tugging them to his sides, he guided Elliot to grab the waistband of his briefs and waited.

With a slow push at first, but gathering more courage, Elliot started at the back and pushed the cloth down over Jason's hips. Circling around to the front, Elliot paused long enough to make a quick glance downward. Observing Jason's hard-on with a judgmental eye, he returned to lock his gaze. "Okay, here goes," he whispered, pulling the fabric out just far enough in front to clear what was there, and keeping it from snagging in the cloth. More by feel than anything else, Elliot knew when it was free, so he pushed the garment the rest of the way down and dropped it until it fell free.

Jason kept grinning as he stepped free. "Finally!" he whispered. He still maintained eye contact with Elliot, however, all the while. Both were on the verge of giggling again, but Elliot refused to look down like he wanted to. He was holding out, at least, until Jason had returned the favor.

Standing naked, Jason said nothing. Stepping out of his briefs, he moved in front of Elliot again. He started to grab the sides of Elliot's waistband in a similar fashion, but changed his mind, and instead clutched the bottom of the briefs instead. There he tugged them down about halfway, before he stopped and playfully inserted his fingers just inside the top of the band. There he mimicked what Elliot had done to him earlier, circling around his waist a few times. Jason clearly brushed the top of Elliot's pubic bush, one that was just becoming visible. It was there he slowed and paused, fingering the pubes before suddenly brushing further down against something else. Realizing the spongy, warm shaft was encroaching upwards toward him, he grinned and pulled away. It was his way of teasing Elliot, and his cousin was not disappointed.

Jason finally gave in then, slowly pulling the elastic out until he could feel Elliot's hardened member come free. All the while, he maintained his eye contact with Elliot, and both were grinning like little kids, caught up in some erotic fantasy. Just as Jason had hoped, this was proving to be wickedly fun! As the briefs cleared and fell, Elliot stepped free. Both boys were now poised, naked as the other within their world. They stood close for a moment, and suddenly giggled as their penises found and rubbed against each other. Neither, however, made a move to step away.

Contemplating whether he should make the first move, Elliot received yet another surprise as Jason slowly reached out and embraced him. Not just a casual hug either, because he found himself pulled in close. As he returned the embrace, their bodies pressed into one another completely. In the stillness, Elliot thought he could feel Jason's heartbeat mingle with his own. At first, he was frozen in place, but his body began reacting to the newfound warmth. Elliot found he craved that simple intimacy as he began to relax. He started hugging Jason more firmly, and his cousin responded in kind, especially as Jason dropped his arm below Elliot's waist behind and pulled him ever harder. The sensory overload gave them both an overwhelming sensation, and each found himself pressing harder into the other. Jason rubbed his cousin's back, brushing his fingers up and down the entire length along his spinal cord. "Oh my God," he heard Elliot whisper, as he nuzzled Jason's in his warm neck.

"We're hugging, holding, touching everywhere... even our dicks, Elliot. Do you see it now? Do you see how much I trust you, for real?" Jason asked. The response from Elliot was a simple whimper, but it was all the answer Jason needed.

Jason had already closed his eyes long before that moment, hugging and clawing at the body in his arms as if his life depended on it. Time stood still. Never had he imagined what he was feeling now would be so perfect. There was nothing that could bring the boys any closer physically, as both were sandwiched together already in every way they could be.

Aside from the intimacy, both groins were relishing new sensations, usually reserved for an older age. Neither really cared about that right now, however. Jason thought about what Elliot had said earlier: if it felt this right, how could it be wrong? Jason could not care less how wrong it might be, because it felt so good to him just to hold Elliot like this. Right now, Elliot was his very best friend in the whole world. He was someone who had already adopted him as a brother, freely giving something to Jason he never thought he could enjoy. That feeling was electrifying him, not just physically, but internally as well. He held his breath as he swallowed. There was a completeness about this, weird as it seemed. It was one he found comforting, and perhaps that was what allowed him to lower and throw away his inhibitions.

Sighing, Jason finally broke the silence. "See? I told you - I love you, too. Thanks for thinking of me like a brother," he whispered. "That may not mean much to some guys, but it means everything to me, Elliot."

Elliot whimpered again, before he whispered back, "Thanks for not hating me, for giving me - this. I love you, too, honest."

Jason waited a few more seconds, and then pulled back with a pleasant expression. Gone was the mischievousness now, and instead replaced with a genuine happiness. Grasping Elliot's hand, ignoring their groins pointing at each other with an uncharacteristic hardness, he tugged until both entered the shower. Inside, after closing the door, they found plenty of room for each other. Jason, however, still pulled Elliot under the shower head together with him. Turning their heads upward, they each let the warm water drench them.

Eventually Jason reached out and picked up a scrubbing cloth. Squeezing a generous amount of body-wash onto it, he turned and placed it into Elliot's hands. Elliot nodded and started to rub it across his chest. That is, until Jason stopped him. Grasping Elliot's hand, Jason brought both it and the scrubber to his own chest. Surprised, Elliot blushed. "Uh, you sure? You want me to, uh... use this? On you?"

"Only one rule," Jason answered. "You have to wash me all over? No holding back or chickening out, either. You have to completely do me - everywhere. Okay?" He figured Elliot would understand what he was implying, but he wanted to leave no doubt what he expected. Elliot needed to understand how committed he was.

Elliot's eyes widened again, and visibly he gulped. Grinning sheepishly, he nodded. "Well... uh, okay... If you're sure." Jason grinned at him and then turned away toward the wall. Lifting his arms above his head, he waited. Elliot reached out and started to both lather and scrub the skin beneath his fingertips, from the top of Jason's neck downward, in slow circular strokes. Jason giggled at him. "Um, I'm not gonna break, you know."

Elliot grinned and then moved more vigorously in his endeavor. When he reached Jason's sides, he did slow down and feel his way more gently. He didn't want to tickle his cousin any more than was necessary, but he also didn't want to rush through this. Taking his time now, Elliot worked in the armpits beneath both arms before finishing. Jason lowered his arms to his sides, but stood, not turning around.

Stepping back and adjusting his position slightly, Elliot's hands began to shake again. He started gently probing the cloth up and down Jason's butt, sliding it between the two cheeks. Jason could feel the nervousness and, after a moment, reached back to grasp his hands. "Sheesh, stop shaking so much, okay?"

"S-Sorry," Elliot apologized. "I'm, uh, I'm trying bro, honest!"

"You're doing great, honest. Just relax, okay?" Jason encouraged.

Feeling Elliot steady himself, Jason let go and returned to face the wall. Elliot fulfilled his promise, this time his hands working more steadily than before. While scrubbing about, he couldn't help it. As much as Jason appeared nonchalant about everything, Elliot's curiosity got the best of him. Taking his time, he observed everything he could up close. The thought occurred to him he might never get to do anything like this again. He saw the nakedness there up close, and knew he was doing something nobody would normally do. Gently, he separated Jason's butt cheeks, this time to let the warm water rinse down from above. As the suds cleared away, Elliot saw nothing out of the ordinary, and was glad Jason didn't seem to have any residual effects - at least physically - from his ordeal revealed earlier that night. He released them and stood up then, blushing and hoping Jason wouldn't take it too personally.

Jason giggled again before turning around. He thought of teasing his cousin, but then seeing the expression that met him changed his mind. Elliot stood back and observed him, glancing up and down. When he didn't step back in to continue right away, Jason spoke softly. "Come on, Elliot. We can't keep that thing out there heating up the water all night! Didn't your Dad say it had a kind of time limit on it, or something?" Jason saw Elliot blush again, so he leaned in and whispered into his ear, "I'll let you look at me all you want later, even up close. Just, right now..."

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Elliot nodded, though feeling thoroughly chastised. He then proceeded to wash Jason's shoulders and neck before moving down to his chest. Jason willingly obliged him by raising both arms outward again, and Elliot briefly thought about tickling him. He decided against it, however, and instead moved down onto Jason's tummy. Here, Elliot felt his way more than anything else, grinning as he poked Jason's navel.

"Yow! You just wait till your turn!" Jason hissed, giggling all the same. Elliot smiled and then dropped his hands even further. Hesitating at the top of Jason's groin, he looked up. Jason saw the uncertainty once again and rolled his eyes. Without a word, he gently grasped Elliot's hand with his own and pushed it on top of his sporting wood. Since stepping into the shower, Jason's erection had softened somewhat. With Elliot's touch, however, that changed rapidly. He tensed and closed his eyes as he let go of Elliot, relishing a different kind of sensation feeling someone grasp. It was not from fear, but instead a surge of electricity he could feel inside from just that simple touch. Until that moment, Jason had never experienced it like this, except by his own hand. Having someone else do it, especially now, was thrilling. As he rapidly got harder, he was not ashamed in the least bit. If anything, he leaned into the grip harder, putting his hand upon Elliot's shoulder to steady himself. The gasp that escaped him was all Elliot needed. He grinned, knowing what his cousin must be experiencing. It helped Elliot to push his nervousness aside, and it made Jason pulse hard.

"You really are okay with this, aren't you?" Elliot asked, relieved.

Jason nodded, continuing to relish the moment. "Oh yeah, I'm great!" he replied, his voice pitched high.

Now it was Elliot's turn to giggle. "Wow. You really have never done anything like this? With no one?"

Jason shook his head. "Nope," he whispered in reply. He didn't trust his voice again, and Elliot understood as Jason's dick hardened and pulsed in his hand. He gently squeezed it a couple of times, the soapy suds adding a new dimension to the sensations. As it became slippery though, Elliot had to brace himself up next to Jason when he saw his cousin almost fall. Jason's knees buckled beneath him, and in quick thinking Elliot pushed him back against the wall for support. "Wow!" was all Jason whispered, his eyes closing.

As Elliot looked down at the hardened skin in his palm, curiosity got the better of him again. Dropping to his knees, he decided he was going to see it up close, if only for a few seconds. He recalled what Jason had said earlier, but Elliot was afraid the 'later' might not afford as intimate of an opportunity as he had now. Studying closer, Elliot saw Jason was circumcised, something he knew most American families followed as a practice for their boys. Jason's dick wasn't as thick like some he had seen before, though, but it was very solid and filled in its current state. It had a slight curve to it that pointed upward at the end - and end that was shiny, purplish even, but not quite as slick as he was used to. Elliot found it fascinating. He tugged it outward toward him, seeing the slit at the tip stare at him, as if saying, 'Okay, here I am.' Elliot could not recall ever having taken the time to study someone besides himself, at least like this. It encouraged a new level of curiosity within him, and it did not abate.

Jason braced himself better, hoping these new sensations wouldn't end up bringing himself to a climax. Those feelings he knew well, for sure - but only from what seemed a lifetime ago. He opened his eyes briefly and watched Elliot, gaining a new feeling for the moment. As if he sensed it, Elliot stopped what he was doing and began washing Jason's groin in a more methodical way that wasn't as stimulating. Elliot also didn't want Jason to necessarily reach an orgasm that surely was building. So instead, Elliot moved his fingers through the small patch of brown pubic hair he found. He moved on around each testicle, one at a time, noting how low they seemed to hang outward from the rest of Jason's package.

Letting them go, he grasped Jason's hardened member one last time. A sudden gasp made Elliot pause, however. Glancing up, he saw Jason was still in a fantasy land of sorts, breathing rapidly. Elliot couldn't help but smile, and for some reason it made him feel proud. He considered doing it, taking Jason all the way to that point of no return. However, he heard a grunt, and seeing his cousin smiling at him, Elliot knew the moment was now lost. He felt guilty because here he was, using up a considerable chunk of the time being shared between them. Admonishing himself, Elliot pushed Jason back gently under the stream of water again, until the whole area together with the rest of his body was rinsed. Elliot then made short order of the legs and feet, moving the cloth around each leg rapidly to finish the job. He was glad Jason had fewer hairs than he first thought, because many of the other kids in his class were quickly getting to be bushier and hairier than himself. Seeing Jason made Elliot feel not so out of place now.

Elliot finally stood up and started to reach for another cloth, but Jason stopped him and pulled the cloth from his hand. Smiling, he turned and reached for more body wash before scrubbing the folds together. Elliot grinned sheepishly afterwards, mostly because he had no idea what he was doing. A cloth was a cloth, and when used like this it was clean no matter what - especially between them. They shared so many other things together, why not this? He quickly assumed his position underneath the shower's nozzle, wetting himself down. Inside he, too, felt a growing excitement building. Although he and Derek had showered before, they had not done anything quite like this, instead just simple, playful antics. They didn't wash each other, or touch, or feel. Not like this.

Unlike Elliot, however, Jason moved quickly about his cousin's body, washing various areas rapidly. It surprised Elliot as he watched, and felt, Jason rubbing his hands all over him. Jason moved quickly, though he did slow down when it came time to work with Elliot's buttocks and genitals. There was still an unmistakable urgency about his movements, though. When Jason reached Elliot's groin, he didn't hesitate as Elliot had. Maybe he had never done anything like this before, but it was obvious Jason felt no strangeness in doing it. Elliot noted his cousin didn't seem nervous at all. His whole demeanor was relaxed, his hands steady wherever they traveled. Overall that both surprised and pleased Elliot. He solemnly wished he could have had that much confidence. Jason did look up from time to time and grin at him, but he continued to clean everywhere with as much thoroughness as he had received - just without all the time and observation. Elliot was disappointed, again chastising himself for having taken so long. It was time taken away from Jason, who might have enjoyed toying with him, as much as he had the other way around. Elliot felt guilty thinking, too, that maybe he had gone too far.

That thought sent a streak of anxiety through him unchecked, as he watched Jason. His cousin was not paying as much attention to him like he had done, and that made him worry. He thought maybe Jason had wanted him to do it, maybe wanted the scrutiny at first. After all, he was going out of his way to make this a night for Elliot - that much was for sure. Now, he was not so sure.

As he stood up finally, Jason's smile turned to one of confusion when he saw Elliot. "You okay?" he called out quietly, playfully poking his cousin on the nose. Elliot broke out of his trance and laughed at him, shaking his head and trying to lose his insecurities. As if sensing Elliot's thoughts, Jason reached out and wrapped his fingers around Elliot's willy, which he then tugged in order to bring them closer together. Surprised, Elliot closed the distance until Jason playfully maneuvered them both under the shower again.

Jason held the throbbing member in his palm for a moment longer, gently squeezing it as Elliot had done for him. "See? Told you, I'm not afraid," he whispered. By now, the water was cooling down, and they both knew their time was at an end.  Jason quickly closed in and pushed until both could wet their hair. Jason quickly let go and gathered the shampoo, lathering his hair before he did the same for Elliot. Again, Elliot chastised himself for not thinking of this earlier. Both boys were able to quickly finish that last task, though, just as the water turned completely cold. Elliot quickly turned the stream off. Their wet bodies dripping profusely, both boys stood and wiped the water from their eyes. At they stared, it did not take long before first one, and then the other started giggling.

Opening the door, Jason tugged Elliot outside into the much cooler air. No longer protected by the heat of the water, or by the warmth each had shared with the other, both knew it would be no time before they would start shivering. Jason quickly grabbed a towel and turned to his cousin, playfully smacking Elliot's hand away as he attempted to grab it. Instead, Jason quickly dried Elliot off by taking hold of first one arm and then the other, followed by the rest of his chest and back. Bending down, he also quickly assailed Elliot's legs and crotch before he stood up. Facing each other again, he gave the towel to Elliot before raising his arms above his head, and watched as the favor was completely reciprocated, with the added step that Elliot dried Jason's hair for him.

As predicted, both moved quickly as they started to shiver. Elliot, seeing the bundle of clothes again nearby, grabbed them and found two pair of briefs inside.  Quickly he bent over and helped Jason step into a pair before pulling them up. As Elliot donned his own pair, Jason quickly unfurled two t-shirts and repeated the performance. Feeling somewhat better, Elliot started to pick up the sweatpants he found there, but before he could unfold them, Jason caught him by the arm. "Um, you ready to go on up to our room? I mean, maybe we could warm up some more. You know..." He paused, putting his hand on the sweats. "... without these."

Elliot smiled. "Really?" When Jason nodded, Elliot started moving toward the door, but paused as he saw Jason suddenly pick up their clothes and other traces of things the two were leaving behind. Once again, he chastised himself. It amazed him how Jason was obviously thinking ahead, for them both. "Sorry Jase, I didn't think," he apologized as he started to join in and help. Soon they had everything in hand.

Jason shrugged. "Don't be, I - you know, just didn't want someone finding all this stuff and start thinking things." He laughed, and the thought was so infectious Elliot also burst out laughing. Jason stared deep into Elliot's eyes when he finally calmed down. "That's okay, isn't it? I mean, we can keep this between us, can't we?" he whispered. For a moment, there was an uncertainty that struck him for the first time since they had started. Elliot noted it and was awed. The entire last hour, Jason had been so courageous, so open and uninhibited with everything. Only now, did he show any sign of uncertainty. It humbled Elliot, and he leaned in until their foreheads touched together.

"Are you kidding, Jase? This is between you and me bro, and nobody else's bloody fucking business!"

Elliot then grasped Jason gently by his hand and led the way out of the door. In silence, they moved up the stairs and into their room, closing the door behind them. Tossing the clothes and towel in the corner, Jason then turned as Elliot was clicking on the lamp by the bed. They both turned and stood in front of each other for a few seconds, grinning again as if they were little kids who had just finished raiding a forbidden cookie jar. Within seconds however, Jason suddenly started laughing again. Without waiting, he rushed forward and tackled Elliot back onto the bed. There the two wrestled with each other for several minutes. They left behind the sensuous moments and returned to the teenagers they had always been. They physically roughed out with each other, catching holds and breaking them, maneuvering about both on the floor and the bed. For that moment, it was as if nothing had ever changed - short of their playfulness with each other.

Finally, it was Jason who gave in and let Elliot top him at one point. Pinning him facedown onto the bed near their window, Elliot sensed the game was over. They both lay there, entangled and breathing heavily, until Jason finally managed to roll over underneath. "God, I love this so much," he exclaimed softly, hugging Elliot as close as he could. Glancing about, he quickly pulled the covers around them before snuggling up tighter. They cuddled and found warmth with one another in their embrace, while their breathing returned to normal.

It was Elliot who finally stared down into the eyes of his cousin with a sense of wonder. "I can't believe you did all of that. Even for me. Especially after, after... Everything I've done to you, and everything that happened to you." There was a sincerity in his voice, which was thickening with emotion. "It was... it was... so awesome, Jase."

Jason smiled. "I told you, I have nothing to hide anymore," he whispered. They continued to stare at each other for the longest time until Elliot finally just sighed and relaxed. He scooted down slightly so he could lay his head upon Jason's chest. Sinking into Jason everywhere their bodies matched up, he hugged him warmly and didn't let go. Jason held him, too, rubbing what areas he could reach.

"I don't know how to thank you, or how to make you know how real it felt for me," Elliot whispered. "No one has EVER done anything like that for me before - not even Derek. Not that way. It was... it was just so ..." He sighed again. He had finally run out of words trying to explain his feelings that night. Here, in Jason's arms, it was just a helpless surrender.

Jason wrinkled his nose, then tugged on his cousin to bring themselves back, face-to-face. To Elliot's surprise, Jason leaned in and rubbed their noses together, nuzzling peacefully. "Don't you think I know how real it felt for me, too? Even this, I mean you're here, right? And now, it's so cool, you know?" Jason smiled as he saw and pulled a pillow over from nearby, pushing it under his head for support. "Okay, fess up - how bad did I really surprise you? Or did I even surprise you at all?" Elliot smiled but didn't answer at first, so Jason poked his cousin in the ribs. "Come on, tell me Elliot. Did I shock you that bad?"

Elliot slowly nodded. "You have no idea," he finally answered.

"Cool, I'm glad." Jason relaxed. "You know, I wanted to do it with you the other night, but..."

Elliot's expression became wistful as he lowered his chin across his arms. "Jase, you do know, right? I mean, I wanted to shower with you, because I thought it would be something cool to just, just be together. I didn't expect anything like this, though. This - this was, was something a whole lot more, a whole lot better."

Jason wrinkled his nose again. "Meh, you said you and your brother did it before."

"Yeah, but we never did THAT!" Elliot exclaimed. "I mean, okay, I know he won't care if you know. Me and Derek, we never really touched each other that much. Sometimes he would hold me, yeah, like I was a little kid again and stuff. I could curl up and he would put his arms around me, and when he did that, yeah, it was awesome. It showed he loved me at least a little, you know? He would skin me sometimes, and I would skin him, too, but not playfully, like we did it, you know? And... and he never was afraid of touching me, my willy and everything, or me touching him. But like, touching and rubbing me all over and everything else? And ... and holding and hugging me like this, and being held and ... I mean it Jase, I can't tell you what I feel. I can't describe it anymore. I've tried, just - it was different and all. What Derek and me did mostly, was just goofing around stuff, you know? But you and me, it's been different, ever since the other night, or even just last night." Elliot shook his head. "All night long we've dumped so much on each other, trying to describe things. There just aren't any words for me anymore, you know?"

"I know... I kind of feel that way, too." Jason peered up into the kind face staring at him. There was something peaceful there. "Okay," he spoke again softly, after a moment. "Tell me the truth: did I look like anything you were expecting? You know... naked?"

Elliot hesitated only for a second. "I think you look a lot cooler than I do. And I mean everywhere," he added, grinding his groin slightly into Jason to make his point.

Jason blushed and then gave Elliot a mischievous look. "You weren't so bad yourself, you know."

Elliot scoffed. "You didn't even take any time to notice, how would you know?" He shook his head in embarrassment. "Hey, I'm sorry if I did, you know, something I shouldn't have. If I had known you weren't going to, I mean, I wouldn't have-"

Jason put his fingers up to Elliot's lips once again to hush him. Before pulling them away, however, he held them and felt the softness underneath. "Elliot, for once, just shut up, okay? Trust me, if I had stopped to do what I wanted to do, we might never have gotten out of the shower," he replied softly. Elliot's face was one of astonishment as that realization sunk in. It made Jason giggle, but he remained silent and studied his cousin in a new light. In Elliot's eyes was a tenderness and understanding that Jason was coming to admire. There was also something else, too. He put his arms around Elliot then, intending to just hold him and rub along his back. After a moment, though, he couldn't resist something that had come to him - a thought so totally unexpected, something so off the wall, that instead of being repulsed, Jason found it to be - exciting. "Elliot?" he spoke with a softness that could only be heard by one so close.

"Yeah?" his cousin replied just as softly.

"Can I - can I ask you something else?"

"Anything, Jase," was the hushed reply.

"H-have y-you, like, ever kissed anyone? I mean, like, really kissed them? Like you would a girl?"

Elliot slowly shook his head, but he understood the question had an underlying part that was all too clear. In his heart, Elliot had always wondered about this too, but before tonight he had never thought of going that far with anyone. But there it was - that connection between them tugging at him from the inside. It was a feeling deep down within his chest, and it was one he knew was special. In an unseen leap of faith, Elliot smiled and understood what they both must have been feeling. His heart skipping a beat, he slowly, hesitantly - just in case he somehow misunderstood - closed the distance between them.

Jason smiled and looked relieved. Elliot felt butterflies suddenly come out of nowhere into his stomach, but he could tell his cousin was nervous, too. For an instant, Jason had been afraid that maybe he had been too bold. But as they watched each other, they both understood, and it was okay. There was no fear between them. They wanted to try it, to do something magical and as simple as this was, and they wanted to do it for each other. With that feeling of trust, curiosity, and desire mixed together, he was certain. Slowly Jason lifted his head and met Elliot halfway, and suddenly their lips connected. The contact sent electrical impulses through both their bodies. They gently pressed themselves to each other for several seconds, before Jason finally lay back on the pillow. Both smiled at each other, the taboo broken. For some reason, Elliot suddenly felt like he could cry. It had been a long time since he had felt this happy. He wanted more and hoped Jason did too. Leaning in, he stretched out fully on top of his cousin, and moved until their lips connected again. This time though, he parted his lips, and Jason responded by doing the same.

What happened next could never be conveyed adequately, because it defied either boy to try. As they came together, they first bumped noses, causing them to giggle and then reposition. In no time, however, they figured out what had to be done as they came together. Before long they were exploring each other's mouth, feeling each other's teeth and the other deep crevices within. They kept it up for several minutes, each taking turns and exploring each other on the inside as far as their tongues could reach. Then, as if it were the most natural thing they could do, they finally began exploring each other's tongue. At one point, Jason turned so that he could open his mouth as completely as possible, letting Elliot come in as far as he wanted to go. When he found Elliot reciprocated, they both embraced a passion that neither wanted to turn away. They breathed each other in, and for the longest time each found a renewed joining between them. It developed a tingling sensation that extended from the top of their heads to the end of their toes - and everywhere else in between.

Finally, gasping for air, Elliot backed away and smiled as he took several deep breaths and considered Jason's eyes. He was still having trouble keeping his emotions in check, because inside there was a deep well of bubbling tearful happiness. There was a moistness in his eyes that betrayed those feelings, however, openly seen by his cousin beneath him. "Wow! I don't know w-what to s-say," Elliot finally admitted, whispering.

"Then don't say anything," Jason replied, looking just as happy. Glancing at the clock, he asked, "What time will your brother come home? He'll be here first, right?"

Elliot nodded, following Jason's gaze to the readout. "Um, still about an hour or so I guess, maybe a little more. And yeah, Mum and Dad won't be in before eleven."

Jason grinned up at him. "Okay," he whispered, gently pushing his cousin away until he rolled to his side. Propping his head on his elbow, Jason addressed him. "I'm going to do something now, something I didn't get to do downstairs. It's not that I think you're going to stop me, but um, if you want to, you can. Okay? Any time, just stop me."

Elliot nodded and rolled onto his back. Jason smiled at him, then started by taking his free hand and pushing it up underneath Elliot's shirt. Softly, floating his fingers inside, Jason explored every inch of Elliot's skin that he could freely reach, around each side and along each rib. Unlike before, they had gone way beyond everything else tonight, so he had no reason to be afraid of what was happening. What Jason had really wanted to do, when they had started their little game, was to lift the shirt and just feel the skin underneath. In a way, without seeing, it let Jason 'see' by just using his touch. He didn't realize it so much before, but now that they were both relaxed, it felt completely different. They were so entwined with one another, Jason was wrapped up in the warmth that only came from the intimacy Elliot so freely gave him. A part of Jason was just curious, but another part of him also just wanted to do it. For some odd reason, he wanted to feel the shapes and texture of how things were so different - yet so alike - between them.

So soft was the touch of Jason's fingertips, Elliot was taken aback at how good it felt. He thought at times he might giggle, the touch being so sensitive it was almost ticklish. Elliot watched though, and knew tickling was far from Jason's intent. That, in turn, allowed Elliot to relax and control himself better. At one point, he hefted up and pulled off his shirt completely, before lying back down. "I'm all yours," he whispered, and he meant it. "Anything you want, okay?"

Jason teased and probed everywhere across Elliot's chest. "I just wanted to feel you. Like, really feel you, you know?" He looked up, clearly embarrassed. "Weird I guess, huh?"

Elliot slowly shook his head. "Nah - it's not weird at all. Besides," he replied in a whispered voice, "you don't see me stopping you, do you?"

Jason smiled and then leaned in and kissed him again on the lips, lingering until they both parted again, where he inserted his tongue. Jason didn't know how Elliot felt about this, but he couldn't help finding it comforting. Elliot did welcome it though, using his hand to hold the nape of Jason's neck, all the while they explored each other again for a short while. When Jason finally pulled back, there was an 'Mmmm....' that escaped beneath him, and that was all Jason needed to know it was alright. Elliot smiled up at him with a serene expression, causing Jason to quietly ask, "Did you like that?"

Elliot nodded. "Did you?"

"Mm hmm," Jason replied. They lay still for a moment before he tugged more of the cover away from Elliot. Though there were shadows cast about the room, from the nearby lamp that shone brightly, there were no shadows here that mattered to him. Jason could observe and see Elliot completely, with almost every detail exhibited before him. He walked his fingers up and down this cousin's body repeatedly, using the softest of touches around the navel as he poked and prodded about. Elliot finally giggled and sucked in his gut, but just as quickly reverted it back to normal so that Jason could continue. He lifted his arms and tucked them behind his head, and Jason could not help but explore that area beneath them. "You're like me, you don't have any hair under your armpits. That's cool," he observed, smiling again. Elliot said nothing, but he was feeling happy inside. They were learning more and more about each other with every passing minute.

Jason traversed back until he began playing with Elliot's nipples, teasing them again until they hardened at his touch. Up close now, he tugged on them ever so lightly. He grinned as tiny chill bumps popped up. "Cool!" he remarked.

Elliot broke his silence. "I bet yours would do it, too."

"Probably," Jason replied. He eventually walked his fingers slowly down to the top of Elliot's waistband and began fingering the lightest of hairs that seemed to crawl out and stretch toward his cousin's navel. "This is cool, too," he offered again.

"What is?" Elliot asked, curious.

"I don't know, I just - it's just cool we're so much alike, you know? I mean, like here. You don't have any more hairs than I do, but they kind of gather up in the middle and everything, all the way up toward your belly button," Jason observed, as he continued to move his fingers through them. "Unless you're up close, like I am now, you don't really see them enough to pay attention, but they're there."  He followed them lower until he reached the band of Elliot's briefs. Pushing back the covers more, he saw that his cousin was hosting a tent inside, though the pole lay sideways. Grinning, he elected to take his forefinger and move it, through the cloth, until it pointed 'north'. He giggled at Elliot, who had sucked in his gut briefly again. Winking at him, Jason then ignored it for the time being, and instead pushed the elastic band down only a short way, trapping the hardened penis inside. There, he followed the fine hairs beneath the tips of his fingers, until they gradually reached a bushier end on the trail southward. Jason let the band snap back up, but walked his fingers down the middle, right on top of the throbbing member now underneath. He shuffled over the inherently spongy, hardened growth until he gently topped Elliot's family jewels. Jason ended his reach just underneath between the legs, before trailing backwards again. This time he walked his fingertips up the length of the shaft. When he reached the tip, he played, using the end like a springboard to launch northward to the navel again. Elliot only smiled as he watched Jason repeat the performance. He was, without a doubt though, enthralled. The touch, though sensual, was also now becoming sexual. He knew Jason was having fun, and it thrilled him to see and feel it, too.

"You like that, don't you?" Jason asked again, in a low whisper. "You can stop me if you want," Jason added, knowing full well Elliot would not. At the same time, he wanted to be sure his cousin knew where he was going to go next. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to go exploring," he whispered.

Elliot understood, too. "There is no bloody way I would ever stop you, not right now! I told you... anything. I'm all yours," he breathed. Jason grinned and continued to repeat the performance again, giggling when Elliot's dick pulsed underneath his touch. Elliot finally grew impatient and was no longer able to contain himself. "So, are you going to go inside or not?" he asked in a husky voice.

"I want to," Jason whispered. "I just, you know, I wasn't sure if, like this... and..." He giggled as he watched Elliot roll his eyes and give him a silent smirk. "You're sure? You know what I'm going to do, right?"

"Heck yeah! So, go for it!" came the reply, Elliot's whisper barely audible.

Jason grinned at him and slowly pushed the front of the cloth down and over, exposing Elliot's male parts to him. Elliot first sucked in his gut again, before slowly letting go, and then arched his hips upward. Jason pushed the elastic band down on each side, freeing the cloth underneath from Elliot's weight. Once lowered, the cloth was tucked comfortably underneath his thighs, but bunched up underneath his scrotum. Jason grinned and reached out between Elliot's legs, grasping the underwear and whisking them down and off completely. "That's the second time I've stripped you tonight, you know?" he whispered.

Elliot giggled. "Jase? You can strip me anytime you want, I don't care. Besides, I trust you, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, I know," Jason replied, as he looked on. There was nothing to hide Elliot now, and Jason smiled as he leaned in closer. Elliot just observed him for a moment, taking in the wonder Jason now expressed.

Among most things that night being a first, Jason was looking at Elliot's dick up close now, taking his time to study it. Like himself, he guessed Elliot to be about five inches in length, with balls that lay peacefully inert underneath. The happy trail that he had followed south stopped at the base of a small bush of brown pubic hair, not unlike his own. In a way, that surprised him: Jason thought most guys with black hair would have black pubes, and because of that he figured himself to just be an oddball, at best. Seeing again that Elliot was so much like himself, though, made him whisper in awe. "It's so cool!", brushing and feeling the softness of the hairs with his fingers. Elliot was unsure what his cousin was referring to, but it mattered little to him now.

What really grabbed Jason's attention though, was the one thing that obviously separated the two the most. First, glancing questioningly at Elliot, who just smiled and nodded in return, Jason reached out and gently grasped hold of the shaft he had held downstairs. In the peace of the moment, in their bed, Jason knew this time he didn't have to hurry. Elliot's penis was so hard now that it extended, pointing away from Elliot's belly, enough so that the tip cleared his abdomen underneath. Moreover, as Jason gently ran his fingers along the length, he reached the end covered with skin. This was what separated them both, made them different from each other. It was as if the tip had a jacket of sorts, made to circle and enclose it like a helmet and protect what was inside. Not only had Jason never seen a dick other than his own, but he had never seen an uncircumcised one at that.

Jason thought it felt different to his touch, too. As he worked around it, he could almost sense a ridge underneath the fold, a ring of sorts that matched up to where he expected the helmet to meet him. He enclosed and felt the shaft all the way around, following the impression until he completed the circle. As Jason did that, the flesh beneath him pulsed again, making the whole shaft jump to his touch. He started to giggle because, each time it did that, he saw the glans underneath begin to peek out at him, with the tip and little hole exposed. "Whoa!" he exclaimed softly.

Elliot was experiencing pure ecstasy, however. Time and again he sucked in his gut, making his dick appear to hover higher over his tummy. After the third or fourth attempt was made by Jason, to just feel around it, Elliot finally let out the long breath he had been holding. "Oh God, that feels so awesome!" he intoned.

"Really?" Jason smiled and unglued his eyes for a few seconds to watch Elliot's reaction. "So, this is what it means to be natural I guess? You know, uncut? Like the guy in that ... whatever we watched?" When Elliot nodded, Jason asked, "Is this the way most guys are over here?"

Elliot nodded again. "It's kind of mixed up, but I think there are a lot more of us uncut than, like yours I mean."

"You noticed then? Cool," Jason replied.

"How could I not notice, Jase? That was one of the coolest things about you, I think!"

Jason blushed, but smiled again. "I think this is the coolest thing I've seen about you, too." He stared at Elliot's groin before playing with it some more. It wasn't long before he spoke again. "Um, can I like, pull your skin back some? Is that okay? It won't hurt you, will it?" he whispered.

Elliot had to catch himself before he rolled his eyes. He was reminded once again how much of a first time this was for Jason. "Heck, yeah! I mean, it won't hurt me at all. I told you, you can do anything you want, I promise," he repeated, but sincerely, hoping Jason would understand.

Jason nodded and then observed him up close once again. He slowly cupped the penis in the palm of his hand, feeling the silkiness. He noticed it was warm to his touch - very warm compared to the rest of Elliot's body. As he gently squeezed and grabbed hold, he heard Elliot gasp again just before he sucked in his gut. Wrapping his fingers more firmly, Jason thought it was weird to hold someone else's dick like this, but maybe not as strange as others might have thought. This was the thing people labeled as taboo, as being beyond something forbidden between boys. Jason didn't feel nervous or anything though, not like Elliot had been in the shower. Perhaps it was because what was happening now was more purposeful, and not veiled behind the act of an innocent shower in order to hide anything.

He firmly grasped the hot fleshy cylinder and tugged his grip toward the base, watching the head emerge from inside the folds. "Holy crap! This is awesome!" he exclaimed again. "This is so fucking awesome! I mean, underneath it isn't that different from me, other than it's... yeah, it's slicker looking!" Easing the pressure and moving it back, Jason watched as the helmet returned to cover and protect the end again. If anything, the shaft he was holding hardened ever further, and now the skin could no longer extend itself completely over the glans as it had before. Pulling it back again, Jason also noted a slickness start to build there, more profound than before. "Um, you're like - leaking. You know, more wet there I think, at the end." He scrunched his nose. "You're not peeing or anything, are you?"

Elliot glanced down and giggled. "Nnnnoooo!" he replied, then lay back again. "It's pre-cum," he stated, matter-of-factly.

"Huh?"

Smiling, Elliot explained. "It's like, you know what cum is and everything, right?"

Sheepishly Jason nodded at him. "Yeah, I'm not an idiot."

Elliot frowned. "I know you're not! I didn't say that, did I?" Before Jason could respond, he immediately shook his head. "No bro, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it like that. It was a dumb thing to say."

"It's okay, honest." Jason shrugged. "It's just another one of those new things we're discovering about each other I guess. Or, at least, I'm discovering anyway." He continued to run his fingertip over the shaft. Occasionally, he would grip it snugly and pull the skin back again. Curiously, he glanced at Elliot when he realized he never got an answer. "Pre-cum?"

Elliot smiled. "Oh, yeah! Sorry... It's like cum, but its' all clear and stuff. It kind of oozes out when you're doing something to, you know, make it feel really good, like you are now. But, it's not cum. I mean, I haven't creamed yet. Some guys say it like, lubricates and stuff like that, you know?" He looked down at himself. "I only started doing this, like, maybe in the last couple of months before you came over." He paused. "You haven't noticed any before? "

Jason shrugged. "If I do, I never noticed it before." He looked away in embarrassment. "Um, Elliot, I - "

"Yeah?" Elliot encouraged, noting the prolonged silence that followed.

"Please, don't laugh at me, okay? But... I-I haven't, like, jacked off in a long time," Jason admitted. " I mean it. Like, a really long time. You know?" After a few seconds, he turned to his cousin. "I kind of, well... I just never felt like it after... after..."

It was Elliot's turn to put a finger up to Jason's lips. "SShhh... you don't have to explain it to me. This time, I really do understand, honest." He lay back and studied Jason. "You were getting treated like shit, Jase. I'm not surprised. I really do get it." He wrinkled his nose. "I guess if you haven't done it, then there's no way you would know about pre-cum and other stuff then, so it's cool." Not knowing what else to say, Elliot lay silently, extending his hand and caressing his cousin's shoulder. He was feeling particularly good, just watching and enjoying Jason play with him. He still was awed that Jason was being so open with him, with his innocent curiosity and more. "Besides, Jase... I would never laugh at you for something like that."

Jason smiled, but kept fingering and playing. "You know, you were right. I was kind of just kidding around before, but now that I'm looking at you and everything - especially up close..." He wrinkled his nose. "It does sort of look like one of those breakfast sausage thingies." He grinned. "More than someone might think, too." That remark made Elliot grin wickedly, but he remained silent. Jason sat there exploring, returning his attention to the hardness pulsating in his hand. "You like this?" he whispered.

"Are you kidding?" Elliot whispered. "It's fucking awesome Jase." He grinned at him. "You can do it harder if you want."

Jason grinned back. "You mean it? You, like, want me to jack you off?"

Elliot gently tugged and brought Jason up close so that he could whisper in his ear. "I'll let you in on a secret: you doing it now feels tons more awesome than if I was doing it alone."

Jason smirked at him, then considered it. "Then I guess I'll have to make you cum, huh?" Both boys giggled before Jason gave his cousin a complicit glance. Once again, he leaned in and planted a single, simple kiss on his Elliot's lips. Elliot felt stimulated by it, however, and did not want to let it go. Using his free arm, he gently pulled Jason back up, closing the distance so Elliot could kiss him back. Before they knew it, both were wrestling with each other's tongues again, just as passionately as they had before. All the while though, Jason began to pump Elliot's boner, the strokes causing him to tense up and moan as he gurgled inside Jason's lips. His breathing became much more erratic, and at times he asserted himself more than others, all the while trying to swallow as much of Jason's passion as he could. He thrust his pelvis, shoving himself into Jason's grasp, surprising his cousin at how far the skin began rolling back without any discomfort.

There was a tingle coursing through Elliot's body, stronger than any he could remember. It was powered with a new desire as he struggled to keep Jason close to him. Moaning with a pleasure he felt in so many ways, Elliot was connected in so many places that his senses began to overload. Jason could feel the change, both from the passion they exchanged, and from the throbbing shaft he grasped. He was now firmly pumping it, taking care to move faster and squeeze strategically without hurting his cousin. Jason had never jacked anyone off like this before in a lifetime that seemed now so far removed. That didn't mean he had forgotten how, though, or what its culminating effect would be. He liked seeing and feeling what it was doing to Elliot, because Jason was making it happen. Admittedly, at first it felt weird, but Jason was fascinated at how he could feel the extra skin slipping and moving beneath his grasp. If not for the deep throated kissing they were sharing, and the constant moaning and whimpering that escaped Elliot as they progressed, Jason would have loved to look down just then. Instead, he settled for what was happening naturally between them, and he wasn't disappointed.

Elliot whimpered, keeping his body close so he could touch and feel Jason next to him. Elliot absorbed the heat, felt the friction - it enveloped him as nothing else could. He began going over the edge, and as he realized it, he pushed his tongue harder inside Jason's cavern. There was a pulling sensation, a tickle behind his navel that was all too familiar. The hand that grasped and stroked him was another testament to how far they had come, and he loved what Jason was doing to make him feel this way. The more it built up, it electrified him from the end of his toes to the top of his head. He could literally feel his whole gut rising to the occasion, just as his groin shifted from the inside. Elliot's legs stiffened, his toes curled and stretched until they could stretch no more, rubbing up against Jason as he lay there. There was a resoluteness, made even more profound by their kissing. Finally, with a loud whimper, Elliot surrendered. He opened his mouth as wide as he could, wanting more than anything for his cousin to share it with him. Jason responded by sealing their lips and letting his tongue reach inside deeply. That feeling sparked the current Elliot needed to let loose. "Oh God," he gurgled as he held onto his cousin with his one hand, yet pushed his groin upward into the palm that was working him over.

Wave after wave erupted from inside, all the while Jason's hand gently squeezed and massaged his dick. Jason's fist, which had been moving furiously at a rapid pace, now slowed to a more restrained level. Jason found it fascinating, a part of his mind focused on what he felt as Elliot's boyhood spooged between them. As the tender flesh pulsed within his palm, Elliot heaved what felt like huge globs of cum upon them both. Initially, the surges were so intense that they splashed just short of their chins. The rest fell onto Elliot's chest and stomach, before tapering off and spilling into Jason's hand. Toward the end, Jason finally tore himself away so he could look down. A huge spill met his eyes. "Holy shit, Elliot! Wow!" he exclaimed softly.

At first Elliot could not respond. His eyes were shut tightly as he desperately tried to hang on to that edge. It felt like it was the most intense, purest sensation he had just experienced yet in his life. However, he couldn't do it, and Elliot whimpered again. His body finally relaxed and began to unwind into the covers around him. "Oh fuck... oh fuck..." he mouthed over and over, whispering the words between huge gulps of air. Jason was smiling at him when his cousin finally opened his eyes, and the two locked their gaze upon the other. Elliot was overcome with emotion just then, so much he rolled into Jason, wrapping his leg around his cousin as his arms grasped and clung tightly. He knew his sperm was sandwiched between them, but he didn't care. Neither did Jason, it seemed, who returned the embrace with an equal vigor. "Oh fuck.... Oh fuck..." Elliot repeated, whispering into Jason's ear. "OOohhhh.... Mmmaaaannnnn..." As his breathing returned to a more normal rhythm, he suddenly felt on the verge of tears. "Jase, I ..." He gasped again. "There is no way I can tell you how fucking fantastic that was!"

Jason's only response was to nod and hold onto his cousin even tighter. After another minute they separated, and Jason looked down at the slowly softening member between them. "You don't have to, Elliot. Your expression said it all, trust me." He whistled. "Man, you gave up more milk than I thought was even possible. I mean, I didn't think anyone could cream that much!"

Elliot laughed. "Try going without wanking for 3 or 4 weeks, and then see how you do!" He immediately caught himself, however, and a look of anguish crossed him as he regretted his words. "AAAHhhhh - crap! I'm sorry Jase, I didn't mean - oh fuck, I'm sorry."

"Relax man, I understand," Jason replied with a grin. He paused as he considered. "You know, you don't have to stop because of me. You can, like, do it anytime you want. I don't care. Honest."

Elliot scoffed. "Yeah, right..."

"No, seriously, I mean - just do it. Heck, I might even join you sometimes." Jason scoffed. "Besides, if what you say is right, then that means I would probably fill up the whole room in here if... you know..."

"If you can cum as hard as I did?" Elliot finished the sentence. For the first time, he noticeably felt the tent in Jason's briefs beside him. Tentatively, he reached out and cupped his cousin's crotch, gently massaging the package inside. "Do you, like, want to find out?" Trying to be cautious, Elliot knew this was a decision he could not rush or be wrong about. Being a participant with what they had just done was one thing, but what he was offering was at another level.

Jason hesitated, thinking about it. "Well, yeah, I WANT to, I just... I don't know if I CAN. You know?"

Elliot smiled. When he spoke again, this time he whispered. "Remember downstairs in the shower? When I was holding you and everything? You almost, like, fell down and everything. Remember?" Jason grinned and nodded, so Elliot continued. "I bet you would have creamed on me then, especially if I had kept up with what I was doing." He thumbed Jason's boner through the cloth. "You can try. I mean, I don't know how you feel and everything, but... I bet you could do it. And if you don't, it'll still be cool. If, you know, you don't mind me doing it to you."

Jason smirked. "You really think I would mind it? You jacking me off and everything?"

Elliot looked down. "Jase, I-"

"Hush, Elliot. I was only teasing!" Jason paused only a few seconds before grinning. "You really think so, huh? You really think I could cum?" Slowly he stretched out on the bed beside Elliot. "Okay, you're welcome to try if you want. Besides, I promised you could check me out too, so... here's your chance." Like Elliot, he placed his hands behind his head and relaxed. "You'll have to skin me first, though."

Elliot observed his cousin and could hardly believe what he heard. Jason was essentially offering himself up, with the same lack of inhibitions as when they stepped into the bathroom only a short time before. There was no hesitancy, and the peaceful expression upon his face said volumes. Elliot's heart skipped a beat again, knowing Jason was letting him inside his defenses again. "I promise, I'll give it my best shot mate. But, um, I need to ask one favor, okay?" Seeing the look of curiosity that met him, he explained. "Swap sides with me, okay? Because I'm right-handed, just like you are." Jason rolled his eyes, but giggled, leaning up just then to give Elliot another quick kiss.

After the two switched places, Jason watched his cousin giving him attention again.  Inside, he felt as if butterflies were trying to escape his stomach. It was strange, too, because so many things had happened to him, things that had taken him to other places. His fight for survival and sanity, however, had won out. Moreover, it had won out with him getting to come into this family. Now he had nothing to worry about anymore, as to this level of intimacy which he was giving up. In fact, Jason felt like he was a little kid at Christmas. As he scooted closer to Elliot, he whispered, "Okay Elliot, I'm all yours."

Elliot stared at him, grinning as Jason settled in, before reaching out and tugging at Jason's shirt. Pulling it up over Jason's head, they shucked it together until it lay beside them. Pushing at the covers until he arranged them as he wanted, Elliot exposed Jason's midsection down to below his thighs. He played with Jason's navel, softly exploring around it for a moment before trailing his fingers to the waistband of his briefs. Like himself, he saw the tiny hairs staggered about and leading up into the hallow of his navel. It made Elliot smile, remembering how Jason had been fascinated earlier with his own puppy trail. "Are you ready now?" he whispered. When Jason nodded, he exhaled, "Ok, here goes."

Jason closed his eyes and felt Elliot push down on his underwear. Lifting his hips, he helped Elliot as they were removed from his feet. Jason smiled, realizing he was now completely naked for the second time that night. The difference this time though, he was under the gentle hand and watchful eyes of his best friend, one whom he trusted completely. "You really do like me naked, don't you?" he teased. He didn't see Elliot's face redden, but he felt the hesitancy that came afterwards. "It's okay, though. I don't mind really. I kind of like it, too... I think."

"You do?" Elliot asked, surprised.

"Yeah, in a way. Maybe cause I'm getting used to it now, at least around you." Jason finally opened his eyes and looked up at Elliot. "I guess because it doesn't make me feel weird or stuff, too. You know, like I'm not ugly or anything. You didn't laugh at me or anything when you finally saw me a while ago, remember? You were, um, just interested in me, and how I was down there and everything, you know?"

Elliot sat in awe, slowly caressing Jason's dick as he had done for him, but also playing with the scrotum that hung underneath. "Crap, man, you're not weird or anything, I promise! Why would you ever think that, or think you're ugly or something? It's crazy! I think you're really cool," he whispered. He cupped Jason and probed his fingers gently between his legs. Elliot had to remind himself that this was someone who was putting an awful lot of faith in him - and he wanted to make it worthwhile as much as possible. Looking down, he loved seeing the circumcised package exposed before him. "You look absolutely awesome, Jase. Honest!" He scooted down, intending to study up close.

Hovering over Jason's chest, Elliot felt his way around as he slowly palmed Jason's dick. There was an intense heat emanating from it that surprised him. He hadn't noticed anything like that about himself before, or when he was with Derek. Perhaps that was because their fun had never been as sensuous as this. Although it felt hard and heavy, there was an edge of softness about it, too. Jason's dick lay flat against his tummy, inviting as it throbbed. It wasn't quite as thick as his own, Elliot observed, but it was still very full-looking. He picked it up gently and bent it outward so he could see underneath. Before he let it fall back into place though, Elliot felt a huge surge and throb within it. As it contracted in his grasp, he grinned, and glancing up again he saw his cousin had closed his eyes once more. "You okay?" he grinned.

Jason giggled. "I felt you breathing on me and everything, it was just... it felt awesome!"

"Really?" Elliot let his hand follow its length again, grasping the sides and noticing how the head was different. His own was often shiny, where Jason's glans really had no slickness to it at all. He guessed that was a product of being not sheltered within any skin. He lightly palmed it, feeling around again until it pulsed and throbbed once more. Inwardly pleased, Elliot let it go and ran his fingertips through the pubic hairs at the base. It amazed him at how thin and smooth the bush was to his touch. "They're so soft," he mused quietly.

Jason looked up at him. "Kind of like yours, yeah. Your hairs are really soft. Silky, too." To emphasize, Jason moved his hand up and cupped around Elliot's base, fingering the pubes he found there. "Really soft," he whispered.

Elliot grunted, still fascinated as he fingered his way in and around the swollen member. "It's so... I don't know, Jase. We're alike, I know, but it's so different feeling and seeing things like this, when you never even think about checking yourself out, you know?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I know. That's how I felt when I was playing with yours," he whispered.

Elliot pushed his fingers down the sides and along to Jason's scrotum, lifting and feeling the weight of the nuts packaged there, before coming back up. The swollen hardness throbbed again, this time on its own, and Elliot smiled as he saw it lift this time, clearing from the smooth tummy beneath it. He ran his fingers up and down its length again, and this time it hardened even further, to the point it no longer touched Jason's belly. Elliot shifted himself again, bringing his head even closer than before. It still fascinated him as he softly began stroking his cousin, brushing his fingers across the glans. He pursed his lips, now only inches away, and blew his breath across it as he caressed. That stimulation made it contract and pulse even harder, and this time Jason moaned, sucking in his gut. Elliot noticed right away that his cousin could not pull his tummy in as tightly, but what he did pull in left an even larger gap underneath his boner than before. Elliot saw the hardness, and seeing Jason's expression, he knew his cousin was transitioning into a different place just then. "That... feels... so..." Jason whispered. He didn't finish the sentence, but Elliot didn't need him to. He already knew.

Elliot was about to reply, but something else caught his attention instead. "Jason," Elliot whispered excitedly, moving out of the way. As he glanced upward again, he saw his cousin was already watching him.

"Yeah?"

"Look!" Elliot hissed, squeezing gently to draw Jason's attention.

The command was simple, and as Jason glanced down at himself, he saw his glans revealing a glistening drop of clear liquid at his tip. Jason's eyes widened, but then he grinned as Elliot brushed his fingertips around the head. "Pre-cum?" Elliot nodded, and Jason settled back onto the pillow again. "I can make pre-cum? Wow! That is so cool!"

As Elliot nodded, he grasped the hard shaft again. Squeezing it, he felt Jason squirm beneath him. Jason eyes were upon him, a silent imploring look as if he were now begging. Elliot nodded. He knew Jason was overcome with a desire now, and Elliot had no doubt he was going to help him make it tonight. He was going to make Jason cum, he hoped, as hard as he had done it himself.

Having done some stuff with Derek before, Elliot was already somewhat skilled in doing this. The difference, however, was that Derek had always been so horny that Elliot never got to take the time to really explore. From the time they always started, it didn't take a minute before Derek would erupt, and hard. Here, Jason was totally different, and it made Elliot feel happy just to know that. Here was somebody his own age, someone who cared for and trusted him - and Elliot cared for just as much in return. Here Elliot could touch and feel about, just like Jason had done to him.

In his grasp, Jason's dick pulsed again, his hardest yet, and Elliot watched now as more pre-cum started to escape. He knew not what the criteria was for one to do it, whether it was age, or 'experience' - but it was clear that Jason, even though he had been inactive for months, was not immune from it. Using his thumb, he played with the clear, slick liquid and rubbed it all over the glans, a sensation causing Jason to squirm and twist underneath. "Feel good?" Elliot asked, grinning. In answer, Jason reached down and pinched Elliot's bare butt. Not overly hard, but enough to send a clear message: don't ask stupid questions. When they locked gazes, both burst into giggles.

Looking down at himself, Jason asked, "Am I doing a lot of it?"

"Yeah," Elliot answered. "It's kind of cool to see it too, because I don't get to really see mine up close any."

"Because of your skin and stuff?" Jason asked timidly.

"Yeah, mostly." Their conversation was still in hushed whispers. Although Elliot wasn't boned up completely, Jason still reached out to grasp and hold onto it. The sensation was enough, however, as Elliot quickly advanced into a fully erected state. He rolled onto his stomach, sandwiching Jason's hand underneath him as his groin reacted.

"Wow," Jason whispered. "You're already hard again." He repeated, playing underneath again. "I think that's so cool, too. I can feel your skin giving some again, too. I kind of wish mine was like that."

"You have skin, too," Elliot replied, and to emphasize it, he slowly tugged on the layers around Jason's penis. What skin was there, slipped up around the base of the glans before it stopped.

"Yeah, but it doesn't come up like yours does," Jason replied. "I bet yours feels really cool though, you know, inside and everything."

Elliot studied for a moment before an idea occurred to him. "Hey, roll over toward me for a sec." Jason complied at Elliot's encouragement, as he too moved so they were facing each other. Elliot grinned, bringing his groin up to the same level as his cousin. Without a word, he pulled the skin back from his own penis, exposing once again the slick, purplish helmeted head inside. With a little effort, he then brought it forward until he touched Jason's fully exposed helmet, end-to-end. Jason grasped his own shaft, thinking at first maybe they were going to do a sort of sword play. When Elliot held his steady, however, he relented in curiosity. Pushing forward, Jason helped hold his dick in place until the two were pressed firm.

"What are we doing, making them kiss or something...?" Jason asked, giggling.

"No, this," Elliot replied. Jason's eyes widened as a new sensation took over. Elliot chose, at that moment, to slowly bring his own skin back and let it slide up and over the end of Jason's penis instead.

"Oh sshhhiiiitttt!" Jason hissed. Closing his eyes, he could feel the effect immediately, and started going into sensory overload. More of the slippery liquid escaped and lubricated them both, but neither cared. Elliot grinned as he watched Jason's face change thru a half-dozen expressions, each building on the last.

Leaning in close, Elliot whispered into his cousin's ear. "That's as close as I can ever show you what it's like. Just imagine going all day and feeling yourself covered up like this." Jason opened his eyes wide in amazement, and their closeness to each other prompted him to kiss Elliot again. The passion was still there, and as Elliot slowly and methodically began to massage their shafts below, he pulled up and down across both. It was a curious sensation, but it accentuated Jason's renewed lust as he deeply kissed Elliot again.

What happened next was hard to forget. The heat of that passion had fired him up. It had been many long months since he had done this, a fact that didn't pacify the hunger he now felt within. He was writhing in the bed, his legs first extending and then bending, his hips moving ever so slightly to the rhythm of an unseen thrust. Elliot clung onto both shafts as long as he could, until their foreplay was no longer possible. Jason gurgled to him, "God Elliot, I want to... I want to cum so bad now..."

Gently Elliot pushed Jason onto his back and took up the cause. Performing every trick he knew, Elliot alternated his motions with cupping Jason's scrotum underneath, letting his fingertips gently dig along the sides all the way around. At times he gently massaged the marbles it contained inside, too, which would make Jason whimper again. Occasionally, Elliot also used his fingers to walk the plank, much like Jason had done to him. That effort was rewarded with renewed pulses and soft moans that were becoming desperate. Jason was beginning to get impatient, and it showed. Once again, Elliot sensed his cousin would have no problem letting go, as his body reacted to the teasing and foreplay better than anyone could have hoped for.

Elliot relented and started pumping then, letting all else go and squeezing strategically as he went along. He could feel the intensity beneath building up, and he knew Jason was now climbing to a point of no return. The pre-cum continued to slip in between and around his fingers. Elliot watched, and observed, waiting for the right moment. When it felt like the time was almost there, he saved his last gift for then. Elliot secretly wondered if it wouldn't be going too far, as he was intending doing something Jason might react adversely to. He was committed though, because everything to this moment - the things they had shared, the kisses, the intimacy - told him it would be okay. He decided it was something he wanted to do above all else, so he didn't hesitate. Elliot slowly lowered himself ever closer, and took Jason's shaft into his mouth, slowly suckling on the end, while letting his tongue lap around everything else. A soft moan escaped Elliot then, as he started tasting and suckling the warm flesh harder. Not unexpectedly, Elliot decided he liked it, so he dropped further. Jason didn't have a strong scent, but there was a musky overtone in it and Elliot found he relished. It was a part of something he knew he would be remembering for a long time. As he continued sucking the throbbing member inside, he started using his lips to go up and down.

Jason was in shock. Suddenly feeling the warm wetness that attacked him, he had opened his eyes again to the sight of his cousin going down on him. As the reality set in, so did a whole new world of unexpected sensations. Within seconds, it sent him over the edge. It had happened so fast, he could not warn Elliot. Jason's lack of play for so long had left him little fortitude in control. He felt the tightness behind his gut, and it rapidly extended itself all the way to the end of his dick. He felt his nuts contract, as if pulling up inside. Something within his whole groin moved and changed. Elliot noticed it as well, because at that moment his hand had fallen to the sac and was cupping its precious cargo gently. It was that instant he held and guided Jason's shaft between his lips, before swallowing it in to his throat as fast as he could manage.

Jason erupted. Elliot would tell him later he thought a dam broke loose, because his cousin quickly filled his mouth as he slowly pulled up. After the first few surges, he moved off completely, enabling him to use his hand again, as Jason thrust his pelvis forward and let loose three more large, white streams. One caught Elliot on his face, causing him to grin but he continued to pump away so that he didn't break the moment. The rest landed upon Jason's chest, before the intensity subsided and it oozed into Elliot's fingers.

Elliot continued to pump, but less intensely now. When Jason finally stopped giving up the creamy white mixture, Elliot continued to gently massage for a minute longer before stopping altogether. He whistled, looking down at the mess that was made. He stared in awe. Months and months of inactivity had been loosened up that night, and he was there to witness it happening first hand. Jason's inner loins had been awakened from a long sleep, in more ways than one.

Jason hadn't heard the whistle, and instead was moaning ever so softly beneath. While Elliot watched, it seemed that the ragged breathing and moans were more of cries than anything else. He cupped Jason's groin and just held it while his cousin settled. While he waited, Elliot took stock of the jizz he still held in his mouth. Swirling his tongue around the creamy substance, he swallowed it. Salty, yeah, but he detected also a hint of sweetness, too. Unlike someone else he knew. 'Cool!' he thought to himself. Again, maybe it was because he and Jason were so close in age and build that made it different, but regardless it seemed to make it even more special.

When Jason had stilled, and his breathing had returned to a more normal rhythm, Elliot lay down beside him, propped on an elbow. "Okay Jase, your turn. How was it?"

Jason opened his eyes and stared at Elliot for a long time before gently pulling him close, fully intending to kiss him again. So complete was his desire to do it that, for the moment, he forgot about Elliot's last act of gratification. As they both shared another passionate moment, Jason detected a change that was somehow different. Thinking back, he realized with a start that he was sampling faint traces of himself. He separated and looked at his cousin incredulously. At first, the thought of how dirty or utterly gross it must have been evaporated as new thoughts changed and started shaping. When he realized it wasn't really all that gross, he furrowed his brow. "That- That's me? That's my jizz?" he asked.

Elliot grinned at him. "Yeah!" he whispered.

Jason spent another half minute or more, contemplating it again, before he made a conscious decision that he didn't care. Elliot giggled when his cousin attacked him again with another passionate kiss, rising from the bed and rolling on top. He pinned Elliot down, probing his tongue inside deeply. Elliot loved it, and it showed. Both moaned softly and growled with renewed pleasure, as their instincts kicked in. They were still feeling each other in ways no one could really predict.

Jason finally came up for air with a smile in his eyes. "Does that answer you?" Jason asked sheepishly with a whisper.

It told Elliot everything he could possibly want to know. "Yeah, it does," Elliot whispered back, as he put his arms around Jason and drew him in. "I was... I was afraid you might not like me so much though, you know, maybe even hate me when I - after I did - you know..."

Jason wrinkled his nose. Blow jobs he had heard of before, but he honestly had never contemplated them. Like so many other things, however, this night was full of surprises. He smiled and just hugged his cousin. "I don't think I could ever hate you, Elliot." Pulling back up, he settled himself onto Elliot's chest. "That was so fucking awesome!"

Elliot grinned. "I know," he whispered back.

They stared at each other for a full minute before Jason giggled, a look of incredulity crossing his features again. "I can't believe you sucked my dick!" he hissed, as he looked down at Elliot, who grinned back at him in return. "Was it... was it as cool for you as it was for me?"

Elliot nodded. "Probably better."

"No - fucking - way! There is no way it could have been better! I was going so hard, I mean, sorry - I should have warned you, but... Damn, did you see how much jizz I gave up?!!"

Elliot nodded again. "Yeah. A lot more than I did, I think."

Jason shook his head before resting his chin across his arms. "Maybe. Heck, my balls even ache, you know?" He grinned. "I guess this means I'm going to have to do you sometime," he stated.

It wasn't a question, and Elliot understood it. However, he shook his head. "No Jase, I didn't do it for that, for you to have to do it back. I did it because I wanted to, for you."

"Meh," Jason replied at first, but continued. "I might though, just - you'll have to give me some time, that's all."

Elliot gazed into the set of blue eyes that met his own. "Jase? Seriously bro... This stuff, everything we just did? You don't have to do it anymore, ever again, I promise. I mean, I don't want to be some pervert or-"

"Shut up, Elliot," Jason whispered back for the second time that night. The smile that followed disarmed his cousin. "Just tell me one thing: did you like it? Did you like everything we did tonight? With me and everything?" When Elliot nodded, Jason felt his own heart skip a beat. "Then that's all that matters right now, okay? We keep it between us though, right?"

Elliot returned the smile. "Cross my heart."

Jason giggled. "Even from your brother?"

Elliot giggled with him and rolled his eyes. "Especially from him!" Seeing the look of curiosity that met him, he shrugged. "No, don't think weird stuff like that, okay? Derek is pretty cool for a brother, and I love him, but - this... Jase? As far as I'm concerned? This is you and me. I don't want anyone else to know, not because I'm afraid of Derek, but because... well..." His eyes were almost pleading, and Jason felt as if they were caught up in another one of those moments.

   "You - you're awesome, you know that?" Jason finally whispered. Elliot let out a deep breath, and a tear suddenly escaped to trail down the side of his face as he smiled. Jason watched it and then asked him, "Hey, you okay?"

Elliot slowly embraced his cousin. "You'll never know just how okay, or how happy I am." His hands crossed on the small of Jason's back at his waist. "Now do you believe me?" he whispered. "Now do you believe how much I care?"

They stared at each other again for a long time before Jason replied. He set aside the thrills of the past couple of hours and recalled how all of this had begun. "After everything that has happened tonight? How could I not?" He smiled. "I'm glad I told you now. I'm glad I don't have to keep it bottled up anymore. And... I'm glad it was you. I'm glad I told it all to you."

"I'm g-glad you did, too," Elliot replied, his voice thick with emotion.

Jason lifted a finger until he silenced Elliot again, pressing it against his lips. "You have to do something for me, though. Don't forget, you called me a brother, remember? That's something you gave me tonight I'll never, ever forget." He stared into the blue eyes that met him and saw the happiness there. "You made me a part of us tonight, so you're stuck with me now."

Another tear escaped as Elliot replied. "No - we made US a part of each other tonight, bro. I'll hang onto you for as long as you let me."

"Might be a while," Jason replied, with a smile.

"I don't care," was the ready reply.

"I don't care either. Just don't forget something else, okay?" Jason added.

"What's that?" Elliot asked, both boys mesmerized by the moment.

Jason smiled. "Don't forget, I love you, too."

To be continued...

Posted: 02/08/19