Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 22:01:39 +0000
From: Spasm Two <spasm2@hotmail.com>
Subject: Hugo 3

Chapter Three: developing trends.

	I'd been away for a few days in the south, the meetings had been
productive but as usual that meant that I had a pile of work to do, with
the usual deadline of the day before yesterday. My gloomy prediction about
the weather had proved to be fairly accurate, whilst it wasn't at all cold,
it was overcast and occasionally squalls of drizzle made being outside a
little unpredictable. So, I had little incentive to do anything other than
buckle down for a few days and get a load of drawings done. The room I use
as a study has a small window that looks out across my garden and gives me
a view of the track, indeed this is where I first noticed Hugo whizzing
about on his bike.

	When I am working I tend to listen to music quite loudly, and my
tastes vary from classical to hard-core experimental. My principle
stimulant is coffee, and I tend to consume quite a lot of it, always
freshly brewed. My design was progressing quite well, and I was beginning
to relax, my current drawing was in that late stage when you are tidying up
the details, and making it look pretty, a stage that always takes longer
than the initial drawing process. It would be fair to say that I zone out
pretty effectively when I'm working, the postie can hammer on the door as
much as he likes and I'll not notice (I don't have a doorbell). As is
habitual in this part of the country, I leave my door unlocked when I'm at
home, and any deliveries are left in the kitchen.

	So, I was a little surprised to have my concentration disturbed by
the sound of someone shouting up the stairs; 'Just come on up,' I bellowed
back, after checking that I was decently dressed (in moments of abstraction
I have been known to go straight to the computer from bed, and as I sleep
in my underwear this might have been embarrassing for all concerned).

	A moment later and a shadow in the doorway announced my visitor,
'Hi, I thought I'd better see if I could pick up my pants,' said Hugo
apologetically, 'I hope I'm not disturbing you.' He was dressed in a pair
of light blue cotton board shorts and a yellow t-shirt, both of which
showed off his golden skin to advantage.

	'No it's cool, I washed and dried them, they're in my chest of
drawers, shall I fetch them for you?'

	'Don't get up, I'll find them, I guess that's your bedroom across
the landing?'

	'Top left hand drawer,' I said, turning back to my screen, I
thought I'd better finish off what I was doing before I was
sociable. Quickly I completed my current task and saved it, just as Hugo
returned from my bedroom, holding his trunks in his hand. 'You found them
ok,' I asked inanely.

	'Yeah, it wasn't hard, they were the only white ones in there,' he
grinned, 'so, do you mind if I ask another impertinent question?'

	'No, of course not.'

	'You've you got ever so many pairs of pants, but why are some of
them so complicated?'

	'Firstly, when you travel as much as me, you don't always have
access to somewhere or someone to do your laundry, so you often end up
having to buy more pants and socks in a strange city, secondly, I like
having different pants, I find wearing them quite sexy, I can't be doing
with the all-concealing passion killers that you seem to favour.'

	'It's not the same when your mum buys your pants for you,' Hugo
complained, waving his offending articles at me.

	'It won't be,' I agreed, 'but remember she probably finds the whole
business of your developing sexuality a bit difficult.'

	'How did you know?' the boy demanded, wide eyed.

	'because I'm older than Jesus, as you implied a few days ago, and
because every parent has to make that change along with you, and some of
them find it quite difficult to accept that their little angel has grown
pubes and started masturbating, worse yet, he's wanting to find out all
about sex.'

	Hugo blushed at my choice of words, 'I hadn't thought about it like
that, I just thought she was trying to put me off the whole idea.'

	'No, no, it's not that simple,' I protested, 'intellectually she
has had to accept that you have gone through puberty and will want to learn
about things she can't control, emotionally you are still her little boy
and she wants to protect you from growing up and all that encompasses. Let
me ask you a question, are you a boarder at your posh school?'

	'Yes, but only during the week, why?'

	'You must be aware of changing relationships and sexual
experimentation among your schoolmates?'

	'Yeah, I suppose so,' he answered slowly, 'there are a few closet
couples, and there are quite a few boys who'd like you to feel them up or
who try to touch you in the same way. There's always someone who wants to
show you the latest porno he's downloaded onto his iPad or phone, but to me
that seems a bit empty, porn's so mechanical; there's nothing about
feelings in it, it's not even like playing with yourself.'

	I was surprised by his directness, and his insight, 'I guess that's
just what your mother's trying to protect you from, by the sound of it you
don't need me to tell you that you should only do things that you're
comfortable with.'

	'They probably shouldn't have sent me off to a boarding school
then, there's always someone who thinks he has rights over you,' he said
bitterly, 'what kind of school did you go to?'

	'I'm old enough to have gone to an all boys grammar school,' I
answered.

	'and did you learn much about sex and stuff there?'

	'You'd better believe it,' I replied, smiling, 'I really was quite
a naughty boy back then, but I'm not entirely sure that I'm ready to share
that with you just this minute. How about we change the subject for a bit,
I'm not evading the issue, but it might be getting a little heavy.'

	'Yeah, ok, I'll let you off for now, but I'll not forget, and I
still want to know more about you and your pants.'

	'Happy to tell you one day, but for now, since you're a visitor to
my house, would you like a cup of tea or coffee?'

	'That'd be nice,' he smiled, 'could I have a coffee please?'

	'Good choice, I was about to make some more anyway, put your
knickers down somewhere and come on down to the kitchen, I'll see if I can
find some biscuits too.' We trotted down the stairs and I brewed up another
cafetiere, Hugo seemed a bit mystified by this procedure. 'You look
confused,' I said.

	'I thought coffee came in a jar,' he said.

	'Taste this, and let me know what you think?' I replied, pouring
him a mug, 'milk's in that jug there and there's sugar in the jar if you
want any, help yourself.'

	Hugo poured a dollop of milk into the mug, 'I don't take sugar,
thanks.'

	'Sweet enough without,' I grinned.

	'I guess I'll take that as a compliment,' he replied, with a cheeky
smile.

	I was a little taken aback, he was flirting back at me, there was
no way this boy was as innocent as he appeared to be, I guess you learn
quickly at boarding school. 'Help yourself to the biscuits, how's the
coffee?' I asked, changing the subject.

	'Hot,' he said, rather indistinctly as he'd just crammed a
chocolate digestive into his mouth, 'but it's really nice.'

	'That's the right answer, you can come again.'

	'Thanks,' he replied, 'if you can take it, I will. Do you think you
could show me what you do for work, it looks really interesting.'

	'Yeah, of course, bring your coffee up to my office and I'll show
you what I'm up to.' We went back upstairs, and I demonstrated the way that
CAD works (or not if it's having a bad day), Hugo was quite genuinely
interested, but it was only when I showed him some photographs of my
completed projects, that he began to see a possible application.

	'Do you do a lot with photos? he asked.

	'Some,' I said, 'I used to do loads, but I don't do as much these
days, is that something you like to do?'

	'Yeah, I got really into it in Africa, and it's something I can do
as part of my schoolwork without getting into trouble with anyone.'

	'What sort of stuff do you take pictures of?' I asked politely, 'I
remember you telling me that you'd been out with your camera when you saw
me in a state of nature as it were.'

	'Oh yeah,' he giggled, 'I've got a school art project to do at the
moment, all about light and shade. I've been trying to get a picture of my
shadow stretching right across the hills.'

	'and have you?'

	'Yeah, I think so, I filled the whole memory card the day I saw
you, but I need to do stuff to get the picture I like.'

	'Stuff?'

	'I had a bit of a problem taking the pictures without getting bits
of me in it, or pylons, or the trees.'

	'Oh I see, you need to crop it to get the image you want.'

	'That's it,' he smiled, 'I just didn't know the right word.'

	'Easy enough,' I continued, 'I've got a good photo editor on this
computer, I tell you what, fetch it over later and I'll show you what to
do.'

	'That's kind of you, are you sure you can spare the time?'

	'No problem, a distraction from work can be a good thing
sometimes.'

	At that moment we were interrupted by the ping of an incoming text
message, Hugo pulled his mobile from his shorts pocket and glanced at the
screen, 'arse,' he said crossly, 'my mum's expecting me to go shopping with
her, she's waiting for me now, I'd better go if I want to get away later.'

	'Yes of course, you'd best leave your trunks behind, or you'll be
getting funny looks from her if you turn up with them in your hand.'

	'No, it's ok, I've worked it out.' Without ceremony he dropped his
shorts, and stepped clear, revealing his trim little bush and perky cock to
my amused gaze. 'See,' he grinned, swinging his hips, and setting his
tackle in motion.

	'Yes, I can see it's all there,' I smiled back, 'now get along with
you, or your mum will be tanning that cute backside.'

	He looked at me in mock horror; 'she doesn't ever smack me, her
dad's a minister; she leaves all that sort of thing to my dad and he's off
on business at the moment.'

	'Anyway, you'd better cut along or you'll not be allowed out
later.'

	He nodded in agreement and twisted round to pick up his boxers from
the floor where he'd dumped them earlier, giving me another opportunity to
appreciate his lovely bottom and between his parted legs to his dangling
balls. I was becoming increasingly aware that I found this boy very
attractive, and not just from the aesthetic point of view that had been the
basis of my feelings towards him until now.

	Hugo must have been aware of my admiration, as he slowly pulled up
his boxers, a seductive smile on his lips. He carefully adjusted his
tackle, pulling the legs to get them settled, then put his shorts back
on. The white waistband of his boxers was revealed peeking above his
shorts, as is the fashion; 'So then, is it ok if I come back later and you
show me how to edit my pictures?'

	'Yes, that'll be fine, I'll look forward to it, now off you go.'

	Hugo ran down the staircase, shouting goodbyes over his shoulder as
he went off to meet his mother.

	I managed to get a few hours work done before I heard Hugo return,
bearing his camera, 'here you are,' he said, waving it at me.

	I took it from him and popped out the memory card, slotting it into
the reader on my computer, opening it up to examine the contents, 'it's not
a very large folder,' I commented, secretly relieved that I didn't have
that many photos to examine.

	'No, I know,' he said, 'I really need to get a bigger card if I'm
going to make the project work, but I spent all the money I could get hold
of to buy the camera.'

	'I may be able to help you out there,' I smiled, 'I used to use
these memory cards in my old phone, but since I got a new one, I've had no
use for them.'

	'Wow,' he beamed, 'that would be great if you can spare them, my
camera would be so much more better if I could take more pictures each
session.'

	I rummaged in the desk drawer, and eventually found the little
plastic box with the old memory cards in it, 'here you go,' I said, handing
it over to him, 'do you want me to format them for you?'

	'No, it's ok, I can do that, thank you so much. I found out that
the camera has a video mode, but with the card I have you can only record
about 15-20 secs at the lowest setting, so I've not had much chance to play
with it.'

	'Both of these cards are pretty big,' I said, 'but video monsters
memory, I think you'll only be making short movies even with these. Anyway,
let's have a look at your pictures.' I opened up the folder, his pictures
were quite good, he'd been trying to get an image of his very long shadow
stretching across the moors and hillsides.' I flicked through the folder;
he appeared to have had a bit of a struggle to position the camera, and
occasionally bits of him intruded into the image. Most of the time the pose
he was trying to achieve for his shadow was the classic "Peter Pan" look;
legs apart and hands resting on his hips.

	'That's a good one,' I said, stopping at one image, 'we could
easily crop it so your leg isn't in it. Just out of curiosity, what were
you wearing? Most of your shorts come down over your knees.'

	He blushed, 'I wasn't wearing anything, when I was setting the shot
up I decided that my shadow all looked wrong when I was dressed, and after
all if I get it right no-one will realise that it's my naked shadow in the
photos unless you can see spare bits of me, that's another reason why I
have to crop them.'

	'Now you've told me that, I'm beginning to wonder about that
profile shot, is it a trick of the light? or maybe you were a shade more
excited than usual?'

	His blush deepened, 'it was quite a turn-on stripping naked out on
the hill top, so maybe that was a stiffy that you can see, but it might
just be the way the ground lies. You couldn't tell from the picture unless
you knew, could you?'

	'No, and your secret's safe with me,' I smiled, 'but, although I
think these are pretty good, I think you could do better. Let me lend you
my tripod, I'm guessing that you had the camera propped up on a rock or
something.'

	'Yeah, I did, how can you tell?'

	'The angle of the horizon, the sky is sloping in all the pictures.'

	'Oh, now you've pointed it out, I see what you mean,' he looked
downcast.

	'Don't worry, I think your idea is great, and I love the
naughtiness of offering a nude self-portrait to your teachers, just think
of what you've done so far as a rehearsal.'

	'Yeah, you're right,' he brightened up, 'I'll give it another go,
and this time I can take lots more shots, thanks to your kindness.'

	'Have you found the super-user menu on your camera?' I asked.

	'No, what's that?'

	'Here, let me show you,' I picked up his camera and switched it
into the menu, 'right, if you choose this,' I demonstrated, 'you're given a
whole new menu section, there are a few really useful things here, you can
set it to bracket the exposures for example.'

	'What's that?' he asked.

	'It can take up to ten versions of the same picture, five over and
five under-exposed, it eats loads of memory though, maybe you should just
allow one either side if you're thinking of using it. Have you used the
timer?'

	'Yes, that's how I did the pictures.'

	'In super-user you can set it to take batches of pictures, as fast
as it can shoot. There are lots of controls for video in there too, but
I'll leave you to find that out for yourself.'

	'How come you know so much about my camera?' he asked.

	'It just happens to be the same make and model as the one my ex
had, and we did a lot of messing around with it. There's a saying in my
industry, if all else fails, read the instructions, and I decided that I
wanted to know as much as possible about how to use it, I used to be very
keen on photography back in the days of film, and at last someone had made
an affordable digital camera that was as good as one of the old ones. Then
of course we busted up, and I didn't get to keep the camera, although since
then I've bought a better one.'

	He looked contrite; 'I'm sorry if I reminded you of what you have
lost. Just remember that I've never had what you could call a proper
relationship, perhaps you could tell me what I'm missing out on.'

	Sometimes it was difficult to deal with his questions any other way
other than give a direct answer; 'what am I missing? Here's a few things;
waking up in bed with my arms wrapped round a warm body, making love on a
Sunday morning while the archers is on, then of course there's hugging,
kissing, touching and feeling. So many things, and only some of them are to
do with sex.'

	'Gosh,' he said, 'is it really that simple? I'll always be happy to
give you a hug if it'll make you feel better.'

	I laughed, 'of course it'll make me feel better, you clot, but it
really isn't quite that simple, you asked me what I'm missing. I certainly
don't miss the arguments, the mistrust and the unfaithfulness.'

	'Ouch,' he winced, 'it was messy then.'

	'Yeah, it was messy, why do you think I've been hiding away here
for the last eighteen months?'

	With a level of tact that belied his tender years, Hugo changed the
subject, 'thanks for all your help and advice, I guess I'll be greeting the
sunrise again sometime, my folks can't believe that I can get out of bed
that early.'

	'I'm quite impressed too,' I added, 'when I was your age I had to
be dragged out of bed in the morning, mind you I grew up in a city, so
there was no chance of prancing naked around on a hill. Although now I
think about it, there were a few occasions, but that's definitely not a
story I'm telling until I know you better.'

	'Meanie,' he pouted, 'I guess I'll have to be patient then.'

	'Yup,' I grinned.

	'I'm afraid I'm going to have to go,' Hugo said, 'I told my mum I
was just popping out for a few minutes.'

	'Have you said anything to her about me?' I asked curiously.

	'Not really, Tom told her about your patching me up, and she said
she was going to pop round and thank you, but I guess she's forgotten,
she's not said anything since.'

	'Oh well, I'll look forward to meeting her, I expect the farmer's
told her that I'm a bit reclusive, as long as she doesn't think I'm a
weirdo.'

	'She thinks everyone is a bit weird, but I think the farmer
approves of you, you don't talk too much apparently. Right, I really had
better go, thanks for your help and the cards, if it's still ok I'll come
back when I've got some more to show you.' Hugo picked up his swag and
headed off down the stairs, I watched him go from my back door, he turned
and waved my tripod at me as he disappeared round the corner of the
farmhouse.