Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 10:20:52 -0700
From: Steve Thomas <s4d@hotmail.com>
Subject: Coles-Dreams - Ch. 18

This is a work of pure fiction, based on the author's feelings, beliefs,
and in some cases, experience.  There may be graphic sexual encounters at
times between men, so if this offends you, you are invited to retreat.
If you are too young or it is otherwise illegal for you to be reading
this kind if story, shame on you for reading it - -  please stop here.
If not, - - ENJOY!


Cast of Characters:

Cole Alexander Stephanson IV -- Our hero

Jazz -- (Jack Zachary) Coles oldest brother

Diane -- Jazz's wife

Rod -- Coles middle brother

Igor  (Iggy) -- Cole's Tutoring Pupil

Cole Alexander Stephanson III -- Coles Dad

Ethyl Stephanson -- Cole's mom

Rex Remlin-- Rod's best friend

Gus Hartwin -- Cole's Boyfriend

Michelle -- Cole's old girlfriend.

Dexter -- Iggy's boyfriend

Ed -- Paramedic

Manolo -- Paramedic

Steve -- Manolo's boyfriend

Diane -- Jazz's wife

Randy -- Found Boy

Curtis -- Found boy's brother

From Chapter 17:

"You -- you -- you -- told my dad -- about -- about - " Gus stammered.

"No I didn't.  I just told him that Cole needed as escort and we liked
you so much we wanted to send you with Cole."

Gus's shoulders slumped.  He took another bite and at the same time,
tears were dripping on his plate.  He swallowed the bite extra hard, then
looked into my mom's eyes, then my dad's.  "Thank you Mom -- and
Dad!"  He said.  "I love you both so much!"  I nodded along with him.

Chapter 18

I feel badly for Mom and Dad, but at the same time, this is the most
exciting thing that I have ever contemplated.  And to be going on this
dream vacation with my sweet Gus!  I tried not to ruin it with thoughts
of just WHY they were doing it for us -- for me.  Before I could turn
around, it was time for finals.  My subjects were harder than ever
before, so I was pretty stressed about finals.  But finals week there
were no regular classes, so at least I was able to get plenty of sleep.

We couldn't find out our grades until after the trip anyway, so I just
decided not to worry about them until that time.  I am getting pretty
good at putting my worries into a box for later.  On the Monday after
finals week we boarded a big gray 747 with no writing on the side.  It
took us to New York, and from there we flew to London.

I wanted to stop in New York so much, but we would see it after Europe.
Our first stop was Frankfurt.  It is really a rather sprawling city, but
has the look of a town.  I was impressed by the children.  Even older
kids looked so innocent, compared with the kids in America.  Their rosy
cheeks and grins for anyone were so cool.  American kids seem to want to
look cool all the time.  Not these kids!  They just were sweet and
innocent.

Southern Germany is so green and beautiful.  And there really are castles
by rivers. And they are used for tourists!  I'm not sure I'd want to
stay at any of them.  We walked into one to check it out.  Nothing was
done to modernize it!  And the beds were no more than cots in that one.
I guess some people want to experience it as it was in the middle ages.
Not me!

We went to another that had been modernized.  It was a lot nicer. "How
much per night?"  Gus asked, just as a matter of interest.

"$125 American -- but only for tonight!"   The attendant answered.

We looked at each other and laughed!  We both expected a lot more.  And
we didn't expect it to be free! This was our last night in southern
Germany.  We decided to go for it.  I called the hotel we had stayed last
night and said we would not be staying tonight -- and then we booked it.
We went and got our stuff from the other place and drove around the rest
of the day, seeing all kinds of places.

Every little town was built around a little church.  We ate lunch in
Aschaffenburg, in a little hofbrau type inn.  We had sauerkraut and
sausage of some kind with potatoes and a vegetable and - - beer!  I HATE
beer, but we decided that -  this was Germany!  We had to have some beer!

We found a little shop and both bought lederhosen and a shirt to go with
it.  Tomorrow would be Austria.  We wanted to dress the part.  We wore
them out of the store.  I know, I know!  We looked like really dorky
tourists!  Well, I did anyway!  I can't imagine anyone thought Gus did!
He wore his lederhosen with no shirt!  It was cold, but he insisted after
I told him how hot he looked!

When we got back to the castle, there was a restaurant within walking
distance, and we were really hungry, so Gus put on his shirt and we went
there first!  They were serving American food.  We decided on prime rib.
Well, it wasn't exactly American style.  Nothing here is as grand or
rich as American restaurants fix things.  But it was good!  And we tried
some wine from the Rhineland.  I hate wine too, but I choked one glass
down, then asked for some milk.  The couple next to us almost puked when
I asked for milk after drinking the wine!

"You vill be sick!"  he warned me.

We walked to the castle, and it was buzzing with activity.  Had we known,
we would have eaten there!  They had a buffet type feast served family
style for all the guests!  We learned that this was opening weekend after
this castle had been refurbished.  Supposedly the reservations were by
invitation only!  We had just walked in at the right time.  There was a
last minute cancellation.

So we noshed on some of the goodies, even though we were full from
dinner.  There were some German Chocolate pastries that were very
delicious.  There was dancing to a local band -- one that fit the
medieval setting.  We saw another couple of guys dancing together, and no
one seemed to give them a second look.  So we did it too.  I was a little
light headed.  I didn't drink that much wine, and the beer was early
afternoon, so I was a little confused why I would be feeling this way.

When we got back to our room, there was Champaign in a charger with ice,
and several gifts from the management.  German chocolate, and crackers
and sausages, and also colognes for each of us.  One was decidedly for a
girl.  We asked the room attendant about it.  He answered that this was
originally scheduled for a bridal suite.  He apologized and brought some
male fragrance to us that was from Spain.

The bed was high and not very big.  Probably double.  It was very soft
and as it was getting cold, we were happy for the extra blankets.  We
took pictures of each other in different parts of the room.  Then we
asked the room attendant to take some of both of us.  He did one in front
of the window, overlooking the river.  Then another from outside the room
looking in, and then he giggled.  His English was pretty good, but had a
tough time telling us what he wanted to take next.

Then he had even more trouble trying to convince us to do it.  He wanted
us to get naked and in a loving position on the bed!  Finally, Gus said,
"Well, we will only get one chance to do this!  If we don't like it, we
can toss it -- or save it for just us to see!"

So we took our lederhosen and all our underwear off and posed with Gus
atop me, and looking into the camera -- and laughing.  We didn't want it
that way, but we couldn't stop!  There was no frontal nudity, and it was
from my good side, and - - Gus's butt looked so sweet!  I spanked it
before the picture -- just a little - to make it glow!

The bedding was all white.  There were even white covers, with white
sheets on both sides of the covers.  There was a generous variety of
pillows.  I chose a very soft down one that would push down to almost
nothing.  Gus chose one that supported his head more -- harder and
thicker than mine.  There was a large bath tub -- large enough for both
of us.  We started to get in and Gus said, "Wait!  You get in -- I'll
be right back!"

He came back with the room attendant -- and the camera!  Another pic in
the bathtub!  After he left, we lounged in the tub for a good 20 -- 30
minutes, then started to kiss.  We washed each other off, and tickled and
played and giggled like a couple of little preteen boys in the tub
together!

We got out and there were extremely thick and soft towels for us on a
towel heater.  The room was not all that warm, but the towels were very
warm and cozy.  After drying off, we ran to the bed and got deep under
the covers.  We cuddled just to get warm.  Well - - maybe not JUST to get
warm.  Gus started to kiss me and I responded passionately.  My stomach
gurgled.

We laughed. And kissed again.  Then a huge burp came up.  It tasted
terrible!  All of a sudden I sprang from the warmth of the bed and ran
almost stumbling to the toilet.  I lost all my dinner!  Tears were
streaming down -- I don't know why -- and I felt so sick!  Guess it must
have been that wine/milk combination. We hadn't touched the Champaign!
 I was still feeling sick, but I brushed my teeth and then we got back
into the bed.  Gus held me until I went to sleep.  We were hugging the
opposite sides of the bed when we woke up.  I felt fine, but really
hungry!

We could have taken a train to Salzburg or driven ourselves.  The room
attendant (whom we tipped big!) talked us in to the train.  He said the
scenery was beautiful and we could see and enjoy it more if we were
sitting higher and one of us was not driving.  We went to the Trapp
Family home/museum.  We bought a CD that was the original von Trapp
family Singers, doing music from the "Sound of Music" movie.

From Salzburg we did drive to Lichtenstein and then Zurich.  I didn't
want to even touch any part of France, but we were able to sample some
French pastries in Zurich.

From Zurich we flew to London.  We stayed across a park from Buckingham
Palace. It was very cold in London.  Foggy for more than half the first
day.  It cleared up in the afternoon for awhile.  We walked past the
Palace and saw the guards standing like statues.  And just like every
movie and TV show I've ever seen, there were children and women
pestering the guards, trying to get them to smile or laugh.  They
didn't.

I asked another tourist to take our picture with the guards.  We sat down
in front of them, back to back and holding hands.  When we got back to
our room, and were scanning the shots we got, the one in front of the
guards surprised us.  One of the guards was obviously looking at us and
smirking.

For dinner, we wanted to experience typical English food.  We were sent
to a thatched roofed building with a restaurant in it -- the "Dragon's
Lair" or something.  We ordered pork roast and potatoes.  There was
strawberry shortcake for dessert.  I wondered where they might get fresh
strawberries this time of year.  Well, probably from Chile.  What a
disappointment when it arrived.

Well so much for American decadence!  And so much for English scarcity!
We got a piece of sponge cake with some strawberry juice on it.  That's
all!  Order that same dish in America anywhere and you get real
shortcakes, with a mound of strawberries, and heaped with whipped cream.
I know, way overboard!  But that's the American way -- and I that's the
way I like it!

We visited Stonehenge because I have always been fascinated with Merlin
and King Arthur.  I have read that Stonehenge was before them, but that
Merlin rebuilt it from ruins -- not so much thru magic as is told, but
thru engineering -- which seemed to be magic to the simple people living
there and then.  It was pretty awesome.  It actually felt kind of spooky
or eerie or something.  It was like I expected to see an elf or ogre
disappear behind one of those huge stones.  I didn't!

I was not disappointed that we missed France, but I wanted to see Spain,
and it wasn't on our itinerary either.  But our next move was to a
cruise boat -- not huge, but a sail boat and - - crazy fun!  We stopped
at Madagascar before sailing toward Italy.  Our first stop in Italy was
Naples.  From there, we rode a train to Rome and then to Florence.  All
that art concentrated in one country!  We were both in awe.

From Florence, we took a rickety old bus to Pisa.  It was in danger of
falling until in the 1990's it was restored to the angle of 1970.  It is
closely watched now.  We got an excellent picture of us standing in front
of it -- leaning the other way.

We rode the same old bus but back to Florence and then got another to the
Adriatic Sea, where we picked up another, older sail boat.  This time we
sailed to Greece.  Athens was spectacular.  The Parthenon was so much
more impressive than can be shown in pictures. We cruised to several
Greek Islands.  Boy, they love Americans there!  I almost started to like
the food before we went to Istanbul.

Istanbul was the closest we got to an Arab land.  Turkey is heavily
populated with Arab type people.  They are the most beautiful people in
the world, I think!  The men are beautiful as the women!  Our tour guide
was a shortish young Turk, with stout features, but very VERY handsome!
Probably about our age.  I think he was straight, but everyone there
seems to flirt with everyone else!  I think they are a very happy people
is all.  Mutlu  (Happy, in Turkish) was his name.  Once I figured out he
wasn't flirting with us, it was easier to concentrate on the scenery!

Many people consider Turkey to be the birthplace of the Christian
Church.  I can't see that, cuz it seems to me it started in Jerusalem
when Jesus picked his apostles.  Anyway, it seems strange that a land
known for very rich Christian history is now mostly Muslim.

We were so close to Palestine!  I wanted to go there.  Actually, we could
have, just by postponing our flight out of Istanbul and going.  But the
day we were considering it, there was a bus blown up by terrorists in
Jerusalem, so we decided to just get on the plane and leave that all
behind us.

My dad told me that years before, his next door neighbors were from
Jordan.  This guy grew up -- his younger years in Palestine.  In 1948,
his family, Christians, were forced out by the United Nations, and were
promised by the Jews that their land and home would be paid for.  It
never was!  This is one reason the Palestinians are so upset.  The Jews
came in, under the authority -- and force -- of the United Nations, and
drove the non-Jews out, making promises that were never kept.  That
didn't seem fair to my dad.  My response was that there are a lot of
things that happen in the world.  Very few are "fair".  That was over
50 years ago.  It seems unfair, but - - they should get over it.

So we flew from Istanbul to Mexico.  It made me sick looking at the air
over Mexico City from the plane.  I got sicker when we deplaned.  We
spent 2 days touring Mexico City.  It was interesting, but we were both
half sick most of that time.  Then we got on a bus and went south past
Popocatepetl, a live volcano, that they said could blow any time.  We
couldn't see the top because it was covered in smoke.

Taxco is a silver town.  It is very pretty, and it seemed like there
should have been the ocean there -- but there wasn't.  I bought a silly
silver belt buckle with coral and turquoise (or plastic?!) inset in it.
Gus made fun of me for it!

Then we went further south and west to Acapulco.  I wanted to stay there
forever!  But we could not do that, so after some beach runs, some
shopping and a very scary parasailing adventure, we reluctantly got back
on the bus and headed for Guatemala and Belize. There is so much history
in Mexico and everywhere south.  We were two weeks into the tour, and
called home.  Mom and Dad said to take our time, but really we wanted to
be back before we ran them out of money.  But we made stops at most of
the major cities on the TransAmerican highway.

We had to take a side trip to see Machu Picchu.  It was so high in the
Andes Mountains it was hard to breath.  Luckily there is a hotel built
there for tourists.  It was the lushest, greenest place I've ever seen!
It was much bigger than I expected.  The Incan Indians built it as a
place of protection for their people from the other warrior tribes.   The
Hotel sold picnic lunches, so we bought some and went for our own tour.

As we made love in a remote, hidden, very green spot a world away from
the civilization we were used to, I wondered if the Incas were tolerant
of their gay people.  I know some North American Tribes were.  Others
weren't.

Gus wildly got himself off inside me, as we stood stark naked in a narrow
green pass, as I braced myself on some ancient wall, and stroked myself
off at the same time.  I know we will never forget the time we "came
together" at Machu Picchu!  We were both way out of breath -- and
happy!  We collapsed on our clothing and fell asleep in the tepid air.
No one bothered us until we awoke to a noisy bird fighting with a smaller
rodent of some kind.

As we lay in the hotel at Machu Picchu, listening to the crickets and
night creatures sing, we started anew to cuddle and kiss each other.  But
since we were both exhausted from a heavy day, we satisfied ourselves
with a very quiet and gentle fuck -- me on top this time.

Our wake up call was early, as we were to ride to Chile and on to
Argentina.  There were so many places to see, I have written elsewhere
about them.  What I was most impressed with in South America was Iguazu
Falls, between Paraguay and Brazil.  Picture Niagara in a lush green rain
forest.  Now magnify it (width) many times.  Iguazu is the longest fall
in the world.  As we traveled to it -- by bus -- they had to chop some of
the undergrowth from the road as we went -- it grows so fast!
(http://www.greatestplaces.org/book_pages/iguazu2.htm)

New York, New York!  I know I will be hated by some people for this, but
- - I've seen waaaaay too much of Los Angeles.  New York was like more
of the same -- only worse!  I don't like big cities!  (Or - - I
didn't!  But more later on that!)  Luckily Gus agreed.  We went up
through Northern New York to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  Upstate
New York reminded me a lot of Northern California.

It was beautiful.  We mostly kept the top down on the car unless it was
raining.  It was cold, but we wore warm jackets and kept the windows
rolled up to hold back the wind.  My dad told me he has a rich 2nd cousin
-- or something -- who, with his gay partner, has a compound in Vermont
with several other gay couples.  Some guy named Robert Balser.

They are all gay, but they adopted a bunch of children from Russia or
something.  But it was out of the way, so we didn't look them up.  Dad
said that one of the guys got the idea to adopt these kids from Russia
and to find and bring their mothers over here to take care of them.
Someday I will have to come back and see how it works.

When we hit the narrow New Hampshire coast, we drove north up the coast
of Maine.  Some wild and beautiful country.  We were finally forced to
put the top up on the convertible.  The heavy mist was too wet.

We stopped at an overlook.  The Atlantic surf was crashing on some very
jagged and primitive looking rocks.  It wasn't raining, but it was
plenty cold, with the overcast and the light mist.  We got out of the car
and looked down upon the rocks, the surf and the salt spray.  It had a
slightly different smell than the salt/oil smell of the southern
California coast.

Gus was standing behind me, his arms holding me tight, as if he were
protecting me from something.  I relaxed back onto his body, and he
nuzzled my neck and kissed my neck and ears.  "Cole, I wish this would
never end."

"I know.  But my parents can't keep us like this for too long."  I
answered.

"Oh!  No, I meant -- I want us to always be as close and as much in love
as we -- as I feel right now."

"Oh!"  I didn't mean it to sound so surprising.  I was just on a
different page.

"Isn't that what you want?"  he said, nuzzling my neck again.

"More than anything in the world, Gus.  At almost 21 years old most of
the guys I know don't want to even think of settling down.  Why are you
so much different?"

"Me?  What about you?"

"Gus,"  I started.  Then I got choked up.  "Gus -- I am going blind.
I guess -- umm -- guess that -- it's still hard for me to imagine that
you want to take care of me!"  I started to cry.  "Shit!  I didn't
want to do this!  But -- but -- I sometimes ask myself if I could
possibly be as open and accepting as you are."

"I think you're being too hard on yourself, Cole.  You're paranoid
because you are the one who is in the situation.  I feel so much love
from you!  If it was then other way around, I KNOW you would be here for
me!  I just can't imagine not being loved by you!"

I turned and looked into his eyes.  I looked from one to the other and
back.  "I know.  I would be there for you!  It just is so fucking -- so
-- not fair!"  I said exasperated

"Cole!  Such language!"  He said kidding me.  "I know -- sometimes
there is no language sufficient to express what we feel.  You are so much
smarter than I am -- that's why you can express yourself more easily
most of the time NOT using that kind of language.  But seriously -- life
is never fair, is it?"

"I guess not.  But -- sometimes I think of us -- and I am so happy that
we are together.  Well, I'm ALWAYS happy for that!  But sometimes I am
so sad that we probably won't have kids to call us daddy."

"Your cousin -- or your dad's cousin, is it?  Maybe we should have
stopped to see them."

"I don't know.  I guess we're close enough that we could go back.  But
-- I don't think -- I -- not this trip."

I took a big breath, sighed, and laid my head on his chest.  He stroked
my hair with one hand and with the other, he produced, from his pocket, a
very masculine looking ring with a huge diamond in it, and held it in
front of my nose.  I stared at it for a moment, then as it was really too
close to see, I reared my read back and to see it better.  Then I looked
at Gus.

"What's this?"  I asked.

"It's a ring."

"Duh!"  I said.

"Cole, I was hoping for a quiet spot like this to give it to you.  I
want you to think about this before you take it.  I want you to tell me
that you love me and you will spend your whole life with me."

I was so stunned.  Not by the thought of staying with Gus.  And really -
- not that he would want to stay with me.  "Gus -- where did you get - -
THAT?!"

"Oh!  In the last town we were in.  It was at the counter.  COLE!  It's
not real.  Like, where would I get the money - "

"That's exactly what I was wondering."

"It's something to just put away in your jewelry box, really.  It was
the thought that excited me.  It's not real!  If you wear it, it will
get dull and crappy looking really fast.  But - - it means - - a lot --
to me -- if you take it.  The ring is fake, but the way I feel is not!"

I started laughing.  He stepped back and scowled.  "No -- no --
NOOOO!"  I said.  I just am so happy!  SOOOOOO happy!  And either I had
to cry or laugh.  I'm tired of crying, dammit!  Gus, this is the
happiest I've ever felt -- in my entire life!  Laughing feels great!  I
feel a little drunk, even!"

"Drunk?"  He exclaimed, and started laughing too.  I know he couldn't
keep a straight face with me laughing.  We laughed some more, and then I
grabbed him and kissed him!  There was no one else around, so he picked
me up and laid me on the warm hood of the car.  Then he crawled on top of
me and kissed me deep, and our bodies made faux love to each other.

We got back in the car, and I said, "When can we tell the others?"

"You mean -- your family?"  He said.

"Don't you want others to know?"

"You mean at school?  I'm not sure."

"I mean your family, Gus."

"I -- oh!  Well, um -- I dunno if I'm ready for that.  M y mom -- you
know -- she knows.  And she says my dad probably knows.  And she says she
is proud of me and loves me no matter what.  But - "

"But?"

"You may have noticed -- she hasn't gone out of her way to contact me
since I've been with your family.  And they're only a few blocks away.
I really do think she loves me.  But I think she's -- well, embarrassed
to let any of her friends know.  She's proud of me -- but -- not -- of
THIS."

"Gus.  Um -- you -- um -- haven't gone out of your way to contact her
-- them -- either."  I said looking deeply into his eyes to see what was
behind them.  (Okay, I only could look in one eye at a time.  But that's
all full-sighted people can do anyway!)  His gaze went from me.  He
looked far away for a moment.

"I know.  But I just keep seeing the pleading look in Rex's parents
eyes -- that we never give away his -- well, THEIR -- secret.  I think
that's how my mom feels.  I'm not even sure about Dad.  I feel closer
to my new parents!"  He started the car and drove on.  A big lump seemed
to constrict my breathing, as I thought about how wonderful my parents
are.

We stopped overnight at a bed-and-breakfast. It was so sweet that night.
He made sweet love to me three times.  Of course I reciprocated, but it
seemed like he couldn't get enough of me.  That made me feel so good!



We woke up and drove through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and took a ferry
to Prince Edward Island, where we stayed at a wonderful old Scottish
hotel for the night.  One thing I like about being a guy -- and being
WITH a guy is -- I understand girls are not horny as much as guys!  We
had sex almost every night on our trip!  We drove back to Halifax the
next morning, where we hopped a plane thru Montreal to British Columbia
-- Vancouver.

In Canada, you are never out of the earshot from running water.  You can
stop anytime and listen, and water is running.  This is in wide contrast
to the Los Angeles area, where the rivers are in reality only dry beds
that are for storm control in the winter.  And even in winter they only
have water when it is raining.

My parents had reservations at a beautiful old hotel in Vancouver, but we
had to cancel because we stayed too long in South America.  The only
place we could get -- because it was a weekend when we got there -- was a
small motel on a not very nice side of town.  We took a taxi from the
airport and when we were settled in the room, I asked about some bottled
water.  The tap water at this place was not too good -- or at least not
what I was used to.

"I looked as we were coming in."  Gus said.  "I didn't see any here.
But there's a little market down I saw the street.  I'll be right
back!"  He ran out the door.  I thought about what a great time we had
had on this trip.  And tomorrow we were going home.  We took hundreds of
pictures, and I tried to remember each place in my mind, knowing that the
pictures someday would be useless to me.

I got undressed, and put on the silk sleep pants that Gus bought me in
Mexico.  I wanted this last night of our trip to be the best!  I was
trying to figure out the TV -- to see if there was a music channel,
because there was no radio, when there was a knock at the door.  I smiled
and walked over and , just in case it wasn't Gus, I only opened it a
crack, with the safety latch on.

In the dim light outside our room, there stood two policemen.  I wondered
what was going on.  I knew we didn't do anything wrong.

"Is your name Cole?"  One of them asked.

"Yeah, just a minute, let me get my passport."  I didn't  invite them
in.

"You'd better get your clothes on sir.  Your friend is in an ambulance
out here."

I felt a piercing stab go through my chest.  "What?!!"

"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, sir.  He was mugged a
block away.  The convenience store operator called the police and we got
here only to find him on the ground."

"Oh my God!"  I panicked.  "Is he -- is he - "

"He's in the ambulance and asking for you, sir.  Please hurry."

I had been just standing there in my shorts.  I jumped into a pair of
pants and whipped on a shirt and jacket.  I grabbed some shoes, and socks
and ran out barefoot.  I cut my foot running to their car.  They took me
the short distance -- a block away -- where the ambulance waited.

I jumped out of the police car and ran to the ambulance.  There was my
sweetheart lying on his back, with a bandage covering most of his face.
Tears sprang to my eyes.

"You've cut your foot, sir, let me - "

"Is he -- um -- critical?"

"If he was sir, we wouldn't have waited for you.  We didn't want to,
but he insisted on it."

I crawled to where I could see Gus's face better and - - he could see
me.  I couldn't tell how much damage there was with the bandages there.
He gave me a grimacing smile.

"Sorry, Babe!  I kinda screwed up tonight, didn't I?"  He said to me.

My stomach was in knots, and all of a sudden I realized that he wasn't
seriously hurt.  With all that pressure off, and the relief I felt, it
was too much for me.  I took several gulping breaths, trying no to break
down, but it didn't work.  He put out his arms to me.  "Careful his leg
sir!" the attendant said.  It was then I first noticed that he had
cleaned and bandaged my foot up where I had cut it running to the police
car.

I gingerly knelt by the folded up gurney and lay my head on his chest.
He patted my head and petted my hair.  That gave me the permission I
needed.  I sobbed only once, and squeezed out tears of relief.  He just
held me and patted my back.

"You guys are pretty close brothers, eh?"  The attendant said.

We both giggled.  "Yeah, pretty close!"  I said.

"Oh!"  the attendant said.  Then he lowered to a whisper -- for what
reason I don't know, `cuz no one else was there. "Are you gay?  Hee
hee!"

I took a chance.  "You mean, `too'?"

"Yeah!  Hee hee!"

"Yeah, um, I thought so."  I said.  "I'm Cole and this is Gus.  But
you already know that."

"Yeah!  Hee hee!  I'm Kian."

"You look very young Kian."

"I'm eighteen!"  he fired back defensively, then relented.  "Actually
I'm not supposed to be by myself here, but it was so busy tonight, and
several guys called in sick with the flu."

"Bummer!"  I said.  "Wow!  You look about 16!  Do you have a -- a
boyfriend?"

"Yes! Hee hee!  I'm gonna see him in 1 ½ hours -- when I'm off."

"Cool.  How old is he?"

"He just turned 19!  We've been together since 11th grade."

"Do your parents know?"

"No way!"

"Do you live at home -- with your parents."

"Yes!  And I hate it!"

"So -- why do you stay?"

"Economics."

"So your parents are letting you stay in their home while you -- do you
go to school?"

"We both go to Douglas Community College."

"Cool.  Who's paying for your education?"

"Hee hee!  The government!"

"Cool!"  I said.  "Is it a 2 year school?"

"Yeah."

"And your partner -- is he also training to be an EMT?"

"No.  His dad is a pharmacist.  He will probably work for his dad, eh?"

"Is his dad okay with your relationship?"

"Dunno!  We haven't told anyone yet."

"You can't keep it a secret forever."  I said, catching a frown from
Gus's bandaged face.  "Won't it be hard for -- um -- what's your
guy's name?"

"Nicolas -- Nicky!"

"Won't it be kinda hard to work with -- and FOR his dad if Nicky is
gay, and his dad doesn't like it?"

"Maybe.  That's why we aren't telling them."

"Oh."  I said looking at Gus.  He looked disapproving of my
conversation.

"Hey!  Do you guys wanna go out to a place tonight -- after Gus is
finished at the hospital?"

"Will he be able to leave the hospital?"

"Oh yeah!  Nobody stays in the hospital up here unless they are near
death.  But it is free!"

"Where would we go?"  I asked.

"To a bar -- not a regular bar where a lot of drunks are.  It's a gay
bar.  They also serve non-alcoholic drinks at a decent cost."

I looked at Gus.  He was bobbing his head.  "I guess so."  I said.

"KewELL!"  Kian said.  "So -- are you guys about 28?"

Now it was my turn to giggle.  "Gus and I are both almost 21."

"Oh!  Hee hee!  You're still boys too, Eh?  Hee hee!"

" `Fraid so."

We pulled into the St. Paul's Hospital emergency room.  Luckily there
were not many patients there.  They saw Gus, treated him (set his nose
which was broken) and we were out in 90 minutes.  When we came back out
through the waiting room there were several more people there, and more
coming in a long line.  I saw a head pop up over the others in the line,
as if he were looking for someone.  He spied someone near us and quickly
walked our way.

This guy was young, but very sure of himself.  He was 6'-6" tall and
very nicely proportioned.  Buff, I would say.  He walked directly up to
me.

"Hi!  Are you Colin?" He said in a melodious bass voice.

"Erm -- Cole is my name!"

That's it!  Sorry!  Kian told me but I got mixed up I guess."  He
flashed me a wonderful toothy grin, and he had very cute dimples.
"I'm Nicolas."

"Nic -- OH!  Nicky!"  I said.

"Yeah!"  he blushed.  "Kian insists on calling me that!  And you must
be Gus -- the injured one!  Man they weren't kind to you were they?"

Gus's face was all discolored yellow and black and blue from the broken
nose and also he was beat up pretty bad.  "Thanks!" Gus said.  "I
needed to hear that!"

"Oh!  Sorry!"  Nicolas said.  And as if one foot wasn't enough in his
mouth, he continued.  "Oh!"  he said looking at me.  "Kian said only
Gus was injured.  Were you there too?"

I felt puzzled only for a moment. "Wha -- oh!  No, I -- my eye has been
gone for awhile now."  I blushed but not as deeply as Nicolas did.

"Omigod!"  He said.  "Could I BE more stupid?  I'm sorry dude!  I -
"

"It's okay.  I am getting used to it.  When the other eye goes, I'll
wear dark glasses so people know!"  I'm afraid it came out more
bitterly than I meant it.

"Come with me, guys."  He led us out to a car.  Well, to call it a car
was understating it.  It's a Hummer H2, I think.  But it has a Cadillac
Escalade grill and looks all Caddy inside too.  He opened the door for
Gus, and then I got in the other side.  "Hi!"  Kian said, giggling.

"You're full of surprises!"  I said to him.  He giggled again.

"Pretty kewl, huh?"

"I -- uh -- guess!"  I said.  Then Nicolas got in.

"Hee hee!  They're speechless, Nicky!"

"Never a problem for you, is it, Kian?"  Nicolas said, humorlessly.
Then he looked in the rear view mirror at me.  "Kian likes my car more
than I do!"

"It is a pretty cool car!"  Gus said.

"I know.  But -- I feel like such a hypocrite -- or something - driving
it."

"Why?"  I asked.

"It's a fricken gas guzzler."

"Heh!  Bet it gets better mileage than mine!"

"What do you have?"

"We have a 1957 Pontiac Safari wagon."

"Really??!!  Kewl!"

"What -- you even know what it is?"  I said incredulously.

"Oh yes!  There were very few made.  They look like a Nomad, only more
ornate."

"That's the one."

"I'd rather have that!"

Stood and leaned up closer to him, and put my hand on his shoulder.  "I
don't understand, dude.  Why can't you be content with what you have?"

"It's because his dad bought it for him!"  Kian said.  "Did you see
the license plate?"

"Kian," Nicolas whined, "Shut up!"

"It says NX JNKR!  Is that kewl or wut?"

"What -- oh!  Nick's Junker!  Haha!"

"It fits!"  Nicolas said.  "But Kian is right!  Dad got it for me when
I graduated first in my class.  I just feel so guilty."

"Guilty for what?"

"If he knew about me and Kian -- he wouldn't be so happy!"

"Oh."  I said.  "If you graduated first in your class -- excuse me but
-- why are you going to a community college -- especially if your dad is
rich enough to get this for you!?"

"He likes my reasoning.  He can buy anything he wants, but - - he
appreciates frugality.  I told him I wanted to stay home -- with them --
and also to go to the JC to save some pennies."  Nicolas paused for a
moment then went on.  "Of course the real reason is because I want to be
with this idiot over to my right."  Kian giggled.

"You must really love him!"  I said, not really meaning as much as was
implied.

"Yeah, I do!  He embarrasses me sometimes when he gets like this, but --
I guess that's part of why I love him so much too.  He's silly.  I
can't ever be silly."

"Wow!"  I said.  "That's pretty deep -- and intuitive of you!"

"Blame it on my shrink!  He explained it to me.  But I got it!"

"Cool.  Do you know where you're going?"

"Yup!  The Odyssey Night Club.  It's the coolest gay club in town."

"You can go to night clubs at your age?"  I asked.  He started to
answer but was interrupted by Gus.

"I can't go there looking like this!"  Gus said.  "And besides, I'm
not feeling too good."

"Sheesh!  I really am an idiot tonight.  Insert third foot."

"Hee hee!"  Kian burst out.  You may have a third leg -- hee hee -- but
it's not quite a foot!  Maybe six inches!"  Then he giggled like a
little girl.

"See what I mean?"  Nicolas said.  "Be happy you only have to put up
with that for one night!  I get it all the time!"  I actually felt kind
of sorry for Kian.  As silly as he seems, it doesn't seem right to
belittle him like this.

"Do you HAVE to leave in the morning?"  Kian said, pleadingly.

"Actually we don't."  I said.  "We've been gone for over a month,
though, and we were supposed to be staying in the Four Seasons.  But we
overstayed in other places, and all reservations were closed there. We
are not too pleased with where we are staying now -- especially after - -
what happened.  So we just want to get home."

Nicolas pulled over his behemoth and pulled out his cell phone.  "Dad?
Yeah.  Listen, Kian met a couple guys -- brothers -- who are traveling
together.  They were supposed to stay at the Four Seasons, but were late
getting here.  They could only find this place on the wrong side of town,
and -- well, one of them got mugged walking to the store.  "Yeah.  Well,
Kian was the EMT that cared for him.  They're really nice -- from
southern California.  Yes I'm sure they're not GAY! They're brothers!
Yeah!  Traveling.  Do you think you could?  Call me back!  K!  Thanks!"

"Wow!"  I said.  "Do you think he can get us a better place?"

"Yeah!  The nicer places usually hold some special rooms for special
customers."

His phone rang.  "Yeah?  Cool.  Okay!  Wow!  WAY cool, Dad!"  He
stopped and turned the car around -- like on a dime!

"Wow!  How'd you do that?"  I asked.

"Four wheel steering.  Yeah, I DO like that feature!  So -- he just
called them and they are setting up a penthouse suite for you!"

"Oh!  I don't think we can afford - "  I said, then, "A penthouse
suite - - where?"

"The Four Seasons.  It's on my dad!  And know what else?"

"What?"

"If it's okay, we'll stay with you!  Dad said there were two rooms in
the suite and two king beds in each room.  Enough for all of us -- if you
wouldn't mind company.  Seriously, Kian!  It was HIS idea!"

"And you think he doesn't know?"  I said.

"Oh he doesn't!  He just thinks we are best friends.  Of course we ARE
best friends!  But it's a LITTLE more than that."

"This is so cool!"  Kian said.  "We've never stayed together all
night like this except in a camping tent!  We stay together all the time
at each others' houses, but we can't really DO that much there."

We checked in and then had to go back to our other place to get our
stuff.  Now that we were checked in to the Four Seasons, this place gave
us the creeps!  We got our stuff as quickly as we could!

We stocked up on drinks (all soft) and snackies and went up to our room.
Er -- ROOMS!  It was more than two rooms -- there was a living room with
kitchenette as well.

It was obvious that Kian had only one thing on HIS mind.  He ran into the
bathroom and then hollered, "Hey!  Look at this!"

We came running.  The first thing we saw was a very large tub -- enough
for two -- in a huge bathroom.  Then I saw it -- a TV -- in the
bathroom!  Cool!  Then I really saw "it".  I was appalled!  I really
think it was why Kian called for us to come in to the bathroom.  Kian was
naked -- like he was ready to get into the huge walk-in shower room --
with several showers on each wall.

He didn't even try to cover himself up at all.  I don't know that he
could have!  His dick hung all the way down to his knees!  It must have
been 12" long -- SOFT!  He giggled as he noticed that I realized I was
staring!  I wondered if this was part of the reason Nicolas -- well,
anyway, I tried not to drool.

Notes:  Well, what will our sweet boys do now?  Will they maybe -- but
naw!  They are not that kind of boys -- right?  Any comments may be sent
to Steve at s4d@hotmail.com.  Thanks and love, Steve


Bottom line: Love will Rule in the end.