Chapter 1
Clearwater

I opened my eyes to see the skinny blonde ten-year-old boy staring back, collapsed on the ground just inches away, taking rapid, tired breaths. Soft locks of golden hair dangled in front of his tanned face, barely touching the sand below. He grinned the moment he knew he had my attention, and his bare shoulders tensed with overflowing excitement. I offered a simple, friendly grin in return.

"This is the best day of my life," he whispered, peering into my eyes, then looked away. "I got something for you," he continued in a louder voice, reaching into the pocket of his swim trunks. I watched with intrigue as he pulled out a little shell, and I propped my head up to take a look. It was gorgeous; creamy white in color, and adorned with exotic hazel streaks.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, playing up my excitement just a little. "That's amazing! Where'd you find that?"

He smiled. "It's a nautilus shell. I found it when I was walking over to the tide pools earlier. A wave almost took it, and I had to jump in the water to get it!" he explained, squeezing it in his palm. "Sorry that it's kinda small. But I still want you to have it," he said, handing it to me.

"It's not small," I said, studying it up close, admiring the beautiful thing nature had created. "I think it's just right. Great find!"

He giggled, "Thanks," then rolled onto his back. "Come on!" he yelled, pumping a fist into the air before standing up and attempting to pull me to my feet. "I wanna go back in the water!"

Two Weeks Earlier

Crashing waves, seagull squawks, imperceptible conversations in the distance. I let out a delighted breath. My days were sprinkled with these familiar sounds, originating from the beach and traveling across the thin, paved road, echoing around the extensive valley of shops and restaurants around where I worked. It was a welcome and calming distraction from the frustrations that came with selling toys to young children, like the obnoxious little girl who had just come into the store.

Six-year-old Melanie wandered through the aisles, and though I couldn't see her, I knew she was causing trouble–she always was. I closed my eyes and pictured the ocean waves, pulling myself back into my happy place and away from the anxiety this girl often caused me, touching everything and rearranging all the carefully placed items on the shelves. It was only a matter of time before I heard the crash of falling toys, and the scolding of her father who wouldn't even bother to put the stuff back anyways. Only today, her dad wasn't with her, in his place an elderly woman I could only assume was her grandmother.

"Is that your granddaughter?" I called out to her from behind the shop counter, hoping she could recognize the annoyance in my folded arms, but she simply squinted behind her glasses and wandered over to me.

"You must be Annabelle's son," she said, smiling warmly.

"You know my mom?"

"Yes dear, she went to school with my daughter," she recalled in an exaggerated grandmotherly voice that sounded like something out of a cartoon. "Do you go to that same high school?"

I shook my head and told her I was a freshman at a college two states over, only working at my mom's toy store during summers. She widened her eyes upon hearing that I was nineteen, nodding along like I was explaining something complicated to her.

"What?" I asked, recognizing her incredulity.

"I'm surprised is all," she replied, speaking slowly and clearly. "You look so young! I didn't think you could be older than sixteen. It must be nice," she smiled, and adjusted her glasses.

I blushed. "Thanks, ma'am."

The little girl walked up to her grandma clutching an old-school rag doll, shyly ignoring my gaze, even though we saw each other every week. "Gramma, I want this," she said, holding the doll up to her grandmother.

"Not today, dear, we're only looking today," she reminded the girl, stroking her long brown hair. "I haven't brought my purse."

"Hey, she can have it," I said to them, drawing surprised looks from both of them. "Just don't mention it to my mom," I whispered, and gave them a friendly smile.

Melanie gripped the doll closer to her chest. Though she got on my nerves most of the time, seeing other people happy, no matter who, was a big priority to me.

"That's very kind, dear. But–"

"It's fine, okay?" I interrupted, and took out my wallet. "My pleasure. Really, those things are only like ten bucks." I took a bill and stuffed it into the register.

"Dear, you are a peach," the grandmother said, reaching a hand out.

"Just don't pinch my cheeks, ma'am," I said with a laugh and leaned away.

"What is your name?" she chuckled.

"It's Logan!" Melanie answered for me, giggling as she hid herself behind her grandma.

"Thank you, Logan. Tell your mother that Linda's mom sends her regards."

"I will. You guys have a nice day!"

They left, leaving the store empty, as it often tended to be. I first started working at the store when I was sixteen, and even then it seemed like we had more business. My mom always told me, Kids just don't want new toys like they used to. It was kind of her catchphrase growing up. The place had changed a lot since I first started working. That summer, on my first day back, I came in to find that the walls had been repainted, the whole style of the place completely changed.

The walls were decorated with all kinds of stuff that kids would enjoy. One wall was a forest, with all kinds of animals, like monkeys swinging in the trees, elephants, and even a unicorn. Another wall was a vast, grassy landscape, with two large rivers flowing through it, eventually convening into one big river. I personally liked that one a lot, often imagining myself relaxing there.

With the store empty, I walked over to the entrance, and took a look outside the window. Just down the long road of stores and restaurants was the beach, the place I longed to be. It was a hot day, and I closed my eyes, imagining the waves splashing over me, cooling me off. I was hoping for a beach day over the previous weekend, but it ended up raining from Friday to Sunday–just my luck.

After reclaiming my spot in the chair behind the counter, I nearly fell out of it when the front door opened briefly and slammed shut. I regained my balance and looked over to see what was going on.

There was a young boy outside, probably around nine or ten years old, pulling on the door with both hands, trying to open it, and I grinned to myself. He put one foot on the wall and tried pulling even harder, grimacing, before a woman of about thirty years old came up behind him and effortlessly pushed the door open. The bell on the door jingled behind them as they walked inside.

"Dork," she said under her breath, smirking at him. He squinted at her, but his messy medium-length sandy blonde hair that hung lazily over his eyes almost concealed the fact.

They were obviously beach-goers from the way they looked. The boy was exceedingly tanned, and had on a pair of lively green swim shorts, a white t-shirt, and slippers. A strong tan line peeped out from the bottoms of his shorts, and I felt a little jealous that he was getting the time in the sun that I longed for; there was nothing better than being a kid during summer. He turned away from his mom, and after spotting me, smiled a bright smile.

"Good afternoon!" he shouted theatrically across the store. His mom pushed him away into the aisles of toys, and his sandals slapped against the tile floor as he marched off on his long, skinny legs.

"Hi," I said as she walked up. She looked somewhere around thirty years old, wearing a simple gray dress with a sun hat, and removed the sunglasses that hid her striking green eyes.

"Hey. I'm trying to find some magic trick crap, preferably for a beginner," she said, tilting her head in the direction of her son, who was noisily rustling through something on the other side of the store.

"Sure," I said, stepping out from behind the counter. "Follow me."

I led her to the aisle her son was in, which happened to be the aisle with all the magic toys and kits. He was crouched, face scrunched up cutely, absorbed in the text on the back of some box he was holding.

"So, I heard you like magic?" I asked him, trying to get his attention.

"Nope," he said without looking up.

"Well, I thought I'd try magic, since I liked that stuff when I was a girl," she said, then lowered her voice. "I'm just trying to get him off Minecraft when he's at home. He can get… obsessive about things," she explained, peering over at the boy whose eyes were rapidly scanning over the small print. He finished reading, and set the box down on a shelf.

"Mom showed me a guy on YouTube who could shoot fire out of his hands! I wanna do that!" he said, pushing his palms out to imitate the guy. I swore I could make out the flickering flames and frantic bystanders in the reflections of his equally striking green eyes.

"That sounds like pretty advanced stuff," I said, and plucked a book from a nearby shelf. "You should try starting with something more simple, first. And less dangerous." I handed him the book, and he grinned as he took it from me, exposing a set of shiny white teeth. "You ever seen card tricks? There's some pretty crazy ones in here." He looked down at the book and flipped it open, leafing through the pages.

"That's perfect," his mom said. "Does it come with the cards?"

"Nah," I shook my head, "but they're cheap. Over here," I said, leading them over to another aisle. Unsurprisingly, the boy found and handed his mom a pack of Minecraft cards, and she rubbed her temple with one hand as she took them from him.

"Can I use the bathroom?" he blurted out as we walked back to the counter. I laughed and pointed him over to the small restroom tucked away in the corner of the store, and he scurried off.

"Sorry," his mom said. "He normally asks politely."

I chuckled and rubbed the back of my neck. "It's cool. I probably did the same thing at his age," I lied. I knew if I didn't have perfect manners as a kid, I would be feeling my mom's wrath.

"Nico!" she called out after paying for the items.

"I'm still going, jeez, Mom!" he called back, and I Iaughed. She saw me laughing and smiled.

"I'm Grace," she said, holding her hand out.

"Logan," I replied, shaking it.

The bathroom door burst open and the boy stepped out. "And I'm Nico!" he exclaimed, arms spread wide.

"Did you wash your hands?" Grace asked him, and he did a hasty one-eighty degree march back into the bathroom.

* * *

"Pick a card!" Nico demanded in his raspy little voice, and sprouted an enthusiastic grin as he held several fanned out cards in front of him. I leaned over the counter and plucked the ten of hearts from the selection.

Nico had returned exactly one week later, and was eager to show me what he had learned. Grace watched us from nearby, leaned against the wall with a smirk and folded arms.

"Okay, now stick it in!" he eagerly commanded, holding out the split deck of cards, and I slipped it between them. "Cool, now I will spread them all out for you to see," he said, and spread the cards across the counter. He studied them closely, scanning them with his tongue peeking out of his lips.

"You forgot–" Grace began.

"Shhh! I'm concentrating." Without looking up, he pointed his finger at her from behind his back, and she rolled her eyes, then pushed his face close to the cards for about a minute. "Okay, I'm done. It's this one," he said, unceremoniously selecting the ten of hearts and holding it out to me.

I looked down at the card with the pixelated Minecraft heart visuals. "That's it! Wow!" I said, copying Grace's smirk. "How'd you do that?"

"I know! It's magic. I just happen to be really good at it." He was beaming as he slid the card back into the deck and shoved it into his pocket.

"Tell Logan what happened to the other cards," she grinned. I did notice that there were less cards in the deck than there should have been.

"I spilled water on them. Do you have any games on your phone?" he asked, seemingly unconcerned.

I chuckled. "No, I don't really play stuff on my phone. There's some board games here, though."

"Cool! Can we play?" he asked, looking up at me.

"Logan has to work, honey," Grace told him, walking over and placing her hands on his shoulders. "Want to go down to the beach?"

"I could play," I offered. Grace looked at me like she was unsure, so I went on. "I mean, no one's here, it's been pretty slow today," I clarified. "And if someone does come in, we can just take a break."

Nico pumped a fist in the air. "Woohoo!"

"You sure?" she asked me quietly, and I nodded.

I grabbed an opened board game from the back room and we all went to sit on the floor off in a corner of the store. It was hardwood floor, but Nico was content to lie on his stomach as we played. Though Grace and I shaded ourselves from the hot sun, Nico was more than happy to bathe in the warm sunlight that poured over him from the window like syrup.

We spent the afternoon playing various board games and playfully ribbing each other. It felt like such a natural connection, like being with the family I never had. Since my dad lost his job when I was around Nico's age, he spent much of his time out of the house, often with friends, or at bars. We didn't have a bad relationship, but we were never as close as I would have liked to be. My older brother left for college when I was even younger, and I hadn't heard from him since. That left only my mom, who was always busy with the toy store, and though we got along well, I never really got to experience a normal family setting after I turned eight.

Grace had won for the second time in a row when I asked what her husband did. I noticed Nico's jubilant energy instantly subsided, and was replaced with a downward stare and quivering lips, realizing I had obviously brought up something difficult for him. Grace put an arm on his shoulder, and steered our conversation elsewhere. I wanted to know more, but held my tongue for the rest of the afternoon. After they said goodbye and headed off to the beach, I was left to wonder if Nico even had a father.

* * *

Familiar taco smells from the restaurant next door followed Grace through the front door of the toy store, snapping me out of my daydream. A week had gone by, with frequent visits from the two, so I had grown used to her showing up randomly.

"Hey you," she said.

"Hi, Grace. Where's the small one?" I asked.

"Down at the water. I'm just here to ask you something."

"Oh yeah?"

She placed a leg on one of the wooden benches I'd started leaving around for them and stretched. I had an easy time avoiding staring at her crop top and yoga pants, because she was nearly ten years older than me, and anything romantic was off the table. Still, I was starting to grow concerned that she was sometimes showing off and being flirty.

"Well, what is it?" I eagerly prodded.

She chuckled. "Would you like to go get some lunch with me, Logan?"

"Um… I think I–"

"Come on. I know it's your break in a minute." She saw me thinking about it and rolled her eyes. "Logan, never say no to free food."

"You're buying?"

She chuckled again. "Come with me."

I put up the Out to Lunch sign, and we went to a nearby field populated by the food trucks that I frequently visited. She took me to the falafel truck, insisting that I try their sandwich–for the love of God–and then we sat down at a nearby table to eat.

"You're right, this is incredible," I told her, taking a bite.

"Yes it is. Nico loves it here," she said, holding up the to-go bag she got for him.

"You guys ever go to Mike's? I grab a hot dog from there almost every other day." Mike's was a small little restaurant down the road, close to the beach, famous for their hot dogs and slushies.

Grace obviously didn't approve, making a grossed-out face. "Oh, that old place."

"You don't like it?"

"We're vegan, Logan."

"What? You are?"

"Dumb not to be."

I frowned, and changed the subject. "So, you work around here?"

She leaned back in her seat. "No, I haven't worked in years. I'm a full-time mama."

"Then your husband?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't upset her by bringing it up again.

"He's… gone," she sighed. "He passed, when Nico was seven," she said, her face expressionless.

"Shit. I'm sorry to hear that, Grace."

"That's life, kiddo. At least when your husband works with big cats."

"Oh jeez," I said, unable to help but picture the unfortunate scenario with vicious tigers. "That sounds violent."

"Nico's never really fully gotten over it; those two were inseparable. They had the same reckless, adventurous spirit. Always wanting to conquer the next thing, with the time in-between spent figuring out how exactly to do it. Best not to bring it up around him."

"I can't imagine what that must be like for him. Or you. At least you're a great mother to him, he clearly loves you a lot."

"I appreciate that, Logan. So, after all that happened, we took the lawsuit, took the life insurance, and moved here from the snow. All we can do is keep going."

I nodded. "Very inspirational."

"Indeed it is," she smiled. "So what about you? You couldn't have lived here all your life."

"Well, I did. Toy store's my mom's actually, she has me working over the summers to get some experience. I'm supposed to inherit it when she retires," I explained.

"The old family business," she said, nodding. "Is that what you want to do?"

"Eh, sort of. I dunno. I'm studying mechanical engineering, and I love it."

"Too bad you're an only child, could have shoveled it off to a sibling."

"I'm not actually."

"Really?"

"Got an older brother."

"Ah. So what, he didn't make the cut?"

I grimaced. "Something like that. It's complicated."

"Alright," she smirked. "Tell me another time, then."

We finished our lunch, and I thanked her and said goodbye as I returned to my post at the store, and she continued down to the beach to meet up with her son.

* * *

"You're really fine with this?" Grace asked me, frantically typing on her phone.

"Of course, Grace, he's always welcome to hang out here. What better place for a kid, right?"

"God, you are just the best." She came over to pat me on the shoulder, and looked down at her phone. "Okay great, I won't be more than two hours. Be good, kid!" she called to Nico as she trotted out the door. Nico was sitting across from me on a stool, busy reading his big book of magic tricks, but lifted his gaze and gave me a quick smile before returning to his reading.

I fanned myself with my spare hand, busying myself with my phone. When I looked up, I saw Nico staring at me from behind his book, and he quickly looked down. He did that a few more times before I finally called him out on it.

"What?" I shouted from across the room. "There something on my face?"

"You're sweaty," he said with a smile, then returned his focus to the book.

"Yeah, well, it's hot," I replied, intensifying my fanning. The ceiling fan had broken earlier in the day, and though I told my mom about it, she said she wasn't able to get anyone out to fix it until the following afternoon.

"But I'm not sweating."

"You spend all your time in the hot sun at the beach. I have to stay in here all day, and I'm used to having the fan going."

"If you're really hot, then you should take your shirt off. Everybody knows that."

I laughed, but his expression remained serious, and he looked back down at his book. The store was empty, and the few people that had come in earlier left quickly when they realized it was hotter than outside. I thought about how nice it would be to sneak down to the beach to cool off in the water.

Nico's book dropping to the floor snapped me out of my thoughts. "I'm so bored!" he moaned, getting up from the stool he was sitting on.

"Have a look around," I suggested. "We're in a toy store after all."

"Why can't I go down to the beach?"

"Because your mom said I should look after you."

"You don't have to look after me. I'm ten. Not five. I wanna go down to the beach!" He turned to look out the window.

"I know. Tell that to your mom though, not me. I'm just your friend."

He turned and smiled. "You're my friend?"

"Yeah, dude!"

He ran his hands over his face, seemingly delighted by his discovery. "Awesome," he whispered, and walked off to the other end of the store. A few moments later I heard him say, "Wow!" and I walked over to find him examining some of the skateboard decks mounted on the wall.

"Cool, yeah?" I said. It must have startled him, because he snapped his head towards me with a jolt.

"Um, yep! I like the one with the yellow sticks!" he said. I raised an eyebrow at his unusual description. He was pointing at a deck decorated with a close-up image of french fries and the caption, YUM.

"Is that your favorite one?" I grinned.

He looked over them again, placing a finger over his mouth in thought. "Mmm, no. I like the one with the pink starfish!"

I smiled at him. "Same," I said. "You don't know who it is?"

"Uh, no?"

"It's Patrick, from Spongebob," I told him.

"Oh. I don't really watch YouTube a lot," he said, kicking a slipper against the floor.

I frowned. "Hey, have you ever been skateboarding before?"

"Nope," he said, and went back to looking around.

"Wanna try it?"

He quickly turned to me. "Wait, really?" he asked. "Don't you have to work?"

I shrugged. "Meh. It's been slow today, as you can see," I said, motioning to the empty store. "I wouldn't mind getting outside for a little. At least there might be a breeze out there. And I'll just come back inside if anyone shows up."

He grinned and jumped in the air. "Woohoo!" I grinned back, then went into the back room to grab the old skateboard that Mom kept in the back of the store for whatever reason.

* * *

"Are you sure this is safe?" Nico asked me after falling on his ass for the second time, sending the skateboard hurdling across the road.

"Well, ideally you'd have pads on and stuff, but I don't have any of that here," I said, going to retrieve the skateboard.

More than anything, going outside was just an excuse to get out of the heat for a brief moment, and also get some relief from the refreshing ocean breeze. Since kids normally skated around on the street and sidewalks, I wasn't worried about disturbing the other shops on the block, and beach traffic was minimal during the week.

After having him go down the sidewalk in a straight line a couple times, I tried to show him how to turn. He had trouble, losing his balance a bunch, but pretty consistently being able to catch himself before hitting the ground. The one time he didn't, however, he landed directly on his knees. I sprinted over as he got up, and saw his right knee scraped up pretty badly with blood starting to pool up.

"Ahhhhhh!" he moaned, squeezing the skin on his leg, voice squeaking on the verge of tears.

"Shit," I said out loud. "You okay? Come on." I grabbed the skateboard, and took him by the wrist, leading him back to the store.

"It stings!" he whined. "Ow ow ow!"

"Sorry. I shouldn't have let you do that without gear. Shit, I'm stupid."

He said nothing, his face red and dejected as I pulled him through the store and into the small bathroom. I put the toilet seat down and had him sit on it, then pulled a couple paper towels out of the dispenser. Kneeling by him, I reached around his basketball shorts to hold the back of his leg as I dabbed at the blood with a balled-up paper towel. He was whimpering softly, so I gently rubbed his leg as I cleaned him up, which seemed to help quiet him down. The only sounds that came from him were occasional sniffles.

"How's it feel?" I asked him.

"Really good," he replied.

"The scrape?" I asked, confused.

"No, it hurts!"

"Oh, um, well, take your mind off it for a second. I'm going to try cleaning it with some water."

"How do I do that?"

"I don't know, try focusing on… something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know." I ran some paper towels under the sink, then went back to crouching by him. "Why don't you tell me about another magic trick?"

"No! It's boring to hear about them. The only part that's fun is when you get to see the magic." He thought for a moment. "Can we play Truth or Dare?"

Truth or dare? That was a game I hadn't played since probably middle school. I didn't see the harm, and it would help get his mind off his wound.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Truth or dare?"

"Dare," he said boldly.

"Okay," I said, wetting a paper towel in the sink. "I dare you to… hold your breath." I pressed it against his knee, and he sucked in through his teeth. "It's okay?" I asked him.

"Yep," he squeaked, slamming his eyes shut. When I finished, he opened them. "That wasn't a real dare!" he complained, and I shrugged. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," I replied, busy rummaging through the drawers for some antibiotics.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Really? Is that so interesting?" I turned to find him grinning widely.

"I wanna know!"

"Alright," I sighed. "Red's pretty cool."

"I think so too," he smiled. "Now you go!"

"Okay, truth or dare?" I finally found the Neosporin, and brought it over to him.

"Dare!" he exclaimed.

"Alright, close your eyes." I held him by the leg again as I applied the Neosporin. Once I was done, he opened his eyes, frowning.

"That wasn't a real dare! Come on, you're not even playing!"

"Okay, we'll go do a real dare then. Follow me." I led him back into the store and picked up a toy basketball. "I dare you to stand here," I said, pointing at a spot on the ground, "and shoot this into the hoop over there," I said, pointing to the other side of the store.

He snatched the ball from me. "What if I don't make it?"

"I didn't say you had to make it, just shoot it."

"That's no fun!" he grumbled.

"Well, I'm not going to punish you for missing."

"What do I get if I make it then?"

I thought about it. "We'll do one more round of truth or dare."

"Kay." Intense focus washed over his face. He gripped the ball with both hands, and spread his skinny legs wide. With his tongue poking out of his mouth, he crouched down and then launched the ball with perfect form. It soared through the air, over the aisles of toys, directly to the hoop, smacking against the backboard and falling straight into the net.

"Damn!" I said, taken by surprise, and patted him on the back. "Look at you! Little pro over here!"

He raised his arms up in glory and ran laps around the store, while I watched with a smirk. When he finally came to a stop beside me, we just grinned at each other while he caught his breath.

"Truth or dare?" he asked.

"Truth," I replied, sitting down on a bench. He took a seat next to me, dangling his legs above the ground.

"Stop doing truth," he said, and kicked the toy basketball on the floor over to me.

"Oh, so you're one of those people who only wants to play the dares?" I said, kicking the basketball back to him.

He giggled and passed it back. "Fine, then how tall are you?"

"I guess I see why," I mumbled, noting that interesting questions clearly weren't his strong suit. "I'm five foot eleven."

"Wow," he said. "I wanna be that tall. Mom said I'll get really tall because it's in our genes." He grabbed my arm, and then held his soft hand against mine. "You have really big hands," he observed.

I pulled my hand away. "You think?" I said, pretending to be offended, inspecting them.

The door jingled as a middle-aged man came in. He coughed once, then headed down to the other end of the store.

"Alright, last one," I told him, getting up from the bench. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare! Duh."

I looked around, trying to come up with an idea as we both walked back over to the counter, and it hit me. "Dare you take care of that customer," I said with a smirk.

He gasped, and looked over to where the man was. "No way!"

"You have to. It's a dare," I reminded him. "Unless you wanted to do truth."

"What do I do?" he whispered. I led him behind the counter and explained that he should wait for the customer to come to pay, then scan the barcode and either put the money in the register or swipe his card on the machine.

"Oh yeah, and ask if he found everything okay," I reminded him. "If there's a problem just come get me. Good luck!"

I walked into the back room, turning on the computer so I could watch from the security cameras, chuckling at my ingenuity. He took his position at the cash register. Even standing on his tippy-toes, he only barely came past the counter, and I watched him scratch the back of his leg using his other foot. Another camera showed the customer on the other side of the store, looking through the bargain bin, before making his way over to the counter.

"Hello," Nico said to the man as he approached.

"Oh, hi, um, are you–"

"Yep, give me that," Nico said, snatching the magic eight ball from his hands. "Did you find everything good?"

"Yeah," the man said timidly, scratching his head, the ten-year-old working the register seeming to short-circuit his brain.

Fortunately, he paid in cash, so it was only a matter of Nico finding the right button to push. The man watched as he scanned the register for the right button, which he finally did find after an awkward moment. He handed the toy back to the man.

"Okay, see ya!" Nico said, flashing a smile.

"That's a five," the man said, pointing at the register.

"Oh," Nico said, looking down at the man's outstretched hand. "Thank you so much!" he said earnestly, taking his hand and shaking it.

The man looked hopelessly confused, and sighed. "Whatever. Thank you," he said, and hurried out of the store while the receipt printed out of the register.

I pushed the door open, and Nico turned around with a confident grin. We burst out laughing.

"That was great!" I told him. "Maybe we should hire you full time."

"That's okay. It's really boring," he said, and we shared another laugh. "So, truth or dare?"

"More?" I said, and he pouted his lips. "Okay, last one then." He raised an expectant eyebrow. "Dare."

"Yesss, finally! Jeez," he moaned. "Kay, I dare you to let me lick you."

"Lick me?"

He smiled, letting his tongue fall out of his mouth. "La… on la larm!" He put both hands forward and approached me slowly.

I began backing up. "Oh, yuck!" I said, feigning playful disgust and holding up my hands.

He cornered me against the wall, giggling. I held him away by his shoulders as he pinned me, laughing as he waved his face and tongue at me in a threatening manner. We were both cracking up as he continued his assault, and I defended myself until someone came in the store, ringing the door's little bell.

He stopped immediately, blushing and crawling off of me as I stood up. It was Grace, and she nodded when she spotted me.

"Hey guys," she said, looking through her purse.

"Hi mama!" he said, making his way out from behind the counter.

"Ready to go?"

He looked down and kicked at the floor with his slippers. "Um, nope. Not yet." He looked over at me. "Can I stay with Logan?" I just smiled back.

She chuckled. "No, honey, come on, we gotta go. We'll come back next week, alright?"

He reluctantly shuffled over to her, and she pushed him away towards the door.

"Thanks," she said, looking back at me. "Sorry."

"No problem. Don't be!" I smiled.

Nico looked back as she marched him out, and smiled when our eyes met, making more absurd licking motions with his tongue as I waved to him.

* * *

"I hope you don't mind that we've adopted your store as our new hangout spot," Grace said as she dumped the contents of a large paper bag onto the desk in the back room.

"Fine with me, but what is all that?" I asked, standing in the doorway.

"Our haul!" Nico exclaimed, hovering over the pile and sticking his lollipop back in his mouth. I raised an eyebrow at Grace.

"Thrift shop," she explained. "We've made it a weekly thing."

"And it's the biggest one yet!" Nico said excitedly, digging through the pile of clothes and random knick knacks.

I went over to look with them. Four pairs of Nico-sized pants, Minecraft-themed toy cars (why would such a thing exist?), a bluetooth speaker, several mesh tea infusers, and all kinds of other crap in a similar vein. The two looked at each other with wide grins as Grace pulled out a selfie stick from the heap. I envied their amazing relationship, realizing I had never had a relationship with my parents quite like the one Nico and Grace seemed to possess.

"Come on, Logan," Grace said. She had set her phone up on the stick, and was holding it out. "Get in here." I squeezed in between them, and she took a photo. After reviewing it, she shook her head. "The light is terrible in here. Let's get some sunlight."

She led us out to the entrance of the store, and took more pictures, even having us do a round of funny faces. At some point, Nico slid his arm around my waist, and hugged my side. They headed to the beach after that, leaving me to myself at the store, where I was kept busy with customers for the afternoon.

Several hours later, Nico showed back up by himself, his tawny hair exhibiting that wet-but-now-dried look.

"Hi," he said, standing by the door.

"Hey, Nico!" I greeted. "I hate to say it, but you need a shirt and shoes to be in here."

He tugged at the hem of his damp swim shorts. "It's kay. I just wanna ask you real quick… wanna come down to the beach with us?"

I chuckled at the endearing offer. "I'm still working right now, but if you guys are still there in–" I checked my phone, "–an hour, I'll come find you."

A smile spread across his face. "Awesome! See ya!" he said, and charged out the door, back down toward the beach.

An hour later, I closed up and moved my car down to the parking spots closer to the beach. I headed down to the water where sure enough, I found the two with their little setup of umbrellas and chairs. I snuck up behind them and shook Nico's beach chair, causing him to scream, which made Grace scream too. When they both turned and saw me, we all roared with laughter. I settled in with them, taking off my shirt so I could enjoy the sun properly.

"Can I get another picture?" Grace asked, taking out her phone.

I nodded, and moved in front of her as she reclined in her beach chair. Nico came over and stood in front of me, and I wrapped my arms across his neck. With two big smiles, the photo was snapped. Nico sat back down in his chair, and I took a seat next to him in the sand. Grace offered for me to take his chair, but Nico complained, wanting instead to sit in my lap. After making sure it was fine with me, I took his spot and he climbed onto me, roosting his thinly-clad bottom on my lap.

I found myself in a predicament when his constant wriggling and shifting in my lap started to give me an unintentional erection, and tried to readjust my position so he wouldn't feel it. Even though he didn't seem to notice, it got uncomfortable enough for me to stand up and excuse myself to the water, but Nico wanted to tag along.

"Mama, can we take the boogie boards down?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course," she said, sliding the two boards across the sand to him. We thanked her and brought the boards down to the water, paddling slowly out through the crashing waves. When Nico splashed me with one hand, I splashed back, creating a short-lived water war between us, until a big wave came that we both caught and rode all the way to the shore.

The water made his long blonde hair look even longer, and his tan skin glossy to the point of incandescence. We boarded around for a while, with him occasionally jumping off and playfully wrestling me, letting loose joyful shrieks that I couldn't help but become addicted to. When my energy was finally depleted, I rode one last wave to shore where I climbed out of the water and dramatically collapsed into the sand, eliciting uproarious laughter from him as he joined me.

That was when he told me that day was the best day of his life, and offered me a beautiful little shell as a gift. We spent another hour or so at the beach, playing in both the water and the sand, before Grace told him he had to go. He was devastated, but I cheered him up a little by spending some time helping him and his mom bring their stuff up to their car. We said our goodbyes, but that wasn't enough for him as he rolled down the window as they were driving away to offer another one.

* * *

The two came by the store fairly frequently, but after getting home from work the following Friday, my mom surprised me with an envelope containing an airplane ticket back to college–her thanks for handling the store over the summer. I was pleased to not have to buy the ticket myself. I took the flight back that Sunday, and even though it was wonderful spending the summer by the beach, I was happy to get back to my dorm room, which felt more like a true home to me with the amount of freedom there.

Lying in my bed, my mind wandered to Grace and Nico, who I knew were still living it up at the beach. I'd miss them, and regretted not getting Grace's phone number. After that, I put them out of my mind, with my focus returning to class and the busy social life of college.

***

The following summer, my roommate and two other friends invited me to spend two months in Australia, and I happily accepted their offer, thrilled to go on such an adventure. We traveled all around Australia exploring just about everything there was to see and do. On the day we had to leave, my roommate and I actually cried at the tragedy of having to return to our normal lives.

After that, it was another year of school before I returned to my hometown. Mom was happy to see me, and even happier to have me take over the store again. I was happy to be back there as well, as I was saving for my own car for when I finished up college, and the money would be a huge head start.

***

The first day I set foot back in the store, I found a small nautilus shell sitting on the counter beside the cash register, and was suddenly jolted with the memory of Nico's gift and that precious summer. I picked it up, admiring its slightness and natural beauty. It had been a long time since I'd thought about Nico and Grace, but the small shell brought all the memories flooding back. I wondered if they were still around, but after two months of working in the store, they never showed back up. I considered that they might have moved away, though more reasonably, Nico had probably just grown too old to be visiting a toy store.

It was early August, and I was putting our new shipment of toys on the shelves when a group of several kids came into the store. I hurried back to the counter, setting the box in the back room, when I spotted a boy that looked incredibly similar to Nico among the group of preteens.

Upon closer inspection, I could confirm it was definitely him. He was taller than I remembered, and his skin just a bit lighter, too, but his medium-length, dirty blonde was the same as ever, bangs falling barely past his eyebrows. While the other kids were wearing bright colored t-shirts and shorts, Nico had on a baggy dark gray hoodie with swim shorts underneath.An odd choice, I thought, considering the warm weather.

The crowd of kids jumbled around the store, and he was left standing by the door, finally catching sight of me. He stared open-mouthed for a moment, and I gave him a smile and a small wave. He didn't wave back, instead lowering his gaze and slinking off to join the other kids, which consisted of four boys and two girls, who were around Nico's age, and rather noisy. After an incident earlier in the summer where two teenagers stole some video games, I made sure to keep an eye on them; getting the police involved was something I preferred to avoid. When I noticed that all but one of the kids weren't wearing any footwear, I decided to use that to kick them out.

"Hey, guys," I called out to a flurry of immediate stares. "You can't be in here without shoes."

"Okay, sorry!" one of them replied, but the others gave me dirty looks as they left the store.

Nico followed them out the door, but stopped and put a hand on the frame. I was sure he was about to say something, but he instead looked down and walked off. I hoped he recognized me and let Grace know; maybe I'd see her again. I put the encounter out of my mind, and went back to stocking the shelves.

* * *

The next day, I awoke to my mom shouting in the doorway. I had slept through my alarm, and she was pissed. Dragging myself to the bathroom, I quickly went through my morning routine of peeing, washing my face, shaving, brushing my teeth, and styling my hair. I was particular about my short brown hair, preferring a comb over fade style, which did require a fair amount of maintenance in the morning. Having woken up late, I had no time for my usual quick morning exercise, so I quickly threw on a t-shirt and shorts, and hopped in my mom's car.

The day went by so slowly that I gave a little cheer when the clock hit twelve. Mom made me a sandwich for lunch, and I was nibbling on it alone inside the empty store when I heard the door open. Sitting up, I watched as a surprise influx of several families came into the store at the same time. I looked for Grace in the faces, but didn't see her, however after the large crowd entered, there was Nico at the door.

He stepped inside, looking like he was dressed for cold weather in the same gray hoodie from the previous day, and brown khaki pants. Another odd decision, I thought given the typical heat. He took a few looks around before spotting me. I gave him the same wave and smile as the last time, expecting him to maybe come say hello this time. While he did flash a half-smile, he quickly slipped away and out of sight. I figured if he wasn't going to come by the counter, I'd go to him.

I had a few customers to take care of, then slipped away and walked past the aisles, searching for him. I finally spotted him faced away from me, staring blankly at the toy trains on the shelf, hands fidgeting in the pocket of his baggy sweatshirt.

"Nico!" I exclaimed, startling him as he flinched and turned to me.

With a nervous smile producing his familiar dimples, he replied simply, "Hi."

"What's up?" I asked, going over to him. "How ya been?"

"Good," he replied, looking down at the floor. His voice was still that of a little kid, completely untouched by puberty.

"Oh, good. It's been a while," I said, and he nodded. "You got tall!"

"Yeah."

"How's your mom been?"

"She's good."

"Where's she at?"

"Work."

I folded my arms. Had he forgotten about me, or was he just being shy? Whatever was going on, it was clear he wasn't interested in talking to me, so I decided I should let him be.

"Cool, cool. Well, it was good to see you again. Tell your mom to come by," I suggested and walked away. He nodded, but stayed frozen on the spot. It hurt to think he had maybe forgotten about the fun times we shared. Or possibly something had happened to him? I looked back and saw him continuing to stare at the floor and sighed.

As I checked out a few more customers, I caught him occasionally stealing glances at me from behind the shelves, but he would quickly look away whenever I looked his way. Confused, I decided to try talking to him again after I had finished checking out the other customers in the store, but as soon as everyone else had paid and left, he peeped his head and stepped out from behind the shelves. He approached the counter hesitantly, as if it were difficult, and it made me sad that he seemed so uncomfortable around me.

"Hey," I said, waving him over. "C'mon, I won't bite. You still remember me?"

"Yep," he said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his hoodie.

"Good! I thought maybe you forgot about me," I said with a chuckle. He didn't laugh, or even smile. It was too bizarre, and I wanted to know what was going on with him. "So what's up? It's really freaking me out how quiet you are! You used to be such a chatterbox."

"Can I ask you something?" he said, without making eye contact.

"Yeah, of course. What's up?" I replied, kneeling a little to get closer to his level.

Silence followed, and he gritted his teeth. "Nevermind."

"Nico," I said sternly. "What's up?"

He chewed his lip for a moment before replying. "I think I hurt myself."

"What?"

"I think I hurt my leg."

"What, just now?"

"No, um, outside, a little bit ago. I was skateboarding."

"Oh. Are you okay? Do you need me to help?"

"Kinda."

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" I frowned. "Here, follow me," I said, scooting out from the counter and heading to the bathroom. "Is it a scrape? A bruise?"

He waited outside the bathroom as I searched for the first aid kit that was normally located under the sink. "It's like, a cut," he explained. The kit wasn't in the bathroom, so I had him follow me into the back room where I continued looking for it. I flipped on the dim overhead light that flickered twice, trying its hardest to light the little room that smelled like dust and wood.

"Hmm, just a sec," I said, rifling through desk drawers and cabinets. He stood by the door with his hands still in his sweater, staring at the ground with his blonde hair hanging angelically over his eyes.

I finally found the first aid kit in a cabinet, and came back over to him, bringing the office chair from the desk for him to sit in. He sat, and I knelt in front of him, placing the kit on the floor.

"Which leg?" I asked.

"Um," he said, nervously kicking his feet back and forth. "It's kinda not really my leg." I squinted at him, hoping it would push him to elaborate, and he did. "It's here," he whispered, patting his left thigh and wincing.

"Oh," I said, realizing his predicament, and reached into the small box. "Well, here, then." I held out a bandage and an antiseptic wipe, but he just stared at them.

"Do you think… you could… maybe… do it?"

"Ehm, yeah… if you want," I replied, confused at how he didn't know how to clean a wound at his age, and set the supplies on the floor. "But… you're wearing pants."

"It really hurts," he said through misty eyes. As an old friend, I felt a duty to help.

"Alright," I sighed. "Stand up." He quickly got up from the chair. I looked back through the door to the store before tugging his sweater up. An odd yellow leather belt held the loose pants to his skinny body, and I told him I liked it.

"Thanks!" he beamed. "I got it for my birthday this year."

"Oh, that's a nice present. When was that?" I said, working the belt off.

"March. I'm twelve now," he said, subtly puffing out his chest.

"That's cool, dude." I set his belt on the table, and lowered his pants just a little, finding a pair of purple plaid boxers. Below that, a small, dried gash on his otherwise completely smooth and pale thigh. He gulped and clenched his fists.

"That is… wow, how did that happen?" I asked, inspecting the wound.

"I fell," he said.

"Did you fall on something? Like a nail? How did you get cut?" He didn't answer me. I placed my hand on his thigh, just beside the wound, and he sucked in through his teeth.

With my other hand, I took the wipe and started cleaning the mostly dried cut, holding the back of his skinny thigh for support. He winced, and his lower body shuddered in my grip.

"Um, do you work here every day?" he asked.

"Just over the summer," I replied. "Then I go back to school."

"You go to school?"

"Well, college, yeah."

"Oh," he said, and fidgeted with his hands. "You weren't here last summer."

"Yeah, I went to Australia over the summer. It was so cool!"

"Really? That's the place with the kangaroos," he said in amazement.

I told him a few stories from the trip, like snorkeling in coral reefs, and our volunteer work cleaning beaches and helping animals. He sat, enthralled, listening with his lips slightly parted. I turned around and grabbed the bandages I had set on the floor behind me, but when I turned back I was face to face with a pronounced bulge at the front of his underwear.

My chest tightened, and I was caught between wanting to laugh it off and completely ignore it, ultimately deciding on the latter. Avoiding eye contact with Nico, I put the bandage on over his wound and swallowed. I tried to make it seem like I didn't notice; I didn't want him to feel embarrassed, but what he did next surprised the hell out of me. As I pulled my hand away, he reached forward and wrapped his arms around my head, hugging me into his chest. Incredibly confused and concerned, I reached around and hugged him back, feeling his gentle heartbeat against my cheek.

"Are you okay, Nico? Is something going on at home?" I asked.

"No," he whispered, sniffling.

"What is it, then?" I asked, breaking off our hug to make direct eye contact. He was shaking, and I was worried he was going to cry. "Hey, I'm still your friend, alright? You can talk to me."

"I–" he started, then looked away. Turning back, he threw himself into me for another hug. Really confused and starting to get mildly annoyed, I pulled him off of me by his shoulders.

"Nico," I said sternly, looking directly at him.

He looked down. The bulge in his pants flexed, shifting the purple material, and he tilted his head up at me.

"Please," he whispered with burning red cheeks, and took my hand. I froze up, letting him drag it to his boxers and push my hand against his crotch. It was hard.

I was stunned, taking in the gravity of what he was asking me. He wanted me to touch him? Why would he want that? A twelve-year-old was too young for that kind of stuff. When I was his age, I had a nearly nonexistent interest in sex. He pushed his hips forward, pressing his groin into my palm, but my body wouldn't respond, wouldn't let me pull away.

Underneath his boxers, something stiff ground against my hand, and I knew what it wanted. I never would have imagined innocent little Nico had these kinds of needs. My mind was overrun with thoughts as he began grinding himself against my hand rhythmically, breathing in and out; I didn't know what the hell to do.

I need to be an adult I thought I need to stop this right now. I looked up to see his face scrunched up, half-closed eyes hazy with desire, intensifying with each muted thrust. This was what he wanted. Would letting him have it irreparably damage our friendship, or would not letting him have it do that? What did I want? It seemed like it would make him happy. This was a situation I'd never even thought about before, something I've never dreamed of.

After a long moment of consideration, I decided to give him what he wanted. Once my inhibitions were gone, a great curiosity took over me. What did his dick look like? I've never seen another boy's penis before, only ever my own when I was young. Was he old enough to have pubes? I squeezed my palm, wrapping my hand around his penis through the material of his boxers. It was warm–a rigid bar under a thin cloth. He whimpered into my shirt, and I could feel his shaky, steamy breath through it. Releasing my grip, I slid my hand downward, brushing against his balls–two small orbs that jostled under my touch.

I let go of his boxers and put both hands on his sides to pull us apart. I looked at him, and he stared back, his face a bright shade of red barely illuminated by the light above us. His eyes were half-closed, and a few strands of blonde hair were matted against his damp forehead. A familiar smile streaked across his face, punctuated with little dimples that bolstered his youthful appearance. It was the first real smile I had seen from him that day.

Then, he surprised me with a kiss, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. We looked at each other, then he came in for another one. My eyes widened as his closed, and then the soft feeling of his delicate, cushy twelve-year-old lips against mine took over my senses. He pushed into me, grasping my shoulders with his hands, and I was surprised to feel the inquisitive flitting of his tongue against my mouth. Parting my lips, he pushed inside, kissing me with the expertise of someone twice his age.

Tiny whimpers escaped him as we kissed, serving me only more confusing feelings. They were dirty, sexual whimpers, those you could expect from a woman, but packaged in a higher, soprano pitch that somehow still managed to turn me on. He pulled away from me, and shucked his pants the rest of the way down his scrawny, hairless legs, and they fell around his ankles.

"Please," he said, eyebrows braided by his desperate need. "I really want to do this with you." Again, the sounds felt wrong coming from the sweet, innocent boy. He took my hand again and placed it on his jutting bulge. "I need it!" Not a suggestion, but a command, one driven by the need every boy is familiar with.

I sighed, "Okay," and he responded with a mischievous grin. Sliding my hand past his boxers, I put it on the back of his thigh, and with my other hand on his back, carefully lowered him onto the floor. He was so incredibly light, being such a small and skinny kid, and lay still like a doll. In his new position, the bulge in his thin boxers pushed upward obscenely, clearly frustrated with the confines it found itself in. It was time to take the next, irreversible step. I knelt down between his legs and our eyes met.

"This okay?" I asked, my hands hovering above him. He nodded, reassuring me with an antsy smile. My fingers dug into the waistband of his boxers, making first contact with the squishy skin of his lower belly. He pushed his hips out, forcing the underwear to slide down half an inch.

This was it. After a brief hesitation, I hooked my fingers and pulled. His penis sprang out, and my eyes widened as I laid eyes on the stiff, lightly curved pole that jutted approximately four inches [10 cm] into the air, with a foreskin that covered the head, stopping barely short of the tip, which was a shade darker and pinker. My eyes traveled down, finding his grape-sized balls concealed in a floppy pouch of skin. Weakly lit by the dim light above us, I could only barely make out that the skin of his thighs were a lighter, creamier tone than the rest of his tanned body. There wasn't a hair, vein, or blemish anywhere in sight. I had never seen anything like his body before, and my eyes silently ravaged him, exploring his nakedness for the first time.

He carefully reached out and took my hand, placing it on his shaft as my fingers instinctively wrapped around it–hard as a rock, but smooth like porcelain, and much warmer than I expected. I could feel his steady heartbeat pulsing through it. Enveloping my hand in his, he tugged it down and thrust his hips in response. I stroked him once on my own, and he took his hand away while leaning his head back and squeezing his eyes closed. He lifted his arms, placing his hands under his head, silently nudging me to do whatever I wanted.

Intriguingly, a bead of liquid had formed over the slit of his penis. Could a boy his age really produce precum? I wondered, sliding my thumb against it and confirming that it really was the gooey substance I thought it might be. He groaned loudly, and I shushed him but continued to rub the sticky substance around his tip, then dipped the tip of my thumb into the rim of his foreskin, coating the inside with wetness as I rubbed it around in a circle. His hands balled into little fists, and a loud puff of air escaped from his tightly locked lips.

I removed my thumb and stroked his dick, watching how the supple foreskin stretched around the engorged head with every stroke. He humped into my hand, and I responded by picking up my speed, causing him to gasp.

"One sec," he interrupted, and I let go of his throbbing penis. Propping himself up on his elbows, he lifted up his hoodie from the bottom, and a skinny, lightly toned chest slowly revealed itself to me, with traces of a six-pack scarcely visible. The hoodie caught around his neck, and he struggled with it while I chuckled to myself, before helping him pull the hoodie off and tossing it elsewhere.

The sound of metal hitting the floor barely registered in my brain as I drank in the sight of his body. He lay on the floor, naked except for his shoes and the pants and boxers that were tugged most of the way down his legs. I had never seen another naked boy before, and was alarmingly surprised that my body found it arousing, at least judging by the erection that stirred to life within my shorts. It was confusing, only ever being aroused by girls up to that point in my life, and now my body was somehow finding this preteen boy attractive?

He put his hands behind his head and flexed his boner, intimately beckoning to me, and I crawled up his body to his face, submitting to my newfound lust. I placed a single kiss on his lips, resting a hand on his bare chest, and he happily kissed back. A single, happy tear slipped down his glowing face, past his precious smile. I slipped down to observe him again, feasting my hungry eyes all over his skinny, tanned chest, taking in the two small nipples, and the outline of his rib cage.

Continuing down his body, I found his tiny belly button, and the cutoff point where his beautiful bronzed skin turned milky and naturally white. Not far below was his erection, uninhibited and throbbing with eager determination. I took it in my hand, once again feeling its slender curvature and ardent heat between my fingers. His body responded, lighting up like I'd touched a live wire to his skin. With rapid breaths, he drew in his knees, eyelids flickering from the intense stimulation.

"Urgh," he groaned. "That's sooo good! Don't stop!"

I resumed stroking him, and used my free hand to rub other parts of his body to see if I could amplify his pleasure, now that he'd granted me full control over him. First his delicate ribs, making him shiver, then his soft thighs, causing his hips to push forward. I brushed my fingers over his belly, and up to his head, running them through his silky blonde hair as he whimpered. Bringing my hand down to his butt, I cupped one of his buttcheeks and lifted him off the ground a little, continuing to jerk him off with my other hand, now with increased vigor.

The tip of his penis shimmered, and upon closer inspection, some precum had leaked out and was being rubbed all around the head with every stroke; its effect immediately noticeable. The muscles of his abs twitched, and his limbs jerked randomly. Small whimpers and squeals flowed out of his mouth like the precum from his slit, but as aroused as he was making me feel, making him feel good was my only goal. It was only when he let out a high-pitched moan that I looked back towards the door, remembering our location in the public toy store, desperately hoping that nobody had come in.

"Ohhh!" he squeaked, and I felt his penis flex. "I'm–it's happening!" he cried. His hand shot to my stroking arm, grabbing on tightly as I continued pumping away on his dick that felt impossibly hard. I moved my hand that was on his butt to his bouncing nutsack, massaging them as he moaned freely, and I felt them suddenly tighten. "Ahhhhhh!"

He lifted his hips and twisted his face in pleasure, slamming his eyes closed and biting his lip. I held on as his penis swelled and spurted out a sizable gush of clear liquid that landed on his chest. His cheeks were crimson, and with another long moan, his penis twitched and squirted out another watery shot. I'd slowed my stroking, pulling down on his shaft and causing his foreskin to roll down as far as it would go, watching him writhe under my grasp as yet another, lighter jet spurted into the already impressive translucent lakes and rivers that decorated his rippling chest. With two more heavy breaths and small drips onto his tummy, he appeared to have finished, and collapsed down onto the floor.

I let go of his softening boner that trembled wearily in the air before wilting and dropping into a small pool of cum that flowed into his little innie belly button. He opened his eyes and gave me a weak smile, then dropped his head and was out like a light, completely spent. I stood up, looking down at the sleeping preteen who was breathing softly, splattered with copious amounts of his own semen. A smile lingered on his face, peaceful and innocent. But only a little innocent. I couldn't believe what had just happened, holding up my hand to examine the clear, wet trickle, and wondering how a kid that small could shoot out that much cum.

My dick was almost painfully hard, but I had no interest in taking care of it. I paced around the small room, mind running a million miles a minute, wondering how I allowed such a thing to happen. Would he regret it, resulting in a group of police officers knocking on my door in a matter of days? How he could so easily tell someone, like his mom, or a friend, and my life would be over. I didn't want to imagine how things would look if Grace got involved. A feeling of shame swept over me for allowing myself to become involved with such things. I looked over at him, still sleeping, and knew I had to make sure this could never get out.

"Hey, Nico," I whispered, and gently shook him awake by his shoulder.

"Oh, hey." He blinked a few times, and sat up, looking down to find drops of cum sliding down his chest. "Oh, wow!" He looked up at me. "That was awesome! I never shoot that much!" he exclaimed, poking at the semen that drizzled down his naked torso. His enthusiasm was relieving, and I began to feel a lot less anxious.

"Yeah, you even passed out after," I said, standing up and going to retrieve his hoodie on the other side of the room.

"I know," he smiled, and pushed his hips out to pull up his boxers. I tossed him his sweatshirt, and he started pulling it over his head.

"Hold on," I said, and he froze.

"Huh?" I went over to him and plucked it off of him, and flashed the bandage. "Oh, right," he muttered, and we laughed. I used one of the wipes to clean up his chest, and then he got up and sat in the chair.

"I've never done that with anyone before," I said, placing the bandage on his wound. He giggled.

"So, uh, Logan, do you… um, do you like me?" he asked. I looked up at him, astounded that he would think otherwise. He avoided my eyes, turning his head away.

"Yeah, of course I like you. I think you're awesome. You're one of the coolest kids I've ever known." He broke out into one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen. "But uh, I gotta ask. What the hell was that all about?" His smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

"You'll think it's stupid," he said, and looked down at the floor.

I shook my head. "I'm not gonna think it's stupid, whatever it is."

"You promise?"

"Yeah."

He sighed. "So, like, I think I really like you. When you left, that summer, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was going crazy kinda, and I thought you'd come back but you never did. Mom would always take me to the store, but you were never there. I mean, until yesterday. When I saw you, my heart literally stopped! I wanted to say something, but I was like, scared, for some reason. Like, maybe you wouldn't remember me, or if you did, I'd see that you never really liked me! I mean, I was so annoying back then." He looked away, ashamed. I just nodded, taking it all in.

"Well, you made me feel like you didn't remember me! Alright, so you wanted me to jerk you off, because you thought I forgot about you?" He grinned back after he noticed me grinning at him.

"Well, not exactly. I never felt like this before. I felt so lost and helpless for the last two years. I thought about you, a lot, almost every night when I would go to sleep!" he admitted, blushing. "I sorta wished you could sleep with me, in my bed. And even though I have friends here now, I never had as much fun with them as I had with you. I really missed seeing you every week. When I turned eleven, I told my mom I didn't want to come here anymore, because it hurt so bad," he said, tears forming in his eyes. I reached over and patted his bare shoulder.

"I'm sorry, dude. I didn't know it was like that. I never had a chance to say goodbye, and I forgot to get your mom's number."

He stood up from the chair. "And I still don't know! Don't know what any of this means. When I see you my heart beats really fast, it's kinda freaky!" He turned to me. "Do you know what it means?"

I smiled at him. "I think you'll have to take some time to figure it out on your own. Honestly, I'm a little lost myself."

"I'll try," he said confidently, tightening his fist.

"So, wanna finish getting dressed?" I asked him, handing him his hoodie again. "And where the fuck's your shirt?"

He giggled at my swear. "Don't have one."

Once he was finished getting dressed, I started leading us out of the room when I noticed a small red object on the floor. "Is that…" He saw it too, and darted to pick it up, stuffing it into his hoodie pocket. I grabbed his wrist, and he yelped as I extracted the object from the pocket, and held it up to examine it. "A pocket knife," I said flatly. He looked down at his shoes, blonde surfer hair falling sheepishly over his eyes.

"I always carry it around! It's really useful, 'cause–"

"Did you use this to cut yourself?"

"No way," he protested, then noticed my concerned expression. "Okay, yes, maybe. But I was only trading a little pain for a lot of pleasure!"

I rolled my eyes and handed the knife back to him, and ushered him out of the room, turning off the light behind us. The store was still empty, and I led him over to the magic section and grabbed one of the kits off the shelf.

"On the house!" I said, holding it out to him, but he pushed my hand away.

"Don't need it," he said, not even stopping on the way to the door. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he turned his head. "I've got the best toy ever right here!" he explained, grabbing his crotch through his pants, smirking.

"Kids," I muttered, shaking my head, and followed him out the door.

"Thanks, though. It's the thought that counts," he swooned.

Outside, the warm sun felt incredible on my skin. We stood together at the entrance, both of us reluctant to part.

"So, um, don't tell your mom?" I suggested meekly, even though I was fairly confident he wouldn't.

"Can I come back?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll be working here the rest of the summer."

He smiled. "Yay! I'll see ya, then!" He threw himself around me into a tight hug. Taken by surprise, I slowly wrapped my arms around him. "Thank you," he whispered into my shirt. After what felt like a full minute, he let go and began skipping off, humming to himself. "Bye Logan!" he called, voice echoing through the street. I waved, and he waved back, radiating absolute joy.

"See ya," I said, watching him skip down the street into the evening sun, leaving me alone to ruminate on the exciting yet terrifying events that had just taken place that would change the entire course of my life.

Chapter Two
Wet Hands

It was the end of a long and unusual day, and I returned home mentally exhausted. Our house was only about ten minutes from the store, so my mom would drop me off and pick me up each day. On the way home, I sat in the back of the car, feeling guilty about the day's events. My mom asked if I was feeling alright, and I excused my lame behavior with "I'm just tired and want to lie down."

We pulled into the driveway and mom informed me of dinner in an hour: veal piccata, something exotic to break the monotony of oven meals for the past week. Exciting, but I was not in an excitable mood. Even though I felt positively about the experience with Nico, and was further reassured by him that everything was good, I still couldn't help but be terrified at the prospect of Grace finding out, or my mom.

We lived in a decent two-story home with a nice, grassy backyard, made private by large tropical trees and bushes. I entered the house after fumbling with the stupid screen door and quickly made my way to my old bedroom to privately gather my thoughts. After Nico left, it was a pretty constant onslaught of customers which was great for business, but not so great for my frazzled self. I removed my shoes and hopped onto the bed, sitting cross-legged. I wanted to lay out the events of what happened clearly in my mind.

The preteen son of a good friend of mine came on to me. He mostly admitted to being attracted to me without really understanding it himself, and appeared to have planned things out, having hurt himself in order to get close to me. We shared an activity that most people would not appreciate happening, and we both mutually enjoyed it. He claimed that he wouldn't tell his mom, but what good are a twelve-year-old's words? Could I trust Nico to keep things private? How trustworthy was he? I'm certain I couldn't have kept a secret at his age, and distinctly remember an occasion where I didn't.

Nico was the first person I'd had sexual contact with since starting college. There was a time in high school when I had a little fun with a few girls, but that all seemed so far away now. One of my best friends in my junior year was a girl named Kayla. She was awesome, and one day it came to light that she was into me. I felt so many expectations from my other friends to hook up with her, and no desire to do it myself. But I did it. And it was terrible.

To clarify, the sex was great. But after that night, our friendship seemed to crumble away. I couldn't reciprocate her attraction, and it must have been so off-putting to her that it drove a wedge deep between us. Eventually, I stopped seeing her at all as she actively avoided me, possibly out of embarrassment. I never thought much of the whole experience, but now looking back at it, I began to wonder why I wasn't attracted to her like she was to me. She was perfect for me: attractive, funny, and already my best friend. Could it have been something deeper than I previously thought? Was I ever really attracted to girls? This tiny moment was making me rethink my whole life.

I shook my head, finding it all silly. I knew I wasn't responsible for what happened with Nico. I wasn't the instigator. He sought me. But, I still allowed it to happen. And truthfully, I enjoyed every moment of it just as much as he seemed to; maybe even more so than my times with girls, even though I received no gratification myself. It's just that it was something so exciting, and new, and naughty. Was it wrong? Would it have been more wrong to deny him and risk destroying what was left of our friendship?

I pressed my palms to my forehead. I knew the answers, but that wasn't what mattered. Once again, like in the back office, I felt like I was getting nowhere. Feeling frustrated and confused, I walked into the bathroom, and washed my face with warm water in the sink. I stared at myself in the mirror, wondering how I could have betrayed Grace like that.

I returned to my bedroom, and it wasn't long before I was called down for dinner. Unsurprisingly, my dad wasn't home, and so my mom and I enjoyed a quiet meal together. She asked me how things were at the toy shop and I gave her basic responses, my mind busy with thoughts of Nico. I watched as she enjoyed the delicious-looking veal, and wondered how I could bring myself to do the same.

After dinner, I retreated to my bedroom, and considered taking a nap. However, I found the scene with Nico continuing to play over and over in my head, in vivid detail: the feeling of brushing my lips against his, the sound of his laugh, the rise and fall of his stained chest as he rested. I considered masturbating, just to put the thoughts to an end so I could finally focus, then actually proceeded to do so. But all that came of it was further guilt, and I accepted that the only thing that could bring me peace of mind was seeing Nico again, and talking things over.

* * *

I woke up in my bed feeling exceptionally well-rested. Mom dropped me off at the shop, and I entered the place feeling positive and hopeful. A good night's sleep really did wonders for my overworked brain. I was really counting on Nico coming by today. It was Friday, and we were closed over the weekend. I was hoping I would get to see him before next week, as there were things I wanted to discuss with him, and would prefer not to be left alone with them over the weekend.

As the day wore on, I began to grow less hopeful that he would show up, even though the time he came in the day prior was much later than it was currently. At lunchtime, I went next door for a bite of food, and afterwards headed to the entrance of the beach for a quick glance around. I scanned the waterfront for any signs of him, but he either wasn't there or I couldn't spot him. I headed back to the toy store, feeling a little glum. As I approached the entrance, I spotted Grace's slender self, loitering around the front of the store. I instantly perked up.

"Grace!" I shouted eagerly from a distance, grabbing her attention. She looked up at me, and narrowed her eyebrows. Her long, brown hair looked messier than usual, and she held a lit cigarette, something I pegged as highly unusual for her. We walked towards each other until we were within hearing distance.

"Logan. What the fuck, man?" she shouted, stressing each individual word. I froze, feeling a panic in my chest. Her heavy footsteps echoed in my ears as she neared.

"What?" was all I could manage to choke out. She dropped the cigarette and stomped it out, then wordlessly grabbed me by the shoulder and led me to the door.

"Get in. Leave the sign," she demanded, referring to the "Out to Lunch" sign on the door. We entered the dark room together, and I felt myself moving in slow motion, squeezing out as many seconds as I could get to put together my thoughts. As I turned to switch the lights on, I caught a glimpse of her staring angrily at me. It took some willpower to suppress a fearful whimper.

"Okay, Grace, it's not what it seems–" I began, holding up my hands defensively as she marched towards me.

"Why? What is wrong with you? How could you?" she scowled, despondent. "He trusted you, I trusted you." Her voice was filled with raw emotion, eyes watery.

I backed myself against a shelf, knocking some random toys to the floor. Why the hell would I ever trust a twelve-year-old kid with something so serious? I felt so stupid for allowing myself to. It wasn't even twenty-four hours later and here we were.

"Were we not your friends?" she questioned, continuing her tirade. "Look at me, Logan." I did, but didn't reply. Her eyes burned into my soul. My mind was hyperactive, and I could hardly focus. I felt like my whole life was over.

"Do you know how much pain you caused him?"

"Grace…" I said weakly, ready to give up.

"It's been two years my son hasn't been the same person! How could you just leave him like that, and not even say goodbye?"

I blinked.

"Were we not important to you? Just another pair of customers?" she accused, throwing her hands up.

"I–"

"You were so good to him, such a good friend to us," she said, shaking her head. "Just say goodbye, man!" She was quiet after that. A wave of relief washed over me, but it seemed I still had things to answer for. I quickly pulled it together.

"Grace, let me explain. It's not like that," I said, still feeling slightly guilty. She looked at me expectantly.

"It was really sudden: my parents got me tickets back to school, and I had to leave before I saw you guys again. You know I wouldn't have passed on an opportunity to say goodbye. You guys made my whole summer. Honestly!"

She stared like she was trying to read me.

"Without you, that summer would have been boring as hell," I went on, "those days were special to me."

She scoffed. "Jesus Logan, okay, I believe you, but that doesn't change what you did to him. He was so… fucking depressed when we came in and you weren't there," she told me with a lingering hint of anger, as if she willed it to stay. "Every time we came back, he became more and more sad, less and less hopeful, until he couldn't take it anymore."

"I'm really sorry, Grace," I said candidly, then paused. "Why didn't you just get my number from my mom?" I asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "It's not like that, Logan. Nico started to think you never even cared about him in the first place. There was no convincing him otherwise, and it tore at him for years. He looked up to you, like a big brother. And you just left. Without saying goodbye, without saying if you'd be back, no message, you were just… gone!" she accused passionately.

I hadn't considered their perspective before. To think they were both saddened by my sudden disappearance was not a new thought, but I never considered the possibility of it getting as serious as it did. I realized that as much as they were a routine in my life, I was in theirs, but they didn't return to another life after summer ended like I did. They continued the same life with a sudden hole in it. It made total sense, and I felt awful.

"Grace, believe me," I said, taking her hands in mine, "I really never thought about it like that. I had my life to go back to in college. Everything back here feels so… disconnected from my life, like a side story. You were both super important to me, but I had other things going on, too. It's no excuse; I could have done better. But I hope you can at least understand."

She shook her head again, but it seemed most of her fury had faded, and only sorrow remained.

"I didn't think I could do this again. When Constantine died, it was hard enough," she said, referring to her late husband. "But Nico was young, and we made it through. But to do it again…" she trailed off. I stepped forward and offered her my arms. She hugged me back firmly for a good twenty seconds before she let go.

"Sorry, Grace. If I had known how things would turn out, I would have done it differently. You guys were important to me, but I didn't realize how immensely important I was to you, or him."

She sighed. "I really don't mean to burden you with this, Logan. But it was hard for my baby. He became incredibly unhappy, and nothing I did was able to change that. He didn't have any other friends, you were his best, and he had no one else to turn to." Her voice became low. "I was so helpless. But yesterday, when I came home, I saw a familiar spark in him, something that I'd honestly forgotten about since it'd been so long. He smiled at me, and told me you were back." I exhaled, emotionally drained and overwhelmed by her story.

"I know you have a store to run. I won't take up more of your time right now." She began to leave and placed her hand on the door before looking back at me. "Come have dinner with us tonight, Logan," she offered. "He wants to see you again. As do I." We exchanged numbers, and she left. I stood there wondering how the hell I was supposed to go on having a normal day after that.

* * *

By the time I closed up, Nico had not come by, but I was happy I would be able to see him soon anyway. Mom picked me up from the store and asked if we should get dinner from somewhere, but I told her I was invited to a dinner, and asked if I could use the car that night. Of course, she allowed me to.

When we got home, I took a shower to wash away the newfound guilt, and put some nice clothes on: a simple shirt jacket, and jeans. Grace had texted me their address, and after putting it into my phone, found it was only about fifteen minutes away. As I drove there, I thought about Nico, and how tough it must have been for him to lose a friend that was so important to him. I scolded myself for not doing anything to say goodbye, or even attempt to stay in contact with them. It was selfish of me to disregard them and their feelings.

I pulled up to their address in a cul-de-sac and parked on the side of the road. The street had minimal lights, and it was starting to get dark. Fortunately, their home was very nice, with small lights decorating the stone pathway to the front door, and a warm glow emitted from inside. I stepped up to the door, nervous to confront them again, after what happened earlier. Even though I left them both off on relatively positive terms, I still felt like I had betrayed them.

As I was searching the wall for a doorbell, the door suddenly opened, and there was Nico in the tall doorway, looking adorable in an oversized blue shirt and pajama bottoms. I guess he was waiting for me to arrive. He was smiling joyously, and he charged forward, leaping at me for a hug.

"Oh, hey!" I said, returning the gesture.

"I can't believe you're at my house!" he squealed excitedly into my chest. We separated and he looked up at me. "I saw you from my window," he explained, probably noticing my curious expression. His golden hair was disheveled, and I presumed he had not left the house today. He took me by the hand (well, fingers) and led me inside. The arousing scent of food permeated the entire floor. He instructed me to take my shoes off at the door, and watched me as I did so, smiling the whole time. The downstairs seemed to be mostly one very large room, certainly spacious. He led me past some couches, a large television, a stairway, a big marble dining table, and directly to the kitchen in the corner where Grace stood dutifully over the cooktop.

"Damn, Grace," I said walking up to the kitchen, "that smells amazing."

"Logan," she said, looking authentically pleased to see me, "I'm glad you made it." She came over for a hug.

"Seems the trek was worth it," I joked, looking over towards the food. She grinned.

"I hope you like vegetables, because they're a big hit in this house," she said, returning to the kitchen. I looked over at Nico for his take, and he shook his head dramatically, making me laugh out loud.

"Nico, honey, will you go put on something nice? Then you can help me finish dinner."

"Okay, mumma," he said, and bounded away, up the stairs, waving at me on the way up.

"Have a seat, Logan," she said, inviting me to the bar stools at the kitchen counter. I sat down.

"He was really excited you were coming," she said softly, stating the obvious.

"I could tell," I replied.

"He's been helping me cook a lot these days. I think it's a new hobby of his. I'm sure he'll tell you all about it."

I bit my lip. Something still lingered in the back of my mind. "Grace, I feel like I've hurt you guys. Are you sure you want me here?"

She turned to me. "We are really happy you came. What's happened before, well, it doesn't matter now. Look at him. I haven't seen him like this for two years. You're welcome here any time, as long as you can get me results like that. It's a miracle."

"Okay. Well, it's the least I can do, I guess," I said. She went back to cooking.

I heard the familiar sound of socked feet coming down the stairs fast, a tumble, then a mild crash. Concerned, I turned to look over at the stairs, to see Nico standing up, looking embarrassed. He was now dressed in gray jeans and a plain white dress shirt. His ruffled morning hair now stood out significantly.

"Very handsome," I teased him, looking him over. He blushed and covered his face with his arms. "Hurt yourself?" I asked.

"Maybe," he replied cheekily.

"For me?"

"Oh my God," he said in a low voice, looking over to his occupied mother, blushing again. He swiped playfully at me, then took a seat next to where I was sitting, but only for a brief moment before Grace called him over to help with what she was preparing.

"It's vegetable stir-fry," he explained to me from the kitchen. "It's almost good if you take out the carrots, green beans, and broccoli."

"Nico, don't be a smart ass," she scolded, and he giggled childishly.

We talked idly as they prepared the meal. They were vegan, not a huge surprise, and this was a staple dinner of theirs. In the past few months, Nico had hung around the kitchen whenever Grace would cook, and slowly became more and more involved in the process. In time, he found himself enjoying the cooking process a lot, and Grace would sometimes find him in just his underwear preparing breakfast, a story that he tried and failed to suppress his mother from telling.

When the food was ready, we sat at the table, myself across from Nico, and Grace at the head.

I started us off by saying Grace. "Grace," I said. "This looks just divine. You too Nico. Thanks for having me over tonight."

"Thank you for coming over, Logan," Nico said politely, looking over at me with big eyes.

We dug into the delicious food. I wasn't vegan, but you can't go wrong with vegetable stir-fry, and theirs was incredible! As we ate, Grace asked me about school, and I gave her a recap of my life over the past two years, including my tales in Australia. Nico's jaw hit the floor when I told him what kinds of animals we saw in the zoo. Before I could get through all my stories, Nico was begging Grace to take him.

"Please, please mom! We have to go see the dingoes! And the kangaroos, koalas, and the wobblies–"

"Wallabies," I corrected, pointing my fork at him.

"Well, maybe for your birthday, if you still want to, then," Grace conceded.

"What about you, Grace? What have you been doing the last two years?"

"Me? I've been here, just relaxing in the sun. I started working at L' étoffe, on Clearwater," she said, referring to a clothing store on the same street as our toy store. "And this guy started middle school," she revealed.

"How exciting," I said to him.

"It's not." He grinned, "It sucks."

"What else have you done since you last saw Logan?" his mom asked him.

"Nothing really," he said, looking mildly annoyed with her.

"Nico got into gardening, for about a month," she said, smiling at the memory.

"Mommm," he whined, but couldn't keep from cracking a tiny smile.

"It's true, he planted some flowers and vegetables in the back garden. Then, he let them die, even though I pestered him constantly to keep them healthy."

Nico moaned and sank in his chair, eventually falling under the table, and we all laughed.

After dinner, Nico and I enjoyed a vegan chocolate cake, prepared earlier by Nico himself. I complimented him, and his smile was immeasurable. Feeling stuffed, I offered to help Grace with the dishes.

"It's alright Logan, I'll take care of it. Thanks for offering, though. Why don't you go upstairs with Nico? He can show you his room," she suggested. I turned to him to find him grinning madly at me. He took me by the wrist and hastily led me up the flight of stairs, down a hall and to his bedroom door. The word "NICO" was spelled out on the door in colorful wooden letters.

A pleasant smell radiated from behind the door, and as we entered I was happily surprised to find that the source was likely a number of unlit candles, scattered around the room. It was a small bedroom with dark-blue painted walls, a queen bed, a nightstand, and a desk with a chair; the essentials. Resting on the desk was some sort of cage. On the walls, there was a framed photo of a man and a baby, a surfboard mounted above his bed, a square of netting adorned with many different seashells, and a window overlooking the driveway. The room was in pristine condition, not what I'd normally expect from a boy's bedroom: no clothes on the floor, the desk spotless, bed made.

"Wow Nico," I said, looking around the room. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks," he said shyly.

"What's this? A snake?" I inquired as I wandered over to the mysterious cage on his desk.

"Nope," he replied. I tried looking in, but whatever creature lived inside was hiding inside some sort of tube. "It's a guinea pig," he said, and came over to where I was standing, and reached inside to pick up the tube. He held it up and the small guinea pig slid out, looking confused.

"Wow, he's adorable," I commented, and Nico pulled him out of the cage and held him so I could check him out. He was a brown little dude with white spots. Or maybe he was white with brown spots? I went to pet him and inadvertently made contact with Nico's hand, making him flinch.

"Name?" I asked.

"Ummm…" he said, dropping his pet back into the cage. "It's uhhh," he stammered.

I looked at him, slightly confused. "What?"

He hesitated. "It's Logan," he finally whispered, looking away.

Caught a little off guard, I just laughed nervously. "Oh… cool!"

He blushed and closed the cage, and hurriedly took me away from it. "This is my… bed, and this is my old surfboard," he said, starting the tour. "Those are some shells I collected at the beach." We walked over to the shells and I spent some time examining them while he told me about the origin of each. He then brought me to the photo on the wall.

"This is a picture of me, and my dad, when I was little," he explained timidly. He resembled his father quite a bit: a lean, fit-looking man, with a shorter but similar hairstyle. He held baby Nico, who was unrecognizable.

"Awesome!" I said to him, looking back and forth between him and the photo. "You look a lot like him now, you know."

"Oh, ah, thanks," he replied, busy biting his nails. I took another look around his room.

"No toys? What happened to all the stuff you bought from our place? Throw it all out?"

"Oh, I still have those… they're in the closet," he said, and took me over to it. He slid the mirror door open, revealing the dusty artifacts of his past, lying in a big pile on the floor. We knelt to get a closer look, and he turned to me. I made a sad face.

"Like I said," he clarified, "I only need one toy." I looked over and he smirked mischievously at me. We stood up simultaneously, and he began pushing me over towards his bed. I collapsed onto it on my back, and he climbed up on top of me until his head reached mine. His hair hung down, hovering just above my face.

"Hi," he whispered into my face. His breath smelled of chocolate.

"Hey," I whispered back. He kissed me, filling my mouth with his unique taste, and just a hint of sweet chocolate. We continued kissing as he straddled my chest, his blonde hair repeatedly brushing against my cheeks. I wrapped my arms around his body, and pulled his skinny physique further into me, feeling the stiffness in his pants press against me. He moaned lightly into my mouth as it did. We made out like this for several minutes, before he pulled off to catch his breath. His hair was messy and I reached out and mussed it, teasing a boyish giggle from him.

He got up off of me and began unbuttoning his shirt, and headed for the door. He impishly closed and locked it, before making his way back towards me, still unbuttoning the shirt. I watched as he made his way over, his face hungry with desire. It was cute how eager he was, but I knew I couldn't do that with him, not with Grace so close by.

"Nico," I said earnestly, taking his hands. "We can't do that. Not right now."

His eyes immediately saddened, but he leaned on top of me and went in for a kiss. I allowed him a quick peck, but sat up, delicately pushing him off. He looked at me solemnly.

"Your mom is right downstairs," I reminded him.

"But… the door's locked!" he pleaded. "She can't come in, there's no key!"

"That's not what I'm worried about," I said. "It feels wrong…"

"She won't care!" he continued to plead. "She doesn't care!"

I sighed. "Nico," I said. "I know it seems like I'm being unreasonable, and like it's not a big deal. But it would be cruel to her. I can't do that to her. You're her son and–"

"That's stupid," he pouted. "It feels good and I want it."

I leaned over and placed my hand on his back. His shirt was still on, unbuttoned down the front. He looked irritated. I pulled him to me and kissed him on the forehead. "I do care about you, Nico. I do. We just can't risk doing that when your mom is here," I paused. "Or when Logan's watching," I waved my hand at the cage, where Logan the guinea pig sat, staring at us. Nico was devastated, but nodded. I was intent on cheering him up.

"Come to the shop on Monday, maybe we can figure something out then," I told him. He nodded again, and I stood up. I kissed him boldly on the mouth. "It was really cool coming to your house and seeing your room," I said to him. "Is there anything else you want to do before I go?"

He scrunched his face in thought for a moment before he ambled over to the side of the bed and pulled out an acoustic guitar from underneath. He sat down on the bed with one leg raised up and his other foot on the floor. He strummed the instrument a few times, then began to masterfully strum a very relaxing tune. I quickly recognized his song as Wet Hands by C418. I was stunned; he was good, and clearly had a lot of experience playing. We both sat on the bed listening to his beautiful music, and I reached over and softly rubbed his back as he played. His hair had fallen in front of his eyes, and he looked just beautiful, something I could have never seen myself saying about a boy just a day ago.

When he finished the song, he set the guitar down on the bed, and I pulled him into a hug. "Wow, that was incredible. You are really talented," I told him, and he beamed. I was genuinely impressed with him, and he also seemed pleased with his performance. "When'd you pick up guitar?"

"Mom got it for my birthday last year. I've been practicing a lot. Sometimes I take it down to the beach too." He strummed it intermittently.

I took a closer look, and he showed it to me in detail, excited to be sharing his hobby. He continued to tell me about his history with instruments, playing the piano at his old house, and learning the recorder at school. We talked for about ten more minutes, before I looked at my phone to find a series of text messages from my mom.

"I've got to get going, man," I said.

"Oh, but I want you to stay…" he whimpered.

"I'll be back, Nico. We still have three more weeks." My answer seemed to cheer him up.

I stood and headed to the door, unlocking it. I turned back to him. He sat on the bed, and smiled meekly at me. I waved to him and bid him farewell, and when he gently waved back, I left the room. As I came down the stairs, I looked around, unable to find Grace. I checked the kitchen which was empty, then headed to the front door and spotted movement through the frosted glass. Opening the door, I stepped into the warm night air, accented by the sound of crickets. Grace was leaned over the railing of the porch, overlooking the moonlit yard.

"I wanted to catch you, before you left," she said, staring ahead, then turned to me. She was smoking a cigarette, and I caught an unpleasant whiff of smoke.

"What's up?" I said, taking my place next to her.

She lowered her voice to a hush, before revealing her theory to me. "Nico has a major crush on you."

"What gives you that idea?" I shot back defensively.

"After all he and I have been through, I think it's pretty safe to say. You weren't around, and… a lot has happened that you don't know about," she said pensively.

"So…" I said, pressing her to go on.

"Logan, it's probably a bit strange for you. But my son really likes you. He hounded me all last night and this morning about getting you over here, and I made damn sure that it happened." She glanced over at me. "No matter how you feel about him… I have to ask you to, please, be delicate with him. If you don't want to hang around with a twelve-year-old boy, I get it. Just, please don't break his heart again. Make it peaceful. I can't go on the way I have the last two years, and I wouldn't wish it on him again either."

We both stared at the wood flooring.

"It's been stressful," she went on. "This," she waggled her cigarette at me, "has been the result. The antithesis of everything I believe in, and yet the only way I can even manage." She sighed loudly.

I frowned. "Don't worry," I said. "I'll make sure he's happy. I won't screw up again this time."

"Thanks." She looked up and smiled. "Now, get your butt out of here." She put out her cigarette and headed back inside, leaving me alone on the porch. I walked along the driveway feeling confident that I could help improve their lives, and looked back at the cozy home of the boy who had a crush on me. I got into the car and checked my phone. There were a few messages from my mom, and I opened them up and began to read them.

Without warning, there was a loud tap on the passenger window, and I gasped, totally startled. I turned and saw Nico's face peeking inside. He was laughing to himself, the sound muffled to me. I exhaled loudly, and after collecting myself I unlocked the passenger door. He clambered inside and onto the seat, still clothed in his fully unbuttoned dress shirt and jeans, the only difference being his absent socks.

"Hi," he whispered, as if his mom would be able to hear him.

"You scared the crap out of me," I told him, and he snickered again.

"Sorry," he laughed, making himself comfortable in the seat. "I snuck out the window."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Wanna go down to the beach? Just for a little bit?" he asked hopefully.

I sighed. "Yeah, I do. Let me text my mom and tell her I'll be late." Instead, I covertly went to Grace's messages, wanting to keep her from freaking out if she found him missing.

I sent the message and looked over at Nico. He was slouched in the seat with his feet up on the dashboard, and his smooth chest spilled out of his unbuttoned shirt, one nipple visible to me. He had found my sunglasses on the sun visor and put them on. It was funny, and he also looked very sexy. I chuckled at him, and he smiled back, displaying his teeth in the dim car lighting.

"Let's roll out," he said as I started the engine. It was only about two minutes before he grew tired of being unable to see anything and put the sunglasses back. He was quiet as we drove, but wore a small smile. I think we were both quietly excited and nervous as to what lay ahead.

I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a friendly shove. "What are you thinking about?" I asked.

"I'm really glad you came over tonight," he said. "I had a lot of fun."

"It's nice to see you both again. Just like old times."

"Yeah," he said thoughtfully, leaning against the window. I turned my focus back to the road, but heard a notification on my phone and very quickly glanced at the screen.

I smiled to myself, having received Grace's blessing for our nighttime adventure. The car was an older SUV, and to my annoyance didn't have bluetooth capability. I ended up scanning the radio for anything remotely pleasant, and eventually settled on some classical music channel. After some time, Nico began to hum with it softly. His young voice was soothing, and I reveled in it, smiling contentedly as we drove into the night.

Streetlights illuminated his satisfied expression as we drove. I watched him through the corner of my eye. I didn't want to wreck the enchanted mood in the air, but I knew I had to bring up the concerns I had with him. I shifted uncomfortably, building the strength to talk.

"We need to talk about yesterday." I tried not to sound too serious. It worked, his smile enduring.

"It was a lot of fun," he said simply. "Thanks again. But, sorry for being so pushy. I don't know what came over me."

"Yeah, it's okay, it was fun. But listen, I just need to be really clear that you can't tell anyone about it. I know you already told me you wouldn't, but it's extremely important that you don't even mention it to anyone, even if you feel like you can trust them, or we'll surely never be able to see each other again."

"Oh Logan, you dummy. I get it, nobody wants us to do fun stuff like that because they're jealous. You don't have to worry about me telling on you, because I want to do it again and again, and I'll never let anyone stop us," he gloated. I rolled my eyes and smiled, feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. I could accept that answer.

* * *

We finally pulled into the beach parking lot at the end of Clearwater. Even though it was a Friday night during the summer, the lot was mostly empty, save for two other cars. I took off my shoes and we got out. We silently trudged through the sand to the shore, side by side. A big, bright full moon lit the whole beach with cool, blue brilliance.

I sat down in the sand and he did the same, sitting beside me, our legs extended. We sat there quietly for some time, listening to the rhythmic crash of the ocean waves, and watching the moon's reflection shimmer in the vast stretch of ocean. He leaned his head into my shoulder.

"It's so pretty tonight," he said dreamily. I made a small sound of agreement.

"Did you think any more about what we talked about yesterday?" he asked.

"I did."

I grabbed a handful of sand and slowly let it fall, like an hourglass. "And what did you decide?"

He looked over at me. "I decided that I like you a lot. That I've never felt something like this before, and I want to share it with you. If you want to." I reached over and took his hand, rubbing the back of his palm with my thumb. I looked into his sparkling green eyes and smiled, and he smiled back.

It was hard for me to accept that I was interested in having a relationship with this young boy. He was so extraordinarily sweet, and just being around him warmed my heart. But there was so much risk for the both of us. I knew nobody else would understand, and it made me reluctant to commit to him. Nonetheless, I felt happy whenever I was with him, and content to be affectionate with him so long as no one else was around. I was rightfully afraid of how others would react to such a relationship.

"Will you hold me?" he requested quietly, his eyes shining in the moonlight. I opened my arms welcomingly, and he got up and swiftly moved into my lap, facing away from me. He sat between my legs and fell into my open arms. I wrapped them delicately around his body and held him to me, placing one hand under his shirt and on his side, resting against his silky skin. It was a touch of love, nothing sexual, and he seemed to feel the same. He may have had other ideas having me bring him here, but I think we both privately acknowledged that this was all we needed. He relaxed his head, which fell against my chest. I caught his familiar scent and felt a sense of inner peace. He breathed steadily and I felt connected to him in a way I never have with anyone else before. I stroked his smooth skin slowly and tenderly.

We stayed like that for nearly half an hour, exchanging no further words. We were warming each other with our body heat, and he had gone almost completely limp, in a state of deep tranquility, trusting me completely. I felt entirely at peace, like never before. Everything was perfect, and all my troubles seemed to disappear, because in that moment, nothing else existed, it was just the two of us on that infinite stretch of beach. But, eventually, I knew it was time to get him home, and I shook him softly and whispered his name into his ear.

He tilted his head up at me. "Do you want to be my boyfriend?" he asked me innocently, with hope in his unbroken voice.

I paused to gather my thoughts, still somewhat unsure. Was this what I wanted? It was clearly what he had wanted. In just a couple seconds I considered everything there was to consider, and when he placed his small hand on my thigh, I came to my conclusion.

"Yeah, Nico, I do. I want nothing more." I said confidently, and kissed him lightly on the top of the head. He made a sound, a half-giggle, shaky and jubilant, a sound that expressed his unfiltered joy. I pulled him tightly to me for a hug. He pushed himself off of me so he could turn around, and dove onto me, propelling us both into the sand, and we hugged each other like that.

"But we have to be careful. Other people won't understand," I reminded him.

"Fuck 'em," he said simply. The words sounded wrong coming out of his sweet mouth, similar to the way he spoke the previous day. It was a silly and naïve response, and my reply was a breathy laugh, not wanting to ruin the moment.

After a few more seconds, I stood up, him following my lead, and we brushed the sand off our butts. He stood on his tiptoes, and I allowed him to brush some sand out of my hair, while I relayed to him that I needed to get him home. He reluctantly agreed. We walked back to the car, and I followed him to the passenger side to brush the remaining sand off of his clothes and small feet.

As we drove, he kept sneaking peeks at me, and when I'd notice and turn to him, he'd smile and look away. I pulled up to the sidewalk a short distance from his house, to feign concern that getting too close might alert his mother. I turned to him and he looked simply bubbly.

"Can we meet up tomorrow?" he asked excitedly.

"Ah, sorry. I won't really be around tomorrow. I have some plans. What about Sunday?"

"Yes! Oh, I can't wait!" he shouted, bouncing up and down, then suddenly looked as if he remembered something. "I have a phone now. I'll give you my number!" I took out my phone and unlocked it, and he swiped it from me. He found my contacts and added himself, and I watched over his shoulder as he attached a series of emojis onto the end of his name. He handed the phone back to me and I put it away. We gazed at each other in silence, neither of us wanting the night to end.

"Well, I'm going to go now. Goodnight, Logan," he said, opening the door, but quickly shut it and turned back to me. "May I have a kiss?"

He leaned in and I kissed him gently on the lips. Though it was a light kiss, he still moaned quietly. He pulled away, blushing, and got out of the car. As he stood, I caught sight of a small tent in his jeans. He skipped back towards his house.

As I drove forward to turn around in the cul-de-sac, I watched as he expertly climbed a tall tree and scrambled onto the roof, headed towards his window. He looked back and spotted me, and waved before turning and climbing inside. I sped off down the shadowy street and headed home.

* * *

"You're home late," my mom commented as I walked through our front door. She was laying on the sofa on her phone. "Did you see my texts?"

"Uhhh, not yet, sorry," I replied sheepishly.

"We're going to Keysville for brunch tomorrow, with Lucy and them. Can you be up at eight?" Keysville was another small town near the big city about an hour east, where my aunt Lucy and my cousins lived.

"Yeah, guess so," I said.

"How was dinner? Anyone I know?" she asked, still looking at her phone.

"It was Grace and Nico, if you remember them. From the last summer I was here."

"Oh, yes, I remember you telling me about them. How are they doing?"

"Great," I replied succinctly, and she didn't inquire further. I headed to my room, and after changing into pajama pants, slid through the back door into our yard.

The yard was a large patio overlooking a small grass field. An old playground lay unused in the corner of the grass. I never understood why mom didn't just get rid of it; I haven't played on that thing since I was around Nico's age, and no other kids ever came around.

I sat in one of the patio chairs without bothering to turn the outdoor lights on; I found that the moon was bright enough. I closed my eyes and relaxed, recalling the events of the day, and wondering what the future had in store. I now had myself a little boyfriend to take care of, at least until I left again. I thought about him and reminisced about how nice it was to sit with him on the beach just an hour or so ago.

I remembered the warmth of his lithe form resting on me, and yearned for the feeling of total euphoria I got sitting there with him. I began to feel something unexpected, sitting there on the patio: a sudden emptiness, and a longing for my boyfriend, the boy who seemed to need me as much as I suddenly felt I needed him right then. It became clear why he was so attracted to me. If this was the way he felt when I wasn't around, it was crystal clear why he sought me out. I was his drug, and now he was mine.

I took my phone out of my pocket. Checking the contacts, I came upon the ridiculous name he had given himself: "Nico Florakis😘😜😇🤪🐔🐔". Chuckling to myself, I sent him a message.

He sent his username, but I decided that I'd deal with that later. I wanted to start getting ready for bed; I needed eight hours of sleep to function properly. In addition to brunch, I had plans to see a childhood friend who was also back from school.

I set the phone down on the table and looked up at the starry sky, feeling content. For the first time, I felt truly loved by someone that wasn't family. Though I learned I had caused him great pain, I felt thankful for the opportunity to make things right. Since we were away from any cities, the stars shone brightly and freely. Crickets chirped softly in the darkness. Everything was perfect.

Chapter Three
Hot Water

I sat on Nico's bed, trying to clean all the sand from the sheets. No matter how much I brushed off, there was always more. The entire bedroom was ablaze in the deep orange glow of the evening sun, and the intense brightness had me squinting. Nico sat on the edge of the bed, bathing in it, causing his blonde hair to shine bright. He was wearing very little clothing, or maybe nothing at all. I lifted my hand to try and block the glare. His guitar rested on his lap, and he strummed it delicately.

Deciding to finally address the sand issue with him, I leaned across the bed and whispered into his ear. He giggled, and then turned to face me. The guitar slipped from his lap and hit the carpet, shattering to pieces. He crawled across the bed towards me, excitedly shouting something. I couldn't tell what he was saying exactly, but I knew I needed to quiet him down. I placed a hand over his mouth, then pushed him down onto the bed.

He bit my hand, slipping out of my hold, and continued to shout, the words echoing around the room and throughout the house. An intense feeling of dread welled up inside me, and I again went to cover his mouth, but he slithered out of my reach and jumped off the bed. I tried to grab at his shirt, but he wasn't wearing one and so slid effortlessly out of my grasp. He continued shouting and running around the room, and I felt helpless to stop him. I tried to get up off the bed, but my legs wouldn't comply. I tried using my arms to push myself off, but they wouldn't work either, and then there was a loud banging at the door.

* * *

I awoke suddenly from the dream to the steady ring of my phone's alarm. Beams of light streamed through the blinds, illuminating the whole room, and I shielded my face with the covers; we really needed some more effective blinds. Reaching out from the sheets, I groggily grabbed my phone and shut off the alarm. I noticed a text from Nico he sent an hour before.

Smiling to myself, I looked over our previous night's texts, and the day's events came rushing back to me. I sat up and sent him a quick reply.

Getting out of bed, I headed to the bathroom, ready to start my day.

* * *

First thing on the list: brunch with the cousins. We took the highway to Keysville, a little over an hour away. I hated highways; I preferred the small and quiet roads of my hometown. Highways had too many cars, too much noise, it was all just a big bundle of stress. Mom noticed my discomfort and asked if it was about Lucy.

I didn't like her sister Lucy very much, and she knew it. I hadn't seen her or her family for about three years, but our last encounter left me with a sour taste. Fortunately, I was cool with her children, who were awesome and fun to be around. Nonetheless, I told my mom it wasn't about her, and it was actually that things were exhaustingly busy at the shop.

Arriving at the restaurant, mom and I found a seat at a booth after finding they hadn't arrived yet. After ordering some drinks, I excused myself to the bathroom to pee.

While I was washing my hands, Parker – Lucy's youngest son – walked in, and I noticed him in the mirror. I almost didn't recognize him with how much he had grown. He looked nice, dressed similarly to how Nico was during dinner, in a dress shirt and pants. I peered up towards his pale face, faintly dusted with freckles, and something drastic caught my attention.

"What?" I shouted in genuine surprise, turning to face him, and he stopped. "You cut your long, luscious locks? How unbecoming." I shook my head in mock disappointment, but my smirk gave away my playfulness.

He smirked too in response, and ran a hand across his newly shortened dark brown hair. "You know I wouldn't have chosen to. It was a requirement for Walter Broadway."

His voice took me by surprise; it seemed he was just beginning to be touched by puberty. "Wow," I said, "you were accepted?" Walter Broadway was a pretty well-renowned middle and high school. Preppy, but you'd surely get a hell of an education.

"They couldn't get enough of me," he said with a smirk, crossing his arms.

I laughed. "Parker," I said, walking over to him and holding out my arms.

"Logan," he heartily responded, and we hugged.

"Been a while. Almost didn't recognize you. Shit, you grew up."

He let go and took a step back. "Oh no, not you too," he moaned, and pressed a palm to his forehead. "I don't need more people pointing out the incredibly basic fact that I'm growing up."

"Sorry," I said, laughing, "you'll understand when you're older. It's easy to anticipate someone looking like they did the last time you saw them, and being surprised when they don't."

"Right. Whatever."

"How old are you now anyways?"

"Thirteen."

We talked for a bit longer, and I returned to the table while he used the toilet. I exchanged superficial greetings with Lucy and her husband. I was surprised to not see August, the older brother, but remembered he had moved to another state recently. We all caught up for a bit, then Parker came back and our conversations naturally separated.

Parker told me about all his recent achievements, mostly academic awards and things of that nature. It was strange after not seeing him for so many years, the way he spoke was so much more eloquent than when I last saw him, and it really struck me that he wasn't a little kid anymore.

I told him some stories from Australia, as well as a couple interesting things that happened at college. We reminisced on the times when, during our family get-togethers, the adults, older, and younger siblings all separated out into their own groups, and Parker and I would find our own fun in random games like hide-and-go-seek, or playing video games on the computer. He told me how much he enjoyed our time together when we went to Roaring Rivers, a water park we used to visit often. I enjoyed talking to him because it was like talking to a real person and not just entertaining a kid, the way I'd gotten so used to.

Brunch was pleasant enough: no snarky comments from Lucy meant I could enjoy myself, and Parker inhaled the rest of the pancakes that I couldn't finish. We were saying our goodbyes in the parking lot, when mom invited them all to come meet up at the beach the following day. While a beach day did sound nice, I knew I had a Nico to attend to.

"I actually have plans tomorrow," I said, "but you guys should totally get together!"

"Oh come on Logan, it will be fun, we never see these guys," mom said, placing her hands on Parker's shoulders. I knew she thought I was just trying to get out of it.

"I do want to, but I have plans I made a while ago with friends."

"Well, invite them too. Who is it?"

Not particularly wanting to tell them about the horny twelve-year-old that I was technically dating, I thought quickly. "It's, um, Grace and uh, her kid," I replied.

"Okay, well, invite them along too," she insisted. "I'd love to meet them."

"Oh, maybe. I'll see if they want to do that. It would be fun, after all."

"We should go to Roaring Rivers instead," Parker said, and we turned to hear him out. "For old time's sake! That place was totally our thing."

My mom smiled. "That's a fun idea, actually!"

Everyone agreed with that, and so plans for the water park were finalized. We all said goodbye, and mom and I began our drive home. I decided to text Grace and invite them.

I definitely didn't want to disappoint Nico, but I also didn't want to disappoint my mom or miss out on spending some quality time with my cousin, so this was the perfect solution. I was certain Nico would be interested. With that all figured out, I began to relax a bit. Sudden changes in plans often stressed me out.

I realized I was eager to get outdoors for a bit. Spending so much time inside during the week had me craving it like an addict; I just wanted to get off my ass for a little bit. I had plans to meet my friend Wesley that I hadn't seen since high school later that afternoon, and thought it would be fun to get outside for a little bit with him somehow. I went to my texts to message Wesley, and remembered Nico still hadn't replied to me. I wondered briefly what he was up to, then sent Wesley a text.

* * *

Wesley answered the front door and we excitedly greeted each other. He looked the same as ever with his big, bushy eyebrows and perpetual grin. His features had basically stayed exactly the same since middle school.

He led me inside to the basement area where he so often stayed. During high school, he'd converted the place into a "man-cave". It didn't seem like he'd changed at all over the last few years, and that was made more evident when we entered the basement to the familiar, strong smell of weed. My eyes widened when I saw Jack, another high school friend lounging in a beanbag chair.

"Oh, shit!" I said, grinning.

"Yeah, I forgot to mention but, surprise! Jack's here!" Wesley said.

"Jack!" I exclaimed. He got up from the beanbag, and we shook hands and fist bumped. He greeted me with a skewed smile, his hair a mess of dark, chaotic curls.

"Man, I haven't been here since senior year," I said wistfully, looking around the room. All the video game posters were still up, and the small black mini fridge sat dutifully next to the big leather couch, just like it always had.

"Back to the roots, I see," I said, noticing the bong on the coffee table. Wesley laughed.

"Yeah man, I told Barbara to not touch anything. I wanted to come home to home, y'know. It's just like senior year, down to the atom." Barbara was his mom's name. I still didn't know why he called her that. "Xbox still here too," he said, pointing to the TV. Without windows, it was a pretty dreary little room, lit only by a single crappy bulb and the glow of the TV. It felt stuffy and claustrophobic.

"Down to the atom," I repeated quietly.

"You tryna play?" Jack asked, gesturing to a controller besides the bong.

"I actually thought we were going to go hiking. That was the plan, yeah Wes?" I asked, looking at him.

"Yeah, it was," he said, falling back onto the couch. "I dunno though. I'm kinda chill to hang here though. Jack?"

"Mhm," Jack grunted, busy navigating menus in the game on the TV.

"Okay, well, I was kind of hoping that we'd go out. I've been indoors all week." I crossed my arms, a little annoyed. It was pretty typical for plans to randomly change with Wesley, a characteristic I'd forgotten about.

"Come sit," Wesley said, patting the couch. "Rocket League is better than outside."

"You want a beer?" Jack asked, crouched by the mini-fridge.

"That's okay, thanks," I said, sitting down on the couch next to Wesley. The two drank and played Rocket League while I sat around, watching. Jack had me play a few matches with him, and while it was fun, I was still feeling disappointed in the change of plans. I enjoyed some snacks, something to hold me over until dinner. After an hour or so of hanging out, I felt my phone vibrate and perked up.

I wasn't sure what else to say, so I left it at that. I was watching Wesley and Jack play another match when he sent me another message.

At first, I smiled to myself. So precious, so thoughtful. Then, I seriously considered his offer. I wondered why I was even here, when hiking with Nico would've been so much more appealing. Although I was looking forward to seeing my old friend for nearly a week, the reality wasn't so pleasant. Turning my head, I saw Wesley hitting the bong. Jack was laughing and taunting some other players over voice chat, while dipping his hand into an open bag of chips. I looked again at my phone, and Nico's message stared back at me.

Wesley casually kicked my leg with his foot. "Who's that?" he asked. "Girlfriend?"

I put my phone in my pocket, hoping he hadn't seen anything. "A friend," I replied nonchalantly, and yawned. "I think I'm gonna head out actually."

The two started to give me shit for leaving so soon, but I could have cared less at that point. Walking out the door, I felt a real sense of freedom, and I was elated to be getting to see Nico again so soon.

* * *

I pulled into Nico's driveway and made my way to the front door. There was a slight breeze in the warm air, causing the trees to rustle faintly and the wind chimes on their porch to jingle. I rang the doorbell and Grace opened the door, pleased to see me. I told her the tale of my friends being lame, and how Nico offered to join me on a hike.

She laughed. "If I know anything about Nico, it's that he loves nature. I've never sent him to any summer camps or anything, though. I should really try to get him in the Boy Scouts next summer."

"You should!" I said excitedly. "I was in the Boy Scouts and it was fantastic!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yep. I was probably eleven when I started, and did it for a couple years. It's great for any kid that enjoys being outside. Grace, you just have to sign him up, he would love it!"

"I guess I'll have to try and make it happen then," she said, smiling, then called to him. I heard him trot down the stairs, and as he walked up to the door he smiled happily at me. He looked ready for a hike (unlike me), wearing a light-gray tank top and reddish-orange hiking shorts, all topped off with a cute little camo boonie hat. A large sports water bottle dangled loosely from one of his fingers. He sat at the shoe bench and pulled his hiking boots on, staring excitedly into my eyes the whole time.

"Can you bring him back before six o'clock tonight?" Grace asked me, adjusting the string on his hat. "Little guy's got some plans," she said, patting his head. He growled.

"Of course, Grace. We won't be too long. Oh, did you tell him about the water park?"

"Water park?" he asked, peering over from the bench. "Huh?"

"Well, my mom and my cousins wanted to go to a water park tomorrow. I told them no, because I know you wanted to hang out, but they invited you to tag along. Do you wanna come?"

"A water park?" His eyes got big. "Holy crap, I love water parks!" he practically shouted, and Grace laughed loudly. "I've never been to one, though. They have one here?"

"Well, it's kind of a drive. Close to an hour."

He looked lost in thought. "Yes, I wanna come! Wow Logan, I get to go to a water park with you."

I smiled. "My cousin will be coming, too. He's about your age. I think you guys could be friends."

He began to wriggle around excitedly. "Alright!" he exclaimed. "Boy, I'm so hyped!"

I was happy to see him so happy. I told Grace about the trail I was looking at, and she knew all about it already. We continued to chat about hiking areas for a bit while Nico struggled with his boots. Once he was finally set, we said goodbye to Grace, and he raced me to the car.

The doors slammed shut, and I turned to him. "I love your outfit," I said. "You look great." He flashed his dimples but said nothing, and peered over to see if his mom was still out, and saw she'd gone back inside. I was putting my seat belt on when he hastily scrambled over the center console and kissed me, making his way onto my lap and whimpering adorably into my mouth.

A little taken by surprise, I grabbed his butt, pulling him into me, and we made out for a while. I squeezed it, and he broke the kiss for a second to let out an obscene moan, before returning for more. We made out passionately for a few minutes before he finally pulled off and returned to his seat like nothing had happened. He wiped his mouth and fixed his displaced hat with a satisfied grin plastered on his face. I sat dazed for a moment before remembering where I was and started the car.

"Wow, you've been waiting for that, huh?" I said.

"You have no idea," he replied, reaching into his shorts to fix the lump.

* * *

"Will you do me?" Nico asked, looking up at me with pleading eyes.

We were in the small dirt parking lot of the trail, and I was finishing rubbing the sunscreen into my neck. Mom let me use her special sunscreen that I loved. It was basically odorless, and you couldn't even feel it on at all, yet it still worked as well as any sunscreen ever. Magic.

"Of course," I said, more than happy to help. I came over behind him and squirted some more sunscreen onto my hand, then took him by an arm and carefully rubbed it into his smooth skin. He shivered at the touch, and I did the same to his other arm, which was now covered in goosebumps.

I opened the car to put the sunscreen away, but he pushed the door closed and shouted, "Wait! You still have to do my face!"

"You don't need any on your face. You've got your hat." I pulled his brim upward to make my point.

He squinted and took it off, tossing it into the back seat of the car, then planted himself back in front of me, grinning a frisky grin. I shook my head, chuckling. Another squirt, and I started on his face. I used both hands for maximum efficiency, and playfully squeezed his cheeks. He looked up at me with palpable admiration. When I was happy with the coverage, I patted him on the cheek to signify my completion, and he giggled. Together we set off up the trail.

Nico talked animatedly about his morning at the beach as we walked. How he'd been surfing and another boy almost hit him with his board which started an argument, a scary moment when a lifeguard had to swim out to save a girl, and a million other things that all apparently happened in the span of just a few hours. I listened while admiring our surroundings of luscious green trees, big puffy clouds, and the occasional overview of the beautiful ocean. Nico tapped my hand with his, and looked up at me, silently requesting permission. I allowed him to take my hand, I explained at least until we saw or heard anyone else. He hummed happily to himself.

As people eventually came by, we had to sadly let go, and my hand felt suddenly cold and empty. We continued walking side by side until he sped ahead, placing himself in front of me. I noticed the way he walked, slightly feminine, his butt swaying ever so slightly. For the first time, I noticed he had a great butt, outlined finely by his shorts, pert and petite. His skinny legs propelled him forward, covered at the bottom by a pair of short white socks. I wondered if he was aware of his swishing hips, or if he was just trying to entice me, and when he turned to shoot me a dirty grin, it confirmed everything I needed to know.

We reached a nice overlook spot and decided to sit down on a rock for a breather. He chugged some water while I relaxed and caught my breath. I asked him about his summer before he found me, and he filled me in on all the details.

"Have you lived here your whole life?" he asked me, looking out over the ocean.

"Yeah, pretty much. My family moved here when I was two, so I wasn't old enough to remember anything before it."

"That's cool. We only moved here about three years ago. We lived in the city before. I think my mom told you about that."

"Did you like the city?"

"Not really," he said, shivering at the memory. "I mean, maybe I did a little when I was there. But after being here for like a week, I already liked it better."

"And why's that?"

"Well, I love going to the beach. A lot. I don't really like wearing a lot of clothes, and when it snowed you'd have to pack them on like crazy! Oh, and the people are nicer, too. Like you! And, you live here too, some of the time at least." He sighed, and looked into my eyes. "I was really sad when you were gone. And I'm going to be really sad when you leave again, too, even though we've only been boyfriends for a day now. I kinda like you more than anyone else here, and I always have."

I put an arm around him and messed up his hair. "Wow Nico, you're the reason I'm happy to be back here right now. And you don't have to think of things that way," I told him. "Just appreciate the way things are now. Don't even think about me leaving, let's just enjoy our time together. We'll make some great memories."

He leaned his head into me. "I was kind of thinking we could get married," he said, his expression totally serious. "When I'm old enough. If that's okay with you," he added.

I laughed, and he frowned. Feeling the need to explain myself, I said, "That's… thinking pretty far ahead. Like I said, let's just focus on the moment."

I replied to some texts for a few minutes while he wandered around some bushes, presumably searching for bugs. "Ready to go?" I asked.

"Just about. Gotta pee though," he said, balling his fists. I didn't say anything, expecting him to go about his business, but he just waited.

"Don't you have to pee too?" he blurted out after a few seconds.

"Not really," I replied honestly. I suspected he was looking for a peep show, and I was too anxious to give it to him. He looked a little disappointed, but reluctantly disappeared into the bushes. I heard the concentrated splash of peeing, and then he wandered back over.

"You're really burning through that water, huh?" I said, wiggling a finger into his ribs.

He giggled. "Hehe, yeah, you should have some before I get through it all."

"Maybe I will."

"Maybe you will." He shook the water in front of my face. I snatched it from him and held it up for a large gulp. While I was drinking, Nico slyly reached up and lightly pushed the container, causing a sizable amount of water to spill onto my collar and shirt, as well as making me choke a little.

"Ack! What the hell, dude?" I shouted, coughing up water, fairly annoyed. I really hated getting my clothes wet, it was such an uncomfortable sensation.

"Sorry, I guess you're all wet now," he said, grinning impishly.

"Why did you do that?" I said, looming over him.

"It's not a big deal," he said, his smile fading.

In my irritation I splashed him back with a little bit of water. It splattered against his tank top, leaving a big dark gray patch, and small droplets splashed up onto his face.

"Agh, hey!" he shouted, now looking upset. We stood there quietly watching each other, dripping. Eventually, he turned away from me and lifted his tank top off, crumpling it into a ball, and stuffed it into his shorts. Standing topless, he rotated his head slightly to look back at me, searching for my response. He was being saucy, and while I wanted to be annoyed with him, the view was simply too stunning. I just couldn't look away from the luster of his tanned back in the sunlight, or the subtle curves of his shoulder blades.

My anger subsiding, I sighed and stripped off my damp shirt too. I realized that it was probably his plan all along as he stared at me agape. I did like to work out, mostly when I was back at school, so I did have some nice muscles. The look Nico gave me, however, was like he was staring at an Olympian God. He ogled me with such blatant desire that honestly startled me a little.

"Let's get on with it," I said, snapping him out of it. "I'd say we're almost halfway." He grinned enthusiastically, and reclaimed his spot beside me.

While we continued up the mountain trail, he frequently (and knowing him, purposefully) kept bumping me with his shoulder. I got the feeling he wanted to hold hands again, but we were passing by more people, and I was already nervous enough being shirtless with him. Of course, it wasn't that unusual to go shirtless when hiking on a hot trail, but I was still eternally paranoid that people would get the right idea. I also regretted not bringing the sunscreen with us, both because I was slowly growing more worried about him getting a burn, but also mostly because of the missed opportunity of rubbing him all over his body.

It was about another hour before we reached the peak, and damn was the effort worth it. The summit overlooked huge grassy hills, and past it, the vast ocean, blazing sun hovering above. Luckily for us, no one else was around up there, and we secured the best spot for the view. I sat down in the dirt to take it all in, steadying myself with my arms, and Nico followed my lead. The soft breeze cooled our bodies.

He had another sip of water and sighed contentedly, then brought the container hovering, slightly tilted above my leg. I looked over at him and our eyes met. A cheeky smile crossed over his lips. His attitude bothered me, how could he not tell I didn't want him pouring water on me?

"Nico, don't," I said, slowly reaching my hands out to the bottle. He smirked and attempted to dump some water on my shorts. I spread my legs to dodge the flow, but it still splashed me a little.

I stood up. "You're going crazy with that! I'm going to have to confiscate it." I reached out again for the water bottle, but he pulled it away. "You're gonna play it like that, huh?"

He just smirked mischievously, taunting me.

"Give me that!" I lunged at him, but he pushed himself away from me, quickly getting to his feet and running off, laughing maniacally. I got up too and ran after him, chasing him, again reaching for the water.

"You can't be trusted," I said, cornering him against a small cliff. "Give it to me."

I was closing in on him when he suddenly thrust the container forward, splattering my bare chest.

"Damn it, Nico!" I shouted. Once again, I wanted to be annoyed with his antics, but he was having fun, and I once again failed to retain my anger as a smile crept across my face. He giggled and tried to get away but I caught him by the arm. He went to splash me again, but I grabbed the bottle from him. Determined for revenge, I considered my options. He was laughing a very child-like laugh as I secured both his wrists with one hand while I forcefully dumped the rest of the remaining water all over his head, shoulders, and chest.

I was laughing too now, and as I let him go he immediately jumped on me, knocking me over onto the ground with him on top. The bottle fell on the ground beside us where we wrestled, flipping over repeatedly and kicking dirt into the air.

I was much stronger than him, but he was small and tricky to handle, resulting in a pretty even battle. Because of that, I had to resort to tickling him in order to win. When I finally got on top of him, I began tickling his chest, around his nipples, and then his armpits. He was howling, and tried kicking to get me off.

"Okay, okay I give!" he shrieked through his laughing fit. His face was bright pink and soaked with water and sweat.

"That'll teach you," I said, pulling myself off of him and standing above him. "Don't mess with me," I added, flexing an arm.

He lay on the ground covered in dirt and mud that clung to him by the water he was drenched in. His laughter gradually ceased, and he lay recovering on the ground for a moment before slowly pulling himself to his feet.

I shook my head at him. "You're filthy," I said in mock disgust.

"It's your fault!" he cried, totally out of breath, and shoved my arm playfully.

"You started it," I replied, cringing at my own childish response as it left my lips.

He knelt down to grab his water bottle. "Have to pee yet?" he asked.

"What is with you today?"

"I have to pee again."

"Go, then."

"Come with me."

"I don't have to go."

"Doesn't matter. I want you to come. I need a bathroom buddy."

"Okay, whatever." There weren't any bushes to hide behind up here, and he walked up to the edge of the cliff while I followed him at a distance.

"Careful," I admonished, reaching an arm out. He stuck his tongue at me and unbuttoned and unzipped his shorts. Turning to me with confidence, he pulled his shorts down slightly. He wasn't wearing underwear, and his hard uncut dick popped out, bobbing lewdly in the air, stiff as a nail and pink towards the tip. Though I'd seen it a few days prior, I was embarrassed at seeing it so plainly in broad daylight, and averted my gaze.

"I need your help," he said, and I felt him staring into the side of my head. I peeked over at him. He pushed his boner forward with one hand and let it spring back into place.

"What do you need?" I asked, still not looking directly at him.

"Uh, I'm hard. Can't pee," he explained.

"So wait for it to go away."

"It's not gonna. Come play with it, Logan?"

I watched him thrust his hips forward out of the corner of my eye. "Nico, no, I can't. Not right now."

"Why not? Just real quick. Please!" he whined, holding it at the base.

"Because we're in public, anyone could come up. Just hurry up and go to the bathroom."

"You don't want to do it anymore," he accused. "You didn't want to do it yesterday, and–"

"Nico, I already told you, we need to be careful about doing that kind of stuff. We can do it in private, but just not when other people are around."

"We are in private!" he shouted. I didn't reply. "Fine, whatever," he said sullenly. He turned away from me, then turned back to shout, "at least it's going down now!" He stood for a few seconds at the edge of the cliff, waiting for his erection to subside, then peed off. I turned away and put my shirt back on.

After he finished, he zipped back up, and came back over to me. We started walking back the way we came up. "Nobody even came up," he said grumpily, and made a point of looking away from me. Clearly, he didn't understand what I was saying, and I was concerned that I believed he did previously. I became worried that maybe the relationship was too risky for us with his level of carelessness.

We descended the mountain, independently wrapped up in our heads. His spirits were much lower I observed, and while I was sorry to think that I'd disappointed him, I was glad I could keep my wits and not risk us getting into serious trouble.

He stayed quiet for most of the descent, and I was disheartened to watch him climb into the back seat when we got to the car. I followed him into the back where he was sulking, and sat next to him, closing the door. We sat looking forward, and he fidgeted with his shorts. He was still shirtless and caked in mud, wearing a frown. I spotted a streak of mud stained on the back of his seat.

"Can you lean forward? You're getting the seat dirty," I instructed calmly. He did so, but his eyebrows furrowed and he looked down.

I placed my hand on his knee. "Hey, I really like you, Nico. I hate being the bad guy here, it's just that, well, I'm older and I have to be responsible. I think you're very cute, and super fun to be around. I love who you are as a person. I need to make sure though, if this relationship just exists for you to get off… I'm not really interested. But you should tell me now if this is something serious, or just lust. I… I want to know if it's really you who likes me, or if it's just your dick."

I could tell he was holding back tears, but with that he immediately started bawling. It caught me off guard, and he leapt onto my side and cried into me. "I'm sorry Logan, it's not like that, honest," he sputtered. "I really do like you and I don't want you to feel like I'm just using you! It's just confusing for me, and yeah maybe sometimes I do just want to… you know, do stuff, but I think you're so amazing, and I'm so happy being around you. No grown-ups are ever nice to me like the way you are. I'm so sorry…" He sniffled and I held him close.

I felt bad. It was hard for me to know how he felt, or if what he felt was even genuine, because in truth he was just a little kid with no real experience. But then I realized, I also had no idea what love really was, and with no real experience myself, what position was I in to make sense of things?

"I'm sorry for accusing you like that. It's just that you've been moody when I told you we couldn't do 'stuff'. I know I'm just overthinking things again. It's silly, I know that the spark between us is real. You're amazing too, and you make me happy."

He pressed further into my side, and I took him in my arms. His naked skin felt incredibly warm against mine. We hugged the backseat, doing our best to improve each other's moods, when an idea suddenly came to me.

"Hey, I've got a fun surprise for you," I said softly into his ear. He looked up curiously and let go of me.

"Oh?"

I got out of the back and got in the driver's seat. "What time is it?" I asked him.

He checked his phone and told me. "It's almost four o'clock."

"Let's go somewhere fun," I said, and started the car. "Come on up here with me, but watch the seats, mud boy." I patted the passenger seat, and his frown finally flipped.

* * *

We pulled up to my "secret" spot: a secluded shoulder off a quiet road that led down to a lesser-known little stretch of beach. Nico had found my sunglasses again on the drive, and decided to wear them. He was still topless, so lucky me got to apply sunscreen to his whole upper body this time. He purred like a cat when I sensually rubbed his nipples.

"I don't remember giving you permission to fondle me," he complained once I stopped.

"Hey, don't be coy, you wanted me to jerk you off not even an hour ago," I reminded him. He blushed and giggled innocently.

I grabbed us some towels from the car, and we headed down. The path was a steep winding downhill trail, shaded heavily by trees. I guess you could say it was a little unsafe, but I had him hold my hand as we stumbled our way down, and I held his waist with my other hand to steady him whenever we were presented with a difficult section. The path eventually opened up into a large beach, with beautiful golden sand, and not a single person in sight.

"Whoa!" he said, his eyes big as he took in the surroundings. "I never even knew this was here!"

"Yeah, pretty cool right? It's not really well-known." It was a hidden beach my friend and I stumbled upon when we were little. It wasn't totally private, as people could still walk by from other beaches, but the sketchy entrance trail acted as a good gatekeeper for direct access.

"There's nobody here!" he said in awe, as he walked forward to get a better view.

"I thought you'd like it," I grinned at him.

He looked over and smiled gleefully, then without hesitation, pushed his shorts down to his ankles. The view was all too familiar, but with a fresh new bonus: his gorgeous butt. I hadn't really seen it before, but wow, it was something to behold. Less tan than the rest of his body, it was small and perfectly round, perfectly crafted. Way better than any girls' butts I'd seen. I thought I noticed something small and red around his butt cheeks, but I couldn't get a good look before he took off towards the water, diving in with a loud splash.

I stood watching, astounded by his beauty, and also in awe of his all-too-familiar boldness. I took a quick look around to make sure nobody else was on the nearby coast, and they weren't. Nico was splashing around by the shore, and I approached him. We had left our shoes in the car, and I let the cool waves wash over my feet.

"You're crazy, going naked here!" I called out.

"I'm not naked, I have these on!" he called back, lifting the sunglasses. "Besides, I thought that's why you brought me here!"

"I brought you here to clean the mud off of your body!"

He popped out of the water and pretended to weakly scrub his chest, before turning to me. "You'll help me, won't you?"

I nervously looked around again, but decided that we were safely alone, at least for now. I took my own shorts off, and set them over in the sand next to his. Left in just boxer-briefs, I headed over to join him in the sea. He swam away from me, and I chased him in the water, and we ended up playing for a bit. Eventually I caught up to him and grabbed him. Holding him up by an armpit, I scoured his body of mud. He was so extraordinarily soft, my hands slipped across his wet skin effortlessly. I accidentally brushed against his soft little sea cucumber, and with a jolt he pushed off of me, laughing and diving into the shallow water.

I was turning around looking for him when I realized I lost track of him. Before I could start freaking, I saw a tan blob moving around under the water near me, and breathed a sigh of relief. The blob charged right at me and started tugging at my underwear. At first, I laughed at his antics, but then freaked when I felt him actually try to pull them down. I'd never been naked in a public place, and even though no one was around, I just couldn't do it. I lightly kicked him away, and thankfully he understood the gesture.

We swam around for a bit longer, and he eventually paddled himself to the shore and got out. I watched from the water as he walked up the sand and then collapsed onto his back, totally exposed to the world. He had absolutely zero shame, and I seriously wondered how he had the balls to do it. Regarding his balls, they sat taut underneath his flaccid penis, with droplets of salt water trickling down them, looking absolutely delectable.

"Just… resting!" he called out drowsily, waving his hand limply in the air. I continued to swim around but most of my focus was on him, and his beautiful tanned body relaxing on the shore.

He had his hands resting underneath his head and one leg draped over the other, enjoying what was left of the sun. I checked around again to make sure nobody was in sight, but spotted two silhouettes way off in the distance, walking down the beach towards us. I climbed out of the water and gazed at him. The view started to give me a hard-on, and I was useless to hide it, so I went and grabbed a towel to partially cover myself, and walked over to him.

"Hey, beautiful," I said, crouching next to him. He lifted the sunglasses for a second and smiled, squinting in the sunlight. "You should put your shorts back on. This place isn't completely private."

"I don't care," he said with a smirk, crossing his arms. "Let 'em look."

"Nico, this is what freaks me out. What would people think if they saw us right now?"

"Hmm…" He tapped his cheek in thought, then grinned. "They would probably think I'm really hot. And that you're really hot." He paused. "They would think we're just a couple of hot guys," he said finally, chuckling to himself.

I noticed he was starting to get a boner, pulsing upward slowly with his heartbeat, and apprehensively looked around again. Spotting the two small figures in the distance, I said "Look, there's people coming from over there. They're gonna wonder what the hell I'm doing here with a naked kid."

"It's stupid that everyone is so freaked out by nudity. I mean, it's like the most natural thing ever!"

"Yeah maybe so, but we're not the ones who get to decide what's appropriate. If we were on a nude beach it would be fine, but we're not. I need you to put your shorts on."

He just stared off into the sky defiantly and sighed loudly. "We're not doing anything anyway, just swimming and hanging out. I wish we could run away and live together, and make our own rules. Why can't you adopt me? Oh man, that would be so awesome!"

"Yeah, I do think something like that would be really cool, but you have a wonderful mother who cares a lot about you. I'm sure you don't want to give that up."

"Hm, I guess so. She's kind of crazy sometimes, though."

"That's just moms for you." I walked over and picked up his hiking shorts, and dangled them in front of his face. He scrunched his nose. "C'mon," I said, "up."

"Noooo," he whined, yanking the shorts from my hands and tossing them elsewhere. He began scooping sand onto his thighs.

"What are you doing?"

"Just bury me," he said, dumping more sand onto himself.

"What?"

"Bury me. In the sand. That way I'll still be naked, and you and everyone else'll be happy. I do think you should get more comfortable with nudity, though," he said, swirling his finger in the sand.

Rolling my eyes, I relented. "Okay, sure, fine." I saw that the people were still far off in the distance, and quickly dried myself with the towel, stepping back into my shorts. Turning back to him, I found him posed like a starfish, limbs spread out and eyes shut. I knelt by him and began pushing sand onto his arms, soon covering them completely. His penis had become completely stiff, pointing at an angle between his body and the sky, and I wondered if that would make it difficult to cover up.

"What do you want me to do about this?" I asked him, grasping it delicately with two fingers, causing him to shiver.

"I dunno. It's your problem."

"You sure you don't want to put your shorts on? The hoodie's off, I don't want any sand getting into any places it shouldn't, and I don't think you do either," I said, inspecting his penis.

"Just cover me up already idiot, sheesh, and stop staring at my cock!" he complained, and we both laughed.

Repositioning myself, I pushed some more sand to cover his feet and legs, then laughed when I looked up and saw just a head with sunglasses and a torso, sporting an extremely rigid erection. He began to giggle too when he noticed what I was laughing at, and began shaking his lower body, causing it to bounce back and forth horizontally. Next I did his chest and covered everything except his groin, just for fun. It was a really hilarious view. I kind of wanted to give it a few tugs, but felt hurried knowing other people were somewhat close by.

Finally, I covered the twitching thing, which caused a mound in the sand, and I had to fix it by adding more sand to the rest of his body to even it all out. In the end, he looked totally inconspicuous, and I had to admire my excellent work. To complete the disguise, I retrieved his shorts, and hid them under our towels.

Several minutes passed, and the people finally walked by. It was a couple probably in their late twenties. I was sitting on top of Nico's covered body, and as they passed they waved, and I waved back for the both of us. The woman laughed when she saw Nico's head (his actual head!) sticking out of the sand. Mission accomplished.

Nico chatted happily with me until they'd long gone. He was clearly enthralled with the naughtiness of the situation. Once I made sure the coast was clear (best possible use of that phrase), I swiveled around and kissed him on his exposed face, then pushed the sunglasses onto the top of his head. He opened his mouth for me and I pressed my tongue inside. While we french kissed, he sat up, breaking free of his sand prison, and threw his arms around my neck. I lifted his eighty-ish pounds [40 kg] until I was standing, holding him by his thighs. His erection, as stiff as it was when I first covered it, mashed sloppily against my bare chest, but instead of the usual smoothness, it was rough like sandpaper.

I could tell the thrusting was pleasuring him as I felt a slight stickiness between us, but the sand was making me lose my grip on him, and after a minute or two I was forced to set him down. We both took a moment to recover.

"Can we play now?" he asked impatiently.

"No we can't, we're still in public, and also I need to get you home soon. Your mom said you've got things to do tonight."

He looked ready to complain further, but then his eyes sparkled. "Oh yeah!"

"So why don't you go wash up in the water again."

"Kay."

"And give me those," I said, swiping the sunglasses from him. Without a fuss, he energetically leaped back into the water and cleansed himself of the sand. He dove under, and I watched him comb his hair for sand. After a minute, he came out shiny, naked, wet, and most importantly, flaccid. I dried him off and helped him back into his shorts, and we began the short trek back up to the car.

"Thanks Logan, this beach is awesome!" he said, walking up the sand. "You have to bring me back here!" He was beaming. So was I.

* * *

It was late evening, and I was hanging in the living room with my mom. She had a sewing documentary playing on our large television, but was instead fully engaged in conversation with her friend on the phone. I was busy clipping my nails on the couch when my phone buzzed. Placing the clippers on the table, I took a look at what I hoped was a message from Nico. It was.

An urgent need for Snapchat? I wondered what it possibly could be about. I didn't have to think too hard though, before many mostly-tan images popped into my head. Intrigued to say the least, I created my account and sent him the username. After friending each other, he immediately replied with a close up picture of his face and a cut-off smile, accompanied by the text "Hi". I couldn't tell where the hell he was. After playing around with the app for a bit I figured out how the messaging worked.

His next picture came in, and as I opened it, I sat up on the couch and swallowed. It was taken from above, and he was sitting down on a toilet seat with his pants and boxers pushed down around his ankles. Half naked, he was only dressed in a dark gray zipped up jacket. He'd stuck his tongue out, and was holding his hard dick, pointed straight up at the camera, winking at me. A countdown timer read ten seconds.

Naughty kid! I subconsciously tilted the phone away from my mom and looked around the room as casually as I could. She was seated in an accent chair, invested in her phone conversation. I stared excitedly at the image until the timer ran out and kicked me out. I coolly got up and stretched, mentioning something about being back shortly. My mom nodded without looking at me.

I quickly made my way into my bedroom. Closing and locking the door in a single motion, I ran and jumped onto my bed.

Another ding, another Snapchat. This time however, it was a video. I gulped and played it back. It was the same angle from before, and he was still naked from the waist down. He brought the camera down in front of himself, and loosely jerked his dick up and down with three of his fingers. The head of his penis poked out of the foreskin rhythmically, and turning the volume up, I could hear his steady breathing. It was only a couple of seconds before the video ended, and I was as hard as I could possibly be.

I took a photo of my own and sent it to him: the massive bump in my shorts he'd caused. I was just beginning to unbutton them when a new photo came in. It was only his perfect dick and balls, close up. Really close up. I could say without a doubt he was fully, completely hairless, not a single pubic hair in sight, and balls as smooth as an orange. His penis was jutting out at full attention, and the tip glowed with a pinker aura than the rest of the shaft. He must have received my photo because a few messages arrived.

It was a crossroads; I know Nico had never seen me exposed before, and this would definitely advance our relationship. I was nervous thinking about showing myself to him, but accepted that any boundaries that existed have already been crossed pretty hard, and elected to not worry too much about it. I pulled down the front of my shorts and my slightly-above-average cock popped out. Surely not as pretty as his, but certainly more masculine. Looking at it, the difference in our size became extremely apparent to me, and I felt a little crummy about perving on such a small kid, even though I knew he was clearly the one coming on to me and getting me into this whole mess.

I stroked myself a few times to reach full mast, then captured the photo: a close-up similar to his of my dick and balls pulled out of my shorts, the biggest difference being that mine was resting upon a small tuft of dark pubic hairs. I liked to keep my body hair appropriately trimmed, so it wasn't a total mess, but I did envy the total smoothness of his body. Drunk in my lust for him at that moment, I sent the photo over, then took a moment to think to myself.

This crazy twelve-year-old got so horny at the movies with his friend, that he had to step out to the bathrooms to sext me. I loved it. Waiting anxiously for his reply, I started to stroke my cock, replaying back the image of his in my head. I was going at it for about a minute, enjoying the feelings when I realized he still hadn't replied. Slowly I began to grow worried, maybe the photo grossed him out or made him change his mind about me. I started to feel self-conscious about sending such a private image to him, and a little vulnerable, just sitting and waiting for something to happen, and felt my boner begin to wane. I didn't have to wait too long, however, because a few moments later another photo came in, and I perked up (in more ways than one).

It was the prior above angle, and he was still half-naked like before. This time, though, his cheeks were tinted pinkish, and his penis was drooping slightly down into the toilet rim. Putting my face closer, I noticed a slight glimmer on the edge of the toilet seat and on the floor. Holy crap! He'd shot his clear cum all over the stall! The thought was stupidly arousing to me. A follow-up message came through.

He must have been super worked up, because he came in only about five minutes. I guessed he probably wanted to get back to the movie, and I felt a little disappointed that it likely marked the end of our little sexting adventure, but suddenly some more chats arrived.

I smiled, reliving the memory.

I sat on the bed with my rock hard erection, wondering what to do with myself. Surely I couldn't go look at normal porn after that, the idea seemed so unsatisfying to me. I could feel my heart beating, waiting for my body to finish up its task. Thankfully, my thoughtful boyfriend came to the rescue, with one final picture. This one didn't have a timer to my relief, so I could enjoy it for as long as I wanted.

It was one of the hottest images I'd ever seen, and knowing he sent it for one purpose made me extra determined. I pulled my shorts and underwear fully off, not taking my eyes off the screen, and went to work pounding my overly-stiff dick. Examining the photo closely, I drank in every inch of detail included in the photo.

It was a full-body shot, and he must have used a self-timer or something, because he wasn't holding his phone and was standing up against the door of the stall, pants still down. His blonde hair hung just over his eyelashes, rosy cheeks surrounding a naughty smile. His still-hard penis pointed straight up, aligning with the zipper of his jacket. The tip of his foreskin glistened with his semen, and appeared to be dripping a little. He pointed at it excitedly with both hands in a finger gun pose, hips pushed forward to show off his beautiful prong.

I felt like I had never been this horny before in my life, as precum dripped madly onto my flailing hand. Making myself more comfortable on the bed, I stripped my shirt off and laid back, working at it for not even twenty more seconds before going rigid and firing a ton of cum all over my stomach. It was a very long orgasm, longer than any I could remember, and while I wasn't normally the noisy type when jerking off, I found myself groaning softly for the whole duration, wrapped in the pleasure provided by Nico and his magic wand. When the splattering finally ended, I fell back onto the sheets, more than spent.

After a short recovery period, I sat back up, remembering the lack of tissue in the room. I hobbled over to the connected bathroom to clean myself up. Returning to my room, I climbed back onto the bed and lazily grabbed my phone. Nico's picture was still open, and I dismissed it, then sent him my appreciation.

Chapter Four
Raging Rivers

"Which one is it, again?" Mom asked, leaning forward in the driver seat. She pushed the small pair of glasses up on her nose, as if it would help her spot Nico's house that I had not yet described nor pointed out to her, and squinted at the houses in the distance.

"Just keep going," I said, rubbing my sweaty palms against my swim shorts. The apprehension of my secret boyfriend's looming introduction to my mom overtook my initial enthusiasm about our upcoming day at the water park. I became nervous that Nico might accidentally give us away, especially with his tendency towards carelessness. It was up to me to tame the little beast.

Mom finally pulled up to the sidewalk of the house I pointed out. The morning sun had just started warming up the cool air. We walked together up to the porch, and she pressed the doorbell, which echoed through their large home. Shortly, the large white door cracked open, and Nico peeked his head out, with his fluffy blonde hair looking nice and presentable today. He pulled the door open completely, and I groaned internally. If his goal was to look as kiddish as possible, he'd certainly succeeded. He was wearing an incredibly small pair of red polyester swim shorts, and a green short-sleeve shirt that also was a little too small for him, very much looking like a little boy headed to the water park. Smiling, he stepped out onto the porch, his flip-flops slapping against the wood.

"Hi Logan! And Mrs. Lake!"

"Hey, buddy," I said, feeling suddenly cognizant of the discrepancy between his squeaky voice and my far deeper one.

"You must be Nico," Mom said through her smile. He giggled boyishly in response, dimples protruding. She went to hug him. "I'm so happy to finally meet you. Logan would always talk about how much fun he had with you and your mother."

"We had a lot of fun that summer! I loved visiting your store. Logan was always super nice to me."

"Aren't you just darling," Mom said, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. He blushed at the contact.

Grace appeared in the doorway in just a pink bathrobe and stepped out to join us, introducing herself to Mom. "Thanks again for taking him today. As you can see, I'm ready for my day off," she said, gesturing to her clothing.

"Hey, I'm not that bad," he whined, and looked to me. "Right?"

I put a hand on the back of my neck and smiled weakly at him, to which he made a fist at me.

"We're so happy to have him join us," Mom told her. "My nephew will be pleased to have someone around his own age for once. He's the only youngster in the family right now," she explained.

"Well, Nico could always use more friends," Grace said, draping her arms over Nico's shoulders. "It would appear he's determined to make enemies with just about every kid at the beach."

He shoved his way out of her grasp. "Am not!" he protested, and his face burned with embarrassment. "They're the ones always picking on me!"

"Poor boy," I said.

Grace and Mom got along very well. Too well, in fact, and our quick stop for Nico turned into a full-on chit-chat between the two. Thankfully, we left home early, so we had plenty of time to spare before we had to meet my aunt at the park. Nico was pacing around me, groaning, waiting for the adults to finish up so we could start heading to his dream destination.

"Cool outfit," I said to him. "You look like a watermelon, though."

He pretended to scowl and continued pacing around me.

Grace noticed his boredom. "Nico, did you feed Logan today?" she asked. Mom's expression was one of pure bewilderment.

"I didn't mumma, but I will now before we leave," he assured her, eyeing me with a hint of impishness. "Wanna come with?"

I followed him inside where he took me by the wrist, pulling me through the entryway, laughing to myself as Grace explained the guinea pig's name to Mom.

"Last night was so super awesome," he said as he dragged me up the stairs. "I've been wanting to see you really bad since."

"Yeah," I replied dizzily, mesmerized by the outline of his butt, clearly visible through the tight swimwear.

He pulled me into his bedroom and locked the door. It was much messier than my prior visit, with bed sheets unmade, and clothing–mostly swim shorts–strewn about the floor.

I held up a pair to inspect. "So you do have swim shorts that properly fit," I said curiously. "Why those then?"

"Hm?" he replied, feigning innocence while he walked over to his desk.

"Your swim shorts are tiny, man. I can swear I remember that pair from two summers ago!"

"You don't like them?" he asked, picking up a small bag of food pellets.

"Oh, I like them very much, they're just… a little… formfitting…" I said, my eyes focused on his petite form as he grinned. He wiggled his butt as he shook a few pellets from the bag into the guinea pig's food bowl. Fat little Logan crawled out of his shelter and began gnawing at the food.

"Well, shorts are supposed to be short. That's why they're called shorts."

"Oh, I see," I said, walking over to him. "I wasn't aware why they were called that." I reached out and tickled his sides. He gave a delighted yelp and backed away, dropping the bag down on the corner of the desk.

"And, my mom says they still look good on me," he added, trying to convince me of his perfectly non-sinful clothing choice.

I advanced towards him. "Is that all?" I breathed into his ear, and I felt him tremble beneath me.

"And, maybe, I sorta wanted you to, um… touch my ass, like, right now," he finally squeaked, his young voice bursting with lust.

Our moms were busy outside, and we'd have easily been able to hear them come into the house; all things considered, I determined we were in a good position for some quick fun. I slipped my hands down over his swim shorts and wrapped them around both perfectly-sized cheeks, scantily covered by the thin polyester, and he pressed his butt further outwards for me. I felt the warmth from his body heat, and as I kneaded his cheeks, a satisfied groan escaped his parted lips.

He turned around to look at me seriously, pressed up against me and the desk. "You said I could see it… next time," he said. "It is next time. Can I? Please?"

His pleading eyes ripped effortlessly through my inhibitions, and without a second thought, I gave in to his request. "Yeah."

His eyes widened further. "Awesome," he muttered, and knelt down to pull at the strings on my own swim shorts. Having untied them, he inhaled with eagerness, then pulled the shorts downward. They caught momentarily on the base of my half-flaccid cock, but with another tug, the entirety popped out before him. He gasped audibly, and I looked down to see only the top of his sandy blonde hair.

"It's way bigger in person," he whispered to himself. He reached his hand forward, but stopped himself. "Can I?" he asked, tilting his head up towards mine. I hesitated, then nodded.

His small fingers wrapped slowly around the shaft, and the butterflies that were already fluttering in my stomach went wild. His soft touch caused tingles throughout my body, the most amazing feeling ever. Eyes wide in amazement, he continued his exploration downward towards my balls, gently placing his hand on them and gripping them in his fingers. My dick started to harden, unfolding upward, and I watched his eyes follow its journey. He moved his other hand upward and ran his fingers through my dark pubes, fascinated, and brushed the side of my engorged shaft with his knuckles. I was as engrossed in the moment as he seemed to be. It was as if time moved in slow motion.

"So effing awesome," he whispered, and I felt his hot breath on my stiffened cock. Then, he delicately took his hand and wrapped it fully around my erection. Even with his reserved touch, it felt incredible, and my head was spinning in anticipation of whatever he chose to do next. He dragged his hand up and down once very slowly, pulling the skin as far down as it would go, completely transfixed at the sight. A dot of precum leaked from the head, and his focus immediately snapped to it.

"Nico!" a distant voice shouted, instantly pulling us both out of the moment and away from each other. I jolted back, racing to pull my shorts back up. He watched me as I put my shorts back on, utterly unashamed of the stiff lump pressing against the inside of his own.

"I can't wait to make you feel good like you did for me," he said huskily.

I chuckled at his passion, tying the string of my shorts. "Later for sure."

***

We were about halfway through our drive, and Nico had already excitedly filled in my Mom on basically everything that happened two summers ago, from the first moment we met to the countless days he and Grace would spend in the shop with me. He recounted moments and conversations that had long since slipped from my memory, and told her about the occasional freebie toy I'd slip him. I saw her narrow her eyes when he said that, but didn't say anything.

Mom took us into a fast-food drive-thru for a quick breakfast. She got a coffee for herself, a small hamburger for me, and after Nico informed her he was vegan, she just got him some french fries.

I was busy eating my food when I heard little whimpers of pleasure, and I turned around, worried that I'd find him masturbating or something, to instead find him shoveling fries into his mouth, eyes closed in a state of bliss.

He opened his eyes and noticed me smirking at him, giving me a muffled "What?" with his mouth full of food.

"Oh, nothing," I said, grinning. "Enjoying those?"

He nodded his head in affirmation. "These are soooo good," he moaned, stuffing a few more into his mouth, licking the salt off his fingers. I laughed.

Mom looked back briefly and noticed his expression, and also laughed. "Never had fries before?" Mom asked. He shook his head, but she was no longer looking, so I told her he hadn't.

"Bro, can I have one?" I asked him, turning back and reaching a hand out. He growled and pulled away from my reach, before dumping the rest into his open mouth, staring at me the whole time.

***

The parking lot was a huge expanse of asphalt. With clear blue skies and an amazing all-day weather forecast, I expected the place to be completely packed, but it didn't look bad at all, with plenty of open parking spaces. Mom was on the phone coordinating with Lucy, and eventually we drove by them in the lot. It seemed her husband decided not to join them, so she and Parker stood by themselves outside their minivan, gathering towels and other supplies from the trunk.

Parker was the first to notice us pulling up, turning to give us a small wave. Their family all had very pale skin with contrasting dark brown hair, but Parker was the only one in the family with freckles. He had a white and blue rash guard on, something I thought would surely help his skin retain its bright complexion. Mom pulled the car into a spot nearby, and we got out. After the initial greetings, I introduced Nico to them.

"This is my buddy, Nico. He and his mom used to come by the toy shop every week."

Lucy introduced herself, fanning her face with her hands, then pushed Parker forward for his turn.

"Hey. I'm Parker," he said with a slight smile.

"Hi Parker," Nico waved. "Cool robot leg," he said, staring in amazement at his prosthetic right leg, themed red and gold like Iron Man.

I facepalmed, and Parker's smile quickly vanished. "It's a prosthetic," he said.

"Oh, okay."

We made our way across the parking lot to the ticketing area, where Lucy bought us all tickets and a cabana rental, and I grabbed a map for later use. Parker kept glancing at Nico's outfit, and I got the feeling he thought Nico was a weirdo. Maybe I should have pressed him on changing into something bigger.

The park was massive, and so divided into several zones, each with a distinct purpose. In the middle was the lazy river, where you could simply relax as the river brought you to where you wanted to be. As was tradition with our family, we first headed for the cabana zone, where we could settle into our "home base" before heading off to have fun. Nico walked beside me with his jaw dropped, taking in the sights of the towering slides and hundreds of wet people running around.

Parker was quick to notice his amazement. "Have you really never been here before?" he asked Nico, after watching him wander around like he was in a fantasy world.

"I've never been to a water park at all before!" Nico exclaimed, glancing upward at an incredibly tall slide.

We made it to our rented cabana, which was just a small, shaded tent with a couple of lounge chairs and a picnic table. The tent had an obnoxious blue and white stripe pattern. Mom set her big bag down on the table and immediately began fishing out the sunscreen. After developing skin cancer in her teen years, she was always incredibly strict about everyone applying and reapplying the stuff during our outings. I began to put on my own while Mom took care of Nico.

I took my shirt off, and watched as Nico lifted his arms so Mom could pull his shirt off over his head. It was funny seeing the ghostly-skinned Parker next to the colorful Nico, who was left in just his scanty little swim shorts and sandals. Boy, was he a handsome sight. I noticed he was wearing a seashell necklace, something I hadn't seen him wear before.

Lucy told us we were free to go have fun, but to be sure to return in the late afternoon. They would be staying at the cabana, and with the ability to order food and drinks with an app, there was really no reason for them to leave. Mom offered me to stay and relax, but of course, I much preferred to go have a fun time with Nico and Parker. We dumped our phones into Mom's bag and headed into the park.

Parker chatted actively with me about the old times we spent at the park as we passed by familiar landmarks. Nico stayed mostly quiet, which was somewhat unusual for him, but he looked preoccupied taking in the surroundings.

After walking for a while, I realized I had no idea where I was leading us, and proposed we find a spot to rest and look at the map. Parker spotted a nice shaded bench, and we all went to sit down. The two sat on either side of me, and I took the map out of my waterproof pocket. After unfolding the huge thing, I held it out in front of me so they could both take a look. There really were a ton of slides in the park, from kiddie slides to huge vertical drops of pure doom.

Nico gasped when he saw the artistic rendering of one of the tallest-looking slides in the park. "Whoa! What the heck is that one?" he asked, jabbing the map with his finger.

"No way am I getting on that thing," Parker said.

"White Water Plummet," I read. "Come test your limits on a ninety-foot drop, the largest in the park."

"That's freaking huge!" Nico squealed in excitement.

"What about that?" Parker said, pointing at another ride.

"The Hurricane. A six-hundred foot long exhilarating flume on a raft for two to five riders. That sounds perfect for us."

Nico shifted around on the bench. "But I wanna go on the White Water Plummet."

"Well, we can go on it eventually, but why don't we start on something less extreme first?" I said to him. "Work our way up to it."

He thought about it for a moment, resting a finger on his chin, before responding. "That's not fair. Why does he get to pick the rides?"

Parker grinned smugly.

"He doesn't, we're going to figure out what we want to do together. I think it would be more fun to work up to that one, and not just jump right in."

"I like jumping in," he mumbled.

"It's 'cause I'm older," Parker said.

"What? No, Parker–" I started to say, turning to him.

"Oh, psh, barely! How old are you?" Nico asked him, starting to get heated.

"Older than you," Parker replied, looking him over.

I held up the map to separate them. "Hey! Guys! Let's just focus and pick somewhere to go, okay?"

"And I'm taller," Parker added, getting up from the bench.

"What does that matter?" asked Nico, also standing up across from him. "You're only taller because of your stupid robot leg."

Parker scowled. "Wow, screw you! I didn't know you were such a dickhead." He went to sit down, but then went off on Nico. "What the hell are you even wearing anyways? You look like a little kid in a little kid swimsuit."

Nico clenched his fist, and as I stood up to calm him down, he turned away from us.

"What the fuck, guys? Chill out! We're at a water park, let's have some fun. Here, we'll go on this slide right here," I said, standing up and gesturing to the large slide beside us.

Parker shook his head. "Whatever."

I looked over at Nico, and as he turned back to us I saw fire in his eyes.

"It's not a fucking little kid's fucking swimsuit!" he shouted.

"Yeah, it is! It's tiny."

"They're shorts! They're supposed to be short!"

"Then, it looks kinda gay, all I'm sayin'."

"Maybe I am fucking gay, so fucking what?" He slammed himself onto the bench, arms crossed, staring angrily at the ground.

"Parker!" I snapped.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it as anything bad," Parker said. The two were quiet for a moment. "You're really gay?"

"Come on, guys," I said, taking them both by the wrist and pulling Nico up off the bench. Parker ripped his arm away, so I walked holding Nico's arm, while Parker followed at a short distance.

We entered the line located on a big winding staircase, and stood behind two very large men. I was pissed at both of them; I just wanted to have a nice, peaceful day at the water park, but Nico's stubbornness and Parker's snarkiness were disrupting things. I expected them to make good friends considering how easygoing Parker normally was, and how sweet Nico could be, but something was going on and I wasn't sure why they were acting the way they were towards each other.

We stood in line for nearly twenty minutes, and both of them said nothing, instead opting to sulk on either side of me. After growing tired of them using me as a barrier, I finally decided to try and lighten the mood.

"Hey Parker, Nico plays the guitar really well." He didn't respond. "Do you still play the piano?"

Parker glared at me for a second before replying. "Yeah, I do," he said, and after realizing I was trying to get them talking, continued. "I play the piano, violin, and recorder." He bit his lip. "When did you start playing the guitar?"

"A year ago," Nico responded without looking at him, his voice faint and emotionless.

"What songs can you play?" Parker asked, I think genuinely curious.

Nico seemed to perk up a little, lifting his head. "Minecraft music, mostly."

I think he was hoping Parker was interested, but Parker just chuckled.

"What?" Nico asked, scowling.

"On the piano I can play 'Clair de Lune', 'Ode to Joy', 'Für Elise', 'Gymnopédie No. 1', and that's just the start. On the violin I know–"

"That's fine, you can stop, I don't care," Nico said.

Parker exhaled loudly. "Okay, whatever. So, you like Imagine Dragons?"

Nico turned to him. "Sorry, I only like good bands," he said.

"Screw it," Parker said, throwing his arms up and turning away. "I tried."

"Nico," I said, "take it easy. Let's just try to get along."

"I'm not the one trying to show off," Nico said.

"I'm not showing off, I'm just telling you what songs I can play," Parker said from behind me.

I pulled Nico aside and took him by the hands. "Just, please, do it for me?" I said quietly, and rubbed the back of his palms with my thumbs.

He sighed and looked down, blonde hair falling over his furrowed eyebrows, then looked back up into my eyes. "Okay," he finally said, his expression softening. I smiled at him, and he gave a weak one back. "I'll try."

He walked back over to Parker. "I don't like Imagine Dragons. I'm sorry for being rude. I like Ariana Grande, Troye Sivan, Ed Sheeran–"

Parker looked over. "Who's Troye Sivan?"

Nico stopped listing names and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it," he said.

Little more was said while we ascended the huge tower. Upon reaching the top, it seemed Nico's mood had improved, as he shook with anticipation. Parker was standing quietly, gripping his elbows with his hands.

"Doing alright?" I asked him.

"Yeah…" he said shakily, looking over the side. "It's kinda high up."

"Nothing we haven't done here before, remember?"

"I guess. It's just been a while."

"Wimp," Nico whispered to me. I shook my head at him.

Since it was single rider, Nico went first, stepping into the dark tube. It was one of those slides that was completely covered, which I found to be pretty fun. He crossed his arms over his chest, then slid off into the darkness, and an excited squeal echoed back to us. Parker looked over at me.

"Let's go, man," I said, pushing him ahead. "It's not scary."

He carefully walked over to the tube and climbed in slowly, crossing his arms. He took a deep breath, then disappeared. I soon followed, and after a thrilling ride through mostly pitch-black wetness, I was ejected from the slide into a swimming pool. Wiping my eyes, I saw Nico swimming around under the water, while Parker stood hugging the railing at the edge of the pool.

"Man, how I missed this place!" I shouted.

Parker smiled. Nico emerged from the water, his golden hair made darker from being soaked. He spotted me and swam over. "That was so awesome!" he cried, splashing around excitedly. "Let's go again!"

"Let's try some other ones, maybe you'll find another that you like more."

"Yeah!" Nico shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

We went on a few more slides with significantly less drama this time, and while the boys didn't bother to get along, they were definitely tolerating each other, and Parker was faring a lot better with his anxiety with each new slide. We passed a dual-raft collection area, and I caught sight of Nico's pleading look. It would have been a perfect couples' activity, but I didn't want to make things awkward with Parker around.

As we walked around the park we came across a water playground–basically a kids' playground with water pouring down from above, and giant sprinklers everywhere. Nico's jaw just about hit the ground when he noticed it, and before he could say anything to me, I nodded, and he charged over.

"Don't run!" I called after him. Wanting to take a short rest, I pointed out some nearby benches to Parker and told him that's where I would be. He nodded, then headed to the playground to join Nico.

My legs were still a little sore from the hike the previous day, so it felt amazing to sit down for a bit. I watched them play on the playground with a smile, kids just having fun. Nico was going around commandeering the mounted water cannons to spray the other kids, and laughing heartily when they came back for revenge. I became worried when he splattered Parker, but Parker took cover and found his own cannon, and I was delighted to see them start playing together, spraying each other with water. It seemed the water had cooled things down between them.

I was resting my eyes when Parker came over to where I was lounging in my chair. Wet hair clung to his forehead, and his rash guard was soaked.

"Sup?" I said. "Having fun?"

"Yeah. Can we get lunch soon?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh. Yeah, totally. I'm not your parent, man." I looked around. "Can you just grab Nico?"

He hesitated before responding. "Can you?"

I was disappointed to find their apparent treaty was over. "What's the deal between you two?"

He sighed and sat down next to me on the bench. "It's not me! You saw. He's just immature and kinda mean. Why'd you even want him here?" He looked down at the ground, swinging his legs. "I wanted it to be just us… like the good old days."

I put my arm around him. "These still are the good old days," I said. "You just have to put in the effort to make them good."

He giggled. "That's pretty cheesy."

I giggled too, and stood up. "Come on, let's go find the boy, and then some food."

Getting to Nico was a challenge. He spotted us walking over and took aim, firing some warning shots, and so we had to dash out of his line of sight until we found a good entry point onto the playground. Unfortunately, it seemed he had recruited minions to man the cannons, turning the whole area into a secure fortress. Parker and I circled the playground, looking for a way up until we found it.

We made a run for a spiraling slide, which was the only spot out of the gunners' line of sight. Climbing it proved difficult at first, it and us being wet and all. Parker eventually gave up, citing his prosthetic, and told me to go on ahead. Reaching the top of the slide, I spotted Nico at the other end of the playground, patrolling the perimeter for us, totally unaware of my presence.

Stealthily, I snuck up behind him and grabbed him around the stomach. He yelped in surprise, and I lifted him into the air, limbs kicking all over the place. We were both laughing hysterically while I dragged us back to the slide and dropped onto it, still holding onto him. He wriggled around, trying to break free, but it was futile. Together we slid down to the bottom, where I dropped him into the shallow water. Parker stood nearby, giving us a weird look.

"Lunch time!" I announced, and the boys cheered.

***

"Burger… chicken fingers… pork nachos? Hot dogs, pizza… bleh, I can't eat any of this crap!" Nico complained. "They don't even have any salads!"

"Hmmm." My eyes scoured the big plastic menu posted on the wall again. The options were very limited, for him at least. "Would you maybe eat french fries again?" I asked.

"Heck no!" he shouted. "I mean, they're good, yeah, but I want some real food!"

"What if I shove them in your mouth for you this time?"

He just glared at me.

"Lemme guess… you're vegan," Parker said, rolling his eyes.

"I am," Nico said, turning to him. "So?"

"Nothing, nothing." Parker held up his hands defensively. "Just not surprised."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry about it," Parker replied mockingly, and went to look over the menu again. "I'm gonna get the chicken fingers," he said, rubbing his hands together.

Nico turned to me. "I can't eat here. We have to go somewhere else," he pleaded.

"Maybe you can't eat here, but me and Logan are," Parker said snottily. "Right, Logan?"

"Nope, Logan's coming with me to find a better restaurant," Nico said, grabbing me by the arm. I sighed. Looking back, I don't know why I didn't think to tell them we could go to more than one place for food.

"He barely even knows you, dude," Parker said.

Nico stood by me, staring at him. "You're wrong," he said softly.

Parker continued, raising his voice, "Why would he pick you over me? I'm his cousin! I've known him since I was a baby! Who even are you?!"

"I'm his boyfriend!" Nico shouted, blazing with indignation.

I froze, and Nico did too, his eyes slowly widening in realization. I didn't even want to look at Parker for his reaction, I just stared ahead, wishing for some easy way out of the situation. Nico let go of my arm. I was pissed at him for revealing the one thing I told him to keep secret, pissed at Parker for pushing him to this point, and upset with myself for getting into this situation.

I tried to imagine the many ways Parker might react in my head. He could be furious at me for "taking advantage of" Nico. He could run back to our moms, and inform them. Quickly, I began to worry for my safety, and for Nico's well-being if things were to go down. I could hear my own breathing as the seconds ticked by, once again feeling the extreme stress brought by the mandatory secrecy of our relationship.

"I'm…" Nico trailed off, staring down at his feet.

"What did you say?" I heard Parker say, and looked up to see his shocked expression.

"He's just kidding," I tried lying, knowing in my head that it was too late to even bother.

"Yeah right," he said, and I could tell he was thinking things over.

I opened my mouth to say something, but realized I didn't know what to say. I gave Nico a look to show my displeasure with him, and he looked down at the ground. The three of us were quiet for a few long moments, and I went back to being alone in my head, with a fearful tightness in my chest.

Finally finding the courage to look up at Parker, I found him just staring blankly ahead, and instantly assumed the worst.

"Can we talk about it?" I blurted out, mainly to keep him from thinking about it too hard himself.

Parker shook his head, not in disagreement but in bewilderment. "It just… doesn't make sense. Why him?" he asked, pointing to Nico and crinkling his nose.

"Hey!" Nico whined, then sighed. "It was me. I was kinda crushing on him for years."

"Why?"

"Well," Nico started.

"It's a long story," I finished for him.

Parker glanced between us. "Tell me."

I looked over at Nico, who just shrugged. After a moment, I nodded at him, deciding that if we had to tell him about it, Nico would be best to.

"We met at Seaside two years ago," Nico began, "when he was working there. I was interested in magic stuff. Logan was really nice to me and let me hang out with him and sometimes gave me gifts. I started to get really happy whenever I saw him, but felt really sad when I didn't. When he left I didn't see him again for a long time… until last week. And when I saw him again, I thought he looked so hot."

Parker was listening intently.

"Okay, enough," I said, embarrassed.

"So you are the perv," Parker said to Nico, then turned to me. "But here's what I don't get. I thought you were straight, Logan. You had a girlfriend the last time I saw you!" He leaned against the wall, pressing his fingers to his temple, trying to make sense of it all.

"What?" It was Nico's turn to be surprised. "You had a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, in high school I had a few," I admitted.

He looked away and didn't inquire further.

I turned to Parker. "It's complicated, man. Let's get some lunch, and we can talk it over while we eat."

"Alright, I guess."

I gave him my credit card and sent him inside with my order, then took Nico with me to find something he could buy with the money his mom gave him. We walked together along the row of small restaurants. His shoulders were slumped, and he was being quiet again.

"So…" I said to break the silence. "What did you want to get for lunch?"

He shrugged without looking up.

"What's up?" I pressed.

He was staring into the distance, but grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into a small alley between two of the restaurants. "Are you really, um, straight?"

I stopped walking and he did too. "I… I don't know, Nico."

"Do you really like me or are you just pretending to like me?"

"Hey, where's this coming from?"

"I dunno." He paused to inhale before continuing. "Parker just made me feel like a little kid compared to him. I was thinking about stuff like, how I am kinda small for my age, and not really that cool, and I just always have problems with other kids, and… and…" He was tearing up, and I immediately knelt down to hug him, placing his head over my shoulder, "and I always mess things up and you keep getting mad at me for it!"

"Aw, Nico," I said, holding his quivering body. "You're an amazing boy. We've been over this before, but I do like you, a lot, more than you know. Just because things haven't been going too well with you and Parker today, doesn't mean anything. It doesn't change anything about us. You're perfect to me, even with your mistakes."

I felt tears dropping against my naked shoulder, and I pulled him in tighter. "You're so fucking cool that no other kids stand a chance against you. I never thought anything like this could happen in my life, but you made it happen. It's special. We are special." We stayed hugging for a long time before he finally pulled away. "Yeah, I had girlfriends in high school, but they've never made me feel remotely the way you make me feel. I still don't know what it means, but I'm happy to find out with you."

He sniffled, and wiped his hand across his face. "Thank you, Logan. I'm just sorry for ruining the day. I'll try to be better–"

"Nico, you didn't ruin the day. Don't be silly. We're lucky Parker seems to be cool with it and isn't pissed off or anything like that. Just, please, really be careful in the future."

He smiled, the area around his eyes still red from crying. "Can I kiss you? It would make me feel better."

I chuckled. "I'll owe you a kiss, alright? Let's go get some lunch for you."

"Okay," he nodded, and we both stepped out of the alley.

***

Parker was sitting at a picnic table. I told him to meet us there with a big tray of chicken fingers, and the two hot dogs I requested him to get for me. He watched us, drumming his fingers on the table, as Nico put his salad down. We sat down, ready to finally eat, and talked about random stuff for a while before Parker finally wrapped us back to the relationship topic.

"What did you say to him?" he asked Nico, clasping his hands together.

"What do you mean?"

"You said you saw him last week, and then you guys became boyfriends. It's not magic. What happened?"

Nico's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah! So, I went to see him at the store. When everyone else left, I went over to–"

"Nico," I cautioned, pressing my fingers against my forehead.

"He can tell me. I'm not gonna judge," Parker said, dipping a chicken finger into some ketchup.

"Okay, well I'd prefer he didn't," I said, looking at Nico.

Parker giggled, shifting in his seat. "It's spicy, isn't it?"

"Oh, God," I groaned into my hands. "Parker, I need to ask you not to say anything about this stuff to anyone? We really can't have anyone knowing; it's incredibly private. Nico shouldn't have said anything in the first place."

"I'm sorry," Nico whispered to me.

"I won't say anything, I can respect that," Parker said. "But you have to tell me the story. Or let Nico. That's fair, right?"

Feeling trapped, I exhaled, anxiety building in my chest. "Okay, fine."

"So you guys actually did something? What, did he jump on you and start smooching you?" he giggled at the thought.

I shushed him and looked around, making sure nobody was close to us or listening in. "Why are you so curious anyways?" I asked him, trying to put off delving into the details as long as possible.

"I'm not curious," he said with a voice crack, "I just want to know what my cousin's been up to. What happened, Nico?" he said, turning his attention to him. "What did you say to him?" He picked up another piece of chicken.

Nico sat up, and, sitting on his knees, leaned into the table. He was actually smiling in anticipation of sharing the story. Parker also leaned in, grinning conspiratorially. I couldn't believe what was happening.

"As I was saying, everyone else in the store left, so I went over to see Logan. I cut myself and wanted him to take a look, so we went into a back room." Nico smiled, remembering the moment.

"Cut yourself how?" Parker mumbled, mouth full of chicken.

"He literally cut himself, with a knife," I answered for him.

Parker swallowed. "What the heck? Why would you do that?!" he asked, wincing.

"Well, I was really horny because I hadn't jacked off for like two days," Nico explained.

Parker started laughing, and covered his reddening face. "What?!" he managed to shout in between snorts. I hid my own face in my hands, feeling incredible discomfort at Nico sharing this stuff with my little cousin.

Nico kept a flat expression and raised an eyebrow at his laughter. "Yeah, I didn't jack off for like two days, so I really wanted to do it, and I wanted to do it with Logan." Parker was now laughing hysterically.

"My God Nico, have you no shame?" I groaned.

He went on. "But I felt weird, like, it was the moment I was waiting for for years. It made me super nervous."

Parker was wheezing, and took a moment to gather himself. "Wait, wait, wait… hold on. You know how to…" he trailed off, making the masturbation motion with his hand. Poor Parker wasn't ready for the rest of the story.

"Yeah," Nico said, sounding offended.

"But you're like ten!" Parker said and burst into laughter again.

Nico narrowed his eyebrows. "I'm twelve!" he said flatly, lowering the pitch of his voice. "But also a ten," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Parker ignored his quip. "You look like a little kid though, you're barely developed," he told him. "You don't even have any hair under your arms!"

I watched Nico slowly slide his hands under his armpits, looking sheepish. Parker continued laughing.

"Parker–" I started to say.

"Sorry, sorry. That was mean," Parker said, and cleared his throat. "Keep going."

"I don't know if we should be sharing this with you," I said nervously.

"No! Please! I mean, I wanna know what happened. I'll stay quiet."

I grimaced. "I dunno, man, still…"

"Hey, come on! I can go tell my mom," he said.

"Parker!" I snapped, getting up and standing over him. "This isn't a game. This is serious stuff and I really don't appreciate the blackmail."

He thought for a second. "Yeah, you're right, sorry I said that," he said with sincerity. "But come on Logan, like I said I'm not gonna judge, just tell me."

I just sighed and sat back down. "Nico?" I said.

He was sitting quietly, still absentmindedly rubbing under his armpits, and saw me motioning for him to continue. "Um, yeah, right," he said looking up. "Anyways, the cut was on my thigh, so Logan took my pants off. He was so gentle and kind." He smiled. "I remember I wanted it really bad. Ahhh, just thinking about it makes me feel all tingly." He reached into his swim shorts to adjust himself, and I noticed Parker blush and turn away.

"But, yeah. Logan jacked me off and I cummed on myself."

That set Parker off again. "Wow," he said. "You really are a perv! An ultra perv!"

"Thought you said you weren't gonna judge," Nico said, rolling his eyes at him.

"I'm not, it's just a fact. I had to say it."

"So, after that," Nico continued, "I just knew I wanted to be his boyfriend and, some day, marry him."

"So you think you're gonna get married to him?" he asked Nico.

"I really want to," Nico replied, his sparkling eyes peering up at mine.

"Huh. That's kinda… cute," Parker said, then coughed. "And what do you think about that, Logan?"

I shuffled in my seat. "It's, well, a long way off. I dunno."

"Wow. This is all so nuts. I had no idea! I just thought you brought some random brat because his mom wanted you to," he said, running his hands through his dark hair. Nico looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't.

"So what now?"

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I mean, what do we do now?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess we'll finish lunch, and then go on some more slides. You know, have a normal day."

"Hm. Alright," he said. I tried to read his expression, but couldn't.

We went back to eating our lunches, and I finally started on my hot dogs which by that point were warm dogs. Nico quietly ate his salad and I saw Parker glancing at him periodically. Parker wasn't finished though, it seemed, and had more questions for us.

"Have you guys kissed?" he asked.

I sighed, tired of dealing with his questioning, but answered him anyway. "Yeah, we have."

"More than once?"

"A lot," Nico answered.

"Have you guys… done it?" he asked, making the lewd gesture with his fingers.

"No!" I replied emphatically.

"Are you gonna? Do you want to?"

"No," I repeated. Truthfully, until then, I had not thought about actual sex with Nico at all.

My answer seemed to upset Nico. "What?" he said, sounding surprised.

I turned to him, narrowing my eyebrows. "You're way too young for that kind of thing."

"Am not!" he huffed. "There's kids in my grade who have already done it."

"Yeah, maybe with other kids. I'm an adult. It's off-limits."

"Wait, that's so unfair!" he said. "We've already done other stuff…"

"That 'other stuff' is completely different. I don't want to talk about this anymore, okay?"

"Have you done it with someone yet Logan?" Parker asked, studying me. I glared at him. "He has," he finally said. "Look at him, he's blushing."

"Enough, guys," I said sharply.

"Nooo," Nico moaned. "I wanted to be your first!"

Parker laughed. "Aw, that's adorable Logan. Guess you let him down, huh?"

"Seriously, shut up!" I barked.

They looked at me with wide eyes and quieted down, going back to eating their lunches.

"Let's just talk about anything else," I said. "What about you, Parker? You got a girlfriend yet?"

"Nope," he responded, lazily chewing his food.

Thankfully for me, the discussion cooled down after that, and we went back to eating and idly chatting. I was very uncomfortable discussing that kind of stuff with them, especially with my cousin. After finishing our lunches, we returned to the cabanas for more sunscreen, then headed back out into the park, on the hunt for our next slide.

We spotted a really fun-looking one that utilized a three-man raft, which Nico called the "fidget spinner raft" because of its shape (basically three intertwined inner-tubes). We had to carry the huge raft all the way up the line, which took the effort of all three of us. Nico had his arms lifted to carry his portion, and I noticed he really did have absolutely no hair under his arms. I wondered how long that would last, as puberty was definitely already creeping up on him, if the amount of semen he was able to produce indicated anything.

After getting through the long line, we hoisted the raft onto the slide, and took our positions in the three holes, all sitting across from each other. Because it was pretty compact, we ended up with all our legs tangled together, of course resulting in Nico affectionately rubbing his leg against mine, but also yelling at Parker to stop battering him with his "robot leg". Thankfully, Parker found the nickname funny this time, and responded by smacking his prosthetic against Nico's exposed thigh, making him yelp and splash him back with water.

It was the most fun slide so far, and we all cried out in delight whenever we hit a twist. We were spit out at the end into another little pool, at which point Parker disappeared down underneath our raft and flipped the whole thing over in his exuberance. Nico and I were thrown underwater, and when I emerged I saw him and Parker play wrestling in the water. The sight made me overjoyed, really happy that they were getting along again.

I got out of the pool and stood by the railing, calling for Parker to bring the raft over so we could return it. Still horsing around with Nico, he broke away from the fun and went to pull the raft to where I was. He and I lifted the raft up, and both turned to find Nico still swimming around in the pool.

"Hey slacker, we need your help!" Parker shouted to him.

Nico swam over to the shallow end, but stayed in the water. "I can't," he said.

"Uh huh, come on buddy, you're not getting out of this," I said.

"Got a stiffy," he told us, and Parker grinned and turned away. "Just gimme a minute." He continued wading around, waiting for it to go down.

"He's a total pervert," Parker said quietly to me.

"Yeah, you've said that before."

"Do you think he's wearing that for you?"

I sighed, wishing I was past his questioning. "Yeah, probably."

He giggled. "Do you like it?"

"Man, don't tease me!" I complained. "You know I wouldn't do that to you."

"You're right."

Nico finally joined us, and we carried the raft to the collection zone. We went on several more fun slides, and even enjoyed the fidget spinner raft slide twice more. The boys continued to get along very well, and I was thrilled to be done with the arguing for the rest of the day.

As we neared the end of the day, Nico kept clamoring about going on the White Water Plummet. We arrived at the start of the line, and Parker suddenly stopped walking with us. I turned around and saw him staring straight up the huge tower.

"I don't think I wanna do this," he said. With all the large drops we'd done, I was surprised that Parker said he wanted to sit it out.

"You sure, Parker?" I asked him. "It looks really fun." Truthfully, I was hoping he'd want to take a break, as I was wanting to spend some alone time with Nico.

"Yeah, no way I'm going on that. You guys go," he said.

"Well, let's take you back to the cabana first. I think we'll pretty much be done for the day after it."

"No way!" Nico exclaimed. "You're really gonna let me down like that?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna let you go down… without me."

Nico frowned. "But we went on so many other slides that were really high up! Why are you scared now?"

"Hey, I'm not scared alright?" He looked up. "It's just dangerous. And, it probably hurts. It's like, straight vertical."

"You're scared," Nico whispered to him, cracking a smile.

"I'm not scared, Nico," he stressed. "Go ahead, get a huge rash. See if I care."

"Scared," Nico repeated with a smirk.

Parker crossed his arms. "At this point I'm just glad I don't have to go on it with you."

"Come on, don't be a bummer. I'm gonna need your love and support."

"Pretty sure you can get all that from Logan."

"It's different with him," Nico said, batting his eyelashes. I laughed.

"Gross," Parker said.

"So, are we taking you back?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Get me away from him," he said with a giggle.

"No!" Nico shouted. "I really, seriously want you to go on it with us. Come on, Parker!"

"No. Chance."

"He doesn't want to go, Nico," I said. "Let's take him back to the cabana, and then we can go."

Nico searched around frantically. "But… but look at her!" he said, pointing to a little girl at the back of the line, maybe about nine or ten years old. "Are you telling me you're scared, but that tiny little girl's not?"

Parker shook his head. "I'm not scared."

"And what about all these people that are in line? Do you think they think it's dangerous?" He motioned to the exit. "What about everyone who's gone already and are completely fine? They wouldn't make slides like this if they were dangerous. You're freaked out for no reason. Come onnnn."

"I don't know."

"It's literally going to be the most fun thing we're gonna do in this whole place, and instead you're gonna be sitting and crying in your dumb little tent, saying 'why didn't I go with Nico and Logan on the most fun thing in the whole park' for the rest of your life until you die of colon cancer at age eighty-seven."

Parker cracked a smile, then forced a serious expression. "Maybe," he said simply.

Nico pumped his fist. "Yesss," he whispered. He sure was good at convincing people, I knew it to be a talent of his. He took me and Parker by our arms and led us to the back of the line.

I could tell Parker was antsy. He was being very quiet, and kept grimacing as he peered over the railing, to which Nico would grab his head and pull it away. I wasn't sure how he was going to make it to the end, but he did. We were next in line, and he had totally frozen up.

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be fine, man. It's really not as bad as you think it is. I'll go first," I said, and stepped up to the slide.

The view was actually kind of intimidating, as you could see most of the park, and it was a pretty steep drop. Not wanting to hesitate for too long in front of him, I quickly slid off, plunging straight down for what felt like an eternity. I closed my eyes and let the thrill overtake me. I finally reached the end of the slide which devolved into a less-shallow trough of water to curb your speed.

Dizzily stepping out and off to the side, I turned back to watch the boys go down. There was a brief delay before the next rider, but to my surprise I saw Parker in his distinctive rash guard step up and take the plunge without hesitation. As he reached the end, an ocean of water sprayed out the side, completely drenching me. I cheered, and as he stumbled out of the trough, he looked up at me and his lips curved into a small smile.

Shortly after, Nico came zipping down, spraying us both, shouting excitedly in an adrenaline-fueled frenzy. His eyes were wide open as was his mouth, and as he clumsily staggered out completely soaked, I gave him a thumbs up. He responded with two of his own, before rushing over and embracing my side, and then Parker, who held his arms up in surprise.

After that, I took them to get popsicles. They eagerly retold the story over and over to each other all the way back to the cabana, and when we arrived they retold it yet again to my mom and Lucy, who grinned at each other through the whole tale.

"You guys kinda suck," Parker said to Nico and I. "But thanks for convincing me. I've never felt so alive."

"Life is lived on the edge or not at all!" Nico yelled out, pumping a fist.

Parker smiled. "You're pretty cool, for a ten-year-old."

Nico playfully punched him in the arm. "You're pretty awesome, too!" He paused. "For a cyborg."

Parker laughed and went to kick him with his prosthetic, and the two fell into a wrestling match on one of the lounge chairs, both belly laughing as they tried to overpower each other. The parents and I watched them play, delighted with their budding friendship.

***

In the parking lot, the two exchanged phone numbers and said their goodbyes.

Nico climbed into the back of the car and dumped his shirt onto the other seat. He was jittery, I think still smitten by the exhilaration of the final slide. The two waved at each other as we drove off.

"How did you enjoy the park, Nico?" Mom asked him.

He took a short breath before breaking into a long, rambling speech. "That was the most fun I ever had! I want to go back already! I know I already told you Mrs. Lake, but the White Water Plummet, oh my God, that was the funnest thing ever, I can't believe they had a slide that big, and the playground was so cool and there were so many kids, and I was like the king of the whole thing at one point." He gasped. "There were so many slides we didn't go on, Logan! We should have stayed longer, I wanted to do the fidget-spinner slide a few more times because that one was the best! I mean, besides White Water Plummet. Oh, and Parker was actually really cool too. At first, he was kind of mean, but then he started to be cool. Really cool. Um, yeah, so I had a lot of fun and thanks so much for bringing me Mrs. Lake! I'll never forget today."

Mom and I looked at each other and chuckled to ourselves as he bombarded us with his passionate recollection. He spoke so quickly, he was stumbling over his words and had to take deep breaths in between sentences.

"So, it was good?" Mom asked with a smirk, and after I started laughing they both joined in.

***

Driving up Nico's street, I was bummed to have to leave him so soon. While the day was quite awesome, the morning had me craving some more alone time with him. When we pulled up next to his driveway, he dejectedly collected his shirt from the seat next to him and sat up behind the center console.

"It was fun, man. I'm glad you had a great first time at the park," I said.

"Thanks, Logan," he said, leaning forward to hug me. I gave him an awkward one-armed hug from the front seat, tracing my fingers delicately along his naked back. "And, thank you for taking me," he said to Mom.

"Aw, honey," she said and hugged him too. "You're such a nice boy, I hope we get to see you again soon."

He gave her a dimple-laden smile. "I hope so, too."

"Goodbye, darling," Mom said.

"I'll see you later, amigo," I said.

"Bye Logan, and Mrs. Lake!" he said back. The car door opened, and he hopped out, skipping merrily up his driveway. Mom watched him, making sure he made it inside before heading towards the end of the cul-de-sac to turn the car around.

"So polite," she said. "I see why you've enjoyed his company so much."

"He is very polite, right? And so energetic. Bet you like him more than some of my other friends."

She laughed. "You'd be right about that."

As we were driving past their house again, the front door opened and Nico raced out, waving his hands madly at us. I happened to catch a glimpse and signaled my mom, who pulled over on the side of the street. She rolled down the window as he dashed across the street towards our car.

"You forget something, honey?" she asked him, starting to turn around to check the back seat.

"No, actually, um," he stammered. "My mom said she wanted to invite you over for some tea."

Mom smiled and looked at me. I just shrugged. "I've got no plans tonight," I assured her.

Nico grinned, showing his teeth. "Mom says you can park in the driveway."

Mom looked at me and smirked. We parked and followed him inside, kicking off our shoes in the doorway. Grace was in the kitchen, but came over when she saw us.

"Oh good, he caught you. I wanted to give my gratitude to you both," she said, then whispered quite loudly. "Having him out of the house was amazing."

"Mom, no!" he pouted. "I'm fun, right?" Grace laughed and pulled him to her side, stroking his hair. He was still shirtless and only wearing his swim shorts.

"I'm so glad he had a good time, he's needed it," she continued.

"Nico was so wonderful to have with us. He was awfully well-mannered, and such a pleasure," mom told her, smiling at him. "He's welcome any time."

He blushed and looked down, twisting his foot on the carpet. A kettle started screeching from the kitchen, and Grace excused herself. Nico followed her over and gathered some teacups, then took us outside to the patio table. Grace followed him out with the kettle and tea bags.

"Green tea," she said, filling our teacups, "infused with CBD. It's good for your brain, your skin, and your heart. I can give you some to take home if you'd like. You'll feel like a new person within a week."

"Thanks, Grace," I said.

"That sounds just wonderful," Mom said, gazing into her teacup.

While we sipped our tea in the cooling evening air, Nico talked animatedly about his favorite parts of Raging Rivers and his new friendship with Parker. He seemed incredibly happy to have made a new friend, and I was glad for him, and Parker.

Mom discovered that Grace worked at the clothing store near the toy shop, and they got into a spirited discussion about the whole area. Nico wanted to know about my history with Parker, and the other times we spent at Raging Rivers. Soon afterwards, while he showed me a recreation of his house he built in Minecraft on his phone, we played footsie under the table, each little touch sending a warm, happy feeling resonating throughout my body.

It was such a pleasant evening, the four of us unwinding and sipping tea in the warm evening air, and I was so glad my mom seemed to take to their family the way I did. The tea had a relaxing effect on me, and seemed to for Nico as well. He yawned, stretching his arms up over his head, and smacked his lips while his gaze shifted onto me. I recognized the look in his eyes; it was a hungry, naughty look. We both pivoted to see how the parents were faring, and it appeared they were getting on well, busy chatting about school or some crap.

"I've finished my tea, mama," Nico said, jiggling his empty teacup before her.

Grace looked at him, then to her own cup. "Take these to the kitchen, would you sweetheart?" she asked, holding out her and Mom's cups. As he stood to gather them, she kissed him on the head, and he recoiled from her, groaning. The mothers laughed, and he rolled his eyes, tapping my shoulder as he walked by me. I got up to follow him into the kitchen.

"We're gonna go upstairs…" he said to them, but Grace was back to being fully engaged by my mom and didn't reply, so we continued on into the house and placed the cups into the sink. He turned around to face me, his tanned body inadequately covered by only the little red shorts, and peered upwards to find my gaze focused on them.

His lips curved into a thin smile. "I've been waiting all day."

"Me too. I'm just glad you could contain yourself at the park," I said, poking a finger into his belly. He giggled and leaned forward into me, turning his head and pressing a cheek into my shirt.

"I want to cash in on my kiss," he said.

I took his head in my hands, feeling his soft hair in my fingers, and kissed the top of his head, like how Grace had. Instead of recoiling, though, he shuddered with pleasure.

Letting go, I said "How about we take this upstairs?" Mom could talk to people for hours, so I was sure we'd have a little bit of time to mess around. We walked together to the staircase, one hand wrapped around his side. I stopped and lifted him up in my arms, holding him like a cat. He was kind of heavy, and I had to adjust my grip, holding onto his barely clad butt. My hands brushed against his exposed skin, and he just felt so good and smooth to touch. He giggled impishly, and as I steadily brought us up the staircase, he lay mostly still, staring up at my face.

I made it through the long hallway and into his bedroom, where I dumped him onto the bed, secretly relieved to be finished with the effort of carrying him. I walked back to lock the door, then turned around.

He was lying on his stomach, but got up and flipped around on his back. He stretched out on the bed, making a starfish pose like on the beach the prior day. Looking up at me, his eyes half closed, he smiled seductively.

I watched him lie on the bed and devoured him with my eyes, from his small feet, up his sinewy legs and exposed thighs, to the tiny red cloth that barely separated me from his most pleasurable spot. His chest rose and fell with each breath, tiny little nipples that were nearly the same tone as the rest of him.

"I don't even care that our parents are just outside, I can't resist you this time," I told him, and reached for his ankles, climbing forward onto the bed. I ran my hands all the way up his bald legs, into the bottoms of his shorts, rubbing against the very tops of his thighs and the underside of his butt.

He shivered and moaned. "What are you gonna do to me?" he asked, with a cheeky grin.

I withdrew my hands and climbed on top of him, pinning his wrists. Face to face, I whispered to him, "Whatever you want me to do," and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

His eyes shut, and he kissed back, electricity flowing between our bodies. He broke from my hold on his wrists and grabbed my arms, flipping us over so he was on top, then also broke the kiss, and withdrew his head. A shy smile formed on his face as he sat on my chest, legs bent and placed on either side of me. He leaned forward to kiss me again, and began grinding his body against my shirt. Soft breaths escaped him as he pushed himself against me, and his seashell necklace jiggled back and forth. I simply laid back and allowed him to elicit his pleasure.

After a few seconds he stopped, flustered, and inched down to place himself above my board shorts. He eagerly opened them as he did earlier in the morning, but this time it was my already-stiff cock that emerged. He shuddered and repositioned himself, so he could pull off his shorts, sliding them down his skinny legs and dropping them off the side of the bed. Looking down towards the end of the bed, I viewed him in nude perfection, bathed in the warm glow of the sun's final hours.

Returning to his previous position over my dick, I saw his tense rod protruding from between his legs, with a pair of loose nuts hanging below. The tip peeked precociously out of his foreskin, thirsty for action. He noticed me observing him, and smiled up at me, before gripping my dick with both his hands. His feathery touch felt unbelievably good as he played with it, sliding his hands across, and giving it an occasional tweak.

Suddenly, he stopped and stared. "It's very grown-up," he said.

I gave him a look. "Were you expecting something else?"

He looked down at his own twitching dick. "No."

He slid his way up my body back to kiss me again, and his warm, naked form lay on top of me. After kissing, he lay sleepily with his head cuddled into my neck. He smelled a little bit like chlorine, but the rest like pure Nico. He humped against me again, and this time I really felt his hard prick pressing against my stomach. I reached between us and grasped it, giving the hot, hard thing a nice squeeze, eliciting a single sharp grunt. As I held onto him, he thrust himself against my hand a couple times, and I felt a stickiness wipe against my fingers.

He relaxed his thrusting, and after I let go of him he crawled back down to my dick that was leaking its own fluids. With a smile, he took it again in his hands, and licked his tongue happily over the tip, before slipping the whole head into his warm mouth. I couldn't help but groan in pure bliss and lock my eyes shut as he sloppily swiped his tongue all around the head of my cock.

"Oh, Nico… holy shit… uhnnn…" I said to him, lost in the feelings.

He made a slurping sound before popping his mouth off, and started to spin himself around on top of me. "Come on," he said in his raspy voice, "sixty-nine."

Once again he took me in his mouth, and the pleasure continued. He lifted his body to help provide me access to his penis, but the rigid thing barely came up to my neck.

"Don't think I can reach," I told him, then noticed his ass. Not because it was beautiful, because it was, but something strange caught my eye. "Nico," I said in confusion, "what is this?" I pulled his cheeks apart to get a better view of the strange red jewel, shaped like a heart that covered his butthole.

He giggled as I prodded it with a finger. "Tickles good," he said.

"No, seriously. What is this?" I was seriously confused at why or how this jewel was there.

"A toy," he said, looking back at me over his shoulder. I stared quizzically at him, and he spun around on me. "It's my toy," he said again, then kissed my lips.

"Why… I mean, how, who…" I started to say, but he slid down again to take my throbbing cock into his mouth. This time, though, he went past the head, swirling his tongue all over. I gasped and closed my eyes as he began expertly sucking my dick, teeth long since tucked away, tongue dancing across whatever it could find.

His warm mouth felt too good to be real. I placed my hands on his shoulders as he worked his magic, and opened my eyes to find him gracefully jerking himself off as he bobbed up and down on me. He moaned with his mouth still on me, sending dangerously good vibrations all over my cock, and continued his muffled moaning which certainly exceeded the maximum amount of pleasure I had ever received.

"That's it Nico, I'm gonna cum," I told him.

He pulled off for a second. "Do it in my mouth," he demanded, then quickly returned to his vigorous sucking.

"No–" I said, but it was completely ineffective on him. Powerless, I felt my orgasm begin. I grabbed onto his head and began to squirt into his hungry mouth, groaning noisily, and he clung to me with equal force as he sucked harder and harder, still jerking his little dick and moaning. After the last few shots coated the inside of his mouth, my hips dropped and I wearily opened my eyes to find him swallow with purpose, and lick his lips, looking like he was in heaven.

His hand was a blur, and he sat up between my legs, shutting his eyes and masturbating himself. His breathing became quicker and more intense before he leaned slightly forward and shuddered. His eyelids twitched, and he began firing out hot jets of clear, thin semen onto his comforter, some of it splattering onto my balls.

"Aaauuuhhh," he cried out, and I watched him as the pleasure coursed through his body and ejected through the skinny nozzle of his thrashing penis. He let himself fall forward, collapsing onto me. We were both panting, and I held his naked back to me as we recovered.

"That… was… the… best…" he whispered drowsily.

As my awareness drifted back, I felt ashamed for having came in his mouth, and uneasy about the "toy" in his butt. His nakedness was sprawled over me, my deflating cock pressed up on his side. After catching his breath, he rolled off of me and stood up, picking his swim shorts up off the floor. He fished his phone out of the pocket, and turned back to me with his limp dick dangling in the air, the tip glistening with the remnant of his seed. Dropping the shorts back to the floor, he sat on the edge of the bed, using his phone.

"You shouldn't have let me do that, in your mouth," I said seriously.

"Uh huh," he nodded, captivated by the phone, his face scarcely lit by the glow of the screen.

"And we should talk about what's in your butt, Nico. You're too young for that sort of thing."

The soft sound of typing clicked from his phone.

"You're not listening," I said. "I want to know where you got that… plug… and who bought it for you."

He continued typing away, clearly not hearing me.

I got up and shuffled over to him to peek at his screen, and he tilted away from me.

"Are you texting someone?" I asked him.

"Yep, Parker," he said and paused, smiling. "Telling him what we did."

"Oh, Nico, no–" I began to protest.

We heard the front door loudly open, and the two women chatting merrily as they came into the house. I got up off the bed to pull my shorts up, but Nico continued sitting on the bed naked, texting Parker.

"Get dressed," I said to him.

Reluctantly he set the phone down on his bed, and got up to pull his shorts back on. I looked around the room for any lingering signs of our misconduct. He had swallowed my evidence, but I spotted the dark wet patch of his on the comforter.

"You got tissue?" I asked him.

"No," he said, sounding confused by my request.

"A towel? Something?"

He noticed what I was worried about, and shook his head. "Doesn't matter, it's gonna dry up."

I stood staring at him in bewilderment. He seemed unconcerned, finishing pulling up his shorts.

"Come on," I said, taking him by the wrist and leading us out of his room. I asked him where the bathroom was, and he took us to it. The bathroom was really nice and modern, with two sinks, a toilet, and a shower/bath combination. I had him wash his face in the sink, and I did the same. After I convinced myself we looked inconspicuous enough, I took us downstairs, running into the moms on the way down.

"Hey guys," Mom said, barely bothering to look us over, "Grace was just showing me around. You've got a lovely home, Nico."

"It's really great," he agreed.

We joined them for the house tour, and I got to see the backyard which I hadn't previously. The back door opened into a cozy covered patio with a fire pit, surrounded by chairs. There was a little swing set sitting in the grass, and I wondered if Nico still used it.

After the tour, mom thanked them for having us over, and Nico went to give her another farewell hug. He then came over to me, and wrapped his arms around my side, holding me for several moments. Trying to act less conspicuous, I gave him a simple, small hug back. The moms thought it was cute.

We left, and they waved to us from the porch as we walked to the car.

***

Mom kept glancing at me as we drove home, and as she kept doing it I gave her a confused look.

"What?" I finally asked.

She chuckled. "Grace told me Nico has a crush on you."

"Uh… she did?" I tried not to look as uncomfortable as I was. It kind of didn't surprise me that Grace would tell her, but I was still annoyed that she had.

"Yes. And I can see why. You're very handsome."

"Mom," I giggled, blushing and lightly shoving her arm.

"I'm still waiting for my grandkids. Any progress?"

"No, and there won't be any if you keep being weird about it."

She laughed, then went quiet for a second. "He seems to look up to you."

"Nico?"

She nodded. "I hope you were a good role model for him today."

I peered out the window. "I hope so, too. I didn't get the chance to tell you, but he and Parker didn't get along well for the first few hours."

"Oh?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. They were fighting a bunch. I don't really know why. But we talked it out over lunch and it seemed to fix everything."

"That's good. They seemed like they had a lot of fun with you." She was quiet again. "I remember when you were about his age, and you had a crush on that girl."

"Yeah, Alice. Don't remind me."

"Why not? It was cute. You asked your father how to talk to her." She smirked. "He didn't know, because I was the one who went after him."

"Right. He was useless," I said, and she laughed.

"And you never did talk to her."

"Wasn't really my choice. She left the school after the stuff went down."

"Stuff?"

"Well, it was a rumor. But everyone was saying her dad was… you know, abusing her. She left the school a year after the rumors were going around. Never did find out if it was true, or what happened to her afterwards."

"Oh, I didn't know about any of that. That's terrible," she said. "Poor girl."

"Mhm."

The rest of the drive was calm and quiet. I thought back to my younger years, when I was always so anxious and shy, though it's not like much had changed. Nico was such an incredibly different person than I was at his age, and even now. There was something special about how different we were, though, like two connecting pieces in a puzzle. I smiled at the thought.

Back at home, my dad was actually around for once, so we had dinner as a family. It was not something we shared very often those days, with all of us usually doing our own thing, and it was pleasant.

I spent some time outside sitting on the patio, thinking about everything that transpired over the day. While everything turned out alright, I felt a little concerned about having to worry about Parker knowing our secret now, too. Nico had apparently told him what we got up to earlier, which was also very uncomfortable. Well, if my little cousin had to know that I came in my twelve-year-old boyfriend's mouth, I hope Nico at least explained that I didn't force it on him.

There was also the matter of Nico's buttplug. It was on my mind since I noticed it, and I wondered who could have possibly bought it for him, and why. Was I not Nico's first adult friend? I didn't want to stress about it too much, and left it to discuss with him later.

Later that night, as I crawled into bed, I was hit by a wave of exhaustion. A lot had happened over the weekend, and so I wasn't thrilled to be going back to my regular life at work in the morning. I was pretty surprised that I didn't get any texts from Nico the entire evening, but thought he must have been busy. Plugging the charger into my phone, I noticed a new message notification, and excitedly opened it.

I had a brief moment of panic before I realized that it was completely absurd. I didn't have to think very hard to recognize who it was.

I stared at the screen, and got to thinking about how he felt about my relationship with Nico. We didn't really get to talk about it one-on-one. I added him as a contact, and decided to check in with him.

Parker had been a total enigma during the day, and these texts continued the trend. He didn't reply further, so I set my phone down on the nightstand, and tried to get some sleep. After a few minutes, however, my phone dinged again.

He was being coy, but I didn't have time for his games, and called him out on it.

About a minute passed before his next message came.

His question felt invasive to me. Why did he want to know that anyway? Ammunition for teasing Nico with? Weird, teenage body curiosity? I'd have bet he was just wanting to compare, after all, puberty is a very vulnerable period for kids. It all felt pretty invasive regardless. The adult thing to do seemed to be to put my foot down.

Put off by the weird conversation, I set my phone down again. I thought about Nico, and his beautiful hairless crotch, before drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Five
Shifting Tides

"How the hell don't you have it in stock? It's the most popular damn kids toy of the year!"

The guy paced frantically back and forth beside the counter, rubbing his scruffy chin. The toy in question was some rescue team truck, far from the most popular toy of the year.

"Relax man, I'm sorry, but we just don't carry it," I said to him. "I don't think I've even heard of it before. You can check Amazon or something, I'm sure they have it."

He laughed disdainfully. "Well, his birthday is today, so if they have an option to ship within the next hour I'd be very appreciative to hear about it."

I narrowed my eyes. "With all due respect, sir, we don't carry it here, and that's the end of it. It's really not my problem." I hated being confrontational, but he'd been freaking out about this for a few minutes now, and I was getting tired of it.

"Fuck!" he shouted, slamming a fist against the counter. I flinched and stared at him earnestly. After a few moments of silence, he apologized. "I know it's not your fault, it just really sucks for me."

I nodded uncomfortably, not entirely sure what else to do.

The guy turned around, rubbing his eyes with two fingers, before turning back. "And you're sure you don't have an extra one lying around in the back?" He sounded almost desperate.

"We don't," I said confidently, shaking my head. "I would know."

He sighed. "Oh, his mom's gonna be pissed. How the hell am I supposed to make my kid happy?"

"I'm sorry, but it's not my problem. If you want my opinion, there's more to happiness than gifts," I told him.

I was really ready for him to leave, as there was clearly nothing more I could do for him, and I wasn't enjoying his wasting of my time. After a few more minutes of his seven stages of grief, he was finally able to get his shit together and leave.

It was several hours later when I heard the store bell's familiar jingle, and Nico stomped through the door. I was on my phone, and set it on the counter, giving him my full attention. He carried a skateboard, and it's awesome design took me by surprise; two dolphins creating a yin-yang symbol. Looking over at me, he dropped it on the floor by the entrance, and his small frown transformed into a relieved grin.

"Hey mister shopkeeper," he said playfully, making his way over with an exaggerated skip, in some cool skate shoes that tapped merrily against the floor.

"Hello little boy, are you lost?" I asked him, going along with it, but still cracking a smile.

He giggled, and came over to me behind the counter. With no one else in the store, I gave him a big, tight hug, lifting him off his feet. He slipped into a childish fit of laughter as I kissed his nose.

"What brings you in today? Looking for some magic gear?" I opened a drawer and fumbled through it. "Perhaps a 'tech deck'?" I asked, pronouncing it stupidly, and pulled one out, waving it in front of him.

He giggled again, knocking the toy out of my hand.

"Come on, you seem like the type," I teased, picking it up and putting it back into the drawer. "Cool skateboard, by the way."

"Thanks," he said. "I'm just bored. I wanted to come see you since everyone else doesn't want me around."

I frowned. "No one wants you around? What do you mean?"

"Well," he began, plopping himself onto the counter, "I was at the skatepark earlier, and I just wanted to hang out and skate, but this stupid bitch Rosa–"

"Hey!" I interrupted.

"Sorry, but she is. She and her friends told me to get lost, so I did." He kicked his legs back and forth, and I noticed he had some dark smudges on them.

I folded my arms. "She's not hitting you or anything, is she?"

"No way," he said, holding his hands up. "She's more of a psychological terror."

"Hm, alright. How do you know her?"

He nodded. "She goes to my school," he said, and looked at the ground. "She hates me."

"Why? Just a bully?"

"Yeah," he laughed, "pretty much. I was skating by myself, and she comes up with her lame posse and is all like, 'What are you doing here, weirdo?'" he said, mocking her latina accent. "'Get lost, freak.'"

I had to laugh at the accent, but when he puffed his cheeks out, I realized he wasn't trying to be funny. "Oh. I'm sorry. That sucks." I started massaging his knees through his cargo shorts, while he continued to restlessly kick his legs around.

"Yeah! It does! Like, I'm skating nowhere near them, yet they come over just to bully me. Some life they have. God, I hate them," he fumed. "They always go after me every time they see me. Stupid bitches."

"Well, why not ignore them and keep skating?"

"Because… because I don't even want to be around them in like a twenty mile radius! They make me feel terrible. Maybe I should get a restraining order. Got any connections?"

"Sorry, dude." I patted his cheek, and he dropped down from the counter.

"It's fine," he said, latching onto my side. "Rather be with you anyways."

A woman came into the store, so I had to send him away for a bit. He busied himself looking through our postcards. After she left, he came back to sit on the counter again, and immediately launched back into his story.

"And after all that I went to the beach I guess just to swim or something, but all the peeps there are looking at me like they don't want me to be there either! So I left, and went to see my mom at work. But she's busy…" He looked lazily around the shop. "Kinda like you are…"

"Yeah, us adults are pretty boring and responsible. But I'll make it up to you?" I offered.

He looked up at me. "Tonight?" he suggested, placing his hands together, eyes wide and irresistable.

"Yeah, sure, I guess I can. Did you have something in mind?"

"I dunno…" he trailed off, looking up in thought. "What do couples do for fun?"

"Do you want to get dinner together?" I whispered.

He gasped, jaw agape. "A date? With me?"

I laughed at his reaction. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Yesss!" he hissed, pumping his fist. "I've never been on a date. Wait, I know the best place, and we can walk there from here!" He was practically jumping up and down.

"Alright," I said, chuckling, "well I've still got about two more hours here, so you're welcome to hang out."

"Cool!" He hopped off the counter. "So what's up with you?"

"Um… well, just being here I guess. Had some crazy dude come in earlier screaming about his… poor parenting skills."

"Oooh, I love crazy dudes. You should have taken a video."

"Hehe, yeah."

The door jingled again, and a few people came inside. I looked Nico over, and smirked. "Hey, you look like the kinda guy who wants to play Minecraft under the counter until I close up."

He chuckled. "Oh please, I'm not that lame," he said, but immediately took his phone out and made his way behind the counter.

I laughed. "No funny business, though," I whispered.

"What kind of guy do you take me for?" he responded, crawling under the counter and purposefully brushing up against my leg.

***

"I don't know what I want," Nico whined, drumming his shoes against the fake grass of the outdoor seating area. A big, angled umbrella shielded us from the bright sun that hung low in the evening.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused, taking the menu away from him to look for myself. "You're the one who brought us here." I thought it would be strange going to a restaurant with a young kid; I anticipated suspicious looks from everyone, but nobody seemed to care. Even our waitress made no mention of it. It's possible they all thought we were related, not that we looked alike in the slightest. Still, I was happy to find we were the only ones sitting outside.

"Hey," I said, showing him the menu, "how's this look?"

"Ohhh, soy-based orange chicken!" he exclaimed, licking his lips, and smiled over at me. "You know me well."

"Just be careful," I cautioned. "All that soy might turn you into a girl."

He narrowed his eyes, feigning annoyance. "Oh, Logan," he chuckled. "You know nothing of my people."

I grinned. "I've actually found you to be more of a carnivore than I once thought."

"Can't resist the finest sausage in town," he said, biting down on the end of his fork seductively, and we both laughed.

"I'm just glad to be here with you tonight," I told him with sincerity.

"Me too. I'm really happy and excited to be on my first date with you." He smiled. "Thanks for taking me out."

He looked perfect sitting there: smooth, golden skin completely free of any blemishes, shaded from the strong sun that was responsible for his coloring. His hair was neatly combed, and I realized he must have styled it in the bathroom when we first arrived.

I thought back to my life without him, and wondered how I never gave him a second thought when I left him those few years ago. His simple presence made me happy, an emotion I hadn't felt strongly for some time.

"I'm not sure why I didn't tell you before, but I'm sorry for letting you down when I left that summer," I said. "I didn't have a chance to say goodbye, but I should have made one. It would have saved you a lot of heartache, and I just feel so bad about it now. I didn't know. I'm sorry."

He sat quietly, thinking about what I said, before speaking up. "It's okay," he said clumsily, his voice quieter. "You've made up for it."

"I want to continue making up for it, for the rest of the summer."

I was thinking about him a lot during my nights, and how I really felt. We had a bond that I really hadn't shared with anyone else to this degree before. Though he had his moments of immaturity and imperfection, those were part of what made him so special, and I knew he would grow into an amazing person. It seemed like even in the short timeframe things had been going on, we had already improved each other, and I was optimistic about our future. I realized I wanted to be clear with him about how I felt; the time finally felt right.

"I don't know how the hell you managed it, you rascal, but I'm yours. I think I love you Nico; I really don't know what I'd do without you now." I looked into his eyes, which were wet with tears.

His voice was shaky when he did speak up. "You… really love me?" he asked with a sniffle.

Seeing his intense emotional reaction made me choke up, too. I placed my hand palm up in the middle of the table, and he placed his hand in mine. Gently, I caressed the back of his hand with my thumb.

"I do. I love you."

His chest shook, and he began to softly cry, little tears falling past his smiling mouth.

"I love you, too," he said between breaths, and my tears began to fall as well. Hand in hand, we shared our tears of joy for several minutes.

"You've always been so nice to me," he finally said, still sniffling. "I don't deserve it."

"Of course you do," I assured him. "You're such a great kid, you deserve every ounce of love. And you're so beautiful." I began softly stroking his arm. "A week ago I would never have described a boy as beautiful, but you're different. I'm so lucky that you found me again. I never knew until now, but I was missing something in my life, and it was you."

"It's crazy because I always dreamed of being with you, for years." He paused, in thought. "Now that it's finally come true, it's better than I ever imagined."

I pulled my hand away when I noticed the waitress coming. She took our orders and went back inside, leaving us alone again.

"Hey, I want to know something," I said, turning to him.

He looked up curiously. "What?" he asked, cute and innocent.

Even after our wonderful discussion, I knew I had to get to the bottom of the whole buttplug situation. "Your… toy. Where did you get it, and who gave it to you?" I asked.

He smirked, and leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. "Well, I got it for Christmas. Probably my favorite gift ever, besides my phone."

"From who?" I didn't want to be too pushy, but I needed to know.

"Uh… Santa?" he said, raising an eyebrow like it was obvious.

Santa? I blinked. Like, his mom? He was definitely too old to still believe in that… right? I decided to play it cautious anyways, and not reveal the truth about Santa if he still did.

"So, you got it for Christmas? From Santa?" I asked, just to reaffirm.

He nodded. "Yep." He motioned for me to lean in, and I did. "I have it in right now," he whispered, then pulled away, giggling, and winked at me mischievously.

I groaned internally. If it really was his mom who got it for him, I truly didn't know if I had more or less to worry about. Why the hell would Grace get him something like that? It didn't seem likely to me that it would have come from her. It could have been another relative that got it for him. But again, who?

I was unsure how to directly ask him if he meant Grace. "Don't you think that's a little weird of a gift for Santa to get you?"

"Nope," he said unconcernedly, and looked around, fidgeting with his napkin. "I wanna order."

"Me too. What–"

"Hey, did Parker text you?" he interrupted. "He wanted your number really bad so I gave it to him."

I opened my mouth to say more, then thought back to our messages the previous night. "Oh, yeah, he did, last night. Why? Have you been talking to him?"

"Yep. He was messaging me a lot and then wanted my Snapchat. Then he video chatted me and played some songs on the violin." He fiddled with his knife, sticking it between the prongs of his fork. "He's got a lot of trophies in his room."

"Yeah, I kinda remember that. He's pretty competitive; got into a nice school recently. He's always been sort of an over-achiever."

Nico looked at the ground. "Do you think I'm dumb?" he asked hesitantly.

"What? No way!" I said emphatically.

He looked uncertain. "At school I only get, like, Bs and Cs. Mom doesn't really care, but I kinda wish I could do better."

"I don't think you're dumb at all, Nico. Grades don't really matter too much, and they definitely don't determine whether you're smart or not."

"Oh. I guess so." He put his head in his hands, almost like he had a bad headache. "I don't want to go back to school next week. I hate it."

I frowned. "C'mon, it can't be that bad."

"The teachers don't like me and I still don't have a lot of friends. And Rosa is gonna make my life shit like she always does."

Oh yeah, she went to his school. "God, what's her deal anyways?" I asked.

"She saw me jacking off under my desk last year, and then she started calling me a freak and a weirdo, and told everyone."

"Oh, Nico, you really need to get that sex drive under control," I said, facepalming. It seemed to be more of a problem than I previously thought, and I already thought it was quite a problem.

"I know, but I can't help it!" he groused. "She has no idea what it's like to be a boy…"

"I guess you're right, but in class dude, really?"

"Well, I don't do it anymore," he reassured me. "Too messy now."

"I can't believe you'd do something that ballsy," I said, shaking my head. "Actually, no, I totally can."

"Hehe, balls," he giggled, and I glared at him. "What about you, Logan? When did you start jacking off?"

"Er, I don't know. Probably sometime around your age, maybe older."

He stared, eyebrows raised, waiting for me to go on.

I cleared my throat. "Well, we sorta learned about it in health class, and I thought it was weird. All my friends would make jokes all the time, so I went on the internet to learn how to do it." I leaned back in my seat, recalling the memory. "It's easy, once you know how it's done," I sang to the tune of "Jerk It Out" by Caesars, a song I associated with those years.

"I don't get it," he said.

"It's an old song. Nevermind."

"You're weird. Nobody likes old songs."

"Yeah, well, I'll show you some time, and you'll rethink your position."

"Nah," he said with certainty, shaking his head.

Our food came and we shared a lovely, romantic dinner together, full of cute stares and loving compliments. He shared his worry about returning to school the following week, and I did my best to keep his mind off it.

I was determined to cheer him up, and our date certainly seemed to have helped, but I knew there was more I could do. After dinner, I told him we could go back to our secret beach to watch the sunset together, and his face lit up–a sight I couldn't get enough of.

***

I parked in the same spot as last time, and we took our shoes and socks off to avoid getting them all muddy and sandy during the descent. As we began the rough trail down to the beach, I spotted two bicycles partially hidden behind a tree. I thought it was unusual, but it wasn't impossible that other people used this spot too.

It was nearing sunset, so we had less light to work with. Even so, descending the trail was much easier this time around, as Nico had experience from the last time. He still pretended to struggle at times, I think just so I would reach out and steady him; I knew he loved physical contact.

At the bottom, we spotted two boys on the shore around Nico's age, possibly a little older, dressed in only bathing suits, digging a huge hole in the wet sand. They were both blonde, way blonder than Nico, and one was noticeably bigger than the other–likely a year or two older, I thought maybe his older brother.

As we emerged from the trees, the younger-looking kid noticed us and tapped the other on the shoulder. They both turned to face us, knees and hands on the ground next to their hole.

"Nico!" the younger boy said, smiling.

We made our way over to them. It turned out he was a classmate of Nico's named Lucas, and was accompanied by an older friend named Landon. Nico introduced me to them, and we shared a chuckle at the idea that we each thought we were the only ones who knew of the spot.

Lucas had a very flamboyant gay voice, which I found to be as silly as much as absurd, but was a very nice kid with a lot to say and cheerful attitude. Landon had an older, more mature and half-broken voice. He was a lot harder to read due to having a lot less to say.

We learned that the hole they were digging was simply due to boredom. Nico asked if we could join them, but Landon seemed hesitant on letting us join them, though after Lucas gave him a look, he eventually yielded.

We shoveled sand while we chatted casually. After getting bored with the digging, the three boys decided to jump into the water. Nico, in his usual brash fashion, stripped down to his boxers to swim in. The other two didn't care, and well, boys will be boys.

I didn't want to swim with them because truthfully, I was too anxious to take my shorts off, so I let them swim together while I lay in the sand, thinking about other things.

If it was true that Grace had given Nico a buttplug, I would have been furious. Even though him and I had done some definitely inappropriate stuff together, buying sex toys for a child–your own son–was more than crossing a line. I didn't know if I wanted to even confront her about it, as I knew how hot-headed she could be, but I also didn't even really know if she was the one responsible. Still, I felt I had a responsibility to Nico, and I wanted to keep him safe and happy, just like I was doing now.

Well, sort of. The older boys were throwing Nico around in the water, quite easily, because of his light weight. He was all smiles though, and caught my glance and threw a thumbs up, which was enough to reassure me. Seeing him happy was what made me happy, and thinking that there could be some kind of abuse going on at home made me thoroughly unsettled. Even if the buttplug was something he wanted and requested, someone buying that for him was not okay, I told myself.

I decided to bring it up with her when I took Nico home after the beach. After all, she was an open person, and we had talked about things in a sexual nature before the few years ago when she would come visit the store without Nico.

The boys played in the ocean for a half an hour before getting out, Nico yawning as he made his way to me, stretching his arms over his head; a completely hairless beauty. The sun had set, so Lucas and Landon said farewell, and quickly headed up the trail back to their bikes.

Certain that no one was around, I gave Nico an intimate kiss, pulling his wet, salty body to me. Surprised, he closed his eyes and kissed me back.

"Have fun?" I asked.

He caught his breath. "Yep! I wanted you to come swim with us, though."

"I had some stuff to think about. It's cool that you found your friends down here, though."

"Lucas isn't really my friend, er… I just haven't really ever talked to him. But he's cool. Maybe we can be friends when school's back," he said wistfully.

I watched his expression switch to worry at the mention of school, so I quickly tried to lighten the mood.

"I was thinking we could go back to your place and," I smirked, "finish up our date."

He grinned. "I like the way you think."

We climbed the trail back up to the car, Nico not bothering to get dressed and instead opting to carry his clothes with him. After making it back, I toweled him and his feet meticulously, making sure to get rid of all the sand and water before allowing him in the car. He hummed as he allowed me tender access to his body, and after getting him clean and dry, allowed me to slip his shorts and shirt back on.

The air was thick with anticipation as we drove home, both of us prepared for another amazing evening. Nico's phone rang, and he picked it up. It was a video call, and he held the phone out in front of him.

"Hi," Nico said as the video connected.

"Hey," I heard Parker say through the phone. "Did you just shower?"

"Uh, no, but I see why you might think so," Nico replied, feeling his wet hair.

"So what are you doing?"

"Just came from the beach."

"Oh." He paused. "Are you in a car?"

Nico smirked and turned the phone towards me. I noticed, and waved to him, not taking my eyes off the road.

"Hey Parker!" I said loudly, even though he could definitely hear me just fine.

"Oh! Hey…" he replied, then went quiet.

Nico turned the phone back. "So, what's up?" he asked Parker.

"Nothing really… I was thinking that… I actually, uh, gotta go," he said, and promptly hung up. As the phone beeped, Nico turned to look at me, his face twisted in the same confusion as mine.

"What the hell?" I blurted out with tense laughter.

"He's kinda weird, right?"

"Not usually that weird. Guess I don't know him that well anymore."

I spent the rest of the drive thinking about bringing things up with Grace. Unsure how I'd be able to bring up such a thing to her, I began to feel anxious about seeing her.

When we eventually pulled up to his house, I parked on the sidewalk and stared forward past the steering wheel. My excitement about the evening had changed over the course of our drive into worry, and I knew I wasn't ready to face Grace–not yet.

Nico got out of the car, taking his skateboard with him. He looked back at me through the open door as I made no effort to get out. "Coming?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think I'm gonna head home, Nico. Something's been on my mind all day and… I just need some time to think about it."

He frowned, placing a hand on the roof of the car. "Really? But I already have a boner!" he said, motioning to his pants.

I smiled. "I'm sorry for getting you excited, we can do it some other time. I really just need some time to myself."

He sighed. "You're really bad at dating me."

I could tell he was joking, but there was a hint of truth there. Laughing, I said, "Yeah, I know. I hope it was a nice first date, even if it was anticlimactic. Really though, I'll make it up to you, we can do whatever you want."

"Well, just so you know, I really wanted the climax. But whatever, it's fine," he said, and rolled his eyes. "Bye, Logan," he said sweetly, waving, before heading up the driveway.

I waved back, before driving off into the evening.

***

Sitting up in my bed, I glared at my phone, still incredibly full from dinner earlier. I had been busy contemplating my options for bringing the issue up with Grace, unsure of how to proceed, when Nico's message came in. While I recognized that Nico's toy was not completely my business, I felt I had a certain responsibility to my boyfriend to keep him safe. Now, though, it seemed he was horny, which also fell under my jurisdiction.

Crap, he meant Logan porn. Of course. I shoved my shorts down a little and rubbed myself for a moment. When I was nice and hard, I took a nice dick picture, and sent it over. Simple, but surely effective.

His boyish crush was incredibly cute, and I thought the innocence of a young boy infatuated with muscles was endearing. Happy to please, I set the phone up to take a timed photo, where I posed shirtless, flexing against the wall. A minute or so passed, and I received a notification that he had replayed my image.

Chuckling to myself, I set up the phone again, and after pulling my shirt off, leaned against the wall with one leg bent up against it. I tilted my head towards the ground and pushed the front of my hair up with one hand. Sitting back down and reviewing the photo, I personally found it kind of cringeworthy, but sent it anyway.

I received a response in the form of a video, a downward angle of him completely naked in his room, rapidly jerking his dick and moaning huskily.

"Unh… you're so fucking hot, Logan," the speakers blared, and I hastily lowered the volume. "I want you to… unf… fucking… stick it in m–" he said, the video cutting him off abruptly.

I was starting to realize he was quite the dirty talker, something I certainly wasn't, and while I was happy to let him imagine us having sex, I knew I had to be firm with him if it was something he seriously wanted. I knew my limits, and I didn't want to put him through that kind of intensity. He'd have to wait many years for that, if our relationship even lasted that long.

That was another big thing I knew I had to consider. I wasn't sure how long our relationship would last, or if it would even continue once I left the state. If anything, it would be incredibly difficult to keep things going as I most likely wouldn't be back to visit until Thanksgiving, and who knew if I would even have the time to get to see him then.

If we were to keep our candle lit however, how long could it possibly last? Surely he would seek other partners in his teenage years, be it at school or otherwise locally. Was I destined to be just a short, hot fling that he had in his earlier years? What did I really mean to Nico? And did I actually like boys, or just him?

Another video arrived from him, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was his penis again, hard as granite and pointing fiercely towards the camera. He brought the phone around, bringing its focus onto his ass, and he lifted his legs to allow for a better view. This time, there was no tiny red heart covering his anus, and so his little pink opening filled the view.

Pulling on one cheek, he dipped his fingers into his butt crack, making circles around his hole, before pushing his index finger inside. He groaned, pushing further until his first knuckle was fully enveloped, then the video ended.

I'm not sure why I was surprised to find that he liked to finger himself, especially considering how much he seemed to enjoy his plug. Maybe it was because I had never fingered myself before, and had not put much thought into it. I still found it incredibly arousing, and felt myself stiffening in my shorts.

Not wanting to ruin the moment by shooting down his fantasy, I instead decided to enliven it. I got on my bed and hastily tugged my shorts off, followed by my underwear. Grabbing my dick, I lined it up perfectly for a portrait photo, showing off my six and a half inches [16.5cm], and sent it.

I didn't hear back for a few minutes, and I had a feeling he was probably too busy pleasuring himself. I took the time to go lock my bedroom door, and surely enough, another video came in.

It was captioned, "Crap lol", and I grinned in anticipation. He had set his phone down against his pillows, facing him on the bed, perfectly nude except for some white ankle socks. Pulling his hands away from the phone, he lay down on his back, his naked dick and droopy balls in center view. He started masturbating wildly, moaning loudly and boyishly. I hoped for his sake that Grace wasn't home to hear his hormonal symphony.

All it took was around twenty seconds of him moaning and groaning before he excitedly exclaimed, "I'm cumming, Logan!"

I watched as he pushed his hips upward, firing a squirt of semen into the air which fell back down onto his pubis. His balls tightened and he exhaled, sitting up, as another spurt shot out. He pushed down on his shaft with one thumb and, with another groan, another clear jet, splattering onto his phone's camera, slightly blurring the view for me.

"Oh!" he cried, the simple exclamation making his overwhelming euphoria known. Through the blurry frame, I could make out his body continuing to writhe as the last few teensy spurts dribbled from his dick and onto the bed. Gradually, he let go of his drained penis, taking a few moments to return from his orgasm. He grabbed the phone, staring into the camera with his mouth wide open as he poked at his ejaculate.

"Shit!" he whispered, and the video ended.

The whole event was as hilarious as much as hot, and after taking a second to giggle at his misfortune, quickly replayed the video and came incredibly hard in tandem with him, though taking care to cum onto my stomach and not on my phone. I fell down onto the bed, completely spent, feeling my phone vibrate beside me. After a few more moments to myself, I checked his message.

I sent him a picture of the cum splattered across my stomach with the caption, "Audience gives it a 10/10!"

***

Tuesday was hot. Not because Nico was around–he actually wasn't–but because it was over ninety degrees [32ºC] out, real muggy and unpleasant. Even the beach population was rather thinned out. Fortunately, we at least had a ceiling fan, because I absolutely would have left, were it not the case.

The day was not a busy one, likely on account of the heat. I spent much of it on my phone, dreaming of taking a cold bath and simply wasting my time until I was free to go back home.

I was alone in the store when Grace walked by the window. We noticed each other simultaneously, and she immediately went to come inside. I knew I probably wouldn't get a better opportunity to talk to her about my concerns without Nico around, and decided right then that I would voice them. If I wasn't already sweating, I would have broken into a cold one.

"Grace," I said, disguising my anxiousness, "nice to see you."

"Hey, champ. How's the business?" She came up to the counter, seeming relieved by the cool air.

We talked for a few minutes before I finally worked up the nerve to bring it up.

"So… there's something I needed to ask you… about Nico."

She gave a motherly laugh. "I heard you two were on a date last night. Have I ever told you how sweet you are, Logan?"

Humbled by her compliment, I blushed. "You're too kind. It's kinda serious, though."

Her smile dwindled, and she took a more upright posture.

I cleared my throat. "So, jeez how do I say this?" I continued, pulling nervously on my fingers. "The other day, Nico was telling me he had a… sex toy, um, and that really confused me you know, because he's only twelve, and I didn't know where he would have got it."

Grace folded her arms as she listened, matching my sincerity, but not my nervousness.

"He sort of said that it was a Christmas gift, from uh… Santa. So I was just kinda wondering about that, because it was a little odd to me."

She nodded, and took a breath. The inside of my head pounded, tension building.

"And he told you about this?" she asked, staring through me.

I hesitated before answering, "Yeah."

"You know I know you're lying, right?"

"Huh? No, it's true!"

"Logan, how do I say this… I know what you've been doing with my son."

I was speechless, and my mouth felt suddenly dry. As the panic flooded in, I started to feel dizzy. "I… I don't know–" I began to say.

She grabbed my shoulder. "Logan, relax. It's fine. But I need you to be honest with me. You know about his toys because you've seen them, and not because he told you about them."

"Toys? There are more?"

"Yeah, sure, I got him a few. Kid's got a libido like, well, a teenager."

"Sorry, but why the hell would you buy him sex toys? You see where I'm coming from, right? It's kinda fucked up."

Her expression turned sour, and she withdrew her hand. "My son swallowed your cum, Logan, what makes you the judge of what's fucked up?"

The panic began to come back, and I turned away from her. "How do you know that?"

"I don't know what your family is like, but with us, everything is shared and open. Nico is always excited to tell me about what you two get up to. Listen, I know for most people, nudity is 'unnatural' and sex is 'evil'. I am not one of those people. I believe in healthy, sexual freedom. I'll have you know, when you left Nico all alone without a goodbye, the one thing that brought a smile to his face for the longest time was a dry cum."

The look I gave her was astonishment and confusion, and she laughed.

"For about a month he barely left his room, and when I was finally sick enough of his moping, I taught him how to jerk his dick. And a lot of nights, I did it for him to get him to bed," she said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I wasn't really sure how to take that knowledge. "Uh, isn't that incest?"

"No, Logan, we're not having sex, and it's not for my pleasure. What's wrong with happiness at the cost of a tissue?"

I pondered that.

"He's a good kid, and he deserved some happiness. You know that."

I sensed some lingering resentment from my "abandoning", and decided not to argue further. "Sure Grace, that's fair."

"So when Christmas came around, I did what any good parent does and got him some toys. And maybe more unconventionally, some lube." She laughed, but I didn't. "And believe me, when his plug's in, that's when he has his best and longest orgasms."

I grimaced. "Alright, I don't know if I want to talk about this with you anymore."

"Hey, you're the one bringing it up," she said, then chuckled. "Well, guess it's time to get to why I'm here, and surprise surprise, it has nothing to do with sex toys." She cleared her throat. "It's lunchtime, and I'm buying."

"Oh," I said. "Sure, Grace. Like old times."

***

She brought me to a local sandwich shop a small walk from the clothing store she worked at, and bought us both sandwiches. I thanked her, and we walked down to the beach and found a nice bench to sit at. We enjoyed our lunches in the sun, talking about life over the past few years. I hadn't heard what she'd been up to, so it was nice to get filled in about what had been going on.

"I've been doing these yearly music festivals with my two girlfriends. You know how it is with me. Anyway, it's coming up this weekend," she said, finishing the last of her veggie pesto sandwich.

"You want me to watch him?" I asked, between bites.

"Well, I don't want to make you do anything, but you're certainly welcome to. I never get him a sitter, he's always fine alone when I go to these. I mean he can cook for himself and knows to contact our neighbors about anything he can't deal with himself." She paused and lit up a cigarette. "You're welcome to stay with him, even spend the nights. I know he would be thrilled, and I think you two would enjoy some alone time together," she said, a sparkle in her eye.

"I mean, if I have your blessing, no reason to say no." I was actually giddy inside, but tried not to show it. Even though she seemed cool with it, I didn't want her to think I was too excited.

She smirked. "Great."

I finished up my sandwich and we said goodbye, both returning to our stores. Even though it was only Tuesday, I was ready for the weekend, now more than ever. I spent the afternoon fantasizing about the memories it would bring, but also about the unusual relationship it seemed she had with her son.

***

Chapter Six
Storm Chasers

The rest of the week went by pretty slowly. Nico was busy shopping with his mom for school supplies and clothing, then spent Thursday evening having a sleepover with a friend; the same evening we planned to hang out at the beach. I wanted to complain that I was more deserving of his time as I would be heading out of town soon, but recognized that he didn't have a whole lot of friends and probably wanted to improve the few bonds he did have… and, maybe that I was being a little, or possibly extremely self-centered. We still texted throughout the week of course, but I still missed his physical, loving presence.

Friday finally arrived. I actually had some trouble sleeping the previous night just from excitement. In just a few more hours, I would be spending an entire weekend alone with Nico! The last thing I had looked forward to with this much enthusiasm was probably my Australia trip, which already felt so far away. Nico's excitement, however, was so overwhelming that I became worried he was planning to tackle and have his way with me the second I knocked on his door.

I looked back at our text exchange over the day.

Mercifully, the weather had cooled way down from earlier in the week, so working was much less of a sweaty nightmare. There were even some clouds starting to roll in, casting an ominous shadow over the beach. I was helping a customer when my phone dinged, and I took a short glance at it and saw it was a message from Parker. Maybe he wanted to address his weirdness the other day in the car, I thought. After finishing with the customer, I hesitantly checked the message.

I stared at it for a few moments, annoyed by his accusatory tone, before hammering out a reply.

What was his problem? I tried being direct with him in an effort to get past whatever issue he seemed to have with me.

I thought about it. As much as I really did want to see Parker once more before I left, it was Nico and I's perfect unchaperoned weekend together. We would definitely not get a better opportunity to be alone than this. I knew telling Parker that would maybe hurt his feelings, though, so I thought up an excuse.

He immediately responded, like he was anticipating my rejection.

Welp, I still managed to upset him anyway. I wondered what the hell was going on with him, and what the "weird mood" he was in was. Tired of putting up with his sulking, I gave up trying to converse with him, and put my phone away.

A few minutes later, it dinged again. I went to swipe his message away, but found it was actually from Grace. It was a picture of her in a car with two other women, all three of them wearing sunglasses and making stupid (possibly ironic) selfie poses for the camera. They looked like a bunch of college kids, and I chuckled.

I smiled, almost mischievously. Nico was all mine for the weekend.

I reread his text as I drove down his street, smiling a stupid, eager grin. Following his instructions, I started pulling up his driveway and saw Nico's overjoyed face staring at me through the upstairs window. I smiled back, and he disappeared not a second later.

He came tearing into the garage as I parked, jumping up and down excitedly outside of the car as I got out. I barely had my feet on the ground before he leapt and clung onto me, fully suspended off the ground. He was only wearing a gray tank top and some red boxers, and as I hugged him back, I felt some of his skin press against mine.

"Ahhh yes!" he cried with pure delight into my shirt as he hugged me tighter. "It's really happening!"

"I'm here to babysit a 'delinquent bad boy', am I at the right house?" I said, pretending to read a note off my palm.

He smiled a full smile up at me and let go, dropping to the floor, bare feet hitting the cold floor of the garage.

"Come on, let's go!" he said, voice shaky with enthusiasm, and took me by the arm, pulling me into the house.

I had brought a backpack with a toothbrush and some clothes, and dropped it against the wall beside the garage door as he dragged me through it. He took me over to the front door entryway where he sat me down on the shoe bench, then sat himself on the floor, removing my Converse like I was royalty.

"So since this is my house, I'm the boss, and I get to make the rules," he explained as he tugged them off. "Rule number one, no shoes allowed."

"Hm, alright. Any other rules I should know about?"

"Yep, it's kinda a new one, but you're not allowed to wear pants or shorts."

"Oh, you're a good boy then, following your own rules." I patted him on the head, and he made a face.

"Nah, I don't actually have to follow it, but I don't really like wearing 'em anyway," he said, moving onto my socks.

Once he finished, he had me stand up so he could take off my shorts. I stood still like a soldier, arms stiffly at my sides. His face was inches away from my crotch as he unbuttoned them slowly, taking his time, before lowering them down my legs. Left in just boxer briefs, I could feel his hot breath against me. He grabbed for my dick, holding it through the thin material.

I gave him an embarrassed smile and pushed his hand away. "Easy young one, we've got a bedroom for that."

"True," he said, tapping his lower lip. "Well, you're dressed to code now. You can go anywhere in my house."

"Yeah, thanks for the help," I said, and ruffled his hair.

"My pleasure," he said breathily, blushing. "Want to go upstairs?"

"Sure, want me to carry you?" I offered, remembering my clumsy effort from last weekend.

"Yes, please."

We went to the base of the stairs, and I tried scooping him up in my arms, recalling how heavy he was. He giggled happily as I tried again and successfully lifted him, then awkwardly made my way up the stairs.

His room was a total preteen mess, with clothes all over the place, and crap littering his desk. I dropped him down on the bed, and climbed over him, kissing him softly on the lips. He wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me into him, pushing his tongue into my mouth. As we made out, he flipped us over, putting himself on top. I felt him place both hands on my biceps and squeeze them. His legs pressed against my thighs as he leaned into our kiss, and moaned into my mouth as he ground his concealed erection against me.

This continued for a while before he rolled off to catch his breath, and we both lay next to each other, breathing heavily. He placed his arms under his head as we relaxed on the bed.

"Yes, that was good," he said, with a raspiness to his voice.

I nodded in agreement, and slipped a hand under his tank top. "So before you straddle me to death tonight, I was thinking we could go get some dinner?" I asked, giving him a tummy rub.

"We can eat here!" he exclaimed. "I'll make us something."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'd love to feed me your protein."

"Yep, I can make a beast tofu thingy for us, and I think there's some apple cider too!" he rattled excitedly, missing my joke entirely. I removed my hand from his tank top, and he hopped off the bed, casually tossing a pillow at my face.

"Hey!" I shouted, throwing it at his back as I got off the bed. He glanced seductively over his shoulder at me as he walked out of the room, swaying his butt on the way out.

I went to follow him, but noticed a paper on his desk and stopped to pick it up. It was the list of activities that I'd totally forgotten he said he was gonna make. There wasn't much on it, and it looked like he had given up halfway through.

After deciphering his handwriting, I laughed to myself. Netflix and chill was the first thing on there, followed by Stare into each other's eyes. A bunch of other kiddish ideas of romance followed, ending with a very graceless Fuck me hard. I laughed under my breath, shaking my head as I headed out the room.

Nico was in the kitchen, rifling through the fridge and pulling stuff out onto the counter. I noticed rain clouds were rolling in, and hoped they wouldn't ruin our weekend.

"Good news!" he said as I walked up. "Mom left us eggplants!" He set a big one down on the counter, and looked up at me, grinning a toothy grin.

"I've never had eggplant before, is it good?" I asked, and kissed his forehead.

"It's super delicious. You've really never had it?"

"Um, no."

"Oh, baby!" He rubbed his hands together. "Kay, can you cut this and this?" he asked, handing me an eggplant and a package of tofu, then shuffled over to the stove.

I held the two items in the middle of the kitchen, feeling foolish. "How do I cut them?"

He grabbed a large knife from the knife block, handed it to me, then pushed me by my butt over to a cutting board he had placed on the counter.

"Half moons for the eggplant, cubes for the tofu," he explained.

I stared at the strange vegetable. "Half moons?"

He exhaled out his nose. "Have you ever cooked before, doofus?"

"Not really," I said, looking down at the knife in my hand.

He sighed, but instead of being condescending, he was very patient and helpful, talking me through cutting the ingredients as he stir-fried some spinach on the stove. It was actually easier than I thought it would be, and soon we were both casually chatting as we prepared dinner.

"What are we making?" I asked him.

"I dunno, I guess an eggplant, spinach, tofu… thingy."

"Didn't know you could just wing it like that," I said honestly.

In the end, we sat at the patio table outside, staring at a crazy good-looking homemade meal consisting of steaming roasted eggplant, spinach, and some very flavorful fried tofu, along with apple cider to drink. Nico smiled at his creation, looking pleased with himself, while I was happy to have at least assisted.

After dinner, we settled on either side of their big sectional sofa. As I was bigger than him, I took the long seat, while he cuddled up lengthwise with his head beside me. He took off his tank top and tossed it onto the coffee table before "spontaneously" deciding that it would be a fun idea to watch Netflix, turning on the large TV using his phone.

"What are we watching?" I asked, stroking his head.

"Doesn't matter, just hafta have Netflix on." He looked up and smirked. I grinned back.

He found some movie with an actor he described as "insanely hot" and let it play for a bit before discreetly sliding his body over next to me. We watched the movie together, but it was impossible to concentrate with him wriggling around next to me. He rolled up against my side, clinging to me with his smooth legs wrapped around mine. I held him to me with one arm, slowly caressing his naked back as he nuzzled his head against my shoulder.

We stayed in that position for a while, enjoying the comfortable closeness and warmth of each other, however it wasn't long before I felt something hard in his boxers pressing up against my thigh. The fact that he was aroused got me hard too, and I could feel my hard dick straining against the material of my boxer briefs.

He noticed quickly and gently planted his hand on the outline. "You're hard," he whispered as I turned to look at him. "Is it because of me?" he asked impishly.

"Perv," I replied, feigning purity, yet incredibly turned on at the sight of him next to me.

He humped against my leg a single time, pushing his boxers into my bare skin. "Ooh," he cooed.

I moved my hand down his back, letting my fingertips slide across his skin until they slipped into his boxers. Cupping one cheek, I pulled him lightly into me, causing his erection to grind against my leg.

"Mmmmm," he moaned erotically, and I continued to slowly and rhythmically grind him into me. His hand, which was still resting on my cock, started rubbing it in tune with the thrusting.

I watched him through the corner of my eye, hopelessly horny and blushing, eyes sealed shut as each thrust generated pleasure deep within him. After a few moments he noticed me watching him, and a small smile spread over his face.

"This is the best," he whispered, and closed his eyes as I leaned in and kissed him on the nose. That caused him to moan and start humping a bit more forcefully. He tilted his head up and our lips met, slowly caressing, before he sat up a little to kiss me harder, placing one hand on my chest. We made out while he continued grinding his lower body against me, and I removed my hand from his boxers to hold his back.

He started rubbing my underwear more intently, sending waves of warmth rushing through my body. I closed my eyes, allowing the feeling to intensify, as the audio from the film melted into the background.

All at once, everything stopped. My eyes flickered open, saddened by the interruption, wondering why he had stopped. He stood up from the sofa, and in one swift motion, tugged his boxers down to his ankles, stepping out of them. His stiffened four-incher [10cm] sprang out from its confines into the open air. Its slight left curve was a familiar sight to me, and it waggled happily for a moment before settling down, pointed straight at me, the rosy red tip peeping out.

Now fully naked, he approached me, climbing onto and placing his knees on either side of my body as his balls pressed against mine through my underwear. His hard dick pointed upward, and was drooling. I could feel his body heat radiating, and he could surely feel mine. He began pushing my shirt upward from the bottom, rolling it up my body. I lifted my arms, and he slipped it off over my head, then tossed it onto the coffee table. Our eyes locked, and he licked his lips. It was time.

He slowly leaned forward, putting his hands on my shoulders for balance, and pressed his mouth onto mine. As he shuffled his butt up my body so he was sitting on my chest, I felt the heat of his droopy nuts against my bare skin. We kissed, and he moaned into my mouth as his body pushed his penis down onto my stomach. I could feel his tip leaving a small, sticky trail on me as he squirmed around, our kissing intensifying.

I moved my hands, which were lightly holding the sides of his thighs, up to instead hold his hands. Our fingers interlocked while we kissed passionately, him grinding his lower body against my stomach, moaning with each thrust.

Suddenly, he broke our kiss to look straight down at the action beneath him, an avalanche of sandy blonde hair falling in front of his face. He was breathing erratically, and I felt his pumping increase in frequency. I too looked down towards the action, finding his reddened dick sliding up and down wildly. It looked so delicious, and I decided I wanted nothing more than to put it in my mouth.

I placed a hand against his chest, attempting to stop his humping, but he immediately shoved my hand away, continuing his fervent grinding.

"Nico," I said, only to be met with his panting, mouth slightly agape and eyes half-closed. "Stop for a second–"

"Hang on…" he cut me off, beginning to speed up, his breaths becoming quicker.

I put my hands on his sides, holding him in place, and he growled.

"Please, I'm so close!" he cried, and desperately attempted to resume his grinding, but I held him firmly in place.

"Let me suck it," I said, and he opened his eyes completely.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, and went to grab his dick. Holding it with three fingers, he looked up at me with sparkling eyes, but then heard something on the TV and turned his head. It was some action scene, and he stared at it intently, mouth agape, seemingly forgetting what we were doing.

"Nico?" I said, trying to get his attention, and he grunted without looking back. I chuckled, realizing I would probably have to remove the distraction. "Hey, wanna take this to the bedroom?"

He turned and smiled. "Yup. Can we finish the movie though?"

"Sure," I said. "We can take a shower after this, too, you're looking a little… sweaty…"

He threw me an uncertain expression before getting up from the sofa, stretching. I rubbed a finger over the slippery trail he left on my stomach, impressed by the sheer amount of goo he managed to dribble out in just a few minutes. He sat back down in my lap, laying naked along my body with his head resting on my shoulder.

I shifted around to get more comfortable, and he did the same. Once comfortable, he looked up and smiled at me, and I looked down at him and kissed him on the forehead, then wrapped my arms around his chest. We lay like that, watching the rest of the movie with the feeling of profound tranquility.

I found myself watching and experiencing him more than the film. He would laugh hysterically during the funny scenes, and make little gasps at every single explosion. There was even a lesbian sex scene, to which he seemed to have little reaction. To verify, I reached down and felt his penis, which was indeed totally flaccid. I played with it, getting to experience every second of its expansion firsthand.

"Stop! That's not fair! You're making me hard during the lesbian part," he grumbled.

Despite his protest, I continued playing with his throbbing stick. For the rest of the movie I casually played with his body, drifting between slowly fondling his shaft, massaging his balls, rubbing his nipples, and just petting him all over. He seemed to love every moment of it, with his dick fluctuating between incredibly erect and restfully soft throughout the film. He was totally relaxed, and it reminded me of the time I held him on the beach.

Eventually, toward the end of the film, he retrieved his phone from the coffee table. Snuggling back into me, he started playing Minecraft. I resumed fondling his body as he played, slowly losing interest in the movie before turning my attention to his phone.

I had never played Minecraft before, dismissing it as a kid's game, but watched him play. The movie ended, but I kept watching him, starting to get invested. I asked questions, and he was happy to answer them. Honestly, it seemed like a pretty fun game.

Almost an hour passed, both of us now more interested in the game than anything else; I even stopped fondling him. A message popped up on the screen, which I almost disregarded before seeing it was from Parker.

Nico looked up at me, a thin smile spreading across his face. "Could you imagine if we videoed right now?"

I chuckled nervously. "And he saw you naked cuddled up with me?"

He just laughed, and opened the message. I almost started sweating, but he began typing back to him.

"Do you guys video a lot?" I asked him.

"Sorta, maybe like five times since the water park."

"Oh, really? It's cool that you're kinda friends now."

"Yep, he's fun when he's not being weird."

"He's weird to you sometimes?"

"I mean like when he called us in the car."

"Right."

I felt for his penis again, finding it soft, and tugged at his foreskin.

"Mmm, that's good," he said, boning up again.

I pinched the skin together, rubbing it between two fingers, and he exhaled happily.

"I love it when you play with me," he said. "It feels really good." He turned to face me and I winked at him.

"Shower?" I suggested, patting him on the belly. He quickly stood up, facing his back towards me, and bent over, pulling his butt cheeks apart.

"I don't need a shower. I'm pretty clean, don't you think?"

He was correct, his squeaky clean pink anus certainly showed no sign whatsoever of being dirty. I did want him immaculate before I put my mouth on him, though.

"Come on," I goaded, giving him a shove. "What do you have against showers?"

"I showered yesterday! Can't we just go to my room?" He clasped his hands together, praying for me to let him skip it.

"It'll be fun! We can wash each other…" I tried tempting him.

"Fine," he grumbled, snatching his boxers from the table and plodding over to the stairs. I smiled, and got up to follow him.

***

His shower was actually a large bath/shower combo with plenty of room for the both of us. He already had the water running when I stepped into the bathroom, but was sitting on the toilet, leaned over, carefully observing his penis. Before I could ask him what he was doing, he noticed me and stood up.

"Let's go!" he said, opening the sliding glass door of the shower and climbing in.

I took a breath and slid off my boxer briefs, following him in. He stood under the shower head, steamy water pouring over him. It darkened the hair that so gracefully covered his face, and gave his tanned skin a shine that reinforced his absolute beauty. I stood gawking at him, watching as he rinsed himself until he brushed his hair out of his eyes.

He stepped forward and hugged me, pressing my stiffening dick against his belly. Nuzzling against me, he caused it to grow even more, and looked down to see his effect on me.

"So cool," he whispered, and lowered his head to the level of my crotch. He kissed the tip of my dick and looked up at me, grinning. I smiled back reassuringly, and he reached a hand up to feel my pubes, combing his fingers through them.

While he did this, I shuffled us back towards the water, and grabbed a bottle of shampoo. He seemed to be fascinated by my pubes, and I allowed his curiosity to manifest while I shampooed his hair, careful not to get any in his eyes. He scooped a handful from his head, and applied it to my pubes, working it in while he played with my balls in his other hand. We washed each other's hair, continuing on to conditioner, and then he handed me a bar of soap that smelled amazing.

He giggled when he saw me sniffing the bar. "It's coconut milk," he told me.

I moved him out of the water so I could clean his body. He sat down on the edge of the tub, lifting one leg enticingly. I knelt down and gripped the bottom of his foot with one hand while I soaped up his entire leg with the other, making sure to cover every inch, then repeated the process with his other leg. It was fascinating how smoothly the soap slid across his wet skin; I couldn't even remember the time when I didn't have body hair to cause friction.

After his legs, I had him lift up so I could quickly get his butt, then moved to his thighs, finding that my cleaning proved quite stimulating to him. I gripped his hard penis with my fingers, examining it like a strange relic. Simple touch proved to be too little for him, and he lifted his hips, grunting at the pleasure he gave himself.

"Can you clean under my foreskin?" he asked.

How could I say no? I slid the foreskin down, inching my head closer to his dick for better precision. The head was pinkish, and the whole thing twitched in my hand. I brought the bar of soap up and carefully pressed it against the bottom of his glans, and his whole body shuddered.

"Oh, wow!" he exclaimed, trying to steady himself by placing his arms behind him.

I cleaned all around, dabbing at every inch with the soap and tugging on his shaft periodically to add to his ecstasy. His eyes rolled back while I continued manipulating and cleaning his dick.

"Wow," he said again. "Keep… going… nghhh… please…"

I was done cleaning him, but obliged regardless. Setting down the soap, I focused solely on stroking him, stretching his foreskin up and down over his tip. He was breathing rapidly through his nose, each breath becoming slightly louder, and his hips started lifting up. I flicked my tongue against his tip as I masturbated him, and began fondling his balls. For almost a full minute he was grunting and making other passionate vocalizations, and I knew soon it would be too late, so I stopped.

Immediately, he protested. "Wait, no… hey! Keep going!" His eyes flickered in confusion. "Why do you keep stopping?!" he barked, and reached down to jerk himself off. I grabbed both his hands to prevent him.

"W T F?" he shouted, staring at me with wild eyes.

"We're going to finish this in the bedroom, right?"

"But I want to cum now!" he complained, fixated on his quivering penis.

"It'll be better anyways if you wait," I told him, standing up and getting back under the shower. He didn't move, sitting there in the same position with his face scrunched up in annoyance, watching me as I soaped myself.

"Want to give me a hand?" I asked him, reaching out with the bar of soap. He swiped it, and got to work.

"You're not really that hairy," he observed, soaping my chest.

"I could say the same to you," I replied.

He frowned. "Well, I kinda wish I had a little. I'm almost thirteen, and I don't have any anywhere. It sucks."

"Don't worry, you'll get some soon."

"But when? I'm like a little baby," he sighed, looking down.

"Soon, trust me. You already cum a lot for a twelve-year-old."

He looked back up, a small smile forming. "Really?"

"A lot," I assured him with a wink, and he smiled pridefully. "And besides, you don't want to grow up so fast anyways. Being a kid is an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Don't take it for granted."

He thought about it. "Alright, Logan. I love you."

"Love you too, beautiful."

"Can you, um, crouch down so I can do your shoulders?"

"Oh, right," I said, kneeling.

He continued soaping me, feeling my muscles in the process. "You're so strong. Can you lift me up again?"

"Sure thing," I laughed, and picked him up by the armpits, holding him in the air for a few moments as his boner unashamedly returned in front of my eyes.

"Man, so cool!" he exclaimed as I set him down.

"I've been working out back at college. It's cool that you like it," I told him, feeling a little proud of myself.

He went back to soaping me, using both hands to extensively clean my groin area. "Yep, I want to be like you when I grow up. Maybe you can help me out. I wanna try to get on a sports team this year, I'm just not very good at sports." He twisted a couple of my pubes between his fingers. "And I can't wait to start shaving, I hope I get to this year."

I laughed. "You really don't." He gave me a look like I didn't know what I was talking about, then went back to cleaning me.

Once he finished up, he quickly hopped out of the shower, leaving me alone as he toweled off. When I stepped out, I found him putting lotion on, struggling to reach the furthest parts of his back. I stepped over to him and rubbed it in, catching a strong whiff of apples.

We went to the toilet and peed at the same time, letting the streams intermingle. I felt like the happiest guy ever sharing the evening with my best and only boyfriend in the world. He was watching my dick, looking back and forth between mine and his.

When we finished peeing, he said "Hang on," and pulled a step stool over to the toilet. Facing me, he placed his hard penis against mine, tugging at it to get it to bone up.

"It's so big," he said, feeling them all around as he examined them together. "Yours is darker. Mine's like a ghost or something. And my skin makes it look completely different." He pulled the skin down, revealing the pink tip. "Now they're kinda more similar."

I let him fondle us for a bit, before small dots of precum eventually formed on our tips.

"Look, they're boyfriends!" he said, grinning, and pressed the heads together, causing a string of fluid to connect them as they separated. "Wow!" He did it a few more times, making smooching sounds.

Placing them side by side again, he began stroking us simultaneously using one hand. "Mine's all slippery from the lotion, but yours isn't. Wanna put some on?"

"Yeah, alright."

"Can I put it on you?"

"Sure!"

He grabbed the bottle and got back on the step stool, and started applying the lotion. When he got to my dick, his mouth was almost watering.

"This will be really nice for when you put it inside me," he said, squirting a generous amount onto my shaft.

I almost dismissed his comment before I realized what he said. "Nico, no, we can't do that," I reminded him.

"What? Why?" he moaned, rubbing lotion into my balls.

"No way. You're too little, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Wh-what? But can we do it for just like a second, then?" He was frantic.

"No, Nico. It's the one thing we can't do."

"But, okay–" He thought for a moment. "I… I have condoms if that's what you're worried about!"

He made a move to leave the bathroom, but I grabbed his arm.

"Why do you have condoms?"

"For you, stupid!"

"We can't have sex, Nico."

"You really don't want to do it?"

"I just don't want to hurt you."

"It's not gonna hurt! Or, if it does, I don't care!"

"Please drop it," I said firmly.

"Fine," he said, returning his attention to lotioning me.

He finished lotioning my legs, and I stepped into my underwear. "I'm gonna get my toothbrush, let's brush our teeth then we can go to bed and have some real fun," I said, hoping to cheer him up.

"I want dessert, though," he replied.

"Oh, yeah, sure."

Together, we went downstairs to the kitchen, him opting to stay naked. Standing on his toes, he opened the freezer and pulled out a container of ice cream. I searched through the cabinets for bowls, but failed to find them. Nico came to my rescue, and placed the bowls on the counter, then went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of caramel syrup while I scooped the ice cream into the bowls. I tossed the empty container into the trash, making note of a full pack of cigarettes at the bottom.

"Want some?" he asked.

"Of course," I nodded, and he squeezed some into both bowls, scrunching his face in concentration.

I noticed that he had another boner, and couldn't resist commenting. "Wow," I said with a snort, "you're that excited for ice cream?"

He smirked, and after finishing topping the desserts, he drizzled a fair amount of the syrup onto his penis, which was sticking straight out.

"Damn it Nico, we just showered!" I scolded, grabbing the syrup from him.

"Hehe, I'm all dirty again." He smiled up at me, looking pleased with himself.

"I'm not afraid to make you take another shower," I threatened, putting the syrup back in the fridge.

"It's just a little bit," he assured me. "You can clean me up if you want." He pushed his hips out, placing both hands on his sides. The caramel glistened under the bright kitchen light, calling to me.

When I knelt before him, he flashed a satisfied grin. Slowly, I moved my head forward, taking his shaft into my mouth. I closed my lips over the base of his penis and used my tongue to feel around. It was hot, and throbbing, and I started licking the underside, swirling my tongue around to the top where the caramel was.

"Whoa," he said, placing both hands on my head.

I licked it off, enjoying the flavor–which funnily enough was caramel apple due to the lotion–then released his dick from my mouth.

"Some nuts would go good with this," I said cheekily, lifting his loose, dangling balls in my hand; so cute and small; right on the precipice of growth.

His hand basically teleported to his cock, pumping it forcefully as I slipped his balls into my mouth, sucking on them. He was making all kinds of sounds, from short giggles to deep moans, and I let him jerk himself for a bit before taking his hand away and sliding his whole four inches [10cm] back into my mouth.

I lapped up the last of the caramel, but continued sucking on his sweet tool, flitting my tongue over every inch of pearly skin. I had no experience giving blowjobs, but I knew what I liked from my time with girls, and did my best to apply it to him. It seemed to work, and as I worked him he grabbed my head harder, pushing his hips into my face and mashing my nose against his pubis.

"That's sooo good, holy crap!" he squeaked. I stuck my tongue into his foreskin, licking around the head, and he gasped. "Oh my God," he grunted, "oh my God!"

Once again, after a few seconds, I pulled off, met with some resistance from his hands. "There we go, all clean!" I said.

"Logan!" he shouted, stomping the ground and shaking his fists. "You keep doing it!"

His hand went immediately to his hard dick, jerking it furiously. I reached to restrain his hands, finding it difficult to hold him still.

"Just like ten more seconds!" he protested, but I shook my head.

"Trust me, it'll be worth it."

"No, why are you being a dick?!" He broke out of my grasp, putting distance between us. "Let's go upstairs then, right now!"

"Alright, let's finish the ice cream so we can brush our teeth and hit the bed."

He growled in frustration. "Why are you messing with me?"

"I'm not."

"Let me cum, then!"

"Alright, once we get to your room."

"Urgh, fine! But you better eat fast!" His face was as red as his penis, and I was starting to feel a little bad for tormenting him, but knew he would appreciate the edging after it was over.

He scarfed down his ice cream still at the counter, then doubled over from the accompanied brain freeze. I had a taste, finding that it was, unsurprisingly, vegan ice cream, and I didn't like it. I told him so, and he swiped my bowl, downing it with a second brain freeze.

After that, I grabbed my toothbrush from the bag and we headed upstairs to the bathroom. His annoyance had seemingly subsided, and he brought the step stool over to the sink in an attempt to equalize our heights, and we brushed our teeth together. There was something special about sharing the normally banal task, and we frequently caught each other's gazes in the mirror, leading to shared smiles.

I lifted him from the step stool, carrying him to his bedroom and tossed him face-first onto the bed. He bounced, giggling, and I threw myself onto the bed next to him. We lay on our stomachs, smiling at each other, becoming aware of the rain pelting against the window. Using his foot, he lazily caressed my dick through my boxer briefs before sliding them down with his toes.

"Watcha wanna do?" he asked so softly, it was almost a whisper.

"What would you like to do?" I placed a finger on his chest, drawing circles.

He seemed to already have something in mind, and got up on his knees, turning around to wave his butt in my face.

"Wanna eat my ass?" he asked mischievously, looking over his shoulder.

"Uh, I dunno," I said honestly. As a bit of a clean freak, I'd never considered it before, just in general.

"Come on, you know I'm super clean… we just showered," he said, as if he heard my thoughts.

"If that's what you want to do, we can try it," I said hesitantly.

"Yesss," he cheered, waggling his lower body in the air. There was a flash of light outside that illuminated his entire body, and a roar of thunder soon followed. I gripped his ass with both hands, hesitantly pulling his cheeks apart, peering at his butthole. Expecting to be grossed out, I was relieved to find that his ass somehow looked as delicious as the rest of his body.

To my surprise, I started getting hard, and rubbed my dick for a few seconds to get myself more in the mood. He looked over his shoulder expectantly, and cleared his throat. I slid my hand over his left butt cheek, then pulled it aside, and used my other hand to press a finger up against his hole. A visible shiver rushed through his body. Finally, I spread his cheeks wide open, and tentatively stuck my tongue out, licking the pink skin around his hole.

"Mmmmm," he hummed, and I reached around him to feel his dick, which I discovered was really hard, and leaking. I took some of his precum on one finger, and rubbed it into his hole. He gasped and pushed back against my finger, which then slid inside of him, just an inch. He moaned as I penetrated him. I pulled my finger out, finding it in pristine condition.

Alright, here we go, I thought, and pressed my tongue into the hole. There was a sweetness, which I realized was his precum, mixed with apples. He must have been very thorough with the lotion. I licked around, then pushed my tongue further inside him. He gasped again, tightening his grip on the sheets.

I ate him out for a minute, and he was really getting into it, making porno moans that resonated throughout the room. It was a little tiring for me, though, and I eventually stopped, flipping him onto his back. His penis was rock hard, and had smeared precum all over his belly. He pulled his arms and legs up, posing like a dog, with his tongue stuck out. I couldn't believe how cute he looked. I leaned down and kissed his lips, sliding my tongue into his mouth like I just had with his ass as he moaned sexily into my mouth.

I began moving downward, kissing his neck, stopping by each nipple to give them a quick lick, and finally came eye-to-eye with his twitching dick. He had his hands pressed against his face, completely overwhelmed with excitement. I licked up his shaft, lingering at the nub of foreskin at the end, letting my tongue dance around on it, licking up all the precum that was retained there.

Instead of consuming his boner, I moved down even further, taking his nuts into my mouth and running my tongue all around them. His penis was visibly pulsating before my eyes, aching to be sucked on. I caught his gaze, one eye closed, the other begging me to tend to his trembling pole.

I finally relieved him, taking the entire shaft into my mouth and sucking hard, and was rewarded with a small discharge of precum. Savoring the intense sweetness for only a brief moment, I resumed my sucking, making sure to grope his swollen glans with my tongue which caused him to ball up in a fetal position around my head.

"Wowww," he moaned, eyes tightly shut, his body busy being pounded with waves of nonstop bliss. He started breathing faster and faster, louder and louder.

I knew I could give him more, though, and used one hand to caress his balls and one finger to rub against the outside of his butthole. He pushed my head down further into his crotch, and his body spasmed around my head.

"I… ungh… it's… ooh." He was having trouble formulating words, which just made me feel like I was doing a good job. Suddenly, I felt his balls tighten and his penis swell. I knew he was about to cum, and increased my stimulations all around.

There was a bright flash, and the sound of thunder echoed through the house. In that moment, he absolutely exploded into my mouth. The gates burst, and warm splashes of thin fluid were released into my mouth as he pushed his dick as far into me as he could, his body fully wrapped around my head with an almost painful grip. It thrashed around in my mouth, firing off so many jets in every direction, that I couldn't even mentally keep count. I continued massaging his balls, coaxing out every last drop as the taste finally registered: some strange mix of sweet and salty.

He was sucking in air, working through his orgasm that was finally beginning to die down. His grip relaxed, and his penis stopped squirting, instead releasing the last few payloads in small drips, though his toes continued flexing rapidly. I swallowed his offering, then loosened my mouth and his tired penis slowly slipped out, wet with saliva, red with euphoria.

He fell back into the sheets, spent beyond recognition with his eyes rolled back, mouth wide open. "I… love…" he began to say, before trailing off, consciousness slipping away.

It finally hit me how exhausted I was, and I fell down in the bed next to him. My very erect cock was screaming at me to give it attention, but I was just so tired. I moved closer to Nico, pressing his naked body against mine. He didn't react as I spooned him, and the last thing I remember was pressing my nose into his hair as I fell into the deepest sleep of my life.

***

I dreamt about living on an island, alone with Nico. We wore no clothes, and abided by no rules. He returned to our little shelter built from various types of foliage and sticks, and dumped all the apples and coconuts he had foraged onto the sand. While I examined his findings, the sky cracked with the deep roar of thunder, instantly stirring me from my slumber.

The room was dark, glowing with the faintest blue light. I turned over, finding my boyfriend sound asleep, face up and covered up to his stomach by the sheets. His limbs were sprawled around the bed, hair looking frazzled, and mouth partially opened and drooling. It was a chaotic scene that was conflictingly peaceful.

Somehow, we had drifted apart over the night, which was alright by me, because it was easier to slip out of the bed and head to the bathroom. I had a quick piss and returned, snuggling up into the bed next to him. My eyes closed, and slowly I fell asleep to the sound of gentle rain.

***

I awoke to find Nico pressed up against the bedroom window, peering out at the imposing gray sky with hands pressed against the window, naked butt facing me. It was still raining, and it felt good to be in bed.

Groggily, I rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?"

He turned to me. "Way late," he said, tossing me a smile, then took off out of his room, the sound of his running disappearing down the hall.

Perplexed, I searched the room for my underwear, finding it hiding at the bottom of the sheets, and slipped them on before going after him.

"Nico?" I called out, walking along the hallway. He wasn't in the bathroom, and as I descended the stairs looking around for him, I spotted my shirt by the sofa, which I put back on, as well as my shorts which were still over in the entryway.

"Where the hell did you go?" I muttered to myself, checking the kitchen and dining area. The backyard door was cracked, and I wandered over to it, finding him running around outside in the grass, completely soaked in the rain.

"What are you doing?" I shouted, stepping out under the covered patio.

"Playing!" he shouted back.

I had my first look at their nice yard: a big, grassy field separated by a tile path that led into a forested area in the back. There was a small, wooden structure that looked dedicated to gardening, though it lay unused.

Nico frolicked around with dripping wet hair, doing everything from handstands to front flips. I pulled up a chair and sat down to watch him, amused. It had been a long time since I'd played around like the way he was, but I could never have seen myself reveling in the rain as much as he was.

There is something special about the way children can enjoy the simple things with a seemingly endless amount of energy and happiness. It's a quality that often seems to get lost with adulthood. He rolled around in the grass, and as I observed him I felt an odd sense of nostalgia, with just a tinge of inexplicable longing.

He stepped onto the patio, completely drenched and sniffling, and he tugged at my arm. "Come on, it's fun!"

"You're soaked," I said pointlessly.

"Want to go on a walk down by the river?"

"There's a river?"

"Yep, follow me!"

I wasn't looking forward to going out in the rain, but I was still happy to accompany him. We walked down across the tile path into a very large, almost tunnel-like valley, the sky hidden by dense trees. The ground consisted mostly of mud, leaves, twigs, and small puddles. It reminded me of the path down to our secret beach, only much less tricky to maneuver. I was surprised to find something like this hiding just beyond their backyard.

"Last night was so super amazing incredible," he said, pulling me along by the wrist. "You're the best boyfriend, probably in the world!"

"I guess that means you liked it?"

"How were you so good at sucking on my cock?"

I scratched the back of my neck, flattered by his comment. "I dunno. Honestly, I probably picked some of it up from you."

For a minute he was quiet, possibly lost in thought. As we walked, water poured down on us from the trees.

"Sorry I got a little mad at you," he finally said. "I thought you were screwing with me cuz you kept stopping me from cumming."

"But it was worth it in the end, right?"

"Yeah." He smiled widely. "Oh, and I'm sorry that I never did anything for you cuz I fell super asleep, and like, I've never slept that amazingly before."

"It's alright, don't worry about me. We've still got another day ahead of us."

"I'm so excited! I hope it rains all day."

"You really like the rain, huh?"

"Yep, nobody likes going out in the rain, but I do. It makes me happy, and like, super connected with the Earth, or whatever."

"Yeah, about that… are you sure you should be walking back here with no clothes? Couldn't someone see us?"

"Bruh, I've never seen anybody back here. It's kinda like my secret spot, you know how you have your beach, but this place is actually a secret unlike yours."

I frowned, offended for some reason, but I guess he had a point. We walked for about half a mile through forest before coming across the river he was talking about, which cut through the middle of the valley with incredible force. Nico, the fearless naked kid, walked daringly alongside it. He looked like a wild boy from an ancient tribe, or possibly raised by wolves, with his long, messy wet hair and feet covered in the mud that splashed with each step.

There was a mossy rock we came across in the middle of the river that Nico appeared to recognize, and he veered towards the riverbank. I watched him carefully dip his toes into the water, and before I could react, he leapt out into the flowing river.

"Dude!" I shouted, but he was submerged. I repeated myself as he surfaced, and he turned to grin at me, paddling out towards the rock. "What are you doing?"

"Swimming!" he called back, barely audible over the rushing water.

I went over to the riverbank, feeling the water for myself with my foot, which was absolutely freezing. "Get back here!"

"Come with me!"

"No way!"

He pulled himself onto the rock, sitting his butt on top. "Watch this!" he shouted over the river's cacophonous roar.

Spreading his legs apart, he started fondling his limp penis that was definitely feeling the effects of the cold water. Miraculously, he got it to grow, and started to masturbate out in the middle of the river. I couldn't believe him, doing such a thing outside, in the middle of a rainstorm no less.

He sat there, on the rock, just jerking his dick, skinny legs dangling over the edge. My clothes were completely soaked, and I was starting to feel the cold. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and though I would have greatly preferred to be back in his warm house, I couldn't seem to look away, entranced more by his brazenness than the sexy display.

His legs kicked out periodically, and I'm sure if I was closer I would have been able to hear the accompanied moans. It didn't take long for him to reach his limit, and I could only watch from a distance as his legs stiffened, face squeezed together in a concentrated grimace as he fell forward into the water. My stomach dropped; I wasn't sure if he orgasmed or not, but it wasn't important because my only thought consisted of diving into the water and going after him.

I immediately jumped into the cold water, paddling over to where he was floating, having just broken the surface. He was facing away from me, and I put my hand on his shoulder, spinning him around. When he saw me, his face lit up, and I just shook my head in disbelief as I paddled us over to the riverbank.

I collapsed onto the ground, weighed down by my wet clothes, my limbs getting absolutely caked in mud. "Why did you do that?" I shouted.

"Huh? Are you mad?" He stood beside me, looking down at my sopping figure.

"It's fucking freezing," was all I could manage to say, shivering.

"Why did you jump in then?"

"Because… I was worried," I sniffled, spitting out water.

"I'm fine, Logan. Are you?"

"Just don't do shit like that!" I shouted, my tone heated by my frustration. "It freaks me out, alright? If you got hurt, I don't know if Grace would kill me before I did myself."

"But I'm not hurt, Logan!" His eyebrows slanted in confusion.

"I know, but you could have been, again! You cut yourself in order to get close to me, and you want me to hurt you by us having sex! It shouldn't be like this. I… I'm not worth your pain." I fell forward into the mud, rolling myself onto my back.

He looked down at me with a concerned expression. "You should take these off."

I let him pull my shirt and shorts off, leaving me as naked as him. He dipped them in the river, washing the mud off, and wrung them out. It was still raining, but he did manage to get most of the water out. He reached a hand out, and I took it, but he wasn't strong enough to pull me up, so I let go and got up myself, taking my clothes from him.

We headed back to the house, saying little until he piped up. "Are you mad at me?"

I turned to him as he continued walking, staring straight ahead. "I don't know. I guess not. I just wish you'd be more careful sometimes."

"Sorry," he said, drooping his shoulders.

"It's okay," I said with a sigh, understanding that he ultimately couldn't help being a kid.

We walked quietly back towards his house. It was jarring to me, being outside without clothes, but he was right. If nobody typically went back there, there was even less of a reason to during a rainstorm.

We made it safely back to his house, dripping water on the patio. He started shaking his head like a dog, droplets of water flying out of his hair all over the place. He then made a circle with his hands and started pushing the water down his body, starting from his chest and going down his legs. After he finished himself, he did me. If I wasn't so cold, his intimate touch would have been arousing.

I stepped inside, not completely dry, but enough to not be dripping all over the place, then took him upstairs, straight to his bathroom where I started pouring us a hot bath.

He was shivering now, and stood by me, holding his hands over the bath like it was a fireplace. I couldn't wait, and got in before the bath was done filling up. Nico went to retrieve some bath salts from under the sink, and dumped a bunch of it all over me, concentrating most of it on my crotch. He got in, taking his rightful spot on top of me, the water not quite covering us yet, and let out a loud sigh. Some of the bath salts pressed uncomfortably between us, and I lifted him up to brush the granules into the water.

His hair was cold and pressed against my collarbone, so I brought up handfuls of hot water to drizzle into it, and splashed some water onto our bellies to warm us up as the tub continued filling. He was humming as we lay together, soaking.

My penis, which was jammed up against his back, started to stiffen as my body regained its warmth. He felt it growing which made him laugh childishly, and turned his head to look at me with playful eyes.

"You still don't want to put it in me, right?" he asked, wiggling himself up my body so it slipped into his crack.

"No. But this is fine. Comfortable," I replied, running my hand over his belly and brushing my fingers against his pubis. Unsurprisingly, I came in contact with his hard dick, making it twang.

The bath finished filling, and he leaned forward to turn off the water. He sighed again, leaning back to relax, our skin-on-skin connection both sensual and comforting, my dick happily resting in the crevice of his butt.

I rested my hands on his thighs and closed my eyes, deeply enjoying the personal moment, the warmth of the bath and our relationship filling me with an inexplicable fuzzy feeling.

"Warming up?" I asked softly.

"Oh yeah," came his reply. "Wanna play?"

"We can play after, I kinda just wanna relax right now."

"Okay." He went quiet, but was fidgeting like he wanted to ask me something. Eventually, he did. "Can you, um, put your fingers inside of me?" he asked timidly. "That would make me really relaxed."

I chuckled at his request. "Sure."

Dipping my hand underwater, I reached around his thigh, using an index finger to massage his small opening.

"Ohhh," he groaned as I teased the hole, getting it ready for insertion.

After a few seconds, I used my middle finger to push inside, and was met with basically zero resistance, entering him easily. I wiggled my way in, feeling around the inside of his ass for the first time; a strange, new sensation to me, but not to him. He squirmed around on my finger, sliding it deeper inside of him as he moaned contentedly. Finally, we reached my second knuckle and could go no further. His penis, which I could see from over his shoulder, was hard as steel, and was sticking out straight, barely breaching the surface of the water.

I didn't want to finger fuck him, though, instead I just very slowly felt around, massaging him from the inside. And that's how we relaxed together, in the bath.

"So, how was your week?" I said, laughing at the idea of casual conversation with the boy whose ass I had a finger inside of.

He found it funny and laughed, too, which I could feel very intimately. "It was good. Kind of boring, until you came over. Oh, I had a sleepover at my friend Aaron's, and the funniest thing happened, you'll never guess!"

I tapped him on the inside twice, which he deciphered as me telling him to go on.

"Alright, so, I went over to his house on Thursday right, and he likes to make YouTube videos for some reason. He's a sixth grader, so ya know, pretty dumb, but whatever."

I laughed internally at whatever mindset he was in that made sixth graders so significantly dumber than seventh graders.

"I was actually telling him about you, and how strong you are," he continued.

"Nico, please, please, please don't tell people about me." I slid my finger out of him to reinforce my point.

"Wait, I didn't tell him your name or anything, don't worry! Just said you're really strong. Can you please put it back in?" He looked like a sad puppy. I did, and he groaned again, so I slipped it out and back in a few more times while he made bubbles in the water with his mouth. "Okay, that feels really good. Keep doing it?"

I kissed him on the head as I pushed in and out of him, to his delight.

"So anyway, he was like, 'Bet I'm stronger', and I'm like, 'Nuh-uh', so we go to the weight room in his house and gives me his phone and says 'Film this'. I'm like, 'Kay, sure'. Nnnngh. I'm recording him and he's lifting weights and doing all this crap, then he says, 'This is ya boy Aaron, and I'm the strongest kid out of Nico and all his weird friends.' Then, he starts trying to rip his shirt that he's wearing, but he can't cuz he's a total weakling, and he's also doing it wrong, trying to rip from the middle. Nhhh… can you do two fingers now?"

Not wanting to be too rough for him, I slipped my finger out and tentatively prodded at his opening with two. Once it felt like I could get in there with both, I slowly but surely pushed them in, and his whole body shook mid-sentence.

"I told him… unnnhhh… I told him to rip from the collar, and he does and totally destroys the shirt. And then, his dad came in, and oh my God he was sooo pissed. Aaron says something like, 'Derp, one of the machines actually ripped it', but his dad was like 'No way' and made me give him the phone and watched the video and saw that he totally… guhhh… did rip his shirt, so he took his phone away and made us go outside."

At the time, I had no idea the power of prostates, so when I rubbed against a lump inside of him that caused him to whine and buck his hips, I kept pressing it as he did his best to finish the story.

"Uhhhhh… so, we're in his backyard and he has this trampoline, and… unnnhhh… he's… oof… he… jumping… holy crap, Logan, aaahhh…"

He leaned his head further back against me, and thrust his hips up, suspending his quivering dick out of the water. I never let up, massaging his prostate cyclically with each finger fuck. He attempted to continue his tale, but his efforts proved useless as intense waves of pleasure tore through him.

I never meant to take things this far, intending for us to just take a nice, relaxing bath, but the mysterious button inside of him was a super interesting discovery for me, and I became determined to find out what it was all about. Watching how intensely his penis was twitching, I pushed in deeper, rubbing my fingers all over his prostate while he squealed on top of me.

"Hhhhhh… unnnhhh…"

His breathing became rapid, and in a matter of seconds his hips shot up as far as he could get them. I felt his butthole tighten around my fingers as he cried out, the first spurt firing out and splattering against his face. He exhaled and with a second, satisfied cry, expelled another shot of cum all over his stomach. I saw his penis, thrashing about and cumming without any stimulation of its own, completely shocked that such a thing was possible. Alas, I kept rubbing the spot inside of him, and it kept spurting out its juices for several moments until he dropped his butt back into the tub, the last few drops dribbling down his shaft. He lay on top of me, whimpering and trying to catch his breath.

"Holy fuck, Nico! That was a lot, and I didn't even touch your dick!" I reached over and took his voided shaft in my fingers, examining his clear drippings. My own dick was trapped underneath him, fully aroused by the affair.

He took several deep breaths, swallowing a mouthful of air. "Well… if you… rub me there… of course I'm gonna… cum… really hard… wow…"

"What do you mean? What was that?"

"Logan…" he breathed, "you're so… dumb…"

"Hey!"

He pressed his palm against his chin, collecting the semen that was spilled there, and licked it up. I wrapped my arms around his belly, pulling him into me and my erection, and groaned. He giggled, seemingly happy to be used for my pleasure.

"Want me to do you now?" he asked, turning around and putting his knees between my legs, his still-erect penis aimed straight at me.

"Nah… I really did just want to relax in here. Sorry for getting carried away."

"That was amazing incredible crazy good… the best one in a while." He looked down hungrily at my stiff penis before catching my gaze. "You sure?"

"Yeah, come on. Let's just lay together."

"Okay," he grumbled, turning himself around and laying back down on me.

"So then what happened?" I asked him.

"Huh? Oh! Hehe," he giggled, remembering the story he was telling. "It's not important. Wasn't good anyways," he assured me with a short laugh.

It caused me to laugh too, and soon he was shaking on top of me as our combined chuckles reverberated through the bathroom.

***

I descended the stairs, naked save for a towel around my waist, in pursuit of my backpack. Nico lay upside-down on the sofa, talking with someone on the phone. He was only wearing an oversized shirt, and just when I thought I recognized it, I saw my backpack open on the sofa next to him, and smirked. Shaking my head, I made my way over to him, and he smiled as he noticed me approaching. I started rifling through the bag for a fresh pair of clothes, when something very unsettling happened.

"What the fuck!" came a high-pitched squeal from Nico's phone.

Alarmed, I gasped unintentionally, knocking my backpack to the floor.

"Logan?" Parker's voice registered uncomfortably with me, knowing I was caught with Nico after recently blowing him off for artificial plans.

"Um… yeah, hi," I replied, picking my backpack up.

"Yeah!" Nico chirped excitedly to the phone. "Guess who's been staying with me for the weekend?" He turned the screen towards me. "This handsome dude!"

I turned to see Parker's face on the screen, eyes narrowed.

"Well hey Logan, your friend's rather small for a college student," he remarked with a snarl.

"Um–" Nico began, clearly a little confused.

"You lied to me!" The phone sniffled.

I went over to Nico, snatching the phone from his hand. Parker's eyes were squinted in betrayal, wet with legitimate tears.

"Parker, just hear me out real–"

"No, you lied! You're a bad cousin!" he screamed. "Fuck you!"

The phone beeped with the disconnect tone. I stared into the distance, stunned, then dropped the phone on the sofa and turned away, thinking about my poor cousin whose trust in me had just been demolished.

"Shit," I said quietly, shaking my head.

"Uh… sorry," Nico said sheepishly. He was sitting up on the sofa, staring at the ground.

"Not your fault," I grumbled.

"So what happened?" he asked, tucking his knees into the shirt.

I told him about my text conversation with Parker the other day, and how I blew him off a little to ensure we could spend a romantic weekend together.

"You could just tell him you skipped out on your other friends to see me," he suggested, "like it was a last minute thing."

I shook my head. "I don't think so. Lying got me here. I owe it to him to tell the truth."

I sat down on the edge of the sofa, picking up my backpack from the floor, and fished out a pair of shorts and boxer briefs. Setting my towel down, I noticed Nico eyeballing my junk.

"Ooh la la," he said as I stepped into the underwear. I ignored him, having been pulled out of the mood.

"I should call him," I said, mostly to myself. "I don't want him to have his weekend ruined because of me."

Nico grunted, and I grabbed my phone from my bag and left him to go upstairs to pace around nervously in his bedroom. I tried calling him, carefully stepping around all the clothes on the floor as the phone rang and rang. It was clear he wasn't going to pick up, so I texted him instead.

I realized I was sweating, and went to the bathroom to wash my face. When I looked up into the mirror, I saw Nico standing in the doorway.

"Why's Parker been so weird and kinda annoying lately?" he asked, walking over to me. "Does he hate you?"

"No," I said, putting an arm around him. "He's normally fine, I don't know what's gotten into him. He seems stressed out about something. Maybe about us. Maybe it's bothering him that we're… together."

"I dunno, he's always kinda asking to hear about all the awesome cums you give me."

I frowned at him, then went back downstairs to finish getting dressed.

***

We took the rest of the day slowly. Nico made lunch with me attempting to help again, and then we just hung out on the sofa for a while. The rain finally died down to a light drizzle, and things were more than cozy.

I scrolled through Instagram while Nico lay on top of me in my lap, casually naked as usual. He was watching YouTube, and after some time tried to show me some videos that he liked. They weren't really good in my opinion, and after getting bored enough I told him apologetically that I wasn't really interested. He was determined though, and instead went to some porn website where he started playing some gay porn. I tried watching with him, but really wasn't into that. He was very aroused though, so I settled for fondling him while he watched.

While I played with him, I found I couldn't keep my mind off his messy room. After bringing him to the brink of ejaculation, I decided to use that as leverage to get him to go clean it with me.

I stopped jerking him, placing an open hand over his penis. "Hey, I'll suck your ding-dong again if you come clean your room with me."

"But, that sounds boring! My mom will probably clean anyway after she gets back. Can't you just suck me now?"

"It won't be boring, we'll make it fun! It won't take long at all. Plus, think how happy your mom will be when she gets back!"

"Well, can I at least finish the video?"

I got out from under him, leaving him alone on the sofa. "Okay, but no touching yourself!"

"What?" he moaned. "But I wanna!"

"Just think about how much better it'll be with my mouth. If you cum now, I'm not gonna do it for you later."

"Fine, jerk," he said, cracking a smile as he resumed his porn, his flaccid noodle rising into a strong erection within seconds.

In his closet, I found a small bluetooth speaker, and after checking if it was charged, it powered on, no problem. It must have automatically connected to his phone, because some pop music with a female singer started playing.

Within moments, the door burst open, and stared at me from the doorway. "Who are you, and why are you playing Ariana Grande?"

I laughed and showed him the speaker, then got back to cleaning. He joined in, and actually had a big grin as we started picking up his clothes together, dropping them into the hamper I carried around, dancing to the music.

As we cleaned the room, I tried my best to make the experience fun for him. We'd throw shirts around, like a game of catch. Another time, I picked up pairs of his boxers and sniffed them, pretending to start gagging, and he stared at me like I was an idiot.

When he started to get bored and stop helping, I went and lifted him up from under his arms and played with his nipples until his penis got hard and stuck out, which I then licked slowly and erotically from base to tip. Logan, the guinea pig, watched this all unfold from a distance with apparent fascination.

I was fetching a sock from under his bed when I spotted a mahogany wooden storage box, shaped a bit like a briefcase. Curiously, I pulled it out and set it on the bed.

"Hey, what's this?" I asked him, searching for a way to open it.

He was gathering a bundle of swimsuits and turned to me. "Oh!" he exclaimed, dropping them all, and rushing over. "I call it my sex box."

"What's it, filled with cum or something?" I teased.

He rubbed his chin. "Mmm, maybe a little."

He flipped it around, and opened it up. Inside was a variety of sex toys and other random stuff. My eyes widened as I took stock of it all.

"You know this one," he said, holding up the buttplug that was bejeweled with the red heart. "This one was awesome, but it stopped working," he said, pulling out a small, purple vibrator. "Oh yeah, and I got this lube for Christmas like two years ago with the plug, and I still haven't run out," he told me, showing me the big bottle and smiling excitedly, like he was a little kid sharing his favorite toys. I guess he was, in a sense.

He showed me the rest of the stuff, which consisted of a few small, colored rings that he called "cock rings", a fleshlight that looked rather old, ugly, and overused, and most curiously, a small strap-on dildo. I was about to ask about it when I noticed a small envelope beneath all the toys, and took it out of the box.

"Oh, that's… um…" he stammered.

I opened it and removed two small, printed photographs. One was from two years ago of me, Nico, and Grace in the shop. It was strange because I remembered the day the photograph was taken: the two came into the store, and Grace had a selfie stick she had just bought from a thrift shop, eager to try it out. We were all posed together, Nico hugging my side, and Grace holding the stick out, wearing her sunglasses indoors.

The other photo was just us, at the beach. We were shirtless, and he stood in front of me with my arms wrapped gently around his shoulders. The scene was bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. He looked so cheerful, like he couldn't contain the excitement he exuded.

I remembered the look in his eyes when he came into the store by himself and asked if I wanted to go swimming with him after I finished work; the way he held his little sun hat in front of him, looking unsure of himself while being unable to meet my gaze. He had changed so much in just two years, and for a second I wondered if maybe I was the catalyst, and if my absence was responsible for his personality shift. Perhaps it was just him growing up normally and finding himself.

Instantly, I was pulled out of the memory upon noticing the photo was stained, most likely with cum. I turned to him and gave a disapproving frown, and he smiled back innocently.

We resumed our preteen boy bedroom purification, picking up the last of the mess on the floor. I opened up the sliding doors of his closet, in search of another hamper or basket I could carry more clothes with, and noticed a rolled up sleeping bag in the corner. Moving it to the side, I found a big gray duffel bag behind it.

"Hey, is this camping stuff?" I asked from the depths of the closet.

"Huh?" came Nico's reply. He scurried over, squeezing himself into the closet next to me. "Oh yeah! Mom and I went camping last year, in the forest out back. It was kinda lame, though."

I turned to him. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

He thought for a second, then gasped. "That you're gonna do my blowjob?" he asked excitedly.

"Ye–wa… no!" I shouted, giving him a shove. "That we could go camping tonight!"

"Oh. Yeah!" His face lit up. "But, it's all muddy in the forest."

"We can just do it in your backyard. Maybe even make a fire."

"Oh my God oh my God oh my God!" he squealed. "That sounds so fun!" He dove between my legs, grabbing for the camping gear.

"Hang on," I said, and sat down on his butt.

"Hey!" he whined, squirming around beneath me.

"Let's finish cleaning your room, then we can start setting up camp."

"Okay," he said cheerfully, then started struggling again. "Are you gonna get off of me?"

"I'm thinking about it," I said contemplatively.

He tried pushing me off, but failed to lift my weight. I started standing up, just enough to let him roll over onto his back, then sat back down on his front. He raised an eyebrow in confusion until I leaned down to kiss him, initiating another heavy makeout session.

A few minutes later, we stepped out of the closet, both flustered. I still needed something to fit more clothes into, and Nico led me to the laundry room where I grabbed a spare basket.

After cleaning the rest of the clothes, we turned our attention to his desk, which was looking ready for school with all the scattered stationery laying on it. We cleared it all off, and afterwards he even wiped down Logan's glass cage, both inside and out. When we finished, we stood side-by-side, admiring the spotless room.

"I don't get it," he said, turning to me. "It's just gonna be messy again tomorrow."

"That's the beauty of cleaning," I said, patting him on the shoulder.

"That's dumb. Can we do my blowjob now?" he asked, looking up at me with pleading eyes.

I pushed him onto the bed and gave him one hell of a blowjob, even using some of the lube to stick a finger in him until his balls ejected their juice into my mouth.

***

The rest of the evening continued similar to the prior evening, with homemade dinner and a movie. This time, though, he lay face down on me on the sofa, one arm draped off the edge, his face cuddled into my neck as we watched the movie together.

Afterwards came more Minecraft, though he gave me the phone to play this time, and cuddled into my lap to watch me try it out. I clearly wasn't playing to his liking, as he kept scolding me and throwing out advice until he eventually snatched his phone back.

I excused myself and went upstairs to piss, and checked my phone for any replies from Parker, but found nothing. Afterwards, I went into Nico's room to gather the camping supplies. There was only one sleeping bag I could find, but I had a feeling that wouldn't be a problem for us. I grabbed the bluetooth speaker for good measure, and then went back downstairs to find Nico masturbating on the sofa, several fingers plunging in and out of his ass. His eyes were shut tightly, the room was filled with his lusty breathing. It must have been exhausting, having such a relentless sex drive.

I shook my head as I walked casually by him, taking the supplies out to the yard; I don't think he even noticed that I came back downstairs. It had stopped raining, but the grass was still a little wet. I flipped the patio lights on, which illuminated the yard, giving it a cozy, homely feel. While dragging the duffel bag into the middle of the yard, I looked up at the sky, which was darker, but less gray than before.

The bluetooth speaker started playing Nico's music when I turned it on. I connected my phone to it, putting on one of my Foo Fighters playlists; an older band that my mom got me into as a teen.

Nico opened the door to the patio and stepped out. The bright patio light illuminated his sun-kissed skin, and highlighted a few small, shiny droplets just below his belly button.

"What you doin'?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Setting up the tent," I said, beckoning him over. I had pulled everything out of the bag, but was unsure how to actually start putting it all together. "How do I do it?"

"What? I thought you knew!"

"I've never camped before! I thought you did it with Grace."

"Well, yeah, but I didn't make the tent." We both looked over at the materials strewn about the yard.

"I'll watch a video on it," I finally said, and pulled out my phone.

"Kay," he said, and sat down at the table with me as I opened a YouTube tutorial. The process was actually quite simple. Nico hummed along to my music while I quickly absorbed the information from my phone.

"What's this?" he asked, and I realized he was asking about this music.

"Foo Fighters," I told him. "One of those 'old songs' you said nobody liked."

He smirked. "Gotta piss," he said, hopping up and skipping inside.

Feeling confident about the instructions, I started piecing the tent together. Slowly but surely, it was all coming together. Nico came back out with his guitar, and sat down near me in the grass as I worked.

"What was the song that was playing when I was out here?"

"The Pretender," I replied.

"Can I see your phone?"

"Sure." I took it out of my pocket and handed it to him.

"Passcode?"

"Six, four, two, six".

He spent the next fifteen minutes trying to learn the tabs for the intro riff, with pretty moderate success, while I concurrently put the tent together.

"Nice job!" I said to him after the first time he finally played it flawlessly.

"Thanks!" he said, smiling and blushing.

Once I finished setting it up, I took a step back to examine it, making sure everything was secure. Nico noticed, and rushed inside. He then zipped it up, and I could hear him shuffling around.

I started walking around, checking every side when suddenly a light turned on in the tent.

"Can you see this?" Nico asked. A light turned on, and I realized he was using my phone's flashlight.

"Yeah."

"What about now?" A large shadow appeared on the side of the tent, that eventually morphed into a giant hand. He flexed his fingers.

"Hah, cool," I said.

The shadow disappeared, then was replaced with another indistinguishable one.

"How's this?"

I squinted at it, having an idea of what he was getting at. "What is it?" I asked, cracking a smirk.

He pulled the phone back, and the object came into focus; what I presumed to be his limp dick and balls.

I laughed. "Nice," I said.

"Keep watching!" he shouted, giggling along with his manipulations.

The dangly shadow noodle that rested atop the large sphere started rising ever so slowly with his heartbeat, until it was sticking out at thirty degrees. Even at its maximum size, it continued to pulsate, each tiny movement amplified by the projection.

"Isn't that funny?" he asked with a snort.

"It's something alright," I replied, feeling my dick starting to rise within the confines of my shorts.

He giggled, and his hand appeared to tug down his foreskin, altering the silhouette. He tugged on it a couple more times, and I watched with fascination. Eventually, he got bored and came out of the tent, and his rigid pole wilted in the cool, open air.

"Welp, tent's looking good," I told him. "I'm gonna run upstairs and get some towels from the bathroom so we can lay in the grass. Want me to grab anything else?"

"Cool!" he said, then thought for a moment. "Can you bring the lube from my box?"

"Sounds like you've got plans," I said. He smiled innocently, and I headed into the house.

I went upstairs, collecting the towels and the lube from his "sex box", taking just a few seconds to revisit the photograph of us at the beach; a truly wonderful memory, before heading back outside.

Nico lay flat in the grass, staring upwards with the guitar resting atop his body. He plucked at it, playing random notes. I laid the towels out next to the tent, then went over to move his guitar so I could lift him up and set him back down on one of the towels. Feeling like I was finally ready to enjoy the evening, I plopped down on the towel next to him and let out a sigh of relief.

"This is so nice!" Nico exclaimed. "Just wish we had a fire."

"Yeah," I said, turning my head to him. He stared up into the sky with shimmering eyes, alight with the reflection of the stars. The moon was out in its first quarter phase, highlighting his skin with its piercing azure light.

He caught me staring, reacting with a small, reassuring smile, and placed a hand in the grass beside me. I took it and squeezed it gently, then he reached out his leg, prompting me to do the same. He nuzzled his affectionately against mine.

Together, we gazed upward at the vast expanse of countless, tiny dots, unblemished by any city lights. It was a view that I knew I would forever onward associate with Nico, my young boyfriend who showed me that the universe was a lot brighter than I thought. I closed my eyes, snapshotting the moment into my memory.

***

I opened my eyes and shuddered when I saw Nico's face staring back at me. He was partway through climbing atop me, straddling me between smooth legs. I looked around, remembering we were out in the backyard, just the two of us and the pleasant nightly chirping of crickets.

"Hey," I said groggily, rubbing an eye with the back of my hand. "Did I fall asleep?"

"I dunno. Did you?"

"I don't know."

He giggled, jiggling atop my chest. "Is tonight the night?"

"Huh?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

He shuffled down my body, unzipping my shorts. "For you to do me. In the butt." He pulled them off, tossing them over into the tent.

"Nico," I said seriously, "we're not gonna do it 'in the butt'. Sorry, but I just really don't want to cause you any pain. Not again."

"What?" he pouted. "Come on! I don't care if it hurts!"

"But I do."

He grumbled. "But I'm so horny!"

"How the hell are you still horny? Haven't you cum like… four times today or something?"

"So? I've done it like eight times in a day before."

I laughed; I guess puberty really was in full swing. "I'll use my fingers again, if you want," I offered.

His frown faded, and he cheerfully nodded. He practically ripped my boxer briefs down while I pulled off my shirt, and tossed my clothes into the tent. I noticed him eye-fucking me as he stood up and went to go sit back down on his towel.

He laid back, resting his head in his hands and bending his legs. I walked on my knees over to the end of his towel, happy and eager to give him more pleasure. His butthole was loosened about the width of a pencil, and I delicately teased it with a finger while he cooed enthusiastically.

"Did you bring the lube?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, one sec," I said, and went to retrieve it from the tent. He lay still, unmoving except for his delectable, inflating penis. I resumed my position and squirted a little onto my index finger, rubbing it around his opening.

"You're always taking it slow with me," he said thoughtfully, and paused. "You take the best care of me. And my butt. And my cock." He winked. "I love you," he said warmly.

I choked up. "Aw, Nico," I said softly. "Don't make me cry," I whispered, actually tearing up. "I love you too!"

I abandoned his hole and leaned over him to kiss him on the lips. It was short and sweet, but most importantly, loving and tender. A stray tear slipped out of my eye, landing in the grass, infusing with the rain from a perfect day.

"Time to take care of you, lover," I whispered.

Resuming my duty, I placed one hand on his knee while effortlessly sliding a finger into him.

"Oooh," he moaned, and his knees smacked together.

I knew how best to take care of him this time, and quickly found his prostate, gliding a finger across it.

"F-fuck," he grunted, biting his lip, and I saw his penis spit out a modicum of precum with actual momentum.

Backing off of his prostate, I instead pushed in and out of him, taking small breaks to circle his hole and knead his taint. His tongue was forced unwittingly out of his mouth as his body took control, his mind taking on the role of a spectator.

Meanwhile, my own mind was yelling at me to start licking him, and I gave in easily. I leaned forward and began to lick his thigh, tasting nothing but Nico. The second my tongue grazed him he gasped, and forced his legs open as far as they would go. Keeping up my onslaught on and around his hole, my tongue climbed upwards, finding his nuts. I rolled my tongue around each of them, lifting them from the bottom as his whole body squirmed. Grasping his twitching prong between four fingers of my spare hand, I began rapidly and diligently jerking him off.

I licked up his shaft, tasting a candy-like sweetness at the apex.

I licked his naked pubis, which I knew would some day soon be home to a sprinkling of small, feathery hairs.

I licked his belly button, pushing my tongue inside, remembering what it was like to have it in him not long ago.

I licked his nipples, erotically hard from the unbearable stimulation.

I licked his neck, causing it to vibrate as he vocalized his bliss into a high-pitched moan.

I licked his lips, prompting him to part them, and allow me to kiss him deeply.

As we kissed, my erection accidentally slipped up against his slickened hole, causing me to shiver. I desperately wanted nothing more than to push inside him, to join him in his pleasure, but I came to my senses and reigned my lust in. This was never about my desires, it was about Nico, and giving him the happiness I knew he deserved.

I wanted every inch of his body to feel good, to feel cared for, and when his whole body tensed up and quaked with a fierce orgasm, I knew I had succeeded. With our lips still locked, his tender, reddened stiffy squirted out its fifth load of the day: a single, small, clear jet that streaked across his panting belly. He practically shouted into my mouth, and I carefully retracted my finger from him.

"How was it?" I asked, swirling around the runny seed on his tummy.

"Insane," he said between breaths. "I love you. Thank you."

I left him to recover in the grass while I slipped into the tent to grab my phone, and put some calming, chill music onto the wireless speaker, then rejoined him on the ground, cuddled up next to him.

My dick was still stiff and pointed straight towards the sky. Nico reached casually over to touch it, then started playing with it. He rubbed it, enjoying the feel, and repeatedly drummed a finger over the tip, smearing my precum all around. I closed my eyes and let the sensations overtake me. Though I knew he wasn't trying to get me off, just giving me loving attention as we lay together, I enjoyed his touch all the same.

He stroked me for about ten minutes before abruptly gasping and pulling his hand away. Surprised, I opened my eyes to find him, mouth agape, staring up into space.

"Shooting star!" he cried breathily.

"Where?" I shouted, sitting up and looking around rapidly, but finding nothing.

He chuckled. "Ah, it's gone now."

"Damn," I said. "Missed it."

He closed his eyes and smiled, before opening them again and finding me watching him. "Made a wish," he explained.

"What did you wish for?" I asked, curious to hear what he found important to him.

"Can't tell you."

"Oh, right."

He squeezed his hands together tensely. "I wished to grow some hair!" he hastily admitted.

I chuckled. "You don't want that. Besides," I said to him, rubbing a hand over his naked pubis. "I kinda like you smooth," I said, patting it twice reassuringly.

He giggled at the ticklish sensation. "Okay, well I also wished that you wouldn't leave me again in a few weeks," he said with an aura of sincerity.

I frowned and looked away, almost ashamed that I had to.

"Sorry, but you can't have two wishes," I said, trying to lighten the mood, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "That's illegal."

He giggled again. "And for my third wish, I wish we go into the tent… and have some fun."

I grinned. Well, at least this one I could help him with. He grabbed the lube that lay in the grass and stood up, taking me by the wrist, and led me through the small entrance. I could sense from the loud crickets that it was getting rather late.

Once we were inside, he pushed me down gently onto the sleeping bag. I watched his naked form, a true work of art, as he zipped the tent up, before turning to me, face glowing with uncontrollable excitement. He knelt down and climbed up my body, until his dick, still miraculously hard after five orgasms, was lined up with mine, and ground against it once. We both moaned, the varying pitches melting into each other.

He slid further upwards, so that my cock was pressed into his butt crack, and reached around, holding it in his hand as he slid it across his hole. I looked at him, one eye twitching from the stimulation, and saw his expression of hope and nervousness.

I opened my mouth to speak, still formulating my words in my head, and then said it.

"It's not going inside, you fiend."

He laughed and got off of me. "Okay, okay, fine."

He grabbed the bottle of lube and squeezed out a large handful, rubbing it onto my cock. It was a little cold, but I quickly got used to it. He applied what was left to his upright penis, then with a smirk, tossed the bottle away and dove onto me, our slippery penises sliding all over each other. Electricity coursed through me as his four inches [10cm] ground against my seven [18cm], and I looked down between us to see them both pressed up against each other; the happiest little couple in the world.

I never thought anything could feel that incredible, but then he started humping me and my mind went blank. He looked down to see the action for himself, causing the ends of his blonde hair to fall and brush against my chest. I reached around him, hugging him into me, mashing our genitals together even harder. With each thrust, he and I uttered a small gasp, and I felt his warm breath against my chest.

I let go of his back and took hold of his thighs, trying to grind him even harder into my throbbing cock that so desperately needed release after all the erotic moments it had survived over the course of the last two days. Our moans permeated the tent, a cacophony of shared pleasure between man and boy. He lifted his head up, face contorting in a wince with each thrust. I looked down at our penises which were just two glistening blurs soaked in fluids, not entirely sure if I was seeing more lube, or precum.

He lifted his head and pursed his lips, seeking a kiss. I struggled for control of my body, and eventually managed to lean forward and kiss him sloppily, and we both moaned happily into each other at the contact. The kiss added heavily to my arousal, and in my intermittent awareness I could tell I was getting close to my climax.

I pulled my mouth away from his, a very thin string of saliva still connecting us. "I'm gonna cum soon, Nico," I told him.

He whimpered excitedly at the revelation, and started grinding his hips into me harder, a look of intense determination forming in his eyes. With one final, powerful thrust, Nico's penis triggered the most explosive orgasm of my entire life. Several days of pent-up cum fired out in hot, messy ropes between our chests, the feeling so powerful that my body felt locked up while my balls expelled it all out.

Once I was able to return to reality, I felt Nico still pistoning into me, eager to reach his good feeling, too. Though my dick was starting to feel sensitive, I let him work himself on me, moaning, as he squinted his eyes.

"Uhhhhh… just… uhhh… one second… nghhh… sorry," he managed to say through gritted teeth, acknowledging my post-orgasmic state. Continuing to grind against my cock, his pace quickened, and several seconds later he came too, letting out a deep, carnal moan as I felt his penis thrashing against mine. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

I grabbed him and pulled him close, embracing him through his orgasm. I'm not sure he had anything left to ejaculate, but I could still feel his penis spasming with his balls drawn up underneath. He pushed against me one last time, until he gave out and collapsed onto me.

He was panting with his face resting on my chest. I pet him gently, stroking my fingers up and down his back. There was an uncomfortable wet, sticky sensation between us, but that didn't stop him from quickly falling asleep on top of me. It wasn't long before I, too, succumbed to my exhaustion, the sound of crickets slowly fading as I closed my eyes.

***

I awoke to bright lights, chirping birds, and a dry mouth. The bluetooth speaker was still playing music, and I realized I must have forgotten to turn it off. I tried to lift my right arm to rub my eyes, but found I couldn't.

Slowly turning my head, I saw Nico, curled up and attached to my side, an arm thrown over my stomach, and a leg resting across my thigh. It was a precious sight. Soft breaths escaped his mouth accompanied by the gentle sound of a sleeping boy. I looked down my body, finding the dried remnants of last night's play streaked across my stomach, and remembered how he fell asleep on top of me. He must have fallen or gotten up off of me during the night.

I tried detaching his limbs from me, being careful not to wake him. Almost instantly, I failed, and he stirred as I was slowly lifting his arm. His eyes flickered, and he lazily pulled himself further into me with a tired groan. I laughed under my breath, and went back to separating him from me. He mumbled some sort of sound of disapproval.

"I gotta pee and get some water," I whispered, but he just latched onto me tighter. Sighing, I got up, forcing him off of me, and pulled on my shirt and underwear. I unzipped the tent and was blinded by the bright sun, and I held my hand up to protect my eyes as I stepped out.

The air was warm and humid from the afterglow of rain, and the grass felt good on my feet as I made my way into the house, closing the sliding door behind me.

"Oh, you're up!"

The voice startled me, causing me to shudder. "Oh my God," I said, clutching my heart, and laughed nervously as she smiled over me. "Sorry, Grace, you scared the shit out of me. I didn't know you'd be back already."

She laughed, standing in the kitchen. "It's after twelve, dude. I thought you guys were going to sleep all day."

I looked out at the tent, then back at her. "Yeah, I guess I didn't realize how late we were up."

"Well, I'm sure it was worth it," she said, with a smile, turning away. "Sleeping out under the stars, huh?"

"Yeah, I found his camping stuff in the closet when we were cleaning his room, and thought it could be fun after the rain stopped."

"Cleaning his room?" She raised an eyebrow. "Did you swap him out while I was gone?"

I laughed. "Yeah, you got me there."

"Thanks a million for hanging with him. He wouldn't shut up about how excited he was, and it definitely took his mind off of school starting."

"Right. That's tomorrow… I forgot. Let me know if you ever want me to come stay with him again. We had a… really nice time."

"You know you can come by whenever!" She took a gulp from a bottle of kombucha. "So, will I be needing to put the sleeping bag in the laundry?"

I nearly choked, taken by surprise at the blunt question. "Ummm, I don't–"

The patio door slid open, and we both turned. To my absolute horror, Nico came inside, still naked, and even worse, his stomach was very noticeably stained with dried cum, though he didn't even flinch at the sight of us. I stiffened up, now reluctant to turn back to Grace.

"Hi mom!" he beamed, walking over to us.

"Hello, my beloved," she said, ruffling his hair. "You're looking rather crusty this afternoon."

He giggled, and I groaned, hiding my face in shame.

"You guys want something to drink?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said, trying to hide my blushing. "That's actually why I came inside."

Nico waltzed up to Grace on his tiptoes and leaned into her ear. "He didn't come inside," he whispered, causing them both to crack up.

"Better yet, maybe some hard liquor would be better right now," I mumbled, and they both started laughing again.

She poured us two glasses of water while we sat at the counter. I was extremely uncomfortable with Nico sitting by me, still naked, and covered in what was obviously my cum, but didn't know what to do about the situation and just pretended everything was normal. After we downed the water, she told Nico to go upstairs and take a shower.

"But I already had a bath yesterday!" he complained.

"Go," she commanded in her parental tone, and he dropped dejectedly from his stool and ambled upstairs.

Once he was gone, she looked at me and laughed under her breath.

"What?" I said, annoyed at my predicament.

"You're cute when you're flustered," she said, and took another drink from her bottle.

"Oh God," I groaned. "Just get it over with."

"You really sprayed his chest there, buddy," she said, then howled with laughter.

I covered my eyes, just wanting to disappear.

We chatted some more, thankfully moving away from the topic of Nico and my erotic weekend adventures, until he came back downstairs in boxers, hair still wet. They wanted me to stay longer, but I really wanted to head home after being so uncomfortably embarrassed, so we said our goodbyes and I drove home.

***

Chapter 7
Nico's New Toy

I sighed, turning my attention back to the busy store. Kids dressed in school uniforms wandered around with excitement in their eyes, as their exhausted parents followed close behind. I tapped my fingers on the cash register, wondering if my mom would ever replace it with a modern touchscreen one, or if I would have to. As I watched the kids scamper around, my thoughts drifted to Nico, and if he had a school uniform. My phone vibrated in my pocket.

A little toddler was running around screaming while his mom chased after him, trying to quiet him down. I did wish I could just leave and spend time with Nico, but I was an adult with responsibilities. Mom would be upset if I left the store unattended.

I smiled to myself. Worried that school might have distracted him from wanting to spend time with me, I was relieved to find that he was eager to invite me back over at the first chance he got. Though we had only been apart for a day, it felt like an eternity after spending the whole weekend with him.

Finishing the last few hours of work proved difficult. Since our night out camping, I spent most of my time reminiscing about our frotting in the tent. I was hesitant to face Grace again after she discovered her son covered in cum, even if she didn't seem bothered by it at all.

* * *

Grace opened the door, wearing a robe and cradling a glass of wine between her fingers.

"Oh Christ, Logan, he didn't even mention you were coming by."

I stood awkwardly in the doorway, like a little boy checking if his friend could come out and play. "Sorry, if it's not a good time…"

"No, no, come on," she said, beckoning me in. "Already wanted you back, huh?"

"He said he needed some help with school work, however true that might be."

"He should have said something to me," she said, looking up the stairs. "It's no big deal. I guess you're sort of like a father figure to him. I can't expect him to always want me to do everything."

I didn't like the idea of being a father figure for him. Last thing I needed was more reason for him to call me "daddy". It was uncomfortable.

"Are you staying for dinner?" she went on. "We'll eat in about an hour and a half."

"Maybe," I replied, "I know my mom wanted some help at home tonight, but I'm waiting for her text."

She shrugged. "Nico's in his room. Please don't do his homework for him, even if he begs. He needs to learn. Teach a man to fish, that kind of thing."

"Of course, Grace. I'm probably not the best teacher, but I'll do my best," I said, and turned to go upstairs but stopped myself. "Hey, about yesterday. I'm–"

"Logan, don't feel like you have to explain yourself. You guys have your fun, and as long as everyone's happy, I'm happy." She gave me a reassuring smile, and I found myself smiling back.

"Thanks, Grace. You're amazing," I said, and headed up the stairs.

Nico's door was cracked, and I pushed it open to find him lying on the bed with the lights off. The room smelled vaguely like apples, and I noticed a white bathroom towel on the floor. When I closed the door, he finally noticed me and sat up.

"There you are!" he said cheerily while reaching into his messy blonde hair to pluck out two wireless earbuds. His upper body was bare, with only a dark blue pair of short gym shorts keeping him modest. He climbed forward on the bed, onto his knees, and held out his arms. I rushed over and gave him a hug, and he pulled me onto him, falling backwards so I was laying on top of him. We kissed for several minutes, making up for the missed time over the last day, and his hard penis poked at me through his feathery shorts.

He finally pulled away to catch his breath, rolling over on the bed to drink from the bottle of water on his nightstand. I watched with adoration as he used his arm to brush away the few droplets of water that he spilled on himself.

"I've got something to show you!" he exclaimed.

"Oh yeah?"

"Uh huh, you know how, the other night, I made that wish to grow some hair? Well guess what?" he asked, then continued without waiting for my reply. "I got my first hair ever!"

"Wait, really? Awesome dude, let me see." I looked down from his face to his shorts, the pronounced tent lifting the waistband away from his body.

He grinned and hooked his thumbs into his shorts, pulling them down his waist, and with no underwear to be seen, he exposed his crotch to me. The motion caught his erection, jiggling it for a moment before it settled down.

"Look," he said, motioning to me with his eyes. It was hard to see with the lights off, so I moved my face closer. I could see nothing but smooth, untanned skin, and the mark his tight shorts left against it.

Gripping his boner with several fingers, I pulled it aside so I could take a clearer look.

"See?" he asked, peeking over at me.

I studied the area, but couldn't find the hair he was talking about. Leaning closer, I squinted, searching his pubis for any signs of wispy hairs. Suddenly, he pushed his hips forward and smashed his erection into my cheek, and I fell backwards, tumbling from the bed onto the floor.

Peals of laughter erupted from him, and after I recovered from his assault on my face, I saw him rolling on the bed, gripping his stomach with his hands as he continued howling on the bed. His hard penis remained exposed, wiggling in tandem with his laughter. I rolled my eyes.

"I didn't see anything," I said flatly.

He pulled his shorts up, his laughter slowly dying down. "You saw something alright. Coming straight for you!" He busted up laughing again, and I sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I lied," he admitted through chuckles. "I still have no hair. I wish." He sat up, legs spread, and grabbed his toes.

"Good one."

"Come on, it was funny!"

I let out a single, breathy laugh, while he continued grinning. "So where's this homework of yours? Or was that a lie as well?"

He grew a serious expression, and got up from the bed. "No, I have some," he said as he walked over to his desk and got into his chair. I got up to turn the lights on, then joined him over at the desk. "Sorry I don't have another chair."

"It's fine," I replied. "I can stand. Or you could sit in my lap," I suggested, which perked him up, so we traded places, then he took his spot in my lap. "Oof," I said, expelling air in a joking manner as he sat down, and he turned to give me an evil eye. I scooted him further onto me, and placed my hands on his bare thighs, stroking up and down.

"Comfy," he remarked, then picked up a folder and pulled some papers out. "So there's two pages of this pre-algebra, and then just some reading for English."

"You want me to help you with reading?"

"I can read fine, dickhead." He twisted around. "Hey… 'dickhead', fitting nickname!" I scoffed at him while he snickered at his ingenuity.

We worked together on his math homework, which was mostly just getting back up to speed with the prior year's curriculum. It was really easy stuff, that he definitely didn't need my help with, but I was at least able to give him quick answers to basic problems which helped speed things up. While he wriggled in my lap, I used my hands to freely caress all around his almost-naked body, spending extra time playing with his nipples.

He described his first day back at school, which allegedly consisted of a girl asking out his friend, a teacher farting, sticking carrots up his nose during lunch to impress someone, and leering at cute boys when changing for gym. Seemed a little light on education, but I presumed he just left those parts out. It was really nice hanging out like that, sitting together, talking, and finishing homework on the side.

"And remember that guy we saw at the beach?" he asked.

"Guy? What guy?" I tweaked his nipples, as I tried to recall.

"Lucas, the blonde guy."

"Oh, yeah, that kid. At our private beach."

"Well, he asked me to sit with him and his friends at lunch. They're super awesome," he told me. "Lucas is in my gym class too, and we paired up."

I felt a little jealous of Lucas; I would have loved to have been Nico's friend (or lover) when I was their age. At least our relationship would then be appropriate, and I wouldn't have to live in constant fear of people finding out. Or maybe I still would; being gay at school surely isn't a walk in the park.

"Cool," I replied. My phone dinged, and I slid my hand down his chest to reach into my pocket, and he shuddered at the sensation.

I was seriously offended at his comment. He was basically calling me a groomer. Nico already explained to him that he was the one with the crush in the first place. He sensed my agitation, and leaned back on me so he could see my phone.

"What?!" he blurted out, flustered, and swiped the phone from me, pressing the call button.

"Am I wrong?" came Parker's quiet voice.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nico shouted.

Parker went silent on the other end, and I reached around Nico to put the call on speaker.

"'Creepy spell'? What are you trying to say?" Nico's voice cracked through his outrage. Parker remained mute, so Nico continued, "Well?"

"He's taking advantage of you," Parker insisted, but his voice was noticeably full of doubt.

"That's bullshit and you know it! We love each other, and Logan would never do anything to hurt me." He looked up with furrowed eyebrows.

"Parker," I said, taking the phone from him, "I don't know what you think is going on, but we have a very loving relationship. It's a little unusual, but whatever issues you have with us, we need to get straightened out right now." Nico nodded in agreement.

"Hmph. What you guys are doing is wrong, and you have to stop now."

"That's stupid!" Nico said. "What's your problem?"

"Why do you gotta be like this, Parker? We're both happy. Really, what is the problem?"

"Tch."

"Please, tell me what your problem with us is."

"You're being a douche–" Nico started to say, but I nudged him to stop.

We waited for Parker's response, but instead, it was quiet for a while. Finally, he spoke up. "Come here Friday," he said quickly, and ended the call.

Nico was shaking. "Why's he such a fucking dick?" he shouted.

I shook my head. "I really don't know what's up with him. I mean, everything was fine at the water park. What changed? Maybe it secretly bothered him then, too?"

Nico turned around on the chair and hugged me, pressing his cheek up against my chest. I held him, and tried to understand where Parker was coming from.

I recalled spending Easter with his family several years prior. Our families met at a local park, Oracle Community Park, and were enjoying lunch at the picnic tables. Parker had recently gotten a Nintendo 3DS, and was obsessing over it. The adults kept to their own table, while Parker and I usually found ourselves stuck together. Though Parker's brother August wasn't much older than I was, he preferred the company of the adults rather than the two of us. He was in college at that time, and had brought his violin to practice for a recital.

Parker was about eight years old, and, like his brother, rocked some unusually-long-for-a-boy brown hair that was so dark, you could almost call it black. We had finished eating, and I was enjoying my time lounging and listening to August's rendition of Spring from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, when Parker pushed his 3DS in my face to show me what he had created in Scribblenauts. I tried to give him a little acknowledgement, but as a sixteen-year-old, I was pretty uninterested, and simply humored him with half-baked compliments while I went back to enjoying August's music.

He seemed to pick up on that, and became visibly frustrated, sneering in his brother's direction. "What's so great about his dumb violin? It sounds stupid," I remember him saying to me.

He tried to show his dad, but received similar treatment. When August finished playing, he received applause from all of us, except Parker, who had angrily buried himself in his 3DS.

The following year, we repeated our Easter tradition at the same park. Parker gathered everyone's attention, and announced he would be playing "Amazing Grace" on the recorder–an instrument he had started learning in school, and had quickly taken an enormous interest in. I remember clapping with everyone else once he'd finished, while an immensely satisfied smile crossed his face, eyes covered by the shadow of his long, dark hair.

We went back to Nico's homework, finishing up what was left on the back of the sheet. I wasn't helping a whole lot, as he was pretty effortlessly gliding through the problems without much trouble. Nonetheless, it was nice to be there with him, enjoying the weight of his small body on mine. While he was busy with the final problem on the worksheet, I got a text from my mom.

Grace entered the room to find us sitting together, Nico still facing towards me.

"Oh, that's cute," she said. I must have turned red, and Nico narrowed his eyes at her. "How's the homework coming?"

"All done," Nico said, picking up and holding the sheet out towards her. His movements caused him to wriggle against my groin, which started to harden from the rubbing. "Can you go now?"

"In a sec. You two are so cute! Let me get a picture," she said, reaching into her robe pocket.

"Grace," I moaned, wincing.

"Logan, it's fine. It's just for me," she said and fumbled with her phone. "Nobody has to know." Nico smiled widely, and I gave in and offered her a weak half-smile. She snapped the photo. "Thanks Logan. I'm going to go get started on dinner. You're–"

"Actually," I interrupted. "I've got to get going soon. My mom needs help with moving some crap."

"Ah, fine. We'll have to have dinner one last time before you leave. Which will be when, by the way?"

"I'm leaving Sunday."

Nico clung to me, burying his face in my chest. "Nooo!" he hollered. Feeling more relaxed with Grace's presence, I returned his hug. She watched with a solemn expression.

"That's too bad," she said. "I was hoping we had at least until September with you."

"I'll be back," I assured her. "Don't worry."

She smiled, and Nico got up to usher her out of the room. "I need some time alone before he has to go," he demanded, closing the door behind her. I could hear her chuckling in the hallway, and listened to her footsteps as she went back downstairs. Nico turned to me and flashed a naughty smile; his shorts tented with a naughty lump. "Can I have a blowjob? I'm done with everything."

"You didn't read," I reminded him.

"Oh. Well, I can do that later."

I laughed.

"Please?" he requested.

"Alright," I conceded.

"Awesome," he said under his breath and flopped onto the bed, bending his legs to remove his gym shorts. I followed him with my gaze, swiveling the chair. Once he tossed them on the ground, he got into position, suspended on his elbows, and cocked one eye.

I drank in his form. It was becoming a familiar sight, but I still couldn't get enough of it. Long, tan, lanky limbs, a face decorated with small, kissable features. The penis that lived in my deepest desires was not quite hard, but not quite soft. It leaned forward over his balls in a suspended curve, just beginning to unfurl as it stiffened before my gaze. My own penis throbbed at the sight of his forbidden glory.

"I can't believe you're leaving this weekend," he said, looking down at the sheets.

I got up from the chair and made my way over to the bed. "I know. I'm not looking forward to it either."

He reached down to grope his dick, forcing it into its most rigid form. "Do you think you'll come back soon?"

"I will," I assured him. "I'll probably be back for Thanksgiving, even. And then next summer, I'll take ownership of the toy store for good, and we'll see each other all the time."

The thought made him smile. He leaned back in the bed and retracted his arms, placing them on his sides. His boner pulsated, clearly eager for attention. I slid onto the bed, moving on top of him, and ran my hands up his sides, brushing against his ribs, then lightly slapped them, making him giggle.

Without hesitation, I ran my tongue up the length of his shaft, and brushed it over the end of his foreskin. He must have just recently come out of the shower, because he tasted very clean and smelled like apples. I took him in my mouth, rubbing him up and down with my lips, and he was quick to lean his upper body forward to grab onto my head, scrunching my hair between his fingers.

"I'm really gonna miss this," he grunted.

I pulled off of him to reply, "Me too." We both looked down at his glistening penis.

"He's happy," he said, giggling. "It sucks that we can't do blowjobs when you're gone. Snapchat's not as good. I don't know what I'm going to do without you!"

I nodded, and began using my hand to carefully massage his nuts. "Your balls are so smooth," I told him, caressing them with my thumb.

"Touch my butt?" he asked, lovingly stroking my arm with his hand as he inched it downwards.

I grinned and slipped it over a buttcheek, giving it a tender squeeze. He let out a very cute, high-pitched moan, and bent his knees. I went back to his penis, slipping it back into my mouth as I played with his ass. As I sucked on it, he resumed grabbing my head, his whole body now crumpling around the center of his pleasure. It was leaking small dribbles of sweetness into my mouth; a tasty reward for the good work I was doing. I alternated between rubbing his balls and squeezing his butt, and he exhaled urgently as I did so.

I released him from my lips, and started jerking him. "Are you going to cum?" His eyes flickered halfway open, and locked onto mine.

"Yeah," he said breathily, leaving his mouth slightly agape. I kissed him, continuing to masturbate his slippery dick, which was generating some sexy wet noises. He shoved his tongue into my mouth, whimpering softly, before pulling away and pushing his hair out of his face. I could feel his warm, rapid breaths.

He reached down and pushed my hand away. "Please, can I do it in your mouth?" he asked.

I wasn't about to decline such an offer. Without answering him verbally, I slithered down his body and took the pink, throbbing boner into my mouth, sliding my tongue all over it. I placed my two hands on either side of his genitals, and kneaded the outside of his butthole with my thumbs.

He shivered and gasped, once again throwing his body around my head as he pushed as far into me as he could. "Uh… uh… uhhh…" he grunted as his nuts drew up, tip flared, and three powerful spurts shot into my mouth. I could feel his butthole opening and closing in bursts around my thumbs, and his fingers dug roughly into my hair. His penis throbbed with each spurt, accompanied by the steady lifting of his hips. I kept sucking and licking it until he finished cumming. He remained wrapped around my head, panting as his grip loosened around me, and I released his drained noodle from my lips.

Streaks of deliciously sweet Nico lined the roof of my mouth, and I greedily gathered it all together with my tongue, savoring his wonderful prepubescent flavor, before reluctantly swallowing. He fell backwards onto the soft sheets, chest rising and falling with his rhythmic breathing.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. "I gotta go," I told him. He looked up with half-open eyelids. "Finish your reading," I reminded him and headed for the door.

"Logan," he whispered, still laying in bed. "I love you."

"Love you, too. See you tomorrow," I said, walking out of the room.

Grace was in the kitchen, hovering around a big pot on the stove when she saw me come down the stairs. I hoped she didn't hear any of the moaning from upstairs.

"So, you're out of here in a week, huh?" she called out.

I went over to sit at the counter. "Yeah. It's too bad I didn't come across you guys earlier in the summer. We could have had a lot more time together."

"I know," she said, looking genuinely regretful. "I honestly never thought we'd see you again. You know, after I left for college, I never went back to my hometown."

"Really?" I took Grace as a bit of a loner, but never someone who would abandon their family.

"Well, I had no reason to. Never liked the city much. Felt like a prison to me. I actually spent most of my twenties on a farm." She clasped her hands together as a small smile formed. "Next thing I knew, I met this guy, and then there was Nico. But life on a farm is such a limiting experience. I wanted more for him."

"He definitely seems to love it here."

She sighed. "I just hope he'll be okay when you're gone."

"He will. He'll be fine." I paused. "We'll be fine."

She looked over at me. "Thank you Logan. I know you didn't ask for this, but you're so important to him."

"He's important to me, too. At first, I didn't know what to make of it, I mean, I felt like I could never be what he wanted me to be for him. But, thanks to his persistence, and your support, we've gotten to experience something I never knew was possible before. I think I love him, Grace. Not just in a way to spare his or your feelings… I genuinely do."

She turned away. After several moments, she spoke softly, "I couldn't be more glad."

"Seriousness aside, I need to ask you before I go, what's his shirt size? I want to get a gift for him before I leave."

She smiled. "He doesn't need any more clothes. I work at a clothing store, remember?"

"Right," I chuckled, and considered my options. "Maybe something from the toy store then? He doesn't really play with toys anymore though, right?"

"There are some toys he still plays with," she said enigmatically, and I looked at her with an uncertain expression for a moment before I realized what she was referring to.

"Oh, Grace, no, I couldn't get him–"

"Why not? It would be a great symbol of your relationship."

"There's more to us than sex, you know," I said, mildly annoyed.

"Everything is sex." It was a weird response that I decided to ignore.

"Okay… well, I'm sure I can find a toy he might still be into at the shop. You never know."

"Think about it," she sang, returning to the stove.

I got up from the stool, and was searching my pockets for my keys when the situation with Parker occurred to me. "Hey, would it be alright if I took Nico to Keysville Friday evening? My cousin sorta wants to hang out with us."

She smiled. "Of course! That's the yin-yang kid he's been video chatting with? Black hair, white skin?"

"Yeah, him," I said, chuckling. "And then spend the night at an AirBNB. I mean, I was thinking that. If it's alright with you. Otherwise we'd be driving home pretty late, and–"

"Fine with me. I'll give you guys cash for a diner. Oh, he loves diners. We stopped at a half dozen when we were moving down here." We exchanged goodbyes as I shuffled out of the kitchen.

* * *

The screen door creaked as I opened it, getting stuck briefly and forcing me to tug hard on it. Damn thing had been broken for as long as I could remember. Stepping into the house, I saw a mountain of cardboard boxes in the living room, making the house feel more cluttered than it already was. Mom was dragging a large box down the hallway when she saw me.

"Finally, a home gym in this old place!" she said through gritted teeth as she slid the box another few inches on the carpet.

I went to help her, and we pulled the box the rest of the way, leaving it at the door to the basement. "Have you been doing this all day?" I asked.

"I got a few things down with lots of breaks in between. Thank God someone's finally here to help. I texted your dad hours ago, and haven't even heard back yet." We went back to the living room, where she picked up an opened box from the couch and handed it to me. "You really should have picked a better color than green."

I pulled the sweater I had ordered out of the box and scoffed. "What's wrong with it?" I asked, flipping it back and forth.

"Put it on," she demanded.

I did, then stepped into the bathroom with her following to look in the mirror. It looked exactly like the picture online, a simple cozy green striped sweater. I held my arms up. "What?"

"Honey." She stepped up behind me, resting her hands on my shoulders. "You look like a children's show entertainer."

"I do not! What the fuck? It's a good sweater. Come on."

She laughed and patted my shoulder. "I'll get you something nice for your birthday," she said, and walked out of the room.

I followed her back to the living room, and we got to moving the boxes down to the basement. The hard part was getting all the heavy equipment down the stairs, and I had to genuinely put in the effort to avoid getting crushed to death by the packaged barbells.

"Charlie called," Mom said casually as we were carrying a stationary bike down the hall together.

I stumbled, almost losing my grip before readjusting myself. "What? Like, today?" She nodded. "What… did he want?"

"Well, he actually called your dad this morning. He said he wanted to talk to you. Dad gave him your number."

"Charlie called, and he wanted to talk to me?" I reaffirmed, and she nodded. "W-what else did he say?"

"I don't know, I just got the brief rundown. He certainly still doesn't want to talk to me. I know that he asked if you were here, and your dad mentioned you were working at the shop this summer, then he asked for your number and hung up."

We got the box to the door of the basement, where I took a second to catch my breath, "Well, that doesn't sound good."

"It's fine! He's your brother, he just wants to… catch up!" she suggested unconvincingly.

"Maybe."

Once we got most everything down the stairs, we both lumbered into the living room and collapsed onto the sofa. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, thank you for helping out, Logan. You're free now," she said, and I smiled. "But tomorrow, I'm going to need your help again. And probably for the rest of the week, if you don't mind. Your dad and I are visiting my parents this Friday. Can you bring in the boxes when you get home?"

"Yeah, sure thing, Mom."

"Just bring them inside. You don't have to take them to the basement yourself."

I nodded, and went to the kitchen to prepare myself a sandwich.

* * *

I ran my hand across the plastic wiffle ball set placed high up on the shop wall, then wandered to the small selection of video games we stocked. Though Nico didn't own any video game consoles, I thought maybe a fifth glance over the section might help give me some idea for a gift. For whatever reason, I was horrible at choosing good gifts. Some people had, for lack of a better term, a gift for it. Not me. It was less than a week before I had to head back to school, and I had no idea what to get him.

I was typing back when I received a call from an unknown number, and quickly glanced around to find myself alone in the store. Curiously, I swiped to answer it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Logan?" A chill ran through my spine.

"Charlie!" I sputtered. "Wh-what the hell? Where are you?"

"Listen to that voice, all grown up!"

"No seriously, where are you?"

He sighed. "Oh, Logan. I really should start off by apologizing."

"Mom said you were trying to reach me, but why the hell are you trying to reach me? Why now?"

"Listen, I miss you, man. What happened was between mom and I… I never wanted to cut you out, but I just really couldn't stand dealing with her."

"I miss you too, but, where the fuck have you been?"

"I'm far, I'm in Liberty Hills."

"Dude, I'm going to college like four hours away from you!"

"Really? Wait, you're still in college?"

"How old do you think I am?"

He chuckled. "You know, I wasn't entirely sure. I haven't thought about you guys in a long time." He paused. "No offense."

"So what the hell? Why are you calling?"

"Funny story, actually. My wife and I just had our second kid–"

"You're fucking married? You have kids? Jesus! I hope you know this is a lot to take in."

"Yeah, sorry to kind of show up out of nowhere. Didn't really have another option."

"The other option was staying in contact," I said bitterly.

"It was never personal, Logan, okay? You were too young at the time, I had no way of reaching you. I'm sorry."

"So what? Now's a good time?"

"Yeah, so, you know, baby names, my wife wanted to name our son Logan. We did, end up using that name. He was born five days ago, August fifteenth."

"Um, wow. Dunno what to say."

"So it got me thinking about you. And it took me a few days, but I… I did call Dad. I just wanted to know how you turned out. And you seem, pretty cool, I guess?" We both laughed.

"Yeah, I'm a college boy, and been working at the shop over the summer. That's pretty much what I've been up to."

"Uh huh," he said, biting his tongue.

"What?"

"You're a senior?"

"I am."

"What major?"

"Mechanical engineering."

"Fun stuff. Listen Logan, I'm an operations manager at the airport in the city here. If you graduate and are looking for a job–"

"I've got the shop, you know that."

He was quiet for a moment. "Logan, the shop is a waste of your potential."

"What do you know about my potential? You haven't even known me since I was eight."

"I'm just saying, do you really want to end up like Mom?"

"Charlie, I know you have your issues with her, but I enjoy that lifestyle too. It's relaxed, and… stable."

"The last thing that store is, is stable. It's on the brink, Logan, you don't want to get involved with that."

"I might as well until it stops generating money. Then I can move on to other things."

"Just, hear me out, if you want a comfortable job that makes good money, maybe an aircraft mechanic, you just let me know, okay? Seriously. It's the least I can do after… you know… dipping. You'd make three times as much money as you would selling toys. Just consider it."

"I don't think so, Charlie. I've got this, and I'm sorry about what happened when we were younger, but I really think I belong here."

"Well hey, hit me up if things change, okay? My wife's back, I'll talk to you later, alright Logan? It's been good to hear your voice. Come up here some time, yeah?"

"Okay, I'll–" The phone beeped, signalling the ended call. I still didn't understand his reason for calling me and acting like we were buddies. We hadn't spoken since I was a little kid, and he seemed to have no interest in being a part of my life. While I had no reason to believe he was being deceptive, I was still curious what his intentions were; you don't just call up your brother you abandoned years ago and throw them a job offer.

I placed my phone down on the table, which then lit up with a series of notifications, with Nico's name at the forefront.

Business seemed to have hit a lull, and the shop was empty. Stuffing my phone in my pocket, I stepped out the counter and walked through the aisles, scanning the shelves for something Nico might be able to entertain himself with. He may have been a sexual deviant, but he was also a kid, and I had no doubt I could find something that could make him at least smile.

I passed by a postcard rack filled with sticker packs, and picked up a sheet. Lots of different kinds of dinosaurs. If he was younger, maybe he would appreciate something like that. There was a sheet of marine life, which might have been more pertinent to his interests, but I set it back on the shelf after deciding he was much too old for stickers.

After a few more minutes of looking around, I came by the magic section that had piqued his interest all those years ago. The memory made me smile, but I knew magic was no longer an interest of his, and kept looking. Legos ended up being the closest contender, but just as I was about to give it the seal of approval, I realized he already had Minecraft to treat his creative needs.

Brooding, I returned to the counter just as a family came in: a mother, father, and son. The boy was about Nico's age from when I first met him, maybe ten or so, and I saw his bright eyes flare with excitement when he set foot inside. He wandered around for a bit before finding a yodelling pickle toy, which he then carried with him around the shop. I realized being around Nico so much was warping my mind after catching myself admiring the boy's smooth-looking skin, and long eyelashes.

I distracted myself by going on my phone. After a few minutes, I had gotten all that I was going to get out of Instagram. I looked up and saw the boy leaned over, going through a basket with his butt stuck out towards me, and groaned internally as my penis began to come to life. I hoped I wasn't turning into some kind of weird pervert, and blamed it on not having masturbated since giving Nico a blowjob the previous day.

Opening my phone again, I tried to find something to occupy myself with, and decided to search for gift ideas. I typed in "gift ideas for couples" and tapped the first result.

There were a lot of fun ideas for adults, but I wasn't about to get Nico a charcuterie board for a variety of reasons, and I didn't think coffee was his thing either. There was an advertisement for a strange curved pink object that caught my attention, and it wasn't until I read the text that I could tell what I was even looking at: "Double pleasure – Vibrators for two!"

I thought back to Grace's recommendation, and groused to myself upon realizing that it was maybe the easiest option for a gift. At least I knew he would love whatever I got him, whereas a kid's toy has the potential to be a total miss. Our relationship was already as taboo as it could get, so I opened the ad which loaded a website that had me cautiously looking around the store while I pulled the phone closer to my face.

Scanning the many categories was like reading a foreign language for me, with all the mentions of rabbits, eggs, bullets, and the like. I laughed out loud when I discovered the existence of "vegan lube", and pictured Nico having a stroke when he found out that I was using animal-based lube, or whatever the hell non-vegan lube was. I wanted to find something he could use by himself for when I was gone.

I checked out the dildos they had, but grew concerned they were too big for him, and the last thing I wanted to get him was something that would hurt him. They had lots of masturbators, but most of them were shaped like a vagina, which he most likely wouldn't appreciate. There was also a wide selection of butt plugs, but did he really need another one?

I was very curious about what exactly a "prostate massager" was. Bumpy, squiggly alien-like objects filled the screen, and I was unsure what the hell I was looking at. I found one listed on sale, and took a look at the description. The curvy dildo-like toy was inserted, then could be controlled with a smartphone app, and vibrated against the prostate causing intense pleasure.

Making a quick side-search, I spent a few minutes learning about the male prostate. It dawned on me that it must have been what I was touching inside of Nico, that made him cum hands-free. If it was true that the toy could give him that pleasure, and I could control it with an app, it would make for the perfect gift.

Quickly, I went back to the page to read more. While the toy was on sale, it was a little expensive, but it would be worth it for all the fun we could have together while apart. There was an option for a "bullet" vibrator add-on, which attached to the penis for additional stimulation. I pictured Nico, naked and squirming as the toy pleasured him in front and back, and snickered as I tapped the checkbox.

I filled in my information and set the shipping for it to arrive on Friday, when my mom would be away from the house. It was perfect, Grace was right after all. To wrap things up, I added a gift note.

Nico,

Even when we're apart, we can be together. Love you.

I was smiling to myself when I looked up and realized the family was standing in front of the counter, ready to pay. Embarrassed, I locked my phone and shoved it in my pocket.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry."

The boy set down a variety of toys. I finished checking them out, and as they were leaving I couldn't help but leer at the boy again. His butt swished as he walked, and I shook my head to snap myself out of it.

I messaged Nico again to ask if he wanted to do more tutoring that night, but he told me that he was going to his friend Lucas's house. I replied, trying to avoid sounding as disappointed as I was feeling.

* * *

The fan was running at full speed in the store when my phone buzzed. It was just after lunch on Thursday, and the store was rather busy so I ignored it at first. Business was great, and I was feeling warm and optimistic about things. I took a quick glance anyway when I was less occupied to find a text.

Instantly, my carefree smile shattered like a windshield in a car crash. I pulled the phone to my face, rereading the text in disbelief. Glancing upward, the phone's clock read 1:08 PM. The damn sex toy was going to be delivered in less than two hours to my mom, with a note that it was from me, to Nico. There was no doubt in my mind she would open it impulsively like she did with my sweater. I almost began hyperventilating as I looked around at all the faces in the store. There was no chance I could leave my shift while the store was the busiest it had been all week.

Why the hell didn't I just send it to Grace's address? The thought spurred an idea: I could ask Grace to go grab it–somehow the only person who wouldn't bat an eyelid at the concept of me getting a sex toy for her son. I let out an exasperated breath when I realized that, like me, Grace was also busy at work. I considered calling my mom and explaining to her not to open it, but decided that was way too suspicious.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of anything I could do. Maybe she would open it and not realize what it was. After all, when I first saw the thing in a picture, I couldn't tell what the hell it was. No… the box would give it all away clear as day.

A customer came up to pay, and I helped them out, but my mind was focused almost solely on figuring out what to do. Something bad was coming, and I felt powerless to stop it. I swiped the customer's card the wrong way in the machine, and he looked up at me with a slight grin.

"Whoops," I said, offering an awkward smile as I re-swiped the card, brushing sweat from my forehead. He chuckled, and his large mustache laughed with him. I looked down and was horrified to find that I was still swiping it the wrong way. "So sorry," I said.

"You'll figure it out," he replied, making me feel even worse.

After wrapping things up with him, I resumed my panicky plotting, deciding that the best thing to do would be for me to go to the house and intercept the package somehow. The last hurdle was that I couldn't leave the store unattended. Could someone cover for me?

I called my friend Wesley, drumming my fingers on the counter and listening anxiously to each ring, with all my hope riding on him.

"Hello?" he said groggily.

"Oh thank God," I muttered under my breath. "Hey man, what's up?"

He was quiet for a moment, then said, "Hey."

"Did I wake you up?" I checked my phone's clock to verify it was indeed one in the afternoon.

"Nah, I was… in the middle of…" he trailed off, then sniffled. "What's going on?"

"Are you at home?" He lived even closer to the store than I did.

"Yeah."

"Think you could do me the biggest favor of all time? I can pay you."

I heard shuffling around. "Wazzup?"

"I really need someone to man the toy store I'm working at. Just for like an hour or two. Something really urgent came up."

He went quiet again. "Uh, yeah, I guess so."

I made a fist in triumph as a wave of relief washed over me, then told him where the store was and he said he'd head over. It was only about ten minutes before he showed up. His usual messy curly hair was even more of a disaster than usual, and he looked exhausted with small bags formed under his eyes. Not the most ideal replacement, but he'd have to do. We fist bumped, and he stared at me with eyes half-closed.

"Hey, thanks for coming by. This is a big help, seriously," I said to him.

I didn't have to spend too much time explaining how things worked, as he had worked as a cashier before. I told him that nothing crazy should come up but to call if it were to, and after thanking him profusely, rushed out to my car.

I leaned on the door and attempted to breathe. Once calmed down, I got in and sped off towards the house.

* * *

I drove slowly down our street, eyeballing our house as I passed by, and parked down on the side of the road. Taking my phone out, I checked the order status only to find that it was "out for delivery". I hoped it wouldn't be too long. At least the air conditioning was sparing me from the harsh heat.

I put on some Cage the Elephant as I leaned back in the seat, and took the time to think more on my brother's proposal. Although our family wasn't poor, we didn't remotely live any sort of lavish lifestyle. My mom was content with her place in the world, and thinking about it, I wouldn't have minded spending my life selling toys by the beach either. Simplicity was a value of mine.

From my vague memory of Charlie, he was never content with our lifestyle. I remembered him showing me luxury cars he wanted from magazines he had, and the look on his face on his eighteenth birthday when he finally got the fake Rolex watch he had been begging my dad for for months.

He wasn't always that way, though. About a year before he left for college, he got into a huge argument with my mom. I was in the bathroom when the screaming started, and pushed my head up against the door, listening to new words I had not quite heard before…

The rumbling sound of an engine snapped me out of my daydream. I sat up in the seat and pulled it out of its reclined position. A large UPS truck was making its way down the street. It was time. Nervously, I wiped away some of the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand, and leaned forward to watch.

After several minutes the truck stopped at our house, and the driver took two trips to place several boxes by the door. I gripped the steering wheel as he placed the smallest of the boxes. That was definitely it. To my dismay, he rang the doorbell once before heading back to his truck and driving away.

I peered at the front door. Besides the rustling of foliage, the street was still. I opened the door of the car and stepped outside, trying to keep out of direct line of sight from the house. My footsteps sounded impossibly loud in my ears, and I tried my best to take lighter steps. I approached the driveway and positioned myself behind the mailbox to peek into the window that overlooked the driveway, but saw nothing. I tiptoed stealthily over to the steps that led up to the front door, ducking below the window.

There it was, the source of such massive anxiety laying on the welcome mat, taunting me with its silly cardboard material and ridiculous packing tape. Slowly, I crawled up the stairs on my hands and feet, being as quiet as I possibly could, and reached out to pick it up.

That's when I heard the sliding of house slippers, rapidly becoming louder and louder. I looked quickly between the package that was just barely within reach, and back towards the corner of the house, then winced as I forced myself down the stairs and slipped around the corner, hiding under the carport at the end of the driveway.

Just as I rounded the corner, I heard the door open, followed by a brief struggle with the screen door. I smacked myself on the forehead with my wrist, swearing under my breath. I was officially doomed to be outed to my own mom as a weirdo creep who bought sex toys for children. There was no explaining that away, and I would have to deal with the consequences.

It took forever for my mom to bring in all the boxes. I waited around the corner, resigned to my fate, as I heard her haul each box inside. Eventually the door closed, and I moved back to the front of the house where I cautiously looked through the window.

My mom was in the living room and dressed in workout clothes, with the boxes all stacked behind the sofa. I hung my head. When I looked back up, she had turned away and began walking down the hallway. I watched curiously as she disappeared from view, realizing another opportunity may have presented itself, and waited to see if she was coming back. After about fifteen seconds, I decided this was my chance, and crawled back up the stairs to the door.

I went to quietly open the screen door, but to my greatest annoyance, it was stuck. I tried jiggling it, but it wouldn't budge, and stopped, listening to the inside of the house. Silence. Wincing, I pulled hard on it, and it flung open forcefully, but fortunately didn't make too much noise. I stopped again to listen, and heard nothing, so I cracked the front door, and looked inside with one eye. The hallway was not aligned with the door, so I couldn't see down it completely. I cracked the door even further open, and stuck my head in, looking around. The smallest box sat atop all the others, all I had to do was rush over and nab it. I had pushed the door about halfway open when my mom's phone, which was sitting on the kitchen counter, started ringing.

Rolling my eyes at my misfortune, I closed the door most of the way, leaving it barely cracked, and went back to crouch under the window. I peered inside and saw my mom in the kitchen, facing away from me and on the phone with a pocket knife in her other hand; the only thing separating her from the truth. She nodded and said some things I couldn't hear, then set the phone down and started towards the boxes.

I had to do something. Thinking quickly, I ran down the driveway, and crouched behind the mailbox, pulling out my phone and calling her.

"Honey?"

"Hey, mom."

"Hi, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm at the shop… it's, um, a little quiet right now. Listen, I was thinking about what you said… about the sweater, and I was going to return it–"

"Return it?" she repeated. "Logan, don't let me tell you what you can and can't wear."

"I know, but, I looked up the guy you said, the Blue Clues guy–"

"Steve!" she said excitedly.

"Yeah, him. And, uh, pretty spot on."

"Well, I did warn you. Go out in that, and you'll be entertaining crowds of children all of the sudden."

"Anyways, my friend might want it, if you don't mind, could you send me some photos of it? It's in my room, I think on the bed."

"Oh, yes, I can do that. I'll take them in a little bit, I need to–"

"Actually," I interrupted, "my friend's here at the shop now, can you just do it real quick?"

"Just show them the picture from the–"

"Mom."

"Fine, yes. Give me a minute. See you tonight."

"Thanks. Love you."

"Love you," she replied, ending the call.

I peeked across the driveway into the window just as she turned and disappeared into the hallway. Quickly creeping across the yard, I prowled up the steps and cracked the door again. It felt like being a kid on a secret spy mission, only minus the fun. I tiptoed across the hardwood floor until I reached the carpet in the living room, struggling to quiet my breathing.

Hovering over the boxes, I read the label on the small one to confirm it was the one, and found my name. I snatched it and immediately headed back, opening the doors and closing them as quietly as I could, hearing another door in the house close at the same time. Making sure to stay low, I slinked under the window and waited for several moments before looking inside.

Mom was opening one of the large boxes with the pocket knife, seemingly unaware of the missing package. I took off down the driveway and got back into my car and slammed the door, burning with adrenaline and gasping.

My phone buzzed, but I was too out of it to even look. It wasn't until I buzzed again that I pulled it out to find two pictures of the shirt from my mom and grinned. There was no way I was parting with that awesome sweater.

* * *

After dinner, I locked my bedroom door and climbed onto my bed. I leaned over the side and pulled out the box from underneath, which I had covered with a small blanket–can't be too careful.

Bypassing the need for a knife or box cutter, I ripped the box open with my bare hands. The box inside was covered in unusual imagery, lewd phrases, and a usage diagram featuring a stick figure inserting the toy into its ass. What a nightmare it would have been if my mom had got to it first.

I opened it up gently and pulled out the contents and examined the foreign object. It was a black, alien-looking pole that seemed to warp in random ways along its length, with a base shaped like a sideways banana. Connected to it via a wire was a small, bullet-shaped object with a flexible band.

A QR code on the box prompted me to install an app on my phone, which I did, then proceeded to connect the two devices together. I looked through the app's settings, which contained many different modes and vibration levels, and held the bullet as it rumbled powerfully between my fingers.

I laid down comfortably on my bed and read the instructions shown in the app. Curious to get a taste of how the bullet felt, I pushed my shorts down, and finagled my penis out of the fly of my boxer briefs. It hovered at half-mast in the air, and I grabbed it and pressed the bullet against the side of my shaft, then used my phone to turn on the vibration.

It felt okay, not mind-blowingly incredible like I was hoping, but when I moved it around to the underside of my dick, the difference was immediately apparent. Sliding it further upwards towards the head, my eyes rolled back. Nico was going to love this!

I turned it off and shoved the toy back into the box. My penis was now totally hard, so I took the opportunity to send a picture to Nico on Snapchat. It was only a minute before I got a notification that he took a screenshot, and he replied with a picture of his own beautiful penis standing at attention with the caption, "You surprised me!"

* * *

Even though Grace explained the school's car line clearly, I still expected a headache. When I pulled up behind the last car that seemed impossibly far from the school building, I foresaw an eternity of waiting. Growing up, my mom hated the car line enough to put me on the bus, which I preferred anyways. I think I got my hatred of lines from her.

I'd closed the toy store early that day. Nico's grade got out around three, and I figured the few hours lost wouldn't make a big dent in earnings. Since my mom was out of town with my dad, I was convinced she would never find out anyways.

Fortunately, once the cars started moving, the line went pretty quick. In under ten minutes, I was approaching the two-story school building and the long concrete path that stretched from the entrance all the way down to the road. I squinted my eyes to search for Nico through the valley of kids, backpacks, uniforms, and binders.

Finally, I spotted him sitting in the shady grass underneath a tree. He was sitting in the lap of another blonde boy, who was rubbing Nico's legs and resting his chin on Nico's shoulder. I was struck by a pang of jealousy.

Beside them was another smaller, skinnier kid, sitting cross-legged and searching through his backpack that lay in front of him with long dark hair that hid his face. They were all talking, and Nico was laughing. Even though the scenario was likely much more innocent than I was thinking, my heart lurched. I selfishly realized I didn't want Nico to find love his own age, as long as he was with me.

I pulled up further, and some sort of school employee signalled with his hands for me to lower the window. He was wearing a bright orange safety vest, and stared at me for a few moments. He held a small rectangular microphone up to his mouth, but lowered it as his eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Name?" he asked, as if it were his one-hundredth time asking the question that day.

"Oh. Logan," I said, "Logan Lake."

"Logan Lake," he stated into a small microphone, and the name boomed throughout the school, echoing through the yard. From the corner of my eye, I saw Nico raise his head and look around.

"Oh, I mean, that's my name. I didn't… I'm picking up Nico Florakis," I explained, feeling suddenly hot.

He glared at me for a moment before slowly raising the microphone and repeating Nico's name into it. Nico sprung to his feet, and said something to the boys. They both giggled and waved at my car as I pretended not to notice. What had Nico told them about me?

As he approached the car wearing a goofy grin, I got a good look at his school uniform: a blindingly red polo and beige chino shorts. Though the other students were wearing similar uniforms, he seemed to be the only kid in that exact combination. At least there was some freedom in their dress code.

He shuffled past the employee who barely seemed to regard him, and opened the back door to toss his bag inside, then climbed over the seat into the front causing an avalanche of limbs before righting himself.

"Hi," he beamed, looking into my eyes with the same goofy smile from his approach.

"Hey. You're looking dapper," I said.

He looked down at his clothes. "Thanks!" he replied, and settled into his seat with a sigh, putting the seatbelt on. "You look hot, too."

I got us moving, and as we pulled away from the school and onward to my surprise destination, Nico waved to his friends from the window. While I sped down the road, he extracted a small tin from his pocket and popped a small yellow candy into his mouth.

"Where are your sunglasses?" he asked, checking in the glasses case above.

"Here," I said, handing them to him.

"Today was awesome," he said, adjusting his seat. "There was pizza for lunch, and they actually had vegan pizza! And it was so good. So good, Logan."

I reached over to squeeze his shoulder. "That is awesome. I've got to have you try a vegan burger some time."

"Maybe," he replied noncommittally.

"Who were those kids you were sitting with just now?"

"Oh, that was Lucas. You met him once. And my other friend Ray. Lucas is cooler though. Ray's cool too, just quieter. And kinda short."

"You didn't tell them about me… about us, did you?"

"Nope, I mean, well, I told them you were cool. Like, really cool. But, like, I wouldn't tell them that you gave me a blowjob the other day. Nope, only Parker knows that."

"Wait. You told Parker about that?" I tried to refrain from sounding like I was whining.

"Well, he asked. A lot. I didn't want to say anything, but he kept asking!"

"Nico…"

"Where are we going?" He was looking out the window now, watching the trees go by. "This doesn't look like the same way as the water park."

"I thought maybe we could go down to the pier before going to see Parker. Maybe have another date. Are you hungry yet?"

"Oh. Yes! That sounds awesome!" He stomped his feet and pumped a fist.

"Great. And after we visit him, I rented us a place to stay right outside of Keysville," I told him. He hatched a smile that only a true rascal could wear. "It's a cabin out in the woods."

"Like camping?"

"It's not like a cabin cabin, but a sort of 'luxurious rustic getaway'," I said, reciting the description with a posh, royal accent. "I think you'll love it."

"Cool. My grandpa used to have a cabin, but it was really cold all the time. Maybe 'cause we only went there in the winter."

I turned the air conditioning up, and he popped another yellow candy into his mouth. "Hey, don't spoil your appetite with those," I scolded. "We're going on a date, remember?"

Instead of putting them away, he held the tin up to me. "Want one?"

I frowned, then asked with a tepid glance, "What is it?"

"Just lemon sours. They're addictive. And tiny–not filling at all. Want one?" he repeated.

"Okay, sure." He dumped one into my hand.

"What's that in the back?" he asked, craning his head around the seat.

I had kept his gift in its original shipping box because I wasn't very good at wrapping gifts, and I wasn't about to enlist my mom's help with it. My plan was to give it to him when we went out to the cabin, but it wouldn't hurt to let him see it early.

"It's actually a gift. For you." His eyes widened. "You know, since I'm leaving on Sunday, I wanted to get you something special. Something to remember me by. At least until I'm back." I winked at him.

He stared at me. "That's so cool! It really, really sucks that you have to go."

I shoved him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, all smiles tonight. At least until we get to Parker's. Then I don't know what expression we'll need."

He leaned over the center console and grabbed the box, examining it all over. "What is it? Can I open it?"

"Sure! It's my thanks to you for making my summer so wonderful."

He smiled, and looked down at the box that was lazily taped back together before ripping it open. "What… holy crap!" He gasped, turning the box over. "No way!" I grinned at him as he pulled out the toy from the rigid box like a kid during Christmas. "You really got me this? Um… what is it?"

"I thought you'd like it, more than other kinds of toys I guess. It's supposed to massage your butt and your dick at the same time."

He pulled out the note I included, and flashed a smile at me after reading it. "This is so nice! I love you too!" He leaned over to hug my shoulder, pressing his cheek against me. "Thaaanks!"

I tilted my head onto his, only briefly because I was driving. He went back to examining the massager, reading the text on the back, the same way I used to read the back of the video game box on the ride home.

"So it's like, controlled with an app? That's crazy!" he said.

"Yeah. You can download it on your phone, and I also have it on mine. It'll still work even when I'm off at college."

He opened his mouth wide in amazement. "That's so cool!" He lowered his shorts to his knees, revealing his smooth, milky lower body, and apparent lack of underwear.

"What's the big idea?" I asked, watching from the corner of my vision.

"I gotta try it," he replied, then grinned widely as he looked at his new toy. "I've been really horny all day. I bet this feels really good!"

"Where's your underwear?"

"I didn't need it today," he explained with an innocent smile, lifting his feet up onto the dashboard.

"What do you mean you didn't need it?"

"I mean, I didn't want to wear any. Without underwear, it's easier to go pee and stuff. And my friend said it would make my dick grow bigger 'cause then it's not trapped in my underwear all day. It's like plants, sort of," he explained while he pressed the toy against his butt, trying to force it in.

"I think that's going to hurt without lubrication," I said, starting to get dangerously horny from the display. "We can pick some up on the way to the cabin."

"Logan, I really don't care if it hurts if it feels good at the end," he said, grunting. "Okay, maybe actually I should start with a finger. It's pretty big."

"Can't you wait until we're like, not in public?"

"No one can see in. It's fine." He spent a few minutes casually fingering his ass in the passenger seat before trying with the toy again. "Got it!" he announced with a grunt. "Now what?"

"Wha–really?" I did a double take. "Oh. Good job."

"Yep. I can fit pretty much anything in my butt," he said, dropping his legs down from the dashboard. "Can I have your phone?"

"My phone? Why?"

"For the app, dummy. Let's do this thing!"

I handed it to him.

"Six, four, two, six," he recounted to himself as he unlocked it. "Which app is it?"

I told him, and explained a little bit of how it worked, based on my brief experience with it. After fastening the bullet vibrator to the bottom of his penis like a safety belt, he turned it on, generating a small buzzing noise in the quietude of the car.

"Whoa! I can feel it vibrating way inside! I can't even tell which part of me feels better!" He placed his arms on the arm rest and closed his eyes. "Mmm," he moaned.

"Might wanna unplug," I said, pulling into the parking lot. "We're here."

I found a nice parking spot in the busy lot that overlooked the beach, real close to the pier. He grumbled as I took back my phone from him. I stepped out of the car, stretching my arms and looked around. People were everywhere, especially up at the pier where the warm scent of churros resonated from. Nico got out and started sniffing. We were both drawn to it like, well, humans to churros.

Climbing the rickety wooden stairs from the parking lot to the pier, I looked up to see more clouds in the distance, and hoped we weren't due for more rain. Seagulls squawked all around us as we entered the bustling world of stores, restaurants, shopping stands, and miscellaneous activities. Nico and I were both relatively familiar with the pier, having lived in the area for so long, but every visit was still a treat.

As we walked, I glanced over at him. I couldn't tell if he was looking back through his sunglasses, but a small smile spread across his face. If we were a normal couple, then would've been the time to hold hands.

Nico locked onto an old-school cotton candy cart, and when he started slowly guiding us towards it, I took his arm and veered us in a different direction.

"Don't forget, we're here on a date. To get, you know, actual food," I said.

"Cotton candy is actual food," he said thoughtfully, and I pulled on his arm again. "Can we go do something fun?"

"Yeah. What would be fun?"

He looked around, using a hand to shield his sunglass-covered eyes. I looked around as well, and before I could mention the boring-looking merry-go-round, he called out, "Photo booth!", pointing with both hands.

Perched on the edge of the pier was the photo booth he referred to–a hollow, orange rectangle that seemed to go entirely unnoticed by the crowds of people. Shrugging, I let him walk me over and slide open the ugly purple curtain that came unusually far down on the booth. I followed him into the artificially lit box, taking a seat on the small stool beside his while he handed me his sunglasses as if they were fully my responsibility now. A small hum radiated from the booth, which at first I thought was the screen, but then noticed it was originating from Nico's stool.

I placed my hand between his thighs, feeling for the toy under his crotch. "You left it in?" I bemoaned. He looked up with an innocent, toothy smile, and leaned away from me. "And on?"

"It's on low," he assured me, and went to fiddle with the booth's touch screen. I rolled my eyes.

We started with some generic settings, taking really basic photos of us smiling. Then Nico uncovered the "slow-mo" video mode, and we got to figuring out what the coolest stuff to do would be. Shaking his head rapidly was awesome, and his beautiful hair flowed fantastically in the playback.

Another great bit we did was him licking my cheek, followed by me turning towards him with an evolving look of pure disgust. We were both cackling with laughter at that one, which Nico managed to turn into a coughing fit that he continued to laugh through.

"Your face is so red right now!" I pointed out, and showed him on the screen. His cheeks were flushed crimson not only from his laughing, but from the heat that was made a little harsher inside the small booth (and possibly also the sexual stimulation from his toy).

"It's so hot in here!" he exclaimed, fanning himself. "How come you're not all red?"

"Gotta look good for the camera," I said, slicking my hair back.

He got up and climbed onto my lap facing me, breathing hot air onto my face. "How's that?"

I could feel his toy vibrating on my thigh through the material of his shorts. "You're vibrating on me," I told him.

"Feels really good," he said, and threw his arms around my neck, continuing to let out hot breaths in my face. He started rhythmically grinding against me, as he liked to often do.

"Come on, back to your own seat, horndog," I said, pushing his hips off of me.

"Can you turn the power up, then? And make it strong on my dick, please."

"Alright, back into your own seat then."

He climbed down onto his chair, and went back to poking around on the touchscreen. I went to the app on my phone and increased the intensity of both the massager and the bullet.

Cranking up the power was like turning up his volume."Ohhh," he groaned erotically. "Feel it!" He took my hand and placed it on his crotch. The vibrations coursed through my arm as my hand grazed against the stiff bump in his shorts.

"So to be clear, you like the gift?" His response was to look at me with a slight grin, his face still a bit red and sweaty.

We went back to taking pictures, this time using a "multi-frame" feature that took several still frames and created a little collage. Trying to think of a way to one-up our slow-mo clips, Nico came up with the fun idea of looking totally normal for the first few frames, then flashing our "boobs" for the final one. I had a feeling Grace would like that one.

Our photos kept coming back with Nico blinking. I was trying to get him to focus, but he kept getting this disoriented look on his face. We were in the middle of enacting our bit when his breathing picked up, and he abruptly grabbed my arm with both hands. "Turn it off!" he cried.

"Huh?" I asked, looking at the touch screen.

"On the app! I'm about to–unhhh!" He threw his head back and bit his lip. I quickly reached into my pocket, but I was too late. His grip tightened, and his legs flew forward and stiffened in the air. He trembled and let out an adorable little squeak. I pressed my free hand onto his thigh, and watched as his new toy stimulated him past his limit, causing him to ejaculate into his shorts.

I continued to caress his thigh until his breathing steadied, and his extended legs dropped back to Earth. I put my arm around him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, feeling the warmth radiating from him. He blushed, still dazed from his orgasm. I opened the app and turned the toy off, putting an end to the persistent buzzing. After a few moments, the blinking of the booth's screen caught my attention.

"Look!" I said, and he did. "I think we got a pretty funny clip."

The first frame was us sitting, looking in random directions with bored expressions. The second was him grabbing onto my arm as I looked down at him, confused. The third was him orgasming with his head tilted, eyes rolled back, and mouth opened. The last one was me kissing the woozy boy on the cheek.

"No!" he cried, putting his hands over the screen. "Delete it!"

"Why? It's funny!"

"It's embarrassing!" He studied the image. "Is that really what I look like, when… ugh!" He made an arch with his hand over the screen while he tried to figure out how to delete it, while I chuckled in the background. It wasn't until I looked back over at him that I noticed the large dark wet spot in the middle of his shorts.

"Oh, shit," I said.

"Huh?" He looked down, then back up at me with his mouth and eyes ajar. "It looks like I pissed my pants!"

"Yeah, that's…" We both watched as the stain slowly continued to widen as his watery emission absorbed into the material. "…not good. If only you were wearing underwear," I admonished.

"I can't go out," he pouted. "Can you get me something to cover myself?"

"Like what?"

"Like… my backpack! Actually, get my gym shorts from it! Please!"

"Okay, stay here."

I left him in the booth and jogged back to the car, opening the back and rifling through his backpack. His level of disorganization was astounding, with pieces of candy, gum, and paperclips strewn around randomly between the books and binders. I finally found his nylon gym shorts, stuffed into a ball at the bottom of the bag, and headed back over to the pier.

When I returned to the booth, there was a man and his girlfriend standing around outside. I slipped past the curtains and found Nico crumpled in the corner with his face lit by the dim, teal glow of his phone. "Someone tried to come in," he whispered. "I told them just a minute."

"Here," I said, handing him the crumpled gym shorts.

"Thanks," he whispered back, and sat on the stool to change. He slipped the soiled school shorts down around his ankles. The sight of his limp noodle with the bullet wrapped around the shaft was an arousing one. His red, overstimulated tip glistened with the final remnant of his orgasm until he dabbed at it with the shorts.

Once he was changed, we both downloaded copies of the photos onto our phones from a QR code, and exited the booth, receiving a glare from the couple that was waiting for us to finish. One of us certainly did.

* * *

"So there's no animal meat at all?"

"None. I promise," I said, sitting down beside Nico at the edge of the pier.

He held up the top bun and eyed the burger patty with suspicion. "It feels like a trick."

"You read it on the menu. It's all plant-based, and there's no gluten or soy."

"And it doesn't taste like shit?" he asked, then took a tentative lick of the patty. "Hmph," he said, kicking his dangling legs back and forth over the water far below.

I bit into my regular burger, moaning out loud at the taste I missed. Skateburger was the best burger place in town, with the best atmosphere, too, being on the pier. I saw him bite into it meticulously with just his teeth from the corner of my eye, and then nod a couple times.

"Good?" I asked.

"Wow. And I get this whole thing of fries, too. Best. Date. Ever!"

He chowed the rest of it down as I struggled to match his speed. Though we were still on the pier, there were few people over at the end with us. The sound of crashing waves and distant chatter was calming. It was just us, and that was the way I liked it most.

"Hey. What does this," he said, raising his burger, "and a dildo have in common?"

"Is that a joke? What?"

"What do they have in common?"

I mixed up my face. "I don't know."

"They're both meat substitutes," he giggled. I laughed at the unexpected joke.

He laughed too, then slowly frowned. "I wish you were staying for longer. I can't believe you're gonna be gone in two days. I want to keep hanging out with you."

"Hey," I said, and put my arm around him to pull him to me. "We'll always be together. No matter the distance. Didn't you read my note?"

He smiled and snuggled into me, still holding the last of his burger. "I wanna see you every time you come back."

"I'll do anything for you," I said, and sighed. "I got a call from my brother. I haven't even talked to him since I was eight." Nico leaned in to listen attentively. "He offered me to move away from here, and live out by him. He has a nice job lined up. But I don't want to do it. I want to stay here, with you. Once I finish college, I'm going to move back here, and we'll see each other all the time."

"Wow Logan, you're the best! I can't wait! But… well, you don't have to give up that job just for me. Especially if it's a really good one…"

"I'll work at the toy store my whole life if it means being with you."

"And I'd hug you, but I have burger hands. Here, let's touch elbows!" We smacked elbows together. "Yeah!" he shouted, then went back to eating. "I'll never forget this summer," he said with his mouth full, staring wistfully into the horizon.

The sky was fading into a dull grey color, with ominous looking clouds rolling in. While we walked back to the car, I looked to Nico who strolled happily beside me with the stained shorts stuffed lazily into the side of his "backup" shorts. He was checking out the cotton candy cart again, and when I offered to get him some he declined with a loving, thankful smile.

Nico opened the passenger door and stood by it, waiting for some of the heat to air out before getting it. It hit me what was in store for us later that night.

I handed him my sunglasses, and he put them on without a second thought. "Ready to see what Parker wants?"

He chuckled as he searched around into backpack, and pulled out the small tin. "Nope," he said with a content grin, and slipped a lemon candy into his mouth.

* * *

About thirty minutes into the hour-long drive, Nico ran out of school stories to tell and took my phone to put on some music. I was pleasantly surprised when he put on The Foo Fighters' "The Pretender" from my Spotify and proceeded to drum his fingers on the dashboard.

"You really like this one, huh?"

"Yep," he replied. "I've been listening to them a lot. This one's definitely my favorite."

I smiled at him jamming out, once again wearing my sunglasses regardless of the lack of sun in the gloomy sky.

"What about you? Let me guess," he said, and squinted at me. "You like 'Come Alive'."

"It's good, but it's not my favorite."

"What is your favorite then?"

"I don't know. I like their older stuff I guess."

"Oh. So like The Colour And The Shape? Or more There Is Nothing Left To Lose? 'Learn to Fly' is awesome!"

"Just how much of them have you been listening to?" I cocked an eye at him, and he just grinned. I thought it was awesome that we had some music we both liked.

My phone buzzed in his hand. "Hey, Parker just texted you," he said.

"Really? What did he say?" I asked, trying to look over his shoulder.

"It says 'Go to Oracle Park'. What's that?"

"The park? Um, okay. Can you nav that for me?"

He nodded and updated my phone's navigation to our new destination, and I instructed him to reply affirmatively to Parker. Why did he want to meet us at the park anyways? We both got quiet after that, and I focused on driving while Nico seemed content to sit and listen to music.

The quiet spell lasted for nearly ten minutes before Nico started fidgeting in his seat. "Are we close? How much longer?"

"Don't ask me, you have my phone! Just check the navigation."

"Still like thirty more minutes. I gotta pee!" he moaned.

"You can pee when we get there. There's bathrooms."

"Can you pull over somewhere? I'll go quick."

"We are on a highway, and I'm not getting off. Sorry. You won't have to wait much longer."

"But thirty minutes is forever! It's like a whole class."

"Here, hold my hand," I suggested, holding it out.

"Okay," he replied dreamily, and took it. While I rubbed his soft hand in mine, he stared out the window, watching the trees go by.

My distraction worked, but only for fifteen minutes or so. "I'm bored," he whispered.

"Where's your phone? Why don't you play something on it?"

"It's still in my other shorts, which are in the back," he said, looking over his shoulder. I didn't reply, and he squeezed my hand. "Can I do a blowjob on you?"

I laughed. "No. Not when I'm driving."

"Later?"

"Yeah, sure, when we get to the cabin. That would be fun. I can do you, too," I said, and stroked the back of his hand with my thumb. He smiled widely.

* * *

The gray sky was drizzling on us when we finally pulled into the parking lot of Oracle Community Park. When we got out of the car, Nico rushed from the car straight into the small wood-and-cobblestone bathrooms, holding both hands over his crotch.

I peered around the vast, grassy park, searching for Parker. It wasn't quite dark yet, but it was definitely starting to get dim. He wasn't by the picnic tables we often spent Easter at, and he wasn't in the small playground at the other side of the park either. Or was he?

I squinted, and spotted a figure faced away, sitting on one of the four swings, wearing mostly black, almost completely still. The eerie sight caused a shiver to run through my body, even though I knew it was most likely just Parker. A small drop of rain tapped against my face, just under my eye.

Nico came out of the restrooms with dripping hands held up. When he noticed me looking at them, he said, "What? The hand dryer wasn't working."

Without a word, I motioned towards the figure on the swings, and I watched Nico's eyes follow the trail until he, too, shivered.

We both began the long walk across the whole park to the playground area, with Nico wiping his wet hands all over his shirt before fishing the lemon candy tin out of his pocket. I heard him nervously crunching on the normally suckable candies.

Before long we were within ten feet of the small, dark figure; definitely Parker, clothed in black jeans and a hoodie. Nico and I stood awkwardly in the sand, both unsure how to approach him until I finally called out.

"Parker?"

His hooded head turned, finally noticing the two of us standing behind him.

"Hello, Logan."

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