14 comments/ 18126 views/ 40 favorites How Patrick Met Colton By: RalphyNJ [This story includes some depictions of an unsafe sexual practice, which would be reckless in real life. The author cautions strongly against it.] Chapter 1 Patrick was in an excellent mood as he drove homeward. He had managed to solve a problem that was delaying his project, and now even with no additional direction from him his team would be able to finish on time. He could relax, maybe even take a few days off, spend some extra time at the gym, read a good book. He loosened his tie and opened the top button of his shirt. He would have taken off his suit jacket if there had been enough time at traffic lights. His mood was shattered when he rounded a corner and saw a young man curled up on the sidewalk with his arms covering his face, attempting to shield himself from the storm of blows and kicks being visited upon him by a much larger man. The larger man was now starting to kick him in the head. Patrick immediately pulled over and jumped out of the car, shouting "HEY!" as he shut off the engine and grabbed the keys before running to the scene. The larger man turned and yelled "Get outta here, this is none of your business!" Patrick slowed to a walk. "That's enough, he's not fighting back, leave him alone." The man took a step toward him. "I said get outta here! Or do you want me to rearrange that pretty face of yours?" Patrick stopped, but stood his ground. The man scrutinized Patrick. What he saw was a six-foot blond in a suit, with a sturdy build but several inches shorter than he was and about 30 pounds lighter. Deciding that this intruder would be easily dispatched, he slowly moved forward with clenched fists, half expecting the blond to retreat under the approaching threat. But Patrick just stood there as the distance between them closed. When only a few feet separated them, the man strode forward and raised his fist. Before he could bring the fist down, the breath was knocked out of him by the lightning-fast punch Patrick delivered to his midsection. He doubled over, desperately trying to take in air, and a well-placed karate chop dropped him to the ground. Patrick now went to the target of the attack, who lay moaning on the sidewalk. He knelt down and said softly: "It's ok, he won't hurt you anymore, I promise. My name is Patrick. Let me get a look at you." Hesitantly, the young man allowed Patrick to unfold his arms. With occasional glances over his shoulder to verify that the attacker had not gotten up, Patrick turned the unresisting victim onto his back and did a cursory inspection. Deciding that the injuries were not immediately life-threatening, he returned his attention to the larger man, who was now struggling to his feet and was glaring at him, evidently trying to decide on a second round. Patrick got up and beckoned tauntingly. The man's glare intensified. He quickly walked up to Patrick and struck. Except that his fist met nothing but the receding palm of Patrick's hand: Like a skilled bullfighter Patrick had swiveled aside, grasping the fist as it was going by and riding its motion. A quick yank on the traveling fist pulled the man off balance and caused him to pitch forward. Patrick took the opportunity to knee him in the crotch, and then a sharp twist of the attacking hand made him yelp and drop to the ground again, where he lay writhing and groaning in pain. He cowered when Patrick walked up and stood over him. "Now you're going to tell me why you were hitting him" Patrick said, pointing to the young man. "He's a fag!" the larger man snarled between groans. "He came on to me." "How did he do that?" "He asked if I knew the time'" "That was it? And you decided that he's homosexual?" "I could tell just by looking at him." "All he did was ask you the time." "That's what these fags do. They ask you for a light or they want to know the time." "You seem to have an intimate knowledge of gay culture." The man apparently missed the implication of Patrick's remark, because his only response was to complain "You broke my hand." "All I did was sprain your wrist. Well maybe I did break it a little. You're lucky I didn't break your neck." Then pointing again to the young man: "Did he say anything else?" "I didn't give him a chance." "So he asked you the time and you hit him, like this?" He hit the man below the left eye, duplicating an injury he had seen on the victim. "And this?" connecting with the man's nose, duplicating another injury. "And after you knocked him to the ground I saw you kick him in the head, like this," drawing back his foot. The man put up a defensive arm. Patrick waited until the man decided that Patrick had changed his mind and lowered the arm before delivering the kick. "Please" the man begged, "No more." "Sit up" Patrick ordered. When the man didn't comply fast enough, Patrick repeated the command at a shout. With difficulty the man sat up, running the back of his uninjured hand under his bloody nose. "Give me your wallet." The man handed it over and said submissively: "Take the money but please, leave my ID and my credit cards." "I'm not going to take anything" Patrick told him, searching through the contents. "All I want is to find out who you are and where you live." He used his smartphone to snap a picture of the man's photo ID, which included a home address. Then he threw the wallet into the gutter, deliberately aiming at a muddy puddle. "If you ever even threaten him" he warned, "I'll find out about it. And what I did to you today will be mild compared to what I'll do to you then. After that, I'll tell all your friends I did it because you propositioned me. You'd like to proposition men, wouldn't you? You're attracted, and because you're an ignorant bigot you think it's wrong and you hate it. That's why you attack gay men, you think that by beating them up you'll beat the feelings out of yourself. Well it won't work. Now get out of here." He didn't have to repeat that command; the man hurriedly got up, retrieved his muddy wallet, and limped away. Patrick went back to the young man, who had been watching wide-eyed. Squatting, Patrick looked at him more closely and realized that although his fully-developed body suggested that he was in his early twenties his small stature, soft features, and smooth skin were more like those of someone in his mid-teens. The impression of youth was enhanced by big brown eyes that would not be out of place on a young doe. Patrick decided that in front of him was not a young man, but rather a teenage boy. A very cute teenage boy, he noticed, whose auburn hair matched the color of those eyes. "What's your name?" The boy seemed dazed, and it took a few moments before he roused himself and answered: "Colton." The delay was not a good sign. "Are you dizzy, or nauseous, is there a ringing in your ears?" Colton slowly shook his head no. Patrick looked at the boy's pupils to see if they were the same size, and then began moving his finger, saying "Keep your head still and follow my finger with your eyes." After that, he asked a series of questions that would test memory and cognition. The results gave him confidence that most likely there was no brain concussion. Handing Colton a handkerchief, he said "Hold this under your nose to catch the blood." Then he helped him to stand. The top of Colton's head came barely past his chin. "Can you walk?" Colton took a few steps and said "Yeah. Wow, if you hadn't come along ... just saying thanks seems ... not enough." "Saying thanks is plenty. Come on, I'll take you home. Where do you live?" "That's ok, I'm all right now." "No you're not, you're a mess. How old are you?" A pause. "Twenty one." "Very funny. What are you, sixteen?" With lowered head: "Eighteen." Patrick tilted the boy's head up so they were looking directly at each other. "Eighteen, or sixteen going on eighteen?" "I'm really eighteen. A month ago. I know I look younger." "Do you live with your parents?" "Yeah." "Do they know you're gay?" Colton looked surprised. "Why do you think..." Patrick cut him off: "Are you gay?" A long pause. "Well..." "I take that as a yes. Do they know?" Realizing that there was no use trying to hedge any longer, Colton told him "They've never asked, but I think they suspect. How did you..." "And you don't want them to see you like this because you're afraid to tell them why." Another pause, but not as long. "Yeah." "Well I can't leave you here. Do you have a friend who lives nearby who can get you cleaned up so you'll look a little better when you get home? And who can maybe check you over?" "No." "Then I'm taking you to my place. You can call home from there." "I don't want to put you to any more trouble. You must have other things to do." "They can wait. Stop arguing." Patrick gripped Colton's upper arm and urged him toward the car. He went along meekly. As they drove, Colton asked: "What should I tell my parents?" Patrick was pleased that the boy was seeking his counsel. He wanted to help. "Do you think your parents love you?" "Yes." "Unconditionally?" "I never thought about it. I believe that they do, but I don't know if..." "Then I think you should trust them and tell the truth. But if you're afraid to do that, you can say you were mugged and you stopped at a friend's place to get cleaned up." Colton gave it some thought and decided: "I'll say I was mugged." As soon as they got into the house, Patrick rolled two tissues into tight cylinders and pushed them high into Colton's nostrils. "Ow! Ow!" Colton yelled, and brought his hands up to pull them out. Patrick grabbed the hands. "Leave them there. They'll stop the bleeding." Next, he got two ice packs from the freezer, handed one to Colton, and directed him to put it over the developing black eye. Then he carefully ran examining fingers through the boy's silken hair. "Put the other one here" he said, lightly pressing a spot that made Colton wince. "This is the biggest lump. The ice will minimize the swelling." He now examined Colton's face more closely. "Except for your black eye and some bruises, your face isn't in bad shape" he said. "I'm going to take your shirt off so I can check for upper body damage." He began unbuttoning the shirt. Where does it hurt?" Colton snorted through the tissues, causing some blood to trickle out. "Everywhere." Once Colton's shirt was off, Patrick raised his T-shirt and examined his torso. "You're black and blue in a bunch of places, but I don't see any bleeding. I'm going to check for rib fractures and internal damage. This might hurt." He pressed a number of spots on Colton's chest, abdomen, and back. Colton grimaced once or twice. "I don't feel anything out of kilter" Patrick announced, "so I don't think there are any broken bones, and you're not behaving as if an internal organ is damaged. But if you develop a persistent pain, or your pee is an unusual color, have your parents get you to an emergency room right away. Now stand up, I'm going to take your pants off." Colton blushed but made no objection. There were more bruises on the boy's thighs and legs, but no bleeding and no evidence of broken bones there either. "Did he hit you in the crotch?" "Only once, I think. He was hitting me in so many places I'm not sure." Patrick began to pull down Colton's briefs. At the sound of a gasp from Colton and a deepening blush, Patrick smiled and said "Hey, relax, my intentions are honorable." Then he drew the briefs down to the middle of Colton's thighs. After a quick visual examination, he said: "Your testicles will ache for a few days, but they should be fine after that. If they continue to hurt or either one swells up, see a doctor." He then turned Colton around and examined the boy's buttocks. They seemed to be the one area that was undamaged. And very attractive. Patrick was strongly tempted to caress that shapely rear end, but he managed to resist. "Ok" he said, pulling up the briefs, "You fared better than I thought at first. I'll help you get dressed and then you need to call home and tell them you're ok, before they get worried." When Colton was fully dressed, Patrick showed him to a phone and walked away to give him some privacy. Bits and pieces of the conversation drifted to Patrick as he waited in the next room: "... should have seen the way Patrick ... warned him never to ... a friend ... happened to be passing ..." A few minutes into the conversation, Colton called to Patrick and handed him the phone. "They want to talk to you." Patrick identified himself and assured Colton's parents that their son didn't seem to be severely injured. After telling them that he would bring Colton home shortly, he took him into the bathroom, cleaned his face of the dirt and dried blood, and combed his hair. When they were finished, Colton asked: "Can I take you to dinner tomorrow, or whenever you're free?" "That isn't necessary." "It is necessary. I owe you big time. You probably saved my life. Taking you to dinner is nothing much, but it's all I can think of right now." "You don't owe me anything. When I was in high school I used to get beat up regularly by the class bully. He made my life miserable until I learned some martial arts and spent a lot of evenings and weekends at the gym. The next time he tried to mess with me was the last time; after that he gave me a wide berth. Today when I came around the corner and saw what was going on, I waded in to stop a brutal beating, but when I learned what a vicious son of a bitch I was dealing with, I took satisfaction in giving him some of what he deserves. He'll be limping around with aching balls for a week, and he won't be doing much with his wrist for quite a while. That's ample reward for me, and I hope it gives you some satisfaction too." Notwithstanding what Patrick had just said, Colton insisted: "It does, and that's all the more reason I have to do something to show my appreciation. Please." Patrick threw his hands up, but he was smiling. "Have it your way." "So can I take you to dinner?" Patrick's smile turned mischievous. "Are you asking me out?" "Yes" Colton answered, and then his face turned red. "Wait, no! I mean, not on a date." "Oh. Too bad." Seeing Colton's jaw drop, he explained: "If you were asking me for a date, the answer would be yes. But if dinner is all you have in mind, that's ok. It won't hurt my feelings." "Uh ... wait a minute. You're gay?" "Yup. And you're very cute, even with the messed-up face. Besides, I like you." "You are? I am? You do? Then yeah! I am asking you for a date!" "Good. If your parents give their permission, I'll let you take me out." "Why do you need my parents' permission?" "I'm older than you, and technically you're not yet an adult. So I have to ask." Chapter 2 On the drive to Colton's house, Patrick learned that he was in his sophomore year at a local college, studying toward a degree in physics with a minor in mathematics, and Colton learned that Patrick was a computer-programming team leader. Suddenly Colton asked: "How did that guy know I'm gay?" "He didn't. He's attracted to men and it terrifies him. He expresses the fear as anger. He may very well attack anyone he finds reason to suspect is gay. Provided that he's sure he'll win; he's a coward. In your case he made an assumption based simply on being asked the time. If it's any consolation, the effort to hide his desires from everyone including himself makes his life an unrelenting misery." "How did you know I was gay?" "I didn't know for certain, and ordinarily I would have considered it none of my business. I asked in this case because I like you and I think you're cute. I wanted to know whether you were datable. When you told me you are gay, I tried to decide how long I should wait before asking you out. Then you solved the problem for me." Just then, they pulled up at Colton's house. He turned to Patrick and said "Please come in. My parents want to meet you." "Sure." They had not yet reached the door when it was flung open and Colton's mother rushed out to hug her son. She kissed him on the cheek and asked "Are you alright, sweetheart? Oh your poor eye." "I'm fine, mom" Colton replied, although her hug had caused him to wince in pain. He pointed at Patrick. "Thanks to him." She ran over to Patrick and planted a big wet kiss on his cheek. "We're very grateful to you" she said. Colton's father was standing in the doorway. He walked out and hugged Colton too, then stood back and looked him up and down. "Yes, I think you'll survive" he said, smiling. "Oh my goodness!" Colton's mother shouted. "How rude of us to have you standing out here! Please come inside." Colton's father put his arm around his son, waved the others into the house, and walked in after them, speaking softly to the boy. When they were all inside, he went to Patrick and shook his hand. "My name is Harry. We're forever indebted to you for rescuing Colton. I'm honored to be shaking the hand of a hero." "Thank you, but I'm no hero" Patrick replied. "What you did was very courageous." "Not at all. I knew I could take down that gorilla with one hand." "He could have had a weapon." "I didn't think about that." "Exactly. That's what separates a hero from everyone else: When a hero sees someone in trouble, he takes action without considering his own risk." He put his arm around Patrick's shoulder. "Let's go into the Den, I want to show you something." After shutting the door, Harry said "I brought you in here because I wanted to talk to you in private. Colton's injuries are not consistent with a mugging." Patrick stood silent, trying to think of an acceptable reply to the implied question. He didn't want to cause trouble for Colton or heartache for his parents. Hearing no answer, Harry asked: "Was my son attacked because he's gay?" Patrick couldn't immediately think of a reply. "Yes, we know" Harry told him. We haven't said anything to him because he's not ready to talk about it yet. At least not to us. Do you know whether he initiated the contact?" "If you mean did he approach the man for sex, he didn't. The attacker was a homophobic lunatic. He said that Colton asked if he knew the time, and he took it as a come-on." "I'm relieved to hear that it wasn't Colton's doing" Harry said. "I was worried that he might be soliciting men." "Even from my brief contact with him today, I'm certain he doesn't do that" Patrick assured him. "Brief contact. Today. So you just met him." Patrick was horrified that he had unwittingly revealed Colton's lie. He began to try explaining. Harry interrupted: "Don't worry, you haven't ratted him out. It was too much of a coincidence that a friend he had never told us about just happened along." He paused, but Patrick could tell that there was more. After a pause, Harry continued: "Do you know what microexpressions are?" "No." "They're fleeting movements of the facial muscles in response to emotion. I'm a student of the field, it's useful in my work. When I let on that I knew my son is gay, I saw a whole parade of microexpressions: surprise, uncertainty, and something I didn't expect: embarrassment. So I have another question, and I apologize in advance if you consider it impertinent ... considering ..." He paused, apparently trying to choose the right words. Patrick didn't let him struggle any longer: "It's not impertinent; you want to know what sort of man your son might be taking up with. The answer is yes I'm gay. As to your next question, yes I'm attracted to Colton. And as to your probable third question, he has invited me to dinner and I told him that if his parents give their permission I'll accept." How Patrick Met Colton Harry smiled. "You're three for three on anticipating my questions, and you've given me straight answers. I admire both your perceptiveness and your honesty. As well as your consideration in asking our permission." "You're flattering the hell out of me." Harry waved away his objection. "I'm telling you what I see. Do you intend things to go further than this one dinner?" "I'd like them to, but that will be up to Colton. Understandably, he has a crush on me right now, so I could push things along, but I can see that he's emotionally fragile and I don't want to risk doing something that could hurt him. That's the last thing I would want. I'm going to let him guide the relationship." Harry gazed intently at Patrick. "So this is more than attraction. You really care for him." "Yes I do." "But you've only known him for a few hours." "Yes, and this is a first for me. I've never developed such warm feelings this quickly for anyone. But there's something so appealing about Colton, so engaging, that it draws me in and makes me want to treat him with extraordinary tenderness." Harry put a hand on Patrick's shoulder. "I've been hoping that he would take up with someone like you." "You are so giving me a swell head." Harry laughed. "There's no danger of that, you're not the type. Most people would bask in the compliments and praise I've given you, but you rejected it all. You're remarkably free of egotism. Now is there anything else you want to tell me?" "There is: When I checked Colton over I didn't see any obvious signs of a brain concussion, but he's been kicked in the head so he should be seen by a neurologist." Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're an expert on brain concussions?" "No, but my brother plays professional football and he gets slammed around a lot. I've learned to recognize the major signs." "I see. Are there any red flags we should look for, anything that would say 'get him to an emergency room right away'? "Yes. They're easy to recognize: Dizziness, disorientation, nausea, trouble concentrating or remembering, unusual mood swings. Any one of those things could mean big trouble." "I think I read that you shouldn't let someone with a concussion fall asleep." "That's what we used to be told, because there was a fear that it would develop into coma, but they've since found that sleep isn't dangerous, and in fact it's therapeutic." "That's good to know." "Having him examined for possible internal organ damage would also be worthwhile." "Thank you for all the advice, we'll follow it. Anything else?" "One more thing. You can see that I'm significantly older than Colton. I'm eight years older to be exact. Does that present a problem for you?" "Not in your case. I don't know whether it will eventually bother Colton, that will depend on whether the two of you can find enough in common. You're not a full generation apart, but the gap between eighteen and twenty six is a lot greater than if he were, say, thirty five and you were forty three. Anything else?" "That's everything." "Any questions for me?" "Just one. You said that noticing microexpressions is useful in your work. What is it you do?" "I'm a forensic psychologist. Law enforcement agencies often call on me for help with criminal profiling and to participate in interrogations." "Law enforcement. That's how you knew Colton's injuries were not consistent with a simple mugging." "Right. Any other questions?" "No, that's it for me." "Then we'd better go rejoin the others or they'll think something happened to us. I'll tell Colton that he has our permission to take you to dinner." Colton wanted to make the date for the following evening, but Patrick said no. "First things first: Your parents are going to have you checked out for hidden injuries during the next few days. If you get a clean bill of health, we can go out Saturday evening. That won't be a school night for you. Or do you need the weekend for study?" Colton barely waited until Patrick had stopped speaking before he replied "Saturday would be perfect. I can get my homework done earlier in the day." ======= The medical examinations confirmed that despite the ferocity of the attack, Colton had not sustained any significant injury. So that Saturday evening, Patrick picked Colton up and followed his directions to the restaurant. On the way, he glanced at the black patch that was covering Colton's healing black eye. "Very stylish" he remarked. When they arrived at the restaurant and Patrick looked around, he said "This is an upscale place. I can't let you pay here, you're still in college." Colton grinned and said "My dad is paying. He gave me his credit card to use tonight, and said to treat you well. He likes you a lot." Under his breath, he bashfully added "So do I." After they had ordered and were waiting for their appetizers, Colton said: "I'm curious about something: Yesterday you told me that you asked if I was gay because you knew I probably was. Is that what they call gaydar?" "I don't know, maybe it is. Or maybe gaydar just means being observant. I couldn't tell you exactly what the clues were, I just had an overall impression." They chatted throughout the meal. Colton wanted to know about Patrick's work as a computer programming team leader, and Patrick was interested in Colton's studies. That took up most of the conversation, because although Patrick broached other topics, Colton didn't have much to say about those. When Patrick pulled the car to the curb at Colton's house, he said: "Thank you for dinner, and thank your father for me. Now I hope you consider us even." Colton put his hand on the door handle but made no immediate move to leave the car. Patrick could see that there was something on his mind. He waited. There was a minute of silence before Colton spoke. "Thank you for spending time with me. I enjoyed your company. I'm sorry I don't have your wide knowledge of literature and the arts, I hope I wasn't too much of a drag." Patrick had an impulse to put a reassuring hand on Colton's shoulder; but he didn't want to startle him. "You weren't a drag at all. Would you like to go out again next Saturday?" A wide smile spread across Colton's face. "Yes." "Good. My treat this time." They began having dinner together every Saturday. Patrick always insisted on paying. When Colton tried to protest, he said: "You're in college and I'm making a hefty salary, so I'm paying." Sitting in the car at Colton's house at the end of their fourth date, Patrick could see that Colton was uneasy. "What is it?" he asked. Colton sat silently looking straight ahead, struggling with a decision. Then he turned to Patrick: "Can I kiss you?" "I'd like that." Colton leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Patrick's mouth. Patrick was thrilled by the teenager's warm, soft lips. He wanted to return the kiss, but he remembered his promise, so instead he said: "Til next Saturday?" "Don't you want to kiss me back?" "I sure do" Patrick told him. "I didn't know whether it would spook you." Then he pulled Colton in for a kiss. It made Colton shiver with delight, and it made Patrick hard. After that, they kissed at the end of every date. As the weeks went by, the kisses grew numerous and passionate, but as much as they aroused Patrick and tempted him to try for more, he kept to his promise and did nothing that Colton had not initiated or requested. The only liberty he took was to hold the back of Colton's head as they kissed. When Patrick picked him up for their sixth date, a jubilant Colton told him: "I came out to my parents. I was a little scared, but they hugged me and said they've known for a long time. They didn't let on because they wanted me to tell them." "I'm glad you did" Patrick replied. "I knew they would be fine with it. They love you very much." Chapter 3 Patrick and Colton had been going out for two months when one evening on the way home from their date, Colton asked: "If my parents say it's ok, (a long pause) can I sleep at your house tonight?" Patrick was elated. "Yes, I'd love to have you stay over. I'll wait in the car while you ask them." As Colton was getting out of the car, Patrick said "Hey, I want them to know that I didn't push you into this. Explain that I said you're more than welcome to stay over but it was your idea. And let them know I have a guest room." Within two minutes, Colton ran back to the car and jumped in, smiling broadly. "They said yes! Let's go. My father told me they were trading guesses about how long it would be before I asked." Patrick laughed. "That's good, speedy, but where's your stuff? Or are you planning to stay in those clothes overnight and tomorrow?" "Oh!" Colton shouted, "I was so excited I forgot! I'll be right back!" He bolted into the house and came running back out shortly afterward with a small suitcase. The corner of a shirt was sticking out of one side. Patrick looked at the suitcase. "You didn't tuck in your shirt." Colton ran his hand around his beltline and gave Patrick a quizzical look. Patrick pointed to the side of the suitcase, and Colton gave him a sheepish grin. As they were walking toward the door of Patrick's house, Patrick suddenly stopped. "Colton, you're practically vibrating. You don't need to be nervous, this is an overnight visit, nothing more. There's no rush to do anything. Do you understand?" "Yeah. Thanks" Colton answered, visibly relaxing. "Have you ever dated anyone?" "No." "Or been with anyone? You know what I mean." "Yes, I know what you're asking. No I haven't." "That explains a lot." They watched television for a while and then sat and chatted. When it got late, Patrick said: "I think we should both be getting to bed." "Could we have a drink first?" "Still nervous?" "A little bit." "Can you tell me what's troubling you?" "I ... wanted to ask you something, and I think alcohol would help." "I can't give you alcohol, you're not 21. But ask me anyway. I promise that I'll understand." Colton sat uncertainly for a few moments before speaking. Then: "I want to sleep with you. Next to you I mean." Patrick had misgivings. "I would love that, but I said to tell your parents about the guest room so they wouldn't think we were intending..." "I know. All I want to do is sleep next to you." Patrick smiled. "Alright." Colton went to the guest room, where he undressed and put on pajamas. Even though Patrick had seen him naked, the thought still embarrassed him. Arriving in the bedroom, he found Patrick in briefs. Patrick looked at him and said: "Oh. I'm sorry, I don't have pajamas, but if this would make you uncomfortable I can wear a sweat suit." Colton barely heard; he was entranced: When Patrick was fully dressed, it was apparent that he had a good build. Now however, with his body more fully displayed, Colton could see just how good it was: Patrick was muscular, with well-defined biceps and pectorals, strong thighs, and well-formed feet. When he turned to get a sweat suit out of a drawer, his flat belly and curvaceous rear end completed the picture. Colton noticed for the first time too, how handsome he was. This vision of beautiful manhood reminded Colton of Michelangelo's classic statue, 'David'. Colton was both captivated and disquieted by the prospect of having this breathtaking hunk of man lying beside him clad only in briefs. He had to make a decision quickly. He did: "What you have on is fine." Patrick got into bed on the side opposite Colton, leaving a wide space between them. He shut off the bedside lamp and pulled the blanket up. A while later, he was roused from a light sleep by Colton's whispered question: "Are you awake?" He was tempted to say 'I am now', but instead he answered "Yes." "Would you hold me?" "Nothing would make me happier" he replied, and opened his arms. Colton shifted over and sank into Patrick's embrace. Patrick kissed him on top of the head and whispered "Goodnight, sweet boy." "Goodnight" Colton replied, and kissed Patrick's chest. ======= Patrick awoke at dawn, and looked down at the boy who was sleeping quietly in his arms. "You're adorable" he whispered, as he ran his fingers through Colton's hair." Colton opened his eyes, spent a moment in confusion, and then he remembered where he was. He turned and smiled up at Patrick, who smiled back at him, said "Good morning," and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "It sure is" he murmured sleepily, snuggling up and kissing Patrick's neck. They lay there drowsing for a while. Then Patrick suggested "How about breakfast?" Colton groaned. "Can't we stay like this a while longer?" he pleaded, snuggling closer. "Alright" Patrick agreed, but I'm getting hungry." Colton just grinned, closed his eyes, and grunted contentedly. ======= After breakfast, Colton asked: "Can I sleep over next Saturday?" One look at Patrick's face and he knew the answer even before Patrick said: "I was hoping you would." ======= As soon as they got into bed the following week, Colton started to speak: "Patrick, I'd ... like to ..." He stopped. "What is it? What would you like?" "I'd like to ... go further with you, but ... " He stopped again. "But you're scared." Yeah. Kind of." "I know, sweet boy" Patrick said, running a hand tenderly over Colton's cheek, "I know. Everyone is scared at first." "Were you?" "I was terrified. But you don't have to be. You're the one who's going to set the pace. Just follow your instincts and remember there's no rush. We won't do anything until you're ready." "Patrick, you're the best." "What do you want to do now?" "... I don't know." "Then we won't do anything more tonight." He held his arms out. Colton moved in and lay down with his head against Patrick's chest. Patrick stroked the back of Colton's head and said "I'm glad you're here again." "So am I" Colton replied. He lay quiet for a few minutes, but then he began running his hands over Patrick's brawny back. "You feel nice." "May I do that?" Patrick asked him. "I would like it." Patrick slipped his hands up inside the pajama shirt and onto Colton's baby-smooth skin. He caressed Colton's shoulders and then worked his way downward, stopping just above Colton's behind. Colton too had gotten down that far but he didn't want to stop. When he reached the waistband of Patrick's briefs, he asked: "May I?" Patrick gave him a soft kiss and answered "Of course." Colton slid his hands inside the back of the briefs and explored the warm, firm cheeks. After a minute, he asked "Do you want to feel mine?" "Very much" Patrick told him, sliding his hands into the back of the pajama pants and gently squeezing the two pliant mounds as he kissed Colton. He chuckled silently when he became aware of something pushing on his belly. He looked down, and as he suspected, the head of Colton's solidly-erect penis was sticking out beyond the waistband of the pajama pants. His own penis was in the same state. Colton rubbed his body against Patrick and murmured pleasurably as he began kneading Patrick's buttocks. Suddenly he moaned and stopped. Knowing what that indicated, Patrick said "Just let it happen." Colton resumed, and within a minute Patrick felt the first warm blast of Colton's semen on his chest. It triggered his own ejaculation. As they lay there afterward, Colton kissed him and said "That was great. Thank you for letting me cum." "I loved feeling your warm cum landing on me" Patrick replied. Colton nestled his head under Patrick's chin, and before long they both drifted off. ======= Patrick awoke the next morning lying on his back, having turned in his sleep. Colton's head was now resting on Patrick's chest, but his hands were underneath Patrick, still holding those firm cheeks. Patrick smiled tenderly and tried to decide what he could do today for this enchanting boy. At breakfast, Colton seemed preoccupied. Patrick asked him what was troubling him. "Is it something I've said, or done?" "Oh no" Colton answered. "It's not you, Patrick, you're wonderful. "Then what is it?" Colton -" ... I didn't really finish my homework. I mean I did finish, except for one calculus problem that I can't figure out. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would cancel our date and insist that I stay home and work on it. One unsolved problem isn't that important, it's just ... it's bothering me I guess ." "Can I help?" "I don't think so. It's a problem in complex variables." "They're putting complex variables into a sophomore-year course? What's the homework problem?" Colton looked at him skeptically. "Ok. I have to calculate i raised to the power i." "They shouldn't be giving you things like that yet. It's too advanced." "This is the instructor's first year. I think he just got his PhD and he's never taught before." "This isn't just inexperience; he's a schmuck with no judgment." And after standing in silent thought for a minute: "The answer to your homework problem is e to the minus pi over 2." Colton looked at him in disbelief. "How do you get that?" "By visualizing where i is in the complex plane. Here, I'll show you." He took a piece of paper, drew two axes, and showed Colton how he had done the calculation. "Wow! Why didn't he teach us that method? And how do you know about complex variables, I thought you were a computer programmer." "My undergraduate degree was in computer science but I got interested in number systems, so I went on to a master's in math. And he didn't teach you that approach because as I told you, he's a schmuck with no judgment. He shouldn't be in front of a class; he should be stuck away somewhere doing mathematical analyses." Colton hugged him. "What other secret knowledge are you hiding?" ======= The following Saturday, Patrick arrived a little earlier than usual and informed Colton that they were going ice skating. Colton responded with a weak "Ok." "Don't you like to ice skate?" "I've never been on ice skates. Or any skates." "Wouldn't you like to try it?" "I guess so." "What I'm hearing is: 'No but I'll do it if you want me to'." "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be negative" Colton said, "It's just that ... I'm afraid of looking like a dork." Then, seeing how disappointed Patrick was, he thought for a moment and added: "But you know, I think it's time I stopped worrying about what people think. Yes I do want to go ice skating. So I'll be clumsy. So big deal." "Bravo" Patrick said, putting an arm around him and giving his shoulder a quick squeeze. At the rink, Colton was tense when they went out onto the ice, but Patrick held him steady for the first few circuits. Then he let go. Left on his own, Colton was shaky. His balance and control improved each time he went around, but he fell frequently. Patrick stayed close so that each time, after laughing, he could pick Colton up and support him during the subsequent pass around the rink. "You like it when I fall" Colton complained, though he was grinning. "You do look particularly cute sprawled on the ice with your arms and legs flung wide" Patrick told him, "but what I really like is keeping you upright afterward. It's an excuse to hold you in public. Have you noticed that I hold you closer than necessary?" That evening Patrick was about to get into bed when Colton went around to his side and asked "Please stay here a minute." Patrick stood waiting, trying to anticipate what Colton might have mind. Colton sank to his knees. He reached around and put his hands on Patrick's briefs-covered cheeks as he pressed his open mouth against the bulge at the front of the briefs. Feeling Patrick's penis growing rapidly under the cloth, he drew back and pulled at the waistband, slowly lowering it in front. How Patrick Met Colton Patrick's penis was erect, and having been freed, it pointed directly at Colton's face. The dark pink crown was inches away, the soft surface with its little beveled slit was calling to him. He looked at it and said "Oh Patrick, it's beautiful! Can I lick it?" Patrick nodded his head 'yes'. Starting at the base, Colton swiped his tongue along the shaft, eliciting a rapturous coo from Patrick. He put his hand under Patrick's smooth testicles and held them as he returned to the base, from where he licked upward once more, this time continuing onto the purpling crown and stopping when he reached the slit. His tongue was greeted by a drop of liquid. He pulled back and looked. More liquid was oozing out. He moved forward and licked. Patrick was standing absolutely still with his head thrown back and his eyes closed. "You'd better stop that" he warned, "or you'll make me cum." Colton wasn't yet prepared to take a blast of semen, so he pulled his head away. But then he grasped the penis and turned it upward to watch the clear liquid issue copiously from the slit and run down the firm shaft. He spread the slippery fluid over the shaft and began stroking. Patrick's deep breathing told him that he was doing it right. Less than a minute later he felt the penis twitch in his hand as the first white spurt shot into the air. Stroking faster, he was treated to a display like that of a monochromatic Roman candle as spurt after white spurt rocketed upward and then fell. He stroked and stared in fascination until the spectacle had ended and Patrick let out a long, satisfied sigh before slipping his hands under Colton's shoulders and lifting him upright. He kissed Colton deeply and lovingly. "That was marvelous." Colton began: "Now do you want me to ..." Patrick put a finger to Colton's lips. "That's not the right question. And nothing more tonight. We have plenty of time." He pulled up the front of his briefs and got into bed, urging Colton into his arms. Colton got in and snuggled up. As they lay holding each other, he asked: "What is the right question?" "The right question is not what do I want, it's what do you want" Patrick said. Then he kissed Colton softly. "Now go to sleep." Colton hugged him tightly and said "I love you." "I love you too, Colton." When someone tells us that they love us, we usually feel obliged to respond in kind even if we're not sincere. But for Patrick it was true: He did love Colton, and he was astonished that it had happened in so short a time. Some of his friends seemed to fall in love at the drop of a hat, but he was never that impulsive even in his teens. Yet now, at age 26, after only two months he was helplessly in love with this shy, doe-eyed boy. ======= As Patrick dropped Colton off at his house the next day, Colton haltingly told him: "Um ... I asked my parents if I could ... sleep at your house every Saturday night. I hope that was ok. They said they're fine with it if it's alright with you. Maybe I should have asked you first." Patrick was taken aback by Colton's unilateral action. "Yes you should have" he replied, a bit testily. Colton turned pale. In a voice just short of breaking, he said "I'm sorry." Patrick immediately regretted sounding so harsh. He had meant to be emphatic but not frightening. Now speaking softly, he said: "Colton, you knew what my answer would be: It's more than alright with me." Colton exhaled; he had actually been holding his breath. Having now calmed the boy, Patrick didn't want the lesson to be lost: "But you should have asked me first, if only out of courtesy." "I'm sorry" Colton repeated dejectedly. Patrick gave him a parting kiss. "Apology accepted. Don't do it again. I'll talk to you during the week." Chapter 4 On Wednesday, Patrick called to say that he would be arriving in midafternoon that Saturday. He instructed Colton to wear the tightest sneakers he had. He wouldn't say why. Saturday arrived and at 3 PM so did Patrick, wearing sneakers. He squeezed the toe end of the sneakers Colton was wearing, pronounced them appropriate, and drove Colton to a building with a sign that read "Indoor Adventures." "What is this place?" Colton asked. "You'll see." Inside, Patrick paid the lady at a reception desk and they proceeded to another room. The room was enormous, and when Colton looked up at the distant ceiling, he turned toward Patrick. "Six storeys high" Patrick told him in answer to his unspoken question. "About sixty feet." The wall on the far side of the room seemed to be made of rock, until they got closer and Colton saw that the rock was artificial. Set in the wall were small, flat-topped protrusions of various shapes, located randomly or so it seemed. Hanging down from the ceiling, at intervals along the wall, were pairs of ropes. One rope in each pair ended in a harness. Colton again turned a questioning face to Patrick. "This is an indoor rock-climbing facility" Patrick told him, "the biggest in the area. The tight sneakers are so your toes will be up against the front to give you a firm grip even on the smaller outcroppings. The rope is looped over a pulley at the top and the other end comes back down to form the safety line. One of those men" he gestured to two men wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the company name, "is assigned to each climber. He takes in the safety line as you climb, and if you start to fall he grips the line and holds it to stop you. We'll have the fun of rock climbing without the danger. This is one of three rooms, and it's for intermediate-level climbers. Even though you've never climbed, I figured that you should be able take this level on. Are you game?" Colton was intrigued. "Yeah!" When the assistants had helped them into the harnesses and confirmed that they were properly secured, each assistant took hold of a safety line and shouted: "On belay!" "What is belay?" Colton asked. "It's rock-climbing terminology" Patrick informed him. "It means they've got a firm hold on the ropes and can stop any fall. Ready? I'll race you to the top." And with that, he placed the tip of a sneaker on one of the lowest protrusions and began climbing. Colton scrambled after him, doing his best to find good toe-holds. His climb was made more difficult because every time he looked up and saw the undulating cheeks of Patrick's captivating behind above him, he was distracted and had to force his attention back to the wall. He reached the top almost a two minutes after Patrick, and said "No fair, you must have done this before!" Patrick laughed. "Just once, but ok that does give me a slight advantage. By the way, I should have asked if you're afraid of heights." "I'm not." "Then look down." Colton looked. The floor seemed a long way off. "How do we get back down?" "If we were on a real rock face, we might rappel. You wrap the rope around you and go back down in jumps, playing out the rope and using the friction to control your speed. It's exhilarating, but it's dangerous because it puts a lot of strain on the rope. Also it requires heavy clothes and gloves, otherwise the heat from the friction will burn you. Rappelling is not allowed here; we push away from the wall and the safety men lower us." "You know a lot about rock climbing for someone who said you'd only done it once." "I've been here only once. I've gone rock climbing outside a number of times." "Aha! You cheated!" Patrick smiled. "Guilty ... Do you want to come back?" "Yeah! This is fun!" ======= When they got back to Patrick's house, they both took showers and then Patrick called a local restaurant for takeout. As they watched television after dinner, Patrick noticed that Colton was periodically trying to stifle a yawn. "We've had an active day" he said. "Ready for bed?" "Definitely." Patrick went to his bedroom and was pulling back the covers on the bed when he turned and saw that Colton had followed him in. Colton walked up to him. "Would you undress me?" "With pleasure" Patrick's answered, smiling and begin to slowly unbutton Colton's shirt. "Would you like to return the favor?" Colton smiled, said "Oh yes," and started on Patrick's shirt. After the shirts had been drawn off and thrown onto a nearby chair, Patrick unzipped Colton's fly and undid his belt, letting his pants drop and revealing his white briefs with their invitingly suggestive bulge. Patrick smiled reassuringly at Colton and slowly pulled the briefs down. Colton undid Patrick's pants, though his hands were now shaking. The pants dropped to Patrick's ankles. Meanwhile, Patrick was slowly pulling Colton's underpants down to the middle of his thighs. Colton now hesitated, and Patrick said "It's alright if you've changed your mind and don't want to do this." "I do want to" Colton said, "I just need to ..." "Get up the courage?" Patrick offered. "Yes." "Take your time." Colton took hold of Patrick's waistband. After a moment's pause, he began to lower the briefs. Confronted by Patrick's erect penis, he bent down and kissed it. Then, hobbled by his own pants, which now lay pooled around his ankles, he waddled back a short way and gazed at Patrick, whose naked body was revealed to him in its entirety for the first time. He drew in his breath. "You're ... stunning!" "That's what I was just going to say about you" Patrick told him. "When I was examining you that first day, I was so focused on checking for injuries I didn't notice that your body is as gorgeous as your face." It was indeed. Colton's chest, with its two inviting pink nipples, was almost as muscular as Patrick's. It tapered down to a flat belly whose thin treasure trail led to a bush of reddish-brown hair above a circumcised penis that was draped over two plump testicles in their smooth bag. His well-developed thighs and legs showed that he must be far more active than Patrick had thought. The only reminder of his youth was that, except for his bush and the wavy auburn locks that adorned his head, his body was largely free of hair. As Patrick looked admiringly at Colton, the boy stood silent, and Patrick realized that he was waiting to be told what he should do now. "Sit down on the bed so I can take off your shoes and socks." Drawing off the second of Colton's socks, Patrick said "Even your feet are cute" and to show how taken he was with them, he lifted one and took the big toe in his mouth. "Mmm" he intoned before lowering the foot and pulling Colton's pants and underpants the rest of the way off. Patrick now sat, and Colton took off Patrick's shoes and socks. He was raising a foot to his mouth when Patrick stopped him. "Colton, don't think that because I do something, you have to do it. Do only what you want to. You won't hurt my feelings. I told you, follow your instincts." "I remember" Colton said, and continued bringing the foot to his mouth. He sucked on the big toe and then on each of the smaller ones. "Tasty" he proclaimed as he drew off Patrick's pants and underpants. Patrick got up from the bed and they stood looking at each other. "What do you want to do now?" Colton didn't answer. "Should we just go to sleep?" Finally Colton spoke: "I want to learn your body. I want to know all your contours, your tastes, your smells, everything, so I'll have them in my memory whenever you're not with me." "I'd love that. I'll take another shower." "No" Colton responded, "I want you just as you are." Patrick had never felt so loved. "And may I learn your body?" he asked. "I want you to know everything about me too." Patrick moved forward and wrapped Colton in his arms. Colton kissed him and then proceeded to lick and sniff, beginning with his face, his ears and his neck, proceeding downward from there. While he was running his hands over Patrick's smooth, meaty back he was licking and kissing his way down Patrick's powerful chest, where he spent an enjoyable minute sucking on a nipple. Meantime, his busy hands continued in back until they were on Patrick's behind. He caressed the full cheeks, murmuring delightedly. When his fingertips reached the cleft, he stopped. "You can go in if you want" Patrick whispered, continuing his own exploration. Colton slid his fingers into the warm valley between the cheeks and found Patrick's puckered hole as he felt Patrick's finger moving on the rim of his own pucker. When the finger slipped a little way inside, Colton took it as leave to push his own finger in. Patrick moaned and murmured "More ... in more." In response, Colton forced his finger past the yielding sphincter, all the way into the heat of Patrick's rectum. The little ring of muscle tightened, gripping his finger as if to draw it in further. After a few moments he pulled his finger out and sniffed at it. He was already erect, but the sweetish, musky aroma made him almost painfully hard. Patrick's finger was still inside Colton, and as he withdrew it he rubbed past Colton's prostate while giving the boy a crushing kiss. Colton grunted and opened his mouth, allowing entry to Patrick's tongue, which slid in and explored the warm, wet interior. They stood there running their hands over each other's bodies while their tongues dueled. Colton reached down and took Patrick's erection in his hand. He held it briefly before squatting and staring at it. Then he looked up and asked "Can I take it in my mouth?" Patrick shook his head. "Not yet." "I want to" Colton insisted. Patrick slowly pulled Colton to his feet, and mimicking a character in an old TV series, he intoned "It is too soon, grasshopper, you are not ready." Then, reverting to his normal voice: "There's no hurry. Let me do this tonight." He put his hands back on Colton's behind and kissed his way down the front of the boy's naked body. When he came to Colton's iron-rigid penis, he asked: "May I kiss this?" "Yes" Colton breathed. Patrick kissed the penis, which caused it to twitch and produce a large drop of clear liquid. "May I taste?" Almost in a whisper: "Yes." Patrick licked up the clear fluid. Then he took Colton's entire penis into his mouth, where it caressed the underside of the shaft. Colton gasped. The feel of Patrick's soft, warm, tongue cushioning his penis was sending waves of pleasure all through him. He trembled. Still cupping the cheeks of Colton's behind, and now squeezing rhythmically, Patrick began bringing the penis in and out, slowly increasing his pace and his travel, sucking as he went. Colton was panting. "Patrick" he warned, "I'm going to..." But he never finished the warning, because despite his effort to hold back he felt the unstoppable jets of semen surge through his stiff penis and into Patrick's mouth. Patrick kept moving his head until he had swallowed the last gush. At that point, Colton's knees gave way and he would have collapsed if Patrick hadn't caught and held him. "I guess you liked it" Patrick said, laying Colton gently on the bed and smiling down at him. "What an understatement" Colton replied dreamily, looking up at Patrick. "I was in heaven. Could you teach me how to do that?" "All in good time, grasshopper" Patrick promised, "All in good time." "Will your cum ... taste like mine?" "Everyone's is a little different" Patrick told him, and then kissed him, transferring some of what was left from Colton's ejaculation. "Now you have something to compare it with." Chapter 5 When Patrick pulled up at Colton's house for their subsequent Saturday date, Colton was waiting at the curb. He got into the car and asked eagerly: "Where are we going today? Or will it be another mystery until we get there?" "No mystery this time" Patrick responded, "I'm taking you to the opera. It's time yez got some kultcha. Colton laughed. "What makes ya think I ain't got none?" "You ain't got enough. Yez don't know nuthin about long-hair music and you ain't never been to an opera." The banter went on like that for the entire drive. The opera was Menotti's 'The Medium'. To Colton's happy surprise it was in English. It was a dark drama but it had some lovely melodic arias, and a twist at the end. Colton found it utterly engrossing, and afterward he was anxious to discuss the work. Patrick was impressed by the insightfulness of his comments and questions. At bedtime, Colton went to the guest room as usual. When he returned and entered Patrick's bedroom, Patrick was facing the other way. Colton stared admiringly, noticing in particular how Patrick's briefs hugged his cheeks and nestled a little way in at the bottom. Colton's penis immediately rose to attention. Hearing Colton come in, Patrick turned - and was transfixed. Colton was not wearing pajamas. Colton was not wearing anything. Colton was naked. And unbelievably alluring. For a full minute Patrick stood there spellbound. Then he recovered himself and began: "Do you want me to take off..." "Yes" Colton said, before Patrick had finished the question. Patrick pulled down his briefs and took them off, as Colton watched. Colton had already seen Patrick's penis, but it was even more striking as a part of that magnificent body. Patrick began to approach, but a raised hand stopped him. "Wait" Colton said. "Let me look at you." Patrick had never before been unsure of himself with Colton, but now he wondered nervously what the boy wanted to see. True, Colton had said Patrick was ... what word had he used? Oh yes: 'stunning'. So why this new inspection? Was he revising his opinion? Patrick needn't have worried, because after a pause Colton said: "I just wanted to feast my eyes on you for a minute, you big exquisite hunk." "The hunk whose heart you've stolen, you vandal" Patrick said after breathing a sigh of relief. "If I did manage to do that I'm not giving it back, because you've had mine since the day I met you." Patrick went to Colton and they kissed as he slid his hands down the back of the boy's naked body, briefly stroking the smooth, shapely buttocks and then continuing to the middle of Colton's thighs, enthralled by the smooth, yielding flesh. Colton too was at work; he was adding to his knowledge of Patrick's body, memorizing the scents, the textures, the nooks and crannies. Abruptly, Colton sank to his knees. He slipped his fingers into the grooves that marked the boundary between Patrick's belly and thighs, and that framed his bush and his inviting penis, which had been erect since Colton had come into the bedroom naked. Looking straight at it, Colton said "Patrick, I'm ready to do this." Patrick looked down at him with a concerned frown. "Are you sure?" "Yes. I'm ready and I want to." Having said that, he put his lips over the crown, moved his tongue around it once, and then brought his head forward, taking in as much as he could and running his tongue up and down the shaft. All at once he pulled back, letting the penis pop out of his mouth. He seemed to be grimacing. "Colton what's the matter?" Patrick asked in alarm. "If you've changed your mind it's alright." "No" Colton answered, wriggling his nose. "Your pubic hair tickled me." He turned his head to the side, and sneezed. Hearing Patrick's relieved laugh, he grinned and then went back to what he had started. He began taking the penis in, pulling back until it was almost all the way out, and then pressing forward again. His pace was slow at first but it gradually increased, in imitation of what Patrick had done. He was able to get a little more in each time and was finally encompassing almost the whole length, sending the crown all the way to the back of his throat. Patrick murmured blissfully each time he felt his erection enveloped in Colton's mouth. Suddenly he said "Colton pull out, I'm going to cum." Colton grunted, apparently to signal that he had heard, but he didn't stop. Seconds later a powerful gush of semen shot into his throat, followed by several more. He swallowed frantically, but by the end of the ejaculation cum filled all the spaces that were not occupied by Patrick's penis.