Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/1699499. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Walking_Dead_(TV), Walking_Dead Relationship: Rick_Grimes/Carl_Grimes Character: Rick_Grimes, Carl_Grimes Additional Tags: Alternate_Universe_-_High_School, not-related, Underage_-_Freeform, Anal Sex, Rimming, Butt_Plugs, Barebacking, Teacher-Student_Relationship, Intercrural_Sex, Insecure!Carl, Fluff, Fluff_and_Smut, Christmas_Fluff, Oral_Sex Stats: Published: 2014-05-30 Words: 14593 ****** He's My Favourite ****** by RickGrimes Summary Prompt: Rick and Carl Teacher/Student AU Carl is going into grade 9 and ends up with Rick Grimes for a teacher. Rick takes special interest in the boy because he's intelligent and attractive, yet shy. He helps the boy improve his confidence and self-esteem through after-school meetings so he can reach his full potential. (It's really smutty and fluffy.)   Carl wasn’t sure which elective to pick for his first semester in the 9th grade. He was barely done the 8th grade and the school wanted him to choose his courses for the next year. He had no idea what to choose. It was a small town, and, therefore, it had a small high school with few classes offered besides the compulsory subjects. All of the choices were acceptable, but none of them was any more appealing than another. Eventually he settled on Government and Politics, taught by a “Mr.Grimes”. He asked around in his class, but nobody had anything to say about the man either way, so Carl didn’t know what he was getting himself into. The boy was hoping for an easy elective to make up for the difficult mandatory ones. Government couldn’t be that bad.   The summer passed and gave way into autumn, and then it was Carl’s first day of high school. He didn’t know what to expect since he didn’t have an older sibling to tell him what it was like, and he didn't associate with anyone who was in high school. He was excited though, despite being nervous. His elective was all the way at the end of the day, and he thought about it often on his first day--wondering what it'd be like—especially after discovering Math, English, and Geography would be challenging. He needed this class to be easy.   Carl walked into the room at the end of the day and grabbed an available desk, sitting his binder down on the surface. He was glad not a lot of students had been in the class when he arrived. If it weren’t for Patrick, the boy he’d met first period, he wouldn’t have a single friend in the school. Unfortunately, the boy wasn’t in this class, so he had to go it alone. Who must’ve been Mr. Grimes was sitting in his desk watching the freshmen file in. Carl couldn’t read the man; he had no idea if this guy was a jackass or not. All he could tell of the man was that he was extremely well-dressed, especially for a small town high school teacher. Carl looked down at his own clothes and frowned, feeling overly casual. When everyone was seated in the classroom, Mr. Grimes closed the door and took his place at the front to address the group. “Hello everyone, I’m Mr. Grimes. This is AP Government and Politics,” he drawled, pausing to look out over the class. His eyes stopped briefly on Carl, one of the only ones paying attention, and then he continued, “Everybody in the right place?” A few kids looked panicked and asked to be redirected to their intended classrooms. Carl watched as Rick politely guided them in the right direction. The boy deemed his new teacher to be pleasant. He wasn’t concerned with the difficulty level of the class any longer since it was going to be taught by a nice guy. “Okay, I’m gonna take attendance,” he declared, picking up a folder containing the class list. Carl couldn’t help watching the man’s lips move as he pronounced each name carefully. He was efficient and thorough; Carl was impressed. Every other teacher had been coarse and disorganized. Mr. Grimes was quickly becoming his favourite teacher. “Carl,” Rick said, looking around the room. “Carl?” He repeated. “What?” Carl blurted, wondering why Mr. Grimes was speaking to him directly. He felt special that the man knew his name, but then he realized his mistake. “I mean, ‘here’,” the boy corrected. “Sorry.” Already making a bad impression on his first day. Rick laughed, checking the name on the list, “Don’t worry about it, Carl.” The man continued with the rest of the list, leaving Carl with butterflies in his stomach Rick found himself glancing at the boy throughout the remainder of the class. Carl was one of the cutest freshmen he’d ever seen, and many had passed through the school in his 15 years of teaching. Carl had dark hair on the longer side; expressive blue eyes; and enticing, pouty lips. He was small, and didn’t dress too poorly, either: skinny jeans and a button up with rolled sleeves. His near constant dear-in-headlights expression was endearing, too. Rick wondered if the kid was intelligent on top of everything. The way he’d spaced out during attendance should’ve annoyed him, but he couldn’t be mad since he could see Carl staring at his mouth the entire time. He wondered if Carl even knew he was doing it, or if he knew what it meant. Rick felt guilty for thinking of Carl in the context of someone attractive and attracted to him, but he was entitled in the privacy of his mind. He’d never experienced this with a student before, even though he knew it was easy to let happen. Carl was the first one he’d taken a second look at. He didn’t know how he felt about that.   Over the next few days, as everyone got back into the groove of school, Carl proved himself to be intelligent as well as cute. Carl barely ever raised his hand, but his homework was always done perfectly, and if Rick called on him randomly, the boy was prepared with the correct answer, even if it was muttered and reluctant. Rick could tell that Carl would need coaxing out of his shyness in the classroom, even though the boy had no trouble with confidence amongst his friends. He seemed to be the leader of the group despite his quietness. Rick admired that. He wanted to see Carl improve on the great qualities he already had. Rick wanted Carl to come into his own because he deserved it. The man just had this inexplicable interest in the boy; Rick wanted to see Carl succeed for no selfish reason. He simply liked the boy. On test day, Carl stayed until the bell, writing a good 15 minutes longer than everyone else; they’d all left as soon as they were done—not bothering to check their answers. Rick didn’t mind letting students go early so they wouldn’t have to sit in the classroom and look bored to death. Carl flipped through the pages of his test and sighed, finally getting up and approaching Rick’s desk. The boy held out his paper shyly, looking at Rick nervously. “How’d it go?” Rick asked. Carl couldn’t help but notice that the man hadn’t asked anyone else how they did, but it could just be because he was the last one there. “I think okay, but I don’t know,” Carl said honestly, chewing his lip anxiously as Rick accepted the test and flipped through the pages. The man nodded, smiling to himself and placing Carl’s test on top of the pile, “Looks just about perfect. Good job, Carl.” Carl blushed, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder, “Really? Thanks.” “You’ve got quite the brain. You’re already acin’ this class, and I bet the rest of ‘em are the same,” Rick complimented. The boy shook his head, “No, this class is my favourite, so I’m better at it. My other ones are just decent.” He kicked himself for admitting this class was his favourite. What an idiot. Rick would certainly think he was a loser now, if he didn’t already. What kind of 14 year old like Government and Politics and sucked up to the teacher? “I doubt that. No need to be modest,” Rick smiled, “I’m glad it’s your favourite class, though.” He was genuinely pleased that Carl enjoyed the class. Rick didn’t know whether Carl liked the subject or the atmosphere of the class because they could be independent things depending on the teacher. Carl shrugged, at a loss for what to say next. He was finally talking to the man one-on-one like he’d wanted to, and like he rarely got the chance to, and he couldn’t even speak. The man was so caring. Rick acted like the father he never had, and took genuine interest in him. Of course, the boy wished Rick took other interest in him as well. He hadn’t been fully aware of what his feelings were at first, but after some self-analyzing (and analyzing every moment he shared with his teacher) he figured it out. He totally had the hots for his professor. Typical. ‘Leave it to me to like someone unattainable and perfect,’ the boy criticized himself. It was an automatic thing for him to do. That being said, Carl didn’t want to look stupid in front of Rick. The boy decided to be brave even though it was painful, “I think it’s because you’re my favourite teacher,” he admitted. Rick leaned forward over his desk with an intrigued expression. Carl was really making it difficult for Rick not to be attracted to him. How was he supposed to ignore compliments like this? “Well, don’t tell anyone,” Rick whispered, mock-seriously, “You’re my favourite student.” Rick wished he could’ve documented the grin that lit up Carl’s face upon hearing that, but he’d have to settle for just remembering it. Carl recovered his expression a little late, settling the smile into a more casual one. His eyes focused on Rick’s conspiringly, “I promise.” Rick winked, “Have a good night, Carl.” “You too, Mr. Grimes,” he said. “Just so you know, my name’s Rick,” the man added, wanting the boy to know. He was still trying to figure out if Carl had a crush on him because he wanted to be sure if he was going to give any indication of his own feelings away. Not that he planned to, but that seemed to be happening already. Carl looked at Rick, trying to hide his elation. His brain was already in overdrive, trying to figure out what the man could’ve meant by this. That Rick trusted Carl with his first name meant a lot. He bet no other students knew it, but he did. Rick had also called him his favourite. He filed this way for further examination. He didn’t believe it, although every part of him wanted to. To be Rick’s favourite was unthinkable. “Good to know, Rick,” Carl tried, liking the way the name sounded leaving his mouth. He wondered if he’d be using ‘Rick’ instead of ‘Mr. Grimes’ when he moaned out alone in his room. Carl would have to try both to determine his preference. Carl didn’t know how to act the next day, given the exchange between him and Mr. Grimes the previous night. Should he act as if there was a new camaraderie between them, or act normally, and take the conversation for what it was—just a joking exchange? Rick thought about the discussion he’d had with Carl about favourites. Should he have given that much away? Did he give the boy false hope? There was hope there, but, obviously, Rick couldn’t act on anything he was feeling, so anything Carl interpreted in his words wouldn’t really matter anyways. Probably not. The whole day, Carl wondered what he’d say to Rick when he got to class. Everything seemed awkward or not right. He didn’t know if he should be friendly, or casual, or flirtatious. He scoffed at the last option. That’d be the day he came onto Rick and his feelings were accepted. The boy felt foolish for even considering the teacher as an option. Carl figured the man was probably married or at least dating someone, and even if he wasn’t…Rick probably wouldn’t want him. Carl was so busy thinking about what to do he arrived at the class without paying attention. He walked through the door on auto-pilot, his brain only concentrating enough to get him to his seat as was habit. It didn’t account for Rick standing just in the door way. The boy walked right into Rick’s chest, bouncing back a little from the impact. His surprise and his poor footing made him stumble backwards, but strong hands wrapping around his upper-arms prevented the fall. “Okay there?” Rick asked with a smile, steadying Carl “Uh, y-yeah,” the boy stammered, his face burning with embarrassment, “Thank you,” he managed. “It was the least I could do,” Rick shrugged, the movement transferring to Carl’s body since the man’s hands were still on Carl’s arms. He looked down at his hands engulfing the boy’s thin limbs, their difference in size was stark. Rick tore his hands away even though he wanted to keep them there. Carl looked like he was displeased with the missing touch. Rick hoped that’s what he saw in Carl’s expression, at least. Carl cleared his throat and practically ran away from the man. Rick had been like a strong wall of muscle. Instead of Carl knocking him back, he had essentially ricocheted off the guy. And then the feel of his large, warm hands on his body, to make matters worse. Carl was completely gone for the man. If there had been any question of whether this was a crush or just admiration, the matter was settled. The boy knew it was more than just thinking Rick was a good teacher. He wanted him. Carl sat in his desk, trying to recover from the situation, and sighed. It wasn’t any help coming to this realization, since confirming his attraction to Rick wouldn’t make the man like him more, or in the same way. Rick could see that Carl was upset, and he wondered what about their interaction had caused such a reaction. Was the boy upset at his touch? He would have to apologize at his first chance. Rick didn’t want to overstep his boundaries or make Carl uncomfortable. Sure he had a thing for the boy, but he was his teacher first. His feelings for the boy would never impact him negatively if he could help it. After class, Carl was on his way out of the door, still feeling dumb about the incident. He tried to walk out unnoticed by Rick so he wouldn’t embarrass himself again. He shut his eyes when he heard, “Carl, a word, please.” He thought he’d made it. Carl let the other students file past him. Carl walked over to the desk, not meeting Rick’s eye. He clutched his books in his hands and toed the floor with his shoe. “You’re not actin’ like yourself,” Rick began, getting up from his desk to walk around to Carl. He sat on the surface of his desk with the boy standing in front of him. “I wanted to apologize for,” he cleared his throat, “touchin’ you earlier. I shouldn’t have done that.” Carl looked up in shock, “No, that’s not why I’m upset. You didn’t do anything wrong. It was me,” he admitted, subconsciously stepping closer to Rick on the desk. If he moved any closer he’d be standing in between the man’s splayed legs. Rick looked relieved and then displeased, “What did you do wrong?” “I-“ he began with a gesture of his hand. He paused, letting his hand fall. It grazed Rick’s leg and both of their eyes immediately dropped to the touched area. “I have to go,” Carl said, walking towards the door. “You know, we’re gonna have to work on that shyness,” Rick commented before Carl could leave. He smiled at the flustered boy, knowing all he needed to. The boy nodded jerkily and left, “Goodnight, Ri- Mr. Grimes.” Rick felt bad for Carl and his nervousness. It made him feel spectacular at the same time though, to be wanted by a 14 year old—a cute one, no less—was quite a feat. Every stammer, quiet reply, shy glance, and almost touch had Rick going crazy for Carl. He wanted that boy more and more each day. He’d have to find a way to get Carl to come out of his shell so they could do what they both obviously wanted to do.   It was already nearing time for progress reports and Rick was pondering what to write on Carl’s. He was an excellent student, but he needed to participate more in class. He didn’t want to be a dick and write that on his assessment, but he had to, even if he didn’t want to make Carl feel bad. Rick wondered if maybe Carl would come into his class to talk about it. The day after the reports went home, Carl knocked on Rick’s classroom door at lunch time. “Sir?” Carl greeted with his paper in hand. Rick had been turned away from the door, but even with just a syllable, he knew it was Carl. “Carl,” he said without looking. “I wanted to talk to you.” “About?” “My grade,” Carl explained. Rick gestured for the boy to come stand by his desk. Carl placed the paper in front of the man and waited. “It’s great,” Rick said, “I don’t see the problem.” He knew exactly what Carl was talking about though. He had an A+ and all of his comments were great except a demerit next to the grade box. The demerit lowered his grade a couple percent. “Why’d you dock me?” Carl asked. Even though it was a good mark, he wasn’t happy because the demerit tainted everything. He thought Rick had liked him. Why would he do that? “Class participation,” Rick explained, apologetically, “You can bring that up easily.” Carl sighed, “I can’t.” “Why not?” Rick wondered. He knew the boy was shy, but he was so intelligent it would be a treat to have him speak out in class. It was always the smart ones that didn’t like to talk. “I don’t want to look stupid in front of everybody, or you,” Carl admitted, picking up his report card from the desk. Rick deliberated, “I could never think you’re stupid, but I could help you not to feel that way.” Carl let himself enjoy Rick’s kind words before reverting back to the negativity, “I don’t know, Mr. Grimes. How would you help?” “I’ll tell ya what. You come by after school’s done once or twice a week and I’ll work with you to ease you outta that shell. Even if it turns out it can’t be done, I’ll still knock that demerit for your efforts.” “You’re the best,” Carl said, “Thank you so much.” “Believe me, I felt guilty as hell puttin’ that demerit next to your name, but I wanted to be honest regardless of the obvious favouritism,” Rick admitted, standing up from his seat. Carl nodded, “I thought you might not like me anymore.” Carl winced at the words, realizing how insecure and obvious he sounded. He may as well just admit to Rick every thought and fantasy he’d had. Rick’s mention of favouritism didn’t go unnoticed by Carl. He wished Rick would tell it to him every day until he believed it. “I guarantee that’s not the case,” Rick assured, clapping the boy on the back and letting his hand rest between his shoulder blades before sliding off. The boy shivered, “I’ll see you in class then?” “Yes you will, and if you can stay after today, that’d be great.” He selfishly wanted more of the boy’s time. He knew Carl probably wanted to get home and play video games or something, but Rick wanted to keep him there. Cockily, he thought he was probably doing Carl a favour anyways if the boy wanted to spend time with him. “Sure, I’ll call my mom and let her know before lunch is over,” Carl agreed. Regretting mentioning his mom, as if he could look more childish. Rick waved bye to the boy. He was mildly harrowed by the mention of Carl’s mother. It reminded him just how young Carl was in general, and then compared to him. He accepted it though. Carl was the most mature teenager he’d ever met. As clichéd as it was, the boy’s innocence added a certain appeal to him. Carl was an inherently good boy, and Rick wanted to make him behave badly. Carl was eager for the meeting with Rick after school. He facilely let himself imagine that Rick set this up for him to spend time with the man; it wasn’t all to do with Rick being a good guy and a caring teacher. Carl was insecure, but he couldn’t help but notice all the extra attention he got. Then again, it could’ve just been pity. ‘If I wasn’t such a coward, I could just ask him,’ Carl thought. Most of the session with Rick went without issue. Rick asked Carl questions he would potentially ask in class, and Carl had to answer them at the front of the room. He had to read aloud, and then they discussed why exactly Carl was scared and shy, for which Rick provided tips and advice. Carl found it quite useful, and found that the longer he was around the man, the less nervous he felt. Rick was quite comforting past the initial intimidation. “All right, Carl. One last thing and you’re free to go,” Rick smiled. Carl waited for the instruction eagerly. “Tonight, I want you to think of somethin’ embarrassing. Something that makes you so shy you can’t stand it. Then our next meeting you tell me what it is and we’re gonna re-enact it.” “Whoa, I don’t know about that,” Carl said honestly, “I’m not ready to live my nightmares.” He tried to act casual, but the notion of sharing his fears with Rick was terrifying. He would look weak. “The point of the exercise is to work through it. Feel what you’re feelin’ and push on. After it’s done, I promise you, it won’t be so embarassin’. That’s exactly what you need to learn. You start answering one question per class. Make it a habit, and then it becomes effortless. It won’t bother you anymore…with practice.” Carl couldn’t really argue with the logic, but when he thought about the scenario Rick asked him to, he couldn’t imagine actually sharing it. “What if it’s bad? Are you sure you want to hear it?” Carl asked. “I want to help you gain confidence, Carl. This is the best way. I don’t care what it is, we’re gonna do it. The more embarassin’ the better,” Rick confirmed. He didn’t really understand how Carl’s scenario could be bad. Maybe bad for the boy since it would be terribly painful to get through if it affected the boy strongly. Rick was curious to know what would make Carl shyest. He wanted to know his limits. “Okay, I’ll think of something,” Carl said, “We’ll meet tomorrow?” Rick was pleased that the boy wanted to meet again so soon, “Sounds like a plan.”   Carl racked his brain all night for something that he absolutely could not handle. Something that made him blush furiously and made him want to hide. He could only think of Rick. The man rejecting him? That was too easy. The man seeing him naked. He couldn’t imagine the scrutiny he’d be under. Rick, no matter how good of a man, would judge him and think he was scrawny or unattractive. That made him unbearably shy, but it wasn’t like he and Rick could do a play by play of that. Carl would probably pass out, overwhelmed. He settled on some random idea of people teasing him if he got the wrong answer. That would embarrass him, so it wasn’t exactly a cop out. He was still nervous to go through it with Mr. Grimes, no matter how much it dulled in comparison to his real fear. Rick was eager for the next day’s meeting with Carl. Not only because of his company, but for the new knowledge he was going to learn about the boy. He hoped that Carl would be able to share his fear with him and not become too scared. He wanted to challenge the boy, not cause him distress. It was important to him that he expanded Carl’s limits without pushing him too far. When Carl remained seated at the end of the class, Rick smiled with anticipation. Carl looked terrified. Rick wondered if anybody noticed that he preferred Carl. No teachers had even realized he’d been spending extra time with the boy. It was normal in such a small town to take interest in certain students because there were so few of them. Individual instruction was a possibility, and Rick wasn’t the only one seizing the opportunity, although he was sure he was the only teacher who was doing so with dirty thoughts. He could accept that. When Rick ushered the last straggling students out of the room, he closed the door and turned to Carl. Carl bounced his foot up and down, fidgeting. He was worried that Rick would think he was a loser. This was exactly what Rick was trying to cure him of, so it fit the situation. “It’s gonna be fine,” Rick assured the boy who was obviously intimidated. Carl nodded, willing himself to believe the man’s words. “Tell me, Carl,” Rick said, wasting no time. The boy began slowly, “I tried to think of something really intense that would really embarrass me,” he explained carefully, “and I thought about doing a presentation and everyone calling me out. Saying that it was garbage or that I was an idiot.” Rick nodded in understanding, “If that happened, you can bet they’d all be suspended, but it won’t. When you see others up there at the front, is that what you think of doin’? Or do you just feel bad they’re in the same position you’d hate to find yourself in?” “The last one,” Carl admitted. “Exactly. Some kids are jackasses, but they wouldn’t bother you like that. Even the meanest kid in the school has never acted out like that,” Rick encouraged. “See, I get that, but I still picture it happening in my mind, and it gets the best of me,” Carl countered. He was just glad that Rick was buying this as something that would embarrass him the most. It was just one of many things. “The fact that you understand the irrationality of the fear shows me you can overcome it,” Rick smiled. “That being said, if you understand that fear, there’s no point in going over it. I think you got somethin’ else you’re holdin’ back,” Rick assessed. He sensed that Carl had something juicy for him since he had all that talk the day before about his admission being bad. This was nothing. A fear that almost everyone he knew had. Carl’s eyes widened as he was caught, “Uh, no not really. That was pretty much it.” “Come on,” Rick urged from his perch on his desk. The first row of students’ desks was right near his. Carl was sitting on top of one, making it so he and Rick were knee to knee “It’s so stupid,” Carl declared. “If I told you,” he began with a sigh, “you’d never want to speak to me again.” “I don’t think anything would make that happen,” Rick said sincerely, leaning forward. He patted Carl’s knee and dragged his fingers across his leg when he removed them. With that encouraging touch, Carl took a breath and gathered his words, “The thing that would make me more embarrassed than anything is being naked,” he paused, “in front of you.” He practically mumbled the last part. Rick wanted to chuckle amusedly at the ridiculousness of that fear. Carl would have nothing to be embarrassed about as far as he was concerned. It’d be a privilege to look at his body unobstructed by clothing. Instead of denying it or laughing, Rick nodded, “How about we re-enact it then?” “What?” Carl blurted, “For real? Or just pretend?” He didn’t understand. Rick smirked at the boy’s reaction, “Look, Carl. You don’t need to be ashamed of your body. Especially not in front of me.” “But why would it matter if I was? It’s like my first fear. It would never happen so I don’t need to be scared, right?” “I think what I just said kind of shoots that theory to hell. It’s gonna happen because I know you want to. Even if you’re scared,” Rick said boldly. “I don’t,” Carl denied, “Why would you think that?” Rick pursed his lips in mock deliberation, “Would you admit it to me if I told you I feel the same way?” Rick tried. Carl looked away, his cheeks a bright red from his embarrassment. Rick figured it must’ve been legit since Carl was blushing just discussing his fear. Carl looked back to Rick, “Okay, fine. I like you.” The man smiled, “That wasn’t so hard. I bet you didn’t think you’d ever be able to admit it, but you did.” “Yeah, but you had to say it first,” Carl replied, trying to dull his grin because it was hurting his face. “Just be proud of yourself for once,” Rick said exasperatedly. Carl shrugged, “So are we going to…” Rick laughed, “We’ll save that for another day. I don’t know if you can take much more stress.” Carl looked relieved. As much as he wanted to show Rick he wasn’t scared and could do things with him—things he’d been drooling over when he imagined them—even just admitting his feelings was difficult. He briefly wondered if Rick was using him, but he felt guilty immediately for thinking that. The man wouldn’t have bothered with all of this just to fuck some freshman. Rick genuinely seemed to care about him, more than just as a teacher. “Why do you like me?” Carl blurted. Rick was caught off guard by this although he should’ve been expecting it. He was determined to help with Carl’s insecurity. He had wanted to do it objectively, so that Carl wouldn’t come to depend on him for encouragement. The man wanted Carl to be confident on his own, regardless of whether Rick liked him or not, but it was a bit late for that. He suspected Carl would come into his own soon enough anyways. People like Carl were born to be confident. “You’re smart, funny, and extremely good-looking,” Rick listed. Carl scoffed, “That’s it? I’ve heard that same list in every romantic comedy I’ve ever seen.” Rick laughed. He knew there was confidence lurking within Carl. The boy already possessed all the attributes. He just needed to discover them and use them. “Okay, you wanna play that way,” Rick joked. “You take initiative. You’re respectful, interesting, dependable, eager, brave, sassy, and when I look at you I see someone who makes me want to better myself. You’re a good person, Carl. Not to mention the things you make me wanna do,” Rick huffed. “How’s that?” Carl smiled, satisfied, “You’re a sweet talker, Mr. Grimes.” “Oh I coulda done a lot worse,” he warned, “I minored in English, you know. I could write you a sonnet if ya want.” “I think I need a contract saying you won’t think I’m disgusting when you see me…like we talked about. Then the sonnet,” Carl joked. “This is Government and Politics,” Rick commented, “I think I could make my way through a decent contract. When do you want it dated for?” Carl gulped, his momentary bravado fading, “I guess soon. Less time to worry.” “Friday, it’s settled,” Rick declared. “Okay,” Carl agreed, already nervous. He slid off the desk, his legs brushing against Rick’s. the man’s arms shot out to pull him closer and he kissed his lips lightly. Carl’s first kiss. Rick released him, “Goodnight, Carl.” Carl brought his hand up to his mouth dazedly, mumbling a goodnight back to Rick and leaving. He was going to need to prepare for Friday or he’d faint on the spot.     On Friday, Carl made sure he wore his best boxers. There wasn’t much else to be done. He thought about the upcoming afternoon all day, as he had been doing for the previous days. Rick kept giving him sly looks in class, and finding excuses to walk by his desk and drag his hands along the desk’s edge, or Carl’s chair, or Carl himself. He found himself looking forward to Rick seeing him because it would be a potential release for all the teasing Rick was doing—if Rick escalated things beyond just getting naked. Carl wondered if he’d get to see Rick. He salivated over the thought. It was going to happen eventually, he knew. Any embarrassment was worth getting to see that man’s body. He would sit in front of Rick naked for hours if he could just see a glimpse of the man without clothes. When class was done that day, Carl left to make it look like he wasn’t staying late yet again, and he waited a few minutes for the halls to clear out, and then made his way back to Rick. Rick had decided to look even more delectable than usual. His facial hair was growing out a bit, and he wore a fitted grey suit. As if Rick wasn’t intimidating enough, he had to look extra attractive. It was infuriating how Rick’s face looked good with stubble or a full beard. How his body looked good in suits or casual clothing. The man was fortunate, and Carl felt lucky that he got to look at him. Carl was ready to get this over with. The first time he did it, it would be terrifying, but then next time it would be easier—just like Rick said—and then he would eventually have no qualms getting naked. It was something, since that was an ability he needed if he wanted to get as far as he wanted to with the man. Once again, the classroom door was closed and Carl was approaching Rick. “I’m gonna give you instructions so that it’s easier, okay? You won’t need to overthink it.” Carl had never heard sweeter words. He needed the guidance at this point. Rick got up from his chair, “Come over here.” Carl walked over to the man who steadied the chair so he could sit down. The man sat on his desk, as seemed to be his favourite seat, and dangled his legs over the edge with Carl sitting directly in front of him in his chair. “Take off your shirt,” Rick guided, reaching forward to brush his hand along Carl’s cheek. Carl obeyed quickly, tossing the shirt aside. His chest was now exposed for Rick and the man wasn’t running. He looked down self-consciously at his chest. Carl began to cross his arms but was thwarted by Rick’s hands. “I want to see everything.” Rick was no stranger to this sight. Guys took their shirts off all the time. There wasn’t really anything new here, but because it was Carl, it was thrilling. The boy had nothing to be ashamed of. He was on the thin side, but Rick found it endearing, especially with the boy’s adolescent face. He had the slightest remainder of chubby cheeks, but also a hint of manhood in his bone structure. He was perfect. “Keep going. You look….” Rick couldn’t even find a suitable description. “You’re amazing.” Carl’s heart swelled at the compliment. He was more nervous to remove his pants, but he could do it if he’d managed the shirt. Rick’s eyes focused intently on Carl’s fingers when they unbuttoned his jeans. He slid down the zipper slowly out of fear—not trying to tease—but it was still excruciating for Rick. He just wanted Carl laid out before him so he could drink him in and never forget the sight. Finally the jeans were in a pile on the floor and Rick held his breath waiting for the boxers to join them. He knew Carl’s legs would look perfect wrapped around his hips or tangled with his legs or poking out of his bedsheets. The boy was a masterpiece. “Can I take them off?” Rick whispered, looking at Carl almost pleadingly. Carl nodded, “Please.” Rick brought Carl’s chair closer to him and leaned forward so he could reach him more easily. He grabbed the waistband on both sides, taking care to brush his fingertips across Carl’s skin lightly. He pulled them off slowly, wanting to savour the moment. If Carl teased Rick about this later, the man would deny that the sound that escaped his throat was a whimper. Even though that’s definitely what it was. “Fuck,” Rick bit out at the full sight of Carl’s body. “I’ve never seen anything like you,” he admitted wondrously. He knew it sounded mushy and ridiculous, but Carl needed to know what a treasure he was. Rick was pleased to see the ever-present blush on Carl’s cheeks descend to his chest. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Carl’s collarbone so he could feel the heat of the blood rush. He flicked his tongue out to taste Carl’s skin before pulling away. Carl inhaled sharply at Rick’s kiss. He wasn’t disgusted, but rather enthralled. Rick still wanted him. He was incredibly proud of himself. No matter how terrified he was, Carl had done it. He was naked in front of Rick Grimes. His favourite person. And everything was okay. Better than okay, actually. “I’m not touching you today,” Rick stated. “You’re gonna touch yourself for me. Can you do that?” 10 minutes prior, Carl would’ve said never. Even if he wanted to, he didn’t think he could. Now that confidence and lust were running through his body, he felt like he could do anything. Rick really was a great teacher. He trusted this man with anything, and if he said Carl looked exquisite, who was Carl to disagree? Carl nodded, “Yeah,” he breathed. “Good boy,” Rick complimented. He sat back on his desk and waited for Carl to get started. This would be a moment he’d never forget. Carl spread his legs a bit, using all the space in Rick’s chair. He loved the thought of doing this when he knew the man would sit there day after day in front of everyone, and only the two of them would know. Rick groaned quietly when Carl took himself in his hand, stroking himself slowly into complete hardness. “I think about you whenever I do this,” Carl admitted, his gaze flicking from his cock to Rick’s eyes. “Me too,” Rick replied, refusing to touch himself. He wanted to see Carl get off without the distraction of his own touch. Rick wanted to watch Carl build himself up and then release. He wanted to see the vulnerable, open expression he’d wear when he came. Carl noticed the bulge in Rick’s pants and bit his lip, speeding up his hand. The redness remained on his face and chest, but it was no longer embarrassment. It was excitement. “Still embarrassed?” Rick asked, watching Carl’s small hand slide up and down his dick, twisting at the head. His wrist was dexterous and smooth in its movements. He bet Carl did this often. It was made even hotter to know that Carl did it with Rick in his mind and his name on his tongue. “No, I just want to be good for you now,” Carl admitted breathily. “You are,” Rick responded, “Don’t stop.” Carl sped up, using his precome to ease the friction of skin. He moved his other hand to his chest and played with his nipples, remembering how amazed Rick had been to finally see his chest. Maybe he could play it up. “Fuck, you’re perfect,” Rick gasped, unable to resist leaning forward to place a hand on each of Carl’s knees. “You can come whenever you want.” Rick ran his hands up and down Carl’s thighs once, urging the boy on. Carl came into his loose fist, whispering “Rick” in amazement. After experimenting with Rick and Mr. Grimes, Carl decided both of them sounded good, and he let both terms come out at their own will. Rick had to consciously close his mouth and relax his face when Carl came down from his release. The boy’s face was drawn taut with what looked like pain. He’d squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath, letting it out with a low, sensual moan. The boy looked at his hand timidly and then searched for a Kleenex box. Rick saved him the trouble by grabbing his hand and bringing it to his mouth. He cleaned Carl off enthusiastically, contented that he could taste more of the boy. Rick palmed the bulge in his pants and hopped off the desk, bending down to kiss Carl on the lips, grabbing each side of his face lovingly. The man pulled away before the kiss could deepen. Rick didn’t want to do everything at once; he wanted Carl’s learning to be ongoing. Carl reluctantly sat up in the chair, looking for his discarded clothes. The man gathered them for Carl, assisting him with getting out of the chair. Rick held up Carl’s boxers and the boy stepped in them one leg at a time, bracing himself on Rick’s shoulder. They did the same thing for the boy’s jeans. Finally, Rick held up Carl’s shirt, allowing him to slide one arm in at a time and then buttoning it up for him. “You didn’t even need instructions,” Rick said, remembering how easy it was for the boy once the toughest part was done. He hadn’t hesitated to jack himself off, and he hadn’t been shy to come either. Carl was improving immensely. Carl stood up on his toes, wanting another kiss from Rick, “I just did what I’d want to see you do,” he explained. “You’ll get your chance,” Rick promised, bending down a bit so Carl could stand normally. “I’m proud of you. Thanks for lettin’ me see you.” Carl wrapped his arms around the man, pressing his face into his chest, “Thank you for not being disgusted.” “It wasn’t difficult, but you’re welcome,” Rick ensured, pulling Carl closer. “Think of somethin’ else you want to try for next time, and I’ll help you through it—if you even need it.” Carl smiled and detached himself from Rick solemnly. He didn’t want to go home yet, “I will. You know, I already feel more confident.” “I’m glad. You deserve it,” Rick answered. “I knew you were my favourite teacher for a reason,” Carl teased. “’Were’?” Rick repeated. “You still are, don’t worry. Now you’re just my favourite person in general.” “You too,” the man admitted.     When Rick got home that night he didn’t waste any time reaching into his pants and grabbing his cock. Rick brought himself off in under a minute, only needing to think of the look on Carl’s face when he came to come himself. He made a point of going to the drugstore to buy lube so he’d be ready for his and Carl’s next encounter. Regardless of how far they went in the near future, they’d need it eventually. All he could think of the next day was Carl’s body occupying his chair. It gave him a thrill just to sit in it, knowing what he knew. Judging by Carl’s permanent smirk during class, he felt the same. It was another couple days before they could get together again, since they didn’t want to be too conspicuous. Rick had the lube safely tucked away in his desk drawer in preparation. It seemed that Carl’s confidence lessons were going to be taught through sex now. It was as affective of a method as any. Rick could already tell it was working. Carl barely hung his head anymore, especially not when talking to Rick. He was almost proud to be talking to the man. Carl was learning that he was important. Rick almost hugged the boy when he saw his hand shoot in the air when he knew an answer. Rick wanted to smile at the smug look Carl wore afterwards just as much as he wanted to kiss it off his face. Carl knew since the minute he left Rick’s classroom what they’d be doing next time. He wanted Rick to fuck him. The boy knew they hadn’t done much, at all really. He hadn’t even seen Rick naked or touched him for that matter, but he wanted it. Carl didn’t care if he was still a virgin, or that he’d never had so much as a finger in his ass. He wanted to show Rick what a quick learner he was and how ready he was. The boy still felt some nerves before he brought up his idea to the man because that didn’t just go away, but he was getting better at hiding it. He’d become so comfortable with Rick that he trusted him not to be unintentionally or purposely mean. Rick hadn’t said one bad thing to him all semester. “Hey, Carl,” Rick greeted. He missed the boy and it’d only been a few days since their first sexual interaction. Even though he got to see Carl every day at school, he still craved their visits, no matter how short they were. Pretty soon they would have to arrange to meet outside of school. “Hi, Mr. Grimes,” Carl answered, wringing his hands. He wasn’t sure if he should just go up to the man and kiss him like he wanted or if he should wait for Rick to approach him. He decided to go closer to the man, but wait for him to close the distance. “You look like you have an idea,” Rick commented, looking at Carl encouragingly. “I’m nervous about this one,” Carl admitted. “Whatever it is, we can talk about it,” Rick assured the boy. He wanted Carl to be open with and trusting of him. “I want you to fuck me,” he said, cutting to the chase, watching Rick carefully for a reaction. “I know it’s really soon, but I think I’m ready.” “I won’t disagree that it’s soon, Carl,” Rick commented, scratching at his beard. “But if you’re ready, I don’t see a point in waiting. Maybe that’s sick of me though. I should be discouraging this,” he mused. “I want to. You want to. That’s all that’s needed to settle this,” Carl answered with a grin. “We can give it a try, but I need to be sure. Are you sure you’re ready so soon. It’s kind of…intense.” “I feel ready,” Carl said positively. Rick licked his lips, “I’m ready.” Rick should’ve felt more guilty or cautious considering he was about to fuck a minor in a classroom, but all he felt was excitement. His responsibilities had started fading in his mind as soon as Carl opened his mouth. Carl walked up to Rick as soon as he’d declared he was ready and grabbed the man’s hands, placing them on his body. He wanted Rick to undress him just as he’d dressed him last time. Carl let himself be guided back by Rick who pushed forward until Carl legs hit the desk. Rick lifted the naked boy onto the desk’s semi-neat surface and laid him back. He mouthed all the way up Carl’s legs and inner thighs, stopping at his dick. He took all of the boy into his mouth and sucked, enjoying the boy’s groaning and writhing. Carl was lost in the feeling and couldn’t do anything with his mouth other than breathe and moan. Rick was licking and sucking at him fervently, making sure he was well taken care of. The boy pouted at the loss when Rick backed away so he could rip his own clothes off, tossing them to the floor carelessly. Carl glanced back at Rick, and, finally, got to see his naked body. It was better than he’d expected. Rick was always better. The man bent over to get the lube out of his desk. Rick rearranged Carl so he was on all fours on the desk. Carl felt slightly exposed with his ass up and legs spread, but he ignored it, thinking he’d get over it. That didn’t happen. When Carl caught a glimpse of the lube in Rick’s hands, he panicked. He had been so sure before, and now he felt more scared than excited. He wanted to stop. He didn’t want Rick to fuck him yet. He wasn’t ready at all. Carl’d been so sure he was reinvented—fearless—but he couldn’t even handle getting fucked, apparently. He felt pathetic. He didn’t want to disappoint Rick, and he hoped the man wouldn’t decide to drop him. Carl guessed that Rick’s reaction to his yielding would be the best indicator of the man’s true feelings. He had been mistaken before. Being naked in front of Rick wasn’t the most embarrassing thing that could happen to him. It was this. “D-don’t, please. I was wrong. I can’t,” Carl whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as if it would make him disappear. Rick stopped immediately, moving his body so he could reach around Carl’s waist and sit him up, “Are you okay, Carl? I’m sorry.” He was so grateful that Carl stopped him before it was too late. Rick didn’t want to rush the boy or intimidate him into continuing when he wasn’t ready. Carl sat on the desk, hanging his head and staring at the ground, not caring that he was naked anymore. He was embarrassed at his weakness now. Rick stood before him, trying to comfort him. “Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry. It’s my fault,” Carl said solemnly. “Don’t say that. It takes a lot to say no like that especially if you’re scared what the other person might think. I would never be mad at you for sayin’ no, okay?” Carl nodded, “Are you sure?” “Positive. I’m just so fuckin’ happy you said no before I did anything. I would never forgive myself for hurtin’ you.” “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Carl sighed. “I thought I was so ready, but I run at the first chance I get. I still want you, but not in that way. Can we just do…I don’t know, something else?” “Nothin’s wrong with you. It’s okay to change your mind. Are you sure you want to do anything at all? I don’t want you to feel you have to.” “No, I want to, Rick. Maybe we can just save the ass stuff for later,” Carl said, his voice wavering over ‘ass stuff’. Rick smiled, “I wouldn’t object to foolin’ around in other ways.” Carl frowned in deliberation, “I don’t know how to explain it,” he said quietly, looking up at Rick bashfully. “I want to have sex with you, but at the same time I can’t. I want you to fuck me without being inside me. It’s stupid.” Rick nodded sympathetically, his erection shamelessly still hard despite the pause. Carl telling him what he wanted—with such language—was an unexpected turn-on. He wanted the boy to ask him for things so he could provide. Rick wanted to take care of Carl. “I could fuck your thighs,” he suggested, “If you want.” Carl looked up at him, shocked, “I’ve never even heard of that.” The man laughed, “It’s simple, you get on all fours, and I get behind you. Lube up your thighs and you hold ‘em together, and I fuck you that way. It has nothing to do with the ass, trust me.” The boy looked intrigued and wasted no time scrambling back into his previous position. Rick climbed up on the desk behind Carl. The two of them barely fit, but Rick didn’t care. If they fell off, he’d pull Carl on top of him and keep going on the floor. Rick coated his hand with the lube and spread it on Carl’s inner thighs, boldly moving his slick hand up further to wrap around the boy’s dick. Carl hadn’t been expecting a touch like that and shivered with a low moan. He’d never been touched like that before; he wasn’t used to it—Rick’s much larger hand completely engulfing his length and squeezing it firmly, pumping his lubed hand up and down. He whimpered, trying not come. The man palmed his ass, giving it an admiring grab before positioning Carl’s thighs the way he wanted. The man entered the space between Carl’s thighs, pushing the boy’s legs together more tightly. If Carl’s legs felt this exquisite on Rick’s cock, he couldn’t even imagine what his ass would be like. Rick was glad Carl had changed his mind because he would not last long at all if he had gotten to be inside the boy. Carl felt Rick’s length against his balls, eventually bumping into his length as the man pushed forward. He was glad Rick had suggested this because he wouldn’t have been able to walk out of the classroom without getting at least semi-fucked. Now that he had a bit of Rick, he wanted all of him, and nothing was ever enough. Once again, Rick wrapped his hand around Carl, stroking him while he moved between his thighs. The boy moved his hips forward into the man’s hand to create even more sensation. Carl found himself not regretting his decision to wait. Just this was intense enough. He had already changed his mind about waiting though. He felt ready again. Carl figured he had never really fully changed his mind; he had just gotten nervous. Maybe he would’ve let himself get talked into it by Rick, but Rick would never talk him into something like that. The boy accidentally shifted the wrong way and Rick’s cock caught his hole instead of the space beneath it. Carl groaned at the feeling of the man’s dick rubbing at his tight entrance. Between that and Rick’s strong hand stroking him, Carl couldn’t hold back, and he shot his load on the desk. Rick had been about to apologize for missing his target, but the words died on his tongue when Carl let out a ragged moan and came. “Jesus Christ,” Rick breathed, unable to believe the boy he got to call his. He didn’t know what he did to deserve Carl. Carl panted, enjoying Rick’s continued thrusts. The man’s breathing and pace picked up and then the feeling of his cock disappeared. Carl was confused until he felt the man’s finger on his hole, followed by warm come on his ass. Rick had finished on his ass. This brought a satisfied smile to Carl’s face. Rick hadn’t been able to decide which part of Carl to concentrate on while he finished, but he eventually figured it out. It was too much to resist, spreading Carl’s ass with one hand while his other stroked himself. His mouth watered at Carl’s exposed entrance, and he ran his finger across the rim, finally coming after that visual. He continued to stare at Carl, enthralled by the drops of come spattered across the boy’s pale skin. It was offset by the redness of the boy’s thighs, caused by the friction of Rick’s thrusts. The man carefully got off the desk, helping Carl off as well. He brushed the hair out of Carl’s face and bent down to kiss him, pushing his tongue past the boy’s lips as he’d never done before. Rick finished the gesture with small kisses along Carl’s jaw and neck, pulling away reluctantly with a small smile. Carl blushed more at the affection than he had when he jacked off in front of Rick. The man found this adorable, and just so Carl. The boy was embarrassed to speak in class, but when it came to stripping and getting his thighs fucked, he had no issues. Rick grabbed some paper towels to clean off Carl’s mess from the desk, and then offered them to Carl so he could take care of the mess on his ass. Carl smirked, “No thanks.” “You’re just gonna leave it?” Rick asked, his voice thick. “Yes,” the boy said simply, turning around so Rick could admire his work. He looked satisfied when Rick blushed, moving forward to graze the boy’s skin with his fingertips. “You look fantastic” Rick said, ending the sentence with a shake of his head. Carl raised his eyebrows, turning back around to face Rick, giving him a tight hug. He appreciated the man more than he could ever say. “Thank you for waiting,” Carl muttered. “Thank you for givin’ me something to wait for,” Rick answered.     All Carl could see when he walked into his Government class anymore was the things he and Rick had done or talked about doing. Sometimes for fun he’d get Rick’s attention and look at the desk and then back at the man and lick his lips. Rick’s gaze would become hooded, and he’d turn away with a smile, leaving Carl all too satisfied. Teasing Rick was one of his favourite activities. He found the rest of the class to be completely unobservant, considering he hadn’t received so much as one suspicious glance or comment. He supposed that was good, but it was surprising. Even his own group of friends didn’t question him if he said he was going to class after school for extra help, or if he gave a vague answer to cover up his and Rick’s extra-curricular activities. If he was going to tell any of them, it’d be Patrick, but not anytime soon. He was disappointed because the semester was coming to a finish, and then he wouldn’t get to have Rick as a teacher anymore. Not until his later years, at least. It would make the relationship a bit riskier since it would be odd to always be seen talking to a teacher who wasn’t even his—in an academic sense. Rick and Carl used the excuse of upcoming exams to see each other more frequently. The man was even complimented by his teachers for taking such interest in a student’s studies. Rick just thanked them, waving it off as no big deal. Carl had laughed when Rick told him, “It’s not a lie, really. You do care about my schoolwork.” It was true, since Rick often prevented them from going past kissing, since he wanted Carl to keep a decent grade. They still did other things besides sex to work on Carl’s shyness. Rick found that Carl was coming out of his shell even faster than he anticipated. The boy spoke more than a few times in every class while continuing to perform excellently on assignments. Carl’s other teachers even told Rick that he was improving in their classes as well. They thought they should let Rick know since they attributed it to his teaching skills. As the semester had worn on, the staff had seen Carl and Rick chatting more than a few times, and a few had walked in on their after-school sessions. Rick had thanked many deities those days because it showed him how fortunate they’d been to not be caught all the other times. They started to cool it before people got suspicious. No more classroom time.     After barely a couple weeks, it was exams, and the school was busier after hours than usual, with students studying and teachers milling around. Carl and Rick both knew it was too risky to fuck around, but it wasn’t easy not being together. Carl didn’t understand why, but Rick still wouldn’t have ‘real’ sex with him. It had been weeks since he freaked out. He asked Rick often, never failing to repeat how ready he was, but Rick wouldn’t change his mind. Carl did everything he could think of besides just full on sitting himself on Rick. He wondered how long Rick would make him wait. He knew the school was off-limits, but that was no excuse, in his opinion. After he’d finished his morning exam, Carl went to the parking lot to wait for Rick. When the man came out, he followed him to his car. It was lunchtime, and the mostly empty parking lot would be the perfect place to pick up where they’d left off. Stolen looks, and texts were not enough for them. In one more day it would be Christmas break, and it would be 2 weeks without each other. Carl was greedy for Rick and wouldn’t accept his absence. Rick climbed into the driver’s seat, preparing to go to a take-out place so he wouldn’t have to sit in the classroom or staffroom, all the while being tempted to seek out Carl when he knew he shouldn’t. They’d been reckless. He missed the boy terribly. The boy climbed into the passenger’s seat next to the man and waited for him to notice. Rick must’ve been deep in thought since he hadn’t noticed Carl until he turned to the right and was practically attacked. “Where the hell did you come from?” Rick said after Carl ripped his mouth away from his lips and descended without a word. Carl made quick work of the man’s belt, button, and zipper, yanking his boxers aside and pulling his cock out. “I missed you,” Carl admitted, before taking the man into his mouth. He hadn’t been seeing as much of Rick’s body in the past weeks as he would’ve liked. Rick became hard after barely any work on Carl’s part, his hand falling to rest on the boy’s head. Carl sucked eagerly, greedily taking all of Rick into his mouth so he could get the man off quickly. The boy rested one hand at Rick’s base, and the other on his leg. He used his hand to stroke the shaft while he sucked hard at the head, running his tongue over the slit again and again until Rick spilled into his mouth, pulling his hair. Carl swallowed happily, pulling off and sitting back in his own seat. He put his seatbelt on and waited for Rick to do his pants up. The man looked at Carl, “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you.” “Maybe,” Carl said mysteriously. “Hungry?” Rick asked with a sly grin, “I’ll buy you lunch.” Carl nodded, “Let’s go.” He smiled to himself, realizing this would be their first technical date. When Rick and Carl pulled back into the school parking lot, neither of them wanted to get out of the car. “You’re last exam’s tomorrow,” Rick stated. “Yeah,” Carl sighed, “Then Christmas Break.” Rick nodded, “I wanted to ask you about that.” Carl whipped his head around to look at Rick, “Ask me what?” “If you’d want to come to by house for a few days of the break,” Rick suggested, “I don’t know what you’d tell your mom, but I want you with me somehow.” “I don’t care what I have to tell her,” Carl replied, “I’m coming to your house.” Rick grinned, “It’d just be us.” “Good,” Carl said, unbuckling himself and leaning over the console to kiss Rick. “You can come over any days you want,” Rick told the boy, returning his kiss, “Just let me know what works best with the lie.” “I will.” “Good luck on your exam, Carl,” Rick offered, knowing they had to separate now. He watched the boy get out of the car and walk back into the school before exiting himself. He did a quick survey of the parking lot. They were in the clear; nobody had been around to see anything. Rick was conflicted. He loved Carl so much that he didn’t care if people found out because he would do anything to be with that boy, but at the same time he knew if anyone found out he’d probably never see Carl again. If he had a say, that would never happen. It would be unacceptable and intolerable to live without Carl now. He replaced those worrisome thoughts with plans for what he and Carl would do over the break. He already had a few ideas in mind.     All Carl could think of was Christmas Break. It was the only thing that made the semester’s end better. If he had to suffer not seeing Rick, he would go crazy with want. He probably would’ve shown up at the man’s house unannounced anyways. He’d beg if he had to. He would’ve gotten what he wanted. It looked likely that he was going to now. Maybe he’d beg anyways though. Carl told his mom that he’d be sleeping over at his friend’s house for a couple days as a way to celebrate the first semester of high school being over as well as Christmas. She was sad that he’d be gone, but her approval of Carl having good friends won out and she was happy to let him go. When she asked to speak to one of Patrick’s parents, Carl panicked and gave her Rick’s number. He prayed for the man to be gone, and for him not to have an answering machine. The boy was glad that he’d given his mom his cellphone to make the call so she couldn’t record the phone number and reference it with his friend’s actual number. The lie would be undetected if she didn’t recognize Rick’s voice either from the couple times she met him. “Hello?” Lori asked. Rick was quick with his response, knowing he could dig himself into a hole if he wasn’t careful, “You must be Carl’s mom.” He knew immediately how he would go along with this unforeseen event. “Yes, that’s right. Lori. Carl tells me he’s staying at your boy’s house for a few days over the break?” She questioned politely. “That’s right, ma’am. If that’s all right with you,” Rick said. “Of course, I just wanted to make sure. You never know.” “I’m glad you called. I know how it can be sendin’ your kids off. It’s good to check.” “I appreciate you taking him,” Lori replied, pleased that Carl had been telling the truth. “It’s my pleasure, Lori. He’ll be well looked after,” Rick answered, knowing full well he was going to hell. “Thank you, I’ll probably be callin’ to check up on him a few times.” “I would blame you if you didn’t,” Rick joked, “Take care now, don’t hesitate to call if you have any more concerns.” Lori thanked the man and smiled at Carl, feeling secure with the boy’s sleepover now. Carl couldn’t quite get his expression to calm down, but his mom didn’t notice his lingering panic. “What did she say?” Carl asked, being careful to assume it was Patrick’s mom on the phone. “I didn’t talk to the mom,” Lori corrected, “That was Patrick’s dad.” Carl almost laughed, “What did he say?” “That you’d be well looked after, and he expects a few calls from me to check with you,” Lori summarized. The boy didn’t say anything in fear of giving everything away. He couldn’t wait to go to Rick’s. Carl wondered what kind of present he could give the man since it was the holidays. He’d almost forgotten. “Mom?” Carl said, “Can I have some money?” “For what? I just spent all my money on your presents,” Lori chastised. “Yeah, but I need to get Patrick’s parents something, don’t I? For letting me stay during holidays,” Carl lied. Lori looked thoughtful, “That’s mighty generous of you. I’ll see what I can dig up for you.”     Carl walked down the street, slightly chilled from the winter wind, but he was more excited than anything. He had to find the perfect present for Rick. He had no idea what kind of things Rick liked because he hadn’t seen his house yet, and the man didn’t talk much about himself. Carl decided he’d get him something he could see with Rick at school, so he could get a thrill every time he looked at it. The boy went into the only department store in town, feeling extremely out of place because of his age. He’d only ever been there a few times with his mom, but he remembered where the men’s accessories section was. He deliberated for almost an hour. He weighed the pros and cons of the watches, the ties, and the cuff links, wondering which one Rick would like most and look best in. Carl waved away a few salesmen, wanting to make the choice himself. He eventually chose to get all 3 of those accessories, using the fifty dollars his mom had given him as well as the 100 he had left over from his birthday. He chose a silver watch with matching cuff links. Carl picked the ones that looked classy yet casual, since Rick was still a high school teacher, no matter how highly he thought of him. The man did dress rather fancily though. Carl always admired how put together the man looked. Even on teachers’ casual dress days, the man wore slacks and a button up—always tucked in. Carl had no idea how to go about choosing a tie, so he picked a blue one to bring out Rick’s eyes. His mom always told him blue did that to him, so he figured it’d be the same for the man. The lady at the sales counter wrapped it up for him and wished him Merry Christmas. Carl walked back home, bouncing with anticipation. He just had to spend Christmas Day with his mom and then he could be with Rick.     Carl lucked out on Boxing Day because Lori decided to go shopping; Rick could come and pick him up directly instead of having to meet him down the road. Carl practically ran to the car, putting his backpack in the backseat, taking care not to jostle the present within the bag. As soon as Carl was seated, Rick pulled him in for a kiss. He was met with eager lips; Carl’s tongue even ventured into his mouth shallowly. “Ready?” Rick asked, grabbing the boy’s hand. Carl nodded. He couldn’t fucking wait. When Rick pulled into the garage of his house, Carl couldn’t restrain his grin. He got out of the car immediately and grabbed his bag, hurrying to the door. “Go on,” Rick encouraged, laughing at Carl. The boy walked in, delighted that he was in Mr. Grimes’ house. His boyfriend’s house. They got to spend a few consecutive days together without interruptions. Carl could smell some sort of delicious food being prepared in the kitchen somewhere within the house. “I’m makin’ a chicken,” Rick said, “You can even have wine if you want.” Carl nodded eagerly, “Yeah?” “It wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve let you do,” Rick joked. “I want to give you your present,” Carl said, deflecting the guilt before Rick brought it up again. “You didn’t have to get me anything, Carl.” “I assume you got me something. You didn’t have to do that either,” Carl argued. Rick grumbled, “Maybe I got you nothing.” Carl raised his eyebrows, “That’s fine. You’re still getting your gift.” “Is it you?” Rick smirked. “Yeah, and it’s non-returnable so I hope it fits,” Carl retorted. Rick rolled his eyes, walking forward and gesturing for the boy to follow. The chicken was just about done, so he could start with the sides. There would be a lot of food for two people, but Rick didn’t mind going overboard for Carl. The boy sat down at the kitchen table, watching Rick move around the kitchen expertly. “You look good,” Carl commented, looking the man up and down. He was wearing jeans and a ridiculous sweater, but it was unbearably attractive on Rick. It was unfair how hot he was. “Thanks, so do you,” Rick said with a sly glance at the boy. He bet Carl would look even better in his bed. When the food was ready, Rick made Carl a plate and put it in front of him with a flourish, causing Carl to laugh. Rick poured him some wine too, but he got Carl a pop in anticipation. His preparation was apparently necessary when Carl spit out the wine back into the glass with a look of disgust. “That’s terrible.” Rick didn’t hold back his laughter. Carl turned red, realizing he’d been obnoxious, “Sorry.” “Don’t be,” Rick responded, “I expected that to happen.” Carl stuck out his tongue and accepted the can of pop that Rick slid towards him. They ate quickly, eager to skip to the rest of their activities.     Carl helped Rick load the dishwasher. The chore took twice as long since both of them kept pausing to kiss and grab at each other. The tension and need was building between them and it wasn’t going to be resolved for some time. “Okay, I’ll give you yours first,” Carl declared, following Rick into the living room. He stopped suddenly, taking in the Christmas tree, surrounded with presents. “Nice tree,” he commented, his eyes widening at the presents beneath the evergreen. He didn’t know Rick had presents to give to other people. “I don’t usually put one up, but I thought you might like it,” Rick admitted. “Well I do,” Carl said, clutching onto Rick’s gift bag, “Thank you,” “You’re welcome,” Rick said simply, “Have a seat by the tree, it’ll be much easier.” “Why? “ Carl asked, confused. “You want me to haul each present up to you?” Rick teased. “Wait,” Carl said, glancing at the pile of gifts, “Are- Are those all for me?” Carl asked. “Who else?” Rick questioned. “Are you sure?” Carl asked, his eyes widening at the realization that everything was for him, “My gift sucks compared to all of this.” “I don’t need presents,” Rick insisted, “If I get to have you, that’s all that matters.” Carl frowned, “I don’t know why you think it’s worth it. You could find someone better.” “There’s no one better, Carl. Okay? Just believe it. If you think I’m so good, then you should trust my taste.” Carl nodded, “You’re right.” He didn’t want to be insecure and worrisome. Rick obviously liked him. It would be disrespectful to Rick to lose his progress and his confidence. Sometimes he felt his old ways creeping back in, but he knew he could get rid of them for good. He would show Rick that he was worth something. Rick seemed to already think it was the case, so maybe Carl would show himself. “I just wish I would’ve gotten you more. I feel bad accepting all of these gifts.” “Well open ‘em up. You can pick your favourites and I’ll return the rest, or save ‘em for your birthday,” Rick suggested. “Hold on,” Carl laughed, “I didn’t say I don’t want them. Of course I want them.” Rick grinned, “Go on then.” It was easy to forget that Carl was still essentially a kid. A teenager, but still young. He loved that part of Carl, simple things never failed to make the boy happy. He loved that Carl let boyish excitement outweigh his need to be equal in the gift-exchange. Carl sat on the ground by the tree, and Rick sat across from him. The boy glanced at Rick for confirmation and then began, opening up an array of video games, comics, action figures, books, DVDs, and giftcards. Rick had even gotten him some clothes. Carl’s smile never left his face after he tore through gift after gift, loving everything he opened. Rick had remembered him talking about all of these things. Sometimes Carl would ramble on for minutes about the latest game he was playing, and apparently Rick had listened to every word. “I love you,” Carl said, shuffling over to Rick on his knees and sitting on his lap, wrapping his arms around him. “Thank you for everything.” Rick reciprocated Carl’s hug, “I love you too, Carl. More than anything.” Carl grabbed the gift he had for Rick and crawled off his lap so he could sit beside him and watch him open it. The man dug slowly into the bag and pulled out the tissue paper, folding it and placing it beside him. “Oh my God, you’re one of those?” Carl groaned. He hated when people took forever to open their gifts. Carl didn’t fuck around when it came to presents. Tape and wrap were his worst enemies and he destroyed them. “Since I’ve just got the one, I gotta make it last,” Rick retorted. “You’re a dick,” Carl shook his head with a small smile, tapping his fingers to will Rick to hurry up. Rick pulled out the tie first, looking pleased. He took it out of its box and wrapped it around his neck. Carl took his opportunity, reaching for the material so he could tie the knot for the man. He made sure his hands grazed every inch of exposed skin around the man’s collar. “I thought it’d bring out your eyes,” he muttered. Rick raised his eyebrows, “Good thinkin’. Gotta play up my best features.” He was burning with anticipation to fuck Carl. He’d wanted to take the boy as soon as he entered the car, but he had to exercise patience. It was proving difficult, especially when all he could think of was binding the boy with his new tie, or gagging him, or blindfolding him, or just dragging it down his body and giving him goosebumps. He opened the next box, finding cuff links. “I’m gonna be the best lookin’ teacher at school,” he commented. “You already are,” Carl complimented, hoping that Rick truly liked his gifts so far. “Last one,” Rick said, pulling out the last box. This gift was the most important one to Carl. It had been the first thing that caught his eye in the store, and one of the most expensive things he’d ever bought. “Wow,” Rick breathed, removing the watch from its gift box, “This is perfect. You picked it out yourself?” Carl beamed, “Yup. Let me put it in you,” he snatched it out of Rick’s hands and had the man hold out his wrist. It clasped into place perfectly. “Thank you, Carl.” “Don’t thank me yet, there’s one more,” Carl said. “Oh?” “We’ll need a bed,” Carl blushed. “In that case, you better open up your last gift,” Rick advised. Carl was excited, guessing the nature of the last present. He accepted it from Rick and opened it, going slowly to tease the man. He could tell it was working when Rick’s eyes moved from Carl’s face to his hands while he wiggled his foot with impatience. Inside the box were lube, condoms, and some various sex toys. Carl bit his lip, picking up one of the smaller ones and flicking the switch. It started vibrating. Under Rick’s heated gaze he brought it to his skin, testing it out, and then put it on his groin, grinning at the sensation. He turned it off and put it back in the box, “You’re using that on me later,” was all Carl said. Rick laughed, “No problem,” and then his face grew more serious, “Grab the lube and condoms,” he instructed. Carl snatched them up and got to his feet, “Where’s your room?” “Follow me.” Rick walked quickly to his room with Carl right on his heels. He waited until the boy entered and then closed the door. He pulled his sweater over his head and dropped it to the floor, turning to face Carl so he could get the boy’s clothes off as well. Carl raised his hands to help Rick out, and then his arms reached for his belt so he could unbuckle it. When Carl was just in boxers, Rick grabbed him under the armpits and picked him up, manhandling him onto the bed. Carl’s legs spread without prompting and Rick stood over the bed to admire the boy while he removed his own jeans. He moved on top of Carl, pressing him into the bed while they reacquainted their mouths. It was hard to believe he could’ve had this months ago if he’d given into Carl’s pleas, but he’d known all along that he wasn’t going to fuck Carl for his first time in the classroom. He hadn’t thought it through before, and he would’ve regretted not giving Carl a better surface to be pushed into. He’d been alone in his bed too long, and couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather share it with than his boy. Carl pressed his hips up into Rick’s to get them started. The man was pleasantly heavy on top of him. “You’re gonna fuck me in the ass, right?” Carl said when Rick took his mouth off him to catch his breath. “That’s exactly what I’m gonna do,” Rick confirmed, retreating from Carl’s body and repositioning himself between his legs so he could start prepping him. Carl pulled down his boxers, hooking his hands around his thighs to pull them to his chest. He watched Rick look at the lube and then leave it. Carl wondered what the man was up to until Rick moved his face down to his ass and pressed his tongue against Carl’s rim. “Your mouth feels so good,” Carl whispered, struggling to keep his grip tight on his legs. Rick’s tongue was circling his hole shallowly, flicking in and out slowly. The boy dug his nails into his legs to channel some of his pleasure. Rick had never done this to him before, and he didn’t think it would ever happen, but it was worth the wait. Rick’s hands were on either side of Carl’s entrance, spreading him apart so he could move his mouth against the hole more easily. Once he was able to stick his tongue most of the way in and Carl was releasing obscene moans, Rick backed off, reaching for the lube. Carl watched as Rick took the bottle of lube and poured some of it on his fingers, bringing one of them to Carl’s partially stretched ass. Rick easily slid a finger in, circling it around Carl’s walls while pulling to loosen the muscles. He added another finger and thrust them in and out of Carl, fingerfucking him to give him a preview of what his cock would be like. Carl’s hands fell from his thighs and fisted the sheets. He couldn’t take much more. “R-Rick, hold on. I’m gonna come if you don’t stop,” Carl panted, involuntarily pushing his ass further onto Rick’s fingers. Rick did as asked, moving back on top of Carl so they could just kiss until Carl calmed down. The man’s cock was painfully hard and leaking against the material of his boxers, but he ignored it so he didn’t come too soon either. “Okay, fuck me now,” Carl said, minutes later, bracing his hands on Rick’s biceps. The kissing had simultaneously brought him from the edge of release and made him more excited for Rick’s cock. Once more, Rick took his position in front of Carl’s ass, sliding his boxers off, the material dragging deliciously over his erection. He reached for the condom before anything else. “Leave it,” Carl directed, “I don’t need it.” Rick shrugged. Carl was a virgin and he didn’t have anything, so he supposed it was fine. Even if not, he was too focused on Carl’s body to care about consequences. They’d waited months for this. The man put more lube onto his hand and spread it over his dick, holding it loosely while he guided it into Carl’s body. Carl’s hand searched for his, and the boy entwined their fingers, squeezing their hands together hard. Rick pushed forward slowly until he was completely inside the boy, letting go of his cock and moving the newly free hand to hold Carl’s other hand. “What were we waitin’ for?” Rick asked, fucking into Carl at a steady pace, not daring to close his eyes; he didn’t want to miss any expression of pleasure the boy made. “No idea,” Carl answered in agreement, “We could’ve done this months ago.” The man moved into Carl faster, his eyes falling to the watch on his wrist. He smiled and let go of Carl’s hand, pulling Carl’s leg up to wrap around his waist. Carl got the hint and wrapped his other leg around the man. He let Rick grip his upper arms and hold them on either side of his head while he rocked into him. He wanted to feel owned. Carl’s position allowed for Rick’s cock to go deeper, sliding along his prostate. The boy concentrated on the sound of their skin slapping together, and their laboured breath. Rick was fucking him thoroughly, not holding back at all, and if the toys he’d received as a gift were any indication, this wasn’t even the best it could get. They were in for an exciting couple of days. Rick slammed into Carl repeatedly, bringing his hand down to stroke the boy at the same time. Carl came after only a few pulls, spilling across Rick’s fingers. “Come inside me,” Carl said, his legs still wrapped around the man, “I want to feel it.” Rick groaned, moving his head to rest on Carl’s shoulder. He mouthed at the boy’s sweaty skin, sucking a mark into it while he came. “Carl,” he moaned, pulling out to look at the boy’s fucked ass. His come leaked out of the boy after he pulled out, which was effectively the hottest thing Rick had ever seen. Carl brought his hand down to his ass to feel Rick’s release. He slipped a finger inside of himself and licked his lips at the feeling. “Hold on,” Rick said, scrambling off the bed and going to the living room. He grabbed the abandoned box of toys and brought it back to the room. He took the small plug out of its package and put it in his mouth to moisten it before placing it in Carl’s hole. “What is that?” Carl asked interestedly, shuddering happily at the unfamiliar feeling. “A plug. It’ll keep you open for later,” Rick explained, running his hand over it and pressing it in a bit more. Carl hummed in approval. If it kept him ready for Rick, it was fine by him.     “When I graduate, do you think I can move in with you?” Carl asked while they ate leftovers at Rick’s table. “You’d wanna live with me?” Rick asked. “Obviously. It’s hard even going a day without talking to you in person.” “Of course you can then, Carl. We might have to move, but I’d love that. How could I resist that offer comin’ from a boy with no demerits on his report card?” “You took it off?” Carl confirmed. “I took it off the day after you saw me about it,” Rick admitted. Carl smiled, “I know it’s 4 years away still, and that’s a long time to keep a secret like this, but if we stay together, we can figure something out.” “That’s right,” Rick agreed, “No point in worryin’ until we have to. What do you wanna do now?” He asked, clearing the plates. “There are more toys to try,” Carl hinted. “Do you think it’s unhealthy to have a relationship so focused on sex?” Rick mused. “No,” Carl said immediately, “As long as we get along, it doesn’t matter what we do. We’re not boring. And if we feel like being more respectable we can watch a movie or something.” “See, I told you to trust my taste, Carl. You’re perfect.” “Yeah, well, I’m amazing at picking out watches. Obviously you’d keep me around.” “And the student surpasses the teacher,” Rick said, admiring Carl’s confidence. He wasn’t all the way there, but even if he didn’t get there, Rick would love him anyways.     Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!