The two men held hands and walked down the darkened hallway in silence.

"Are you frightened of me . . . of being here with me?" Larry studied Greg's back, from across the bedroom, his jockstrap framing the cheeks of his butt. In only a short time, Greg had gone from what he himself had called an adrenaline high, to something much more subdued. He didn't know what to make of Greg's behavior any more than he thought Greg might.

Greg looked up from where he had been examining the collection of photos arrayed across the bedroom dresser's top. He held up a framed photo of himself stretched out on one of Jeff's deck chairs, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun as he squinted at the camera.

"Why a photo of me?"

Larry seemed suddenly bashful. "I've had it for a month or so," he explained. "Phalen was showing me some pics he'd taken and I asked him to make me a print of that one. I like it because it shows you in an unguarded moment. Your barriers are down. It's one of the few times I've seen that happen. I hope to have you smiling in the next one." He grinned. "Do you mind?"

Greg replaced the photograph. "No." A small, pleased smile, twitched at the corners of his mouth. "I'm flattered, actually." He spoke as he continued looking at the various photos. "I'm in some pretty exclusive company, I see." He turned to Larry and grinned, holding up one photograph to study one of Phalen as a young boy, dressed in a baseball uniform, standing alongside Larry. Greg shook his head in amazement.

'Does the boy never stop smiling?' He was silent a moment as he moved on to the next photograph. "Jeff . . ." He murmured as he ran a forefinger over a photograph of his brother, lying down, dressed in a bulky sweater, and smiling for the camera. He seemed so . . . at ease with himself, so different from the man Greg had known most of his life..

Larry watched Greg tenderly drag a finger over the frame holding his brother's photograph. "You've been good to him." Larry's eyes widened slightly at Greg's statement. "He told me how you and Phalen helped him through his difficult times." Greg turned away from the dresser. "Feeling the way you do about him, you could have taken advantage of his vulnerability, but you didn't. Thank you. That . . . That could have done a great deal of damage." He reached out and smoothed an unruly strand of hair away from Larry's forehead. It was a gentle action, something that before tonight, Larry could not have imagined Greg making.

"You never did answer my question. Are you frightened of me?"

Greg shrugged, bowing his head slightly. When he spoke, his voice was smooth and deep. All traces of the evening's earlier humor were gone, replaced by a man who was unsure of himself. Larry remained quiet, allowing Greg to work through whatever was troubling him.

"I'm troubled some, but mostly I'm frightened of . . . this." Greg gestured with a free hand to the room in which they were standing. "I'm afraid . . . things, won't work out for some reason, that . . . this," another vague gesture, encompassing the room, "will amount to nothing more than an evening's fun."

He stepped away from Larry and walked to the window overlooking the backyard. He could see Larry's reflection as well as the lights of Jeff's house, and grinned, thinking of Phalen teasing him over the wall separating the two yards. Larry remained standing near the dresser, silently waiting for him to organize his thoughts.

Greg turned back to Larry, took the few steps to the nearby bed, and casually ran his fingers over the heavy duvet as he spoke. "I'm afraid both of us may be attracted to one another because we just got out of a relationship and are feeling lonely. We may be subconsciously convincing ourselves that we are right for one another." He heaved a stomach churning sigh, releasing his breath slowly, steeling himself for what he had to say.

"I'm frightened I won't be able to perform; that I won't . . . please, you." He bowed his head and lowered his voice even further. "I'm afraid you'll laugh at me," he murmured, in a voice now barely more than a whisper. He turned and walked to the window, unable to look at Larry. He had never revealed so much of his inner self to anyone, and he was left feeling exposed and vulnerable. It didn't help that he was wearing so little. The sensation he felt was worse than being naked in public. He was left with no secrets left to hide, and nothing to hide behind. He had trusted Larry by describing his innermost fears, a thing he had never spoken aloud, even to himself, and now awaited the response.

Larry dimmed the room's light and sat on the edge of the vast bed. "Greg," he urged in a low voice, patting a spot on the bed, next to him when Greg looked up. "Come here."

He swallowed and did as asked, sitting close enough to Larry to feel the heat from his body. Larry linked fingers with Greg and spoke in a reassuring voice, as soft as the light in the room. "I will never laugh at you, though I hope to often laugh with you. Do you understand?" Greg nodded. His past experiences prevented him from being wholly convinced; he'd been humiliated too often. The short time he'd spent with Curt had not been enough to wipe away a lifetime's worth of performance anxiety.

"You," Larry continued, tightening his fingers slightly. "You . . . and this; whatever it is we've got, mean too much. Your feelings are too important for me to do anything which might jeopardize what we're . . . doing. Please believe me."

Greg opened his mouth to reply, but his voice caught in his throat. Instead, he nodded . . . a short jerky movement, as a muscle jumped in his jaw. Unwilling to trust his voice, he brought their clasped hands to his lips and gently kissed the back of Larry's hand, his lips lingering against the warm skin.

They sat next to one another in companionable silence until Greg put an arm around Larry's waist, and leaned against him. He appreciated Larry's silence. It, and the warm touch, spoke of more support than he could have imagined. He was finally able to speak, a little humor creeping back into his voice.

"Dad didn't hint at what I should do once I'd kissed you, and we'd had a couple beers." His mouth quirked into a crooked smile. "Do you happen to have any ideas?" He playfully nudged Larry with his shoulder. "If so, I'm yours."

"Ooooh, lover," Larry murmured as he leaned close and nuzzled Greg's ear. He inhaled the scent of his hair, and planted a lazy row of kisses from his earlobe to his collarbone.

Greg tilted his head back and breathed deeply through his open mouth as the kisses seemed to burn across his skin like little fiery footprints, leaving him tingling in anticipation.

"Here," Larry urged, moving back but continuing to sit on the bed's edge. "Stand up and face me." Greg stood and moved into position between Larry's slightly parted legs, smiling uncertainly.

Unsure what was to come, and whether he would be able to perform, he was now taking short, shallow breaths as he waited for Larry's next instructions. Instead of saying anything Larry reached up and gently teased Greg's nipples with a whisper of a touch, smiling at Greg's involuntary gasp of pleasure. When Larry licked across first one then the other, nipping at each with the barest touch of his teeth, Greg actually jumped, grabbing onto Larry's shoulders in a convulsive reaction.

"Ah, geez," he hissed, throwing his head back and sucking in another deep breath as a shudder of pleasure ran through his body. "Oh, yeah," he whispered at the next touch. "That's the way I love it." Without thinking he moved closer to Larry in a silent demand. His body knew what it needed, whether Greg realized he was ready for it or not.

Larry cupped the mesh fabric bulge of Greg's jock, feeling the testicles shift beneath his touch. He had never experienced anything as exciting as Greg's pleas for release. He whimpered each time Larry ran his fingers over the smooth skin of his butt, and shivered when Larry licked a broad swath across his chest, momentarily focusing on each nipple.

"Please," he begged in a feeble voice. He rocked his hips forward, flexing the muscles of his buttocks as he rubbed the firm mound of the jock-pouch across Larry's face. "Please," he repeated, his fingers tightening on Larry's shoulders.

Larry could hold back no longer. He buried his face in the pubic hair escaping from the edges of the jock. Larry licked at the straining fabric, as Greg ground the pouch of the jock, and its contents, into Larry's face, moving first up and down, then side to side, no longer begging for release.

"Suck it, Larry," he demanded in a voice barely more than a croak. "Suck me dry." He stepped back slightly, allowing Larry to tug the jockstrap pouch over his erection and stretch it so the waistband was now beneath his scrotum, forcing both his testicles and erection forward.

Larry took a moment to drink in the sight before him, the thick, straight penis with its prominent head and gaping piss slit, slick with evidence of Greg's excitement. The base of the cock was nestled in a dense mat of wiry black hair which seemed all the more dark because it was seen against Greg's creamy-pale skin. His scrotum was nearly hairless with a faint pattern of blood vessels visible beneath the surface. Larry buried his face in the pubes, feeling the testicles shift as he drank in the heady scent.

Greg was whimpering. "Suck it." He dragged the head of his erection across Larry's cheek, leaving behind a shiny trail of precum, then rocked his hips forward demanding entry into Larry's mouth.

Larry licked as much of the precum he could off of his lips before opening his mouth slightly. Tonight, Greg needed to realize that he was capable of taking control. At another time, Larry would take his turn at being in charge. In a single slow thrust, Greg buried almost the entire length of his erection down Larry's throat.

After that first full thrust, he began slowly rocking his hips back and forth, moaning in pleasure as Larry's tongue caressed the underside of his erection. Greg would fuck Larry's mouth for a few minutes, then would pause, barely resting the head of his twitching cock on Larry's tongue. He would rest a while, letting his imminent orgasm fade before he would start up once again.

As he fucked Larry's face, he spoke in an almost continuous whisper. "C'mon, lover," he murmured. "So good," he repeated over and over. "So fuckin' good." He hissed an indrawn breath when Larry tugged slightly on his scrotum, but showed his approval by once again burying himself down Larry's throat.

"Gettin' close," he warned. "Gettin' fuckin' close." His language, as much as Greg's cock itself, was exciting to Larry. It was a side of Greg he had never expected. "You're not gonna be able to swallow it all, lover," Greg murmured, holding Larry's head still as he began slowly moving only the sensitive head over Larry's tongue. "I've never shot as big a load as I'm gonna shoot in your mouth."

He gasped for a breath, and paused. Larry could feel the head of Greg's penis swell even further, then the first gush of Greg's thick sweet-tasting sperm hit the back of his throat. He swallowed, but not before his mouth was filled by a second jet. Some sperm escaped, running out the corners of his mouth, to land with a splat on his left leg. Larry gulped a loud swallow, continuing to hold onto the softening erection with his lips.

When he pulled back, releasing Greg's penis, a thick strand of sperm drooped in a downward arc between them until it broke, one end hanging from the end of Greg's penis.

Larry glanced up to see Greg watching him, an exhausted, but satisfied smile playing with the corners of his mouth. He held the base of Greg's erection and licked over the head, gathering in the pearly string of sperm, then licked over the underside, causing Greg to involuntarily jump.

Greg caught his breath in what seemed close to be a suppressed sob. He moved from between Larry's legs and lowered himself to the bed at Larry's side and curled forward, his knees against his chest.

He was silently laughing, finally released from his fears.

Larry moved to a position behind him, wrapping him in a comforting embrace, his chest against Greg's back. Greg took his hand and kissed it.

"Thank you, Larry," he managed to say before he took another ragged breath. He turned onto his back and looked into Larry's eyes. "I could love you if you never did anything more than what you have just done." He moved closer and tenderly ran his tongue over Larry's lips. "You have made me feel so . . . wonderful. I don't know whether to laugh or cry."

He sniffed around a smile, his dark hair sticking out in all directions. "Thank you, lover." A kind of quiet contentedness had enfolded him since entering this room. The man who managed all challenging situations in his life with a scowl seemed to have been banished, to be replaced by a man who exuded self confidence. He kissed Larry once more. "Thank you," he repeated, watching Larry in silence. "I feel . . . human . . . for the first time in my life."

"Now, it's your turn." He wiped the back of his hand across his damp eyes and crawled on top of Larry, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

* * *

Curt and Brad leaned against the headboard of Curt's bed, cradling a cup of steaming coffee. The sheets, draping off the foot of the bed and onto the floor were evidence of the passion of last night's lovemaking. Neither man could have dreamt of a better reunion. After months of separation, they had at last found comfort in one another's arms, allowing both of them to sleep long and soundly. It was almost noon and still, they were reluctant to leave the bedroom.

Brad finished his coffee and sat the empty cup on the night stand and scooted closer as Curt laid an arm across his shoulders.

"Last night was wonderful." Brad pivoted slightly, turning to the man next to him. "Actually, better than wonderful." He paused. "Still, I'm not sure how to behave, now that we're back together. Somehow, I think both of us have grown beyond how we once did things." He studied Curt in silence for a moment before speaking.

"May I ask a question?"

Curt gave a single nod. "Sure. Ask away."

"Did you and Greg ever . . ."

"You mean, fuck?" Brad slowly nodded.

"No," Curt responded, reaching out to place his empty coffee cup on the night stand. "We discussed it a couple times, but no. He wasn't ready. Hell, I wasn't ready. We did kiss, and stuff." He sighed in exasperation at himself. "We sucked each other . . . and swallowed. No butt play, though. No rimming . . . nothing."

Brad nodded into the silence. When the silence lengthened, Curt added.

"I did have sex with one guy while we were separated; Daniel, a guy from work." Curt paused, thinking back to the encounter. "It was awful. I felt as if I was betraying you, and was continuing to do everything I had done that made us both so unhappy." When Brad didn't respond, Curt added. "I thought you should know."

Brad nodded slightly. "I need to ask something else. Something important."

"Go ahead."

"You'll tell me the truth?" Curt turned to look at him wearing a surprised expression.

"Yes, I promise."

"Did you ever fuck anyone without a condom? I mean, ever."

"No, never. I swear. I may have been stupid, but was not insane." Curt paused, his voice moderating. "I know; I tried to get you to fuck without one, but that was because I knew both of us were clean. I am healthy, Brad. I have never had sex with anyone without using a condom. Ever. I've never fucked anyone without one . . . and no one has ever fucked me . . . period."

"I have," Brad added in a small voice. "Without a condom, I mean."

"Larry?"

Brad nodded. "We were both checked before hand." He bowed his head as he continued speaking. "I wanted you to know. Curt, I did enjoy sex with Larry. I never stopped loving you but . . ."

"Shhh, I understand."

* * *

Greg cracked an eye, irritated that the morning sun had penetrated the bedroom. 'I should have closed the damned drapes last night,' he thought as he squinted into the light, loath to move. A smile of deep satisfaction softened his face. 'I did have other things on my mind though.'

He tried to stifle a chuckle, thinking back to his and Larry's night of love making. He had wanted to savor the experience of his first time with Larry, but things had happened to quickly. Their first orgasm had been wonderful, leaving both of them spent. They had cuddled beneath a soft blanket, talking of inconsequential things until one kiss had led to another, and they had made love once again.

It was slower this time, lacking the sense of urgency from earlier in the evening.

This time, it was more difficult to rein in his chuckle. 'I thought I was loud when I shoot,' he thought to himself. 'I'm quiet, compared to Larry! Now, I know where Phalen gets it.'

The second time they had cum they had both managed to shoot at the same time, him on his hands and knees, straddling Larry and sucking on him, while Larry lay on his back and sucked him off. He knew Larry was close, but nothing could have prepared him for the sudden gush of hot sperm flooding his mouth. It happened so fast he couldn't swallow it all before Larry's cock spewed again.

Of course, some of his surprise could be attributed to his own orgasm happening at the same time . . . or possibly, to the noise Larry was making. When Larry released his penis from his mouth, Greg turned and saw Larry's bright smile, and the thick stream of sperm running down the side of his cheek.

Larry wiped his fingers over his cheek and chin and began licking them. "Do you happen to shoot that much every time, doctor? If so, I want to learn your secret." He finished licking his finger clean, at the same time his eyes sparkled. "And, don't tell me the . . . extreme . . . load, is due to youth. I'm not that much older than you."

Greg reversed position then laid on top of Larry, finishing cleaning Larry's cheek with his tongue, while Larry did his best to clean Greg's of everything he hadn't been able to swallow.

Lying in bed in the bright morning sun, with Larry pressed close to his back, Greg remembered how his penis had responded to the taste of his own sperm, causing Larry to look at him in surprise. "It must be youth," he teased. "You're getting hard again!" Greg had shaken his head.

"No, I'm just turned on by the taste of my own sperm. I always have been. But," he added, after a deep and thorough kiss, where he could still taste himself on Larry's tongue. "But," he repeated. "My cum has never tasted as good as when it's on your face and in your mouth." He kissed Larry once more, reveling in the feeling of his erection trapped between him and Larry.

In retrospect, it seemed foolish to have worried about not being able to keep an erection. 'Now,' he remembered thinking to himself as he and Larry continued kissing. 'I'm wondering if it'll ever go down.'

They had both made love one more time before they were both exhausted, and fell asleep in one another's arms.

He could see the palm leaves rustling in a breeze, and hear the stray song of a bird, through the glass doors of Larry's bedroom, and feel the steady rhythm of Larry's breath on his neck.

Greg shifted and Larry tightened his arm which rested over Greg's chest.

"I'm not letting you go," Larry murmured. "So, don't fight it." The words were followed by a gentle kiss on the back of his neck.

"G'morning, lover. Ready for a repeat of last night?" The words were accompanied by a gentle thrust of his morning erection against Greg's lower back.

"I don't think it's physically possible for me to cum again, for at least . . . ten minutes, or so. So," he sighed. "You'll just have to amuse yourself until I'm completely recharged." Greg turned in Larry's embrace and gave him a good morning kiss. It felt so . . . right, to be lying in bed with this man. There were no feelings of . . . awkwardness, as there had been a few times when he had awakened in Curt's bed. For some reason, he had always felt as if Curt wished Brad was in bed with him instead of him. It was probably all imagined, he told himself, but, there were times he had felt uncomfortable.

This morning, there were no such feelings. He knew Larry wanted him next to him. The knowledge that he was not a stand-in for someone else gave him an enormous sense of contentment.

Larry chuckled, a sound deep in his throat. "I can think of many ways I might be able to amuse myself, while we're waiting."

"Then, I'll leave you and your right-hand to it," Greg laughed, as he disentangled himself from Larry's embrace and jumped out of bed. "I need to pee." He trotted to the bathroom, followed by Larry's wolf-whistle.

* * *

David folded the newspaper and set it on the table, stretching his legs out and sighing. He finished his cup of coffee and looked out onto the landscaped gardens of his and Margit's hotel balcony. "Maybe Jeff and Greg did the right thing by moving back to the States." Margit looked up from her book with a quizzical look. "It's cold back home, right now," David supplied. "I find I'm enjoying the warmth and sunshine."

Margit grinned in response. "It's on the other side of the planet, love," she chided. "It's night there."

"I'll be night for the next six months," David groused with a slight grin in his wife's direction.

"It's more than the warmth I'm enjoying. I find I'm enjoying having both of our boys nearby," Margit added.

David watched as she slowly ran a finger around the rim of her coffee cup, a habit of hers, whenever she was organizing her thoughts.

"You did a wonderful thing, yesterday, beloved," she said, looking up to see her husband raise his eyebrows. "Sending Greg over to Larry's."

David grinned to himself as he poured them both another cup of coffee. "It was funny, listening to them in the backyard. I don't think either of them realized they were speaking so loudly. They'd each had a couple beers too many."

"Greg needed those beers as a crutch, last night," Margit answered, cutting into a large sweet roll which had lain ignored for too long. She had seen her husband covetously eyeing the piece of pastry and figured if she didn't eat it soon, he would be giving her one of his puppy dog looks, begging for it. She ignored his look of disappointment as she raised the fork, along with it's gooey icing to her mouth. "I don't think any sort of crutch will be necessary in the future." She swallowed, and cut another piece of sweet roll.

"He was using the beer to break down his barriers," she continued, when her husband's expression asked for an explanation. "He's never allowed himself to think of what he really wanted, at least not until he saw Jeff and Phalen, and saw how we accepted them both. He's always wanted acceptance and approval." She stared into her empty coffee cup.

"He's such a hard worker, but he's afraid of taking that first step into the unknown." She looked up and grinned. "You pushed him into taking that step, sweetheart. I would expect that before the day's out, we will see a new son."

"Larry will be good for him, I think," David ventured. "It's clear, he cares for Greg." Margit nodded slowly.

"I like Larry. He's something like Phalen. He'll calm Greg down." She grinned. "He's not going to be intimidated by Greg's scowl." She laughed, a merry sound in the early morning light. "Larry'll scowl right back, then say something outrageous which will have them both laughing."

Their conversation faded into silence, to finally be broken by Margit, asking a question they had both been thinking, but neither had asked aloud.

"What about Jeff?"

David shook his head, putting down his cup of coffee. "I don't know. He seems so at ease. Even Greg seems to be more . . . relaxed, whenever he's around Jeff and Phalen." David looked up.

"Did you see the way Jeff would put his arm around Greg's shoulder?"

Margit nodded, wearing a wistful smile. "They're finally, really brothers. They're both at peace."

"Are you asking whether I've thought any more about speaking to Jeff about what we've learned of his childhood?"

David nodded. "What are we going to gain by dredging up Jeff's past? You know what he'll do, don't you?" Margit gave her husband a questioning look.

"He'll find some way to blame himself. He wasn't strong enough. He should have done something different. He was responsible."

"Either that, or the dam will burst and any animosity he feels toward us will come pouring out." David grimaced at the thought. "Are we willing to face censure by our son?"

"Is it necessary? Look, Margit. Jeff's found peace. Should we disturb that peace? It's our turn now to find the same peace. We don't need to make Jeff miserable in order to assuage our own consciences."

* * *

Curt pressed the doorbell. A few moments later Larry came to the door, dressed in a pair of brief nylon running shorts, looking as if he'd only recently gotten out of bed. His hair looked as if he'd combed it using his fingers and he was still holding a steaming cup of coffee.

"Hi, Larry." Curt seemed suddenly shy. "Brad's at work, but I wanted to stop by and thank you for making . . . things, easy for him last night during our little conversation outside of Jeff's. He'd been really worried about you. In fact, even after our conversation, he wondered a couple times how you were doing."

Curt's eyes widened when Greg stepped up to the door, behind Larry, wearing a pair of Larry's jogging shorts and nothing more.

"Are you going to let the man in, Larry," Greg asked, playfully nudging him. Larry looked from Curt to Greg, then back to Curt.

"Uh, oh yeah. Sorry." He held his cup of coffee up, as if in explanation. "Still early in the morning for me, Curt. Sorry."

"It's two in the afternoon."

"Early," Larry insisted. Curt stepped into the house, giving Greg a questioning look at the same time he accepted a hug. When he looked up, he saw Jeff sprawled out on a living room sofa, his feet stretched out in front of him and his arms extended to either side, resting on the back of the sofa.

"Hi Jeff. Did the party move over here after Brad and I left?" He sat down next to Jeff and watched Larry and Greg take a seat across from them. Larry tried to hide a yawn, smiling when he saw Curt notice.

"No, I'm just visiting," Jeff drawled. "After you guys left, Dad sent my big brother over here to keep Larry company. When he didn't come home last night, I thought I'd come over and check up on things. I've sorta gotten attached to my big brother, and I wanted to know if he was okay, or if he and Larry were so hung over they wouldn't even know what time of day it was."

Curt looked at Greg and Larry, realizing for the first time that they both did look a little bleary-eyed. "Hung over?"

Jeff laughed, ignoring his brother's feeble attempts at a scowl. "They must have finished off at least two cartons of beer." Larry groaned slightly, and held up three fingers.

"Three?" Jeff asked. "Oh my." He winked in Curt's direction.

"Did you know that Greg apparently makes it a habit to piss in other people's flower beds?" Curt raised his eyebrows, and grinned slightly, enjoying watching Jeff. "Yes," Jeff, continued. "Larry enjoys a good outdoor piss as well."

Larry winced, but tried to hide it behind his coffee cup.

"And then," Jeff continued. "My brother starts telling the neighborhood how sexy it is to piss with another guy . . . outside . . . in the dark . . . in the flower bed . . . with his parents only a few feet away." Jeff was having a difficult time not laughing.

"Mother thought it was very funny. Dad wasn't so sure. He thought it might kill the flowers."

"Enough," Larry said, setting his coffee cup on the table.

Jeff nodded, reaching out and making a slight motion with his fingers. "That's what Dad said." He turned to Curt. "I've heard enough, Dad said. I hope they go inside to finish things. I don't need to hear a lot of orgasmic shouting." Finally, Jeff could contain himself no longer. He began laughing.

Curt looked to Greg and Larry. "I guess Brad didn't have anything to worry about, huh?"

"Dad threw me at him," Greg said, as if in explanation.

"And I caught him," Larry added, looking smug. "And," he added glancing at Greg with a look of possessiveness, "I intend to keep him."

While Larry was asking about Brad, Jeff noticed his parents drive up to his house and get out of their rental car. 'No need to hurry back,' he thought. 'Phalen's home.'

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment on this story. I love to hear from you and appreciate your input. If you'd like pics of how I envision the characters, please ask.

Thanks for reading.