Aaron & Slade Ch. 08

Slade tries to hide his smirk, but he's unsuccessful. "Really?"

Ma answers happily, "Yes. We talked a bit longer. This is the good news I have for you. And considering how things ended between you two today, she thought it'd best for me to tell you."

Skepticism sets in his eyes as he asks, "What news?"

She takes hold of his free hand and smiles. "She's gonna let you talk to your sister and brothers whenever y'all want, but, you can only see them with her approval."

I wrap my arm around his shoulder and kiss his temple. "That's awesome."

Slade releases a long, shaky breath. He stammers, "Wow, uh - uh, tha-that's - a wow." He pauses momentarily. An eerie, detached calm sets in his voice when he says, "Thank you, Miss Dani. That's great news. But, I've never needed Mama more than I do right now, and she turned her back on me. The fact that I'm gay changed her feelings for me. She says she loves me, but I don't feel it. She's not doing this for them or me. She's doing this to make herself look good, and to make me talk to her when I want to see them. A few hours ago, she watched me say goodbye and did nothing. So, I'm not gonna get my hopes up, only to have her change her mind again. I can't go through having my family taken away from me a second time."

My mother and I watch in stunned silence, as Slade crosses the living room to grab his phone from the table and walk out.

I stand and call after him. "Jones?!"

He doesn't stop. The back-screen door opens moments later and closes with a soft thwack.

Ma's voice wavers as she wipes the corners of her eyes. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry. I honestly thought he'd be happy to hear the news. I guess April's made a bigger mess of things this afternoon than I thought."

I kneel and kiss her cheek. "It's not your fault, Ma. I'm gonna go check on him."

She grabs my hand. "I know you two like to go out on drives. If you want to get away for a little while, it's okay. For tonight, I'll extend your curfew to 2am."

I nod slightly. "I might take you up on that. Thank you."

"I'll see you in the morning. I love you, sweetie."

Kissing her cheek again, I reply, "Love you, too, Ma."

I take a deep breath heading towards the back. I can hear Slade talking on the phone when I reach the door.

"... after my shift tomorrow. Yeah. We'll meet you guys at the field by six. Yeah, later, Josh," he says, ending the call. He turns his head when he hears me come outside. I squat in front of him, letting my hands move up and down his thighs. He offers a half-smile.

"I know you don't wanna talk. I'm just saying, I love you, and I'm here if you need me," I say with a quick peck and hug. "Ma extended my curfew, wanna go for a drive?"

Slade leans forward, his forehead against mine, and he mutters, "Baby, as good as that sounds, I'm too exhausted. I've got an early shift tomorrow. All I wanna do is go inside, curl up in your arms, and go to sleep. Can we do that?"

"Yeah. We can do that," I reply, kissing the tip of his nose.

We both stand, hug each other, and kiss briefly. We head inside, locking up the house before retiring for the night.

******

We're sitting on the grass after having thrown the football around for half an hour when we told the guys we needed to talk to them. The shocked looks on their faces are funny, but then again, not funny. I could potentially lose two of my best friends, and it has me nervous.

Randy looks dumbfounded. His stare moves between Slade and me multiple times. He clears his throat and says, "So, let me get this straight. Y'all aren't straight, and you're a couple, right?"

"Yeah," we reply in unison.

"Aaron, you leave next week. Why tell us now?" Josh asks his facial expression the same as Randy's.

"Look, something happened this weekend, guys," I answer, looking towards Slade, and then back to Josh. "We wanted to be alone. So, we went to his family's lake cabin. We lied and told our folks we were going with y'all to the quarry. After you called looking for us, our moms' went on a rampage. When we finally admitted where we were, they demanded we get back home. We were driving back when we realized we couldn't keep lying, and we decided to come out to our parents. Well, I only had to come out to my dad, 'cause my mom has known about us for over a year."

"What?!" They both exclaim.

I nod my head in confirmation. "Ma knew. She never said anything 'til she saw how upset I was about leavin' Slade."

Looking a little lost, Randy asks, "Ok, so y'all came out. What happened?"

"Dad's having a hard time, but he's trying his best," I answer quietly. "Candace doesn't care."

Slade goes next using fingers for each thing that happened to him. "Disowned. Kicked out. I'm moving back to Norfolk to live with my aunt. I can't see my siblings without approval. They think I'm a perverted degenerate who's going to hell."

I grab his hand with the hope my touch can ease the hurt he's feeling. He gives my hand a squeeze and holds it on his lap.

"Dude, that's fucked up. I can't believe Miss April," Randy whispers harshly, but his face lights up. "Wait. You can stay with me. My folks love you."

Slade shakes his head. "Thanks, Ran, but I can't. They'll want to know why my parents kicked me out. I can't handle coming out to anyone else right now."

"I-I-I don't know what to say, Slade," Josh replies. "When do you go back to Norfolk?"

"I'm leaving with Aaron. He's driving me to Auntie Bernie's, and he leaves for Boston from there."

"This sucks ass. I finally accepted Aaron ditchin' me, 'cause I thought I had you as backup against this meatball here," Josh says, gesturing with his thumb towards Randy. "Now you're leaving too? Are you really gonna leave me alone to deal with this all by myself?"

Slade smiles sadly. "I don't really have a choice, man."

.

Melancholy, I ask them, "Are y'all okay with the fact that we're gay? You still want to be our friend?"

"Dude, if I didn't stop being your friend after you stole my Yu-Gi-Oh! card, what makes you think I would over this?" Randy says, throwing his hands in the air, and looks at me like I'm an idiot. "You being gay ain't even a factor for me, man."

Chuckling, but still reserved, I reply, "I didn't steal it. You lost the bet. It's not my fault you tripped over those boats you call feet."

"Whatever, man. We could've done best two of three," Randy says, with a dismissive the wave of a hand. He looks at both of us, grabs our necks, leans in, and says, "You're my brothers, and you always will be. Nothing's ever gonna change that, 'kay?"

Josh scoots closer. "Same goes for me. We'll always be 'The Four Musketeers'."

He puts out his hand, I put mine on his, Slade's on mine, and Randy's on his, and we recite, "All for one and one for all, and seven ate nine." We perform our secret handshake and laugh.

Randy looks to all of us. "That won't be the last time we say that. We'll be saying it until we're in our hundreds. Bro hug!"

We stand. The four of us cluster together in a tight hug and step away from each other. Slade grabs my hand, smiles at me, and I smile back.

"Y'all aren't gonna start making out, are you?" Josh asks with a weird look on his face.

Slade and I laugh. Suddenly, Randy waves his hands. "Wait. Does this mean you've checked me out in the shower?"

"Hell, no!" Slade says, with his face scrunched in disgust.

"Not even once, bro. You're not my type," I answer, throwing my arm around Slade's shoulder.

Randy groans clutching his heart. "Dang! A simple 'no' would've done it."

The four of us hang out for a little while longer before we say our goodbyes for the night. After Josh and Randy have gone, Slade turns to me with a bright smile. We don't say anything else. We walk to my truck and drive back to my house.

******

Two nights later, Slade and I bask in our post-coital bliss. The sexual tension between us before this night was palpable. Four long days, that's how long it had been since we made love, but it wasn't from lack of trying. My family and our friends ruined all our attempts to be together. Our only relief, a couple of blowjobs during passionate, but quiet makeout sessions.

We're inside the carport where I parked my truck tonight, lying inside the cargo bed on top a few layers of comforters to cushion our bodies. I'm on my back with a partial part of Slade's body across mine. After riding me deep and hard until he came all over my chest, this is where he ended up. Our breaths and heartbeats finally begin to slow. He moves to lay beside me with his head on my shoulder. I clumsily remove the filled condom and wrap it in a paper towel. And I wipe my chest the best I can.

The warmth of our lovemaking starts to wear off and cool our bodies. Slade grabs a blanket to cover us and snuggles in closer.

My mind wanders. I begin to think back to the times we've made love, and Slade's reactions during. And I can't help the question that flows from my mouth. "Jones, what does it feel like?"

"Huh?" he answers, tilting his head back. "What does what feel like?"

"Sex. I know what I feel when I'm with you, but I don't know what you feel when you're with me. I mean, does it really feel that good."

Slade props himself up on his elbow. "Why're you asking?"

I shrug. "Curiosity."

"Yeah, but I've already described it to you," he answers, staring back at me shyly.

"You kinda did, but not really. Please tell me," I plead, moving to sit cross-legged.

He appears unsure of how to answer my question. But after a minute, his eyes drop from mine, and he clears his throat. "Remember when I told you that I was already yours in mind and soul." I nod. He continues. "Well, I had to let my body feel what I already felt in my head and heart, that it was natural for you to be inside me. I couldn't let the pain keep me from being with you because it would eventually start to feel good."

He stops. I beckon him on. "And?"

Slade smiles sweetly, but he doesn't answer my question. Instead, he asks one of his own, "Why're you asking me about this, Aaron?"

"I told you, I'm curious. Keep going and tell me," I press.

"It's not like I'm an expert or anything. We've only been together a few times, but I'll tell you this." He mimics my sitting position, takes my hands in his, and leans in closer. His voice is low and deliberate. "I love feeling the weight of your body on top of mine. When you look into my eyes, it makes all that discomfort go away. I become more aware of my body, craving for you to touch me anywhere and everywhere. You hold me like you're holding on for dear life. When you do that, I want to keep you inside me for as long as I can, 'cause I know I'll miss having you there when it's over. And then something unexpected happens."

Feeling turned on, I take a small swallow, and ask, "What?"

He licks his lips, and my gaze falls to them before looking back in his sapphire-blue eyes.

"You'll go in at the right angle and hit my prostate. I shatter a little every time you do. It's like I don't have control over my own body. I never knew I could make the sounds I do, but it feels so good that I can't help it. You make my body feel something it's not used to feeling. You become unrelenting when you see what you're doing to me, but it never hurts. And when I come, feeling you inside me causes the most earth-shattering orgasm I've ever had in my life. Well, until we do it again, and that one becomes the most earth-shattering orgasm."

We chuckle together, but I hold his gaze. "That's what you feel? Is it like that every time?"

"Pretty much. If we weren't in love, and you were just some random hookup, I don't think it would feel or mean the same," he whispers, threading our fingers together. He stares at me. "Baby, why the sudden interest?"

I chew my bottom lip repeatedly before answering. "It's not sudden. I've always had dreams of you making love to me."

"You want me to top you?" he asks in disbelief.

I nod slightly, clutching his hands tighter. "Yeah. We've never been a one-sided relationship. Everything you do, I do and vice-versa. It makes sense that we both experience everything we have to offer each other. And I want you to be my one and only, forever and ever."

Slade scoots in closer. His eyes are wide with bewilderment. "Aaron, how come you never said anything."

Shrugging, I answer, "You were already having a hard enough time. I didn't want to put more pressure on you by telling you. It wouldn't've been fair to either of us. It was easier letting you set the pace, and knowing when the time came, you'd be ready when it was my turn."

"Oh, my god, baby," he coos, placing a hand against my heart, and patting it repeatedly. "This right here is why I love you so much. You're too good to be true sometimes, Aaron David Brooks."

I cover his hand. "You're not so bad yourself, Slade Michael Jones."

"You let me know when you're ready," Slade says, kissing the corners of my mouth. "I'll do everything I can to make you feel, the way you make me feel when we make love."

He kisses my forehead, nose, and lips softly. Releasing my hands, he straddles my lap and hugs me tight.

I smile knowing that I am already ready to give myself to him before I leave for Boston.

******

Nine days later (the day before I leave):

We square off, standing naked body to naked body. I am angry and hurt. My jaw and fists clench repeatedly. I never saw this day going the way it had, but here we are, and I still don't know how it happened.

I grab Slade's head, forcing him to look me in the eyes. His glare hurts but not more than the words he just said to me. My question comes out as a growl. "What did you say to me?"

Slade's eyes narrow, and the gut-wrenching words spill again from his mouth. "We're over! I don't wanna be your boyfriend anymore."

******

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry for ending it this way, but I had to for the setup for the next chapter.