Noah's Starship Ch. 12

I told them about my classes and indecision on a major. Mr. Naseri translated for his wife. She frowned at the idea of a writing degree. I told her my father frowned on it as well. That made her ask all kinds of questions about my dad, my mom, how I ended up so "troubled." I gave her some answers, but not the whole story. She seemed to understand that it was a sensitive topic when I just said my mom wasn't around.

"She missed out on a beautiful boy with a golden heart. It is good that your heart is not stained by her. I hope Navid is showing you the love you need. You are so dear to him. It is a bond men can form in our culture. It is the strongest, purest form of love the two can have. Even after marriage, the bond the two men can create is stronger than the one with his own wife," Mr. Naseri translated his wife's words.

His eyes studied me for reaction. I was certain her words had nothing to do with sex or a gay relationship. She certainly wouldn't hope that for her own son. But his eyes, the way he chose to translate it. He knew about us, knew what we were. I was almost certain.

I swallowed the slice of orange in my mouth as our eyes locked. What did he know? What was he trying to say? That Navid would get married? Leave me but still love me greater than his own wife? Why would he translate her words like this? Or had she even said that?

I blinked first. I looked away. He sipped his coffee and said the weather looked nice outside our kitchen window.

+++

I had class that day and final exams to study for. Navid just had a final project for his class and he had finished it early before his parents arrival. He had no more work to do. The three of them drove me to campus and I rushed off to my class while Navid showed them around the buildings where he had studied these last few years. As we parted ways, I knew Navid wanted a kiss but he couldn't do it. Usually, we kissed for a few long seconds before getting out of the car. It was as natural and automatic as putting on a seatbelt.

I met up with Erik at the juice bar and he helped me do some last minute cramming for the history final. He flicked through my note cards and made buzzing or dinging sounds when I got an answer wrong or right. He wasn't exactly encouraging, but I needed him. We finished my flash cards and I spilled the story on Navid's parents and everything that happened that morning with his father.

"Oh shit, Noah! What if they find out and kill him? What if they kill you first and make him watch? That would crush him, but what could he do to stop it? Or... What if they take you both back and sell you into some sort of twisted slave racket?" Erik spun wild and frightening ideas.

"You're twisted," I said and tried to laugh. "I honestly don't know what they'd do. I feel so bad for him. He doesn't know that they know. It would crush him."

"That sucks, Noah. I just don't want you getting hurt. But like... you didn't do this. You didn't make his family or the way that they are. You have to protect yourself first. You can't control any of that," Erik said.

He was right, but it still didn't make it feel better. We got back to studying and then I hurried off to take my final. It wasn't too bad. I think he made it easy for people who came to class all the time. He put a lot of questions about the little stupid stories he liked to share.

Navid was waiting for me outside when I finished. He'd sent his parents to the coffee place to wait while he stood outside my class. He pulled me into a restroom and asked me how I did. I told him it wasn't too bad and then we spent five minutes kissing and touching each other in a stall. He slid his hands inside my briefs and rubbed my ass while we made out. We were both so hard and rubbed against each other. I wanted to drop to my knees and suck him off, but he held back. He pushed me off of him and breathed deeply for a few minutes to calm his erection.

"You are so beautiful. Every time I see you I just want to take you in my arms and kiss every little piece of my Noah," Navid said. He put his hands to my cheek and rubbed it while he adored me with his eyes.

"When can we have time together?" I asked. "I need it."

"Tonight. When they go to bed we will have quiet time on the floor so the bed does not make the noises. I will keep my lips on yours to muffle your beautiful noises. Is such a shame. I love them," he said and smiled hopefully.

Navid took me home and then took his mother to the mall and then to the Persian market. She wanted to buy some things and then make us dinner. His father wanted to rest and watch TV. I had more studying to do for the next final exam. I headed up to the guest room as Navid showed his father how to work the television. I read over my notes for a solid hour until I had nothing more to read. It was science and Navid was going to help me later since that was his area.

I decided to get a snack so I headed downstairs. Navid's father was watching a soccer match and I asked him the score but got no reply. I got closer and saw that he was fast asleep, sprawled out on his back. He slept like Navid did when he fell asleep on the couch. Light snoring, mouth half open and one arm across his chest like he was midway through pledging allegiance when he got sleepy.

He had changed into a loose pair of shorts and a white tank top. It was one of Navid's and it was a little tight on his stomach. The shorts draped across an impressive bulge. Like Navid's, it was always in the way with nowhere to go. I stood there a little too long watching him. I felt like a pervert, but I couldn't stop. The game announcer blared "goooooooal" behind us on the tv and I turned to look for the remote to turn it down.

"Noah?" I heard Mr. Naseri ask. "Everything ok?" He yawned. I turned back and realized I was standing over him.

"Oh. uh just came down to get a snack. I was looking for the remote to turn down the TV so it wouldn't wake you," I half-lied.

"I'm used to sleeping through football matches. When you get to my age you can sleep through anything," he joked.

"You're not old!" I protested with a laugh that sounded flirtier than it should have.

"Come here, sit down," he said with a laugh and sat up to stretch his arms. I sat on the couch next to him and watched his back muscles flex while he reached up and out.

"Do you like football? Or soccer it's called here I guess. I'm sure Navid makes you watch it," he laughed. He leaned back against the couch and put his arm around me. He held his hand on my shoulder and rubbed it in support.

"I like going to his games. He hasn't played in awhile though," I said and remembered how Navid had took me to a game on our first date.

"He has changed a lot since he took you in. I worried about him coming to this land of so many temptations. I thought he would get into drugs and girls, bad friends and poor choices," Mr. Naseri lamented.

"Oh, no sir. He wouldn't do that," I assured.

"There are so many pitfalls in this society, so few rules. When he told us about taking you in, I worried more. We didn't know anything about you and he said you were troubled." Mr. Naseri squeezed my shoulder and looked at me with a supportive smile.

"I can see now that Navid likely exaggerated your wayward condition. But I've also seen him become more responsible as he cares for you. He's working hard on his future, his goals. He found a nice home and job. He's building a career and helping you through college. He cares about someone more than he cares for himself. It's what I've wanted for him, what I've prayed for," Mr. Naseri said.

"He's a really good guy. He made this career and all of these connections so fast. He works like crazy at it. I know he is going to be very successful." I assured him.

"It will make him a good father someday. He can take care of a family, and provide a loving home with everything his children will need," Mr. Naseri said. His arm was still around me and he held me in his aura. He had Navid's ability to completely capture someone in a warm ray of attention that made one feel like the most important person in the world. I felt safe in his arms.

"He will be a great father!" I said though Navid and I hadn't really ever talked about that. I imagined a house full of boys that looked like him. I imagined his messiness multiplied by four or five.

"And he has done well to protect you, provide a safe and quiet home for you to take care of. I can see how clean it is and I know he never lifts a finger to help. In Iran, men do not do housework," Mr. Naseri laughed.

"Yeah he can be a mess," I joked. "But he does so much for me. It's the least I can do for him."

But then Mr. Naseri added something that made me stop laughing.

"That's what I am proud of the most. He is learning his place as the head of a household. He earns money and protects his family. It will be good practice for when he has a nice Persian wife. I hope she does as good a job at making him happy as you have," he said and smiled as though this was a natural way to continue the happy conversation. He squeezed my arm in support.

But my heart sank.

My chest tightened.

I realized he was waiting for a response, some attempt at light humor. I just nodded like an idiot and tried to stretch out my eyes tightly and look up so I wouldn't drop a tear. I stood up, slipped out of his embrace, and went for the kitchen.

"Noah? Are you ok?" he asked, realizing the mood had changed drastically.

"Yeah... Yes sir... Just needed some water," I went for one of the water bottles we keep in the little pantry.

"Noah. Did I say something wrong? You seem upset." Mr. Naseri's voice rose from the living room. He was headed towards me.

"Uh no, just... I should get back to my studies. School comes first, as Navid always says," I lied and forced a little laugh. I tried to make a quick path to the stairs. He reached for me, but I darted past.

"Noah, I have five children. I have a father's instinct. I know when one is hurt. Please don't..." He said this as I headed up the stairs and cut him off by closing the door to the guest bedroom as I yelled out "Study study!"

I locked the door, though it was one of those locks that Navid could pop open in a few seconds. I don't know why I locked it, I just needed to feel that separation from the anxiety of his father. I got under the covers and hugged the pillow where Navid had slept to inhale the remnants of his scent. Maybe his wife would hug his pillow when he was away. Maybe she would miss his smell, his arms, his kisses. I'd never be her, never give him children, never be accepted as more than his best friend. Anxiety made me sleepy.

+++

Navid found me napping. I'd wasted my study time and I felt awful. He had unlocked the door and knew something was wrong.

"Why you lock door from my father? He say you are upset but doesn't understand for why," Navid looked at me with concern and frustration. He wanted us all to get along perfectly. I'd let him down.

I told him about the conversation with his dad.

"Of course he say that, Noah! To him that is compliment for you. You are such good boy and he sees this! He does not know how we are together. He think you are normal boy who like girls," Navid insisted as he pulled me into his lap.

"I am normal," I said and looked up at him with indignation.

"Yes of course you are. You are better than normal, you are perfect, you are mine," Navid kissed up my neck and hugged me tightly.

"I'm your practice," I insisted and sniffed back tears.

"You're my prize, the best I can ever hope for. My most special one my heart was meant to love. I promise you there is no step after you. You are my summit," Navid whispered as he bit and sucked my ear. I settled into his arms and felt safe again.

"I just felt like he knew about us and it was his way of saying to me that I was just your practice toy to play with until you get home and marry a Persian wife," I said.

"I hate that for this you get upset. You need remember how he see us in his head. He think we are two boys who care very much for each other, but someday have their own families. He does not intend to offend. It is how our culture work and he does not know the love I have for you is more than just strong brothers bond. The gay does not exist in my culture. It is not something he has connection for. You confuse him by becoming upset. He is very concern for you and worry he hurt your feelings. He never ever want to hurt you," Navid rocked me in his lap as he spoke softly.

"I don't want to mess this up for you. It's not my family. I don't want to expose you." I kissed his shoulder and looked up at him with my best apologetic eyes.

"You are sweet to worry about me when I am one who put you through this..." Navid trailed off and looked away from me. We sat there silently for a moment as he hugged and pet me.

"I really need to bounce on your cock," I whispered to break the tension.

Navid burst out in a loud laugh. He held me against his chest and rolled onto his back on the bed. He brought me chest to chest with him so he could stare up into my eyes.

"Fuck, Noah. You know I need it so bad too," he whispered back and kissed me as his hands rubbed down my back and inside my shorts. He squeezed my ass cheeks as he kissed up my jaw and then down my neck.

"My baby," he whispered. "My beautiful Noah. I do not deserve you, but no one else deserve you either so I find you first."

It didn't last long though. His father knocked on the door and said something in Persian. Navid called back and carefully slid me off of him before bolting towards the door.

"You're napping, go sleep," Navid whispered to me before opening the door. I hugged his pillow and curled up around it. I kept one eye cracked open just a little to see his father peek in and look at me. He came closer and looked at me with sadness and confusion. I realized that maybe he really didn't know about me, about me and Navid. Was that really not a thing in Iran? What did gay guys do there?

Navid said something to him and then put his hand against his chest and guided him out to the hall. He followed his father out and closed the door. I was left to "nap" for a bit. Navid was probably trying to smooth over whatever his father was thinking about me, about us.

His mother spent all afternoon in the kitchen and the beautiful smells of their food made it all the way up to the guest bedroom. I was studying for my final while Navid and his father watched some soccer match on tv. There were guests coming over tonight for the dinner. It was old family friends from Iran who had settled in California. Navid's parents hadn't seen them in years, and they lived close to us. I'd never met them, but Navid occasionally went to visit them out of respect for family ties. Sometimes he brought home interesting food for me to try.

The dinner was delicious and Navid's parents got to bond with their old friends. We ate what we could. I sat between Navid and his father. Navid kept sneaking bites off of my plate to relieve me of the food burden his mother was putting on me. His father noticed and he joined in, eating a few forkfuls of my lamb. It became a game between them.

His mother refilled my plate happily and squeezed my arm as if to check her progress for fattening me up. Navid and his father continued their game. They fought with their forks over the last piece of meat and then they burst into laughter. Navid relented and let his father have it, but we attracted the attention of both ladies.

Navid's mother scolded them in Persian. I didn't need to know the words to understand it. She looked between them and gave me sad eyes as if not eating everything would put me closer to death. They just laughed it off though. Navid's father pulled me into a tight side hug and said something back to her as his arms held me. He kissed the side of my forehead a few times as he argued with her playfully.

"I told her we are cheering you up from your anxiety over your studies," he told me. "Navid says you were not feeling well earlier because of your finals. I am glad I did not offend you. I was worried. You are a gentle boy, not like my sons."

"I'm ok now... Thank you," I laid my head against his shoulder and looked up at him with a grateful smile. He looked back down at me with those eyes Navid gives me sometimes. It's a mix of adoring protector and hungry lover. It couldn't have meant the same though for him. He certainly wouldn't have those thoughts here in front of everyone or for another male.

Navid and I were excused to study for my final as the four adults continued their reunion with drinks and dessert. Navid took our dessert upstairs and explained how desperately I needed to pass the exam. His father offered to come with us since he was indeed a rocket scientist. But Navid assured him he had been working with me the whole class and knew just what I needed to brush up on.

We left them and made it up to the room. Navid locked the door and turned on soft music to cover the happy noise of the old friends downstairs.

"I need you inside me," I whined as I flopped onto the bed. I got on all fours as he turned on the music.

"No! You have exam tomorrow. It is important. We must study," Navid mustered bravery against my tempting foreplay.

"Can we study naked?" I begged. Navid thought for a minute as he paced and looked for my study materials.

"Every five questions you get right, you can take something from my clothing. Every five you get wrong, I take something from you, ok?" He said.

"But I want to be naked with you," I corrected.

"Oh... yes. Ok every five right we take one thing off each other. Every question wrong, I give you spank on bottom," Navid laughed.

"But I like when you spank me," I insisted.

"Noah! We waste time! Study study!" He growled and pounced on me. He pulled me up and pinned me back against the bed on my back. He kissed down my jaw and nibbled on my neck as he ground his crotch between my legs. I felt his cock thicken up in his pants and I whimpered at his touch.

"Mitosis, explain to me what means and happens," he said as he slid his hands up my shirt and twisted my nipples.

"Oh I know this! Oh! Uhhhh yesss," I whined as his teeth sank into my earlobe. I tried my best to explain it in as much detail as possible until he finally said it was right.

We went on like this for four more questions until he slid my shirt off and went to work on my nipples. The next question was too hard and I wasn't even sure it was something we'd studied.

"I love these nipples. So sad to spank you now," he said when I fumbled too long. He gave the right one a last kiss and then sat up and pulled me over his lap.

"You know I do this for your own good," he said and pulled at my pants. He slid them down along with my briefs so my ass was exposed for him.

"The sweet little pussy must be trained for science. It is for your best," he said as he rubbed my cheeks firmly. He raised his hand and gave each cheek one hard swat. I jumped and whined, but my cock was rock hard against his thigh.

"You hurt me," I whined.

"Is for your best, my love," He said sternly and rubbed my bottom to soothe it. He slid his fingers between the cheeks and rubbed over my hole.

"Uhhh yeah, fuck." I squirmed as his touch ignited the need in me to receive him.

"Maybe I keep you here in case you miss next question... Explain polymerase chain reaction," he said and rubbed two fingers back and forth across my hole in preparation for my next swat.

"Uhhh... fuck the poly chains... just fuck me," I begged.

"No! Noah you must focus," he swatted the two fingers harshly against my hole. It was a very unpleasant pain and I started to whine and struggle with him.