Off Campus

Seth’s Perspective

It was cold but Zach insisted on wearing shorts and his Hawaiian shirt to the airport “I’m on freaking Spring Break. Let me be a tourist” he barked back at me when I mocked him. We were sitting at a table at the airport café having coffee with Max and Brody as we all waited for our flights. They were a couple now, our first couple friends, and the four of were hanging out a lot more lately.

Zach and I were flying to Arizona to meet my new niece and nephew, and Max and Brody were headed to North Carolina to work on the house. Cam and Elliot were driving the Fiat to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (About two hours past Brody’s place) and stopping on the way to help Max and Brody work on the house for a couple of days. They left early in the morning so would be rolling up to Brody’s in the middle of the night. We were all pretty sure the two of them had the hots for each other, but nothing had happened yet (as far as we all knew) so, this trip might change the dynamics at the duplex yet again. Eric decided to stay behind and catch up on his studies, pick up some extra shifts at work to make a little cash, and babysit Witchy. He’d been focused on getting his act together and doing a decent job of it.

As the four of us sat there talking and having coffee, I got a text from Dr. Aarons and opened it “Oh My god!” I said laughing as I handed the phone to Zach. Wednesday was my last day at the office before Spring Break and I gave Ryan gifts for the kids as a thank you for having us over for dinner. Zach signed an old practice Jersey and wrapped it up for Tyler, he also gave him an old game ball he had lying around. I knew from hanging with Matty and Baby Scotty that you can’t give one kid a gift and not the other. Liddy was big time into unicorns (the walls of her bedroom were covered with them) so we got her a stuffed unicorn. Ryan had texted me a pic of Liddy kissing the unicorn, and another of Tyler drowning in Zach’s old jersey, with his foot on the game ball as he flexed his tiny muscles. The text said, ‘Liddy named the Unicorn Seth, and Tyler slept in that damn Jersey. Thank you, guys! have a great trip home!’

Zach read the text out loud and laughed while he beamed with pride. He showed the pics to Max and Brody as he told them the story of our dinner with his biggest littlest fan. They were both laughing, I think they were laughing more at how excited Zach was to have a fan more than they were at Tyler’s first fan boy crush. I just watched my fiancé, thinking how lucky I was to have him. The four of us killed time together until we all had to catch our flights, then we said goodbye to Max and Brody. Our flight was boring and uneventful, we both slept the whole way there. When we landed in Phoenix, I texted Brad who was supposed to pick us up, he texted back that he had to run into the office for a meeting but dropped the TT in the parking lot with the key under the mat and texted the location. He and Scotty were both on family leave while the kids got adjusted to their new world, but they were both still going into the office for meetings occasionally so they didn’t fall too far behind. When we found the car, Zach pushed me out of the way and jumped in the driver’s seat, he loved that little car. His bag fit in the trunk but I needed to hold mine on my lap because the trunk was so tiny. Zach turned the key and the turbo engine purred, then he hit the button to lower the top and we were ready to roll. The stereo echoed through the parking garage as Zach made his way to the exit and paid for parking at the kiosk. We were on our way home with the wind blowing through our hair. It was about seventy degrees Fahrenheit and the smell of the desert filled my nostrils, I LOVED that smell. When we pulled up to the house there was a silver minivan in the driveway and the garage door was open. Brad’s Audi and Scotty’s Taos were both gone. We entered through the garage door and tentatively called out “hello? Is anybody home?”

“It’s Uncle Seth and Uncle Zach!” Scotty’s voice boomed from the kitchen. We turned the corner and there he was with Maddox and Brooklyn sitting at the counter eating lunch. The two cute as hell kids had looks of confusion on their faces. They had just moved in with their new dads less than three weeks ago and were meeting so many new people, they of course had no clue who the hell we were.

Scotty introduced us all and I said hello. Brooklyn shot me a shy smile then covered her face with her hands. I played along “Hey! Where’d Brooklyn go?” I asked in my most theatrical voice. I got a giggle from her and a ‘DUH’ look from Maddox as he pointed right at her. I gave her a hug from behind and she giggled again. Zach sat next to Maddy and started messing with his lunch by grabbing a piece of chopped up hotdog, the two goofed around and both kids were comfortable around us in just a few minutes.

We made ourselves at home and Scotty put some hotdogs and mac and cheese in front of us to welcome us home. “Hey where’s your car?” I asked Scotty.

“In the driveway” he said smiling at me.

I looked at him with confusion, then it clicked “Oh, my god! You traded in your VW for a minivan.” Zach and I both laughed as Scotty just smiled.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, like you’re the first ones to give me crap about it. I’ve heard it from everyone we know since I drove it off the lot and I don’t care. I’m sorry, but I love the thing!!! I can get the kids in and out easily, and it fits all four seats so we can take Matty, baby Scotty and all the crap that comes with four kids too.” Scotty replied sounding like a soccer mom. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh at my brother-in-law’s transition from frat boy to daddy. Parenthood looked good on Scotty. We talked to the kids as we ate lunch, trying to get to know them. They had been through a lot but seemed well adjusted. After lunch me and Zach got settled into my bedroom. As I walked down the hall I peeked into the other bedrooms. Brian’s former room had been converted into a princess suite with wall to wall Disney Princess EVERYTHING! It even had a pink canopy on the bed. Eli’s former room had a racecar bed and cartoon wallpaper with every sport imaginable represented. Both rooms were stocked full of toys and just general kid stuff. It was clear Brad and Scotty were spoiling these kids rotten. ‘Good!’ I thought to myself, they deserve to be spoiled rotten by two people who love them… every kid does and these two hit the parent jackpot! Brad, Scotty, and the rest of this collected family of misfits would love the hell out of them.

“This place seems totally different with kids living here” Zach said.

“I know, right?” I replied. But did you notice the smile on Scotty’s face?”

“Hell, how could I miss it, and those kids are cute as hell” he said, “I wonder how they’re getting along with Matty and Scotty.”

“I guess we’ll find out tonight because we’re going over there for dinner tonight.” I said

“So Maddy and Brooklyn will be our kid’s cousins” Zach said with a grin. I laughed at his daydreaming and then kissed him. The door was wide open as our quick peck turned into a passionate make out session.

“Why are you kissing him? Was he a good boy?” said a little voice from the doorway. We weren’t in the house for an hour and already Maddox had busted us for making out. So much for any privacy this trip.

“Yup” Zach said not missing a beat. “They made us eat broccoli on the plane and he ate it all.” I tried not to laugh out loud. Maddox just scrunched his face and let out a ‘yuck’. Satisfied with Zach’s answer he turned and walked out of the room. “I guess we gotta watch ourselves around here a little more than we used to” Zach said. We finished putting our stuff away and headed back out to the kitchen to catch up with Scotty, then hung we out in the pool with the kids.

We were in the shallow end of the pool with the kids when Brad came home. Zach and I were tossing Brooklyn between each other and Maddox was running between us trying to “save” her. We were laughing and they were giggling and screeching while Scotty sat in one of the loungers with an untouched glass of lemonade sitting on the table next to him. He had his sunglasses on so I couldn’t see his eyes, but I was pretty sure he was asleep. The guy looked wiped out from dealing with two kids 24/7.

I looked up and saw Brad standing at the edge of the pool in his suit watching us all play. “I see you guys met Uncle Seth and Uncle Zach” he said to the kids.

“I’m saving Brooklyn” Maddox yelled back with a serious look on his tiny face as he reached up for his sister who flew overhead. Zach caught her and lowered her into the water slowly as he waited for Maddox to wade over to them. Finally, the little trouper got there and threw his arms around his sister “I got you Brooklyn.” He said panting as if the four feet he had just moved to get to her was a thousand mile run.

“Oh no! Uncle Seth, he got her!!!” Zach yelled to me as the two toddlers squealed with laughter.

“Crap!” I yelled back.

Then Maddox shot me a look and yelled “language Uncle Seth!” And we all cracked up. That was the first time he called me Uncle Seth and I loved it. I pulled myself out of the pool, dripping wet and went over to hug my brother.

“Don’t you dare get me wet Uncle Seth” Brad said. “It’s good to see you baby brother, I’ll be right back.” Then he went into the bedroom to change. Scotty’s head moved a little, then he finally took a sip from the glass of lemonade, he was awake.

When Brad came back, I sat with him and Scotty at one of the high-top tables while Zach continued to win over the kids. “How’s parenthood treating you?” I asked, ‘I say this with love, but you both look like shit.”

Scotty laughed “oh my god, it’s so much fun, but they are so much freaking work!”

“And we haven’t been alone since they got here” Brad added. ‘For the first couple of weeks we kept them home from daycare to get to know them, they finally started school last week.”

“That leaves us alone during the day, but by the time we get the toys put away and the house cleaned up, we’re on the phone with work or running out for an in-person meeting, then it’s time for them to come home, then we gotta make dinner, then get them ready for bed. By the time we put them down we’re both ready to pass out” Scotty said like a harried housewife.

“I never thought I’d say this…” Brad said. “But you, Brian, and Eli were a breeze compared to this.” I laughed at that because Brad and Scotty used to tell us how impossible we were all the time. We talked for a while and I told them to plan a couple of date nights while we were visiting and we’d take care of the kids for them. By the expressions on their faces, you would have thought I just offered them a million dollars. They both jumped at the chance without hesitation. “Well, we better start rolling if we’re gonna to Kev and Randy’s on time.” Brad said, then we spent the next thirty minutes making sure everyone had all their stuff and went to the bathroom (Brooklyn was potty training, but Maddox apparently needed to be reminded to go before he got in the car), Then it took about another fifteen minutes to buckle everyone in their car seats, and of course Brooklyn needed to go to the bathroom one more time as soon as we had her all buckled in.

On the way to Kev’s, I asked Brad if he had told our parents about the kids. He said he had written them a letter and sent them some pictures but hadn’t heard back from them. It figures. Another attempt to connect with them, and another let down. Anyway, when we pulled up to Kev’s, Eli’s Bronco was in the driveway, there were also a few other cars on the street. We got out of the minivan, unloaded the kids then entered the house through the front door. Maddox ran ahead with Scotty and Brad while Zach and I were walking with Brooklyn, each holding one of her tiny hands. We were several steps behind the others. When we entered the house and went into the great room, we were greeted with a loud group shout of “CONGRATULATIONS!!” and then clapping and cheering. I had no clue what was going on until I looked up and saw a banner over the French doors leading to the pool that read, “Congratulations On Your Engagement Zach and Seth,” even after I saw the sign I was still confused. The house and yard were bursting with people, my brothers, and all our friends and neighbors were there. It still wasn’t clicking with me what was happening, then Brad looked at me and said, “It’s a surprise engagement party you idiots.”

“Holy crap!” Zach exclaimed, “Thank you all!” I was still at a loss for words.

“Well, we haven’t seen you since you announced your engagement” Kev said, as he hugged us. “We all want you to know how happy we are for you guys” Kev continued, “We’re proud of you guys for staying focused on school. And… well, I guess being mature adults.” Coming from Kev that meant a lot. baby Scotty found his way through the crowd and into Zach’s arms. I thanked Kev with a tearful hug as I tried to take it all in.

My brothers came up to us, gave us a hug, and we hung out with them for a bit, then Zach and I made our way out to the pool area and worked the crowd together (accompanied by baby Scotty), greeting all our friends and family as they all expressed their congratulations. It was completely unexpected.

As always, the food was amazing, the alcohol was flowing, the 80’s and 90’s music was blasting, and the atmosphere was celebratory. It was always like that when the village got together. Now that there were kids around it was a little tamer. Back in the day half the guys would’ve been naked and in the pool by now, but they were all incredible people and the kid’s wellbeing was their top priority. After things started to mellow out a bit Brad stood at the end of the pool and yelled across the crowd to get everyone’s attention, the music got turned off, and the crowd went silent giving him their full attention. “Thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate Seth and Zach’s engagement” Brad said as he addressed the crowd. “I met most of you, heck (he would have said hell but the kids were in the crowd), I think I met all of you for the first at this house several years ago when Kev and Randy invited me to Thanksgiving dinner for the first time several years ago.” He looked over the crowd, then continued. “Yup, Other than Scotty, my brothers, Zach, and the kids… I think I met every one of you that weekend. You welcomed me and became my family. Since then, my family has grown, first when I married Scotty and you welcomed us as a couple right here in this yard with a surprise party just like this. Then When my brothers came to live with us you all rallied around us and helped us build a home for them and raise them. Recently we welcomed Maddox and Brooklyn and you’ve all been there to help. Now my family is growing again as we welcome Zach.” Brad was choking back the tears, Scotty stepped up with Brooklyn asleep in his arms with her head on his shoulder and took over.

“Seth and Zach, we all want to wish you an amazing life together and give you a good start. We have all pitched in, including, my parents, and Zach’s parents who all wish they could be here tonight to celebrate with us. Randy and Brad have started a stock portfolio in your names and will manage it for you, it will be there after graduation for you to use for your wedding…” then Brad cut him off.

“Or grad school, or even a down payment on a house when you’re ready. Whatever you need.” Brad added. “Your family and friends have started you out with $5,000 and Scotty and I will add to it at special occasions over the years to help it grow. Zach, your parents have agreed to do the same.”

I was so touched by their gesture, but had no idea what to say, I was speechless. Zach stepped up to Brad and hugged him, then Scotty. I walked up and stood next to him hoping he could find the words that I couldn’t. Addressing the crowd Zach said, “not everyone in this world is lucky enough to find that one perfect person they were meant to spend their life with. But I was. Then I met his family and holy Shi…” he looked around and saw the kids standing there hanging on his every word and stopped himself “… um holy heck” he continued as the group laughed. “They were the most accepting, welcoming… caring…” he slowed down his pace as he searched for more words, “…loving family I had ever met. Then I met all of you and wow. Just WOW!” everyone was listening to him, he was so charismatic at that moment, he owned that audience. “You all came here to celebrate us…” Zach moved closer and put his arm around me, lifted his drink with his free hand and said, “but we would like to celebrate you. All of you. Thank you all for you love and support. Here’s to all of you. We love you.” He did it. He found the words I couldn’t. He kissed me, then we hugged Brad and Scotty, and I gave the sleeping Brooklyn a kiss on the head.

After that we mingled some more. Zach put Scotty to bed, and I put Matty to bed. When we got back to the great room the place had cleared out. Maddox and Brooklyn were asleep on one of the couches. It was just us with Scotty, Brad, Kevin, and Randy. We all sat down and I finally could speak again. “Thank you, guys, this was amazing. I didn’t see it coming.”

“Hey, Kev and I are going to add to the fund on special occasions too.” Randy said.

“On top of everything else, the four of us reserved you guys a room at The Resort tonight, You can take the Jeep” Kev added as he threw me the keys. “Welcome to the family, Zach. We’re so happy you two found each other.”

“We’ll see you guys at Jordy’s at 9:00 for breakfast. Okay?” Brad said as we all hugged goodbye and we thanked them about a million times.

We jumped in the Jeep and headed to the resort with Zach driving again. “Holy shit Seth, I can’t believe your family”

“Well, yours too” I said. “Your parents were part of this, Let’s call and thank them.”

“Good Plan” Zach agreed as I dialed his mother and put her on speakerphone. Kelly answered and put us on speaker phone.

“Were you boys surprised?” she asked, then we told her all about the party. We talked to his parents all the way to The Resort and said goodbye just as we pulled up to the lobby door and the valet stepped up to greet us.

“Oh shit. We don’t have anything with us.” Zach said, I just laughed and looked at him until he remembered where we were. “Oh yeah, we don’t need anything” he laughed.

We checked in and went up to our suite. It was amazing! You had to be 21 to rent a room, but since Zach and I were both technically employees we were able to stay. When we stayed there during training, we just had regular rooms, that night we had a suite with a sunken Jacuzzi in the middle of it and a wall of windows that looked over the bluff onto the desert hills below. As soon as the door shut, Zach pulled me into a tender, passionate kiss. I reveled in it. His soft lips against mine, his strong arms around my waist, his broad chest pushing against mine. We kissed for a long while and it was heaven. We finally pulled back from each other but our eyes stayed locked as we started to strip ourselves. We got naked and lowered ourselves into the jacuzzi, we sat on the same side of the tub and looked out the wall of windows into the starry, desert night.

I had on arm draped around his neck and he had his draped around mine as we turned to look into each other’s eyes. “This was an amazing night” I whispered as Zach’s hand ran up and down my cheek, caressing it lightly. We started kissing again as the hot water bubbled up around our naked, young bodies. As we kissed Zach moved his free hand from my cheek, under the water to my soft, but warm and hefty cock. He gave it a squeeze and I moaned into our kiss. That’s when things turned from romantic to hot.

“Yeah, we came here to meet the kids and somehow ended up as the center of attention” He whispered back as he I reached under the water for him and we casually stroked each other.

“They built us a freaking stock portfolio” I said with a chuckle, Zach chuckled back.

“Focusing us on our future, my mom probably had a damn orgasm over that idea” I slapped Zach’s shoulder with the hand draped over him.

“Gross, don’t say shit like that about your mother when we’re naked and playing with each other.” I scolded making him laugh more. We soon just stopped talking and went back to stroking each other under the water. We were kissing passionately and stroking when Zach moved in front of me, grabbed me under the armpits and lifted me onto the edge of the tub. His eyes never left mine as he lowered his mouth onto my hard cock. The air was cool and gave me goosebumps as I sat back on my haunches and enjoyed my fiancé’s talented mouth. Zach moved his mouth up and down me swallowing me deep, I could feel his throat massage the head of my manhood. As his mouth moved, his hand followed. His throat slime lubed up my dick and his hand would twist as it moved along my shaft awakening every nerve ending. As much as I hated to break eye contact, I let my head fall back as my eyes rolled into it. The sensations he was giving me were amazing, damn sex with him was always new and exciting. Even after a year and a half.

I put my hands on his head and started pumping into his mouth, I was getting close. Zach pushed my hands off and pulled off my cock. His face was flush and his eyes watering when he stood and reached for my hand, pulling me onto my feet. We stood there kissing, our naked bodies dripping wet as the steam bellowed around us. It was passionate, romantic, and so intimate. We stayed like that for what seemed like hours but was probably only about ten minutes or so when Zach reach for one of the towels The Resort had set at the edge of the tub and started to dry me off while I was still standing in the water. I grabbed the rails and started to pull myself up the steps and out of the water. Zach handed the towel up to me, then pulled himself up and dried himself off. Then he led me to the bed. The big luxurious bed and laid me down on my back. He locked his eyes to mine again as he straddled my hips and started to slide back and forth, frotting. His hard, hot cock felt good against mine, rubbing up and down my shaft. He moved down between my legs, pushed my legs to my chest and started lapping at my tight hole thrusting his tongue in and out. He put his index finger in his hot mouth sucking it seductively, then he pushed the slick finger into my hole breaching the sphincter and opening me up. “Fuuuuuccckk that’s so beautiful” he groaned beneath me as he lifted himself up, sitting back on his knees and lining up his perfect cock with my wet, ready hole.

Our eyes connected again as he pushed himself inside me. When the head entered, I gasped and he stopped and held himself there letting me adjust to him. He started to rotate his hip and open me up wider, fuck it felt amazing as he inched himself deeper and opened my hole wider at the same time. He pushed in and pulled out over and over as he leaned down to kiss me, his warm, wet tongue slipped between my lips and started to dance with his.

He pulled off my lips, put his hand on my chest and started to really fuck me. His movements got harder, faster, and more deliberate. He started to sweat, a drop fell from his forehead and I caught it with my tongue. God, the taste of him… any part of him, drove me insane. I started thrashing my head side to side as Zach fucked my ass and I jacked my engorged cock. We were both on the edge, huffing, puffing, moaning, and groaning, but I shot first. My ass ring tightened around Zach’s swollen member, milking it as he pumped in and out of me. Within several strokes he was breeding my ass, filling me with his hot essence. His load lubed my hole even more and he moved in and out with ease. It was amazing. He fucked until he wore himself out then rolled off and laid next to me, both of us covered with sweat and cum.

We were only there a few minutes when Zach jumped up pulling me with him. We went into the bathroom it was huge with a massive shower that had multiple showerheads above and on the side walls. I have never seen anything like it, it was like a carwash, spraying us from every direction. We kissed passionately as we soaped each other up and rubbed each other down as the water rinsed us off. We stepped out of the shower to find two big, fluffy towels waiting for us. We dried each other off then went back to the bed.

Our bodies were cold as we got under the covers and cuddled, Zach’s big arms wrapping around me, his little spoon. “I love you, Seth” he whispered in my ear, I said it back. Then he kissed my neck and added “I can’t imagine a better life than the one we’re building together.” I fell asleep with the most blissful smile on my face and slept like a baby in Zach’s arms. It was a fantastic night.

The next morning, we got up, showered again (and yes, we played around a little more), then checked out, jumped in Kev’s Jeep, and headed to Jordy’s to meet everyone. We were the last ones there, and the atmosphere was different than it used to be. Yeah, there were still hot guys everywhere but all their attention was focused on the four toddlers sitting in highchairs and booster seats. I started thinking about Dr. Aarons and his family, it seemed like just the four of them (Maybe they had an extended family I didn’t know about) and it was sweet, but this. THIS was what for our family. A massive support system of love like I had as a teenager.

Everyone greeted us and asked us if we had a good time, again, we thanked them all for their generosity. Baby Scotty tried to wriggle his way out of the highchair reaching for Zach. Everyone moved around so the Zach and I were sitting in the middle of all the kids. After breakfast Zach and I loaded all four kids into Scotty’s minivan leaving him, Brad, Kevin, and Randy free for the day as we headed off to the Zoo with the four new cousins. It was amazing, all the excitement and giggling. The four of them acted like they were together since birth and were all so comfortable around the two of us. Brooklyn and Maddox had Scotty and Matty calling us Uncle Seth and Uncle Zach. After the Zoo we hit Chuck E. Cheeses where we ate pizza and played games for a couple of hours.

The four kids fell asleep in the minivan almost the second Zach started the engine. We dropped Matty and Scotty off home. The two of them woke up for a brief second then fell asleep on our shoulders as we walked them to the door and handed them to their daddies. The sun was setting when we headed back to the minivan and drove the other two home. We walked into the great room with Zach holding the sleeping Maddox and me with Brooklyn on my shoulder, dead to the world. Scotty and Brad were sitting in the darkening room with just a couple of candles lit and some R&B playing quietly in the background. Scotty had his head on Brad’s should and there were a couple of glasses of wine sitting on the coffee table next to an empty bottle. They looked so comfortable as they looked over their shoulders at us and started to get up.

“Stay there” I said. “We’ll put the kids to sleep, enjoy the quiet” that’s all it took to convince them to stay seated. We had several more nights like that one over our break. Spring break the year before was more of a party with all our friends, this spring break was family time.

Zach and I were growing up…together.

To be continued…