Anything for My Son

Josh sprang up. "Dad, I can explain."

I couldn't help but smile. " No need, I suppose me and Colt probably should have called first."

He was turning bright pink. "Dad, I don't know what to say- Hey what happened to your forehead?"

"Um, I walked into a door." I said, It wasn't a complete lie. I had gotten attacked with a door.

"ohh, umm if you say so. Noah, you should probably go." He said looking at the floor.

Noah got up all worried and slung his shirt on and rushed past me like a bolt of lightning.

I sat on the couch next to Josh and Colt got on the other side.

Josh got all freaked out, "Dad, Please let me explain, I know how this must look but, I wasn't gonn-"

I looked him straight in the face. "Son, It is completely alright, it is perfectly normal to experiment at your age."

"I know dad, but I wasn't going to have sex with him, we were just watching TV and this sex scene came on and they were just kissing and I just looked over at him and he was looking at me, and I never noticed how blonde his hair was, or how his eyes are just such a pretty shade of blue. I mean I knew they were but the way he looked at me at that moment, I don't know what I am trying to say. I couldn't help myself I just kissed him. I didn't even think he was gay, I just had to see what his lips tasted like."

Colt just turned to me and smiled. "Oh to be young and in love." He said with a hefty laugh.

Josh jumped up. "I don't love him."

Colt laughed "Fine, young horny lust."

Josh just got this slightly pissed look like 'really.'

I couldn't help but laugh like a hyena, "Give him a break Colt, I mean between Noah giving him blue balls, and us the boy is probably one crude joke from jumping." I said still giggling.

"Ugh" Josh sighed vigorously, "Knock it off you guys, I really like him, he is nice to me."

"Well of course, People are always nice when they are attempting to get you into bed." Colt said as he nudged Josh.

Josh got up. "Colt, Noah isn't like that, he respects me. He actually kind of reminds me of you, he is strong and protective of me, yet gentle and sweet to me. So please don't make fun of him." He said somewhat upset.

I got up and hugged Josh, I knew that feeling, the poor boy was actually falling for this boy. It made my stomach hurt thinking about Josh being so grown.

"Dad?" Josh said as I held him tight.

"Son, I love you. Colt and I will drop it. I hope that he is just as wonderful as you think he is." I said looking at him.

I really liked Noah, but now things were different, he was involved with my son, and that put me at a differing stance with him. I couldn't admit to myself but I was afraid of this boy, he wasn't like the girls Josh had dated before, this one was different this one had a chance to actually take Josh from me. The very thought shook me to my core.

"Jeremy, you okay?" Asked Colt as I realized I was staring at the wall lost in thought.

I quickly brushed it aside. "Yeah, Just a bit tired I suppose." I said as I went to get a drink.

He came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders and leaned in "I am sorry, I didn't mean to wear you out last night." He whispered as he began to slowly kiss my neck.

The door opened, I heard Noah and Josh come in. They were talking about the basketball game I will assume they had just finished playing. I heard Josh say something like "I am going to take a shower, you can chill in my room if you want."

I turned around as josh walked up stairs, "Noah." I said as I walked into the living room where he was standing.

"Yes, Mister Smith?" He smiled.

"Sit down, we need to have a talk." I scowled.

Sitting down awkwardly he managed to keep the smile. "Yes Sir." "May I ask what you wish to talk about?"

"It's about Josh." I said looking into his eyes.

"If it is about the other night, I am so sorry. I didn't push him into it though I swear, He kissed me." He said still shinning from sweat.

"I don't care about that." I said as I started losing grip on my thoughts. "I just want you keep Josh safe. I don't want you to hurt him." I said as I sat on the coffee table.

"I will, I wouldn't let anyone hurt him, they will have to go through me before anyone hurts him and I would never hurt him, I care too much about him." He said quiet confident.

I got off the table and leaned over him till the point where I could see the little green speckles in his eyes. "Swear it, Promise me that if I let you have my son that you will take care of him. He is all I have left in this world, I want you to understand what he means to me. I don't think I could stand to see him hurt. I love him more than anything else in this world. I would do anything for him. So swear to me on your life that you won't hurt him."

He leaned in closer I could hear his breath as it became shallow. "I swear on my life, that I will protect Josh with everything I have." He then pulled me in close, so close I could smell his skin, and feel his heart beat right next to mine. "Josh means a lot to me also. He really is something special."

Josh appeared in his boxers over the railing exposing only his upper half, "Umm, Did I interrupt something?" He said looking at us mid-embrace.

"Nah, Your dad just needed a hug was all." Noah said as he looked up at Josh. They didn't say much but they just stared into each other's eyes.

"Dinner is almost ready" Called Colt from the other room.

"What are we having?" Asked Josh.

"Pizza, 15 minutes or less or its free." Colt called back.

Josh returned down stairs and sat down on the arm of the chair where Noah was sitting.

The phone rang making me almost jump. I picked it up. "Hello, Mister Thompson?"

I handed Colt the phone, "it is for you."

He answered it. He got really tense as he turned and spoke into the phone. "Yes Sir. Understood, at six hundred hours, I'll be there sir."

He hung the phone up. I looked at him hard. "Colt, what was that about?" I said as he continued to stare at the ground. Without a word, he grabbed me and kissed me. Strong and passionately, maybe just a bit too passionately, as if he was trying to prove something.

As I broke free I uttered "Colt, what has gotten into you?" I asked becoming somewhat concerned.

"They called my squad. I am being deployed next week." He said almost shaking.

I became very silent. "Colt." I finally said with no real idea of where my thought was going. This couldn't happen, I had to stay strong, I told myself as my eyes filled with tears. "Colt, please don't go." I begged losing my calm. I began to cry in front of everyone, the hell with my pride. I couldn't stand the thought of him going back into combat. He held me tightly in his arms for a moment. Then suddenly he arched his back and stood straight. "You are an marine,-"

"An ex-Marine, Colt." I interrupted.

"Once a Marine always a Marine, so wipe your face soldier there will be no sad faces today! Do you understand?"

I stood straight back almost on instinct alone and wiped my face and saluted him. "Yes, Captain Sir." I responded still sobbing a bit.

Noah just looked at us like he was watching a movie. Never saying a word but watching carefully like he was studying what he should do in this situation. Josh sat on the arm of the chair Noah was in. Noah looked up at Josh. "Josh, there is something I have been trying to find the courage to say."

Josh got a slightly worried look. "What is it?"

"It would be easier just to show you than tell you." He said pulling out a letter from his back pocket.

Josh began to read and covered his mouth, after being what I can only assume is about halfway done with the letter he threw it to the floor. "You, You are leaving for the army, you joined the army and didn't even bother to tell me. You know how much I hate the army, all they do is ruin lives."

"Josh, I have been trying to tell you for weeks now, I just didn't know how to say." He said pleading with Josh seeing how upset he was.

Josh suddenly slapped Noah, "Save it, I don't want to hear your excuses. You promised me you wouldn't leave me. You liar, I don't have anything left to say to you. Just get the hell out." Josh screamed as he ran up the stairs.

Noah touched his already reddening face. He got up and headed for the door.

"Noah. Sit." I commanded.

He turned to me his eyes were filled with tears too. He sat down on the couch and looked at the ground.

I could feel the heat from my body of anger, but I could also feel the pain that he must have been experiencing. "Noah, if you were going to do something so reckless, why would you not tell Josh? Why would you spring it on him like this? I mean could you have even picked a worse time to give him this news? Can you imagine what he must be feeling? Why would you even join the army?"

He looked up. "I know it hurt Josh and I am sorry, I know he is feeling alone and angry right now, and hurt that I didn't have enough decency to tell him. I just wanted to protect him, I just wanted to be like Colt is to you. I wanted to be his hero. I love this nation and I lov- like Josh an awful lot. I know it doesn't make it right but I am going because it feels like the right thing to do." He said with a passion that I could now see glowing in those eyes.

I reluctantly walked over there and hugged him. "You have my blessing." With that I stood straight up and saluted him.

Colt called from behind me. "Soldier,"

Me and Noah turned around and faced him. Then in unison we replied. "Sir, Yes Sir?"

"Young Blood, I want you to go up there and patch things up with Josh, do you understand?" He said standing directly in front of Noah.

"Sir, Yes Sir." Noah Said standing straight like a board. He marched up stairs and as he reached the top he turned and said "Thanks guys."

We just looked up and nodded.

Noah knocked on Josh's door. "Go Away. I don't want to talk to anyone right now." Josh called from inside. "Josh, open up, it's me, we should at least talk about it."

"Go away Noah, I don't want to talk to you." He yelled from the other side of the wooden door.

"Josh... Don't make me go down stairs and tell your father about the playboy you have hidden under your mattress." He threatened.

Josh opened the door. "Go to hell." He yelled into Noah's face. Noah grabbed the back of his head and began to kiss him.

Josh pushed him off, "I'm pissed at you, what makes you think I want to kiss you?"

He pulled Josh close and kissed his neck.

"uhh," Josh moaned. "Not fair, you know what that does to me."

"I know, I just wanted you to be quiet for a moment so I could talk to you about this reasonably." Noah responded.

"Fine, you have five minutes." Josh said pulling away.

"Josh, I know you hate the army because you blame them for your parent's divorce, but this is something I have always wanted to do. I want to serve my country, I want to make a difference, I want to protect the people I love, people like you."

Josh looked up. "They are the reason for my parent's divorce, they took him from my mother, she had a moment of weakness and he wasn't there to help her because he was too busy 'defending our country', if you wanted to defend me, why don't you stay and protect me?" He said pushing his body against Noah's.

"Josh, this is something I have to do, please forgive me, I don't want you to hate me, I want you to wish me luck and just be happy that I love you so much."

"You love me?" Josh said looking into his eyes.

"I meant like." He said stuttering.

"But you said love." Josh replied. Josh pulled him in close and kissed him slowly. "I love you too, and I think that is why I am so scared of losing you, I think I am starting to understand why dad is so scared of Colt going off to war."

"Your dad respects Colt's decision to go to war." Noah said as he stared into Joshes eyes.

"I am not as strong as my dad, he has survived much more than I have. He is stronger than I will ever be." Josh said staring at the ground.

"You are strong, and when you are at your rope's end, I'll hold you. I promise, I want let you hurt, I will protect you with both arms." Noah said.

They kissed passionately and fell upon the bed. "Take me." Josh said as they broke kiss. "No, not now, your dad is right down stairs." Replied Noah.

They got up and came down stairs. Me and Colt were eating some pizza. "How did it go, I said wiping some tomato sauce from the corner of my mouth.

Noah looked at Colt and said, "Mission accomplished, Captain."

"Good, Sit down and have some of this delicious food , I ordered" Colt commanded.

We ate and all had fun, it was weird but in a good way, it was like one awkward family. Finally we finished eating and Josh and Noah were sitting on the couch just being close and comfortable with each other.

Noah finally got up. "I should probably go." He said as he started heading for the door.

"Oh, okay... be careful, driving home and during training." Josh replied.

"I'll call you every day, I promise." He said as Josh followed him the door.

They were kissing goodbye. Josh looked at him and said, "I wish you didn't have to go."

"Me either, I just want to spend the whole night in your arms." Noah replied.

I smiled "Noah, why don't you spend the night, Josh has plenty of room in his bed."

I didn't know whether Josh was going to attack me or hug me, he just had this shocked and confused look in his eyes. He stood with that look for a few seconds before he understood what I was trying to do.

"umm, okay, come on Noah." He said and grabbed but released his hand quickly realizing what he had just accidentally done.

I smiled, and winked at Noah. Noah was overly excited to be going to Josh's room. I suppose knowing he had my permission to have his way with my son was just overly exciting for him.

Maybe I shouldn't have offered my son up like a sacrifice to a god, but now wasn't the time to reflect on that. I was just happy that Josh had some stability in his life, someone he liked and connected too.

I went upstairs with Colt, We messed around, and were midway into sex when we heard someone moan. I smiled at Colt "Guess this either makes me a great father or a shitty one, only time will tell."

"Hmm, wonder who is the 'girl' in the relationship." Colt said making a crack at what Josh had asked him a while back.

I smiled "well If I had my way with Noah, guy still me." I said with a chuckle.

He smiled "well why don't we follow their example, and I'll show you that experience trumps youth every time."

With that he began to kiss me again. His body felt amazing pressed against mine; I loved the idea of this man. He was so hot, so good to me; he made me feel complete like I wasn't trash. That even though I had a past of less than perfect records that maybe I was worth something. I hated to allow myself to think that I was starting to fall for them man. 'Damn him' I thought to myself as he held my body against his. His embrace made me feel... whole. I like something I had been missing had suddenly come back to me.

The next day came too quickly, as I tried with everything I had to stretch the moments till he had to leave me for the army. Both Colt and Noah ate breakfast and left the house after many goodbyes and quite a few kisses. To my surprise Josh kissed Colt goodbye. Colt hugged me as he started to leave and whispered into my ear. "I love you, Don't forget that, just in case I don't make it back this time I don't want you to have any doubt about how I feel about you." I could feel the tears falling but I couldn't speak. After just holding him for moments, I whispered back. "You come back, and I will say it."

Author's Notes: I would like to thank a certain feline for let's call it "Persuading" me to continue the story. I Hope that you all enjoy it. Thank you for all the support/criticism, you are all great and I love writing for you guys. Thank you so much.

-Dustin...