Off Campus

Brody’s Perspective

It was the last Saturday morning in August and I was up in my studio with a paintbrush in my hand, no one around but me and my inherited cat, Witchy. I’m not supposed to have pets but she belonged to the assholes who used to live on the second floor. When they graduated and moved out the poor kitty was left to fend for herself. I found her sleeping in the sun on the soft top of my Jeep a couple of times, fed her and the next thing I knew we were roomies. I named her witchy after the cat my aunt had when I was a kid; she looked just like her.

Suddenly there was an unexpected knock on the door. No one ever knocks on my door unexpectedly, I’m three damn floors up. Thinking it might be Jeff the landlord, I ran to hide the cat in the bathroom before answering. I opened the door just a crack to see who it was, it was one of the guys who just moved into the flat on the second floor, I had been watching them through the small window in the peak of the old house. I’m not one for socializin’, but he was cute as hell and persuasive. He talked me into joining them for pizza on the front porch so I invited him in while I cleaned my brushes and put on a clean T-shirt. I was already anxious, Seth was a nice guy and all but fuck, I just don’t like hanging out with people, I’d rather be alone… painting.

I reluctantly went down to the front porch and joined the guys. Seth (the one that came up to get me) just moved into the second floor flat with his boyfriend Zach, and their three friends moved into the first floor flat. They seemed like nice guys (definitely better than the assholes who lived in the two flats before them). Their parents were all there helping them move in and they had made friends with all the other neighbors already. I admired people who could talk to anybody, make friends easily, and be comfortable in any social situation… I just wasn’t one of them. I spent a couple of hours on the porch eating pizza, drinking beer, and just listening to everyone; they seemed like good people. It was getting late and I had done my socializin’ for the month, so I went back up to my studio and let Witchy out of the bathroom. I spent the rest of the night painting and hoped that would be the end of it. The next night they were grilling out in the front yard and there was another knock on the door, I ignored It hoping they’d get the hint. They finally left me alone for the night but the next day I ran into Seth in the yard as we were both coming home from work, then the three guys from the first floor drove up and the cute ginger joined us, so I was socializin’ again. They invited me to dinner again. I declined, but we came to an agreement that I would join them for drinks on the porch once a week and they’d leave me alone… UGH! Fine. Maybe that would keep them from knocking on my door.

The next morning, I was in the basement doing my laundry and I ran into Seth again. This time we talked while I folded my clothes. He really was a nice guy and I felt comfortable around him which was unusual for me, I shared more with him than I typically do, I even told him I was gay. It was in an indirect way, but he got it. I never told people that, they seemed to just eventually figure it out on their own, or not. I didn’t really care. I realized that these guys were going to be much better to live above than the last crew. The fact that there was a gay couple on the second floor was big news for me. I didn’t know a lot of gay people (other than myself), and rarely talked about my sexuality. I grew up in a small North Carolina town and we just didn’t talk about it. My family knew I was gay and accepted it, hell they were more comfortable with me being gay than with me being an artist. My step momma once said “aint nobody gonna pay you to sit around and draw pictures all day. You need to get a real job on the docks like your brother.” They accepted my sexuality; we just didn’t discuss it. I couldn’t even tell you if there were other gay people in my hometown because it just wasn’t discussed. I left home as soon as I graduated from high school and I moved here just to get away (don’t ask me why I picked Milwaukee, I couldn’t tell you… it just happened). I enrolled in two different schools at the same time taking massage courses at one, and art courses at the other. I also took a job at the art museum. I got licensed as a therapist and that was paying the bills but it wasn’t really my thing I guess, you know… not something I wanted to do the rest of my life. So, I got more serious about art school and kept doing massage on the side to pay the bills. At 24 I had one or two years of art school left (depending on if I could get into the right classes for my degree, I had put several tough ones off), that made me a little older than most students so I never really felt much like I fit in and didn’t have any close friends. Not that I felt like I needed them or tried that hard to make any.

As I was talking to Seth, I got up my courage and asked him if the other three guys were gay and if any of them were dating each other. He smiled and told me to ask them because it wasn’t for him to say. That made me feel even more comfortable with the guy, it was clear he wasn’t a gossip or judgmental.

Wednesday came. I hadn’t started fall classes yet so I was working more at the museum and trying to schedule massage clients while I had off time. I also took on a commissioned painting (which I hated to do) to earn a little extra cash. I worked an 8-hour shift at the museum that day from nine to five and found myself being anxious as hell about hanging on the porch with the other guys in the house later that night. I know it sounds stupid, but I just dreaded social situations. When I got home from work I stripped down to my paint-covered boxers, put on a dirty t-shirt, and made some mac and cheese on the big white clock (that’s what I call the stove since I don’t really cook). After I ate, I stood at my easel painting while witchy nuzzled my legs like she was trying to trip me. I was convinced she had been plotting to kill me since we met. Oh, she was friendly enough but I’m sure she was just biding her time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to exact my demise. I’m pretty sure all cats plot against humans in hopes of just getting us to keep from bugging the hell out of them, that’s why I love them. They’re confident loners who don’t give a flying fuck if you like them or not.

I painted until about 7 o’clock when I heard the guys out on the porch. I sighed heavily and got ready to go downstairs. I cleaned up my brushes, set up my massage table for my 8AM appointment, then opened my closet to find something to wear. I didn’t own shit. Other than my museum uniforms and what I wore to give massages, everything I owned was covered in paint. I finally found a red and white checked, short-sleeve button down shirt and a pair of Khaki shorts… my fancy clothes. I put on my paint-free outfit, said goodbye to Witchy then headed down to the front porch as I promised. When I came around the corner of the house and stepped onto the porch the guys all cheered, yelling my name. I blushed; I seriously hated the attention. Zach handed me a beer and I took the open chair between Seth and Max. I was happy to sit between those two, I felt more comfortable around Seth than anyone else and honestly, I was kind of crushing on Max and was hoping he was single. Once I sat down, they all kept talking, they were talking about the new Thor movie. The three guys from the first floor had seen it and were talking about a scene where they strip Thor naked… okay that was it, I was pretty sure they were all gay, so I decided to just ask, like Seth told me to “So, are all y’all gay?” They all laughed. I wasn’t sure if they were laughing at the questions, my accent, or both. But I got a definite yes from them all, then one of Max’s roommates (I forgot those two guys names) asked me if I was gay too and I answered, “as Christmas y’all” and they all laughed again.

I still didn’t know if they were all just friends, or if any of them were dating each other or had other boyfriends; I was too shy to ask.

After that I mostly just sat and listened as I drank my beer, then had a second. I don’t usually drink and I was feeling a little buzzed and loosening up a bit. Surprisingly my nervousness disappeared and I was gettin’ more comfortable with these guys and starting to have fun. These guys were all hot as fuck but not pretentious like a lot of gay guys I had met, especially since I’d been working at the art museum (I call ‘em hoity toity homos, they would never give a little troll like me the time of day). We all liked a lot of the same stuff, sci-fi, comics, video games… you know, general geek stuff. At one point I felt Max’s knee lightly touch mine, I moved mine away thinking I was invading his space. It happened a second time, this time I looked down to see the red hairs on his leg tangling with the light auburn hairs on mine. It sent a bolt of electricity through me and I started to get hard. I left my leg there touching Max’s as we talked, no one seemed to notice. I started contributing to the conversation as I began to get more comfortable. I glanced over at the cute ginger out of the corner of my eye and he gave me a very subtle, mischievous grin. Maybe I had a shot with him, but he would need to make the next move because I had zero game. That’s pretty much why I was single… too shy to act. The few times I did get up my courage to make a move I got shot down, so I just stopped tryin’.

I was having fun and friggin’ loved the feel of Max’s knee against mine, frankly he had me all horned up but I doubted anything would happen with him… at least not that night. As we all talked, I kept trying to figure out if Max was dating either of the other two guys, or if he had a boyfriend. The other two guys (who I eventually figured out were Cam and Eric) sat close to each other and were kind of touchy feely all night, so I put two and two together and decided they were a couple. Good! That left Max single as far as I could tell. As the night went on, we kept talking about stupid shit and I found out Max loved to read. He had read all the Star Wars books except for one… and I had a copy of it. It was about 11:00 when we broke up our little party and Max followed me up to my place to borrow the book.

I opened the door and he came in behind me and saw the massage table in the middle of the room. “You do massage?” he asked, genuinely interested in me.

“Yeah. Massage, commissioned art, some graphic design, anything to make a buck and pay for school” I said with a sigh in my voice. I really hated talking about myself. Just then, Witchy came out of nowhere and started rubbing against Max’s ankles.

“Hi Kitty!” He said as he reached down to pet Witchy, that moved him up high in my book… I love anyone who talks to animals. “I can’t believe you have a cat.”

“Yeah, the assholes who lived on the second floor just left him when they graduated, so I took him in… his name is Witchy.” Max kind of wrinkled his nose at the name. “Please don’t tell Jeff.”

Max laughed “I won’t tell if you let me visit him”

“Deal.”

Max started looking around my apartment paying special attention to the artwork on the walls. “Did you do all this?” He asked.

“Yup.”

“Damn, you’re really talented” he said, then looked over at the massage table and said, “You must be good with your hands.”

I blushed and gave him a shy grin. It might have been the beer but whatever the reason I got bold and asked, “You wanna find out? I’ll give you a massage.” I was a talented masseur. Although I was certified and most of my massages were legit, I did have a handful of guys that asked for sensual and paid well for it (a little touch here, a little rub there, and maybe a happy ending), so I knew what I was doing.

His eyes lit up “Now?” I nodded “but It’s late” he said in a weak protest, I could tell he wanted to say yes.

“We can make it a quick one” I said, the beer was kicking in and my inhibitions were waning. “Strip to yer undies and jump up” I said as I patted the table which was already set-up for my morning client. I guess I’d have to change the sheets, well that’s why I had three sets… right?

Max was hesitant, I could tell he was thinking through it and something was holding back. Maybe he did have a boyfriend, or maybe he just wasn’t as into me as I thought he was. I lit a couple of candles, dimmed the lights, and put on one of my massage playlists to set the mood as he mulled it all over. He finally gave in, stripped down to his skivvies, and jumped up on the table. Now I had him. I had no game whatsoever but the massage table is where I excelled. I didn’t want to make a living doing massage, but it gave me confidence. I knew I was good at it, and when someone was on my table, I was in control. The clients were relaxed under my touch, and I felt more comfortable talking and asking questions. I stripped out of my ‘fancy’ clothes and put on a T-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts.

Max looked so frigging hot on my table with the candlelight flickering off his pale, lean but toned body. The Candles gave off just enough light that I could see the little red hairs on his legs which made my cock grow in my boxers. I moved to his right side, dragging my fingers lightly over his body. I started at his right foot then moved up the inner thigh, over his underwear, then his back. I moved to the head of the table and massaged his scalp for a minute or two then moved to his left side giving it the same treatment, starting with his foot then dragging my fingertips all the way up. Now, I stood at his head again and started working on his shoulder, my hard member was lightly touching the top of his head as he moaned under my touch. This is where I wanted him.

The room was silent other than the quiet music and Max’s moans. I broke the silence, “Do y’all like your new place so far?” I asked quietly. Max groaned a positive response as he fell under the spell on my skills. “So, are all y’all single” he groans a “nuh uh.” I kept pushing “So, are Eric and Cam together?” I got a positive, “and you’re single?” There was no response. I kept rubbing his milky skin loving its softness. I moved from his shoulders down his back, my experienced hands covering every inch as I leaned over his body and my hard cock pushed against his head. I got to the waistband of his shorts and my fingers slipped under the elastic, just a little bit. He pushed up his ass in response as I retreated and asked again “So, you’re single?” there was a pause as I took my hand off his back and walked down to the end of the tables and started massaging his soft feet again.

“No” he said meekly, I didn’t respond. “Um…” he said and paused for a while.

I continued massaging his perfect left foot, my thumbs pushing into the sole as they moved up and down his arch from heel to toe and back again. “So, you have a boyfriend?” I said quietly after a long pause. I put more oil in my hands and rubbed them together as I waited for an answer.

“um… two of them” he said quietly as my warm, oily hands rubbed his ankle and moved up to his toned thigh and I braised the underside of his scrotum through the light material of his briefs.

“Two?” I asked as I continued to rub.

“Yeah” he said sheepishly. Then he hit me with the big guns “Um… me Cam, and Eric are all together” he said and waited for a reaction.

‘WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!’ I thought to myself but kept massaging him and acted as if it didn’t faze me at all. “oh, how does that work?” I said as if it was the most normal thing in the world, I’d only seen three ways in porn but that was just sex. I had heard about “throuples” I think they’re called but was clueless about how they worked or frankly that they really existed.

“Well…” Max said with A LOT of hesitation and nervousness in his voice as I moved to his right foot and started to massage it. “We’re like a couple, there’s just three of us” is all he added.

“So, like do y’all share a bed?” I asked digging my thumbs into his right arch and moving them up and down his sole.

“Yeah” he said quietly. “We also take care of each other, make decisions together and pretty much share our lives.” He told me they had been together since January and were kind of making up the rules as they went along, but the three of them were committed to the relationship.

“Do you guys’ date or see other people or are you exclusive” I asked trying to figure out where I fit in here and if I was crossing some invisible line that I didn’t realize existed until I had the cute ginger almost naked on my table.

“Well… we’re open to sharing guys, but technically we only play together” he said as I moved up his right thigh, keeping my hands away from his underside as I abruptly finished the massage.

I ran my fingers over his back lightly and said in my quiet, calm, masseur voice, “okay we’re done.” It had only been about fifteen or twenty minutes and I was just getting started but my plan was to seduce him on my table, and now there was no way in hell I was getting tangled up in their weird arrangement. Damn, I really liked Max but this has drama written all over it and I freaking hated drama. “Dammit, dammit, dammit this is the first time in a long time I made a move on someone I liked and he’s fucking taken... TWICE!” I thought to myself.

“Already? I was just getting relaxed; your hands are amazing” he cooed as he still laid on the table. I so wanted to pull down his underwear and massage his cute little ass, then flip him over and work on his front side. I had planned on seducing him, but now I felt like I was going after the unattainable.

I let out a nervous laugh and said, “yeah it’s getting late, just a short one tonight.” I was disappointed and pissed off, I was sure Max was hitting on me, why the hell would he do that if he already had not one, but two friggin’ boyfriends.

“You have to promise to finish another time” he said with a smile as he rolled off the table and started to get dressed. I smiled and nodded in agreement, although I planned on avoiding him for a while. I walked him to the door and said good night as I looked at my feet with my hands in my pockets. I shut the door behind him and leaned my back against it as it shut. Shit. I was so embarrassed. This is exactly why I avoided people, especially gay guys. Witchy came and nuzzled my ankles, I lifted her up and held her tight, rubbing my face into her soft, black fur in defeat.

I woke up the next morning with Witchy asleep on my chest, I pet her a few times and then slowly pushed her off me. She still had her claws and wasn’t afraid to use them if I startled her… I learned that the hard way. I got out of bed, made coffee, and changed the sheets on the massage table. I thought about the massage I gave Max the night before. Why the hell did he lead me on if he was already in a relationship? I couldn’t figure it out… I decided just to shake it out of my head and move on. I showered and got ready for my client.

At 8AM sharp Nick knocked on the door for his appointment. We exchanged pleasantries, I got him a bottle of water, he said hello to the cat, stripped and got on the table. Nick was a regular, he was straight and his sessions were straight forward, nothing sexual. However, he wasn’t modest and liked to be completely naked… his ass was perfect. I enjoyed my sessions with Nick because he hates to talk. He just laid there while I mindlessly massaged his tight body and lets out appreciative moans. He carries a lot of tension in his lower back and glutes so I spend a lot of time massaging his muscled ass globes. As the palms of my hands push hard and dig deep into the perfect mounds of flesh, I replay the night on the porch and examine the signals from Max. His knee touching mine, the cute mischievous grins, following me up to my place to borrow a book (that he didn’t take with him by the way). Nick’s flesh felt soft in my hands as I kneaded and soothed them. His quiet moans told me I was doing a good job; it was real and genuine praise that gave me confidence in myself. When people praised my artwork and talent as an artist, I never knew if they were being honest or just full of bull crap, but when someone was on my table, moaning in pleasure… THAT praise was real. Nick’s appointment was for an hour, he left relaxed and we set up his next visit.

Nick was my only client for the day and I was off from the museum for the next couple of days, so I went over to my easel and painted the rest of day away at my happy place. I had a sci-fi show playing on my iPad while Witchy watched from the back of the couch. As I painted the time flew by and it was already past five before I stepped away to get something to eat. I microwaved some mac & cheese, while I was eating someone knocked on the door. Shit! I just wanted to be left alone to paint. I ignored it for a couple of minutes when I heard Max shout out “I know you’re in there, Brody. I see your Jeep parked out back, just open the door.”

Crap! I opened the door and held the cat back with my foot. “Hi” I said with a weak smile.

“Can I come in?” Max asked politely as he stood there. I reluctantly let him in. “Hey kitty” he said leaning down. Dammit, he was so cute that it was hard to be pissed off at him, but I was. “Listen, I just wanted to talk to you. I thought we were having a good night then it just kind of ended. Did I do or say something to offend you last night?” He asked.

‘Really?! Maybe you flirting with me all night and then telling me you had two boyfriends right as I thought something was going to happen pissed me off a little’ I thought to myself, but I hated confrontation so I just smiled and said, “No. I had fun.” I walked to the kitchen, picked up my cup of mac & cheese and continued to eat my dinner.

Max didn’t buy my answer “C’mon, was it because I told you about Eric and Cam?”

‘YES! OF COURSE, IT IS! YOU TOTALLY LED ME ON!’ I wanted to shout at him, but I rarely spoke my mind, it was easier to be quiet. “Nah, it’s good” is all I could manage to say.

Again, Max knew better “Listen, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, yeah I was definitely flirting because I think you’re adorable and I like you” he said. “I talked to Eric and Cam about you last night.”

That statement pissed me off, I didn’t like people talking about me but I was curious, “What did you say?”

“I told them that I liked you and thought you were cute. I also told them you gave an amazing massage” he said then stopped. I didn’t say anything but he kept waiting.

I finally gave in and asked, “what did they say?”

Max was ready with the answer, “they were a little pissed at me for flirting… at first. But now they want to experience it for themselves. Have ever done a throuple’s massage before?” he asked as he smiled that amazing mischievous smile.

The cute little ginger Max looked innocent as could be, but it was clear as day that he had the devil inside him. I just stood there wide eyed and dumbfounded with my empty mac & cheese bowl in my hand. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.

To be continued…