Snug

"Let’s snuggle, man. Watch TV,” Joey suggested to his best friend and roommate, Tad.

“Yeah?” Tad asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

“Yeah. I’m cold,” Joey whined from under a fleece blanket on the couch.

“We just worked out. You should be on fire.”

“Nope. It’s freezing outside. It’s been a long day. Come here, dude. Let’s snug,” Joey offered as he lifted up a flap of the blanket.

“Alright. I can’t turn down a good snug,” Tad sighed.

“Sweet. Climb in,” Joey patted the space next to him. “Oh, grab the remote. I don’t want to get up.”

Tad found the remote and crawled in under the blanket as Joey turned on his side.

“Pillow wall,” Tad stated naturally. The pillow barrier would make snuggling not seem so gay to the affectionate best friends.

“Got it.”

Joey tossed him a pillow in which he placed between his crotch and Joey’s butt. Then Tad spooned him, pulling the blanket over the two of them.

So, this snuggling thing developed over time. The two buddies have known each other for four years. It was best friends at first sight. They had the same sense of humor, liked the same sports, liked the same girls, liked cars and bikes. They were never not with the other; lunch, working out, clubbing, frat parties. It was like they were joined at the hip.

Their frat brothers would joke that they were dating because they were two guys who were extremely good looking, had killer bodies, excellent athletes and didn’t mind too much hugging.

They were affectionate and it didn’t seem strange to them. They both came from touchy-feely families who were always hugging and weren’t afraid of physical contact. It seemed natural for the two guys. It wasn’t uncommon for one to have his arm around the other’s shoulder. Tad was bigger and taller than Joey. Tad’s six-foot-three dwarfed Joey’s five-foot-nine-inch frame. Tad was a mountain of muscle. Joey was lean and ripped with tight little ass.

The first time they snuggled, they were watching a movie on a cold January, Saturday afternoon when the power went out. No power equals no heat. They wrapped up in blankets and finished the movie on Tad’s iPad. The cold outside was beating at the door, the room became more uncomfortable. Joey was shivering while Tad tried to figure out a way to stay warm.

“Here, come here. We’ll use body heat.” Tad burrowed under Joey’s blanket and spread his own over the top. They sat snuggled together until they fell asleep. Eventually, the power came back on.

Joey was the first to wake. He shook Tad until he opened his eyes.

“You’re a good snuggle buddy, dude,” Joey commented.

“I’ve never snuggled with a dude before. That wasn’t too bad,” Tad said with a shrug.

From that day on, the two best friends would occasionally snuggle up on the couch on cold winter nights and watch TV or a game. It never was anything sexual. It was just two friends who felt like they could be themselves around the other. It was extreme bonding as Tad liked to call it. Tad was the bigger of the two and frankly, he felt like Joey’s protector, even though, Joey did not need physical protection. The little dude was tough, and his body was jacked. But because Joey was smaller, Tad felt natural watching over him, making sure he was happy, safe and secure.

Joey in a way, idolized his friend. Tad was imposing at first sight; tall, rugged and built solid. He felt like there were close as brothers. He liked the way Tad treated him sometimes like he needed protecting. Their cuddle time was his favorite. He felt warm and cozy with Tad’s big python arms wrapped around his waist or chest while they hung out, watched TV or gamed.

Right now, they were cuddling again. Tad wrapped his arms around Joey’s torso and flinched, “Damn, dude. You weren’t lying. You’re freezing!”

“I know!” Joey said frustrated. He took a hold of Tad’s big forearm and pulled it across his waist. “Wrap those big arms around me and warm me up.”

“Alright, Geeze,” Tad huffed at Joey’s impatience.

Joey let out a deep sigh, his eyes closed and a tight-lipped smile appeared as he burrowed in against Tad. “Yeah, that’s the stuff.”

Tad chuckled, “You know, we are the only two straight dudes I know that like to cuddle.”

“It’s not gay! We do have a pillow wall, you know,” Joey reminded Tad with uncertainty in his tone.

“It’s not gay? Even with the pillow wall?”

“Nah, dude. You’re my best bud. We’re bonding,” Joey said as a throw away sentence. He took the remote from Tad and started to surf channels.

“Still, if anyone were to see us like this, we’d never live it down,” Tad chuckled.

“Why the hell are you suddenly all paranoid? Chill,” Joey said as he elbowed Tad in the ribs.

“I’m not paranoid. I like snugging with you too.” Tad pulled Joey in tighter and lay his head against Joey’s shoulder.

They sat there for a while as they surfed Netflix trying to find something to watch. Joey stopped on one movie and pulled up the description.

“Have you seen this movie?” Joey asked.

“Um…I don’t remember.”

“Me either. It looks good.”

“Meh, check ESPN. I think the Combine is today,” Tad said with a hint of excitement.

“Oh, that’s right!” Joey exclaimed.

He found the channel and they watched the participants.

“What do you think of Jake Fromm?” asked Joey.

“Fromm?” Tad shrugged, “they’re saying he’s a franchise-caliber quarterback. He’s six-two and two-twenty but still not the prototypical size or a cannon for an arm.”

“Yeah but he’s a smart, accurate thrower. The ball doesn’t jump out of his hands like it does with some of the other guys he’s competing against.”

“Maybe. Plus, he’s way too pretty,” Tad commented on the handsome quarterback’s picture on the screen.

“You think?”

“The dude looks like Zac Efron.”

“Brady is a pretty boy too and look how many bowl rings he has,” Joey said condescendingly.

“Um…duh. He’s fucking TOM BRADY.”

“Are you sure you’re not just saying that because you look like him,” Joey asked suspiciously.

“What? No,” Tad said dripping with sarcasm, “he’s the best quarterback in the history of the game. And the fact that I’m his doppelganger has nothing to do with it.”

“Sure. Ok,” Joey smiled making it clear he didn’t believe Tad.

“Why are you complaining? It’s like you get to snug up with Tom Brady whenever you’re cold,” Tad laughed as he hugged Joey a little tighter.

“If you were Tom Brady…” Joey trailed off.

“If I were Tom Brady, what?” Tad asked curiously because Joey cut himself off so abruptly.

Joey thought for a second and decided there was no reason to lie to his best friend. “Brady is my guy crush.”

“What the fuck is a guy crush?”

“You know. It’s that thing where if you had to go gay for one guy, who would it be? Mine is Tom Brady.”

“Dude, that’s not a thing,” Tad stated like it was the craziest thing he had ever heard.

“Yeah, it is. Ask Rollie and Taylor. They told me about it,” Joey said, defending himself.

“Rollie and Taylor have guy crushes? Dude, those two are idiots. Two much pot and frat parties have fucked up their brains.” Tad was relieved it was Rollie and Taylor who told Joey this shit. They were notorious for stretching the truth and exaggerating.

“Rollie’s crush is Jason Momoa. He saw Aquaman like five times,” Joey pointed out.

“THAT’S why he saw that movie so many times? What about Taylor?”

“He likes that guy from Game of Thrones. Madden. Richard Madden, I think.”

“Huh. Yeah, I could see that. He seems like if he was gay, he would go for that type.”

“So, who’s your guy crush?” asked Joey.

“Dude, I don’t have a guy crush.”

“Every straight dude has a guy crush; I’m telling you it’s a thing. For real, think about it. There has to be someone, a celebrity, an athlete, some guy who you could see yourself with if you went gay for one guy.”

“Dude, I don’t know,” Tad said, annoyed. “I’m not playing this game.”

“Come on. I told you mine!” Joey teased.

“I’m not telling.”

“AH HA!” Joey exclaimed with excitement, catching Tad in a lie, “SO THERE IS A GUY!”

“What? No. Fuck off, dude. You’re an idiot,” Tad pushed him away slightly to show his annoyance with Joey’s enthusiasm that he might have a guy crush.

“Fine. Don’t tell me. Take the secret to your grave. It doesn’t affect me. But you’re a pussy, just so you know,” Joey snickered and hunkered down again into Tad.

They were silent for a while, watching the game. Tad felt a slight twinge in his neck but didn’t want to disturb Joey’s position. He saw a pillow at the end of the couch and thought he could lean his head against it to get more comfortable.

“Can you grab that pillow?” Tad asked Joey.

“I will if you tell me who your guy crush is,” Joey said in monotone voice.

“Fuck! I’ll get it myself,” Tad said as he threw his body over and onto Joey’s, in an effort to reach for the pillow.

“Dude! You’re like two-hundred-pounds. You’re crushing me!” Joey yelled, trying to push Tad off him.

“You’re the one who wanted my big arms around you,” Tad teased as he grabbed the pillow and squirmed back to his original spot.

“Yeah, but not your whole-body weight. You fucking animal.”

Tad settled in and wrapped his arms around the small waist of his best friend.

“You’re still cold, dude. You have ice running through your veins or something?”

“It’s called low body fat,” Joey bragged, “I get below ten-percent and I get cold.”

“I’m nine-percent and I’m not cold,” Tad stated trying to one-up Joey.

“Yeah, something is wrong with you. You should get that checked out. You’re like a goddamn toaster oven,” Joey teased as he put his arm on top of Tad’s.

“But it feels good?” Tad asked with genuine concern.

“Yeah, move in closer.” Joey pulled Tad in tighter from behind.

“Can you turn up the volume?” Tad asked.

“Sure. If you tell me who your man crush is.” Joey held the remote away at arm’s length knowing damn well with Tad’s long arms, he could reach it just fine.

“Dude, would you stop with that shit? It’s stupid.” Tad said with an eye roll.

“Pussy,” Joey stated.

“Shut it.” Tad was getting angry

“Pussy,” Joey taunted.

“Stop it.” Tad’s voice was stern.

“Pussy.”

“It’s YOU, ok? It’s you,” Tad said as he punched Joey’s thigh.

“HEY! Ouch!” Joey yelled and then stopped, “Me? What about me?”

“You’re my…” Tad couldn’t finish the sentence.

“I’M your guy crush?” Joey asked in disbelief.

“Well, you said someone who I can picture myself with if I were gay.”

“You can see yourself with me?”

“Duh! We’re cuddling under a blanket on the couch. This is probably first base with most gay guys.”

“Yeah, but this is just bonding, dude. You’re like a brother to me. I love you, man,” Joey said with a pat to Tad’s arm.

“You asked me the fucking question so don’t start being weird about it,” Tad stated, regretting saying anything at all.

“I know. I just didn’t think YOU would be crushing on ME.” Joey thought about it. “I guess it makes sense. My crush is Tom Brady and you look just like him. You have a guy crush on me so it makes sense we would be gay for each other.” It did seem very logical to Joey that they would be into each other if they were gay.

“If you could be with Brady right now and he puts the moves on you, would let him?” Tad asked hoping to catch Joey speechless. It didn’t work.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Joey said without hesitation.

“Wow. That was quick.”

“I told you, I’d go gay him. I would do anything he wanted me to.”

“Let him fuck you in the ass?” Tad asked laughing.

“In a heartbeat,” Joey responded again without hesitation.

“Wow, when you say go gay you don’t mess around.”

“Why should I? I know what I would want. He wants to mount me like a whore and shoot his fucking Super Bowl quarterback cum up my butthole, I’d relish in it,” Joey said with wonder in his tone.

“Dude, you are so gay right now,” Tad joked.

Joey perked up, “question, if I’m your guy crush, why aren’t you trying to do anything about it?”

“Dude, I’m literally holding you in my arms. Besides, you said if I HAD to go gay. I don’t recall anyone telling me I had to go gay right this minute. Dude, you know if we were gay, we’d be together. It’s a no brainer,” Tad said matter-of-factly. “Oh god, I can’t get gayer than this conversation.”

“Sure, you can,” Joey said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Please do tell.”

“You’re my guy crush by proxy. I’m your guy crush so it wouldn’t be that hard to do something about this.”

“What?” Tad questioned with confusion.

“Wanna make out?” Joey said nonchalantly.

“What? Like kiss?” Tad turned up his eyebrow.

“Yeah, it’s the only way to know for sure. No one is going to know.”

“I’ll know!” Tad exclaimed.

“Come on, man! Just one kiss. That way I’ll fulfill my Tom Brady fantasy with his doppelganger, and you can fulfill yours.”

“Dude, this is becoming too gay. Stop it. I don’t NEED to know anything. We’re not gay,” Tad said trying to make Joey see reason.

“Tell me. You know, technically, you’re my crush. Why am I your crush?”

Tad was silent for a few seconds. He could easily answer the question and that’s what scared him. He knew exactly why a gay version of himself would fall head over heels in love with Joey. He was afraid to admit it because if he knew what it was like to be gay, then was he gay?

Joey waited and then turned his head to Tad, “Well?”

Tad took a deep breath and let it out. He couldn’t like to Joey. He never could.

“I guess if I were gay, I would, of course, think you’re really hot. Your body is on point. You’ve got great hair; thick and wavy. You’re a jock, you like sports and beer just like I do, assuming we are the same persons we are now, but gay. We have a lot in common. We spend a lot of time together because you’re one of the funniest guys I know. You like to snug with me. It is a bonding thing, but, honestly, I do feel like a couple when we snug.”

“Right now, you feel like we’re a couple?”

“Dude, I can run my hands over your muscles, and it doesn’t even phase me. I like being against you. I like holding you. I think I like protecting you. I don’t know what I would do if you ever left me alone. I like seeing your face. If that is what being gay for someone is, then maybe I’m already gay for you. I think this is what it would be like if we were gay.”

“Huh. I guess you’re right. I guess it would be this way,” Joey said quietly. “Hey, why are you always the one spooning me?”

“HA! Because you’re the bitch, dude,” Tad said as he slapped Joey on the thigh.

“What the fuck does that mean?” Joey asked with sincere confusion.

“Oh, come on. You know damn well that if we were together you would totally be my bitch,” Tad stated again, matter-of-factly.

“And what makes me your bitch?” Joey asked, offended at what he was implying.

“You’re needy, emotional and yYOU always instigate the snugs. You get butt-hurt all the time AND you like chic-flix.”

“Hey! There’s nothing wrong with liking a good rom-com,” Joey said defensively.

“Not at all. If you’re gay or a girl,” Tad laughed.

“You never answered my question. Wanna make out?” Joey said, changing the subject. He didn’t appreciate his best friend thinking HE would be someone’s bitch.

“Why do you want to make out so bad?”

“Because now I want to know what it’s like. To kiss a guy. And if I’m going to kiss a guy, I want it to be you.”

Joey stared into Tad’s eyes. Tad realized he was completely serious.

“So, you want just one kiss?” Tad asked.

“Yeah. Just one.”

Tad took in another deep breath and let it out like a gust of wind.

“If I agree to this,” Tad said, “you promise not to get all weird and shit?”

“No, man! This is more of an issue for YOU, not me. If anyone gets weird, it’ll be YOU.”

Tad growled, “Fine but seriously, this doesn’t leave this apartment.”

“I’m not telling anyone, bro!” Joey said with no nonsense.

“Fuck. Ok, how does this go?” Tad asked but before he knew it, Joey reached up and pulled him down and pressed his lips to Tad’s. It was a short kiss. They separated and looked at each other.

“Ok, not so bad?” Joey asked.

“Just strange,” Tad said, obviously caught off guard and shocked.

“Let’s do it again but longer this time.” Joey chimed.

“Um…”

Once again, Joey pulled him in for a kiss. This time it was a deep kiss. Tad eventually let Joey’s tongue into his own mouth. He could hear Joey breathing and felt his beard on his own. The kiss was warm, passionate. Not at all what Tad thought kissing a guy would be like. It was Joey. It felt natural. He let Joey take control and they engulfed one another. The kissing went on for a few minutes before they released it, out of breath.

“Geezus fucking Christ, you’re a good kisser,” Tad said quietly, in awe.

“Thanks! Your pretty good too,” Joey replied with awe in his own eyes.

“Your lips are so smooth. I figured they would be rougher,” Tad thought out loud.

“Again?” Joey asked.

“Uh huh,” Tad said, still out of breath.

This time they attacked each other. The sound of lips smacking, heavy breathing filled the room. Tad became an animal as he took Joey and pushed him flat on his back and crawled on top of him. Their hands feverishly skimmed each other’s muscular bodies. Joey wrapped his arms around Tad’s wide back and traced the muscles. Tad ran his hands through Joey’s thick hair. They continued to writhe and grunt as their body contact became more aggressive. Tad maneuvered his way between Joey’s legs and split them apart with his knees. Joey’s legs automatically wrapped themselves around Tad’s waist.

Suddenly, they stopped and stared at each other with wide eyes.

Joey swallowed hard, “Tad, are you…?”

“So are you,” Tad was frozen.

“Damn, you’re hard as a fucking rock,” Joey whispered as he stroked Tad’s cock through his shorts.

“So are you,” Tad repeated himself. “Joe, you’re stroking my cock.”

“Uh huh. I know,” Joey whispered again. “You like it?”

“I shouldn’t.”

“But you do?”

“I…I don’t know what’s happening here,” Tad said, frightened.

Joey leaned up and kissed Tad again. “What do you WANT to happen here?” Joey asked as he stroked Tad’s square jaw.

“I…I don’t know. I’m not sure,” Tad replied, bewildered as he looked down at his best friend’s handsome face, his blue eyes. He felt his body heat as he lowered his body to press down on Joey’s. He could feel Joey’s hard cock pressing against his own. Tad began to slowly hump Joey, rubbing their cocks together. Tad’s ass gyrating, simulating a fuck as he threw himself down onto Joey’s lips and took him in.

Joey pressed up against Tad’s chest. “Tad, say it. Just say what you’re thinking.”

Tad gently kissed Joey’s cheek and then looked back into his eyes.

“I want to fuck you,” Tad said in a low gruff voice, “I want to fuck you.”

Joey pulled Tads head down and they touched foreheads. “I want you to fuck me.”

“Joe, I want to get inside you. I want you to see how much I love you,” Tad admitted with a slight tear in his eye.

“Tad, I’ve fucking loved you since we first met. I’ve wanted this so fucking bad, dude. I fucking love you, Tad.”

“I don’t know what to do now,” admitted Tad.

“Well, it’s good for you that I think I do. Let’s go to my room,” Joey said as he rolled out from under Tad.

“Ok,” Tad agreed as he stood up and took Joey by the arm and pulled him behind him. Joey looked at the hand gripping him and felt a warm energy shoot up his spine. He was being led around by this mountain of a man and he felt secure and safe.

Tad pushed Joey onto the bed and crawled up on him.

He smiled and gave Joey a kiss. “Told you.”

“Told me what?” Joey asked with a smile.

Tad licked his cheek. “Told you, you’d be my bitch.”