Barracks Bitch

Tom and Kevin

I awoke before Kev feeling the best I’d felt in over a year. I had forgotten how right it was to wake up with him in my arms and how he fit perfectly against me pressed against my body with every curve. He smelled so good. When I remembered what happened in the middle of the night a tingling thrill cascaded through my flesh quickly accompanied by a fluttering in my abdomen. Something had changed inside me. Something had changed in my love for him.

It was only by feeling this today that I could tell that all the incredible sex we’d had before I left for the Army had been purely physical for me. My immense love had been purely emotional. But they had never met, separated by a chasm that deepened every time I told myself I wasn’t gay and I was unable to see that before now. Last night the two had melded into something more soul-affirming than my mind could understand. It had nothing to do with fucking Kevin for the first time… fucking felt like such a small, inadequate word for what we did. It was a conduit that allowed our love to flow together, to blend until it was one emotion rather than two separate people feeling a separate, different kind of love for each other. I was still unsure if I was gay, or it was just Kevin. I could be bi, but that didn’t seem to fit either. Having had sex with only two guys wasn’t a large enough sample to reach any easy conclusion. How do you define something that happens because of circumstances and not because you have an overwhelming desire? Before last night, the only reason I wanted to get fucked by Kevin was to make him happy and to feel how into it he was. His heightened excitement was what turned me on. It was the same with Sleeper. The exhilaration of being the person responsible for bringing them to orgasm and for providing them pleasure flipped my dick switch. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t numbed like a prostitute to the sex. It turned ME on to turn THEM on. And the distinction was further complicated by the fact that I could pop a boner just looking at any number of sexy women. I couldn’t say that about men. I could recognize a guy was hot. Sarge was hot. Zeus was hot. Sleeper was hot. Kevin was very hot. But that didn’t turn me on. But last night… I was 110% gay for Kevin. And again, it wasn’t because I’d topped him for the first time. That was just the smallest part of what I’d felt.

As I tried to grasp the change inside me my hands explored his body. The inner timekeeper I’d developed in the Army told me it would be an hour or so before sunrise, so it had to be about 0600. For the first time since I joined the Army I slept past 0500. I felt lazy and indulgent. I felt completely relaxed.

It occurred to me that Kevin’s body had changed. His muscles, always thick and solid, were harder and more condensed and differentiated. Rather than a single wide meaty back he now had defined areas of proper muscle groupings. Was he working out? I liked it. I liked the strength they exuded. I pulled away so I could run my free hand over his wide back. It was smooth and hairless, unlike his chest. I explored by touch in the dark, noticing how similar the muscles felt to Sleeper’s with their active potential.

“If you keep that up you’re going to—“. He paused. “Don’t stop. It feels good.” He avoided a clever quip in favor of honest vulnerability with a deep voiced sleepy mumble. His body was not the only thing that changed. He was comfortable speaking his mind now and making demands.

It was a request I could fulfill. I took my time. Now that he was awake, I nudged him over onto his stomach so my hand could wander the entire expanse of his backside. His warm skin was taut riding over the mounds and ridges along his spine. I let my palm travel the valley that it made between his shoulders down his ribs, then further to the meat of his ass which rose like a small hill under the sheets.

“Have you been working out?” I asked softly as my fingers traced the perimeter of each glute before lingering in his crack.

“Mmmm-hmmm. I joined the track team.” He said. “Do you like it?”

I leaned over and kissed his shoulder. “I do. I like it a lot.” I felt my way around him with a firmer hand, squeezing everything I could find. I took my time. It was the first time I had really felt him as another man with the intimate intent to know him beyond sexual need. How had I failed to recognize this perfection all the times before? How had I failed to see the beauty of the strength and power in his body? Before it had been just a comfortable part of him, another piece of the overall presence that was Kevin. But now… the heat of his skin, the way his shoulder blades flared from his back mounded with his rhomboids, trapezius and rear delts, the spread of his large rib cage jacketed by his thick lats, the shoulders that exceeded the reach of my spread fingers, the erectors of his lower back that created a furrow like a freshly plowed field. His butt felt slightly bigger than I remembered, jutting out more in a proud hill. He was smooth there, his cheeks completely hairless and so different from the front of him. He was magnificent.

I scooted over to lay my face on his back. His skin smelled like first spring rain. I tasted him with a flick of my wide tongue. Salty, and a hint of musk. I took a longer swipe, savoring the dance of his flavors in my mouth. My eyes were closed and my mouth sought out more of him. I rubbed my face upon him, nuzzling, amazed that I could explore him even more like that and receiving even greater detail than my hands and fingers had discovered. My nose crushed into the hard strips of muscle as my mouth chewed while my tongue bathed him. I missed nothing, licked, nosed, chinned and gently chewed every square inch. I flattened my tongue against his tailbone to drive it up his spine all the way to his neck. Rewetting it, I executed a sweeping turn across his shoulder. I was straddling him now with my knees beside his. I sucked along the hardness of his shoulder blade, first one, then the other before returning to his other shoulder. “You taste amazing.” I whispered in his ear. I had momentary regret that I’d never taken the time to notice him like this before. So much time I wasted lost in allowing him to get everything he wanted from me and only that. And right after the thought a sick fear that I’d deprived him of this part of being with him, the physical adoration of his body, of HIM that traveled beyond the physical into an almost hypnotic need. And I should have known better. Because I fully recognized how powerful and erotic it was to be the source of someone else’s pleasure. And Kevin being the guy he was never pushed me as if he knew I wasn’t ready.

But now… I wanted to do things to him just to do them, understanding it would give him pleasure to be on the receiving end of my need without focusing on anything except enjoying myself. I licked his entire back from ass to neck, chewing, sucking, slathering every square inch of skin. I found his tender spots. I reveled in his moaning spots. And then, tackling his big meaty ass I explored that too. I let my hands rub the spit dampened skin of his back while I rubbed my face on his amazing butt. I didn’t tease him like I did Sleeper. Because this wasn’t sex. I had no agenda in this. This was Reverence. Adoration. Worship. And that’s when I understood I couldn’t live without him. My entire nervous system, every nerve from toe to scalp fired off a cascade of explosions and I began to tremble with the realization that by giving him my soul that day in the hallway outside English class I had already decided to be his and it could be nothing less than all of me or I would suffer. I understood the pain I had been in over the last year and some months. I knew I had caused it myself and had been blaming Kevin, the Army, my circumstances…anything but the true culprit: me. How foolish I was, what a complete and utter idiot to think I could arrange it all to satisfy such a misguided plan to relegate Kevin to the past. I was never going to ‘move on with my life’ because Kevin WAS my life. There was nothing more important than him. I felt a shroud lifted from my soul.

“Tom, are you okay? You haven’t moved for a while. What are you thinking about?” Another change in Kevin. He was saying more than five words.

“You. Me. Us.” I said from the comfortable pillow his ass made for my face. I lay there resting, and thinking. “I’m sorry I’ve been such an idiot, Kev.”

“I like the Us part.” He said. “It never stopped being Us for me, you know.”

I stroked his thigh, kissed his ass cheeks. “I know that now. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize that it’s always been Us for me too.”

“Come up here.” He requested, wiggling his ass to shake me off.

“But you’re so comfortable. You make a great pillow.” I playfully nipped his skin.

“Talk. Now.” He chastised.

“Yes. Tarzan talk to boy!” I mocked him and his short guttural sentences. I moved up and immediately missed his butt. He rolled onto his side to face me and we lay face to face with his big leg thrown over mine. I continued running my fingers over his chest and stomach.

“Tom…” I sensed the uncertainty in his voice. He was holding back again. I leaned in to kiss him tenderly. He would speak when he felt it was right, but I didn’t like how he seemed to revert to his high school pattern. I’d seen how he’d grown yesterday, no more darting eyes, no hesitancy in his words. He’d become a man. He challenged me in the kitchen… me! The guy he used to follow, from whom he’d accept just about any suggestion. I didn’t want him to be that guy again, not because I didn’t love that guy but because I loved that strength and self assurance I saw in him yesterday. I used the wait to enjoy the feel of his beautiful body. It sounds absurd but it was all new to me this eagerness for him. I found I couldn’t stop touching him and didn’t want to. It excited me. I really wanted to use my mouth on him, but Tarzan wanted talk. And I knew this was important.

Finally, “Tom, is this real for you? Is this just you taking a break from exiling me and you’re going to disappear again? Because I don’t know if I can go through that again. Please don’t shut me out. Even if we can’t be together, don’t hurt me again.” He paused. “Please?” And the word was so pitiful it broke my heart.

“Never again, Kev.” I began. “I thought I was doing the right thing, even though it hurt both of us. I wanted you to find a boyfriend, someone who could be gay with you. I didn’t think that was me or that I could give you what you needed. I thought we could get past it.”

He reached out to stroke my face. “And now?”

I took a few breaths. Thinking it was one thing, saying it out loud was another. “Now…I realize I never had a choice. Our Kiss opened something inside of me and you’re the only person who can reach me there. I’ve been fighting to keep you away and it gets harder to do every day because without you I feel empty. I don’t understand it. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“You think it’s different for me? It’s not.” He stated. “I didn’t want to fall in love with you. I knew I would just get hurt. I tried to keep you away too, you know. But I didn’t have a choice either. There were so many things I wanted for you. You had to enlist in the Army and having a boyfriend doesn’t exactly fit with that. I didn’t want to be the reason you couldn’t have your dream. And I know you love women -“

“Not like I love you.” I interrupted.

“Neither of us realized that. And I’m still not sure I’ll be enough for you and that you’ll regret giving that up.”

I kissed his soft beautiful lips. “If you’re not enough no woman will be.”

“So what changed?”

I moved closer so that our bodies intertwined. I thought about it. “I’m tired of fighting it, Kev. So tired of fighting. I’m tired of locking you away and not feeling anything. I’m tired of not feeling… you. Me. Us.”

“I am too.” He placed his forehead against mine. I wished the sun would come up so I could see his soft grey flannel eyes.

“It feels like by giving you up I have to give up ‘me’. It only feels right to be gone when it’s you that gets me there.”

He kissed me then. The first time in over a year and this time he pulled me in with just a kiss, he didn’t need to use his eyes. His kiss. His lips. I felt myself soar to a whole other place I’d never been. Instead of losing myself I found him waiting for me there in a peaceful heaven of just us surrounded by his comfortable weightless love that was seamlessly blended with my own swirling eddies. I was the flame and he was the heat. I was a waterfall and he was the lake, a gusting wind that contained the promise of a gentle shower and hope of life. We were elemental here each a part of the whole, without the other’s compliment destined to be diminished. The mirror of of our love required a reflection, insisted that there be a corresponding image so that what would otherwise be a hardened glass barrier instead became a doorway to completeness. In this place he gave me my true soul, the one forged of both of us which was solid, unshakable and harmonic. Our soul. There would only be one between us from now on.

He rolled me onto my back without breaking the kiss. My entire body flushed with heat responding to his full weight while my arms and legs wrapped him tightly in an embrace. I no longer cared to examine the rightness or where it came from. The size of him excited me. His erect cock pressed beside my own and I couldn’t lay still as I writhed and rubbed as much of him as I could reach. I needed him with a desire and eagerness that manifested as sweet anticipatory pleasure. Just the feel of him had me dancing on the precipice of orgasm and I held myself there at the edge loving the way every movement elicited a deep stimulation of every nerve in my body.

When he licked his fingers and lifted his hips I moaned knowing what he would do. I felt his wet fingers probe my hole and I spread myself for him, ready and relaxed as he stretched me gently. The intensity of this feeling threatened to overwhelm me. This was how it should be. This act subsumed all previous sex, showing me how limited it was in its take and give because it was imperfect and unwhole. I had been so sure there was nothing more to sex and that sheer physical pleasure born of pain was the pinnacle. What a foolish boy I was.

He coated me with his precum as he rubbed the head of his impressive dick against my opening. He continued to kiss me as I moaned into him. His fist stopped all but the thick head from pressing into me and it was ecstasy. My hips undulated slowly to meet him in the grinding against my hole that had come alive with such unexpected sensitivity I fought the urge of my balls to ejaculate. He hadn’t even penetrated me yet but I could go at any time. I had never been here before. I was alive, needing the pleasure without the pain and it was so wonderful I wanted to cry. The gestalt of the joining of our bodies, our souls, our hearts and our minds flooded me with a nirvana that surged like a supernova that forced all doubts and darkness away. I was purged of every subconscious self recrimination I’d tortured myself with for the past year. His continuing unquestionable love was a catalyst that created a chain reaction that could not be ended, only delayed and I found myself ecstatically thankful he’d waited in his comfortable weightless way for me to grow enough to realize we belonged with each other. I was good enough for him because he MADE me good enough.

He slowly entered me and for the first time there was no pain, no adjustment. His gradual sinking made my eyes roll back with the desire for him to fully enter me to the root but also hoping it could go on forever. Oh fuck, this can’t be real. It should be like this every time. Just the smallest movement from him sent waves of pleasure pulsing through every fiber of my being. He poured into me so slow and easy it felt like a long sigh of relief. Our bodies remained pressed together and I used my heels against his ass to pull him further in. He only flexed his hips. So gentle were his movements it felt like everything and not enough at the same time. His cock inside me was just a part of how we joined. I trembled from the feel of his hot skin against mine. I moaned from his sweet loving kiss upon my mouth. I writhed from the comfortable weight of his hard meaty body resting on me. My cock long-spurted my semen between our stomachs and it happened without convulsions in absolute relaxation and relief. His gentle rocking kept on and I realized I still remained on that edge of stimulation. I could cum again any time I allowed it but this was so much better than any orgasm. The potential was several times greater than the conclusion. I wanted this to last for hours.

“Oh Tom, I’m going to cum again.” He moaned into my mouth, and just the sound of his voice sent my own cum flowing for the second time, or was it simply a continuation of the first? Lost in this timeless moment with him was the most amazing place to exist. We were everything together. When he stopped moving I didn’t want him to, and I kept moving my hips against him.

“Shhhhh.” He whispered. “Settle.” He stroked my face and head soothing me to stillness. I experienced a feeling of joy that I hadn’t left that edge. I was still in the moment of pleasure and I knew I could hold myself here anytime I wanted now, or maybe it was him who could bring me here just by being close to me.

“I love you.” I moaned.

The sun had risen without my noticing the light that filled my room. It allowed me to look into his soft flannel eyes at last. I kissed his nose. “Stay here just like this.”

He grinned, and it was so close to his smirk I experienced another wave of warm pleasure because I’d missed it for so long. I hugged him tight.

“Uh… Tom? Mom says to come down for breakfast.” I heard my brother’s voice come from across the room.

There was no way he could misinterpret what Kevin and I were doing. The sheets and blankets were at the bottom of the bed, and Kevin lay naked on top of me with my arms and legs wrapped around him. Kevin jerked to roll off of me and somehow that was worse because it left my cum covered torso and still hard dick exposed. I dreaded the explanation.

Tim stood there staring at both of us, taking in our nakedness and the evidence of our pleasure. I was trying to think of what to say, how to put it the right way, but was failing miserably to find anything to soothe what must be a horrible shock for him.

“Hi Kevin.” He said. “Does this mean you’re boyfriends again?”

I started. “What do you mean ‘again’ bro?”

Tim shrugged. “Well you were boyfriends in high school, everyone says so. But I know you broke up when you had to go away for the Army. You were so sad, Tom. Are you back together?”

I looked at Kevin, who was smirking. Yeah right bud, pretend like you saw this coming. You didn’t expect this any more than I did. I rolled my eyes at him which only deepened his smirk. “You didn’t think people were going to talk to him about it?” He said. I loved this new confidence in him. God, it turned me on.

My eyebrows shot up. “No. I mean… not that I thought it was a secret, I just don’t think about people gossiping, it’s not worth my energy.” I replied. I returned my eyes to Tim, whose eyes were roaming from Kevin’s naked body to mine. “Yeah bro, we’re boyfriends again.” I smiled.

“Good.” He said. “I’ll tell mom. She’ll be glad.”

“Wait! What?” I floundered.

“Don’t be dumb, bro.” Tim chastised. God he could be so sweet, and then such an ass. “No one who sees you together can miss it you idiot. And you’re not quiet when he rails you. Geez, I think mom and dad heard you two from their room half the time on your sleepovers. I’ve even jacked off a few times listening through this wall to you guys go at it, it’s kind of incredible to hear. Like hearing two animals fighting with everything they have.”

FUCK.

ME.

RUNNING.

Kevin’s knowing smirk was gone and he tensed up. I thought we’d been quiet. Mom and dad never once let on. Tim hadn’t said anything or dropped any sly hints.

Holy fuck.

My dad. My dad knew and never said anything. And now I’d never have a chance to talk to him about it. I knew the love for me he must have had to keep quiet about it and let it happen, to welcome Kevin like another son as if it was just the most natural thing. I felt my tears start.

Kevin kissed me. “It’s okay, babe.” He cupped my face. And it was. He called me ‘babe’. I was sad, and happy, and aroused at the same time. Only Kevin could do this to me.

Tim had come over to the bed. My bed wasn’t big, just a twin, but he lay down next to me and I was sandwiched between them. Tim pulled my arm around his shoulders and laid his head on my chest. Kevin kept kissing and nuzzling my face.

“I miss dad, Tom.” Tim said. “He was a really good dad.” They let me cry like that for a few minutes and I felt the tears let up.

When I finally found my voice I said “Yeah Tim. I don’t know what we are going to do without him, but we’ll be alright. We just have to be the men he wanted us to be.” I kissed my little brother’s head and hugged him.

Tim raised his head up and smiled. “You’re the best big brother I could ever have. And you smell like cum.”

That little fucker. So sweet and such an ass. “ I put my hands behind my head. “That’s all mine. Kevin’s went somewhere else.” I said with satisfaction.

“Yeah, I know where it went. I’ve heard you beg him to fuck it up your ass enough times. Doesn’t it hurt? I mean, look at his dick… it’s huge.”

I laughed. “Oh fuck yeah it hurts. Or at least it used to. I liked that pain and wanted it to hurt as much as he could dish out. But not now. Now we have something better. Not that I would stop him from taking me like an animal again, there’s something incredible about it. But the gentle loving is … wow! So much better.”

Tim put his head back on my chest. “Maybe I should get a boyfriend and find out.” He reached out before I could stop him and grabbed Kevin’s semi-hard cock. “Just not with a dick this big. Jesus.”

“Stop that.” I admonished him. “You’ll get him going again and I want breakfast, but I won’t be able to tell him no so I’ll go hungry.” I swatted his hand away from my boyfriend’s cock, which had already swelled up.

Tim giggled. “Get out of my room before I fuck the both of you.” I ordered him. “Tell mom we’ll be down after we wash up. Degenerate groping my boyfriend.”

My little brother grabbed me me balls and yanked. I grunted. “Fucking asshole!” I growled.

“We both know who’ll be getting fucked, bro.” He pushed off me hard enough to roll me over onto Kevin as he climbed out of bed. I felt a shockingly hard stinging smack against my ass. I yelped. He leaned in to kiss my head. And then he kissed Kevin’s. “Take care of my brother.”

And then he was gone. I could hear him going downstairs almost whistling. He could never get the hang of it so it sounded like more air than musical notes.

“God, has everyone changed? When did he grow up?” I asked Kevin.

He chuckled. “You’ve been gone a long time babe. And not just gone to the Army. You’ve been gone in your head, too. And that was interesting.”

I knew the last part referred to Tim. Tim and I were always close. Mom and dad always insisted I be a true big brother to him, and he made it easy. I loved him, he was my little bro. We talked about sex all the time before I left, he asked all the questions, I answered. Being naked around him wasn’t any big deal. Up until he was 11 he would sometimes come and crawl in bed with me to sleep, me holding him tight. But climbing into bed with us after we’d just had sex and were naked surprised me. Tim wasn’t fazed at all. And his forceful demeanor with me sent a disturbing quiver to my dick. What the fuck? “It was more than interesting. I can’t think through this right now.” I gave Kevin a long, deep kiss. “Let’s get showered. I’m hungry. And if I’m hungry I know you are.”

We quickly showered, managing to keep our dicks to ourselves even if our hands couldn’t stop feeling each other. He used my toothbrush right after me, just squirting more toothpaste on it before shoving it in his mouth. That was fucking hot, I can’t lie. Kevin raided my underwear and closet for clothes that would fit him. My heart raced with the thought of him wearing my clothes. He chose a pair of blue boxer briefs that I told him were loose on me so I knew they’d fit him. I was unprepared for how sexy he looked in them. They stretched to a perfect tightness around all his large anatomy. I could swear he was a bit bigger in the legs and beautifully round butt which were both solid and hard. He filled out the hanging pouch with a big and meaty mound that made me salivate. Sleeper’s perfection was nothing compared to the genetic masterpiece of my boyfriend. Holy shit, and I was his. I felt so lucky. Fuck, I was so gay and happy.

Kevin left his wet hair loose and even that lent a dangerous power to his strength. He caught me staring from the corner of his eyes as he pulled up the shorts I’d given him and even though his long hair covered the side of his face I could imagine the grin. “Enjoying the show, babe?”

My cock had risen, poking out of the boxers I wore. “I can’t keep my eyes off you. Holy fuck. How are you so beautiful?”

He smiled that rare full teeth baring smile with smooth perfect white surfaces. “How? Because you, that’s how.”

That wasn’t true. Kevin was a force of nature. I had absolutely nothing to do with it.

“Put it back in your shorts, hot stuff.” He told me. “I can smell breakfast, and your little brother will eat it all if we don’t get down there.” Fuck I loved decisive confident Kevin. I could rely on that guy. I could lean on his strength. It felt so good after having to be the strong one all the time. It was oxymoronic and counter intuitive but I felt stronger and even MORE able to handle anything because HE was strong. It wasn’t a give and take, it felt additive and synergistic…greater than the sum of our parts. What a fucking idiot I’d been to deny this. I felt like I imagined Zeus felt just being himself. It was heady and seductive. I could take on the world with this power I felt.

We went downstairs side by side, him taking up 2/3rds with his size leaving me to squeeze into the remaining third, reaching the bottom and seeing mom putting food on the plates.

“Hello Kevin. Could you take the plates to the table? Tom, there’s juice in the fridge. Tim, silverware.” Not a single blink or hesitation.

Kevin reached for the plates and gave my mom a kiss on the cheek. “Morning Mrs, Harris. Thanks for breakfast!”

She kissed him back on his cheek. “Thanks for not making Tom scream all night. I slept so good.”

I choked for a good minute, having to hold onto the refrigerator door so I didn’t fall to my knees.

I finally pulled myself together when Kevin said with a smirk “He almost made me scream this time, but I have a little more self control and respect for the rest of you.”

And I choked and coughed all over again.

***************

We had today, and that was all. I avoided thinking about having to get on the hop back to Germany tomorrow afternoon. I’d have to report to Ft. Hood in the morning even though the flight wasn’t leaving until almost 9 hours later. Hurry up and wait, another Army maxim. But today I was all Kevin’s. He had to fly back to Boston himself tomorrow, to return to his classes at MIT.

We lay on the couch, me leaning back against him. The only thing different than what we’d done in high school was that he held me this time. I liked it. I loved wrapping him in my arms and spooning, but this felt easy and he was so comfortable against my back. Winter in central Texas wasn’t harsh, but we’d had a cold front come through two days ago and the temperature was in the upper 30’s, cold for Texas. He felt warm. I could go to sleep just like this.

Mom came in from the garage. She and Tim had gone to the Commissary on Base for food. “Boys, come bring the groceries in.” She called to us.

Kevin and I hopped off the couch and raced each other to the car outside. Of course I lost the race. But I tell myself it was because he shoved me into the doorframe at the last minute. “Cheater!” I yelled at him.

“All’s fair in love and war, babe. You should watch your six. What are they teaching you in that Army? Do you guys just play cards and have circle jerks?” He grinned.

“I’ve got you to watch my six now babe.” I threw back at him. “And you’re a traitor.”

He grabbed me up in his arms and groped my ass right there in the driveway. “I’ve always got your back, Tom. Always. I love you.” He kissed me and I melted.

“Mooooooommmmm, they’re not helping!” Tim yelled into the garage.

“You little tattletale!” I glared. Then gave Kevin a glance and he understood. We tackled Tim from both sides, pulling him to the ground and smothered him with kisses and our bodies, making him laugh and protest…but not very convincingly. He tried to wrestle us, the adorable fool. Somehow Tim ended up on Kevin’s back and he and I carried the bags of groceries into the house with my little brother (who wasn’t so little anymore) giving us orders from Kevin’s back. It was like he didn’t even feel Tim’s weight. Tim had his chin hooked over Kevin’s broad shoulders, his face snuggled up against my boyfriend’s neck. My brother almost didn’t need to wrap his legs around Kevin’s waist, he could just sit on the shelf his ass made. Just seeing them like that made me incredibly happy.

We soon had all the groceries put away, the brown paper bags folded and stored.

“Why so much food, mom? I’m leaving in the morning.” I pointed out. There was no way she and Tim would eat all that by themselves. The meat would keep in the freezer, sure, but four dozen eggs, six pounds of bacon, three loaves of bread, three gallons of milk, two packs of toilet paper, and so many vegetables the fridge was crammed, plus more…potatoes, cheese, onions, canned stuff and soup, pasta, coffee….ICE CREAM!

“Oh! Turn on the news, sweetheart. And I think you need to call your First Sergeant. I don’t think either one of you will be able to get on a plane tomorrow. The radio said the northeast is snowed in with a blizzard, or noreaster or some kind of storm, and there’s another system moving across Europe. Kevin, you might want to check if MIT has canceled classes.”

I looked at Kevin and saw my hope mirrored in his eyes. Tim had a huge grin side by side with Kevin’s, still hanging on his back. “You have to stay! Fuck yeah!”

“Timothy Jacob Harris you watch your mouth!” Mom scolded.

“Sorry mom.” He said in with feigned guilt, then mouthed ‘fuck yeah’ again.

I laughed. “You’ll still have school, runt.”

“Mom, can I stay home? I’ll get my work from Allie. Please? Pleeeeeeease?”

“I’ll think about it.” She answered.

Kevin smiled huge. “I need to borrow Tim for training. I’ll just carry him around all day to make my legs strong.”

Tim smiled. “You can be my horse. No one will bug me riding you!”

I crossed my arms. “First, when did you get to be such a jock, babe? Second, who’s bugging you bro?”

“Just some kids at school. It’s no big deal.” He avoided.

“Tim, what are they doing?” I demanded, shocking myself with how much I sounded like dad.

He looked away. Kevin gave him a side look. He threw his arms over and grabbed Tim by his armpits and pulled my lanky brother effortlessly over his shoulder until he was cradled in his arms. Fuck! The strength of him. He held Tim like a baby. “Spill it little bro.” Kevin said. He used his eyes on Tim, and I knew Tim would lose the battle.

Tim leaned into my boyfriend’s big meaty chest. “A couple of the guys on the football team call me ‘that fag’s brother’ and say I must be a faggot too. Sorry, that’s the word they use.” I could tell it hurt him to repeat it.

“Do they hit you or bully you?” I asked.

“They just shove me a little. It’s not that big of a deal Tom.” He said, resigned.

Kevin looked at me, his eyes were full of storms. I raised my eyebrows at him. “I’m sorry, Tim. It’s my fault.” Kevin said.

“I’m sorry too, bud.” I repeated. I formed a plan in my head. But I needed to talk to Top first, and Kevin needed to find out about MIT.

“Mom, can I use the phone?” I called to her.

“Of course. It’s weekends, so don’t worry. But why don’t you call your father’s Commander? He can find out for you. And no overseas long distance.” She had a point, but I couldn’t impose or cross my chain of Command.

I wanted to explain how my First Sergeant was and should be my first call, and was debating it when the kitchen phone rang. We only had the one phone in the house. Tim leapt from Kevin’s arms where Kevin was using him to do arm curls, much to Tim’s amusement. “I got it!” He yelled out. I flexed my biceps at Kevin showing him my guns I’d worked hard to make bulk up. I’d put on 20 pounds of lean muscle over the last year, working out and going through the very physical training of the Army. I knew I looked hard, and good.

Kevin shamed me when he mirrored my pose. He had incredible definition, and was so jacked. His biceps had to be twice the size of my own. I was just about to go molest him when Tim said “Private Harris, it’s Staff Sergeant Nolan”. Just like dad trained us.

I did the time conversion in my head, it had to be 2000 there. Late hours. I took the phone from Tim. “Private Harris.” I identified.

“Private Harris, I hope this is a good time.” Of course he knew the funeral was yesterday.

“Of course, Sergeant.” Still a Private, it was proper for me to wait for him to speak unless released.

“At ease, Private. Your hop’s been canceled. We’re getting quite the storm here. The Commander doesn’t see any reason for you to come back here, graduation is happening Tuesday, five feet of snow or not. And no one’s getting to their new duty station for a week. Your leave has been extended, and you’re to report to Ft. Hood for your orders next Friday.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Six more days. “Thanks, Sergeant. Uh… my gear?” I’d left most of my stuff there, almost all of my uniforms. All of my issued equipment.

“Being packed up by your squad, Ummm, Private Montelongo and Private Gunnerson volunteered I’m told. Not like you get a choice, but is that acceptable? It’ll meet you at your next duty station.”

“Yes Sergeant, they’re my friends. They won’t mess with my stuff. Thanks again.”

“Good luck Private. Friday, Ft. Hood.” He reminded me. The phone clicked and went dead.

I hung up. I turned around to leave the kitchen.

“Tom! What’d he say?” Tim was bursting at the seams.

I smiled. “Six more days! I don’t report until Friday!” I nearly fell over when my brother jumped on me in celebration quickly followed by Kevin. “Agggh, you’re gonna crush me! I have to tell mom!” Kevin let go, but Tim didn’t.

“I heard, sweetheart. I’m so happy.” She was standing there with tears running down her face. Her house was full, filled with her boys again. She was hoping I’d be stuck just like Kevin and Tim hoped. I know the emptiness would hit her when I was gone again, but for six days I could take care of her. I walked over to her with my monkey brother hanging off me and pulled her into a hug.

“I’m glad, mom.” I didn’t even care that I would miss saying goodbye in person to the Bravos. This was more important. Hell, they might even get liberty tonight and a pass to hit the town. I imagine a few Sergeants would be lurking in the usual night spots to watch for troublemakers. I’d have to call my brothers tomorrow. They’d probably appreciate the break from scrubbing down the barracks for inspection.

“Hey Kev, call your school.” I told him.

Kevin called the Engineering Lab, which was the name of a complex of several buildings, he explained. But he knew one person who would be there on a Saturday afternoon. I wrestled with my brother while Kevin handled his phone call. He didn’t take long.

“Classes canceled for the week. I don’t have to go back until next Sunday.” This time it was me who almost knocked him over. Okay…I admit that was my goal, but Kevin couldn’t be tackled. Not with all that gorgeousmuscle and size. I felt proud that he was my man.