Mark is Jeremiah's Brother

-1-  Aaron

As I bicycled up the incline of the overpass, I realized that it was much easier than it had been the previous summer. My legs were getting stronger, and I glanced down at them. They were definitely muscular now. Had I simply been unaware of the change? I’d notice the other changes over the past few years. Deeper voice, hair where there had been none, and a larger peter and an urge not shared by my friends.

My friends talked about girls and their breasts, and I… well, I didn’t do much other than to nod. My heart ached as I felt lonely even when surrounded by friends. I didn’t understand why I was different, and I studied each of them, hoping that one of them felt as I did, and, unlike me, might not be too afraid to say anything.

I made it to the top of the overpass, crossed the bridge, and coasted down the other side. The Clemens driveway was on the right, and I skidded into it and up to the house. I could hear Jeremiah in the backyard. It sounded as though he and one of his brothers were playing.

Jeremy had been my best friend since Kindergarten. We were only two months apart in age, almost six feet tall, juniors in high school, blond and blue-eyed. Our mothers said we were twins born of different parents.

With my new-found awareness of my muscular legs, I looked at Jeremiah with a new perspective. He was more muscular, too. Since middle school, I thought that he had a better nose than I did, but I thought my mouth and teeth were better. Honestly, we were both just average-looking guys, and Jeremy was not the brother that made my heart beat faster.

Mark, younger than the two of us by a year, had the most handsome face in the world. But it wasn’t just his face that drew me to him. It was him. And because I wanted to be with him, I had tried to avoid the times that I would be with him alone. I knew that was foolish, and I had made a new decision to be alone with him. Maybe I would have the courage to hint at what I was feeling. As I walked to the backyard, I listened for his voice.

I didn’t hear it. “Hi, Remy!” I shouted.

“Hey, A-Ron,” waved Jeremiah’s older brother Steven.

“It’s Air-Head,” said Jeremiah.

“Time for a new best friend,” I announced.

“Too sensitive,” Jeremiah shook his head. “Bad news, bro. Dad wants me to help this worthless guy with feeding.”

“More likely,” I replied, “your dad wants to keep you out of trouble and give you some life skills.”

“Fuck you, Air-Head. I’m Air Force. I’m gonna fly them jets.”

“Not with that bad grammar,” I said.

“Yeah? Well, double fuck-you.”

“Such wit. Great comeback. See you later then.”

Jeremiah waved as he and his brother headed to the barns. I knew that they’d be more than an hour, and I didn’t want to volunteer to help. I was going to ride my bike back home, but I noticed that Mark was spying on me from the corner of the upstairs window of the garage. I walked around to the front of the garage and up enough stairs to see him.

“What’s going on, Mark?”

“Nothing.” He was sitting on a box next to a pile of magazines.

“Just nothing except looking out the window.”

“What do you mean?” he asked defensively.

“I saw you looking out the window,” I said.

“I wasn’t looking at you.”

“I didn’t say you were. But you were, and your denying it like that is understandable, But it’s OK. I like that you were looking at me. Maybe you were hoping I’d see you and come up here and talk to you.”

He didn’t say anything.

“You know, Mark, if you want to talk to me, you just have to ask me.”

Mark looked at me with the saddest pair of eyes. Mark was about six inches shorter than I, but from where he sat and where I stood our eyes were level. He was born with some problem with his knees, and a doctor had tried to fix it when he was still too young. As a result, Mark walked with a distinctive gait. His new doctor wanted to do surgery after his growth plates had stopped. I didn’t quite understand why they couldn’t just fix it.

Only one kid had ever made fun of him. It was a new kid, and I’m not sure what his agenda was, but I punched him on the jaw and broke one of my fingers. When the principal talked to me about what I did and my hand and whether it was worth it, I told him that I would break all my fingers if it meant defending my friend from subhuman slime like that new kid. I was suspended for a week. If I admit it to myself, I liked Mark even then.

His brown hair was always perfect, and he had the greenest eyes in the world. With the light from the window next to him, his eyes sparkled. He had a little cleft in his chin and the straightest teeth of any kid I knew, even the ones who wore braces.

I wanted to sit next to him and talk, but whenever I sat next to him, I popped a boner. I didn’t understand it when it first started to happen. No one else did that to me. Plus, he was my best friend’s brother. That always left me confused and ashamed.

Mark moved over a little on the box, a clear invitation to sit, but I stood my ground. Even so, I started to get hard.

“What is it, Mark? What’s bothering you?”

“You’re the problem. You used to come over and include me in the games you’d play and stuff like that. You don’t do that anymore. I feel like you’re avoiding me, Aaron.”

“I was only avoiding being alone with you. That wasn’t working for me. I want to talk to you and do things together. But you know, when you hide like this, if I hadn’t noticed you, I’d have gone home and missed talking to you, and I like talking to you.” He was making my heart beat faster. I wasn’t sure if I should say it, but I did. “I like you, Mark.”

The way he looked at me made me sure he understood what I meant. I wondered whether I should move closer to him, close enough to let him kiss me if he wanted. Oh, how I hoped that he wanted to.

He stood up; his eyes were locked with mine.

I moved my hand upon the handrail.

He moved his hand until his fingertips touched my hand.

“Mark!” his mother called him.

“Fuck,” said Mark under his breath.

“Answer her.” I stepped down a few steps.

“In the garage, Mom.”

Mark’s mother came around to the front of the garage. “Oh, Aaron, I didn’t realize you were here.”

“Yes, Mrs. Clemens.” I needed to think fast. “Uh. I had plans with Jeremiah, but he’s feeding cows, so I was talking with Mark. I was about to ask him if he wanted to see that new horror movie tomorrow night. Remy’s on a date, and I don’t want to go alone.”

“I think I’d like to see it,” said Mark. He took another step forward and stumbled a little. I’d learned over the years not to make any move to help him unless he asked. We came down the stairs. The railing ended before the stairs did. “Maybe a little help getting down these last two steps, OK, Aaron.”

I grabbed him under the arms. I wanted to pull him to me, to feel his body against mine. Instead, I lifted him and swung him around. “Shit, man, you weigh a whole lot more than the last time I did that.”

“I was five the last time you did that, and you were six, and you fell, dipshit.”

“Well, it was fun,” I laughed.

“Yeah,” agreed Mark sarcastically.

Mrs. Clemens rolled her eyes. “You boys will be the death of me. Are you staying for dinner, Aaron?” asked Mrs. Clemens.

“No, I’m going to work on some homework. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mark.”

-2- Mark

I watched Aaron as he rode away and headed back up the overpass. I wished he had driven his car and taken me for a ride. There was so much I wanted to tell him, and I had decided that I couldn’t wait any longer. I started to think back to the first time I didn’t think about him as a friend.

My mother interrupted my thoughts.

“Mark, I think it’s time we talk about things.”

“What things?” I looked up at her.

“Really, Mark? You’re looking at Aaron the way your father used to look at me when we were in high school.”

I felt my face get hot.

“I don’t want you to keep your feelings hidden from us. Your father and I love you. Talk to me.”

I started to cry. Through all my surgeries and braces and physical therapy and all that pain, I had never cried.

My mother wrapped her arms around me.

“I love Aaron, but the boys won’t understand. All they talk about is girls. They’ll hate me.”

“No. They won’t hate you. They’re probably wondering why you’re acting the way you are. Have you noticed that you don’t spend time with them the way you used to? I think you should tell them, but you don’t have to. I could tell them if you want me to, but I think it should come from you. When you’re ready.”

“OK. Since you know now, I guess I’ll tell them after dinner.”

“Come help me get the corn ready. I always need help opening the jars.”

I helped open the jars and then sat on a stool while my mom and sister got things ready. When my dad came in, my mom disappeared for a while. He usually took a shower, so it was normal for him to go to their room. When he came back, he came over to me and gave me a hug and a kiss on the head. My sister Ellen, Steven’s twin, looked at me. Her eyes were full of questions. Jeremy and Steven came in and showered before coming to the table.

Dinner was kind of quiet. For dessert, we had peach pie and ice cream. “Mark,” my mother said. “If you want to share your news, I think you should do it before we start on the ice cream.”

I stared at everyone.

“Quick,” said Jeremiah, “before it melts.”

I thought my heart would explode; it was beating so fast. I still hadn’t come up with the right words to say. I opened my mouth. “I’m gay, and I’m in love with Aaron, but he doesn’t know.” It was over within fewer than ten seconds.

Everyone was looking at me. “No shit, Sherlock,” said Steve. “What’s the news?”

“I guess we should have told you that you were gay when we realized it like three years ago,” said Jeremiah. “And don’t worry, I’m pretty sure that Aaron’s gay, too. He hasn’t told me, but I’m pretty sure he is.”

“Can we eat the ice cream, now?” asked Ellen. “I thought you were going to tell us you need another operation. You boys are so dull.”

“Wait till he comes home pregnant,” said Steven seriously.

Jeremiah laughed and poked me in the ribs. “I wonder what it would be like to have my best friend be my brother-in-law.”

“My rule of waiting until you’re out of school before getting married still goes for everybody,” announced my father.

While everyone laughed and had a good time, I realized that I still had the pressure of telling Aaron how I felt. I hoped Jeremiah was right and that Aaron was gay.

-3- Aaron

At school the next day, Jeremiah kept looking at me and laughing, smiling, or giggling. I asked him what was going on, but he would just shake his head. I figured that he and Steven were planning a big prank, and as much as I loved pranking people, I hated being on the receiving end. The lunch schedules for Mark and me overlapped by about ten minutes. I saw Jeremiah go up to him and Mark shake his head.

I walked up, and they both got quiet.

“Is five o’clock OK for me to pick you up?” I asked.

“Hey, I’ll bring him by,” said Jeremiah.

“I’m not sure I trust you and your non-stop laughing,” I replied.

“I’m just happy with life,” he said with a smile.

“Ignore him,” said Mark with a sigh.

“OK, see you at five.”

It was two minutes after five when Jeremiah brought Mark to my house with his date in the car. “Hey, Aaron, Beth and I are going to the movies, too. You want to ride with us.”

“You going to eat something first?” I asked.

“No. We’re going to grab a pizza after,” replied Beth.

“I haven’t eaten anything, and I wanted to get something before the movie, and then I thought we’d come back here and play video games. What do you think, Mark?” I looked at him.

Mark moved to get out of the car. “That sounds like a good plan. I’ll see you later.” Mark closed the car door and looked up at me as they drove away.

“How’s a ten-piece nugget at McDonald’s sound?” I asked.

“Sounds great.”

We got into my Dad’s old truck and headed off. I kept wondering whether he was feeling the same way I was and just too scared to say anything. What if he wasn’t? What if he just wanted me as his best friend? I kept looking over at him, but he was staring out the side window. Once we had the nuggets and the drinks, I pulled under a tree at the edge of the movie theater.

“Yesterday, Aaron, you told me that you liked me.”

“Yeah,” I replied, “because I do.”

“I was reading this article in one of my sister’s woman magazines the other day,” said Mark. “It was about how to know if your guy is really into you.”

“Was there any good advice?” I chuckled.

“I’m not sure, but one of the things said, ‘If your guy will share a piece of food with you, then he probably likes you more than you think.”

“Shares food, huh?”

“Yeah. It got me thinking,” said Mark, and he bit off half of a nugget and handed me the other half.

I looked up into his eyes. He gave me a half-smile; his cheeks turned red. I could feel my dick start to thicken. I tossed the nugget into my mouth and ate it.

Mark’s eyes filled with tears. As they spilled down his cheek, he said, “I’m gay, Aaron.”

I took a nugget from the box and ate part of it before handing it to Mark. He put it in his mouth.

“I’m gay, too.” I tried to smile.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought telling you would make me feel free and happy, but it scares me a little,” I told him.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“Oh, Mark, I’m not worried about that. I trust you. I suppose that admitting it out loud for the first time is such a big step, and it makes me wonder about the steps that come next.”

“The next step is going on our first date. It makes me feel normal,” smiled Mark.

“You are normal,” I told him.

“I do feel that way when you’re around.”

I reached over and clasped his hand. “Let me move the truck closer.”

“I can walk it.”

“I know you can. I just thought that the faster we get to the seats, the sooner I can hold your hand.”

“OK,” he smiled.

There was hardly anyone in the theater when we took our seats. Neither of us was a popcorn muncher, but I love Junior Mints, and once I shared one with Mark, I wish I’d bought two boxes. The lights dimmed, and the trailers started. I reached over and tickled his fingers. He held my hand.

I don’t know if everyone experiences the same thrill I did when he held my hand for the first time. It was as if I’d touched an electric fence except that the shock wasn’t unpleasant; it was wonderful. At that moment, life was at a pinnacle. I closed my eyes and thought about each place his skin touched mine.

The trailers ended, and the warnings about cell phones and disruptions began. I looked over at Mark, and his eyes were glued to the screen. I almost laughed. The movie started and began scaring the shit out of me within the first five minutes.

During one of the normal parts of the movie, I saw Mark look over at me, so I looked at him. I could see him smile in the light of the screen. He let go of my hand and placed his hand just above my knee. He gave me a little squeeze. I was in heaven. I wished I were in short pants so I could feel his fingers against my skin. I moved my hand to his knee. I worried about squeezing because I didn’t want to hurt him.

As the film got darker because the scene changed to night in the woods, I moved my hand up to his thigh and then to his crotch. I could feel his hard penis beneath his clothing. He was hard because of me. At that moment, I wanted to pull his dick out and hold it. My dick throbbed while I thought about it.

Mark turned his head toward me. “Too much,” he whispered, and he pushed my hand away. I put my hand on top of his, which was still on my knee, and I took a sip of my drink. I kept my hand on top of his during the rest of the movie. He rubbed my leg from time to time, and I rubbed his hand. At the end of the film, we stayed in our seats. I looked over at Mark, and he smiled at me. “I liked when you touched me before.”

“I liked it, too.” I smiled back at him.

The lights came on, and an usher started up one of the aisles. Mark pulled his hand back, and I sat up a little straighter. “Are you hungry?” I asked.

“A little, but I don’t want to get pizza,” he smirked a little.

“You sure? We can sit with your brother,” I laughed.

“So you can compare techniques with Beth?” I heard him giggle.

“That’s so middle school. And it’s not like I haven’t held a dick in my hands before.”

“Your own dick doesn’t count.”

“Why not,” I asked.

“That’s like saying you’ve had sex a thousand times because you’ve fucked your hand a thousand times.” He grimaced as he took a step.

“Are you in pain?”

“These steps are always hard to manage. I’m fine.”

“I’d carry you,” I said, “but you’re so muscley that I can barely lift you.”

“You think I’m muscley?” Mark asked.

“Not so loud. Wait until we’re home. So what do you want to eat?”

With some fish and shrimp from Long John Silver’s, we headed back to my house. I hadn’t told him that my parents were visiting my aunt and grandparents and were spending the night in another town. I munched on a piece of fish as I contemplated when to tell him.

“I love these shrimp,” said Mark. “We never get to go there because it’s too expensive for all of us.”

“Is it the shrimp or the crunch coating that you like better?” I asked.

“Not sure, but I could eat a hundred of them.”

“I’ll remember that.” I tossed the last bite into my mouth and pulled into the driveway.

We walked into the house; Mark was carrying the bag with the food. I closed and locked the door, and he asked, “Are we going into the basement?”

I pushed him against the wall and pressed my body against his. “I want to kiss you so bad,” I mumbled.

“What about your parents?”

“They aren’t here.” I moved my head down and touched my lips to his. I felt my eyes get misty. He kissed back and pushed his tongue so it was only slightly forward. I relaxed my lips and felt his tongue rub against them. I felt myself get hard as we kissed, and I moved my firmness against his hip. “Wow,” I said as I paused to take in some air.

“I’ve loved you for a long time, Aaron.”

I pushed our lips together and ran my tongue across his upper lip. “I’ve loved you, too. I don’t remember when it started; it’s as if I always have. Maybe I always have. Sometimes I think crazy things like you and me, we run away and become clowns in a circus, or we go to work on a fishing boat, they're all equally stupid. But the one thing that isn’t crazy is that we do it together.”

Mark pulled my leg forward and rubbed his hard manhood against me. “I always pretend that we’re both lawyers. I do defense, and you do wills and corporation stuff, and then we go home, and we do it before we eat dinner. Then we do it again after dinner.”

“What a horny rabbit!” I said.

“Can we go to your room? I don’t want to play video games.”

“Sure,” I replied, “and I led him upstairs.”

“I’ve never been in your room,” said Mark.

“What? In all the sleepovers we’ve had, you’ve never been in my room?”

“Nope, only the basement and the living room and dining room.”

“Then let’s celebrate.” I bent forward and kissed him again.

“Aaron, do you have hair on your chest? I’ve never noticed any.”

I kissed his ear. “None. Some in my armpits and above my dick, but not any on my chest.”

“I think hairless chests are sexy. Mine’s full of hair; it’s covered with blonde hair. I hate it.”

“I’ve seen it, and I think it’s fucking sexy.”

“You’re just saying that,” said Mark as he lifted my t-shirt and touched my bare skin.

“No, I think hairy chests are so manly and sexy; I don’t like my chest, but I’m glad you like it. And, I like hairy assholes, too.”

“When have you seen a hairy asshole?” demanded Mark.

“I’ve got the Internet, and I don’t have brothers, so I can look at whatever I want.”

“Fuck. You get to watch guy porn. All I get to see is girls being banged, and when you try to focus on the guy, it’s almost impossible because the videos are always showing the girl.”

“You won’t need any porn, Mark. Now you have me.” I pulled my t-shirt off and tossed it on a chair. He began to kiss my chest.

“I’ve dreamed about doing that.” He reached down to rub his dick. “Shit, you make me so hard.”

“Take your shirt off before I grab it and tear it open and you have to explain to your mommy what I did.”

Mark started to laugh.

“What?”

“I can hear your mom telling your mom to tell you to stop ripping my clothes off.”

I started laughing, too. “Yeah, I don’t think I want to hear that conversation. So, gently remove your shirt, Mr. Clemens.”

“Glad to oblige you, Mr. Naylor.”

“Oh, fuck. That’s such a great chest. Why aren’t all the guys at school wanting to date you?”

“Cuz they’re not homos like us. You know, now that I’m here with you and you know, I’m glad I’m a homo.”

“I’m glad you are, too.” I started to suck on one of his nipples.”

“Shit, Aaron, I think I just spurted in my shorts. You know, there’s no milk in there.”

“Shut the fuck up, and let me suck.” I pushed him backward onto my bed and undid his pants. We’d kicked off our shoes when we first came in, and I grabbed the cuff of his khakis and pulled them right off. His boner pushed out, still trapped in his underwear. “Those are coming off as well.”

“Not till yours comes off.” I removed my pants and underwear. My cock was sticking straight out. Precum dripped from the end. I got next to Mark and moved us up to the pillows before pulling the covers on us.

We began to kiss again, and with his clothes off, I was able to run my fingers through the hair on his chest. My hand naturally moved down to his dick, and for the first time, I felt another cock in my hand. It was about the same size as mine, but as I moved up and down the shaft with my hand, Mark’s moans thrilled me in a way that I hadn’t experienced before.

Without thinking, I adjusted my position and placed his dick in my mouth. I loved the taste of his precum. As my hand jerked him, my lips moved up and down. I felt his hand on my head. He didn’t push me, but he did grab my hair as his body tensed, and he sprayed his cum in my mouth. His was not as salty as mine and much thinner. I swallowed the liquid without hesitation. I pulled my head back up. Mark was breathing heavily; he looked at me and smiled. I brushed my head against his chest as I moved up to kiss him. He grabbed my hand in his and interlaced our fingers. Our legs wrapped together. I moved my erection against his hip. His tongue moved in and out of my mouth.

I pushed myself more firmly against him. I felt myself getting close. I pushed my tongue into Mark’s mouth. My fingers held his hand more tightly; my other hand wrapped around his head. I felt the soft brown hair of his head. I came with more force than I ever had. I felt fingers grasp and squeeze my ass cheeks. I put my head on his chest. I enjoyed being tangled together. “This feels so good,” I told him.

“I wish we could stay this way forever.”

I lifted my head. “There’s no reason we can’t.” I put my head back on his chest. Life was perfect.