By slavebladeboi

It was a long night for Nate once he returned home after supper with Mike. They had chatted into the small hours about their lives, their fantasies, and the down-to-earth facts that often get forgotten when you’re swept up in the heat of your desires. Nate’s brain was swirling with images of the recent past and expectations of an exciting future. He couldn’t wait to return the next morning and dive into whatever Mike had thought up for him. But he did, eventually, fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.

He was awakened, later than he intended, by a text message from Mike. “Sorry, Nate. The guy I’m working with on a new project has gone sick and I’ve got to cover for him. We’ll get back to where we left off when we can. Cheers. Mike.” Nate sat up. He felt like a concrete block had just been strapped to his back, and he bent over, simply staring at the screen. All the energy had been knocked out of him in the few seconds it took him to read that simple message. He got out of bed and looked across the street through the slats of the blinds. He wouldn’t be standing there wanking today, all his motivation and inclination had drained away.

The rest of the day followed the same lethargic pattern. He considered the list he had made of the jobs to do around the house, plus any assignments he had to finish before college started again.

He didn’t feel much like breakfast, so by lunchtime he was hungry, miserable, and irritable. Still, he hoped by the next day, Friday, Mike would be around and they would once again be active in the playroom. He realised his housemates would be returning during the following week, and he hated the thought of his time with Mike being curtailed by their questions about his friendship.

That evening he played a couple of video games and got a pizza delivered. He went to bed full of hope for Friday.

The horizontal slats of the blinds slashed the sunlight across Nate’s bed, and he awoke refreshed and hopeful. Kicking off the bed covers he once again stood at the window. But, once again, Mike’s house looked deserted, all the windows closed, no signs of life. ‘He can’t be away at the weekend,’ thought Nate, ‘so this must be the last day he’s got to work.’ That, at least, gave him some hope. He got through the day with more spirit than the previous one and put his mind to completing the essay assignment he should have finished at the beginning of his vacation. Evening came, but no sign of Mike. Rather despondently, Nate flicked through some movie channels until he finally went to bed.

His phone alarm woke him. Reaching to turn it off he noticed he’d missed an earlier message from Mike. His fingers dived at the screen. “Sorry, Nate, I got back late last night and your lights were off so I didn’t disturb you. Just to let you know I’m back home. I’ll expect you at 9 30. More instructions on kitchen table. Mike. PS. Shorts, T and trainers only.” Nate suddenly became a different person, eager, excited, and so horny he had trouble pulling his gym shorts over his fast-erecting cock. ‘Yes’ to breakfast, he thought. I need stamina and energy this morning. He went for a bowl of oatmeal and a banana, two of his favourites. It was only eight forty when he finished and the next fifty minutes seemed worse torture than the hogtie.

As per normal, Nate fairly flew across the street at 9:27, checked his pace and opened Mike’s back door at 9 30 exactly. The note was quite evident, the only thing on the table. Nate snatched it up and read –

The room upstairs is unlocked. Strip and leave all items of clothing and shoes outside. Enter, go to the St. Andrews Cross. You will find a hood. Stand with your back to the cross. Put the hood on. Put your arms and legs against the arms of the cross and wait.

Nate was physically shaking with nervous anticipation as he backed himself up against the cool wooden cross. He reached down and grabbed the black canvas bag hood he’d enjoyed one time before, pulling the cord semi tight round his neck and now enjoying, rather than fighting, the control it had over his breathing. And he waited. He remembered the cameras would be watching him so gave short shrift to thoughts of cheating and of lifting the corner of the hood to see what was happening. But still nothing happened.

The sudden feeling of a hand on his chest made him jump but an even stronger hand pushed him back into position. Nate then felt his wrist being pulled higher on the arm of the cross and tightened into the restraints that were locked to them, the strong hands now traced paths along the underside of his arm, around his shoulders and up his other arm where it was similarly secured. The same hands now slowly and carefully drew their fingers over his shoulders and down each side of his body, circling his nipples and continuing down to his navel where they avoided his raging hard on, to end up, first at one ankle and then the other, securing each as they went. He was then left alone. It occurred to Nate that the hood cut off a lot of sound as well as all his vision. He strained to hear any sign of Mike moving, but there was nothing. The fleeting thought that it was someone other than Mike quickly disappeared. There was no chance, was there? But he could neither see nor hear anything.

“MMMMMMPH,” he gasped as he felt a warm mouth around his cock. A hand reached up and pressed down on Nate’s mouth. “Mmmmmmsssphhhh,” escaped the hood. Nate had never felt anything so erotic, so sensual, before. His mind was swirling as he tried to process what was happening. His throbbing cock strained as a tongue continued to slowly run up and down the length of that solid meat, taking the whole length in and sucking ferociously before letting go. Nate was hanging by his wrists, slumped as far as possible in his restraints, which wasn’t far at all, and letting the sensations wash over and through him, giving no resistance. At last, a voice spoke.  Mike’s, and a sort of unconscious relief came over him.

“Today, boy, it will be pleasure and pain, one will enhance the other. It’s neither punishment nor endurance, simply pleasure and pain. Enjoy the ride.” A hand clamped over Nate’s mouth to cancel any statements or questions.

Nate couldn’t hear the noise the leather flogger made in the air as Mike spun the tails, faster and faster, nearer and nearer to Nate’s chest. He first felt the draft, then the slight stroking of the leather tails as they merely glanced over his skin. Mike kept the flogger swirling and moving it constantly, down to Nate’s thighs, gradually working it up one side of his body, pausing then repeating down the other. He could see Nate’s skin where the pressure had been greater in any one place, a pink colour radiating out and fading. He maintained the steady pace until now, every few seconds, the tails would hit hard enough to sting, then skim, then gently caress, then thud. Mike saw the front of the hood being sucked in as Nate caught his breath at the sudden change of force, enjoying the fact that Nate was still not yet crying out. Time, he thought, to put the pressure on.

Mike was expertly aiming the leather tails so they fell exactly where he wanted them, never too close to Nate’s face and missing his cock and balls by fractions of an inch, moving all the time so Nate had no idea where the next sting or thud would hit. He gasped as he felt the flogger impact his abs, harder now, leaving a burning sensation, immediately feeling the same over his pecs. Gradually the stinging turned to burning across his chest and he was starting to cry out as the pressure grew. Heavier and heavier the tails struck him, thighs, chest, abs, arms, nowhere was safe. Then, just as he felt he was at the edge of yelling for mercy, they softened to another round of almost featherlike touches. Nate caught his breath and relaxed. Mike noticed this and brought the flogger down with a mighty thud right across Nate’s body. He yelled and choked at the same time, fingers pointing to the sky as the shock passed through him. Mike saw the hood being sucked into Nate’s mouth, where he was gasping for breath then heard Nate coughing and pleading. “Please, Sir,” followed by a long sort of groan from deep in his throat. Mike looked at the amount of precum that was dribbling from Nate’s cock and thought ‘not yet, Nate’! He swirled the flogger so the tails hit Nate hard from just under his chin to below his navel. All he could see was the hood being sucked in and blown out, fast, in time with the speed of the flogging. Nate’s skin was a bright crimson. Then Mike stopped.

Putting the flogger down, Mike stripped off his shorts, the only clothes he was wearing, and stood up close to Nate. Their cocks rubbed against each other. Nate seemed to be whispering to himself, “Yes, yes, please, yes,” as Mike then touched both the boy’s nipples and rubbed them gently. They both looked sore from where the leather tails had caught them. Nate sighed. “Pleasure and pain,” Mike reminded him, leaning in to his left ear, “pleasure and pain.”

Mike reached up and felt Nate’s fingers. They seemed to be a bit cold, so he began to loosen the restraints and let Nate’s arms down gently, one at a time. After giving them a quick massage he unbuckled Nate’s ankles. Nate brought his feet together and stood gently breathing with his head slightly bowed. Mike was about to ask him if he was ok but then thought better of it. Nate was young, strong and could easily stand what he was getting, it would be worse before it ended. He got hold of Nate’s shoulders and turned him round, refixing his ankles and wrists as before. Wondering about the response he’d get, he leaned into Nate, his hard-on nestling under Nate’s ass crack. A small high pitched ‘hmmmmmm’ came from Nate’s throat but nothing more. Mike stepped back. He wasn’t going any further but was again interested to hear Nate’s reaction .

Walking back to his store cupboard he returned with a light, short, single tailed whip. “Worth a try,” he thought. Mike knew what he was doing. This was going to hurt Nate but not do any harm. Mike realised it was turning him on just as much as his ‘victim’ and reached down with his left hand to gently stroke his erection. He stood squarely behind and to one side of Nate. Taking aim and holding the tip of the whip in his left hand, he swung it with his right ensuring that only the very tip of it clipped Nate’s shoulder. But Nate jumped. This was a totally different pain. In fact, this was very real pain. Mike took his time and repeated the action on Nate’s other shoulder, slightly harder. The whip left a small red trail. Nate oooof’d into the bag then brought his shoulders up as if steadying himself for a fight. Mike alternated his whipping, sometimes a mere lick, then a harder swat followed by a stroke, but never letting more than a fraction of the power of the whip come into contact with Nate’s back. He looked at Nate’s ass and saw some marks of the crop still evident. “Best not,” he thought.

“Right,” he said loudly, making sure Nate caught on. “Ten. They’ll hurt. Yell if you want to.” He stepped back into position. Two on each shoulder had Nate gasping. Two more lower down, and Mike could sense the sound was coming through clenched teeth. One below the arm pits each side, and Nate yelled. One more, harder, on each shoulder. The yelling was accompanied by a desperate shaking of the head.

Mike breathed. He realised he’d been holding his breath as much as he imagined Nate to have been doing. He placed his hands firmly on Nate’s shoulders and massaged them, gradually bringing his hands down and round to Nate’s groin. His fingers went into the crevices next to Nate’s balls, and he lightly fingered the base of Nate’s cock. Once again Nate’s response was to groan heavily into the bag hood. Mike drew his hand slowly up the side of Nate’s cock using the precum as lube and edging him until he felt Nate stiffen even more. He let go. Another deep groan followed. “Please, Sir.” These words seemed to be Nate’s only vocabulary today. “No,” thought Mike, “there’s plenty of time before that happens.”

Nate felt the restraints being unbuckled again. “What now?” was all he could think of, but all Mike did was let Nate lean back into him. Nate quickly managed to support himself and stood still, waiting for something he couldn’t see to happen. With one arm round Nate’s waist and another guiding him he walked Nate over to the bondage chair, now placed centrally in the room. He turned Nate and told him to sit, carefully making sure his thighs were firmly on the V shaped seat. Mike left the hood in place; Nate had given no sign of wanting it removed. He then picked up the ends of the chair’s belts, one at a time, and strapped Nate tightly, wrists, forearms, biceps and chest. Nate’s skin was shining with a slight covering of sweat which helped Mike tighten the supple leather bands one extra hole. He worked down Nate’s body, another strap across his abs, one each on his thighs and another over his ankles. Nate was now totally secured and unable to move anything but his head. Walking behind the chair, Mike reached round and pulled off the bag-hood. Nate blinked and shook his head slightly. “You did well, boy,” Mike said, coming round to face him. “Some nice souvenirs on your body to remind you of this morning.” Nate looked down at his legs and agreed. “Thank you, Sir,” he answered.

“But now for something different, I think,” Mike said. “Before we get to that,” he went to pick up a bottle, “drink this, you need something after all this time.” He gave him some of his homemade power drink, which always seemed to give Nate a throbbing erection, something he never complained about.

After Nate had finished quenching his thirst Mike went behind the chair again and brought a leather penis gag round to Nate’s mouth. “Open,” he commanded. Nate instantly opened his mouth as wide as he could and Mike jammed the gag in securely. The gag was on a long leather strap which Mike could buckle through holes in the back of the chair, keeping Nate’s head in one place as well as thoroughly gagging him. Then came the leather blindfold. Nate was once again plunged into darkness.

Mike got to work. Wires and tubes crossed the floor, more thinner straps, and lastly a box. He grinned to himself, wondering what Nate was thinking, hearing his preparations. He connected electro pads to the inside of the boy’s thighs, then some bipolar nipple clamps went on to a ‘hmmmph’ and a throaty groan somewhere behind the gag. Lastly, Mike opened the box he had brought out of his cupboard and lubed up the milking machine it held. Nate was as hard as ever, his cock pointing to the sky, so Mike had no trouble easing the shaft of the milker down the throbbing meat, accompanied by more guttural cries from the gag. Nate was panting. “Yeah,” thought Mike, “You’ll be doing more than panting soon, Nate,” as he strapped the milker to Nate’s waist belt.

He stepped back and took several photos. He admired the boy’s physique. Nate was fit, not overly muscular, but he had that healthy masculine look which would attract many other men. Reaching down to the electro control box, he switched on the power. There was no reaction, it was set at zero. He gradually turned up the power until Nate gave a small vocal reaction. The milker eased into movement, Nate’s air intake suddenly increased round the gag. Mike stepped back again and watched as Nate twitched his fingers and toes, about all he was able to move, and listened to his victim’s heavy breathing. Another few notches on the electro but turning the milker to the lowest setting seemed to get no greater reaction and Mike thought it was time for him to give himself a break. He went down to the kitchen. He watched Nate “enjoy” the experience so far on the cctv as he made himself a coffee. Nate was not near the point of no return and so Mike felt safe sitting back to enjoy the scene.

When Mike returned some fifteen minutes later Nate appeared to be wallowing in a sort of erotic dreamlike state, relaxed and apparently comfortable. The power went up suddenly to a howl from the chair as the pulses attacked both nipples and thighs. Mike saw Nate’s muscles twitching in time with the impulses. He sped up the milker which turned howls into soft moans of pleasure. He watched carefully. Nate was not going to be allowed to cum, maybe not today at all. Thinking it was about time to try, Mike brought a butt plug from the shelf and lubed it up. It wasn’t the smallest one he had, but neither was it very large. Enough to make itself felt on a newbie to ass play, Mike thought to himself. He sat on the floor behind the chair and fingered Nate’s hole. The explosion of breath was sudden, as were the new noises Nate made. Mike continued, playing with Nate’s presumably virgin hole; Mike hadn’t asked about that in their conversations, something he now regretted. Two fingers eventually opened up the boy ready to take the plug. Mike had chosen a stiff rubber one thinking it would be easier to insert from his position. He introduced it to Nate’s ass, slowly increasing the pressure and working the lubed surface around his entrance. Then he pushed harder. Nate squirmed, somehow even the tight leather allowed that much movement when pressured, and howled as the plug made its way into him, settling with a soft plop as Nate’s sphincter closed over the neck. Mike quickly increased the milker’s speed. Nate’s finger and toes were clenching in time to the rhythm, he was now clearly enjoying the ride whatever prior discomfort he’d experienced.

For the next fifty minutes Mike played Nate like a musical instrument. Nate sweated through a regime of slow milking, intense nipple torture and muscle spasms, all of which were relieved every few minutes by a change of degree or speed. He moaned, squealed and roared with anticipation and dismay as much as the gag would let any noise through its padded leather. After an hour the visible part of his face was red and running with perspiration.

Mike flicked the switch and the power cut off. Nate’s breathing slowed, it was obvious he was waiting for something, anything. Mike then started the milker again, very slowly it sucked and squeezed Nate’s cock, Nate’s groaning resumed. He was obviously desperate. All the wanking behind his window blinds had not prepared him for this, not being able to get over that precipice he was so frantic to hurl himself off, to end the ecstatic misery he was subject to. After a couple of minutes Mike felt generous and increased the speed. Nate exhaled in time with its motion, willing himself to spurt the gallons of cum he knew he would shoot. “Please god, PLEASE!” he yelled incoherently into the leather stuffing his mouth. Mike grinned as he reduced the machine’s speed. Nate was on the edge of crying in torment. “MMMMMMMMPPPHHH” noises were all he could manage, and he wasn’t to be defeated. But, of course, defeated he was. He had no control whatsoever on how or when he would be allowed to open the flood gates of his balls and pump his juice over the walls of the room, which he now thought was possible.

Mike turned up the milker and waited. Nate tensed every muscle. His fingers alternating between stretching out, then fisting. Suddenly it happened. A high-pitched wail from behind the gag accompanied a jerking frensy as the milker was shaken in every direction it was free to do. Nate thrust his abdomen against the leather holding him back, the tube from the milker filled with jizz and sounded like a bath tub emptying. Nate shuddered in his bonds. Gradually the jerking and groaning subsided. He almost shrank back into the chair as his breathing slowed and his body relaxed. Mike waited then turned the milker off, watching the reaction, before going downstairs to give more time to recover. Nate sunk into a warm relaxing state not thinking about anything at all.

***

Later, after the restraints had been removed, muscles massaged, plugs pulled carefully out of holes and electro pads unstuck, they both sat in the kitchen. “Fuck Mike, that was wild.” Nate was looking straight at Mike when he spoke.

“Yes, it was,” answered Mike, “and you enjoyed it by the looks of you,” he added.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that before,” Nate went on. “That thing you had on my cock blew me away.” Mike smiled and handed him some more tacos.

“I tried to make it count,” he said, “you did say you wanted an ‘experience’ after all.”

“I really want to thank you Mike,” Nate began looking at the floor again as he spoke.

“I’m up here, Nate,” answered Mike, “No need to be embarrassed now after all we’ve done. Just because you had a blindfold on I didn’t.” He laughed. Nate grinned.

“Sorry,” he said feeling even more foolish. “I know. It’s just…”

“Just what?” Mike said. “Just so new? Of course it is, but we both enjoyed it, enjoyed one another, so stop worrying, Nate. It’s fine. Eat up, there’s dessert.”

The two of them spent the evening going over the day, what worked best, what could have been added, what Nate might like more or less of. He didn’t give an opinion about the butt plug, other than it was a sensation he’d never experienced before. Finally, Mike suggested they meet up again the following morning, perhaps a drive, maybe breakfast. Alex and Greg would be returning sometime soon, and this would be a good time to relax in each other’s company, just as friends.

***

Nate slept deeply that night. The morning came, and sun streamed in through Nate’s open window blinds, waking him. After checking the time he showered, dressed casually and sauntered over to Mike, where he found him already in the garage fussing around the car with some polish.

“Won’t be a minute Nate,” he said, “you can get in if you like while I put these things away.”

Once out of town Mike left the main road and took the twisty uphill route that led them to where they went on their first trip out. He had planned to take Nate to breakfast again, hopefully without the angst and emotional turmoil that Nate had released on that first occasion. It was a similar day, warm with a breeze that cut the sun’s power enough to be comfortable. Nate was taking note of the route, watching the gauges on the dash and seemingly at ease with himself.

Once they got to the halfway spot where they could take in the whole of the valley Mike pulled over and they both got out to appreciate the scene again. Neither of them spoke for several minutes and it was Nate who broke the silence. “Mike?” Mike half turned towards him. He looked receptively but didn’t speak.

“Mike,” continued Nate still looking straight in front of him, “what would you say if I told you I was thinking of not going back to university?”

After reassuring himself he had heard correctly, Mike just said, “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” Nate quickly went on. “I could get a job around here and…” he broke off. Mike saw he was staring down at the wooden bar they were leaning on and biting his lower lip.

“And what, Nate?” Mike asked, suddenly becoming fearfully aware of where this was going.

“And… well… and I thought that way we could see more of each other.” The last words tumbled out of Nate’s mouth. He finally turned and looked at Mike, who stood gazing back in a combination of concern and sympathy.

“Oh, Nate,” Mike went to hold him but stopped himself, “You can’t, you mustn’t think like that. We’ve got this great friendship, but…”

“But what?” Nate had raised his voice slightly and turned to face Mike, “but that’s all, you mean?” He paused waiting for Mike to speak. “I’m just a day or two’s entertainment, then it’s goodbye Nate?”

“Hold on here,” said Mike quite forcefully, “no one said goodbye Nate. Where are you going with all this? We’ve known each other for less than two weeks, at least properly known, and now you think, or you seem to think you think…”

“I thought we were more than that,” Nate burst into Mike’s speech, “More than just good friends. You gave me that impression at least.” Nate was now somewhere between angry and upset.

“If I gave you that impression, then I’m truly sorry,” Mike said as he put his hand on Nate’s arm, but Nate roughly pulled it away. “Hey, Nate, calm down. Good friends don’t do this.” Mike was surprised at Nate’s action. “And you are a good friend, a very good friend, but that’s it. Friends, not boyfriends or anything permanent. You’ve got your whole life in front of you, you can’t just give up your education just like that.”

“So, you mean,” said Nate, his throat half choked with emotion “you mean that was fun but it’s all over!”

“No! I don’t mean that, Nate. Don’t put words into my mouth. Listen. You are an attractive, no, very attractive gay young man who has a very bright future in front of him. You don’t throw all that promise away on one experience, with me. I’m years older than you, you’ve got to see that in our circumstances it wouldn’t work, whatever it was you thought could happen. Among other things, what about your friends, parents even?”

“What about them?” retorted Nate, “you’re the one who told me to come out to them.”

“Of course you should, Nate, but only when you feel ready. As for what they would think if you suddenly spent all your time with me, well…”

Nate turned away from Mike and stayed silent. Mike looked at Nate’s back and felt really sorry for him. “Do any of your college friends know you’re gay?” he asked.

“Don’t know,” replied Nate, not turning.

“Do you know if any of your college friends are then?” continued Mike.

“I suppose a few,” came the sulky reply.

“Nate! Look at me!” This time Mike took hold of Nate’s shoulder and twisted him round, face to face. “You want to be treated like an adult, now act like one. Think! What you are planning just wouldn’t work.” Nate opened his mouth to speak but Mike put a finger over his lips to stop him. “No! Just listen to me for a minute. Firstly, I’m not planning on moving away. It might happen in the future, but for now I’m staying your neighbour. Secondly, there’s no reason we can’t be friends and see each other, use the gym and the playroom as well if you’re still interested, when you’re not studying.”

Mike softened his voice and held both Nate’s shoulders. He looked straight into his eyes. “But college is important. Your future depends on it, and just as important, it’s probably where you’ll meet someone you want to spend time with, maybe years, maybe only months. What we were doing in the past few days was great fun. I enjoyed you as much as I had hoped and I now know, and you enjoyed me, I think. We will continue to have the same relationship as we have now whenever you’re around, that’s not going anywhere. But you’ve grown as an individual. You’re almost a different person from the one I spoke to walking the dog. You’re becoming your true self, Nate.”

Nate was welling up, and Mike knew he wasn’t far off either. He pulled Nate into him. “C’mon, Nate. Let’s eat, make you feel better.”

Nate pulled away after a few seconds. He fought back tears, determined not to make a bigger fool of himself than he thought he already had. “No, Mike, just take me home please. I’ve been stupid, or naïve or both. I just want to be alone for a while.” Mike remained silent. He turned towards the car and then back to Nate. Nate stared into the distance saying nothing more. Mike then opened the driver’s door and got into the car, Nate got into the passenger seat and buckled up. After a sideways look at Nate, Mike started the engine and turned the car round to face the way they had come. He sighed, not thinking that talking would help, and drove at a steady pace back down the twisty, narrow road that led to the town. Neither of them spoke during the journey, an uncomfortable silence pervaded the car. Turning into his driveway, Mike found he needed to say something to try and relieve the situation. “Look, Nate…” he started.

“No, Mike, I’m fine. Thanks. I need to be alone and think.” Nate didn’t turn round to face Mike but simply and quietly got out of the car and walked back across the street to his front door.  It was then that Mike remembered the same scene just a few days earlier when Nate, with Mungo, had walked back to that same door, across the same street, but with a bounce in his step. He began to regret what he’d started.

Nate went straight up to his room and sat on the edge of the bed. He had tears, he felt them welling up inside, but he managed to keep them down. His head was both full and empty. He had so many conflicting thoughts and emotions and he couldn’t process any of them and just sat staring at the floor.

Eventually he leaned back onto the bed and closed his eyes. Something deep down inside him was trying to attract his attention. A small voice, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear, tugged at the outer limits of his brain. What Mike had said was true, he was right in so many ways and yet Nate had refused to accept it and maybe ended their friendship for good. He knew it, and as soon as he accepted it, let it into his consciousness, could no longer fight all those feelings of self-pity, embarrassment, being wrong, oh so wrong, blind to the situation, the tears flowed. He let them come, almost as if they were washing all the negative thoughts away with them. He curled up on the bed.

It was mid-afternoon before he got up. What was that Mike had said? ‘You’re an adult, act like one. You’re becoming your true self?’ Maybe it was well timed. Unconsciously, perhaps, not over thinking his actions, he took a deep breath and went down and let himself out of the front door. He walked back across the street and knocked on Mike’s door. Mike wasn’t surprised when he found Nate standing there, but he was relieved. “Come in, Nate.” He stood aside, not sure what to expect.

“I wanted to apologise, Mike,” started Nate, “I’ve been an idio…”

“Stop right there,” interjected Mike. “First of all, you’ve got nothing to apologise for. It’s me who should be doing that.” Nate opened his mouth to speak, but Mike simply carried on. “I should have been far more perceptive and taken things much slower. So, I apologise, Nate, for putting you in the position where you felt all the things you did. I really should have thought more.”

“But you were right, all those things you said up there in the hills, you were right.” Nate said. He was calm and controlled as he spoke. “I’ve got a lot to learn, and I’m grateful to you for everything you’ve taught me so far, Mike. And I really am truly sorry for this morning.” Mike held him by the shoulders and smiled at him. Then it became a full-on hug.

“We seem to be doing this a lot lately, the hugging I mean,” Mike said. “But remember what I said earlier, nothing is going to spoil our relationship, it’s just you’ll make new ones and better ones, oh yes,” he said quickly as Nate once again tried to interrupt, “better ones. Ours will still be there, you’ll simply spread your wings a bit. And not a minute too soon,” he added, grinning.

“Now I want to be serious,” Mike said and stopped grinning and held Nate at arms length. “I’m seriously hungry. Care to join me downtown? Your choice of venue.”

Nate grinned. His face gave the only answer Mike needed as he reached for the car keys.

The End

Metal would like to thank slavebladeboi for this story, and thanks also to POW for his guidance and encouragement.