Max and Josh - 5. Josh's confession

Disclaimer: This story includes sexual and romantic situations between consenting individuals. Any allusion to illicit or illegal activity, sexual or otherwise, is used only for enhancement of the story line and not promotion thereof. Remember AIDS, HIV and other STDs are a very real threat, please always practice safe sex.

I can prove copyright on this story so please don't copy or remove this story for personal use without my permission.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Max and Josh 05: Josh's confession

"So, the rumors are true?" Frank asked sounding slightly angry.

"Yea, they're true." Max said not looking up from the floor.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Frank asked still sounding angry.

"I was afraid to." Max replied looking up at the two of them, his face a mask of sadness.

Josh, who seemed to have lost his voice for a second, finally spoke up.

"Afraid of what?" Josh asked quietly.

"Of what would happen if I told you. Bad things tend to happen when I tell people I'm close to." Max said looking once more at the floor

"Like what?" Frank pressed on.

"Well, I told my dad and brother at fourteen, hardly heard from them since, my aunt and uncle found out at when I came out a Christmas the same year, since then I haven't been able to see my cousin Mark and he was like my little brother, and well, being gay is what got me the scar across my shoulders in Chicago." Max finished as he looked up at them.

They were both surprised to see tears in his eyes.

They were all quiet for a moment till Max, after wiping tears out of his eyes decided to break the silence.

"Well?” Max asked, trying not to sound anxious.

"Well, what?" Frank asked sounding confused.

"Well, you've heard how others have reacted to me; the question is how are you guys going to?" Max asked his face no longer looking sad but hard and determined.

"I don't know about Frank but I don't care, gay or straight you’re still my friend, and if anyone wants to fuck with you they have to go through me." Josh said as he walked over to Max and pulled him off the couch and into a hug.

"Well it’s gonna take me awhile to get used to it but like Josh said, I'm here for ya." Frank said laying his hand on Max's shoulder, but Josh decided it wasn't enough and wrapped an arm around Frank's waist and pulled him into the hug. After struggling for a second Frank conceded and wrapped his arms around their shoulders.

"Umm ..... Guys, can you let go now? It’s getting kind of hard to breath." Max said in a strained voice.

"Sorry man didn't realize we were squeezing so hard." Josh said looking really happy.

"You really weren't but you two were being all touchy feely and I was starting to get turned on." Max said laughing but quickly realizing that he was the only one.

"It was a joke, relax." Max said when he saw the anxious looks on there faces.

"Damnit man, don't do that. I'm still trying to get used to the reality of you being gay" Frank said hitting Max hard in the arm.

"OK, OK, no jokes for a little while, just no abuse, I'm sore as hell from what the coach did to me yesterday." Max said rubbing the spot where Frank hit him.

"So he did put you through the ringer yesterday then?" Josh asked looking worried.

"Yea, he tried to kill me but it was worth it to see the look of pure poison on his face when he had to let me back on the team." Max said with a satisfied smile before going on to tell them about the routine he had been through.

"He put you through all that shit just because you wouldn't join the football team?" Frank asked in disbelief.

"I don't know. I'm sure that had something to do with it, but me being gay probably added to it, everyone knows the coach is an extreme homophobe." Max said with a shrug.

"How did he find out?" Josh asked sounding just as curious as Frank.

"Well, I'm sure Moure told him but he probably already knew. I mean after it being announced on Monday it was only a matter of time till everyone found out." Max said sounding extremely pissed off.

"Whoa, what do you mean announced?" Frank asked his curiosity at its peak.

"You mean you guys don't know how all the rumors started?" Max asked sounding confused.

"No." They said together.

Max then spent the next hour going over the incident in History class, how Fay had attempted to come to his aid when Fleet started in on his necklace, and how instead of shrugging off Fleets questions, he rose to the old man's bait and got outed.

While he was explaining all that he had let it slip that Fay knew he was gay too, so after their questioning he was forced to explain how she had found out, including how they first met in a chat room while he lived in Chicago. The only part he left out was Fay's secret.

"Damn, that's harsh stuff. It's actually in your record that you’re gay?" Frank asked in disbelief.

"Yea, I guess so. I didn't even know or I would have put in a request that they remove it. I guess it really doesn’t matter now, but I still would have liked to know." Max asked getting up and going to the kitchen to start dinner.

"Where are you going Max?" Josh asked turning to watch Max walk to the kitchen sink and squat down in front to look under the cabinet. He watched as the loose jeans he wore slid down a little to expose the waistband of his boxer briefs. Josh's imagination went into over-drive at the slight stimulus, imagining the firm, muscular mounds of flesh hidden under the layers of fabric.

He turned away from the sight and tried to push the image out of his mind as he felt his cock start to stir in his jeans. He quickly adjusted his position on the couch to keep Frank from noticing the slight bulge that had formed in front of him.

"It's almost dinner time and if you want to eat I need to start cooking." Max said, laughing at the confused look on Josh's face.

"Yea jackass, it’s like five-thirty, didn't you notice?" Frank said giving Josh a slight smack on the back of the head.

Josh actually hadn't noticed, he had been too caught up in Max's story to notice the time.

"No I hadn't to be honest,” he said with a shrug. “So anyway, what are you going to do about Fleet? I mean what he did has to fall under some school rules or something." Josh asked trying to find a subject that could help purge the image of Max's ass from his mind.

"I'm not sure. I'm going to talk to mom tonight when she comes home and then I don't know what we're going to do. She'll probably want to go to the school board with it." Max said as he started cutting up lettuce and tomatoes.

"Need a hand?" Josh asked deciding that helping Max would be a better distraction.

"Yea sure, grab the chops out of the fridge and toss some spices on then." Max said smiling at him. He loved it when Josh helped him cook. For some reason it just felt right.

"OK what do you want on them." Josh asked as he pulled them out.

"I'm in the mood for spicy tonight, how about you guys?" Max asked.

"Sure." Josh said.

"Yea, that’s cool." Frank replied.

After everything for dinner had been started Max and Josh went back to the living room to join Frank and for the next hour they sat around talking about, well, pretty much everything.

Max was amazed about how all of it had turned out, he had told his best friends he was gay and it didn't even seem to matter. The only thing that could have made tonight better was if him and Josh had been a couple.

Max was on his way to the kitchen to check on the chops when someone started knocking at the door.

"Hey, can one of you guys get that." Max asked as he opened the oven door.

"Yea, I'll get it", Frank said, going over to the door and opening it to see Fay standing there in tears, "Max, Man you better get in here." Frank yelled as he helped Fay over to the couch.

"Fay baby, what’s wrong?" Max asked coming over to sit next to her.

"Oh Max, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come over, the guys are here; I'll go." She said getting up.

"No way, I know how you are. The only time you cry is when there is something really wrong, now spill." Max said pulling her back to sit down.

"But...but...the...guys." she said looking at the others.

"If you don't want to talk about it with us here we can go to another room." Josh said nervously.

"And if it’s about Max being gay, we know, he told us." Frank told her as if that would solve it.

"No, no, it’s not that but, if Max can trust you so can I." Fay said wiping her eyes.

"Fay, think about this, are you sure you want to tell them?" Max asked turning her face to make her look at him.

Josh and Frank stood next to the couch watching the cryptic exchange between Max and Fay.

"I'll tell them if they can keep a secret." Fay said calming down.

Max looked up at the two of them, he could tell they were confused but they also nodded their agreement.

"We promise." Josh said and Frank nodded again.

"Well, Max isn't the only gay person in this room, so am I, and that’s what’s wrong,” she said turning to Max. “Marci and I broke-up she wants to tell everyone and I'm not ready for that, if she had just given me a month till I told my parents but she said she couldn't so we split." Fay told them, she had stopped crying but looked as if she could start again at any second.

Josh and Frank stood there in shock leaving Max to take the lead.

"Well, if she can't wait then to hell with her, it’s her loss." Max said trying to comfort her.

"Yea, she'll be hard pressed to find a girl as good as you." Frank said finally finding his voice.

"You really think so?" Fay asked smiling.

"Of course we do." Josh said finally chiming in.

"Oh you guys,” Fay said standing up and pulling the three of them into a hug. “Thanks, I needed that." she said letting them go.

"You're welcome." Josh said, still looking slightly bewildered.

"Would like to stay for dinner Fay? We made plenty." Max said brushing stray strands of hair out of her beautiful eyes.

"No, no, I need to go. I have a few things of Marcie’s I need to find and pack up. I don't want any ties to her." Fay said in a confident voice.

"Good for you." Josh said trying to sound encouraging.

"Thanks again you guys." she said standing on her tip-toes to kiss Josh and Max on the cheek then leaning over slightly to kiss Frank.

"You're welcome babe and see you Monday." Max said walking her to the door.

"You have fun tonight." She whispered to him as she left.

Max was slightly puzzled by her remark but was in too good a mood to give it much thought.

"Well, this has been an interesting night." Josh said sitting down on the couch.

"What do you mean?" Frank asked sounding slightly dumbstruck.

"I mean both Fay and Max coming out of the closet tonight." Josh said smacking Frank in the head.

"Oh yea.... I guess it has been a busy night." Frank said rubbing the back of his head.

"Wait a sec, you knew didn't you Max?" Josh said turning to see Max pull the chops out of the oven.

"Yea, I knew from the first day I met Fay, just like she knew from the first day she met me." Max said pulling salad and stuff out of the fridge.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Frank asked turning to look at Max.

"Yea, especially after I asked you about asking her out at lunch on Monday." Josh asked slightly indignant.

"I made a promise to keep her secret as long as she kept mine." Max said, laughing slightly.

"You were going to ask Fay out, why didn't you?" Frank asked curiously.

"I forgot, plus Max warned me not to." Josh lied quickly. The truth was that he put off asking Fay once he heard the rumors about Max.

"I did not. I just told you she had high standards, and being a girl is one of them." Max said now getting plates out of the cabinets.

"Yea, well, are there anymore secrets we need to share." Frank asked laughing.

Max and Josh both forced laughs at this, both for the same reasons but too afraid to tell the other.

"Come on you two, dinner is done." Max said hoping to change the subject.

"Alright, bout time." Frank said coming into the kitchen.

"It looks great Max." Josh said grabbing a plate from the counter and loading it up.

"Yea, great man." Frank said through a mouth full of pork chop.

"Thanks you guys." Max said going to the fridge to get some milk. He turned when he heard a gasping from behind him.

"Frank man, what’s wrong." He said looking concerned.

"Water.....water", Frank gasped as Josh handed him a glass," What the HELL did you two put on those things, they're hotter then hell." Frank said after he downed the glass of water.

"Ask Josh, he did it not me." Max said stifling a laugh.

"Well not much, just some red pepper, chili powder, and I drizzled some jalapeño juice in the pan, was it too much?" Josh asked looking extremely upset.

"Just a little bit, but it was more of a first shock thing than anything else." Frank said refilling his water glass.

"Milk would work better." Max told him, his eyes locked on Josh's face, he turned when Josh looked towards him.

"Come on lets eat." Frank said after he got a glass of milk out of the fridge and sat back down.

Dinner went OK, they were pretty much quiet as they ate except the occasional gulp of milk it was only after they had finished, washed up the dishes and sat back down in the living room that things got difficult.

"So, Max is there a guy your interested in at school?" Josh asked suddenly.

"Why do you ask?" Max said getting nervous.

"Curiosity." Josh answered.

Max thought for one wild moment about actually telling Josh the truth, but his logic center quickly kicked in and brought him down to earth. If he was ever going to tell Josh it would be better to do it without Frank around. But he had to tell them something

"Well, there is someone I have had my eye on." Max said with a smile.

"Really?" Josh said, hiding the disappointment in his voice, "Anyone we know?" he asked looking him in the eye.

"Maybe, but I'm not telling you who." Max said still smiling.

"Oh come on, why not?" Frank suddenly chimed in.

"Because I don't want to jinx it, so don't ask who." Max said flatly.

"Alright, I guess we will just have to wait." Frank said stretching.

"Well Max, we got to get going, my folks want me home before nine, were going to my grandparents place again tomorrow.." Josh said, looking disappointedly down at his watch.

"So, it’s only like eight, you've got a little time left." Max whined playfully.

"Yea, there’s still plenty of time, even if you dropped me off by eight forty five you'd get back in time.” Frank said sounding a little suspicious.

"I know, but I forgot that I have to run by the store, which closes at nine." Josh said looking at his watch again.

"Alright, if you've gotta go, you've gotta go." Max said, getting up with them and going to the door.

"I'll see you guys Monday in school." Max said giving them both a quick one armed hug as they left.

"See ya Monday man.” Josh said squeezing Max a little harder than normal.

"Yea ....see ya then." Max said as Josh let go of him.

Max went back to the couch and lay down. He thought about everything that had happened that day, he had told his two best friends he was gay and they were OK with it, Fay had come out to the guys, the only thing bad about the night was not being able to tell Josh how he felt. He wanted to just blurt it out when Josh asked if he was interested in someone at school, but he needed to wait and be careful. He was almost positive Josh was straight, but the way he had been acting recently made him wonder, the stuff that he did at school, the way he had acted tonight, it was like every time he looked at Josh he saw Josh's head suddenly turn as if he had been looking at him only seconds before.

"Just my imagination." Max said to himself.

But what if he wasn’t? He seemed to be imagining an awful lot lately, Josh's odd behavior, seeing him look at him, and how he felt when Josh hugged him, it was amazing, like electricity. That's why he had them let go, he actually was starting to get hard having Josh be so close to him, the scent of him was intoxicating.

Maybe he wasn’t imagining things maybe Josh was acting odd. He looked so cute after they had hugged; big smile on his face his eyes bright, he wanted to grab hold of him and kiss him right then. He smiled and took off his glasses and put them down on the table, he fell asleep thinking about Josh and about all the things he wanted to do with him.

* * *

"What’s on your mind Frank?" Josh asked as he drove him home.

"What makes you think there is anything on it?" Frank asked at the stoplight.

"Because I know you, and you're never this quiet unless there is something on your mind.” Josh asked with a smile.

"Just thinking about how things are going to be different now." Frank said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Josh asked slightly confused.

"Come on, you can't honestly think things can be the same as they were before all this happened." Frank said getting louder.

"Of course things will be different now but not by much.” Josh said trying to convince him.

"Don't give me that load of shit Josh, you can't sit there and tell me that what Max told us tonight doesn’t change things about our friendship.” Frank said incredulously.

"One, it’s not a load of shit. Two, yea things are going to change but I can't see anything bad that could come out of it." Josh said thinking what it would be like if he could push his friendship with Max to something more.

"Nothing bad could come of it? Tell me this; are you going to get your ass kicked for Max? Are you going to stand by while he watches you undress in the locker room? Are you going to put up with people thinking, "Is that his boyfriend?" when you guys walk down the hall together?” Frank asked looking directly at Josh.

"Well, if someone wants to try shit with me let them. Max is my friend and I'll stand by him just like I would you, and if he wants to look while I undress in the locker room, let him, it’s not like he hasn’t seen me do it before, and let people think what they want to think they will anyway.” Josh said satisfied with his answers, but then something struck him.

"What you need to ask is if you can do all the things you just asked me. You're his friend too aren't you?" Josh asked as he pulled into Frank’s driveway.

"I don't know.” Frank said then got out of the car and ran to the door before Josh could call him back.

The whole way home Josh was thinking about what Frank had said, what did he mean by 'he didn't know'? Did he mean that maybe he couldn't be Max's friend anymore? No, that couldn't be it, Frank wasn’t like that. He didn't care about that kind of stuff…did he?

'He seemed to care about it when we were talking though', Josh said to himself, 'Maybe I should call Max and talk to him, no I won't bother him with it till I can be sure.' He finished his talk with himself as he pulled into his own driveway, completely forgetting he was supposed to go to the store.

"Hi honey, how was your day?" His mom asked when he walked in.

"Oh...hey mom didn't think you would still be up.” Josh said distractedly, he didn't want to talk right now.

"Well, I couldn't sleep so I thought I would come down and wait for you and we could talk.” She said as she sat on a chair with a cup of tea.

"Yea, sure, what would like to talk about?” Josh said sitting down on the couch across from her chair.

She hesitated for a moment then went on.

"About you...and your relationship with Max.” She said quietly but Josh caught every word.

"What do you mean, he's just a friend.” Josh said starting to feel nervous under his moms questioning eyes.

"Really? Are you sure?” She asked putting aside her cup of tea.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be.” Josh said pulling off his jacket.

"Well, I was just wondering. I've noticed that you have been acting strangely the past weeks, every time Max is mentioned you get distracted like there is something wrong.” She said sounding concerned.

"No, there is nothing wrong, but there might be something right." Josh said with a smile.

"What do you mean there may be something right?” she asked curious.

"Damnit." He said under his breath, he hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. Now what was he going to do? Could he tell her? What would she say? Would she be mad, upset? Either way, he needed to tell her.

"What I mean mom, and you have to promise not to tell dad, I will, but just not yet, OK?" He said, and after seeing her nod he plunged on, "The reason I have been acting weird this week and before that is cause I have feelings for Max and I don't mean just friendly feelings, I think I'm falling in love.” Josh said waiting to see her reaction before he went further.

"How long have you felt like this?” She asked calmly.

"Since the end of freshmen year.” Josh said going over to her and sitting on the edge of the coffee table still waiting on what she would say.

"Does Max know how you feel?" She asked still sounding calm.

"No", Josh said looking sad, "He was the one I was talking about the night we went to grandmas for dinner, and there is something else I need to tell you.” Josh said nervously.

"What?" She asked still sounding calm.

"Tonight Max told me and Frank he was gay.” He said smiling again.

"What are you going to do?” she asked sounding concerned now.

"I'll tell him, I'm not sure when but I will.” Josh said looking anxious.

"Then all I'll tell you is that I love you and to be careful. I don't want you to get hurt." She said, standing up and pulling him into a hug.

"Then you aren't mad that I'm...... gay?" He asked, it was hard for him to say the last word but after he did it was like a weight lifted off his shoulders.

"Of course I'm not. I want you to be happy and if you being with Max makes you happy, then I am happy." She said as she let go of him.

"You really think I could be with him?" He asked looking happy.

"Of course I do, you just need to talk to him." She said confidently.

"Thanks mom, I needed to hear that. I'm just afraid of what Frank said.” Josh said sounding worried.

"Well let’s leave that subject till tomorrow we have talked enough tonight and you look like you need sleep." she said with a laugh.

"Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you, night." He said as he kissed her goodnight on the forehead.

"Night baby, I love you.” she said and he knew she meant it.

Josh went to his room and shed his jeans and shirt and crawled into bed. He laid thinking about Max and all the things they do together, he smiled as he rolled over and fell asleep.

* * *

Max was woken up by his mom poking him in the ribs.

"OK, OK, stop that. I'm up, I'm up." Max said reaching for his glasses.

"I thought you were going to wait up for Me.” She said sitting down in the recliner with a plate of food.

"That’s why I laid down here," He said with a smile as he sat up against the arm of the couch, "And be careful, those chops are hot." he said with a smile.

"Yea, they smelled like it so I got some milk and bread, now spill. I want to hear all about this week." she said as she started on her food.

Max told her all about what had happened on Monday in History class, and like he thought, she planed on notifying the school board on Monday. He told her about the rest of the week including the coaches cutting him from the team and the hell he had to go through to get his spot back, including the fight with Moure. Then he told her all about telling Josh and Frank he was gay and how they took it. She was happy to hear what Josh and Frank had told him that they would be there for him, and she was also concerned about Fay and her break up but she said she was a strong girl and she would be OK.

"Well, I'm glad everything worked out. But it's almost two and you need to get to bed.” she said sounding very motherly.

"Alright I will, but I want us to go out and do something tomorrow, we haven't done anything together in awhile." Max said leaning over to give her a kiss on the head.

Max went up to his room and changed back into the black sleeveless he had on earlier and went to bed thinking about how he and Josh might be able to get together.

He had no idea Josh was thinking the same thing.

TO BE CONTINUED....

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

I hope you all liked this chapter; I’d love to hear what you think. Please feel free to email me at allenarcane88@yahoo.com, leave me a review, drop me a PM, or visit the discussion forum.

Thanks to Rush for assisting in editing my story.