Rock, Paper, Scissors - 1. Chapter 1

The doughnuts were my responsibility, and like every Saturday morning, I stopped by Randel’s Pastries. The nicest bakery in all of St. Clement used the finest ingredients to make cakes, pastries, cookies, bread, croissants, and danishes. You name it, they had it. Everything was delicious, and they had been in business for over 25 years. Mom used to buy baked goods from the same store when she was a kid, and it became a habit for me and my best friend, Cody. So, for the past few weeks, that had become my responsibility since Cody couldn't walk. See, at the start of summer, just after school let out, we went swimming. Maybe we got too ambitious climbing rocks and jumping off into a little pond. That's it, a popular destination among teens. The highlight of the entire location is this 30-foot waterfall. Anybody with any sense of safety wouldn't set foot next to it, much less climb up the long, rocky crag to the top so that you could jump off it.

Mind you, Cody and I weren't the only kids jumping off the top of it. It was a birthright, kind of, in the city. If you wanted to be somebody, every boy had to jump from the top Assaranca Waterfall. The two of us stood next to one another on the bluff. Our knees bent, the wind blowing at our hair, the sun on our back, and we dove off together. I hit the water so hard that I felt like I had been stabbed a million times. When I surfaced, I couldn't believe I had done it. I had been brave, but I quickly realized there was an alarm amongst the other teens on the shore. Some people were now flying into the water. When I looked around in confusion, my best friend Cody was being hauled out of the water. Apparently, he had hit something, sinking to the silt bottom of the shallow pond. He fractured his right tibia I found out later, but I was more panicked from seeing blood floating in the water. So, since Cody couldn't do anything, the highlight of his day was me arriving early in the morning with donuts.

I had stepped from the bakery. The donuts were freshly packed in the brown paper bag, ready for transport. Throwing my leg over the crossbar of my bike, I cycled the five blocks to my best friend's house. In the front yard, I ditched my BMX against the side of his house and then walked around to the front door. Usually, I had no problem knocking on the front door, Cody would usually answer it for me. Since his parents worked during the day, Cody was home alone. So, a key had been left under the flowerpot to the left of the door for me to enter without hassling Cody. So, I retrieved it, unlocked the door, and entered before replacing the key back under the pot. Shutting the oak front door with a sharp click, I peered around, looking for my best friend. Kicking off my shoes, I started toward the stairs.

I called out, “Cody!”

Cody yelled back.

“I'm in the dining room!"

So, I stopped short of the stairs, then walked through the archway to the right, leading into the living room, and passed through into the dining room. I found Cody sitting at the dinner table with a large bowl of cereal in front of him. When he saw me, his head lifted, and he smiled a big gleeful, cheesy grin. Cody lifted the spoon from his cereal, took a mouthful of Captain Crunch, then started chewing. This had been a recent new trend with Cody, where he'd spend most of the day in bed and then crawl out at like midday.

“Are you only getting up now?” I asked.

Cody was sitting in his underwear; his white skin lacked the traditional tan he usually acquired during summer. Although that didn't stop him from trying to spend some hours out in the sun, usually the heat got to him, and it would make his leg very itchy with the cast. Cody swallowed with a gulp of his Captain Crunch.

He said, “Yes, there's nothing else to do.”

I sighed and then plopped down in the chair next to him. His crutches were leaning against the table on the other end. His leg in the cast dangled two inches above the floor, not putting any weight on it. I couldn't help but take a sneak peek underneath the table.

“So, any plans for today? Are we just going to sit around like every other day?” I asked.

Cody took another clump from his bowl and shoveled it into his mouth.

“Um… I might play some video games,” Cody mumbled.

The food rolled around inside his mouth.

“Finish your food first, dude,” I said.

We grinned, then he broke into a bit of a snicker. Though it was quick, and it passed. Cody got control of himself, so he wouldn't choke on his food, then swallowed.

“Though don't you want to like to sit out in the sun for a while?” I asked. I grinned while continuing, "You’re like turning into a bat or something from being inside the house?”

Cody looked at me skeptically.

“A bat... No. Maybe a bit of a Gollum, but not a bat,” Cody added.

It was my turn to kind of giggle at that.

“Do we have to sit and play video games all day?” I said, then paused to swallow my saliva. “I mean, I can think of a million other more interesting things.”

Cody, who was three-quarter way down his bowl of cereal, shoved the bowl out into the middle of the table, figuring he was finished with it.

“Like what… Sitting out in the sun all day, and not being able to swim,” Cody added.

I didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Can I?” I said, pointing out the bowl.

Cody knows how much I love food. He nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders. So, I reached out, drew in the bowl, picked up the spoon, and started eating again. They were a bit mushy, but I didn't really care. It didn't dawn on me. How odd this might have been, considering it was Cody. And Cody and I had always been exceptionally close. But something bizarre and profound happened to me. There was some unknown allure to eating from the same spoon my best friend had just eaten from.

“So…?” Cody asked.

I looked at him as I shoveled a spoonful of Captain Crunch into my mouth, then started to chew.

“So—” I mumbled, wondering where this was going.

Cody nudged my elbow on the table.

“Ain’t you going to tell me about the date you just had?” Cody asked.

I had to think about it, then it dawned on me.

“Oh, yeah, last night, it was okay,” I added.

Cody looked at me.

“What do you mean just okay?” Cody said. “Didn't you like that girl for ages, and she finally went out with you this time? I mean, not to be bad, but like, you know. It's you.”

I looked at him peevishly.

“What do you mean by that?” I said, somewhat defensive.

“Well, you see this hand?” Cody asked.

He reached up and placed his hand high above in the air. I looked up from the table.

“Yeah. Why?” I asked.

Cody said, “Well, this is Tom Holland.” He then lowered his hand and continued, “This is you.”

I balked, then shoved him.

“Fuck you, dude,” I added.

I wasn't usually touchy about my overall appearance or how hot I might have been. I thought I was a pretty good-looking kid, but hearing how ugly I happened to be from my best friend, somehow, was a little hurtful. It was the way that Cody added to it like a joke. He lowered his hand even further. Suggesting that I was in the middle tier, which I guess wasn't too bad. Cody dropped his hand to the bottom, nearly under the lip of the table.

Cody said, “This is Dylan Webbing.”

I had to chuckle I kind of felt bad. Dylan Webbing was this special needs kid, but it seemed horrible in comparison. After I kind of giggled, it was involuntary. Cody laughed too, but I chose to call him up on it.

“That's horrible,” I said.

Cody shrugged his shoulders.

He said, “I guess.”

Cody added, “So, are you gonna give me any juicy deets?”

I lifted another spoon and shoveled it into my mouth. Twisting in the chair, I gave Cody wide expressive eyes.

“What is there to say? I asked a girl out,” I said.

I lifted my hand and counted my fingers off. I figured me asking her out was a whole finger in itself.

I continued, “I brought her out to The Night Market.” I raised a third finger, then said, “I kissed her on the cheek, and number four… She said goodbye after the date, and that was it.”

I held up the four counted fingers for Cody to see. Everything I had done didn't mean squat. Even if it did, there was no way in hell I was interested in girls. I just brought her out for an awkward date to please Cody. It seemed like he tested me one afternoon to see if I was interested in girls. Now I knew girls weren't my hot ticket to heaven. I wanted to board the one-way train to Twinkville. Cody dropped his head to the table and scratched his neck, digging his fingertips deep into his thick hair.

“So, you didn't bang her or anything?” Cody asked.

I scoffed and then dropped the spoon into the bowl.

“No! Obviously not. Besides, it wasn't like that kinda date,” I said.

Cody shrugs his shoulders, then accepts my inability to pick up girls.

Cody said, “Man, I thought you woulda had her; she was practically gagging for it.”

It was my turn to giggle because all this talk made me feel naughty and somewhat boisterous, so I was curious.

I asked, “Why would you do her?”

Cody snorted, then said, “Eh…, dude, she's got huge tits and a big ass. That girl's thick— besides, not right now, because I gotta release the magic dragon.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing what he meant. Cody began shoving away from the table, the chair groaning against the ground. My best friend reached out for his crutches, then shuffled them around into the correct position under each arm before carefully pulling himself up from the chair. Cody hopped around on one foot, then with one of the crutches, he used it to push the chair back into the table.

Cody said, “You can get the bowl in a minute." He peered at me, then added, “Could you help me in the bathroom?”

I said, “Fine!”

I pushed away from the table and stood while returning the chair to the table. This had become a habit, and it was slowly growing old.

***

Anytime Cody wanted to go to the toilet, rather than sitting down, he'd asked me to brace him so he wouldn't fall over. All this crap so he could unhook his business and pee like a dude was slowly getting old.

We made our way down the hallway from the back kitchen. Cody's crutches clicked every time he took a step, and then we stopped outside the small downstairs lavatory. I reached out, twisted the knob on the door, and pulled it open. Cody stood to the side. Once I cleared out, he raced inside, nudged the light switch with his elbow, then raced to the toilet. Like the last time, I turned my back to Cody. Having to place my hands against the doorframe, Cody slumped against my back.

“Are you ready?” I asked.

Cody said, “Yep.”

After that, more weight pressed into me. Cody stood one of his crutches against the sink by the toilet, then I heard him fumbling. I had never thought of my best friend weirdly before, but for the past few months, I had begun to have these strange thoughts.

What did Cody look like down there?

Did he get uncontrollable boners every time he saw another boy?

My date the previous night didn't go to plan. I didn't feel any different toward boys, and I thought the date would have fixed me, but apparently not. It was all still equally confusing as it was from the start. There was a silence for a moment. Then I heard Cody grunt, then there was a sudden churning sound in the bottom of the toilet as his pee fell to the toilet bowl. Under normal circumstances, I probably would have gotten truly disturbed, thinking about how big my friend was, or what it would be like to hold it. But in this instance, I was more than curious to see it. After hearing it for so long, most people would have gotten tired of doing the same thing every day for the past month and a half, but to me, it was becoming second nature. Sure, it was getting tiresome, but there was an odd peculiarity about it that excited me every time it would happen. It was something intimate, and it was something only Cody and me seemed to share.

Since we were alone most of the day, I couldn't be sure, but I felt like something had happened the previous few weeks where Cody and I were getting unnaturally close. Even closer than we were, and I thought we were best mates before he broke his leg. However, it had become a new norm. Having Cody depend on me, and for some peculiar reason, I oddly liked it, even if it was a lot of work, more work than I was willing to commit to at first. Being alone daily with Cody was entertaining if that's one word to use. And I think Cody, although he might be bored, enjoyed our time together. In the past, we were pretty open with each other. Sure, we went swimming many times, but something was going on with Cody. He was brazen and didn't seem to care what he was doing around me. Before the summer break, I had never seen him without a pair of pants. Now, Cody actively walked around his house in underwear, and I was escorting him to the toilet every time and having to listen to him pee. It become oddly normal. Cody seemed grateful for having me there.

Once Cody finished peeing, I felt him shake; his body wiggled against mine. I could clearly understand what he was doing. After a moment, he popped his underwear back with an elastic pop, took his crutch, and hobbled to the sink. This time I could turn around. He didn't need me.

Cody leaned against the sink, and I turned around. Like the toilet, he propped one of his crutches against the sink and started washing his hands. It wasn't efficient, but he was doing his best. Everything took longer. Once he had done that side, I helped dry his hand with the towel, and then he swapped over to the other hand, then I continued the same process. Flushing the toilet, I washed my hands and let Cody go ahead. Hobbling forward, Cody left the bathroom, and I stayed behind, rinsing my hands thoroughly. The clicking of Cody's crutches faded as he made his way to the living room.

Cody called out, “You know, for a cripple, I'm a lot faster than you.”.

That was his way of telling me to hurry up. So, I did. I half-dried my hands, switched off the light, and left the bathroom. I subconsciously wiped my fingers in my jeans while I raced along to catch up with Cody.

***

Cody plonked down on the living room couch as I entered and tossed his crutches to the side. After I deposited his breakfast bowl on the kitchen draining board, not bothering to empty its contents, I then made my way to the living room. I went to sit opposite Cody, but he called out.

“Wait!" Cody said. He pointed at his console across the room. Cody continued, “Will you hit the power button on the PlayStation 5?

I stood, then nudged the button, and the console lit up with a beep.

Cody added, “Oh, and pass the controller.”

“Jeez, you don’t want a lot, do you?” I grumbled.

It made the two of us grin.

I scoured the floor beside the bureau for the dualsense. When I saw it, I plucked the controller off the floor, then returned to Cody, handing it to him.

“Here your hinny…” I added.

Instead of sitting across from him, I sat right next to him. We waited for the console to boot up. The profiles menu came into view. Cody clicked on his name, bringing up the home screen with all the video game icons. It looked like he'd been playing a lot of video games of late, which usually he wasn't really accustomed to sitting most of the time indoors, but with his current condition, he became a certified full-on gamer. Madden NFL, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Lost Dawn— the gigantic MMORPG that is immensely popular. There were a few other sports games like MLB and some knockoff versions of the NBA, along with the Sims 4— I can't forget that. It somewhat surprised me and entertained me both at the same time.

“What do you have the Sims 4 for?” I asked.

Cody looked at me with a wide smirk.

“I like torturing sims and watching them die,” Cody added.

Cody gave me a wide grin.

Cody said, “I like setting up elaborate mazes, torturous scenarios, and hell for my sims. I'm kind of like the gamer version of Jigsaw.”

I didn't know how to process that one. So, I just gave Cody my skeptical look.

“Alright, weirdo,” I added.

Cody put on The Sims to demonstrate his passion for his psychotic behavior. Then he turned his attention to MLB, showing off his skill set and his players and rosters. Eventually, he turned to Lost Dawn, where he joined a raiding party who got their asses handed to them. Finally, they had a fluke victory with this host leader called Kaito Nakamura. I was beginning to get a little bored, and I had shifted my attention to my cell phone, where I scrolled through Instagram. Followed by Tik-Tok, looking at short snippets of content. I remembered the donuts I had gotten earlier, so the smile on Cody’s face was like the sun when I presented them.

“Oh, man… My mouth is practically having an orgasm. Give me,” Cody said.

I handed over the doughnuts. I had mine later, while Cody had two doughnuts in a row. I mean, that guy went so high up on a sugar rush. I wondered what the crash would be like.

Eventually, Cody asked, “Do you want a chance to play one of the video games?”

I shook my head. I didn't really have any interest. I’m not really interested in video gaming. Plus, we couldn't play multiplayer because his older dualsense broke not too long ago, leaving us with one controller. So, I shrugged my shoulders. Cody decided to leave the console running in the background. We started playing charades on his phone, which was fun for a little while. That was until Buster came along, and we started playing with the dog.

Buster is this adorable bulldog, and he pleadingly looked at us to play with him. Scrunched behind the pillow on the couch, Cody found a worn plush soccer ball, which he used to entertain the dog. He tossed it to me, and I flung it back. It turned into a game.

“See how long we can keep it up?” Cody said.

I agreed with a nod, and we kept passing the ball. I felt a little guilty that poor ol Buster kept going from each of us. Clearly not understanding what was going on. We were engaged in our own game of toss. Buster was confused about why we weren't letting him join in and all the fun. So, eventually, I reverted attention back to Buster, and we included him in the game. There was a lull in our entertainment, and we both sat for a moment, pondering what to do next. My eyes drifted back to the coffee table in the corner we used yesterday with the half-erected Empire State Building. We had been building it from LEGO pieces, which probably would never be finished. But it was fun either way. My mind drifted back to yesterday. How Cody lifted individual pieces and forced them into place on the gigantic construction. How he smiled always made my heart take off like a racehorse.

You could see I had trouble focusing from the side I worked on. It looked like the whole side of the building had been shelled compared to Cody’s. I secretly played out fantasies about how the two of us could be in a weird way— closer, like when we sat together when our legs or arms brushed against one another. It made my heart race along for those little sentiment moments. A while longer, we began to get a little hungry, you know, the average never-ending bottomless well that two teenage boys can never fill eventually grumbled. So, we decided to be totally pigs and raid the refrigerator. Of course, I was doing the raiding because Cody couldn't have been bothered to get up. However, I returned with plenty of snacks from the plunder, and we settled to play more party-type games. See, after we grew board, Cody proposed we play this game which revolved around doing stints of roshambo.

Things began to go south from there.

***

We got off to a motivated start playing rock, paper, scissors. The winner got to eat food from a central cache, while the loser got drawn on with a permanent marker. I took home two victories. Cody only won once. I chowed down on the Fritos that were on offer. Cody had to sit back and allow me to dish up his punishment. So, that was when I put, ‘Patrick was here’… and I drew a massive penis on his cast. Adding insult to the injury, I put a little smiley face on the tip. I wasn't the best artist in the world, though you couldn't help but notice precisely what it was. I felt awesome, like a kid let loose in a candy shop.

The game began again; this time, it was a fumble of fingers. I went with rock, while Cody went scissors. So, I smashed his scissors with my rock. I grinned and balled my fist, sending my arm skyward to promote my victory. Feeling more adventurous this time, the Sharpie cap got tossed to the floor, and I positioned the marker over his face and started to trace my magnum opus. Cody sat back on the sofa, allowing me access to his face, and sighed with frustration. Carefully, I formulated my artistic design, jotting down hundreds of little dots to the point Cody's face magically revolved into the coat of a Dalmatian before me. I stretched over, focusing. One could say we were probably kissing; our faces were inches apart. My eyes scanned down, where Cody pleadingly looked up at me.

Cody asked, “Are you almost done?”

I smiled.

“Not nearly enough polka dots,” I said.

Cody grumbled, then said, “Well, don't put too much. I'll be forever trying to wash it off.”

I giggled.

“That's the point, you dumbass,” I said.

I stopped once his entire face was adorned with black spots, that would give a ginger with tonnes of freckles a run for their money. I lingered for the moment, observing, admiring my handiwork. I realized how close we really were. I could have slipped my head forward and gone in for a kiss if I wanted to. But that was totally gay. Not that I wouldn't, but it seemed like a bold move. I wasn't most courageous person. I didn't like cats. I wasn't one for dogs. Insects were ewe, and well. I didn't really care much for sports either. I wasn't handy like most other boys in my school year, who could probably fish and do some DIY projects around the house. In the grand scheme of things, I was pretty useless with everything that involved a hammer or a nail. Yet, something about Cody’s eyes spoke to me. Almost as questioningly, he was seeking something from me that I didn't quite understand what he wanted. I was enamored by his hazel green eyes, soft skin, and plump, juicy lips. The sight before me told the little workers in the mine below to start raising the flagpole.

My ears and cheeks were presumably glowing like one of those inuits who’d been out in the cold. I got a horrible case of the sweats from the boner that took place south of the border. However, everything happened so fast, with a sudden urge to save face. I plunged into the empty seat beside Cody and covered my lap. If I stood up well, he'd see a tentpole in my pants.

Cody assumed I must have stumbled, and he sat up abruptly.

“Are you okay?” Cody asked.

I gave him a sheepish grin and said, “Yeah, I just felt woozy.”

I lied.

Over conscious and with a rapidly rising heartbeat, which took on the speed of Seabiscuit, I broke eye contact with Cody. I anxiously wanted to leap off the sofa and make a run for it, escaping all of these weird emotions, but it would all come down to my bravery, which I had a lack of it. Cody sat in the chair; his beautiful skin glowed with the sunlight coming through the window. My best friend had a habit of walking around shirtless almost everywhere and every day of summer, but without shorts, these days got more confusing.

I never really thought anything of it until now. Something about seeing Cody shirtless made me feel helpless. All I could do was stare in this weird confusion like a person lost in a desert haze. Oddly, if I could explain it, I was thirsty for Cody.

My dick pressed against the inside of my shorts, forming a hard lump in my lap, and eventually, it hurt from being erect. It wasn't the right time. I didn't want Cody to see me like this, but all I could do was sit by helplessly and let it happen.

Cody twisted on the chair, trying to sit up. I couldn't let him try to stand up without coming to his aid. So, I stood, then leaned across and stopped him from getting up, completely forgetting about my boner, since the fear of Cody falling outweighed my logic.

“Wait, don't get up,” I said.

Cody gave me a quizzical glance.

“Why not?” Cody asked.

I sighed heavily and said, “You might fall or something.”

Which I knew was completely stupid of me to say. Considering Cody hobbled around on the crutches without me every other morning or when I’d gone home. Cody cocked his head to the side.

“Dude, I can walk fine. What's gotten into you?” Cody asked.

His question was more serious. Normally, Cody had a playful demeanor about everything that he did. This one time, my best friend was dead serious, and it scared the living daylights out of me. Though as I stood over him, our faces inches from one another, Cody’s gaze flickered south, and he noticed my erection. There was a confused expression on his face. Caught between moving since I was afraid and half motivated to kiss him, I leaned forward, not thinking of the consequences, and planted my lips on Cody's mouth. I couldn't believe I had done it, but my mouth was on his, and Cody’s lips were so soft. I got into the kiss, attempting to French kiss, but as soon as Cody felt the slobber, he pushed me away.

“Dude!” Cody added.

In any other scenario, I would have been tempted to keep laughing at Cody with the penis drawn on his leg and his face looking like a Dalmatian. However, I couldn't bring myself to find amusement in such a little occurrence. I’d broken the bro rule, and now I didn’t know how to feel about it. My kiss sucked, and I had gotten all the signals wrong. My mind blitzed with all the possibilities of how my life would blow up after my mistake. I watched as Cody's legs swept from the sofa. He grabbed hold from the top of the cast, then dragged it off the couch and let it rest on the floor. I plonked back down into the sofa to hide my raging dick, and the two of us sat upright, pondering what had happened. There was an awkwardness to our postures and an odd stillness. I began to pick the cuticles on the edge of my fingernails while Cody stared off into a trance, then he turned his attention to his legs. I kept running projections in my head, how I'd lose my best friend for being gay, or how the secret would spread around school faster than bacteria.

Cody sighed.

“So, that was new,” Cody said. There was a pause, then he added, “Are you going to explain what that meant?”

My best friend was usually pretty open-minded, but I never thought Cody would be that open-minded. I had broken the bro code, crossed the line, and kissed Cody. I did not know how to feel about that because it was an unspoken pact we had made. Friends don't do that, and I took advantage of it. Somehow, Cody hadn't retaliated, and now everything was different. I couldn't be sure whether that was for the better. It didn't help that my dick strained against my underwear, wanting to escape to any little narrow hole it could poke its way through, and it was beginning to ache. Usually, in these situations, I would have gone to my bedroom, taken it out, and rubbed it until it spewed a copious amount of cum. I would have fallen asleep presumably, only to wake a few hours later when mom would almost walk in on me. If this was a western, this would be the time when the settlers ran for the hills, but I wasn't afforded that same luxury. A million thoughts were running through my head. The most concurrent of them was— is this what all hormonal, confused, conflicted teenagers think about?

Something told me to stick it through and be brave about the whole situation, even though it was awkward. This would have been the time Cody started jigging his leg if he could jig it, but since it was broken, he started scratching his forearm. That was his go to move, telling you his nerves kicked in. The silence was so thick that I was suffocating. Like being dragged down under the ocean, the light from the surface grew further and further away every time. Slowly but surely, I was drowning, gasping for air, striving, and reaching for the surface. However, a curious part of me wanted to gauge Cody's reaction. I found myself sneaking a peek at Cody. His attention was directed at the wall across from him. He stared at the TV screen with the paused video game in the background. When he sensed me looking, he twisted his head clandestinely, attempting to make a connection without making it obvious. Nervous energy fluttered in the air, and if thunder could be heard outside, my heart rumbled loudly in my chest.

Something about Cody’s eyes said, ‘speak to me.’ Though his body language suggested another thing, almost ‘stay away, I'm afraid.’ Cody’s gaze lingered a little longer than it should have. And perhaps my gawking could have been equally the same. Either way, it was apparent that the two of us were extremely nervous. I realized how alone we were. I'd never been brave, but deep down inside me, I found the courage to look at my best friend, almost as if searching for an answer. I wanted to tell Cody how he made my stomach queasy, and how my heart took off like a stock car. I just wanted to let Cody know that I felt weird about him.

Twisting my head, I glanced down at his cast, lingering on it.

What would Cody look like, completely naked? I wondered.

It didn't take much imagination. Since he was already practically there. My eyes drifted upward along his thigh and settled on his groin. I could make out the remnants of his penis pressing against the fabric of his boxer shorts. My own dick hardened even more, making me wonder if Cody had ever messed around with any other boys.

I never really considered it.

If I were to fool around, there were worse people than Cody. So, a swarm of butterflies flittered in my stomach, and with heavy pants, I licked my lips. Cody let his head swoop; he looked over with a coquettish manner. This had now become our new form of communication without talking. And it was all in the body language, equally uncomfortable and terrifying. We wanted something that neither of us bothered to ask. My eyes drifted up his flat stomach; its soft appearance looked appetizing, not in a Hannibal Lecter way. Somehow it was hot. Just knowing that made me feel all clammy and sweaty. I scanned up, reaching his pectorals, then his chiseled jawline and plump, pink lips. My heart practically stopped as the two of us locked eyes. It was happening; the two of us were staring at each other. Something profound transpired, and now I was strangely attracted to Cody. His eyes were dangerous magic, drawing me in. They brought me closer, and I gradually leaned toward my best friend without realizing it. Without any disgust, Cody did the same. If this was really going to happen, I wanted to savor it. My eyes flickered about his face, taking in all the beauty I could absorb. His tender eyelashes, his small ears, and his tousled brown hair. As we were inches apart, his hot breath graced my face, his breath smelling a lot like chocolate. And Cody’s eyes zoomed to the size of the moon; they were the last thing I saw before I closed my eyes. Finally, the two of us locked lips without another word.

Maybe it was curiousness; either way, I was more than curious. I didn't even know if I was still alive. If I could spiritually leave my body, I did. Everything else around us ceased to exist. I lifted off like a SpaceX shuttle, drifting listlessly up into the thermosphere toward outer space. My body wasn't my own. It betrayed me somehow. It knew what to do even though I didn't. Without seemingly knowing what to do, I automatically started moving my lips, caressing Cody. He kissed back. My stomach dropped, and my heart accelerated. My dick throbbed, and I held my breath as the kissing intensified. It was a fight for dominance. Our tongues danced in each other's mouths, and then with reluctance, the two of us broke our kiss and pulled apart. Suddenly aware of what we had done, we stared at one another, gauging each other's reaction. My heart pummeled in my chest, and my palms were sweaty.

There was a conscious ache in my groin, so I checked to ensure it wasn't ripping out of my clothes. When I peered down, delight filled me, noticing that my dick hadn't poked a hole in my shorts. However, my attention quickly moved to Cody. My eyes drifted toward his lap, where a tight bulge formed. It pressed provocatively against the underside of his briefs. Swallowing nervously, curiosity to see what it looked like fueled my arousal. I licked my lips, suddenly feeling anxious as Cody stared, burning a hole in the side of my head. My gaze lifted, meeting his eyes, then Cody’s head swooped in, and he glanced down at his erection.

Cody reverted his attention back to me, and we were struck by a moment of silence. An analytical look formed in his eyes, then Cody leaned in once more, being the brave one. With his invitation, I suddenly felt rewarded. I didn't want to miss it. Yet again, I found myself giving way, leaning into the kiss for a second time, and when the two of us locked lips— magic. If sparks could fly like the Disney logo at the start of every kid's film, that's how my stomach felt. Like thousands of fireworks were exploding high above the castle. All I wanted to do was hold my best friend in the most intimate way. I kissed Cody, and with that knowledge, there was a mash of two mouths again, each hungry for the other. Unintentional moaning escaped Cody and me, just the sounds of two hormonal teenage boys. The smacking sounds of wet lips; the moaning echoed throughout the house. Somewhere along with our fooling around, I shifted up on the sofa, getting closer to Cody because I liked this a lot.

It wasn't until Cody reached out, sliding his bare arm across my leg down onto my groin, that I realized how close we had gotten. Cody let his arm rest on my lap, and I took a moment to analyze what transpired. We had actually shimmied up to one another. We looked like one of those cute couples from high school, who were always sitting together, and the girl always had this overwhelming urge to touch the poor boy suggestively.

We broke our kiss, and with inches between our faces, the two of us locked on one another's eyes, gauging if we should continue. I didn't have any objections. It was just sudden; it startled me when Cody placed his hand so close to my dick. To comfort Cody, letting him know that it was okay to continue, I reached out, draping my hand over his leg in the same manner. Cody gave a crooked smile, then leaned back in before we went again for another round. There was an intense burning in his eyes, and with fierce boldness, Cody reached out, squeezing my dick. I involuntarily sighed, figuring I didn't want it to end. I gestured, indicating we should sit back to get comfortable. So, with our backs propped against the backrest, my hand slid up to his groin, then I began to fondle him.

Cody was already semi-hard. Just getting to feel my best friend like this made me throb. I’d probably jizz my pants if I didn’t be careful. I never had a problem with premature ejaculation. Still, figuring he messaged me in my most intimate place, I already felt the creeping effects of an orgasm creeping up on me. I was tempted, and I stared, taking in all on offer. Cody showed off, and he knew it. It wasn't fair. Since he was practically naked and me fully dressed, I figured I’d help things along. So, to further elevate things, I leaned back, took my hand away from his crotch, doffed my t-shirt, then tossed it on the couch beside me. Cody broke a smile, and I giggled nervously, feeling naughty and apprehensive about what was coming. There was no sign of it stopping. Therefore, I reached back out, actively grabbing his cock. Feeling for the outline in his underwear, I began tugging.

We spent the best half of a minute just groping one another. Letting go of soft sighs of ecstasy, I inherently felt really good. It wasn't until Cody spoke up that I realized how long we had been actively groping one another in the silence.

“Do you want to jerk off?” Cody whispered.

A chorus of voices screamed in my head, telling me to go through with it.

Do it… Just give in, gay boy, just let him jerk you off. Cream your pants for Cody.

At the same time, there was one that protested against the many.

Stop! This is wrong; it's gay… and you shouldn't be doing this… It's not right.

Though somehow, I managed to drown out the harmful noise and focused on one single voice.

It said, go for it.

I smiled at Cody, probably a little awkwardly.

I said, “Do you want to jerk off?”

A grin broke across Cody's face.

“Totally,” Cody added.

My hand left his lap, my thumb hooked into the sides of my underwear, and I hesitated before pulling them down. I glanced across at Cody, who had done the same, taking his hand away from my dick, leaving it exposed. I missed the warmth of his hand. The two of us smirked and then shoved our clothes down, pushing away our bashfulness. Cody completely shredded his underwear while I just shoved my shorts and underwear down to my knees, leaving my lap exposed. We took a moment to compare. Cody was a little longer than me. He had a little more hair. When I looked at mine, it was a little fatter and had a little tuft of black hair. We took a moment, grinning sheepishly at one another, and then apprehensively, I reached across and took hold of his penis.

Cody animatedly reached across to fondle me, repeating the gesture. Cody didn't waste any time, he started the jerking motion, and it felt really good. Taken aback by how soft and squishy it felt in my hand, I held him tighter. The eagerness Cody felt reappreciated itself with sharp and abrupt jerking motions. So, I mimicked his movements, and it made Cody sigh deeply. Somehow, I felt content pleasing him. I wanted some audible signs because it was too quiet. Not that what was happening was uneventful and tedious, but I wanted some auditory stimulation. I didn't want to scare Cody off straightaway. I figured the default was two straight boys jerking each other off, but I couldn't be sure. So, I started with the safe bet.

“So, who are you thinking about? What girls?” I asked.

Cody tugged at me delicately, and his simulations sent a shiver through my body. I let out an audible gasp. Cody smiled. And I tried to return the same thing he had done for me by rubbing my thumb over his exposed cock head. But I don't think it worked. Nevertheless, he didn't complain. Cody took a moment to gather his words.

“I'm not really thinking about a girl,” Cody said.

It left me speechless for a moment. I wasn't exactly sure how to take that knowledge.

Did that mean he was gay?

Did it mean that he just wasn't thinking about a girl?

Or maybe it meant that nothing was on his mind?

Cody was just focusing on how good it felt, and it didn't matter whether it was a boy or a girl.

Or perhaps it was all of the above.

I didn't ask.

If Cody hadn't slowed down, I would have already come, but thankfully, I didn't want to seem like I was a sharpshooter too quickly. Instead, I held Cody tighter by his young dick and stroked more furtively. His body sank into the sofa, and he let out a little groan. Cody continued his gentle manipulations, and some electrical energy, like a solar storm, sparked inside my chest and groin. I knew I had gotten him to feel satisfied. I felt proud for making my friend feel good.

I felt drawn to him. So, I reached across, twisting my body toward Cody. I went for another kiss.

Maybe this wasn't what two straight boys do. I thought to myself.

Cody leaned in, and the two of our lips locked again. This time he secured one of his arms on the back of my head, not letting me get away that easy. The assumption was made… This was not just two straight boys messing around. We broke the kiss, then we both setback, reveling at the moment, just jerking one another, sitting in the silence.

Cody asked, “When was the last time you came?”

The question came out of nowhere, and I didn't know how to broach it.

Figuring I'd answer honestly, I said, “Last night.”

Cody nodded, then said, "Me too…."

He giggled at me, and it aided the butterflies in my stomach. Hearing that my best friend jerked off the previous night, which was about to happen again, made me almost come at the sheer thought. The notion stimulated me, drawing me closer to the impending explosion. Just the idea of Cody laying on his back in his bed, jerking, bobbing his hand up and down. Visualizing his little fantasy, slurring someone's name, being very dirty. It drew me toward my finale. Before I could even get a handle on how to control it, it just happened. Ejection was imminent.

“Cody! Stop, I’m coming,” I groaned.

Cody gave two or three more strokes, then I bust my nut. My cum shot from my dick onto my stomach. I groaned, almost blacking out from the intense sensations, my eyes shut, even my toes curled. Then Cody stopped, allowing me some space to breed. Though to be sure, I even swatted away his hand because everything had gotten sensitive. My hand was still on Cody, and seeing that he had brought me to a finish, I set out with determination to get my friend off. My hand went up and down in his lap. Eventually, Cody sighed; he dropped his hand to the couch in between the two of us and gripped the cushion, seemingly it was going to be a powerful eruption.

Cody sighed, “Keep going.”

And then it occurred. Cody erupted with a feverish groan, and then two, maybe three spurts shot from his dick, coating his lower stomach in a sticky seed. Apparently, he got sensitive this time, so he latched onto my wrist, attempting to pull my soiled hand from his penis.

"I'm done…," Cody cooed.

I didn't want to torment him, so I stopped. We both sat there swimming in the endorphins we both felt. I looked down at my upturned hand, covered in Cody's jizz, resting on my leg. The mixture of Cody and my cum dried on my thigh and hand. My own spunk dried in the pubic mound. I sighed, feeling elated and really calm. Peering across a Cody, he looked the same, although he probably could have done with a nap. Doing this constantly tired me out. So, I assumed Cody felt the same. I glanced at Cody, and he peered across at me. Neither of us said anything, but with a gentle smile, I offered Cody assurance that this was our secret. Pleased, Cody offered out his hand, along with a smile, his fist balled, and I gave him a fist bump with my non-cummed on hand.

It was something we did— a fist bump. Just doing it reassured me that this little thing that happened between us would stay between us. So, we sat there for a moment, not bothering to talk. I enjoyed the moment, with me toyfully playing with my deflating dick, until eventually, the cold cum started making me feel yucky. So, I went about trying to clean up. I fetched some toilet roll from the downstairs bathroom and dispensed it between Cody and me, and we both set about cleaning up. We tossed all the used crumpled pieces of toilet paper to the floor on his mom's good shag carpet. If she knew about this one, she’d be totally horrified. Yet, Buster sat in the corner, lying on his dog bed, his bloodshot eyes staring at us knowingly, judging us. Since he was a dog, he couldn't say anything, and our secret was safe.

I discarded the used tissue down the toilet. On returning to the living room, I picked up some snacks from the refrigerator. Cody had booted up his PlayStation again, and we spent the remainder of the afternoon just playing video games, not really talking about what had just transpired. Not that I felt terrible about it, but it felt natural. Like it wasn't a big deal. Knowing that Cody also felt the same way made me feel content.

Around five o'clock, just before his mother got home, I decided to start for home myself. Mom usually got home early, and dinner was cooked not long after, so I wasn't missing food.

Free food.

Mom's food.

I went to the foyer, plucked up my shoes beside the door, and shimmied into them. Cody used his crutches, walking me to the door. I didn't know whether this would be the last time I'd see my best friend, or if everything that happened earlier in the day would drive a wedge between us. If it happened again, I wouldn't have been opposed to it. I kinda liked it. So, Cody offered as I opened the door a warm smile.

“Today was neat,” Cody said.

He was a little nervous, so he bowed his head a little. I grinned. Knew what he meant.

“Yeah. Lovely. Lots of activities,” I said, hinting at what we had done.

A smirk broke out on Cody's face.

“Maybe tomorrow, we could try out more activities?” Cody added, his eyebrow arched.

I smiled, feeling my heart flutter and my stomach wash in and out like the ocean tide.

I said, “Sure. Tomorrow.”

With a nod, I opened the door further and stepped out onto the front step. I turned to look at Cody. I had many questions rolling through my mind, but I didn't want to scare him off. I didn't want to confuse him, or in what order I should address them. So, I chose to keep quiet about it.

"See you tomorrow, Cody,” I added.

We both blushed. Cody even wobbled on his crutches while giving me a nod.

“See you tomorrow, maybe I’ll win rock, paper, scissors,” Cody said.

“Keep dreaming…” I teased back.

I gave my best friend a nod, then started down the driveway toward the street. On the sidewalk, after waving Cody goodbye, I strolled along, pondering what I had done. How my best friend and I had kissed, and we jerked each other off. I found myself absently stroking my lips. Anybody walking by would have probably thought, ‘What's his problem?’ But, I felt like I was practically floating. With that notion in mind, knowing that tomorrow was a possibility of what happened today. I walked on, floating on a cloud.

The End