EVERYTHING was different sophomore year. During his freshman season, Jake rocked second base, and it wasn’t long before he was starting every game. It earned him the respect of the other players and the attention of quite a few college girls.
He was more than willing to take advantage of his new popularity. He partied with the team almost every weekend, and after every party he hooked up with a different girl. There was plenty of alcohol to make everything go smoothly. He made the girls no promises, and they had no expectations. It was the perfect situation.
Then there was Mikko.
At least once a week, Jake and Mikko had dinner, maybe watched a movie, and then ended the evening wrapped around each other, their jeans ripped open and yanked down around their knees. When he wasn’t with Mikko, Jake often rubbed one out while thinking about Mikko’s cock in his mouth. It wasn’t long before Jake realized that his best days were those he spent with Mikko.
They didn’t often cross paths on campus outside Mikko’s consistent presence at Georgia Tech baseball home games. Mikko wasn’t the party type, and they were never in the same class. Jake ignored the deep urges he had just to see Mikko for nothing more than a few minutes of company. After all, just like his encounters with the party girls, Jake made no promises, and Mikko had no expectations.
THE frat party for homecoming was in full swing by the time Jake and his date finally arrived. She was some girl on the volleyball team, and Jake had had too many beers to even remember her name. His date led him to a dark hallway on the remote end of the third floor. Alone above the party, they exchanged sloppy kisses and practically fucked each other through their clothes. She tasted like tequila and salt. Jake slumped back against the wall when she fell to her knees and pulled his half-hard cock out of his jeans.
Jake was having trouble getting it up until he heard someone cry out from the room at the end of the hall. It was a man’s voice, deep and strained. Jake gasped when he heard another man respond, “Hush, baby, or we’ll have to stop.”
“Just fuck me.” The command was plain, and the desperation with which it was given was thick.
Jake closed his eyes and imagined what it might feel like to be the desperate one, begging Mikko to fuck him, to do anything as long as they were joined. What would Mikko say? Would he be gentle, knowing Jake had no experience? Or would he be rough, too turned on by Jake’s supplication to take him slowly?
“Oh, yeah.” The girl at Jake’s feet hummed. “I was starting to think you didn’t like me.”
Jake looked down at blonde hair, blue eyes, and enough makeup for two people. This wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted chestnut hair, hazel eyes, and scratchy stubble.
Jake pushed the girl away and stuffed himself back into his pants. “Sorry.”
“What’s wrong?” She wobbled as she stood.
“Don’t feel good. Too much to drink.” He watched his date try to straighten her hair and clothes. “Maybe I should take you back to the dorm.”
“Naw, it’s fine.” She waved toward the room to their left. “This is my cousin’s room. I’ll just crash here.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, he lets me sleep it off here all the time.”
Before Jake could protest, his date pulled out a key and unlocked the door. “Feel better.”
Staring at a closed door, Jake wondered what was wrong with him. She’d been a sure thing. But he didn’t want a sure thing whose name he couldn’t remember.
He wanted Mikko.
Jake walked across campus. The cool autumn breeze and the exertion began to burn off the cheap beer flowing though his body. By the time he reached Mikko’s darkened apartment, Jake was sweaty, and his buzz was almost gone. He hesitated only a second—what if Mikko had someone with him?—before leaning on the doorbell.
Mikko yanked the door open and glared at Jake. Mikko’s hair was everywhere, his eyes glassy, and he was definitely angry. “I told you not to come here drunk.”
Jake swayed, his rubbery legs betraying him. “I’m not drunk, at least not anymore.”
“Get inside before you wake my neighbors.”
Jake was pretty sure all Mikko’s neighbors were on campus at the homecoming parties, but he wasn’t going to argue with anything that got him closer to Mikko’s bed. Mikko directed Jake to the couch and went to the kitchen. He returned with a tall glass of water.
“Drink this.” Mikko flopped down on the couch. “You look awful.”
“Thanks.” Jake gulped down the water and placed the glass on the coffee table when he was finished. “You look like I dragged you out of bed.”
“You did.”
“Are you still mad?”
Mikko rolled his eyes. “Irritated, but that’s not the same as angry.” Mikko waved Jake over until they were snuggled close. “Rough night?”
“No.” Jake leaned into Mikko until he felt Mikko drape his arm around his shoulders. “Just wanted to see you.”
Jake let his head fall back and waited. Mikko’s kiss was soft, and he didn’t try to deepen it. It was easy and familiar and so good.
“I want you to fuck me,” Jake whispered.
Mikko jerked back and glared down at Jake. “Now I know you’re drunk.”
It took a few seconds for Jake’s gears to shift. “What? No, no I’m not.”
“Just go home. I’ll see you later this week.” Mikko stood up and began to walk away.
Jake grabbed Mikko’s hand and pulled him back. “I don’t want to. I want to stay here with you tonight.”
“Fine, but I’m going to bed. To sleep. You can have the couch.”
This was not going the way Jake had imagined. “Can’t I sleep with you?”
“Why?”
“I just want to be with you. I promise I’ll sleep.”
Mikko shrugged and walked away. “Have it your way.”
Jake scrambled to follow Mikko down the hall. Once they reached the bedroom, Jake realized that in all the months they’d been getting each other off, he’d never seen Mikko’s bedroom. It was so much better than the plain dorm rooms. A large bed, covered with rumpled green sheets, occupied the center of the room. The only light was that streaming through the window from the streetlight outside… or maybe it was the moon. Mikko’s walls displayed framed pictures and paintings, not the rock or pinup girl posters you’d see in a dorm room. To the side was a sleek, modern desk, piled with textbooks and strewn with graph paper. The room felt permanent, unlike the dorms, which seemed like shantytowns in comparison.
Mikko peeled off his T-shirt, leaving his orange-striped boxers on. It was the most naked Jake had ever seen him. As Mikko climbed into bed, Jake rushed to strip off his shoes and clothes. Once he was down to his plain white briefs, he eased into the bed next to Mikko.
He didn’t reach out for Mikko, nor did he really expect Mikko to reach out to him. They lay there, side by side, an invisible line partitioning the bed into halves. Jake so wanted to cross that line, but he didn’t feel like starting World War III. He decided to just enjoy the fact that he was this much closer to letting Mikko have him.
As Mikko’s breathing evened out, Jake continued to stare up at the ceiling. What was he doing here? Mikko seemed to want him well enough when they were sucking each other off, but he didn’t want to take things further. Sure, Jake was inexperienced with men, but he didn’t think it was a top/bottom issue. After all, Mikko had silently asserted his dominance every time they fooled around, and Jake had been happy to let him. Sure, every once in a while Jake imagined being the aggressor, but usually he was the one being plundered.
After an hour or so, Mikko turned toward Jake. “I can hear your brain working. What are you thinking about so intently?”
Jake’s mouth was dry. “Do you not want to fuck me?”
Mikko chuckled and crossed the invisible divider to stroke Jake’s cheek. “Of course I do. But why do you want me to, after all this time?”
“I’ve wanted you to for a while. I was just too afraid to ask.”
“And the alcohol gave you the courage?” Mikko asked with a frown.
Jake rolled toward Mikko. “I don’t use alcohol to come here. I use alcohol to keep me away.”
“You never have to stay away.”
Mikko grabbed Jake and kissed him, instantly thrusting his tongue between Jake’s lips. Jake opened up, letting Mikko have anything he wanted. Mikko grabbed Jake and pulled him close, pressing their bodies together. They kissed, they stroked, they tasted each other’s skin. What little fabric separated them was quickly gone. Finally, Jake was exactly where he wanted to be: on his back, with Mikko nestled between his legs.
Mikko reached out to his nightstand and found lube and a condom. He poured a generous amount into his hand, and he began to massage Jake’s hole with his fingers. Jake jumped at the first cold touch, but as the liquid warmed and Mikko’s touch firmed, Jake hummed.
“God, that feels so good.” Jake raised his legs to bare more of his ass and flinched when he felt Mikko push a finger inside him.
“Just relax and take it. I won’t go too fast. I promise.”
Jake took deep breaths and watched Mikko concentrate on opening him up. As soon as Jake began to enjoy a single finger, Mikko added another. Mikko worried his bottom lip as he worked, and Jake pulled Mikko down for a kiss.
“It’s okay. I’m okay,” Jake whispered. “You’re so good to me.”
“I just want it to be good for you.”
“It will be.”
Mikko sat back on his knees and ripped the condom open with his teeth.
“Do we really need that?” Jake wanted to feel everything.
Mikko frowned. “This is your first time, yes?”
Jake nodded.
“It’s not safe to do this without it, even if you think someone is okay.” Mikko rolled the condom down over his thick cock. “Promise me you’ll always use them. Top or bottom.”
Jake had heard of the deadly virus, seen the awful things people did to those who had it. “I promise.”
Mikko leaned down and hooked Jake’s legs over his outstretched arms. “Good.”
Jake closed his eyes and tried to force his body to stay pliant when Mikko stroked the head of his cock between Jake’s cheeks. Jake reminded himself that he wanted this, that whatever pain he’d feel would pass if he just gave it time.
“Take a deep breath,” Mikko said, “then let it go slowly.”
When Jake filled his lungs with cool air, Mikko pushed. The pain of the stretch was intense, and Jake struggled to exhale through it. With each deeper thrust, Jake controlled his breathing, convinced his body to accept what was happening. Mikko took his time, thrusting just a little deeper each time. When he was fully inside Jake, Mikko stayed there, unmoving.
Closing his eyes, Jake concentrated on the fullness, on the ache of allowing Mikko inside him. Mikko peppered Jake’s face with slow, soft kisses. When he opened his eyes, Jake finally saw the hazel he’d wanted all along.
Mikko smiled as if he understood Jake’s every thought, and he pulled out in millimeters until he was barely there. He returned with strength and speed that left Jake panting.
“Again,” Jake commanded.
Mikko pulled out and thrust deep and hard.
Jake could hardly breathe. “Again.”
Another pounding thrust.
“Again.”
Jake’s entire body shook with the force of Mikko’s movements. Mikko let Jake’s legs down and wrapped his arms around Jake. Jake in turn wrapped his legs around Mikko’s waist. The only word he could say turned into a plea.
“Again. Again. Again.”
Mikko’s pistoning hips never let up, never gave Jake a chance to catch his breath. They were powering toward release, and nothing was going to stop them. Mikko captured Jake’s lips, and his tongue was the only thing that kept Jake from continuing to beg for more.
Jake buried his fingers in Mikko’s hair and pulled back, baring Mikko’s neck. He licked and sucked and bit, never hard enough to leave a mark, even though he desperately wanted to.
“Do it. Just once. Please,” Mikko whispered.
Jake licked a spot over Mikko’s carotid artery and latched on, sucking a deep purple spot onto Mikko’s fair skin. Let them think a girl did it. It didn’t matter. He and Mikko would know how it really happened.
“Yes,” Mikko hissed. “Close now.” He wrapped his long fingers around Jake’s cock and stroked it. “Need you to be there with me.”
They looked at each other. No words. Just looked at each other.
As Jake tensed in anticipation, Mikko nodded and stroked Jake’s cock faster. Jake felt it bubbling inside him, felt his flesh burning. Then he came, his glowing glass body shattering into a billion flying pieces.
He was still flying apart when he felt Mikko stutter above him, his steady tempo becoming erratic. Jake watched as Mikko arched his back and cried out, his mouth a perfect, beautiful circle.
When it was over, they lay together, Mikko resting on Jake’s chest. Mikko didn’t ask Jake to stay, and Jake didn’t offer to leave. They simply wrapped around each other and drifted off to sleep.