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~*Happy Birthday, layne67!!*~
I hope you're having a wonderful time, as your day is probably in full-swing about now! You're a doll, and I luv ya. Here's a fic, all for you--it kinda turned into a monster, but it's one I've been meaning to write for a long, long time. :D
*HUG*!
Title: Starkers
Pairing: C/Z
Rating: Light NC-17
Synopsis: Casey shows off some secrets--Zeke is intrigued.
Disclaimer: I never took part in the making of The Faculty. If I had, I'd have told you by now.
Author's Note: Another one based on my own personal experience. :D
Zeke had been desperate for a nice place to swim. There weren’t many areas to cool off in Ohio, minus a few guarded reservoirs. Besides that, one either suffered in the heat or suffered more in braving a visit to Herrington’s city pool. Right now, he was ready to do either-or.
When Casey had approached him with the idea of going to a small river-beach he knew about, Zeke had been excited. How the boy had known about it, he didn’t have a clue, seeing as Chagrin river was an hour away from their town. But Casey told him that he’d been there before.
“I went last summer with a friend of mine. We went there a whole bunch of times, it was SO cool.”
The ninety-eight degree weather plus humidity had convinced Zeke to take on the Saturday trip, which Casey had been thrilled about. The boy didn’t have his license yet, so Zeke was his best asset in getting to the place. Zeke had smiled, wondering if he was Casey’s best friend or his chauffeur when it came to this event. Still, the heat was too immense to ignore. And when he’d asked if bathing suits were optional, Casey had blinked, run his tongue over the inside of his cheek and blushed. “Oh, that… well, it’s actually a nude beach,” had been his reply.
Even if this left Zeke wondering how in hell a place like this could exist--no matter with its ‘best kept secret’ status Casey gave it--without police interruption, he’d been absolutely sold. He’d packed an extra pair of cutoffs when he’d gotten things together however, just in case.
Now it was the late afternoon, and the only thing Zeke wished at the moment was that the hike to the place was a bit shorter than it’d been already. “I don’t mean to sound like a whiny kid, but…” he said while hopping off the terrifying log-bridge he’d managed to cross over. The small brook below had given him hope, but they were still pretty far off. “Are we there yet?”
Casey smiled and slung his bag higher onto his shoulder. “Yea, almost. Sorry… I should’ve told you it’d be a hike.”
“Yea,” Zeke huffed out. The highway rest-stop where they’d parked was miles away now, he figured, and it’d been the last spot in the lot. It’d probably be busy there… perhaps the cut-offs would stay on. He wasn’t that much of an exhibitionist.
Finally, after what seemed like hours had passed dealing with the hot, blazing sun, he could hear running water. They began descending a large hill--yes, just ahead, Zeke could see bright shimmers through the trees. He smiled. “Finally,” he puffed out. Christ, it was hot.
“It’s worth it, believe me,” Casey said.
“Better be. The walk back… don’t even wanna think about it,” Zeke said.
“We’ll stay late. Things kinda pick up a bit by then. In fact…” Casey said. He patted his bag. “There’d be impromptu campfires sometimes, and people brought hot dogs and snacks and stuff. I guess it’s kinda tradition, so I brought a couple bags of chips.”
It sounded a bit strange--but very, very cool. “How ‘community-spirit’ like,” Zeke replied. “Wish I’d known… again.”
“It’s okay… not required, or anything,” Casey cheerfully said. “I brought sodas and made us some sandwiches, too, in case we get hungry.”
Zeke hummed in approval and kept walking, until finally, they were walking alongside the tree-lined riverbed. No stretch of sand yet, but they were approaching what looked to be a perfect beach spot at the end of the trail. The river's current was slow and easy, and in getting closer, Zeke could see that just past the sand was a section of stilled water, resembling a tiny pond. Perfect, really.
He then turned his head towards the sound of snapping twigs and voices, and--whoa. ‘Those guys ain’t shy,’ he thought as he found two older men talking and smoking together, both of them in the nude. One glanced his way, but his expression was blank and nonchalant. Zeke picked up his pace to get closer to Casey and grinned. “Already, huh?”
“Oh yea. We all just wander around. No shame,” Casey chuckled out.
“What about you? Do you go starkers like that?”
“Of course. It’s a nude beach, Zeke.”
“Yea, well… never pictured you doing that kinda thing,” Zeke replied.
Casey smiled and turned away, just as they reached the main beach area. Sure enough, MORE people were sitting around, every last one of them sans clothing. Zeke made a nervous smile, looked around--then the smile faded.
‘Guy… another guy. Guy… whoa, WAY older guy…’ he thought rapidly. Casey passed a small group of guys huddled on a blanket playing cards, chirping a quick greeting. The men smiled and waved--one raising his eyebrows and smiling wider than the others as he watched… or stared, really, at Casey as he began setting his things down in an empty patch of sand. “The fuck…” Zeke muttered under his breath. He rushed to Casey, a panic swelling in his gut. “Case… Casey,” he panted out.
The boy glanced to him as he unfolded a large blanket and began laying it out. “Yea? Get that corner, a small wind’s picking up--”
“They’re all guys,” Zeke hissed.
“Yea, I know,” Casey casually replied.
Zeke’s blood fired up, and not just from the harsh summer day. “No. You didn’t.”
“Didn’t what?”
“This isn’t just some random nude beach. It’s a GAY nude beach.”
“Oh… yea. Didn’t I tell you?”
Casey’s forgetfulness was well known, but this was ridiculous. “No, you didn’t! Casey, I’m not…”
“Gay?” Casey finished for him. With a warm smile, he shook his head. “Don’t worry, Zeke. You don’t need a membership card to get into ‘Club Gay’, or anything.”
“Are you?”
“Gay?” Casey said again, then shrugged. “’Guess so.”
“’K…”
“That ain’t a problem, is it?”
Perhaps Zeke should’ve been more shocked by this admittance, but he wasn’t, somehow. “No. I don‘t really care what people do or don‘t do… but… did you, like--trick me into coming here, or something? I mean that, is this a joke?” Zeke huffed out. With this being said, Casey frowned.
“No. You wanted a place to swim, and didn’t seem to care if people went around skinny-dipping and shit. You even got all smiley and smirky over not bringing a suit yourself.”
“I just… look, I didn’t realize…” Zeke stammered. “I didn’t know that I was going to some… boy-on-boy orgy. And fuck, most of these guys look like they’re on social security.”
“You’re afraid that you’re gonna get jumped and surprise butt-sex is gonna happen, aren’t you?” Casey said, seeming half-amused, half-annoyed. “That doesn’t happen here, Zeke. Okay? Trust me on this. Everyone’s really friendly.”
“Yea, while they’re checking out your dick. That guy back there was totally diggin’ on you,” Zeke replied, making a quick nod to the card-playing men.
“Yea, so?”
“Hey, Casey!”
The two of them turned, finding a man--this one looking a BIT more in their age-range, at least, with sandy-blond hair, suntanned skin and sunshine-smile coming over with his clothes draped on his arm. All of his clothes.
“Hey, Sam!” Casey cheerfully replied. Zeke didn’t think the boy would dare… but oh, he DID. He almost gasped in horror at Casey’s taking ‘Sam’ in a hug. “It was a long, long year.”
“Yup… but now summer’s here, for the queer,” Sam chuckled out, and Casey giggled along. Zeke wished that he’d mistakenly stepped into quicksand when Sam turned to look at him. “Who’s your ‘friend’?”
The implications, oh god… “This is Zeke, from school. We both graduated together.”
“That’s right, congrats--to both of you!”
“Thanks,” Zeke meekly replied.
“You’d talked about your own graduation from Ohio State--how’d that go?” Casey asked. Zeke swallowed as Sam went on to talk of his own year, all while Casey began unbuttoning, unzipping, kicking off shoes…
Zeke took a moment to look around at his surroundings again. Not that many people were here, which was a good point--one of very few, but still good. One guy at the blanket they’d passed--the one who’d checked Casey out, had left the game in favor of the water. “Cold!” he called out to his friends, who chuckled back.
“Shriveling, eh?” one asked. Awk-ward…
“Well, I’m heading over to the ‘smoker’s lounge’. I don’t assume you’d join me…?” Sam was saying. Zeke turned back and frowned.
“Do we gotta smoke somewhere else?” he asked. Casey snorted.
“Not Marlboro’s Zeke. C’mon,” the boy said. He mimed the obvious ‘toking up’ routine, and Zeke nodded slowly.
“Well yea, okay…”
“And no thanks, Sam. Unless YOU want to, Zeke…?” Casey said with a shrug.
Zeke shook his head, hoping it didn’t look as frantic as it felt. He was ready to hold onto Casey’s hand all damned day, if he had to, not wanting to be alone with anyone else for a minute. “That’s okay, no thanks.”
“A’right, then. I’ll maybe come around later,” Sam said. He then waved them off, the both of them waving back. Well, Casey did anyway. Zeke merely nodded a little. He then turned to Casey and almost jumped.
“Aw, fuck…”
“What?” Casey said; he looked down on himself. “Pfft… you’ve seen this a hundred times in the locker room showers.”
“Not in the sunlight, I haven’t,” Zeke spat back. In the light, indeed--where Casey’s pale skin glowed, except for the dense patch of hair and slightly-pink thighs and… “Jesus. I’m looking,” Zeke muttered.
“So’s everyone else. No big deal.”
“Does that mean I’m gay?” Zeke answered, chuckling nervously again.
“Why… want it to be?” Casey teased back. He shook his head, laughed and edged towards the water. “C’mon, you said you needed to cool off.”
More than ever, now… “Do I HAVE to get--?”
“No, you idiot. Again, no rules. Obviously,” Casey said. Zeke was grateful at the boy getting his lower half underwater, slowly. “Damn, it IS cold.”
“I’m not used to it yet, myself.”
Zeke looked towards the right, where the ‘checker-outer’ was splashing about. Casey smiled as he got himself neck-deep.
“H-Holy Ch-ris-st,” he gasped with a huge tremor in his voice. He looked back to Zeke and chuckled. “It’s c-cold as fuck, but it-it’s bet-t-ter than sweating to d-death. Cuh-c’mon!”
Just taking off his t-shirt made Zeke self-conscious enough, feeling as if all eyes had turned to watch him. He glanced around and felt stupid; no one was doing such a thing, all preoccupied with cards, smoking or talking with each other. ‘Do you think they’re all whores, or something? Knock it off,’ he spat at himself in his brain. Still, the shorts stayed on as he made his way to the water.
“Aw, a shy-guy, huh? We don’t bite,” the unnamed man told him.
Zeke rolled his eyes. Yea, he really wanted to be this noticeable…
“Aw, leave ‘im alone,” Casey said, then splashed playfully at the guy.
“Hey, now!” he chuckled out. Things settled down just as the water reached Zeke’s knees. His feet felt numb already.
“It IS cold… damn.”
“Told ya,” Casey said, though the shiver in his voice had dissipated.
“Name’s Gene,” the man said, moving closer and extending his hand to Casey. “How about you?”
“Casey. Pleased to meet you.”
Zeke watched the exchange warily. He didn’t want to think that this guy was a dirty, rotten skeez, but he DID look to be in his late twenties… possibly early thirties. He had no business hitting on Casey, in Zeke’s opinion.
“My first summer coming here. Have you been here before?” Gene asked, now floating a bit.
“Yup, I came last summer and had to come back. It’s nice here,” Casey replied.
As they began a casual chit-chat, Zeke was determined to get used to the water to stay close to the boy; not just for his own sake, either. Why he was feeling a growing contempt for Gene, while he didn’t have any bad feelings for the others… ‘Just protective, I guess,’ he reasoned. He finally reached waist-deep, then chest-deep, irking out pained groans along the way. Casey looked to him and smiled.
“Finally dared it, huh?”
“So, are you guys together?” Gene asked.
THAT was a bit blunt. “Oh, no. That’s Zeke--he’s just a good friend of mine.” Casey answered.
As the reply sank into Zeke’s brain, he realized that there was a feeling of disappointment… no, not that… no, there’d been leeway given to the man, who now looked even more interested than before.
“That’s cool. Those guys are just my friends, too,” Gene said while motioning to the beach.
‘How obvious can this dickwad get?’ Zeke rambled in thought again. There was no way that Casey wasn’t going to fall into that trap; or Zeke HOPED he wouldn’t, anyway. Realizing that he’d stayed almost completely mute, Zeke forced a smile on. “Dare you to dunk your head,” he told Casey.
“Oh…?” Casey said.
Zeke nodded. “Yea. New definition of brain-freeze.”
Chuckling, Casey bit his lip and looked down. He made one, two, then three little hops, puffed out his cheeks and sank underneath the water. “Brave…” Zeke said.
“You guys really AREN’T together, right?” Gene asked Zeke in a rush, with Casey still underwater. Caught off his guard, Zeke blinked wildly.
“Uh… no…”
“Good,” Gene said through a devilish smirk, just before Casey came up gasping for air.
“SHIT! Cold!” he cried out.
All Zeke wanted to do was grab Gene and slap him silly as he began splashing playfully at Casey, who started doing it back to him. Not wanting to join in, Zeke moved back to where the water was low enough to sit in, watching--fuming, even, as he settled himself onto the shallow end. Boyfriend to Casey or no, he tried shooting warning glances to Gene when he’d glance over. It seemed to Zeke that Gene was still checking up on things as his behavior grew more and more playful, his small amount of chatting growing into playful conversation. All the while, Casey contributed with discussion and even giggles. Giggles.
‘No way is he flirting back,’ Zeke tried convincing himself. He was about to give up and start swimming around, the top of his head roasting, when Gene moved even closer and leaned in to Casey’s ear to whisper. Zeke’s eyes flashed wide and narrowed in an instant. He didn’t realize how deep his breaths had gotten seeing this, almost growling.
Casey bent back with a shy but wide smile and cocked an eyebrow Gene’s way. “Forward…” Zeke heard the boy reply. Gene glanced to Zeke in a dart of his eyes then leaned in again. Whatever he said made Casey chuckle. “Oh… no, he’s not…”
Zeke tried hearing more but with Casey turning his face closer to Gene’s, he couldn’t. “Casey, I’m hungry,” Zeke suddenly blurted in a loud voice before he could think better of it. Casey turned to him and parted his lips, but Gene spoke up first.
“So eat something,” he coyly replied.
Casey must have sensed the tension--not that hard with the glare Zeke wasn’t hiding all that well--and smiled. “Sure, want me to get the sandwiches?”
“Yea, let’s eat,” Zeke said. He stood up as Casey shrugged Gene’s way--Gene winked and began swimming again. Zeke looked away when he dunked underwater and his backside came into view, just above the top of the water.
Casey got out and went to the small pack he’d carried; again, Zeke averted his eyes until Casey grabbed the towel next to the bag and began rubbing down. “Just as I get used to the water, your stomach rumbles.”
“What was he saying?” Zeke asked outright. Casey paused in his rub-down and blinked.
“Um… why?”
“Just asking.”
Casey smiled wide and sat, thankfully hiding more of himself. “He just wanted to see if we could stop by later on, when we were done here. I guess he lives in the next town over.”
“Right. Y’mean he wanted you to stop by,” Zeke scoffed.
“Nooo… you were invited, too. He even extended the offer of a threesome,” Casey giggled through his whispering.
“Great, is that common around here? Slutting out?” Zeke said. He hadn’t meant it to sound so strong, and instantly sighed and looked away from Casey’s sober expression. “Sorry. Just… it ain’t that common to get offers of sex like that, to me, at least.”
“Suuure,” Casey drawled, his smile returning. He unpacked their lunch and handed Zeke his. “C’mon, like you haven’t laid half the girl population in Herrington.”
Where Casey may have taken offense to Zeke’s outlook on this place, he snapped his eyes over to give Casey a hard look. “What makes you say that?”
“Well, haven’t you?”
Zeke snarled a little and bit into the ham sandwich. Christ, he hated ham… “Think before you speak, Case. I’m no slut.”
“Oh. Um… I’m sorry,” Casey softly replied. The mood softened a bit, and Zeke shrugged.
“No big. You didn’t say anything no one else hasn’t,” he said.
“Still, I’m your friend. Shouldn’t have assumed like that.”
Zeke nodded and swallowed his first bite. At least there was cheese, which helped… he then glanced to watch Gene sitting back down with his friends, who all leaned in to talk in hushed tones. There was no doubt as to why. “You didn’t say yes, did you?” Zeke asked.
“Mmm… no. Not my type.”
“Oh? What’s your type?”
“Well,” Casey started. He left his sandwich a moment and gazed at the river. “Either my age, or really, really older. But not thirties or forties, even, but… what?”
Zeke didn’t want to giggle like this, but it couldn’t be helped. “‘Really, really older’? Like, HOW old?” he asked incredulously. Casey blushed.
“Old. I dunno, like Captain Picard.”
“Captain Picard?”
“Yea, why? Got a problem? He’s hot as fuck, so shut up,” Casey said past a round of chuckles.
“If you say so…”
“So, who’s YOUR type, huh?”
It was Zeke’s turn to think. He looked around the beach and shrugged. “I dunno,” he muttered. He finally saw a guy standing by a tree, smoking a cigarette and talking with someone else. He was a bit on the small side, but had nice muscle tone, and he looked teenager… ish. Zeke didn’t realize that he’d looked longer than he should’ve, until the young man turned to find his gaze and blinked, able to be seen from where Zeke sat. He coughed, looked back to Casey and nodded generically to the tree. “Maybe him?”
Casey’s brow furrowed tight. “I’d meant girls, Zeke--I didn’t think you’d actually pick out a GUY!” he spat, his laughing going almost uncontrollable.
“But… we’re here, for fuck’s sake! I thought that was what you’d meant!” he spat back. It didn’t stop Casey from leaning forward onto his knees and coming close to hooting in amusement. Zeke rolled his eyes. “You’re a fuckin’ jerk.”
Casey regained composure, took up his lunch and ate the last three bites in one. “I’m goin’ bag im,” he mumbled past his mouthful.
“Don’t you gotta wait, or some shit?”
“Olb wivesh pale.”
“Huh?”
Casey groaned and swallowed. “Old wive’s tale.”
“Well, sorry, Mr. Rude. Couldn’t understand you past the pound of ham you crammed into your pie-hole,” Zeke retorted.
Shaking his head, Casey stood up and headed back to the water. Zeke watched him without the urge to look away this time. The boy really did seem to be in his element out here, naked as a jaybird and cautiously dipping his toes into the water. It was nice to see, being that Casey hadn’t had a place, anywhere, for so long.
“Hey.”
A new voice made Zeke look up; then up MORE, as he was eye-level with a nice-sized cock. He cleared his throat and realized that it was the guy he’d looked at during Casey’s questioning. “Um… hi.”
The young man smiled and sat down on the sand next to him. “Name’s Tommy… you?”
Oh no. Oh god. “Zeke…”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve never seen you here before.”
“I’m… I came with a friend,” Zeke stammered out.
“Yea, I saw,” Tommy said. He looked out to the water at Casey, who’d just turned around and spotted the exchange happening. “Wanna go for a walk, or something?”
Zeke swallowed. He looked back at Casey, who was still watching, wearing a blank expression. “I… no,” Zeke said. “I don’t wanna just leave my friend here all alone.”
“Oh, he’s not all alone,” Tommy giggled out; if he was trying to sound cute, it wasn’t working, and he seemed to emote an attitude that made Zeke want to take back his view on ‘his type’. “In fact, uh… well, I guess… Casey, there--that’s his name, right?”
“Uh, yea?”
“Hmm… I guess he’s gotten pretty friendly with some guys here before,” Tommy said.
“Huh? Uh… hate to burst your bubble, but that’s gossip, more than likely,” Zeke retorted.
“Is it?”
“Yea. Why don’t you go back and have another cigarette?”
“Why? I can have one right here, can’t I?” Tommy said. The attempt at seduction in his voice made Zeke scowl.
“No you can’t, actually,” he said with finality.
Tommy seemed to understand. He stood up with a dramatic sigh and crossed his arms. “You can always ask Casey about how much he liked being jail-bait last summer. He’s eighteen now, right?”
Zeke gritted his teeth. He really, really didn’t like this guy. “Uh huh.”
“Hmm. Well, let’s just say that you wouldn’t stand a chance, compared with a fifty-eight year old guy,” Tommy coyly replied with a wink. As he walked away, Zeke felt his face grow hot.
What… the fuck…?
~*~
“It’s too bad no cookout happened… well, we can eat the chips on the ride home.”
Zeke nodded dumbly as he and Casey walked through the woods, gone dark with the sun having been gone for the last hour. It had cooled off, but Zeke’s brain whirred so much it was like a furnace.
He hadn’t had the guts to stand up and say anything to Casey, and didn’t know if he’d EVER be able to. As much as he hadn’t liked that… Tommy, the things he’d said had coincided with Casey’s own admission: really, really older. The questions were ready to burst from his throat…
How far did you go?… Was he really that old?… IS this a place for you to come out and whore out?… What the fuck, a fifty-eight year old guy, with you underage, are you goddamned crazy?!…
“Are you okay?”
The sudden question, along with Zeke needing to stop in his tracks with Casey stopped just in front of him startled him. “Huh, what?” he blurted. Casey cocked an eyebrow.
“You just seem weird. You’ve SEEMED weird, for a bit, now,” Casey said. It went quiet a moment, besides the distant hoot of an owl. Casey sucked his lips in and out, then spoke up again. “Zeke, what did Tommy tell--”
“Did you get it on with an old guy, Casey?” Zeke finally burst forth. Casey blinked furiously at this, but didn’t reply. Zeke sniffed in hard and went on. “Cos’ from what I hear… I mean, did you?”
“Get… ‘get it on’? No. Tommy likes to talk. I met him last year, once--a bit of a rich-kid, total brat--”
“Fine, did you DO something with a fifty-eight year old?”
THAT did something. The pause Casey made now was more noticeable. “I…” he murmured. “Sorta.”
Zeke felt his face fall. “What counts as ‘sorta’?”
Groaning, Casey turned back to the path and began walking. Zeke followed closely as the boy kept speaking. “We just… went for a walk, and--yea, a FEW things…”
“Stop it. Just SAY it.”
“Why?” Casey said, stopping yet again. He whirled around on his heels and crossed his arms. “Look, I don’t treat that place like a scuzzy motel. No one does, really. You don’t have to be afraid that you’re gonna come across a six-person cluster-fuck or anything.”
“You’re still avoiding the question,” Zeke interjected.
“Ugh, we kissed. A bit of groping and just… why the hell do you care?”
“Why… maybe cos’ you’re my friend, and shit like that’s dangerous…?” Zeke scoffed out. “I mean, what the hell, you were what--seventeen?”
“And you’re a virgin, huh?” Casey retorted.
The urge to yell was barely beaten back as Zeke scowled. “No, but I haven’t been jail-bait, at least!” he spat.
“Really… get off your high horse and let it go. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Casey said. He practically flounced in his turning back around, and his steps had more purpose and speed. It made Zeke need to go double-time to catch up.
“Seriously, okay, it’s not that I think the whole--thing is wrong…” Zeke tried, but Casey kept walking. “Stop… okay, stop, I’m trying to talk to you!”
Casey grunted in frustration, but he planted his feet down and stayed still, anyway. “What?”
“Case… the place here, it’s nice, yea. And most of the guys here were pretty cool. I lost count of how many times I got my ass checked out, but it didn’t matter after a while, okay?” Zeke rushed out. “But all it takes is one guy, just one, okay?”
“You think I can’t take care of myself?” Casey said.
“Oh cut it out, that’s not what I meant…”
“I’m careful, Zeke. The walk we took, me and Henry?” Casey said; at Zeke’s confused stare, Casey groaned. “The fifty-eight year old.”
“Okay…”
“We stayed REAL close to the beach, and he knew I had made friends with most, so he wasn’t about to try anything. Three or four guys would’ve shown up and given him shit,” Casey explained. “And don’t give me flak for being underage. I was seventeen, and we hurt no one. Okay? I never even saw him again after that.”
Zeke nodded… then a question popped into his head at light speed, then proceeded to fly out of his mouth. “Who WAS the friend you came here with last summer?”
Casey blinked; after a moment, a slow, small smile crept onto his lips. “No one you know,” he said, then began walking off. “So, are we done talking about my little escapade last summer?”
“No. Who’d you go with?”
“Not saying.”
“Does he go to Herrington High, or did he?”
“Not. Saying,” Casey said with emphasis.
Zeke huffed. “You’re a brat.”
“So, Zekie… after today, would you say you’ve been turned?” Casey asked in a light, teasing voice.
“What, gay?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Wouldn’t say so…”
“Oh really? If your cock could talk, it would’ve been yelling, ‘Hey baby, over here! Sit on me!’ to at least two or three of the guys you’d stare at,” Casey said. “Christ, did your jeans get tight.”
“Oh, SHUT up,” Zeke retorted. “Haven’t you ever heard of a hard-on when looking at sexual imagery? What’re you looking at my dick for, anyway?”
“Um…” Casey said, now turning to look at Zeke while walking backwards. “I’m gay?”
Zeke blinked fast. Oh dear hell. “So… you like me, or something?” he asked haltingly.
Casey shrugged slowly and turned back around. “You’re all right.”
A smile grew on Zeke’s face. “N’aw, that ain’t it. C’mon, admit it. I’m sex on wheels.”
“Oh, Zeke…” Casey breathed out. “Yes. You’re quite hot, and I’d do you. How’s that? Better?”
“Yea,” Zeke said. He sighed and clucked his tongue, feeling cocky. “I’ll bet I’d be better than… whatever friend you used to hang with. Maybe even the old guy.”
“Hey, man--anytime you wanna back that up with some action, you lemmee know. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten laid.”
“WHOA.”
“What?”
“You’ve done the deed?” Zeke replied, shocked.
“Well yes, did you think I was a virgin? C’mooon…” Casey drawled.
You learned something new every day, and in Zeke’s case, he didn’t know whether to be pleasantly surprised or… ‘You wouldn’t be his first. Damn…’ He had to stop thinking like this. He wasn’t gay, after all.
“Fuckin’ mosquitoes,” Casey grumbled. Zeke watched the boy lift the back of his shirt to scratch at his lower back; he swallowed hard.
“Uh huh,” was all he could say. It took him a few more long looks--the nape of Casey’s neck, the way his hair curled slightly just by his ears, the strong, slightly-hidden muscle of his back, the memory of his entire, bare-to-the-world body--to realize that he did, in fact, have a new crush on his best friend.
He’d say later that he really, really wasn’t gay, because he wasn’t, but Casey would have a hard time believing him after being turned around with a gentle hand and kissed by a supposed straight-as-an-arrow best friend.
I hope you're having a wonderful time, as your day is probably in full-swing about now! You're a doll, and I luv ya. Here's a fic, all for you--it kinda turned into a monster, but it's one I've been meaning to write for a long, long time. :D
*HUG*!
Title: Starkers
Pairing: C/Z
Rating: Light NC-17
Synopsis: Casey shows off some secrets--Zeke is intrigued.
Disclaimer: I never took part in the making of The Faculty. If I had, I'd have told you by now.
Author's Note: Another one based on my own personal experience. :D
Zeke had been desperate for a nice place to swim. There weren’t many areas to cool off in Ohio, minus a few guarded reservoirs. Besides that, one either suffered in the heat or suffered more in braving a visit to Herrington’s city pool. Right now, he was ready to do either-or.
When Casey had approached him with the idea of going to a small river-beach he knew about, Zeke had been excited. How the boy had known about it, he didn’t have a clue, seeing as Chagrin river was an hour away from their town. But Casey told him that he’d been there before.
“I went last summer with a friend of mine. We went there a whole bunch of times, it was SO cool.”
The ninety-eight degree weather plus humidity had convinced Zeke to take on the Saturday trip, which Casey had been thrilled about. The boy didn’t have his license yet, so Zeke was his best asset in getting to the place. Zeke had smiled, wondering if he was Casey’s best friend or his chauffeur when it came to this event. Still, the heat was too immense to ignore. And when he’d asked if bathing suits were optional, Casey had blinked, run his tongue over the inside of his cheek and blushed. “Oh, that… well, it’s actually a nude beach,” had been his reply.
Even if this left Zeke wondering how in hell a place like this could exist--no matter with its ‘best kept secret’ status Casey gave it--without police interruption, he’d been absolutely sold. He’d packed an extra pair of cutoffs when he’d gotten things together however, just in case.
Now it was the late afternoon, and the only thing Zeke wished at the moment was that the hike to the place was a bit shorter than it’d been already. “I don’t mean to sound like a whiny kid, but…” he said while hopping off the terrifying log-bridge he’d managed to cross over. The small brook below had given him hope, but they were still pretty far off. “Are we there yet?”
Casey smiled and slung his bag higher onto his shoulder. “Yea, almost. Sorry… I should’ve told you it’d be a hike.”
“Yea,” Zeke huffed out. The highway rest-stop where they’d parked was miles away now, he figured, and it’d been the last spot in the lot. It’d probably be busy there… perhaps the cut-offs would stay on. He wasn’t that much of an exhibitionist.
Finally, after what seemed like hours had passed dealing with the hot, blazing sun, he could hear running water. They began descending a large hill--yes, just ahead, Zeke could see bright shimmers through the trees. He smiled. “Finally,” he puffed out. Christ, it was hot.
“It’s worth it, believe me,” Casey said.
“Better be. The walk back… don’t even wanna think about it,” Zeke said.
“We’ll stay late. Things kinda pick up a bit by then. In fact…” Casey said. He patted his bag. “There’d be impromptu campfires sometimes, and people brought hot dogs and snacks and stuff. I guess it’s kinda tradition, so I brought a couple bags of chips.”
It sounded a bit strange--but very, very cool. “How ‘community-spirit’ like,” Zeke replied. “Wish I’d known… again.”
“It’s okay… not required, or anything,” Casey cheerfully said. “I brought sodas and made us some sandwiches, too, in case we get hungry.”
Zeke hummed in approval and kept walking, until finally, they were walking alongside the tree-lined riverbed. No stretch of sand yet, but they were approaching what looked to be a perfect beach spot at the end of the trail. The river's current was slow and easy, and in getting closer, Zeke could see that just past the sand was a section of stilled water, resembling a tiny pond. Perfect, really.
He then turned his head towards the sound of snapping twigs and voices, and--whoa. ‘Those guys ain’t shy,’ he thought as he found two older men talking and smoking together, both of them in the nude. One glanced his way, but his expression was blank and nonchalant. Zeke picked up his pace to get closer to Casey and grinned. “Already, huh?”
“Oh yea. We all just wander around. No shame,” Casey chuckled out.
“What about you? Do you go starkers like that?”
“Of course. It’s a nude beach, Zeke.”
“Yea, well… never pictured you doing that kinda thing,” Zeke replied.
Casey smiled and turned away, just as they reached the main beach area. Sure enough, MORE people were sitting around, every last one of them sans clothing. Zeke made a nervous smile, looked around--then the smile faded.
‘Guy… another guy. Guy… whoa, WAY older guy…’ he thought rapidly. Casey passed a small group of guys huddled on a blanket playing cards, chirping a quick greeting. The men smiled and waved--one raising his eyebrows and smiling wider than the others as he watched… or stared, really, at Casey as he began setting his things down in an empty patch of sand. “The fuck…” Zeke muttered under his breath. He rushed to Casey, a panic swelling in his gut. “Case… Casey,” he panted out.
The boy glanced to him as he unfolded a large blanket and began laying it out. “Yea? Get that corner, a small wind’s picking up--”
“They’re all guys,” Zeke hissed.
“Yea, I know,” Casey casually replied.
Zeke’s blood fired up, and not just from the harsh summer day. “No. You didn’t.”
“Didn’t what?”
“This isn’t just some random nude beach. It’s a GAY nude beach.”
“Oh… yea. Didn’t I tell you?”
Casey’s forgetfulness was well known, but this was ridiculous. “No, you didn’t! Casey, I’m not…”
“Gay?” Casey finished for him. With a warm smile, he shook his head. “Don’t worry, Zeke. You don’t need a membership card to get into ‘Club Gay’, or anything.”
“Are you?”
“Gay?” Casey said again, then shrugged. “’Guess so.”
“’K…”
“That ain’t a problem, is it?”
Perhaps Zeke should’ve been more shocked by this admittance, but he wasn’t, somehow. “No. I don‘t really care what people do or don‘t do… but… did you, like--trick me into coming here, or something? I mean that, is this a joke?” Zeke huffed out. With this being said, Casey frowned.
“No. You wanted a place to swim, and didn’t seem to care if people went around skinny-dipping and shit. You even got all smiley and smirky over not bringing a suit yourself.”
“I just… look, I didn’t realize…” Zeke stammered. “I didn’t know that I was going to some… boy-on-boy orgy. And fuck, most of these guys look like they’re on social security.”
“You’re afraid that you’re gonna get jumped and surprise butt-sex is gonna happen, aren’t you?” Casey said, seeming half-amused, half-annoyed. “That doesn’t happen here, Zeke. Okay? Trust me on this. Everyone’s really friendly.”
“Yea, while they’re checking out your dick. That guy back there was totally diggin’ on you,” Zeke replied, making a quick nod to the card-playing men.
“Yea, so?”
“Hey, Casey!”
The two of them turned, finding a man--this one looking a BIT more in their age-range, at least, with sandy-blond hair, suntanned skin and sunshine-smile coming over with his clothes draped on his arm. All of his clothes.
“Hey, Sam!” Casey cheerfully replied. Zeke didn’t think the boy would dare… but oh, he DID. He almost gasped in horror at Casey’s taking ‘Sam’ in a hug. “It was a long, long year.”
“Yup… but now summer’s here, for the queer,” Sam chuckled out, and Casey giggled along. Zeke wished that he’d mistakenly stepped into quicksand when Sam turned to look at him. “Who’s your ‘friend’?”
The implications, oh god… “This is Zeke, from school. We both graduated together.”
“That’s right, congrats--to both of you!”
“Thanks,” Zeke meekly replied.
“You’d talked about your own graduation from Ohio State--how’d that go?” Casey asked. Zeke swallowed as Sam went on to talk of his own year, all while Casey began unbuttoning, unzipping, kicking off shoes…
Zeke took a moment to look around at his surroundings again. Not that many people were here, which was a good point--one of very few, but still good. One guy at the blanket they’d passed--the one who’d checked Casey out, had left the game in favor of the water. “Cold!” he called out to his friends, who chuckled back.
“Shriveling, eh?” one asked. Awk-ward…
“Well, I’m heading over to the ‘smoker’s lounge’. I don’t assume you’d join me…?” Sam was saying. Zeke turned back and frowned.
“Do we gotta smoke somewhere else?” he asked. Casey snorted.
“Not Marlboro’s Zeke. C’mon,” the boy said. He mimed the obvious ‘toking up’ routine, and Zeke nodded slowly.
“Well yea, okay…”
“And no thanks, Sam. Unless YOU want to, Zeke…?” Casey said with a shrug.
Zeke shook his head, hoping it didn’t look as frantic as it felt. He was ready to hold onto Casey’s hand all damned day, if he had to, not wanting to be alone with anyone else for a minute. “That’s okay, no thanks.”
“A’right, then. I’ll maybe come around later,” Sam said. He then waved them off, the both of them waving back. Well, Casey did anyway. Zeke merely nodded a little. He then turned to Casey and almost jumped.
“Aw, fuck…”
“What?” Casey said; he looked down on himself. “Pfft… you’ve seen this a hundred times in the locker room showers.”
“Not in the sunlight, I haven’t,” Zeke spat back. In the light, indeed--where Casey’s pale skin glowed, except for the dense patch of hair and slightly-pink thighs and… “Jesus. I’m looking,” Zeke muttered.
“So’s everyone else. No big deal.”
“Does that mean I’m gay?” Zeke answered, chuckling nervously again.
“Why… want it to be?” Casey teased back. He shook his head, laughed and edged towards the water. “C’mon, you said you needed to cool off.”
More than ever, now… “Do I HAVE to get--?”
“No, you idiot. Again, no rules. Obviously,” Casey said. Zeke was grateful at the boy getting his lower half underwater, slowly. “Damn, it IS cold.”
“I’m not used to it yet, myself.”
Zeke looked towards the right, where the ‘checker-outer’ was splashing about. Casey smiled as he got himself neck-deep.
“H-Holy Ch-ris-st,” he gasped with a huge tremor in his voice. He looked back to Zeke and chuckled. “It’s c-cold as fuck, but it-it’s bet-t-ter than sweating to d-death. Cuh-c’mon!”
Just taking off his t-shirt made Zeke self-conscious enough, feeling as if all eyes had turned to watch him. He glanced around and felt stupid; no one was doing such a thing, all preoccupied with cards, smoking or talking with each other. ‘Do you think they’re all whores, or something? Knock it off,’ he spat at himself in his brain. Still, the shorts stayed on as he made his way to the water.
“Aw, a shy-guy, huh? We don’t bite,” the unnamed man told him.
Zeke rolled his eyes. Yea, he really wanted to be this noticeable…
“Aw, leave ‘im alone,” Casey said, then splashed playfully at the guy.
“Hey, now!” he chuckled out. Things settled down just as the water reached Zeke’s knees. His feet felt numb already.
“It IS cold… damn.”
“Told ya,” Casey said, though the shiver in his voice had dissipated.
“Name’s Gene,” the man said, moving closer and extending his hand to Casey. “How about you?”
“Casey. Pleased to meet you.”
Zeke watched the exchange warily. He didn’t want to think that this guy was a dirty, rotten skeez, but he DID look to be in his late twenties… possibly early thirties. He had no business hitting on Casey, in Zeke’s opinion.
“My first summer coming here. Have you been here before?” Gene asked, now floating a bit.
“Yup, I came last summer and had to come back. It’s nice here,” Casey replied.
As they began a casual chit-chat, Zeke was determined to get used to the water to stay close to the boy; not just for his own sake, either. Why he was feeling a growing contempt for Gene, while he didn’t have any bad feelings for the others… ‘Just protective, I guess,’ he reasoned. He finally reached waist-deep, then chest-deep, irking out pained groans along the way. Casey looked to him and smiled.
“Finally dared it, huh?”
“So, are you guys together?” Gene asked.
THAT was a bit blunt. “Oh, no. That’s Zeke--he’s just a good friend of mine.” Casey answered.
As the reply sank into Zeke’s brain, he realized that there was a feeling of disappointment… no, not that… no, there’d been leeway given to the man, who now looked even more interested than before.
“That’s cool. Those guys are just my friends, too,” Gene said while motioning to the beach.
‘How obvious can this dickwad get?’ Zeke rambled in thought again. There was no way that Casey wasn’t going to fall into that trap; or Zeke HOPED he wouldn’t, anyway. Realizing that he’d stayed almost completely mute, Zeke forced a smile on. “Dare you to dunk your head,” he told Casey.
“Oh…?” Casey said.
Zeke nodded. “Yea. New definition of brain-freeze.”
Chuckling, Casey bit his lip and looked down. He made one, two, then three little hops, puffed out his cheeks and sank underneath the water. “Brave…” Zeke said.
“You guys really AREN’T together, right?” Gene asked Zeke in a rush, with Casey still underwater. Caught off his guard, Zeke blinked wildly.
“Uh… no…”
“Good,” Gene said through a devilish smirk, just before Casey came up gasping for air.
“SHIT! Cold!” he cried out.
All Zeke wanted to do was grab Gene and slap him silly as he began splashing playfully at Casey, who started doing it back to him. Not wanting to join in, Zeke moved back to where the water was low enough to sit in, watching--fuming, even, as he settled himself onto the shallow end. Boyfriend to Casey or no, he tried shooting warning glances to Gene when he’d glance over. It seemed to Zeke that Gene was still checking up on things as his behavior grew more and more playful, his small amount of chatting growing into playful conversation. All the while, Casey contributed with discussion and even giggles. Giggles.
‘No way is he flirting back,’ Zeke tried convincing himself. He was about to give up and start swimming around, the top of his head roasting, when Gene moved even closer and leaned in to Casey’s ear to whisper. Zeke’s eyes flashed wide and narrowed in an instant. He didn’t realize how deep his breaths had gotten seeing this, almost growling.
Casey bent back with a shy but wide smile and cocked an eyebrow Gene’s way. “Forward…” Zeke heard the boy reply. Gene glanced to Zeke in a dart of his eyes then leaned in again. Whatever he said made Casey chuckle. “Oh… no, he’s not…”
Zeke tried hearing more but with Casey turning his face closer to Gene’s, he couldn’t. “Casey, I’m hungry,” Zeke suddenly blurted in a loud voice before he could think better of it. Casey turned to him and parted his lips, but Gene spoke up first.
“So eat something,” he coyly replied.
Casey must have sensed the tension--not that hard with the glare Zeke wasn’t hiding all that well--and smiled. “Sure, want me to get the sandwiches?”
“Yea, let’s eat,” Zeke said. He stood up as Casey shrugged Gene’s way--Gene winked and began swimming again. Zeke looked away when he dunked underwater and his backside came into view, just above the top of the water.
Casey got out and went to the small pack he’d carried; again, Zeke averted his eyes until Casey grabbed the towel next to the bag and began rubbing down. “Just as I get used to the water, your stomach rumbles.”
“What was he saying?” Zeke asked outright. Casey paused in his rub-down and blinked.
“Um… why?”
“Just asking.”
Casey smiled wide and sat, thankfully hiding more of himself. “He just wanted to see if we could stop by later on, when we were done here. I guess he lives in the next town over.”
“Right. Y’mean he wanted you to stop by,” Zeke scoffed.
“Nooo… you were invited, too. He even extended the offer of a threesome,” Casey giggled through his whispering.
“Great, is that common around here? Slutting out?” Zeke said. He hadn’t meant it to sound so strong, and instantly sighed and looked away from Casey’s sober expression. “Sorry. Just… it ain’t that common to get offers of sex like that, to me, at least.”
“Suuure,” Casey drawled, his smile returning. He unpacked their lunch and handed Zeke his. “C’mon, like you haven’t laid half the girl population in Herrington.”
Where Casey may have taken offense to Zeke’s outlook on this place, he snapped his eyes over to give Casey a hard look. “What makes you say that?”
“Well, haven’t you?”
Zeke snarled a little and bit into the ham sandwich. Christ, he hated ham… “Think before you speak, Case. I’m no slut.”
“Oh. Um… I’m sorry,” Casey softly replied. The mood softened a bit, and Zeke shrugged.
“No big. You didn’t say anything no one else hasn’t,” he said.
“Still, I’m your friend. Shouldn’t have assumed like that.”
Zeke nodded and swallowed his first bite. At least there was cheese, which helped… he then glanced to watch Gene sitting back down with his friends, who all leaned in to talk in hushed tones. There was no doubt as to why. “You didn’t say yes, did you?” Zeke asked.
“Mmm… no. Not my type.”
“Oh? What’s your type?”
“Well,” Casey started. He left his sandwich a moment and gazed at the river. “Either my age, or really, really older. But not thirties or forties, even, but… what?”
Zeke didn’t want to giggle like this, but it couldn’t be helped. “‘Really, really older’? Like, HOW old?” he asked incredulously. Casey blushed.
“Old. I dunno, like Captain Picard.”
“Captain Picard?”
“Yea, why? Got a problem? He’s hot as fuck, so shut up,” Casey said past a round of chuckles.
“If you say so…”
“So, who’s YOUR type, huh?”
It was Zeke’s turn to think. He looked around the beach and shrugged. “I dunno,” he muttered. He finally saw a guy standing by a tree, smoking a cigarette and talking with someone else. He was a bit on the small side, but had nice muscle tone, and he looked teenager… ish. Zeke didn’t realize that he’d looked longer than he should’ve, until the young man turned to find his gaze and blinked, able to be seen from where Zeke sat. He coughed, looked back to Casey and nodded generically to the tree. “Maybe him?”
Casey’s brow furrowed tight. “I’d meant girls, Zeke--I didn’t think you’d actually pick out a GUY!” he spat, his laughing going almost uncontrollable.
“But… we’re here, for fuck’s sake! I thought that was what you’d meant!” he spat back. It didn’t stop Casey from leaning forward onto his knees and coming close to hooting in amusement. Zeke rolled his eyes. “You’re a fuckin’ jerk.”
Casey regained composure, took up his lunch and ate the last three bites in one. “I’m goin’ bag im,” he mumbled past his mouthful.
“Don’t you gotta wait, or some shit?”
“Olb wivesh pale.”
“Huh?”
Casey groaned and swallowed. “Old wive’s tale.”
“Well, sorry, Mr. Rude. Couldn’t understand you past the pound of ham you crammed into your pie-hole,” Zeke retorted.
Shaking his head, Casey stood up and headed back to the water. Zeke watched him without the urge to look away this time. The boy really did seem to be in his element out here, naked as a jaybird and cautiously dipping his toes into the water. It was nice to see, being that Casey hadn’t had a place, anywhere, for so long.
“Hey.”
A new voice made Zeke look up; then up MORE, as he was eye-level with a nice-sized cock. He cleared his throat and realized that it was the guy he’d looked at during Casey’s questioning. “Um… hi.”
The young man smiled and sat down on the sand next to him. “Name’s Tommy… you?”
Oh no. Oh god. “Zeke…”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve never seen you here before.”
“I’m… I came with a friend,” Zeke stammered out.
“Yea, I saw,” Tommy said. He looked out to the water at Casey, who’d just turned around and spotted the exchange happening. “Wanna go for a walk, or something?”
Zeke swallowed. He looked back at Casey, who was still watching, wearing a blank expression. “I… no,” Zeke said. “I don’t wanna just leave my friend here all alone.”
“Oh, he’s not all alone,” Tommy giggled out; if he was trying to sound cute, it wasn’t working, and he seemed to emote an attitude that made Zeke want to take back his view on ‘his type’. “In fact, uh… well, I guess… Casey, there--that’s his name, right?”
“Uh, yea?”
“Hmm… I guess he’s gotten pretty friendly with some guys here before,” Tommy said.
“Huh? Uh… hate to burst your bubble, but that’s gossip, more than likely,” Zeke retorted.
“Is it?”
“Yea. Why don’t you go back and have another cigarette?”
“Why? I can have one right here, can’t I?” Tommy said. The attempt at seduction in his voice made Zeke scowl.
“No you can’t, actually,” he said with finality.
Tommy seemed to understand. He stood up with a dramatic sigh and crossed his arms. “You can always ask Casey about how much he liked being jail-bait last summer. He’s eighteen now, right?”
Zeke gritted his teeth. He really, really didn’t like this guy. “Uh huh.”
“Hmm. Well, let’s just say that you wouldn’t stand a chance, compared with a fifty-eight year old guy,” Tommy coyly replied with a wink. As he walked away, Zeke felt his face grow hot.
What… the fuck…?
~*~
“It’s too bad no cookout happened… well, we can eat the chips on the ride home.”
Zeke nodded dumbly as he and Casey walked through the woods, gone dark with the sun having been gone for the last hour. It had cooled off, but Zeke’s brain whirred so much it was like a furnace.
He hadn’t had the guts to stand up and say anything to Casey, and didn’t know if he’d EVER be able to. As much as he hadn’t liked that… Tommy, the things he’d said had coincided with Casey’s own admission: really, really older. The questions were ready to burst from his throat…
How far did you go?… Was he really that old?… IS this a place for you to come out and whore out?… What the fuck, a fifty-eight year old guy, with you underage, are you goddamned crazy?!…
“Are you okay?”
The sudden question, along with Zeke needing to stop in his tracks with Casey stopped just in front of him startled him. “Huh, what?” he blurted. Casey cocked an eyebrow.
“You just seem weird. You’ve SEEMED weird, for a bit, now,” Casey said. It went quiet a moment, besides the distant hoot of an owl. Casey sucked his lips in and out, then spoke up again. “Zeke, what did Tommy tell--”
“Did you get it on with an old guy, Casey?” Zeke finally burst forth. Casey blinked furiously at this, but didn’t reply. Zeke sniffed in hard and went on. “Cos’ from what I hear… I mean, did you?”
“Get… ‘get it on’? No. Tommy likes to talk. I met him last year, once--a bit of a rich-kid, total brat--”
“Fine, did you DO something with a fifty-eight year old?”
THAT did something. The pause Casey made now was more noticeable. “I…” he murmured. “Sorta.”
Zeke felt his face fall. “What counts as ‘sorta’?”
Groaning, Casey turned back to the path and began walking. Zeke followed closely as the boy kept speaking. “We just… went for a walk, and--yea, a FEW things…”
“Stop it. Just SAY it.”
“Why?” Casey said, stopping yet again. He whirled around on his heels and crossed his arms. “Look, I don’t treat that place like a scuzzy motel. No one does, really. You don’t have to be afraid that you’re gonna come across a six-person cluster-fuck or anything.”
“You’re still avoiding the question,” Zeke interjected.
“Ugh, we kissed. A bit of groping and just… why the hell do you care?”
“Why… maybe cos’ you’re my friend, and shit like that’s dangerous…?” Zeke scoffed out. “I mean, what the hell, you were what--seventeen?”
“And you’re a virgin, huh?” Casey retorted.
The urge to yell was barely beaten back as Zeke scowled. “No, but I haven’t been jail-bait, at least!” he spat.
“Really… get off your high horse and let it go. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Casey said. He practically flounced in his turning back around, and his steps had more purpose and speed. It made Zeke need to go double-time to catch up.
“Seriously, okay, it’s not that I think the whole--thing is wrong…” Zeke tried, but Casey kept walking. “Stop… okay, stop, I’m trying to talk to you!”
Casey grunted in frustration, but he planted his feet down and stayed still, anyway. “What?”
“Case… the place here, it’s nice, yea. And most of the guys here were pretty cool. I lost count of how many times I got my ass checked out, but it didn’t matter after a while, okay?” Zeke rushed out. “But all it takes is one guy, just one, okay?”
“You think I can’t take care of myself?” Casey said.
“Oh cut it out, that’s not what I meant…”
“I’m careful, Zeke. The walk we took, me and Henry?” Casey said; at Zeke’s confused stare, Casey groaned. “The fifty-eight year old.”
“Okay…”
“We stayed REAL close to the beach, and he knew I had made friends with most, so he wasn’t about to try anything. Three or four guys would’ve shown up and given him shit,” Casey explained. “And don’t give me flak for being underage. I was seventeen, and we hurt no one. Okay? I never even saw him again after that.”
Zeke nodded… then a question popped into his head at light speed, then proceeded to fly out of his mouth. “Who WAS the friend you came here with last summer?”
Casey blinked; after a moment, a slow, small smile crept onto his lips. “No one you know,” he said, then began walking off. “So, are we done talking about my little escapade last summer?”
“No. Who’d you go with?”
“Not saying.”
“Does he go to Herrington High, or did he?”
“Not. Saying,” Casey said with emphasis.
Zeke huffed. “You’re a brat.”
“So, Zekie… after today, would you say you’ve been turned?” Casey asked in a light, teasing voice.
“What, gay?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Wouldn’t say so…”
“Oh really? If your cock could talk, it would’ve been yelling, ‘Hey baby, over here! Sit on me!’ to at least two or three of the guys you’d stare at,” Casey said. “Christ, did your jeans get tight.”
“Oh, SHUT up,” Zeke retorted. “Haven’t you ever heard of a hard-on when looking at sexual imagery? What’re you looking at my dick for, anyway?”
“Um…” Casey said, now turning to look at Zeke while walking backwards. “I’m gay?”
Zeke blinked fast. Oh dear hell. “So… you like me, or something?” he asked haltingly.
Casey shrugged slowly and turned back around. “You’re all right.”
A smile grew on Zeke’s face. “N’aw, that ain’t it. C’mon, admit it. I’m sex on wheels.”
“Oh, Zeke…” Casey breathed out. “Yes. You’re quite hot, and I’d do you. How’s that? Better?”
“Yea,” Zeke said. He sighed and clucked his tongue, feeling cocky. “I’ll bet I’d be better than… whatever friend you used to hang with. Maybe even the old guy.”
“Hey, man--anytime you wanna back that up with some action, you lemmee know. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten laid.”
“WHOA.”
“What?”
“You’ve done the deed?” Zeke replied, shocked.
“Well yes, did you think I was a virgin? C’mooon…” Casey drawled.
You learned something new every day, and in Zeke’s case, he didn’t know whether to be pleasantly surprised or… ‘You wouldn’t be his first. Damn…’ He had to stop thinking like this. He wasn’t gay, after all.
“Fuckin’ mosquitoes,” Casey grumbled. Zeke watched the boy lift the back of his shirt to scratch at his lower back; he swallowed hard.
“Uh huh,” was all he could say. It took him a few more long looks--the nape of Casey’s neck, the way his hair curled slightly just by his ears, the strong, slightly-hidden muscle of his back, the memory of his entire, bare-to-the-world body--to realize that he did, in fact, have a new crush on his best friend.
He’d say later that he really, really wasn’t gay, because he wasn’t, but Casey would have a hard time believing him after being turned around with a gentle hand and kissed by a supposed straight-as-an-arrow best friend.