Tales from Kingswood - Chapter 37 (Patreon)

Monday 29 June 2020

“Well that was…” Mr Yaeger paused, sucking his teeth for a moment, thinking how best to put it. The four Year 7 boys had just finished performing a piece they had put together on today’s subject. In his years the school, he had known many musically-gifted students. More than one had gone on to join established companies like the Royal Philharmonic. Some had found more mainstream success, with one being a one-hit wonder and the school’s equivalent of Rick Astley, while another was on his third world tour with several successful albums. The boys he had just heard were… nothing like them.

The man sighed. “Honestly lads, I know I’m meant to be supportive, but that was dreadful!” The comment got a laugh, even from the four boys who were very much aware of their lack of talent. “Seriously, if the smell of an eggy fart, in a packed elevator on a sweaty day was turned into music, that was how it would sound!” Mr Yaeger went on. The boys were in hysterics.

“Sir, can we quote that on the cover of our album?” Ewan Thompson, one of the dorm 1.02 boys responsible for the crime against music asked playfully.

“Of course, and I’ll even sign it for you!” Mr Yaeger joked. “Now if you could return to your seats and apologise to the rest of the class for what you just inflicted on them, we can all move on with our lives!”

The boys moved across the room, getting a strange mix of cheers and boos from the dorm 1.01 and 1.02 students that made up the class.

“Now we’re almost out of time, so a quick reminder, final auditions for the end of year music competition are after school on Friday,” Mr Yaeger explained, raising his voice as the imminent end of the school day began raising the volume of the chattering boys. “Not everyone need apply!” He looked to the boys who were back in their seats, getting another laugh. “But it would be nice to have a little more Year 7 representation. See me if you have any questions. And with that…” he paused, waiting a moment then giving a smug grin as the bell rang, “You are free to go!”

There was a mad rush for the door as usual but as Nicky and Chris headed towards it, Mr Yaeger called out, “Not so fast, you two!”

Chris grinned, knowing the conversation that was coming. Nicky was… less happy.

“I still don’t have your names on the sign-up list for the competition!” Mr Yaeger said, raising his eyebrows as he looked back and forth between the two boys. “I usually expect to see all members of Music Club auditioning, especially when they’re as good as you two!”

Chris sighed. “I know Sir. I’ll definitely be signing up, but I’m trying to convince SOMEONE to sign up with me as a duet!” He nodded towards Nicky.

Nicky let out a disgruntled moan.

“And let me guess. SOMEONE is still struggling with stage fright, are they?” Mr Yaeger asked, looking questioningly at Nicky.

“Someone is!” Nicky said bluntly. “I mean… I is… erm… am. I am!” he stumbled over his words. Even thinking about performing in front of people got him exceptionally nervous.

“Nicky, you remember the start of the year. You wouldn’t even perform in front of the rest of Music Club, but eventually you did it, you got through it and now it’s no problem!” Mr Yaeger reminded the boy.

“If by ‘no problem’, you mean he has to change his underwear afterwards!” Chris sniggered. He got a disapproving look from the other two.

“It’s not that bad!” Nicky insisted, then blushed a little as he looked back at the teacher and said, “But I still get crazy nervous with it! There’s no way I can perform in front of the whole school. AND parents!”

“Well the parents won’t be there, they just get to see the recording!” Mr Yaeger explained.

“Oh so JUST the whole school then!” Nicky said sarcastically.

“And forever recorded on the internet!” Chris added.

“You’re not helping!” Mr Yaeger said bluntly to the boy.

“I rarely do!” Chris sniggered. He threw an arm around Nicky. “Look mate, I’ve told you, you sound great singing with me and we’d slay the competition, but even if you don’t sing, you could just play!”

“It’s an option!” Mr Yaeger said, nodding.

“Not a good one!” Nicky grumbled. “But I’ll think about it!”

“Good lad!” Mr Yaeger said as he stood, patting the tall boy on the back. “Now, Music Club starts in ten minutes. You both with me tonight?”

“No Sir, I’ve got Diving!” Nicky replied.

“I’m just nipping Home to get changed, but I’ll be here!” Chris said happily.

Mr Yaeger sighed. “Imagine my delight!”

Nicky sniggered at the comment as Chris screwed up his face in mock annoyance.

The two boys hurried back over to the Home Building, catching up with the rest of the dorm. As they got inside, James and David headed straight off to Chess Club, while Nicky grabbed his Diving gear, heading off towards the Sports Complex with the football players.

Chris had just got changed and grabbed his guitar when he spotted Rob still laying on his bunk. “Not going to watch?” he asked, knowing Rob usually went to spectate when Josh was at football.

“Nah,” Rob replied, shaking his head. “I’m… trying to give Josh some space,” he said with a meek smile.

Chris smiled at the comment as he wandered over and sat on the side of Josh’s bunk, facing Rob. “I’m really glad he’s got you, ya know. After all the shit he’s been through, it’s nice to have someone to help him through it all.”

Rob smiled at the compliment but shook his head. “Danny’s done WAAAY more than I have for him!”

“Hmmmm,” Chris hummed, thinking about it. “Nah,” he said shaking his head. “I mean, yeah. Danny’s done loads and… I dunno, they definitely… share a broken-ness!”

“Not a word!” Rob said quickly.

“Is now!” Chris insisted. “But you’re the best mate. You’re not the one who’s there holding his hand when he has the big breakdowns, but you’re there for every single second in between and trust me, I know how much work that takes!”

“Hnnh, yeah, I guess so!” Rob said with a nod, realising that was exactly what Chris was for Danny too. “You’re way smarter than you look!”

“Thanks!” Chris said with a grin, but then narrowed his eyes making sure Rob knew he had picked up on the playful insult too. “So is laying around on your bunk the extent of your plans while you’re giving Josh space? You’re welcome to come along to Music Club!”

Rob smirked. “You kidding? I make Ewan and his mates sound good! But thanks. I’ll probably go see who’s hanging out in the Common Room, maybe play some pool!”

“Come on then, I’ll walk you there,” Chris said, mostly just wanting to ensure Rob didn’t actually just stay on his own.

“Such a gentleman!” Rob sniggered as Chris put an arm around him to guide him to the door. “And such a long way too!” he said, peering at the Common Room door just a few metres away.

“I live to serve!” Chris said, giving an over-exaggerated bow and nearly hitting himself in the face with his guitar case before hurrying off down the stairs.

Once Chris was gone, Rob almost considered going back to the dorm, but decided against it and wandered into the Common Room. The only other Year 7 boys not attending after-school clubs were Steve and JC from dorm 1.04 and they looked to be caught up in a pretty intense game on the Xbox. Figuring he could sit and do some reading for Book Club, he grabbed a drink from the kitchen and headed to take a seat in one of the booths.

As he walked along, he heard, “Rob!” He glanced round to see Alex Barnes sat alone in a booth. “Hey!” he added as the younger boy looked at him.

“Oh, hi Alex,” Rob said, slightly awkwardly. While Josh had helped set the record straight on Alex, revealing that he had actually been one of the few people who had been able to protect him from some of his brother’s wrath, Rob had found it hard to shake off the lingering feeling of actively hating the older boy for several months.

“What you up to?” Alex asked quietly.

Rob shrugged. “Not much,” he said casually. “You?”

“Same!” Alex answered. After a few moments of silence that felt about ten times longer, Alex asked, “Wanna join me?”

He considered making an excuse, or simply just saying no, but Josh had said several times now that Alex was actually a really nice guy and Rob absolutely trusted Josh. Maybe it was time to give Alex a proper chance. “Sure,” he said with a smile, taking a seat opposite him.

*****

It was always strange for Danny when a session with the Swimming or Football team took place in the school’s gym. He was so used to his quiet workouts before school, with the gym occupied by just Jesse and maybe a few other boys. When the room was full, it felt almost like the others were encroaching on his home turf.

Today, though, he was almost glad of the company. It had only been two days since he and Chris had been released from Covid jail, thankfully with a clean bill of health, and he was still feeling the joy of being around other people again.

There was, of course, one big drawback, one that was highlighted as he burst into a sprint on the treadmill. With several other members of the Years 7, 8 and 9 football teams standing around and openly laughing at him, his cock slapped back and forth against his naked body. The arousal of the humiliation was struggling against the exertion of the run and keeping his cock in a perpetual state of semi-hardness.

His nudity was part of the punishment he was receiving for putting himself in quarantine in the first place. He had deliberately put himself at risk of being infected by breaking in to be with Chris and, noble as it had been, it was something the school were taking exceptionally seriously. While the infection remained absent from the school, that was primarily due to the almost draconian rules in place for controlling it. With COVID-19 showing no signs of going away any time soon, the senior staff were seeking to make an example of Danny as a deterrent to put anyone off such risky behaviour.

They had waited until he was out of quarantine to issue his punishment, but the moment he was out he had been stripped, advised he would remain that way for the rest of the school year (fortunately just 3 weeks) and given a few extra punishments on top. To make matters worse, also seeking to use Danny as a cautionary tale for the other students, Joseph had been tasked by the Year 13s with ensuring Danny received even more punishment. Their intention was purely to give the message that both staff and students took the pandemic deadly serious.

Somehow, despite being a panting, sweaty, naked, semi-aroused, publicly-shamed spectacle, Danny still managed to have something more pressing on his mind, or rather… someone! Brian had continued to visit Chris throughout their quarantine but had not once come to see Danny.

Not that Danny wanted to see him, of course. Why would he want that? Danny hated Brian. He was an ass-hat who called him stupid names. Stupid… sweet… adorable names… that Danny hated, obviously. It’s not like they were close or anything, outside of the name-calling, they had never even interacted… except for the times Brian had given him helpful advice or helped him with his problems. Other than that, they never spoke… though they did text, usually a couple of emojis as an invite to meet at the school’s gloryholes when they had blown each other… repeatedly. But that was JUST anonymous sex, meaningless hook-ups, they never even saw each other’s faces… except for right before the quarantine when Brian had… romanced him? Was it romantic to make out under a recreation of the night sky in a science lab? It felt like it was. Brian had taken his virginity and Danny, in turn, had taken Brian’s. But that was the extent of it, just a brief, fleeting, year-long journey of getting to know each, bonding, great sex and a romantic finale. It obviously meant nothing!

That was what Danny kept telling himself. It meant nothing. Brian had been so ashamed by what they had done in the science lab that he asked Danny not to tell anyone about it, that they should pretend it never happened, so that’s what Danny was doing. Pretending it never happened. Any of it. Brian was nothing more than his mentor’s best friend… and his best friend’s mentor. See, all so straightforward!

“Hey Danny, you need to work on your ball control!” Mikey called out, teasing his naked friend as he ran.

“Piss off, Mikey!” Danny shouted back angrily, getting just as much of a laugh as Mikey’s comment.

“You could really do with developing your tackle!” a Year 8 boy called out. More laughs.

Danny realised what Mikey had started and glowered at him angrily. He stopped the treadmill and stomped out of the room with more jokes and puns, most of which weren’t even that clever, wafting out behind him. Figuring that the rest of practice would likely be just as annoying, he decided to distract himself with the other thing he had missed most during his time in quarantine – gloryholes!

He made his way into the locker room and headed for the toilet cubicles. With Year 7-9 football practice, Year 10-11 swimming practice and Year 12-13 rugby practice in full swing, it seemed unlikely he would be getting any action, but he was pleasantly surprised to find one door locked already when he got there. As he stepped inside a cubicle next to it, locked the door and slid the toilet paper dispenser forward, he was delighted see the concealed panel drop and the gloryhole appear.

Within moments, a cock poked through. A large, perfect, beautiful cock… that he recognised! “Oh for fuck’s sake!” he called out with a sigh and flopped down onto the floor, leaning against the opposite side of the cubicle. “Brian!”

“Nibbles?” Brian called out as the penis pulled back.

Danny smiled at the playful name… that he hated! “Yeah!” he replied dejectedly as he saw Brian’s eye appear at the hole. “Shouldn’t you be at football?”

“Unless you’re swimming in that toilet, I don’t really think you can comment!” Danny said gruffly.

Brian burst into laughter at the comment and Danny reluctantly smiled along too. “What are you doing?” Brian asked.

“Being really shit at avoiding you, apparently!” Danny answered painfully honestly.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Brian asked curiously.

“Because you’re avoiding ME!” Danny stated, as if it were obvious.

Brian thought for a moment, then asked, “If I was avoiding you, would you actually need to avoid me?”

“You’re doing that thing again!” Danny grumbled.

Brian’s face screwed up a little around the visible eye peering through the hole. “What thing?” he asked.

“Being right all the time!” Danny said, huffing.

“Can we talk?” Brian requested as he sniggered.

“Well you’d be cutting into my busy evening of having everyone take the piss, so keep it short. Don’t wanna miss the fun!” Danny said sardonically.

“I meant face-to-face,” Brian added.

Danny frowned. “Are you sure? Think about what happened last time we were face-to-face!”

“I am!” Brian insisted, then closed his side of the hole.

Danny stretched his foot out and used it to lift the panel on his side, clicking it into place then reached up and unlocked the cubicle door.

After waiting a few moments to see if Danny would pull the door open himself, Brian pushed it, looked in and asked, “We’re talking in here then, are we?”

“Well it’s a bit far to the Science lab!” Danny said, more pointedly than intended.

Brian shook his head as he shut and locked the door, then sat down opposite Danny. Having come from the pool, he was currently wearing nothing but a school speedo. “Look, I’m sorry I took advantage of you. I didn’t mean to upset you like this and I… I should have known better and…”

“Piss off!” Danny suddenly interrupted.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I’ll go!” Brian said, moving to stand up.

Danny grabbed his leg, feeling a churn in his stomach as his hand made contact. “No, I didn’t mean… go. I meant… like, piss off, you didn’t take advantage!”

“But… before we did it… you were upset and… angry,” Brian said, confused.

“YOU were upset and angry too. Does that mean I took advantage of you?” Danny reasoned.

“No, but I’m older!” Brian argued back.

“And I’m smarter, what’s your point?” Danny retaliated with a wry grin.

“You’re a cheeky little fucker, sometimes!” Brian said, shaking his head. “So if it’s not that, then… what is it? Why are you avoiding me… or think I’m avoiding you or… avoiding each other? Whatever!”

“Well you said you wanted to act like it never happened!” Danny said accusingly.

“No!” Brian disagreed. “I asked if that was what you wanted, after YOU said we shouldn’t tell anyone! And then YOU said that would be for the best!”

“No!” Danny immediately disagreed. “I, well… erm…” As he thought about it, he realised Brian was right. “Shit! I thought you were ashamed of me!”

“And I thought I’d hurt you!” Brian offered back sympathetically.

“Well sitting down was a bit uncomfortable for a couple of days,” Danny said with a playful grin.

“Clearly enjoying the memory!” Brian sniggered, nodding to Danny’s crotch where his cock was now at full attention.

Danny just shrugged his acceptance. “I’ve given up trying to control it!”

Brian chuckled, blushing. “Look, I know you’re not into… dating or whatever and I’m not saying if you were that that’s what we’d be doing, I’m just saying… what we did was fun. Most the things we do are fun. And I like… fun!”

“You like fun?” Danny asked, wide-eyed. “OMG ME TOO!”

“Can the sarcasm, Smiles. It’s not big and it’s not clever!” Brian said, then looked at Danny’s crotch and said, “And neither’s that!”

“Bitch!” Danny replied, sniggering. Brian blew him a kiss by way of an apology and got a headshake from Danny who continued to smile. “Ya know, since we’re here and we happen to be two of those really rare people who LIKE fun,” he smiled as Brian rolled his eyes, “We could… do stuff!”

“OMG, you like stuff? Me too!” Brian mocked Danny.

“Can the sarcasm,” Danny said in his best Brian impersonation. “It’s…”

He never got to finish the impression; his lips silenced by Brian’s. As Brian went to pull away, Danny hummed, “Nuh-uh!” and kept hold, wrapping his arms around him and continuing the kiss. They sat together kissing for a few minutes until Danny finally released his grip.

Brian glanced round and said, “We’re not doing this again!”

Danny let out a disappointed whimper.

“No, not this!” Brian said, leaning in to give him another gentle kiss. “I mean this!” He gestured to the cubicle. “Some… quick shag in a toilet. You deserve better!”

“That’s sweet,” Danny said happily. “But does that mean, we’re not…”

“Oh don’t worry. I’m making you cum!” Brian assured him. “But first, stand up and turn around!”

Danny quickly jumped to his and turned to face away from Brian, a foot either side of his legs. He felt a hand grab each of his buttocks, squeezing them gently.

“God, you really have the cutest arse!” Brian growled.

Danny grinned. “That’s what I hear!” he said cheerfully. As he leaned against the cubicle wall, holding himself back slightly with both hands he felt Brian part his cheeks. He clenched immediately and said awkwardly, “I… I’m sweaty!”

“I can handle a bit of sweat, mate!” Brian reassured him. “Relax,” he added, massaging the buttocks and feeling them soften a little. He pulled them apart again and stared at the boy’s puckered hole. As far as he knew, he was the only one to ever go there. Somehow, that thought alone made his cock throb in its speedo. He leaned forward, stiffened the tip of his tongue and pressed it into the virginal-apart-from-that-one-time hole.

Danny let out a moan at the feeling, but as he felt a slight weakness in his limbs his hands dropped a little and he fell face-first into the cubicle wall. He immediately yelled out in pain and raised his hand to his mouth.

Brian immediately jumped to his feet and turned Danny to face him. “You okay, bud?” he asked, holding the smaller boy by the shoulders.

Danny whimpered and lowered his hands a little. As they both looked down, they saw red. Danny looked at Brian, visibly scared, almost crying.

“It’s okay,” Brian said, running his fingers through Danny’s golden hair. “Just looks like a split lip, no big deal, but we should get you to Dr Arkwright just in case!”

Danny shook his head and hummed, “Nuh-uh!”

“You sure?” Brian asked, looking down at him.

“Yeah, I’ve done it before,” Danny said, remembering the time he ran face-first into the patio door at home. “Was just… a shock!”

“Okay,” Brian nodded. He looked off to the side and closed the lid on the toilet, then sat on it. “C’mere,” he said, grabbing Danny by the waist and pulling him closer.

Danny straddled Brian’s lap, wondering whether he was just going back to whatever sexual shenanigans he had in mind before he hurt himself.

Brian grabbed some toilet paper, then took hold of Danny’s hand and wiped the blood away. Grabbing a clean wad, he reached up and wiped Danny’s chin where a dribble of blood had trickled its way down, then delicately dabbed at his lip. “Oh my God, look what it’s done to your face!” he suddenly declared, eyes wide.

“What, what is it?” Danny asked, reaching up to his face, panicking.

“Oh, my bad. That’s how it always looks!” Brian teased.

Danny’s face went from panicked, to relieved, to annoyed, to vengeful and finally to amused so quickly it made Brian laugh aloud. “You’re such a dick!” he said, shaking his head but unable to actually look annoyed.

Brian reached up and dabbed Danny’s lip with the tissue again and said, “You shouldn’t talk!”

“Does it make it bleed more?” Danny asked.

“No, it’s just annoying!” Brian sniggered, amazed to have pulled off another comedic insult. As Danny stared at him, starting to look annoyed he grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, I’m just kidding!” he chuckled.

Danny wanted to be annoyed, but feeling their chests pressed together, the strong arms holding him tightly, the lingering scent of body spray mixed with chlorine from the pool, it made him melt. He just lost himself in Brian’s arms.

“This is really nice!” Brian whispered after a couple of minutes without moving.

“What? Me not talking?” Danny asked, rolling his eyes as he kept holding on.

“No. Just… this!” Brian replied sincerely, giving Danny a gentle squeeze.

“Mmmyeah,” Danny replied dreamily.

After a few more minutes, Danny pulled back. Looking a little sheepish, he said, “Sorry I… headbutted a wall and messed everything up. I really enjoyed what you were doing, ya know, for all one second of it!”

Brian chuckled then leaned in, staring deep into Danny’s eyes for a moment before planting a playful kiss on the end of his nose. “Don’t be sorry. Rimming you woulda been pretty memorable, but breaking your face with my tongue… that’s unforgettable!”

Danny shook his head, suppressing a smile. “I’m glad my pain amuses you!”

“It really does!” Brian nodded, though the way his hands gently caressed up and down Danny’s body made it clear he actually cared.

“We still have time, ya know,” Danny said with a wicked grin. As Brian raised an eyebrow at him, Danny reached down into the older boy’s speedo and pulled out his dick.

“Hmmm, sure, why not!” Brian said with a casual shrug, though the way his cock was inflating in Danny’s hand gave away the eagerness he was trying to hide. He took hold of Danny’s cock which had stiffened even faster than his own.

They sat together, jerking each other off eagerly. As Danny leaned in, resting his forehead and nose against Brian’s, both boys closed their eyes, enjoying the closeness every bit as much as the mutual masturbation.

“I’m close,” Danny whispered after a couple of minutes.

“Me too!” Brian whispered back happily.

Brian leaned back against the wall as Danny’s eager hand finished him off. With the boy still pumping away excitedly, Brian sprayed his body with a half dozen hefty spurts, then dribbled a half dozen over Danny’s hand before he finally stopped.

“Unnnh, yessss!” Danny hissed excitedly as Brian’s stroking brought him to climax too. Three decent shots landed and mingled in with Brian’s spunk, while the rest dribbled out onto Brian’s hand.

“Hey, we match!” Brian joked, raising his cum-covered hand alongside Danny’s.

Danny knew what he was about to do. He couldn’t control himself. He didn’t know whether Brian would like it or mock him for it, but he was quite happy with either option as he grabbed the older boy’s hand and eagerly sucked the spunk from it. With Brian watching in amazed delight, Danny moved onto his own hand and repeated the move.

“Fuck, you beautiful little pervert!” Brian chuckled, then watched in continuing bewilderment as Danny slid off his lap, knelt on the ground then leaned in to start lapping up the long streaks from his body.

As Danny finished, he pulled back, sitting on his feet as he looked up innocently at Brian who seemed lost for words. Grinning, Danny said playfully, “Word of advice. You ever cut your lip, don’t get cum in it. Stings like a bitch!”

Laughing aloud, Brian leaned forward and kissed the boy on the forehead.

*****

Rob had felt exceptionally awkward sitting with Alex at first. Neither had really known what to say, but after ending up on the subject of rugby, they had both become a lot more animated, especially upon finding out they both supported the same team.

The conversation had been running quite smoothly after that but came to a slight halt when two other Year 9 boys passed by the table.

“Hey guys,” Alex said with a cautious smile.

They both looked back at him, shook their heads slightly and carried on walking past, whispering to each other.

Alex blushed as he realised Rob had witnessed the awkward moment, staring down at his hands as they fiddled together on the table between them.

“What was that?” Rob asked, looking over at the other two then back to Alex.

“Nothing, I just…” Alex started, then shook his head dejectedly as he shrugged. “It doesn’t matter!”

“Kinda feels like it does!” Rob disagreed.

Alex went to speak, but as he glanced round and saw the other boys looking his way he just sighed and shook his head again.

“Wanna go for a walk?” Rob asked, nodding towards the door.

Alex smiled and nodded.

Once they got outside, casually strolling through the school grounds, Alex began to open up a lot more. “Like, I’m not saying what I got even came close to what Josh lived through, but his brothers…” Alex paused and sighed. “They… they proper fucked me up, ya know!”

“How?” Rob asked. He knew Josh’s brother Ryan had been Alex’s mentor, which was how he got drawn into the whole Josh situation in the first place, but details beyond that had been… sketchy. Josh tended to save talking about that stuff for when he was with Danny or his therapist.

“Well, you’re pretty close with your mentor, I’m guessing?” Alex enquired.

Rob nodded.

“Well so was I. Like, more than close. Ryan was… my hero! He was so cool and so funny and I fucking worshipped him, but… I dunno, it’s complicated,” Alex said, shaking his head. “Like, him and Mark spent years telling me ‘our little brother is evil’ and ‘Josh is the worst person in the world’ and stuff like that. They just… kept… filling me with all this hate and it…” He went quiet, unsure how to go on.

“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering!” Rob said, keeping a straight face.

“Yeah, I guess,” Alex agreed. “That’s pretty deep!” They were walking along past the Sports Complex, casually watching the boys on the various courts and pitches. “Who taught you that?”

“Star Wars!” Rob said with a grin. “Couple of guys in my dorm are a bit obsessed and some of it kinda sticks!”

Alex chuckled, but it quickly faded. “Yeah, your dorm seems great. I… don’t really get on with mine. All that… hate and everything, I dunno, it kinda… brought out the worst side of me! The side I thought I needed to have to impress Ryan… but now he’s gone, I’m stuck feeling shit for how I’ve acted and everyone in my year still thinks I’m a twat who helped hurt Josh!”

“Can’t you tell them it was Ryan and Mark?” Rob asked. He and the others had been able to forgive Josh for some of his actions after finding out his brothers had made him do it.

Alex shrugged. “Yeah, but… was it?” he asked. “I mean, yeah, they literally forced Josh to do and say things but with me… sure, they… I dunno, influenced me, but it was still ME that did the things I did!”

Rob nodded sympathetically.

“It’s just… it’s tough,” Alex confessed. “So much of my life here was built around… ya know… impressing Ryan and Mark but now they’re gone, and I feel…” He shook his head, thinking.

“You feel lost!” Rob stated confidently.

“Yeah, exactly!” Alex agreed. “How d’you know?”

Rob let out a gentle sigh and nodded over to a football pitch where Josh and Mikey were running drills with a couple of other boys. “Cos of him!”

Alex frowned curiously, gently placing a hand on Rob’s back as he looked a little upset.

Rob nodded and said, “I’ve been through this whole ‘worried I’m being replaced’ thing with him and I know we’re good. We’re mates. That’s not changing.”

“But?” Alex prompted.

Rob sighed again. “But… this year. I spent half of it worrying about what was happening to Josh, trying to figure out and trying to help, then I spent the other half of the year helping pick up the pieces after it all went to hell!”

“Oh!” Alex said, nodding his understanding. “So now all the pieces are… picked up… and you’re wondering where you fit?”

Rob nodded. “There’s a boy in my dorm, James. Josh said something to him when he was… ya know… being controlled. He told him he doesn’t have a personality. I mean, it’s crap, he does, he’s just not… I dunno, big and loud like so many other guys in the dorm. But it made me think about me, about who I’ve been since I got here and… it’s tragic, but my personality is… Josh! It’s like, I exist purely to revolve around him! I don’t even know who I am!”

“Wow, aren’t you a bit young for an existential crisis?” Alex asked with a slight chuckle.

Rob frowned. “I might be if I knew what that was!” he said with a snigger.

“Good point,” Alex chuckled. “I don’t have answers for you, but I do have a bit of advice if you want it!”

Rob nodded.

“You’re in Year 7!” Alex stated.

“That’s not advice!” Rob said bluntly.

“Geez, relax, I was getting to it, you might wanna look for some patience while you’re hunting down your personality!” Alex said, elbowing Rob gently.

“Get on with it!” Rob insisted with a smirk.

“My point was, you’re in Year 7. You probably don’t know this, but we have a saying here… ‘there’s no drama quite like Year 7 drama’. And it’s true. You’re suddenly here, being treated like adults and everything that happens feels huge and world-changing because compared to life before Kingswood… it is!” Alex explained. “But you’ve still got another six years in this place and I promise as soon as you start moving up, you’re gonna realise all this big stuff… it’s not really so big! So my advice… just give it some time. You’ve got plenty of it!”

Rob smiled at Alex and nodded as he let it sink in.

*****

Nicky and Mikey staggered into the locker room. Sometimes, Basketball was fun, with just friendly games, shooting practice and a lot of messing around. Other nights, it was brutal physical training intended to hone their physique and improve their general fitness. Tonight had been the latter and to call it gruelling would be an understatement.

“I think I might just sleep here!” Mikey said as he flopped onto the bench in the middle of the rows of lockers.

“Yeah, me too!” Nicky joked, playfully laying on top of him.

“Ugh, too heavy, get off!” Mikey grumbled.

“Too heavy?” Nicky asked, looking down at his painfully slender frame. “You’ve eaten things bigger than me!”

“Whatever, shut up, sleeping!” Mikey said, closing his eyes.

“Mind if I join you?”

Nicky and Mikey both yelled out, shocked by the sudden voice. Mikey jumped, launched Nicky off of the bench. He grabbed Mikey to try and save himself but ended up just dragging him down with him. Staring up from the floor where they landed, they saw Chris leaning over the bench looking at them both.

“You scared the shit outta me!” Nicky snapped.

“Good thing you’re about to shower then!” Chris chuckled.

“What are you doing here?” Mikey asked as he climbed onto his feet grumpily and started to undress.

“Showering, duh!” Chris said, rolling his eyes.

“Monday night’s Drama Club!” Nicky said with a frown. “Not usually a ‘need a shower afterwards’ kind of club, is it?”

Chris grinned. “Needing a shower and wanting a shower are very different things,” he paused looking Nicky up and down, “Especially when you have company!”

“So this is a ‘you and Nicky’ thing?” Mikey asked as he wrapped his towel around his waist. When Chris nodded, he smiled and looked to Nicky. “Great, he’s your problem!” Sniggering to himself, he headed off to the showers.

“This best not be about what I think it’s about!” Nicky scowled.

“That depends,” Chris said playfully.

“On what?” Nicky asked as he pulled his towel and clothes out of the locker.

“On what you think it’s about. Duh!” Chris joked.

Nicky shook his head. “I think… it’s about a certain competition!”

“Nope,” Chris lied unconvincingly. “Can’t a guy just surprise his friend with shower sex without being after something?”

Nicky sighed. “Whatever. Come on!” He grabbed his stuff and headed to the shower room.

Though Nicky remained fully dressed, always waiting until he was securely in a shower to get naked, Chris was casually stripping as he walked, though after taking off his top, removing the rest proved problematic and he ended up hopping the rest of the way with his jeans down round his ankles. “Evening!” he said casually as they passed a couple of amused-looking older boys.

Once they were in the cubicle and both stripped off, Nicky looked at Chris and said, “Come on then, let’s hear it!”

Chris frowned for a moment then grinned as he playfully offered, “Yes Daddy, fuck me harder?”

With a reluctant smirk, Nicky snapped. “No, not that!” He paused, thought and mused, “Hmm, maybe that!” then shook his head again, shaking himself back to his senses and said, “Whatever it is you’re here to try and convince me. Just get it over with!”

“You really think I’m like that?” Chris asked looking hurt. He leaned in and kissed Nicky’s neck, getting a quiet moan. “I’m just here…” he kissed the slender chest and flicked his tongue across a nipple. “To have some fun…” he squatted lower, kissing the flat stomach. “And to make you feel good…” he took Nicky’s balls in one hand, caressing them as he used the other hand to hold the large dick. He ran his tongue up it from base to tip, getting a shuddery moan from Nicky. “And to tell you we’re performing a duet of ‘Stuck With U’ for the dorm in about fifteen minutes!” He plunged the dick into his mouth.

“Mmmm,” Nicky moaned before the words really sank in. “What? No!” He yelped out, pulling back.

The dick popped out of Chris’ mouth and away from his grasp. He lunged forward and sucked it down again, reaching up to tweak a nipple as he rolled the boy’s balls in his other hand.

“Chris, you’re… not gonna… convince me to do this… with a blow job!” Nicky gasped, feeling himself getting convinced to do it by the blow job. He moaned happily as Chris sucked away at his straining tool. “Chris…”

The squatting boy pulled back, then said, “Shh, can’t talk, sucking!”

“Fine, make me cum,” Nicky conceded. “But it’s still a no!”

Chris spat out the cock and stood up, scowling furiously. “No!” he snapped.

“No what?” Nicky asked, smiling.

“No to your no!” Chris insisted.

“And what If I say no to your no to my no?” Nicky asked.

“Well that just makes no sense!” Chris said, shaking his head. “Also, shut up!”

“No!” Nicky grinned.

Chris actually looked angry. “Look, I’m a considerate guy. I know when there’s problems. I support David with his agoraphobia. Josh and Danny’s PTSD or whatever. Fuck, Dr A thinks I might even have Autophobia…”

“Fear of cars?” Nicky enquired.

Chris sniggered, dropping out of his anger for a moment to say, “Fear of being alone!”

“Ah, yeah, I can see that!” Nicky nodded.

“And I get that you’ve clearly got body issues too… and so has David. Wow, our dorm is SO fucked up!” Chris said thoughtfully.

“True, but stay on point,” Nicky urged.

“Right, yes. Okay! So I get all that, but you, with the stage fright… that’s just you being a damn pussy! So you’re scared? Big fucking deal. So am I when I get on stage. But Nicky, you’re good. Like, really good. Annoyingly I think you’re better than me but I’m a supportive friend so I’m encouraging it cos I want you to do well. But the point is… just fucking do it, okay!” Chris ranted, breathing heavily by the time he finished.

“He’s right!” a voice called from the next cubicle.

“Hey, private conversation!” Nicky snapped.

“Yeah, stay out of it!” a voice called from the other side. “But he IS right!”

“Just… finish what you’re doing and go away!” Nicky shouted back to the mysterious voices.

“I would, but it’s hard to wank to a serious conversation. Go back to sucking him!” the voice on the left called out.

“I second that!” the other voice called out.

“Look, we’re not…” Nicky went to object, but Chris was already on his knees, taking the cock back into his mouth. “Fuck!”

“Yeah baby!” the left voice called out.

“Ugh, I hate this place sometimes,” Nicky muttered.

“Shut up and enjoy,” Chris whispered back. “And then we’re performing, okay!”

Nicky sighed. “Fine!” He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting Chris happily lick and suck at his large tool. He let his eyes flick open for a moment. Looking down was rarely a fun experience for Nicky. He hated what he usually saw. No muscle, no fat, just skin and bones and over-sized dick. He just looked a bit tall and slim to the other boys, but looking down at himself his own body seemed abnormal, at times he would even call it grotesque, but looking down now all he could see was Chris. A boy who he was now almost comfortable being naked with, who he was happy to share his prematurely-developed dick with. Chris was a supporter, a cheerleader and a friend. Also a cock-sucker, that was certainly a nice bonus too.

With the veil or privacy shattered by the sudden conversation, the boys either side, clearly older based on their voices, were not being quiet in finishing off as they eavesdropped on the blow job. While Nicky would have hated to be watched, being heard and knowing it was turning them on was actually quite an enjoyable feeling.

“Ah yeah, I’m cumming!” Nicky moaned, intentionally loud.

As he began to shoot in Chris’ mouth, he heard from one side, “Me too!” and then from the other “And me!” Three boys sharing an anonymous orgasm, it was as exciting as it was amusing.

By the time Nicky had finished showering, enjoying the view of an eagerly masturbating Chris in the corner, the other two guys had gone.

After drying off and joining Mikey, who had waited for them, the three boys hurried back to the dorm. Or rather, Chris and Mikey hurried while dragging a visibly reluctant Nicky with them. As they walked along, Chris talked to Nicky about the arrangement they were about to perform and which parts each of them would sing. They had performed the song a few times now, though never in front of anyone outside of Music Club, so it was far from unrehearsed.

As they got into the dorm, Nicky froze. “I thought you said just the dorm!” he said, shaking.

While the other five boys of the dorm were sat at the far end, quickly joined by Mikey, there were others too. The eight Year 10 mentors were all there, awaiting the show eagerly, along with Kyle, who was sat chatting to Danny and Alex who was nestled in between Rob and Josh, an arm around each of them.

“That’s, like, a hundred people!” Nicky complained.

“Mr Beecham will be so proud of what he’s taught you,” Chris smirked at the mention of the maths teacher. “It’s sixteen guys. You’ve performed in front of this many at Music Club!”

“Yeah, but they’re… like… other music people. They know you hit a bum note or lose your timing now and then. These guys…” Nicky began to complain.

“These guys are your friends. They’re nice, kind, friendly people… and Mikey!” Chris said, getting a snigger from Nicky. “You’ve so got this, mate!”

“Fine, but if I die of embarrassment I’m haunting you for the rest of eternity!” Nicky threatened.

“I’m willing to take that risk!” Chris grinned. “Come on!” He headed along to the end of the dorm where the others were waiting, dragging Nicky with him.

The four sofas had been arranged to face the end of the dorm where a keyboard had been set up, along with Chris’ guitar. Nicky took his place at the keyboard. Aside from being an excellent guitar player and singer like Chris, Nicky was also a competent piano player too.

“Hi guys!” Chris called out happily. “Thank you all for coming on short notice!” There was a collective cheer and a few supportive shouts from the crowd. “We’re considering entering the music competition and thought we’d try out a performance on a smaller audience first. Nicky, here, is a little bit nervous, so show him some love!” Even more cheers.

Nicky blushed heavily but smiled. Awkward as it may have been being the centre of attention, having everyone he cared about in one room cheering for him was certainly a confidence builder.

“Now they say if you get stage fright, you should picture your audience naked,” Chris said with a grin. “But with Danny here, you don’t need to imagine!” The boys all laughed in Danny’s general direction as he pouted. “But now, on with the show!”

Chris started the intro, with Nicky hesitating a moment but quickly joining in. Chris started to sing the Ariana Grande vocals, with the crowd quietly cheering for him. They continued through, to the first chorus and as they neared the end, Chris looked round to Nicky, who appeared terrified and gave a reassuring nod.

Nicky took a deep breath and came in with the Justin Bieber vocals perfectly. Chris was smiling so broadly that he almost missed his next cue, but before they knew it they were singing perfectly together, the small audience utterly entranced.

The song neared its end and Danny felt eyes on him. Not an unusual feeling for a day he had spent walking round naked, but as he glanced round he saw Brian staring as the song continued.

“And there's nothin' I, nothin' I'd rather do

I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you

So, go ahead and drive me insane

Baby, run your mouth, I still wouldn't change

All this lovin' you, hatin' you, wantin' you

I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with”

The song ended and the crowd was on their feet, cheering and clapping excitedly. Behind them, several other boys had wandered in as they heard the performance, something Chris had noticed and worried it might put Nicky off, but was quickly proven wrong.

Chris put down his guitar and grabbed Nicky on an excitable hug. “Mate, we fucking rocked!” he whispered. “Please please please enter the competition with me!”

Smiling as the cheering crowd gathered in closer to offer their praise, Nicky whispered back, “Fine. But please don’t make me sing Justin Bieber again!”