Warning: there is non-graphic mention of consensual sex between minors below. This does not reflect the personal view of the author, nor is it intended to condone or promote such behavior. Reader discretion is advised.
ASH
I spent the whole of the next day driving around with Alejo and Trevor. Alejo played tour guide and directed us where we needed to go for Trev to turn in job applications. Alejo then showed us all of the best “cruising” spots in Phoenix. I received quite an education.
Apparently, cruising for sex and using hookup apps like Grindr were common practices for LGBTQIA2+ kids from an early age.
“Fuck yeah, I punched my V-card with some rando back in SoCal. I was, like, 14 at the time. The other guy was maybe a little older. I remembered seeing him on the football team.” Trevor spoke from the back seat. Alejo nodded in understanding.
“Cruising here is great but you have to be really careful at certain times of the year. You might step on a snake or get a scorpion in your pants.”
“No shit!?!” Trev squawked.
“No shit, dude. That's why I stick with Grindr.”
“I heard all of that was dangerous. Weren't you worried you might get beaten up or worse?” I asked.
“It's more dangerous to get outed at school.” Trevor explained. “Yeah, I could've gotten beaten up while cruising but once you're out at school, you're out to everybody. Then you have a target in your back every fucking day.”
“Same here,” Alejo nodded. He then looked at me. “You’ve never hooked up with anybody?”
I shook my head. “I didn't care about sex until I was almost 16. After that I was already in the group home. After that, I was too busy keeping my head down to think about anything else.”
A slow smile dawned on Alejo's face. “So, you've never….”
“Yes, I'm a virgin. Don't rub it in, okay?” I groused.
“No, no, I was gonna say that's kinda cool. It's special, like a precious gift. I mean, come on, you can only give away once in your life, right?”
“Thank you! That's what I said!” Trevor slapped the back of Alejo's seat for emphasis.
I glared sideways with suspicion, uncertain whether or not they were clowning me but they had already moved on. I then smiled to myself. I kind of liked that they considered my virginity a precious gift.
“If you think virginity is so precious, why did you give it up so early?” I wondered aloud.
“Beyond the obvious, you mean?” Trevor heaved a sigh. “You know how, when you're a little kid, all you want is to grow up? My virginity was this thing I wanted to get rid of as fast as possible. Adults got laid and I wanted to be an adult. After a few years I figured out that it wasn't adulthood I wanted but ‘freedom.’ Freedom to live my life on my terms. By then it was too late.”
Alejo nodded in silent agreement. He directed me to turn left before adding a few thoughts of his own. “I was pretty much the same except I had the added pressure of being the eldest brother in a big family. I had six siblings going through puberty with me and every one of them expected me to set an example, to have the answers when they were too embarrassed to go to Mama y Papa.”
“Shit, how many brothers and sisters do you have?” Trevor gawked.
“Twelve, 13 counting me.” He looked between us, then added, “Catholic family.”
“Your poor mama!” I blurted out and they laughed.
Later, Brad and Scotty Nicholls(1) invited us to dinner to say hello to and welcome Trevor. I used to be scared of crowds and noise, especially kids, but I liked hanging out with these guys. They made me feel like part of their family. I saw where Seth(2) got his ideas about family from and from that, The Village.
It was early yet so we did a Skype call back east. My heart leapt when my favorite little girl, Izzy(3) popped up on screen yelling “ASSO!!! He-LL-o!” She dragged her “L-sound” to show off her latest trick. She was speaking more clearly and growing up so fast. I felt ready to cry. I loved that little girl, my first friend in the whole world.
We had a great time! It was still a little weird hanging out with my boss’ boss’ brother but I was getting used to it. This was my life now. This was my found family every bit as much as those back in Wilmington. At one point I watched as Alejo lay on his belly with kids all over and around him, playing games. They adored him and from the warm way he smiled when they weren't looking, the feeling was mutual. After what he said about his big family, I wondered if he missed them.
My brother, Grady drove me nuts and did shitty things to me but he was still my brother. I wondered if he was okay. I missed Haley, my sister, too. I had no idea what institution the state put her in but I aimed to find out. I didn't know what I was going to do but I promised Mama on her deathbed that I would take care of Haley.
Before long we were back home after a full day. I stopped a moment and let it settle on me. This was my home; not a group home, not a foster home, not a sponsor’s or interim home. This was my home for as long as I wanted–and I could afford rent, but you know what I mean.
Trevor was going back to North Carolina in the morning. Seth convinced him to put in his two week notice at the candle factory and to talk to Max(3) in person. Moreover, he was talking to Daddy James(4) about getting a car. All of this made perfect sense. I wanted Trevor to do this right. “This,” being to move here to Phoenix and live with me.
The Village would see him off with everything Trevor needed to take his best step forward in life. This was a huge relief for me, so why was my gut twisted in knots?
I didn't trust my own judgment yet and to be brutally honest, I didn't trust Trevor's either. We were both teenagers without a lick of sense following our dicks into something neither of us knew anything about.
I resolved before moving to Phoenix to take my personal life nice and slow. I promised to explore my feelings and figure out this whole “sex” thing before I considered getting into a relationship. I was looking forward to trying new things at a comfortable pace. I was ecstatic to have my best friend at my side but some things bothered me.
Trevor called me “babe” which was cute, but possessive. Trevor moving across the country seemed like a big emotional commitment and I was not ready–or was I? How did I know when something was serious? How did I know when I was in love? I knew so little and not knowing set my brain off like water drops in a hot pan. I needed more information. I needed more time. Trevor was leaving in less than six hours. Fuck.
I lay as Trevor's little spoon in my –our– bed. It was dark and quiet in the wee hours of the morning. I felt warm and comfortable. I'd been sleeping like a baby in Trev's arms but not tonight. I shivered with nervous excitement as he pulled me in closer. Trevor licked and kissed my neck just under my ear. He was as hard as a baseball bat and about as thick. He honed my hole with growing pressure, his breaths deepening with lust. I knew what he wanted and I wanted him to have it. All I had to do was lay still and let him claim it.
He positioned my leg for access and set the tip of his phallus against my twitching pucker. His foreskin peeled back, depositing a mass of his body's warm, natural lubricant at the point of entry. Trevor hooked his arm under mine, then his fingers over my opposite clavicle for leverage. He clenched my neck with his teeth and licked my sweaty, salty skin. He pushed with commanding, if patient strength. My heaving breaths matched his as my sphincter slowly yielded to his entry. I sensed a sudden pop in my body as all resistance collapsed and I bolted from the bed.
“Babe?” Trevor shouted in alarm as I crashed into the wall in a state of panic. I scrambled into the bathroom, slammed, then locked the door. I then slid to the floor weeping torrents of tears, blurting “I'm sorry” in a staccato chant of self-loathing. I winced as the doorknob jiggled.
“Ash, I'm sorry, I thought we were ready.” He spoke through the door. I heard the sorrow in his voice.
“I tried, I'm sorry, so sorry!”
“Babe, please unlock the door.”
I let him in, murmuring apologies and chiding myself for locking him out. I knew deep in my soul that I was safe with Trevor. He was my best friend.
We sat rocking together in a knot of limbs until I calmed. “We don't have to do anything,” he pulled me back until our gazes met. “Not until you're ready.”
“I thought I was,” I sagged in misery against him. “‘Fear is a thief,’ and ‘make the decision you least regret,’” I quoted. “We have no idea what will really happen after tomorrow. We might–” I choked on the words as fresh tears fell. “I might never be with you like this again.”
“Oh, Ash, babe, is that why you've been acting withdrawn all day?” He held my face in his palms making sure I looked him in the eye. “I only want your gift if you give it happily.”
“I do–I am–! I don't know why this keeps happening!”
“Maybe talk to Brian about it while I'm gone.” He suggested.
“Tell Seth’s big brother about my weird wannabe sex life? Yeah, no.” Heat rose in my cheeks at the idea. “That has nothing to do with the Village.”
“It's his job and I disagree, anything that is affecting you this much makes a difference in how well you face life. Promise me that you will go see Brian and talk to him about this.” He lifted my chin. “Promise me.”
It took a while but finally I gave in. “I promise.”
“Good, and don't worry, I’ll be back in two weeks.”
“Promise–?” I asked as we touched our foreheads together.
“I promise.”
–O–
A couple of days passed after I saw Trevor off on his flight back to Wilmington. I lapsed into a deep funk that only passed when Trev and I texted, or when Alejo was around.
Going back to sleeping alone in my bed proved to be a rude shock. I dug through Trevor’s dirty laundry for something that smelled like him. I huffed his underwear like glue and wore his shirt to bed. It helped me sleep better but it was no substitute for the man who held me every night. It didn't help that I wasn't due at work for another week.
I roused from a fitful sleep after my third night to smell a delicious, spicy tomato scent. My mouth started watering like crazy. It was still dark outside. Who would be up at this hour? I crept carefully out of bed and tugged on the hem of Trevor's t-shirt. It hung halfway to my knees which was fine by me.
I quickly brushed my teeth and checked out my reflection in the mirror. I got a low fade haircut before we left Wilmington. I liked it but now the top of my head looked like a bird's nest made of copper wire. I teased it into more of an artful mess before following my nose out of the room. I found Alejo cooking while dancing to “Gonna Make You Sweat” by C&C Music Factory. I couldn't help but smile at that. It seemed the Village infected all of us boys with a love of 90's music. Alejo broke into a huge smile when he saw me. Ugh, nobody should have looked that hot or that cheerful this early in the morning. I couldn't help but smile back.
“Good morning, I wasn't expecting you up at this hour.” He greeted me. I shrugged in return before I slid onto one of the bar stools.
“I couldn't sleep, something smelled too good. What are you making?” I peeked over the counter and almost fell off my stool. Alejo wore nothing but a pair of stretchy, very (Oh, my god, so, very, very) revealing, “barely more than a strip of cloth as wide as my tongue,” briefs in neon green. I felt as heat rose in my cheeks and sank all the way down to the roots of my hair. Alejo caught me with a pleased little smirk.
“I did warn you about wearing underwear around the house. I can go change if it bothers you.”
“No! That's okay!” I sat bolt upright. I cringed at raising my voice and quieted down. It didn't help that my dick was so hard I could have poked holes in a steel drum.
“You don't have to do that.” I murmured. “You're right, you warned us. I'm just not used to it.” I forced my eyes to stay well above Alejo's waist. I needed to take my mind off of, off of, of THAT so I remembered why I woke up in the first place. “What are you cooking?” I asked.
“Huevos Rancheros and chorizos, with refried beans and Mexican rice. I made extra if you want some.”
“Oh, my god, yes, please!” I gushed with delight. “I love Mexican food!”
“Then you're going to love it here in Phoenix. It's a big city, we have something for every taste but Southwestern and Mexican are local favorites. Why don't you slice an avocado while I finish this?” He cut fresh tomatoes for homemade salsa.
I tugged anxiously at my hardon. “Sure, just let me finish getting dressed–”
Alejo leveled a look at me. “You don't have anything I haven't seen, Asher. Come on, do you see me hiding?” He stepped back to give me a look at his glorious physique. I don't recall how many times he called my name before I heard him. I suddenly noticed him waving his hand before my eyes. I started out of my horny trance and rushed around the breakfast counter before I remembered why I was stalling. I pinched my eyes shut and braced for the ridicule. Seconds passed in silence until I could no longer stand the suspense. I took a peek and saw Alejo's back. He went back to cooking without a word.
Suddenly, I felt ridiculous. The whole moment was ridiculous. I was acting like a child. I huffed with relief that Alejo let me recover my dignity and set about slicing an avocado. Alejo went back to dancing, this time to “Shake Your Bon-Bon” by Ricky Martin. Oh, my god, y'all! Alejo could dance! I got caught up in the fun and bounced along with him. This reminded me of those times when I showed up at the candle barn and the guys were dancing their hearts out while making candles. It was so much fun going to work like that and I relaxed right away.
“Bend your knees,” Alejo coached. He showed me how to sway my hips like him. We started dancing in sync, him cooking, me slicing, just enjoying the moment, feeling alive. I had so much fun, you would not believe!
“That's it, Asher, you're getting it!” I felt like sunshine was pouring out of me. I was in my zone feeling fine when Alejo muttered from over my shoulder, “Hold still a second. I need something from that cabinet over your head.”
Alejo pressed into my backside as he pulled down a package. I pressed back into him with a lusty shiver, my full consciousness riveted to the bulge riding up my ass crack and up my lower spine.
“Oh, baby likes that?” Alejo chuckled throatily against my ear. He dragged his hardening member to the juncture where my thighs met, pushed his bulge deeply into my cleft, then rode against my hole. A low, hungry growl rose in response. A second passed before I realized it was mine. I pinched his manhood in my cleft and ground into his hips without fear, without anxiety, and without hesitation. I gasped as Alejo took hold of my hips and pulled our bodies tightly together. He rested his cheek behind my ear while his hot breath fanned over my chest, tickling my nipples into hard points.
“Is this weird?” I licked as my lips were suddenly chapped. “I mean, will this make things weird between us?”
“Do you want things to be weird between us?” Alejo sniffed my hair. I shook my head vehemently in the negative.
“No,” I lowered my voice and rubbed back against him. My body signaled enthusiastic consent while my thoughts pinged like popcorn.
I panicked when this happened with Trevor but I felt completely at ease with Alejandro. What did that mean? Alejo went back to cooking and I felt cold and bereft without him.
I finished slicing avocados and Alejo served up a scrumptious breakfast with spicy sausages and two eggs each served sunny side up on fried tortillas. We added homemade salsa, Pico de Gallo, and sour cream to taste. A serving of each of refried beans, Mexican rice, and Avocado slices added a perfect finish. Throw in cups of Mexican coffee from Alejo's Keurig and it was a perfect start to the day. Alas, a good meal did not prevent my thoughts from spiraling as we ate. By the time we washed dishes I had tied my thoughts into a Gordian knot of anxiety. Alejo’s voice startled me out of my cogitation.
“Take off your shirt.”
“‘Scuse me–?” I blinked, surprised.
“Trust me, it isn't anything weird. I want to show you something.”
“That ain't filling me with confidence, Alejo.” He tugged on my shirt until I broke down and did as he asked. He hugged me from behind, we touched skin to skin and I nearly shivered myself to pieces with how good it felt. Trevor held me tight like this. He called it “compression.” Whatever it was, it worked. I calmed right down and my thoughts quit racing.
We swayed from side to side lazily, just enjoying the moment. Alejo propped his chin on my shoulder. He hadn't shaved yet. I didn't think I would like the prickle as much as I did. Alejo spoke calmly in his soft Spanish accent, his rich voice reaching deep inside me.
“Tell me to mind my own business if you want, but I wanted to share a thought with you. It might help you down the road.”
“Okay,” I grew tense. Talks that started like this rarely ended well.
“We're Villagers,” he began. “We share a similar shitty background. I told you how my father kicked me out.”
“My shitty brother left me to rot in the foster care system.” I nodded, acknowledging our similar traumas.
Alejo gave me a comforting squeeze. “Having my own home is important to me because of that. I'm an adult, I don't answer to anyone. Here, in this place, I can be myself without shame or regret. I can explore whatever I want without anyone thinking I'm weird. I make the rules. I call the shots. This is a safe place, a safe space. It's your place too, Asher. This is your home. You can do anything you want, be anything you want, and I'll support you. I want you to feel safe here, with me.”
“I do.” Alejo knew what I needed and why, likely because he needed it too. We walked the same path. We had the same needs at this point in our lives. It felt wonderful to be accepted, to be understood.
“I want that for you too.” I laced our fingers together on my waist. “I might slide back into old habits without knowing it, though. Can you help me, Alejo?”
He smiled, “Sure, and the same goes for me. We're only human. We'll make mistakes. I'm not gonna keep score or beat you over the head with them.”
“I won't either, I swear! I'm not one to judge other people.” I fidgeted. “Can I ask something?”
Alejo shook his head, smiling.”This is your home, Asher. You don't have to ask.”
“See, I backslid already. Anyway,” I hemmed and hawed, I saw he was growing impatient so I spit it out. “Why are we standing in the middle of the room in our underwear?”
“Because we can. We can go naked here if we want. Having a home is amazing, isn't it?”
“You kinda lost me at ‘naked,’ sorry.” I blushed. I thought back to that time I got naked at the Resort. It was amazing and Alejo said we could do it here.
“Well, there is more,” Alejo picked up, looking sheepish. “I could tell you were touch starved and I wanted to help.”
I brightened, “Aw, that's sweet of you!”
“Thanks, and, well… There was another reason. I wanted to see you in your underwear.” He flashed a roguish grin.
I sputtered in shock. “You want to see, you like–me?”
“Asher, I said you were hella cute the other night.” He gave me a look.
“I thought you were just being nice.” I squirmed.
“I'm not so altruistic.” He scoffed. He slotted his bulge back into my cleft as he sniffed my neck. I bared my throat with a pitiful little squeak. He rested his teeth on my skin as if seeking permission. I bucked under him, not to get away but out of impatience. His chuckle vibrated deep in my core. My feelings confused me.
I squirmed away from Martin and just the other night, from Trevor. Why was I so eager with Alejo? I couldn't throw my virginity at him fast enough.
“Alejo?” I looked deep into eyes so full of emotion, vulnerability, and need. He saw the same reflected in mine.
“Yeah, Ash?” He drew closer.
I beckoned him to keep our hands together. I then pushed until my underwear slid to the floor. Next, I reached back and he copied me. We stood skin to skin now, naked, together, in our home.
“Alejo–?”
“Ash–?”
We drew ever nearer until our lips touched. “Make love to me?”
(1) Brad, eldest of the Westin brothers, married to Scotty “Whoops” Nicholls, little brother of Kevin, top boss at Asher’s agency. Each has a full story written by Lil Guy. I highly recommend checking out his work!
(2) Seth Westin-Hall: CEO, Client Counselor, The Village.
(3) Isadora “Izzy” Westin-Hall: youngest daughter of Seth. She is quite the little charmer.
(4) Maxwell “Max” Harrington: founder of Harrington House, the charitable organization behind The Village. Also co-founder of Bromax Candle Company.
(5) “Daddy” James, Father-in-law of Max Harrington and contributor to The Village. Works with young clients to restore old cars for their personal use. Teaches proper automotive care and maintenance in the process.
AUTHOR NOTE: No two intersex people are alike. Ash’s symptoms reflect the experience of one person save where mentioned.
SPECIAL NOTE: I write in an imaginary world where sexually transmitted diseases do not exist. Stay safe, PrEP before you play and glove it before you love it.
