Chapter 3

Oscar was lying on his back while Kevin straddled his hips and rode him cowboy-style; the two were looking into each other’s eyes as they fucked.

When the moment came, Oscar roared bestially and emptied his balls into Kevin’s anal canal. Kevin waited until he was sure that his companion had finished spurting, then he pitched forward while still on his knees, causing Oscar’s now flaccid cock to flop out of his butthole.

Kevin shuffled up the bed and thrust his own cock towards Oscar’s parted lips. Oscar was still fighting to get his breath back, but he eagerly took Kevin’s swollen shaft into his mouth. Oscar’s tongue worked diligently as Kevin’s pleasure mounted by the second.

Oscar’s left hand snaked between Kevin’s thighs, grabbed his balls and gave them a fairly hefty squeeze. Kevin yelled, then he blew his load into Oscar’s mouth. Oscar thirstily swallowed a huge volume of Kevin’s spunk, then Kevin collapsed beside him on the bed.

‘I don’t want to go back out there,’ said Oscar, nodding towards the door to the hotel corridor.

‘I think we have to, really,’ said Kevin.

‘Can we just sneak down to the parking lot and drive off?’

‘No. We need to pick up Jess first, for one thing.’

‘We might as well get on with it, then,’ Oscar sighed, dragging himself into a sitting position.

Kevin grinned and said, ‘That’s the spirit!’

Kevin and Oscar emerged into the hotel corridor and ran straight into Lars. Kevin opened his mouth to say something, but Lars got in first.

‘Guys, I’m really, really sorry!’ he blurted out. ‘Bloody hell, what must you think of me?’

Kevin and Oscar exchanged a look.

‘I shouldn’t have attacked you,’ said Oscar. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, no, you were right to do it!’ said Lars. ‘I wish you’d punched my lights out, Oscar – that’s what I deserved!’

‘Do you want him to do it now?’ Kevin suggested.

‘Yes, if he still feels like it,’ said Lars.

‘I don’t want to hit you, Lars,’ said Oscar.

‘Well ... thanks,’ said Lars, with a small, tentative smile. ‘Still, I made a complete arse of myself for no reason and ... well, I did have a reason, but that’s absolutely no excuse for what I did!’

Lars was now staring at Oscar with wide, pleading eyes; Oscar frowned slightly.

‘What do you want from me, Lars?’ he asked.

‘I’ll tell you exactly what I want, Oscar,’ said Lars. ‘I want us to call each other brother, and I want to talk to you about coming out of the closet.’

‘You mean ... about you coming out of the closet?’

‘Yes, exactly.’

Oscar raised his eyebrows and said, ‘Okay, brother – let’s talk.’

‘I’ve been a closeted, non-practising homosexual for almost ten years now and I fucking hate it!’ said Lars, real desperation evident in his voice. ‘I wish I could be like you two – out and proud!’

Kevin and Oscar exchanged another look.

‘You know, Lars, neither of us ever exactly came out in the way I think you mean,’ said Kevin. ‘We met and we became friends and we fell more and more in love with each other every time we were together, and when the time was right we became a couple. That’s ... that’s all there is to it, really.’

‘We’ve always just followed our hearts and done what’s felt right to us,’ said Oscar. ‘We’re not ... gay icons or anything.’

‘Oh, but you are!’ Lars said insistently. ‘What you two have done is so, so brave, even if you didn’t mean it to be. I wish I could be even half as brave! But I’ve been a coward – I’ve been lying to myself and I’ve always known it! I remember going to a Bonfire Night party when I was sixteen and spending the whole of the fireworks display trying to get to grips with my sexuality. Emilia and Hayden and Christine – that was Hayden’s girlfriend at the time – were really enjoying the bangers and the sparklers and the toffee-apples, but I was just worrying, worrying, worrying about whether the feelings I was having for my schoolfriend John were wrong! I ... I don’t want to feel like that anymore!’

‘Lars,’ said Oscar, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, ‘how about the three of us have breakfast together and talk this whole thing through?’

Lars beamed at Oscar and said, ‘Yes please.’

Two groups of three people, both deep in conversation, were having breakfast around adjacent tables in the hotel dining room. Kevin, Oscar and Lars were at one table, while Hayden, Jessica and Emilia were at the other.

‘I’m madly in love with one of my colleagues at school,’ Lars was telling Kevin and Oscar. ‘His name’s Nathan Gilbert and he teaches science. I ... I’m pretty sure he feels the same way about me.’

‘You should try asking him out, then,’ Kevin said encouragingly.

‘But what if I’m wrong?’ said Lars.

‘Put yourself out there a little, man!’ Oscar advised. ‘If you don’t try, you’ll never know.’

‘Yeah,’ said Lars, managing a small smile. ‘Yeah, you’re right, Oscar.’

Oscar opened his mouth to say something else, but his attention was diverted as Jessica stood up from the other table and left the room, apparently in something of a hurry.

‘Did Hayden come back to your room last night, Lars?’ Oscar asked in a whisper.

‘Um ... no,’ said Lars. ‘No, he didn’t. I’m sorry if that’s not what you want to hear, Oscar, but... ‘

Frowning slightly, Oscar jumped to his feet and ran after Jessica. Hayden and Emilia stopped their conversation rather abruptly, and Emilia smiled over at Kevin.

‘So, who’d have thought the four of us would ever end up in this position?’ Kevin remarked, now uncomfortably aware that all three Wallance siblings were staring at him.

‘I hope you don’t feel at all awkward about that, Kevin,’ said Emilia. ‘We’re all family now.’

‘Are we?’ said Hayden.

‘Yes, we are!’ Emilia said insistently.

‘Would you like another cup of tea, Kevin?’ said Lars. ‘I’m having one, and there should be at least two decent helpings left in the pot.’

Kevin smiled wryly and said, ‘You’re not trying to seduce me again, are you?’

Hayden and Emilia burst out laughing; Lars looked slightly uncomfortable for a few seconds, then he joined in the unrestrained mirth.

‘You’ll never be able to speak to Kevin again without him thinking you’re chatting him up!’ said Hayden.

‘You can never make a second first impression, Lars,’ Emilia giggled, ‘unfortunately for you!’

‘Come on, guys,’ said Kevin, ‘it wasn’t that funny. You know what, Lars? I will have another cup of tea with you. Thanks.’

Lars smiled at Kevin and reached for the teapot.

Kevin emerged from the dining room. He spotted Oscar and Jessica smiling at each other in front of the closed elevator, and walked briskly over to join them.

‘Everything okay?’ Kevin asked, putting a supportive arm across Oscar’s shoulders.

‘Yeah,’ said Oscar, slipping his own arm around Kevin’s waist, ‘we’re okay.’

‘Kevin,’ said Jessica, ‘would it be all right if Hayden rode back with us in your mom’s car? He’s gonna come stay with me for a few days.’

‘Sure, no problem,’ said Kevin.

Jessica’s face lit up and she rushed to kiss Kevin on the cheek.

‘Thanks, Kev,’ she said. ‘It’s true what everyone says about you, you know – you really are the nicest person in the world!’