The Judge's Blessing (boyxboy)

Magic (Fall, 9th Grade)

As the fall progressed, Danny's friendship with Asher deepened. They were seeing each other on a weekly basis. The boys clearly enjoyed each other's company. The ease with which they dealt with one another was noticed by each father, and neither was particularly concerned about it. Alan and Dale both knew that the boys were starting on a path towards adulthood, and having close friendships would only help each as he grew.

At a picnic Dale had made for the four of them in October, the excitement that the boys had when they were with one another was on full display. Dale's brother- and sister-in-law Phil and Helen were out of the country, and had offered Dale the use of their indoor swimming pool. they knew that Danny enjoyed swimming, and they found that swimming was a welcomed distraction for Danny during his mother's illness.

It was a Sunday, and Dale was grateful Alan had accepted the invitation to the picnic. He needed to talk with Alan about a favor. In a couple of weeks, he would need to be out of town for a three-day weekend. In the past, he would have dropped Danny at Dale's sister's house.

But his brother-in-law had just died after an auto accident, and Dale didn't want to burden her with caring for Danny. He hoped that Alan would be willing to have Danny sleep over with him and Asher. It would be the boys' first sleep-over, and Dale thought he might return the favor the following weekend, Danny's 14th birthday.

Before Alan and Asher arrived, Dale had asked Danny if staying at Asher's over a weekend would be OK. While Dale would have been surprised if Danny had demurred, he was surprised at the enthusiasm Danny showed at the prospect. He positively beamed. Since Danny's mother had died, Dale couldn't remember any time when Danny's smile glowed quite like it did then. Any concerns Dale had vanished.

When Dale explained the situation to Alan, the latter said it would be no problem for Danny to stay over. It would be a pleasure, even.

"You know, Dale," Alan said, looking at the boys playing in the pool, "I'm grateful to you and Danny."

Dale wasn't sure where Alan was going with the conversation-Alan certainly had his attention.

"When my wife picked up and left, it was difficult for Asher. Since then, he's been somewhat distant—from me, from the rest of the family. As that reality that his mother was gone forever became clearer to him, he retreated into his own shell. That went on for years. I was getting concerned—enough to think about getting him some professional help. His grades at school were OK. Actually, better than ok. But the effects of his self-imposed isolation have been hard not to notice. It's just not right for a boy to mope so much. Danny's changed that. Asher finally looks happy for the first time in years."

"They look comfortable with one another, I'll grant you that," Dale replied.

Danny had just climbed out of the pool for a moment. He wanted to try a dive into the pool, and had paused on his way to the diving board to visualize in his mind what his dive might look like.

Asher was looking at Danny from the side. It was the first time he had seen Danny without a shirt, without pants. He liked what he saw. Danny was so focused on his upcoming dive he didn't notice Asher studying him. Seeing Danny standing there, Asher thought Danny—his swimmer physique, his smooth tanned skin, his lithe torso, the svelte perfectly proportioned frame, the perfect bubble butt, the way his Speedos hung just so off his hips--looked beautiful. For a moment, Asher felt he owed a "thank you" to Mr Speedo.

It was a different feeling than he had experienced before. It didn't feel wrong, just different. And a little awkward—and right at the same time. Asher didn't know the feeling would be labeled by others as lust. Teen aged lust. He just knew that it felt good. He liked it. But he didn't know what to do about the very clear sign to him of his increasing arousal. It would be, in a word, embarrassing if anyone noticed.

Unbeknownst to Asher, though, was Danny's checking out of the other boy just as he climbed out of the pool. Whether it was the always-curled sandy blonde hair on his head, the perfectly proportioned body maintained as he tried to escape the feelings of loneliness, or the ease with which he carried himself, Danny saw Asher as having a beckoning physique.

Asher broke into a run, and as he approached Danny, he turned to the right and jumped into the pool, in the process surprising Danny while hooking his left arm around Danny's waist. As the boys descended into the water, Asher hugged him, pulling the boy into himself, putting his head onto the smaller boy's shoulder. It was not a bear hug, much too measured to be seen as such. Intimate, not tight.

Danny was surprised by Asher's action, and he had no idea what Asher was up to. The hug wasn't a tight one. It was fairly soft, in fact, sensual. And it felt good, comfortable, right.

As the boys came up for air, Asher released Danny. He hoped Danny hadn't felt his hardness during the embrace. What he hadn't expected, though, was that as soon as he and Danny had caught a breath of air, Danny would return the favor, carrying Asher into the water while embracing him in the exact same way. Asher noticed Danny's hardness. Unlike Asher, though, Danny didn't care if it was noticed or not. He was turned on, and secretly, he hoped Asher was too.

Coming up to the surface again, Asher spotted his father.

"Ash," Alan said, "we need to be on our way. It's a school night."

"OK, Dad," Asher responded, a somewhat dejected tone coloring the reply itself.

Both boys climbed out of the pool, and as Asher was about to go change his clothes, Danny leaned over and, on tip toes, whispered, "Two weeks, Ash. Just two weeks." Asher looked at Danny. Both boys were grinning ear to ear.

"Why not next week?" Asher asked.

"We're out of town at a wedding," Danny replied. "But we can keep texting, talking, and emailing the way we have been. That doesn't have to change, does it?"

"Silly boy," Ash said, grinning and embracing Danny. "Of course, it doesn't. And it better not."

Asher turned and went to change before he and Alan left to return home.

Dale didn't notice what had happened between Danny and Asher—he had gone to the kitchen to get a beer--but Alan did. He thought that perhaps things were turning around for Asher. He seemed to have made a really good, really nice friend. Someone he trusted. Something different for Asher. Very different.