Surf's Up

by Carolina Valdez

  And then what am I going to do with you?

  Most of his mail went to the office address, so there was little here but ads. By the time he’d dumped those in the wastebasket, he had an idea. “You up for a second cup of coffee?”

  “Sure. My treat.”

  “But—”

  “I have money for coffee.” His voice was stilted, on the verge of being insulted.

  Since he’d provided shelter and food, Raven suspected it was important for his former friend’s self esteem to make this small gesture. So, in a favorite coffee house whose glass windows were wide and looked out on the sand and ocean, Raven let him buy their coffees.

  “How long have you lived here?” Raven asked as he cradled his hands around the hot mug.

  “Do you speak Karuk?”

  “Well, yes. If you’re more comfortable with that.”

  “I am.”

  They were lucky to even know the language. It had come close to being lost at a time in the nation’s history when tribes were forbidden to speak their native tongues, but by the time he and Hunter were in middle and senior high school it was part of the curriculum near the reservation and other areas where tribal people lived. Today some colleges offered it.

  As they conversed, Raven listened to a shocking story of brutality, innocence, and courage which began in their village along the Klamath.

  “How was it for you when you told your parents?” Hunter asked.

  Now Raven understood why they were speaking a language no one here could understand. He shrugged. Once or twice he had to substitute English because the language of their people had no words for what he wished to say, but he did as Hunter asked.

  “My dad was heartbroken because he knew I was gay from the time I was little and was afraid for my safety and the difficulties I would face. My parents loved me, and told me I wasn’t the only gay person. That what I felt was normal for me. They explained scientists didn’t know why it happened, and since no one was at fault I hadn’t done anything wrong. My dad supported me through the taunts and threats I sometimes experienced. How was it for you?”

  “Bad. Eventually I ran away from home.”

  Thinking about this, Raven said, “I remember your father as a hard man.”

  Hunter scoffed and stared at the cup in his hand. “A bully all grown up. He hated everything I enjoyed. Singing, little theater, ballet, tap, and cooking were all forbidden. I had the lead in the eighth grade play, and he stormed up to the school and demanded the teacher replace me. Can you imagine he tried to force me to go out for football? Slapped me around when I refused.”

  “Football’s definitely not your thing.” Inside, a deep hurt for him spread through Raven.

  “If there was anyone not physically built for the bruising game of football, it was me.”

  “Or the will to deliberately hurt another player to win,” Raven said.

  “He screamed at my mother, said it was her fault I was gay because she’d babied me. If I was attacked by punks, I got beaten again when I came home. Dad would yell, ‘If you weren’t such a weak, girly thing they wouldn’t hurt you. Stand up to them. Be a man.’ Mother took me to the emergency room whenever he hurt me bad, but she covered up for him.”

  Raven reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Parents are the people who’re supposed to protect and love their children no matter what. I’m so sorry you didn’t have that. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” His vision blurred as tears filled his eyes.

  After a long pause, Hunter looked up. “I hate being gay. Do you?”

  Raven shook his head. He didn’t want to make him feel worse about himself, but he knew he needed to be honest. “No. Knowing I was different from most guys was really rough at first, and I felt very lonely after our friendship ended.

  “But my parents helped me understand that being gay is only one part of who I am. These days my dad and I run a business together. What made you run away?”

  “My father was drunk and tried to beat me over something small. I was sixteen, and I grabbed his arm and told him he was never going to hit me or my mother again. Mother was crying and screaming at him to stop, but he came after me with knife, which I wrested away. I stuffed my things in an old duffel bag and left. I’ve never been back.”

  Chapter 5

  His pain for Hunter deepened even more. Raven couldn’t imagine not seeing his parents again. “What did you do after that?”

  “I hung around outside school that day until they let out. I took one of my lesbian friends aside and told her. She knew of a GLBT group, and one of their attorneys helped me become an emancipated minor based on the record of my emergency room visits. Someone else offered me a job.”

  “Where did you live?”

  “The dad of one of the members hired me to clean and restock grocery shelves. He had a room there where I could sleep and keep my belongings. There was a toilet and a sink. I studied, showered, and ate most of my meals in their home.

  “He guided me in enrolling in a school my parents didn’t know about. Despite the turmoil, I finished senior high.”

  “Good for you! I wish we’d have known what had happened to you. My parents would have let you live with us. I was in my first year of college, and you could’ve stayed in my room.”

  Hunter looked up, and their gazes met. “I’d have liked that very much. Especially sleeping in your bed.”

  Raven didn’t know how to respond. A lull cropped up in their conversation until Raven looked at his watch. “We’ve talked so long it’s lunch time. Let’s go back to my place and eat.”

  As they walked, Raven put a protective arm around Hunter’s shoulder, and Hunter hooked an arm around Raven’s waist. Raven didn’t care what people thought. He was deeply touched by Hunter’s woundedness, and, with the sunglasses in place, no one would guess Raven walked with someone in glam makeup.

  Chapter 6

  They released each other when they approached the condo and rode up in the elevator. Once Raven had unlocked the door and closed it behind them, he turned and gathered in his arms the boyhood friend who, with him, had discovered the thing which had caused him so much pain. “I can’t begin to imagine how much you’ve suffered.”

  Hunter removed his glasses, laid them on a table, and then wrapped his arms hungrily around Raven. Locked in a tight embrace, they stood together for a long time, cheeks touching. Raven offered comfort and Hunter absorbed it like rain to desert sand.

  Hunter turned his face a little, and his lips brushed against one corner of Raven’s mouth, a questioning touch, soft and undemanding, asking permission, giving consent to say no. Something unleashed in Raven, and memories of their bodies interlocking as teens, surged in his mind as his emotions evolved into something beyond compassion.

  “Yes,” he said in answer to the question that had not been asked. “I want to kiss you and be kissed. I want my mouth to roam your body and my tongue to taste you. Everywhere.” He let out a groan as he took Hunter’s face in his hands and kissed his perfect lips, aware of the rush of desire as his dick fattened and lengthened, straining to be free of the restriction of cutoffs and boxer briefs. What he felt was urgent and glorious.

  Pulling Hunter’s shirt up and over his head and off, he leaned down to circle and tongue his dark nipples, chuckling as he felt them rise to the occasion. Raven unbuttoned and removed his shirt, pulling Hunter to him, skin to skin. “I can’t tell you how good this feels.”

  “Then I’ll tell you. Ever since we were kids, I’ve wanted to do this again, like forever.” Sexual tension caused a roughness in his voice.

  Raven’s hand slid down and rubbed Hunter’s bulging fly. “Uhmm you’ve grown since we last played doctor.” He used the Karok word for healer instead of doctor.

  Hunter returned the favor. He murmured, “You may be bigger than you used to be, but I bet I’d still beat your distance if we did another jerk-and-spurt contest.”

  “There are deeper, more intimate things I’d li
ke to do with you. Right now.” Hands trembling with excitement, Raven reached for the waist button on Hunter’s cargo shorts.

  With shocking abruptness, Hunter stopped him and stepped away.

  Raven’s body was on warp speed to orgasm, and now he was totally confused by his friend’s response. “Did I do something wrong?”

  Hunter ran trembling hands through his long hair, sweeping it back and pulling it over one shoulder as he walked away. He stared at the sea through the glass of the slider that opened to the balcony.

  Raven stood where he was. He didn’t approach Hunter. As he replaced his shirt, he said, “I thought you wanted to do this.” He couldn’t stop frustration from leaking into his voice.

  “I don’t do pity fucks.”

  Raven stopped the struggle to tame his arousal into the down position in his briefs. “Pity what?”

  “You feel sorry for me. You thought I needed a good fuck.”

  Anger burned its way to Raven’s surface. “Don’t cheapen my intentions. As I recall, you started this, not me. I thought we were going to make love. Together!”

  “Sure you did.” Sarcasm dripped through the tone and the words.

  Raven wanted to shake him. But he didn’t. They weren’t boys anymore. Logic told him that since they’d grown up apart, they didn’t really know each other. At least not enough for Hunter to trust him. Only Holona knew whatever Hunter had been through that left him destitute…and emotionally needy.

  When he could trust his voice again, Raven said, “Okay. No sex. How about ham and cheese on rye? Then we can surf. Sound like a deal?”

  Hunter nodded, but didn’t enter the kitchen to help.

  Lunch was a quiet affair. Raven finally rousted up the courage to ask, “Wanna tell me how you became homeless?”

  Hunter almost choked on his food. He shook his head, shoved his chair back abruptly, and walked out on the balcony.

  Raven stared at the half eaten sandwich he’d left on his plate. Thinking he might return and finish it, he let it sit. When his own plate was empty, he put his things in the dishwasher, but didn’t touch Hunter’s. I’m not cleaning up after you, buddy.

  He changed into surfing shorts, pulled on his wetsuit, and opened the balcony slider. Hunter was leaning on the railing staring at and thinking what, Raven didn’t know. “You coming?”

  Hunter shook his head without looking at him. “I’ll catch up with you.”

  “Okay. I’ll be at the same place. Please lock this and the front door when you leave.”

  * * * *

  It was a relief to be on the water again. To walk away from the irritation and puzzle that was Condor Hunter and concentrate on the tilt of the board and whether or not he would catch the next wave. The breakers weren’t as high today, and since it was a Sunday there was a lot of surfing traffic, but what he was doing required all his concentration to make those moments of gliding exaltation happen.

  In time he spotted Hunter on his ragtag board dressed in his bright Hawaiian swimwear and waved. Hunter acknowledged him with a nod.

  He was a graceful, excellent surfer, easily up to stand hanging ten. At one point Raven was watching him while Hunter waited for a good wave. Suddenly, he flipped belly down and paddled with powerful strokes out to sea.

  “What the fuck?” a man near Raven said. “He suicidal or something?”

  But Raven immediately saw what Hunter was about. It was something they had practiced as junior lifeguards. “The little girl on the pink Boogie Board’s caught in a riptide and being taken out to sea. I think the woman racing along the wet sand, screaming for help is her mother.”

  Following Hunter’s example, he lay flat on his board and stroked hard and fast toward them.

  The danger was incontrovertible.

  The bright pink swimsuit of the girl, who was about nine, was easily seen. She was seated on her board, gripping its edges and crying hysterically, “I’m going to die!” over and over.

  Hunter reached her. But she fought against him when he wanted to pull her board to his, pushing at him. If her board tipped and she fell off, the current would sweep her away.

  And it might unseat Hunter and he be swept away, too.

  Raven swam faster. He hadn’t yet reached them when he saw with relief that Hunter had brought her board alongside. He turned them both parallel to shore, paddling with one arm until they were free of the riptide’s deadly current.

  He sat up and floated, extending a hand. “Climb on my surf board. Sit here. In front of me.” He reached his hand out, but she was too scared.

  “I’ll fall in and drown! We’re going to die,” she screamed.

  “We are not going to die. I’m big and strong and I’ve already stopped us from being pulled away from shore. See? What’s your name?”

  Hiccoughing between sobs, she said, “Jen…Jen…Jennifer. What’s your name?”

  He told her, adding, “I have a funny name. It’s Condor, like the bird. You’re very brave, Jennifer. Now I want you take my hand so I can take you to shore. I promise we’re going to be okay.”

  “My board!” she cried just before she slid over to Hunter.

  “My friend Raven will rescue your board. I think that’s your mom on the beach. Let’s paddle to her, okay?”

  By the time the lifeguard jeep roared up, Hunter had returned a smiling Jennifer to her mother. Once wrapped in her mother’s arms, she burst into tears again.

  Raven appeared behind Hunter and handed off her board. “You’re the big, strong hero,” he said with a grin. “I’ll let you return it.”

  A shocked Hunter refused the twenty dollar bill the mother handed to her daughter to give him.

  “Please take it. I wish it was more. It’s such a small thing for saving Jennifer’s life.” She looked at Raven. “And for rescuing her board. It was a birthday gift from her father, and we’re divorced.”

  From behind him, Raven whispered, “Take it. She needs you to accept her thanks.”

  And you need the money.

  Hunter accepted it.

  Chapter 7

  They surfed until late afternoon, and when they headed for the condo Raven could tell Hunter was still riding a high for what he’d done for Jennifer. After seeing him almost despondent, Raven happily responded to his changing mood. But wasn’t this the way it was with feminine gays? The highs and the deep lows?

  When he saw Hunter strip off his wet suit at the condo’s doorstep, he was surprised to feel his damned dick betraying him by stirring. Hunter stepped inside, and Raven stripped quickly, bending over to gather up their dripping swim things to hide his raging, hungry cock.

  He wasn’t fast enough. The door opened and he froze. There he was, his ass in plain sight, balls swinging, his hard-on pointing at the sky.

  Raven couldn’t breathe. He struggled between embarrassment and a powerful desire to turn and claim what he’d been denied this morning. He straightened.

  Hunter stepped in close behind him. His breath warmed Raven’s cool neck.

  Neither of them spoke.

  Hunter smelled of the salty sea as he spread a warm hand over one of Raven’s cool butt cheeks, his palm caressing the natural dip there. He squeezed hard, and Raven enjoyed the slight pain cutting through all the exotic sexual feelings he was having. Hunter’s mouth sought and tasted the sensitive skin below his ear as the hand on his hip slid around to rub his engorged, aching cock and finger the slit on its tip.

  It felt so good that Raven thought his knees would give way. Emotion created a tremor in his voice when he said, “I think we’d better go inside.”

  “Drop the damned clothes.”

  Raven dropped them. When he turned he saw that Hunter was naked, too. He turned his palms up, questioning.

  “I left my money from the lady in my swimsuit pocket.”

  Inside, Hunter turned and drew Raven to him. Now his hand, smooth and searching, encircled Raven’s oozing cock. “I think there’s something here that requires immediate relief.�
��

  Pushing Raven’s thighs apart so he would maintain his balance, he knelt and sucked his cock deep into the heat of his wet mouth as he stroked Raven’s inner thighs.

  Raven gasped at the swirling pleasure and the momentum building inside. He further steadied himself by placing his hands on Hunter’s head as he rocked his cock and pelvis into Hunter’s face in rhythm to the hot, sucking mouth.

  Words couldn’t describe the moment when he felt his balls tighten and knew he was going to come. In the brief seconds when he peaked and the surging, explosive climax sent shards of molten pleasure through his body, he cried out Hunter’s name. In English.

  When he’d recovered from the storm of feelings, he said, “I’d carry you to my bed, but I don’t think I’ve any strength left after that.” He took his hand and led him there.

  Hunter lay down, waiting for what would come next. His eyes widened and his cock drooled anew when he saw Raven tear the package open from a disposable butt plug and coat the hard implement with lube.

  “Roll on your side, right knee bent, and I’ll stick it in.”

  Raven lubed the tight bud of his manhole, too. He slipped his fingers in and stretched, then pushed the plug in. When he felt it pass the heavy muscle barrier he’d stretched, he said, “I’m getting hard again! I can’t believe it.”

  “I’m going to come, Raven. Hurry.”

  Raven spooned Hunter, his cock sliding between his butt cheeks to touch Hunter’s manhole. He fondled the sensitive spot between hole and balls, then cupped those balls as his cock pressed against his lover’s anus as if to anchor the pleasuring plug in.

  He couldn’t stand the separation of their bodies, and he removed the butt plug. “May I?” he asked.

  “Yes, yes, yes.”

  Hunter rose to his knees, and Raven covered him. The dilated muscle, the slick lube, a quick slide and his cock was enveloped in snug heat and dampness. “You’re very tight.”

  “Out of practice,” Hunter grunted and pushed Raven’s hand from his cock so he could concentrate on it himself.