Noah's Starship Ch. 15

As if on cue Noah came downstairs. He had on a tank top and shorts. He came to greet Karim. Karim spread his arms to receive him but did not get up for obvious reasons. I noted a twinkle in his eye as he smiled at the sight of Noah. Noah leaned down and hugged him. It wasn't in his culture to give a kiss on the cheek, but Karim gave him one anyway. Noah bounded off towards the kitchen to talk with Mike and help with the food.

Aram showed up with Erik behind him. The two were still seeing each other and things were getting more serious. I noted a strong change in Erik. Aram had softened his sharp tongue and curbed his abrasive nature. Erik came in with his head lowered and offered a somewhat shy smile.

Something about his change made him more beautiful. Aram had done well guiding him and tempering his wild nature. Erik waited to be offered a hug before wrapping his arms around my chest and accepting my kiss on his cheek. He got a similar one from Karim and then waited for a quiet lull in conversation to tell Aram he wanted to help in the kitchen. Aram kissed his forehead and then squeezed his bottom before sending him off with a quick peck on the lips.

The three of us settled in and I turned on a soccer match while we waited for food. Much to my protest, Karim filled Aram in on what we had discussed.

"Don't get too strange with Noah or eventually he'll want to bring in another partner to your bedroom," Aram cautioned.

"Hmmm, I might like having two Noahs in my bed," I laughed.

"More like he might want two Navids!" Karim corrected.

"Oh No, he can barely handle the one Navid he has now," I retorted. Several times I had dreamt that Noah had an identical twin and the two of them teamed up to pleasure me. I had never thought about sharing him with another Navid though. That would hurt me.

"Laugh if you want, but once you start pushing the boundaries, you can lose control of them. I keep things simple with Erik. He isn't used to being with a real man who takes charge," Aram noted.

"Yes, I have met some of the awful boys he went with. Noah has told me stories of what Erik has done. I don't know that I could build something with a boy who has seen so much. I prefer my boy who has only known one man, only craves one love," I said.

"Erik knows what is out there, he has seen and done what he wanted. He can value what we have because he knows other men can't measure up. It doesn't matter what he did before me. I treat him like the beautiful, gentle boy that he is inside and it makes it grow stronger," Aram said. He sounded pretty serious about Erik.

"Noah though," Aram continued and I knew he wasn't headed somewhere good. "He hasn't been with anyone else. He may begin to wonder more about it as he ages. Maybe he will regret not trying other arrangements."

"Noah has all of his needs met, and he always will so long as my heart beats." I defended. Aram and I had been friends since birth, but he was crossing a line... Perhaps I was as well.

"This isn't a competition," Karim cut us off. "You both have boys who obviously love you very much."

Our potential argument was allayed by Mike calling that dinner was ready.

The three white guys came in with bowls of pasta that Mike had prepared. He was a talented cook so I knew it would be good. Noah came with one bowl for us to share. I pulled him down in my lap and set the bowl in his. He instantly felt the lump in my lap and turned to give me an odd laugh. I shrugged with a guilty smile.

"You two always eat like that?" Aram asked sarcastically. I noted Erik sat beside him on the couch and they had separate bowls. Erik was being strangely quiet. I wondered if Noah had opened up to him and Mike in the kitchen like I had done with Karim and Aram.

"It saves dishes," Noah said and earned a few laughs. I kissed his neck and pushed a forkful of pasta to his lips.

"I love you," I whispered with a smile against his ear. I felt his body give a chill and I hugged him tight.

We finished up dinner and then Noah and Erik went to help Mike clean up while Aram, Karim, and I settled into a video game.

I was lying on the carpet on my stomach and beating Aram at the new Fifa soccer game Karim had brought when Noah and Erik came back out. The boys were laughing about something when they came out and I paused to turn and see my boy smile. He was happy to have his friend back after being apart while my parents were here.

I had offered for Noah to invite him over, but he worried that Erik would say something to offend them. I knew he would, but I also knew how lonely Noah got when he couldn't have time with his friends. I wanted him all to myself, but I knew he needed to socialize and connect with other boys from his culture. I tried to put his needs ahead of mine.

"What's funny?" I asked, but Noah just shook his head and padded over to me. He came up and straddled me. He sat down on my ass and leaned forward to nuzzle into my back. He slid his arms around my chest and put his lips against my shoulder. I unpaused the game and reached back with one hand to rub his hair while I continued my assault against Aram's team.

Erik sat cross-legged next to Aram and leaned over him. I looked quickly to see him lay across Aram's back and kiss the back of his head. Aram ignored him in his frustration over his impending loss in our game. I scored one more goal as the time ran out and Aram cursed quietly.

He said something, but I was focused on Noah's soft breathing against the back of my neck. My body could tell when he was tired, he sounded full and happy. The buzzer sounded on the game and I knew my life was perfect. My boy was happy; his home, his life, his relationship, his world was safe and secure.

+++ Noah +++

"Why are we here? I don't think classes are happening today," I asked when Navid pulled into the parking garage at school. The campus of Tarzana College looked mostly empty.

"You forget?" he asked with a sad look.

"Forgot what?" I asked. We were supposed to go for a hike today in the hills. He had promised that we would go when the June gloom went away and today was looking bright and sunny.

He gave me a look of disappointment and shook his head. "Come, my boy. We will remember together."

He got out of the car and went to get something out of the trunk. He brought back a paper bag from the grocery store we went to and opened my door for me. I followed him out of the parking garage and off to one of the campus buildings. It was one of the older buildings where I had an occasional writing class. For the creative writing program, the college had an old and dingy building low on inspiration.

"Here, my baby," Navid said and opened the door to one of the buildings. They kept the buildings open for summer courses, but there wasn't much going on that day. He led me down a long hallway and down to a classroom.

"Hey," I said suddenly when he paused in front of a darkened classroom.

"Yes, now you remember?" He asked with exasperation.

"This is where..." I started to say, but he interrupted.

"Where I met my baby," he said with a look of fond recollection in his eyes.

"You remembered," I said.

"I never forget this!" He yelled with exasperation. "You are one who forget! I never!"

"We met here," I repeated.

"One year and ten minutes ago," Navid said and tried the door handle. The room opened and he found a light switch on the wall.

"I sit over there," he pointed. "You walked in and try to find seat. You hold backpack and bag of skittles."

Navid reached into the bag and pulled out a red skittles bag. He handed it to me.

"You walk in and I see you immediately but you don't see me. I think you are so beautiful all-American boy. You walk in and look for seat but then you trip over trash can," Navid nudged the metal can by the door.

"I remember," I said. "I couldn't find a seat over here so I went to sit by your group."

"You try to, but you trip over trash can and spill your candies on the floor. I watch you. I want to rush to your side and help, but my friends are talking to me. I feel sorrow for you to lose your snack. You pick them up and throw them away and only have half bag left. You come to sit by me but you don't look at me," Navid set the scene.

"I was scared. You guys were loud and I didn't know if you would be nice to me since I'm gay," I said.

"No one knows you were gay and we don't think like that about American boys," Navid corrected. "But I notice you. I watch you and see how young and sweet you are. I decide I will make friend of you because you don't know anyone in class and you look so scared, so helpless."

"I was nervous," I agreed.

"You start to take out your things and look through your textbook. You look so excited to learn. It makes me feel bad that I did not want to come that day. I see you already reading your book when the teacher come in. I decide to get to know you and share your book," Navid said.

"You scared me. I didn't know what to think of you and you kept grabbing your cock. I was mesmerized. I had no idea what was going on in the class. All I could think of was your cock. It was just like RIGHT there and you kept adjusting it," I admitted.

"Did I?" Navid asked looking at me strangely. "I think you were just to look down because you are modest and quiet boy."

"Um no, you were wearing these loose shorts that draped your outline and showed your definition. You had your legs spread open and you had so much confidence. You were just such a straight guy and straight guys don't pay attention to me! Ever!" I laughed.

"Oh but they do, my baby. A lot of men do and you don't notice." Navid insisted. He walked over to the desks we shared last summer and pushed them together. He set down the bag and pulled out a few takeout cartons of food.

"So I make picnic for us to remember. We remember the day our lives change forever, the day I find my boy and lose my heart forever. It is yours, my Noah. It is yours forever," Navid said sweetly.

It was the most romantic thing I'd ever seen. I walked straight to his arms and kissed him deeply. I didn't deserve such an amazing love. No one did.

We ate the picnic he had brought. It was sandwiches and chips with apple slices. We talked about those first few days of getting to know each other. I couldn't believe we'd never discussed it. It was odd to note that he was going through the same level of nervous anticipation that I had.

He had seemed so confident, sure of himself. I couldn't have known he was struggling between wanting me and wanting to take it slowly so we could build something lasting. From the first moment, he said, he had decided that I was different from the other boys. Within days he knew that I was the one for him, the one worth opening up to.

"I can't believe you did this. It's so... perfect," I said as we cleaned up the wrappers and packed away the leftovers.

"This? This is nothing. This is only start of celebration of our first year together. You make this year so special for me. You open my world to so much different. If not for you, I will be home in Iran now with sad job, sad life. Without my Noah there is no hope for my dreams come true," Navid said and pulled my hand. He looked thoughtful, serious.

"You would be home doing what?" I asked as he heaved the bag over his shoulder and pushed the desks back to where they belonged.

"Let's see... Right now I will be in bed of course because is late night in Tehran. I will be sad and thinking about another day to work in boring office. My mom will likely have girl arranged and wedding will happen soon. She will be older than me and probably very smart. She will be successful in her own career," Navid started as we headed back to the car.

"She will want children right away but not because she want to have them, but because our families will expect them. Children will be nice, I like to have some one day. I will force myself to be good husband, help provide nice life with her. I will bury my need for a love like you. Maybe I will be good at it, but maybe I would meet Persian version of Noah. Will I control myself? I don't know," Navid said as his tone grew sadder.

"You would cheat on her? How awful! I can't imagine you doing that," I said. I was half-joking, but this was a serious topic and I regretted opening the lid on it.

"I know, Noah, but I would never be for her as I am for you. If you do not see this by now then you should learn. What we share is unique and most people never find this. We are perfect combination of love and friendship, attraction and companionship. You meet my every need. Do you think this is just how love works for everyone? No, my love. It is rare and important. We must always nurse this to make it strong. I always want you with me. Most people never reach this," Navid explained.

"That's sad," I agreed.

"It is, but I would do my duty to be good support and provider for her and our children. I would be ok, maybe. It is a duty to commit to the life as it is placed. If I marry, take the vows, make the children, build the life, I will commit to it no matter my feelings," Navid sighed and hit the button on the car key to unlock the doors.

"This is depressing," I laughed.

"It is! You bring it up!" Navid's mood changed and a wide smile overtook his lips. He checked the garage to ensure we were alone and then leaned in to kiss me deeply.

"So what's next?" I asked.

"Next we enjoy our love for rest of our lives and be happiest happy happers ever to live," Navid joked as he opened my door for me. I slid in and he closed it.

"No, I mean what's next for today?" I asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"Well we have long drive ahead of us. Our bags are packed in the trunk. I do this in secret so you don't know my surprise," Navid beamed proudly.

"Where are we going?" I bounced in the seat as he started the car.

"Somewhere nice and perfect to celebrate our anniversary," Navid said. He wouldn't tell me more. He zoomed out of the garage and made his way to the freeway before turning north. I didn't press it, he loved surprising me. We listened to his Persian pop music and zoomed along into the Central Valley until I felt sleepy from the monotonous landscape.

I laid my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes with a quiet yawn. I quickly nodded off.

I dreamed about our lives together, in Tehran. I was me, but for some reason his family had accepted me. I dreamed we had a simple house right next to his parents and two small boys that had his looks, his confidence, his joy for life. I spent the days taking care of them while Navid went to work. Everyone was happy and I got to see his family every day. Every night he came home to me and the happy home we had created together.

It was just a dream, but it was a beautiful one. It might not ever happen that way and maybe not everyone would always be perfectly happy... but it was worth the fight. We were worth the fight.

+++

Thank you for your comments. You hopefully know by now whether or not my writing is a good fit for your taste, but I always welcome feedback and I was so touched to find so many messages of support after I disappeared for a month.

:)