Lucky
by Nico Grey
IV
The telephone conversation started out as, "We're not coming."
By Friday evening it was, "We're leaving right after lunch."
When he called Abby on Saturday morning, he insisted, "We definitely aren't getting naked."
When he called back fifteen minutes later, Alex insisted, "Fionn isn't getting naked."
Lunch was delicious.
Fionn had been oddly intrigued, the more that Alex explained. But Alex was pretty sure that it was the sort of 'intrigued' that the average person afforded the scene of a violent automobile accident.
At first, Fionn simply couldn't believe that Alex and his friends got naked and allowed Abby to give them massages. It sounded too outlandish to credit. Fionn knew that he had never felt comfortable when he had his clothes off if anyone else was around. It didn't make sense that other people would want to do something like that.
Gradually, Alex explained that he, Caleb, and Tyler didn't necessarily 'want' to do it. Or they certainly didn't 'like' to do it. But they did it because it was something that Abby expected. And they had discovered that they didn't 'mind' doing it.
"So does this mean that you're all her boyfriends?" Fionn asked.
After some careful consideration, Alex explained that Caleb and Tyler were gay. They were dating each other. He was relieved that Fionn's reaction was nothing more than mild surprise, then curiosity.
"So if you're not Abby's boyfriend, why do you do it?" he asked Alex.
"I really have no idea!" Alex admitted. "But ever since I was about ten, Abby tells me what to do and I do it. I guess I just do it because she demands it and I don't know how to refuse."
"When I met her, she seemed really nice." That puzzled Fionn.
"Actually, she is," Alex explained. "She just never really learned that we're not her toys.
"It's weird," he tried to make more sense of the explanation. "I think maybe it's because all four of us don't have brothers or sisters. We didn't have to consider other people and their feelings until we were old enough to go to school. We didn't grow up with brothers and sisters and have to think about what mattered to them. Maybe it kind of messed all of us up?"
It wasn't really an explanation. But Alex hoped that it would persuade Fionn that they were all good people. . . good people who maybe just had issues.
He knew that he never felt abused by Abby. Sometimes she made him feel rather uncomfortable. Occasionally she made him feel very uncomfortable. But she never hurt him. She was always there when he needed her support. And there were times when her concern and consideration really made him feel good.
Whatever Fionn made of this explanation, he decided that he wanted to have lunch with Alex and Abby on Saturday. Then he'd decide whether or not they should stick around for whatever came next.
It had been an exhilarating couple of days for Alex. First he spent Thursday night with Fionn. Then he woke up Friday morning to a house full of siblings and a homemade breakfast. To Alex, even the minor squabbles that broke out when five children in the same space were competing for attention had felt like belonging. He was tempted to ask if he could alternate weeks living at the O'Connor home, then have all the O'Connors spend the next week at his home.
He and Fionn spent Friday morning with Fionn's siblings. They left for their run mid-afternoon with plans to eat dinner and spend the night at Alex's home.
Their Saturday had already been planned for them.
Alex was surprised that Fionn appeared fairly calm when they arrived at Abby's home for lunch. He couldn't remember any time in recent memory when he felt calm when knocking on Abby's door.
Abby greeted them. Lunch was ready for them. But she had a bit of business first when they passed through the West's living room.
Alex's anxiety started to go through the roof when Abby directed Fionn to stand next to a wall that was covered with photographs. Most of them appeared to be family portraits.
"Do you see the resemblance?" she asked Alex.
Abby had to direct his attention to a framed photograph near Fionn's face before he understood what she meant. A young man dressed in what appeared to be a lightweight Silver River running singlet peered cautiously out of the frame.
"That's my Uncle David," Abby explained. "He ran cross country. I think he was a freshman in that photo."
Alex was surprised at how closely the image resembled Fionn.
"You don't have any family from around here, do you?" Abby asked Fionn.
It was an interesting coincidence, they agreed over lunch. Abby explained that she had never researched her own ancestry, but her father had mentioned having Irish ancestors somewhere back in his family tree. Perhaps her Uncle David had inherited more of those genes than the rest of the West family.
Both Fionn and Alex became increasingly comfortable with Abby while they ate, although Alex was wary about any unexpected turns in the conversation. For the most part, she discussed experiences that she and Alex shared while growing up in Judah. Alex noticed that Fionn was almost becoming eager to hear more.
He and Fionn were startled when they heard the clatter of ski equipment being deposited on a wooden surface coming from the direction of the back door. Abby's eyes lit with excitement and she sprang to her feet to answer the door.
"You guys are early!" she accused. "I haven't even had time to set up for your session!"
"The conditions weren't great," Alex recognized Tyler's voice. "Too much moisture in the snow."
"Besides," and that was Caleb's voice, "We thought we should get here before you could corrupt Alex's friend too much."
Alex noticed that Fionn appeared slightly anxious. Tyler and Caleb didn't sound much different from either he or Fionn, but Alex supposed that Fionn needed the reassurance of actually meeting them before he would start to become comfortable.
An early arrival meant that there was time to introduce Fionn to the visitors while Abby prepared for their treatment. Both Caleb and Tyler made an effort to put Fionn at ease while they got to know him.
Alex was disappointed in himself that he hadn't thought to contact Caleb to warn him that Fionn wouldn't be ready for the full experience of an Abby therapy session. But both Caleb and Tyler seemed sensitive to the way that a younger boy might feel if he were dropped into the deep end of Abby's world with people that he barely knew.
Alex had mixed feelings when Caleb and Tyler showered separately before their encounter with Abby's talented fingers. He had rather enjoyed being their bath attendant the previous weekend. But he also understood that might be a very strange experience for Fionn.
He was even more disappointed when it was time for Caleb and Tyler to take their respective places on Abby's bed. When she held out her hand for their briefs, Caleb shook his head firmly.
"Not today, Abs," he insisted. "We don't want to make this too weird for Fionn."
Alex wasn't certain, but he thought he could read both relief and disappointment on Fionn's face. Fionn certainly did appear to be interested when Caleb offered to let both Alex and Fionn work on him.
Alex had grown comfortable with Caleb over the past few weeks. He thought he was a nice guy, and awfully considerate of people younger than himself.
Caleb didn't disappoint when Fionn confessed that the only time he had ever given a massage was recently with Alex. Caleb helped guide Fionn and offered suggestions on his technique as he worked groups of tired and aching muscles. By the time their session was over, Fionn was more confident in what he was doing and seemed pleased with the progress he had made.
Alex wasn't sure what to expect next. But Abby made in clear that she would conduct their customary talk therapy session. She also made her disappointment clear when Tyler and Caleb kept their briefs on as they sat on her bed.
"You prudes are ruining the therapy experience for Alex and Fionn," Abby accused Caleb and Tyler. "How will they learn to get comfortable with their bodies if you don't set a good example?"
"The way they should," Caleb insisted firmly. "In their own time and at their own pace."
"Do you guys really get naked for this?" Fionn had heard that it happened. He just wasn't sure he really believed it.
Caleb shrugged. Then he nodded. Alex thought that he seemed rather embarrassed by the revelation.
It was interesting watching Fionn. Alex had seen the connection developing between them as Fionn worked under Caleb's guidance. Now he had the feeling that Fionn was watching Caleb closely as he struggled with an important decision.
Alex saw determination flash in Fionn's eyes. He pulled his jersey over his head, then removed shoes, socks, and pants. He was flushed a much deeper red than his usual ruddy complexion was he stood wearing just boxer shorts.
When Fionn took a deep breath and reached for the waistband of his boxers, Caleb intercepted him.
"Not today, Fionn," he advised. "You don't know us well enough yet."
Alex was pretty sure that Fionn was relieved. But he also thought that he seemed at least a little disappointed.
"Come sit between us, little bro." Caleb made a space between himself and Tyler, then wedged Fionn in securely.
Abby rolled her eyes at her seated 'patients', then turned impatiently to Alex. She eyed him expectantly.
"Et tu, Brute?" she sighed as Alex set his folded clothing on her bed, his briefs still clutched securely around his waist.
"I can't, Abby," he pleaded. "I get a little excited," he confessed to Fionn.
"Cool," Fionn whispered.
Fionn was trying to be discreet, but Alex noticed the eyes examining the front of his briefs. To be fair, it wasn't like what Fionn was searching for was hard to find.
The embarrassing preliminaries behind them, Alex thought that the therapy session actually went quite well. For Fionn's benefit, Caleb and Tyler were very open about their relationship and what had brought them together. They also praised Abby's efforts— although not without caveats about her overly assertive style— that had helped them become more comfortable with their sexuality and with each other.
Eventually the conversation turned to the problems that Caleb and Tyler had faced with Thumper Frye's older brother and with bullying in general. Sticking together, sticking up for each other, and learning self-defense was their advice.
Fionn and Alex got more information about the Brazilian jiu-jitsu school that Tyler and Caleb attended. They had been leaning toward giving it a try and were now pretty much sold on the idea, even if Caleb and Tyler declined Abby's offer to let them demonstrate the style right there on her bed.
Before the afternoon was over, Fionn appeared to be completely comfortable with their little group. He was treating Caleb and Tyler like the big brothers he never had. When Abby suggested that he return with Alex the following Saturday to help with her therapy session, he turned to Alex with pleading in his eyes.
Alex wasn't sure whether it was accident or artifice, but as Fionn bent to retrieve his clothing as they were getting dressed, his boxers slipped and settled partway down his thighs. He reddened considerably, but didn't rush to drag them back up to his waist. Alex thought that Fionn blushed appreciatively when Caleb— waiting until the boxers were already securely back where they belonged— gave him a playful pat on the backside.
"Very cute, little bro!" Caleb complimented Fionn.
That only made Fionn grin coyly and turn a deeper shade of red.
After they departed, it took Alex a while to get a word in edgewise. Fionn was gushing over the experience. If Alex hadn't known that Caleb was committed to Tyler, Fionn praise for the older boy might have made him jealous.
Alex understood where Fionn was coming from. Both older boys, and especially Caleb, were very protective of the younger boys. They were open about themselves, without putting pressure on Alex or Fionn to be anything but what they wanted to be. And they were supportive of their younger friends.
"Why do people have to get so weird about sex things?" Fionn mused. "Why can't they just let everyone else do what they want, instead of trying to pressure people to do things?"
Alex had started to figure out some of the tension between Fionn and Thumper and his friends, so he just shrugged and let Fionn direct the conversation.
"Some people are selfish," Fionn concluded. "If they want something, they have to have it. It doesn't matter what the other people involved want."
"That's stupid," he declared. "It's a lot better to wait for the other person to want what you want, too. There's no fighting. And if you let people decide at their own pace, a lot of times they'll end up wanting what you want."
He strolled along, immersed in his own thoughts. Alex decided to wait again for Fionn to share what he was thinking when he felt ready.
"I've never wanted to before," he admitted cryptically. "But by the time we were through talking together, I would have got naked if Abby asked us to."
"I noticed," Alex smirked.
Fionn blushed again.
"That was how it worked today," he said. "Abby wanted us to get naked. Caleb wouldn't let her make us do it. But after I got comfortable being with everybody, I really wouldn't have minded. Maybe I even wanted to," he admitted bashfully.
"Sometimes people really mess things up when they try to control other people," Fionn concluded bitterly.
Alex was taken by surprise when Fionn suddenly dashed on ahead of him. But he didn't hurry to catch up. Fionn seemed safe. He just needed a little time to be alone. So Alex continued along at his own pace, following in Fionn's wake.
The conversation came up again the following evening.
Fiona O'Connor had just left the Fortin home with Liam and Aidan. They younger O'Connors had enjoyed their visit with Alex.
Fiona and Marie Fortin had put their heads together while the boys were collecting their belongings and climbing back into winter clothing. They decided that since school vacation didn't end until Wednesday morning, there was no harm in allowing Fionn to spend Sunday night with Alex.
Fionn had already apologized for running off and leaving Alex alone the previous afternoon. He didn't offer further explanation, but he was clearly embarrassed by his behavior.
"It's okay," Alex explained as they revisited the event Sunday evening. "I think maybe that's your way of coping. You have a large family. You're around people all the time. When something is really stressful for you, you need to be alone for a while to sort it out."
Fionn appreciated the insight. Even with a room to himself in their new home, he still didn't get much alone time to process his thoughts and feelings. Sometimes it was good to detach from those external pressures and discover who he was and what he wanted.
"Do you want to go running?"
To Alex, it seemed like a good way to be alone, even in the company of a friend. The world narrowed to the rhythm of his feet striking the ground and the physical sensations on his body when he was pushing his limits. He thought that perhaps it would be the same for Fionn.
Fifty minutes later, they slowed and turned into the Fortin's driveway. Alex was impressed that Fionn had stayed with him for the entire time. Even when he decided to add another loop to the workout, Fionn had stuck with him instead of returning to Alex's house.
"You didn't have to stay with me the entire way," Alex assured Fionn. He could see that his friend was exhausted. "I wouldn't have thought any less of you for stopping."
"But I would have thought less of me," Fionn panted. He could barely manage a faint grin.
"My lacrosse coach told me that in seventh grade," he explained, after taking another minute to catch his breath. "He used to make us run a lot! He told me that he understood it was hard, and that no one would think less of me if I quit. . . except maybe me.
"My father explained what he meant. If we're going to be successful, we have to push ourselves to our limits. Sometimes even a little beyond our limits. We have to have the drive to succeed inside us. We can't depend on anyone else for our success."
"Your lacrosse coach sounds like a psycho," Alex observed sourly. "It sounds like he was trying to manipulate you."
Fionn smirked.
"I heard my mother tell someone that he needed to win seventh grade lacrosse games more than any fifty-year-old man she had even known," he laughed. "But I think that maybe he had a point about motivating ourselves. I'm pretty sure my dad agreed with him."
Alex was thoughtful as he considered what Fionn had said.
"Maybe your coach was half right," he decided. "We do need to push ourselves to our limits if we want to get the best from ourselves. But sometimes we need other people to help us reach our goals. And sometimes it's other people that make us want to push ourselves to be our very best."
Alex and Fionn showered quickly, just in time for dinner. Alex's father gave Fionn the sort of polite grilling that Alex had received from Eamonn O'Connor. Like Fionn's father, Alex's father seemed satisfied with what he learned about his son's new friend.
After spending some time visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Fortin, Alex and Fionn climbed the stairs to Alex's bedroom.
"Why is your bedroom on the second floor anyway?" Fionn groaned. "You don't have brothers and sisters. There must be somewhere for you on the ground floor."
Alex was feeling the strain in his legs, too.
"Massage," he decided. Then he amended, "If you don't mind. I could really use one. And I'll work the kinks out of your legs in return."
"Should we call Abby?" Fionn grinned. "I mean, just for advice," he added in response to Alex's horrified expression.
"She'd tell us to get naked," Alex reminded him.
"I wouldn't mind," Fionn started blushing again. "I mean, we should probably get used to it if we're going to keep helping with Caleb," he added hopefully.
"Probably not tonight," Alex decided. "But I really could use a massage, if you're willing."
Fionn seemed to lose some enthusiasm for the idea and Alex wondered if maybe it would be best to withdraw the suggestion.
"I guess I should have realized," Fionn remarked bitterly.
That took Alex completely off guard.
"You wouldn't want to have to look at my scrawny body," Fionn explained.
That clarified the problem for Alex.
"That's not what I meant, Fionn. I just think it's better if we take it slow when it comes to doing something so personal. If we rush in and regret it, it's too late to do anything about it. But if you decide you still want to do something like that the next time we get together, there's less chance you'll regret a decision you've already made twice."
Fionn appeared to be weighing Alex's words. But Alex was worried that his refusal might damage his friend's self-esteem.
"I really do like the way you look." And then Alex hoped that he hadn't said too much. . . or had at least found a better way to phrase it.
Fionn didn't belabor the point. He appeared to accept Alex's explanation. He even seemed pleased by Alex's compliment.
Alex made a very thorough job of it when he massaged Fionn. He knew that Fionn had pushed himself hard during their run and that his legs had likely suffered for it. He hoped that the extended contact would reassure Fionn that Alex thought his legs were worth his additional attention. And really, he quite enjoyed the experience for his own sake.
By the time Alex was finished with him, Fionn was absolutely purring with delight.
"Why did we spend so much time massaging Caleb's shoulders and back?" Fionn wondered, once he turned his attention to Alex's legs.
"I think he and Tyler use their upper bodies more in cross-country skiing than we do when we run," Alex explained. "They use their poles to push off a lot."
That made sense to Fionn. He decided that even if Alex didn't need the attention, it would still be a good idea to practice upper body massage technique for the next time they worked on Caleb or Tyler.
The next session at their jiu-jitsu school for Caleb and Tyler fell on an inconvenient Tuesday evening, with school scheduled to resume the following morning after winter vacation. But Alex and Fionn persuaded their parents to allow them to visit the school to see if they thought it might interest them.
Hope Neeson, Tyler's mother, was willing to pack four teen-aged boys into her Honda Civic for the run to and from Brattleboro. Alex felt guilty that the necessary seating arrangements prevented Caleb and Tyler from sitting together. But it simply made sense to shoehorn the three smallest boys into the back seat and leave Caleb in the shotgun position.
Alex wasn't sure how transportation would work out if Liam and Aidan were also interested in trying jiu-jitsu. He supposed that the O'Connors and the Fortins would probably have to trade off those duties for their own children. With the exception of the O'Connors' SUV, none of the four families owned a vehicle capable of transporting six boys and a driver. And it really didn't seem fair to burden Fiona O'Connor with all of the transportation duties.
After listening to Tyler explain jiu-jitsu during the trip to and from the school, and observing the class in session that evening, Alex and Fionn decided that they were interested in training. Jiu-jitsu wasn't the kind of martial art that involved a lot of striking or violent contact, which appealed to both boys. But as Tyler explained it, they would learn a lot about how to use knowledge of the human body and leverage to defend themselves and make opponents regret ever trying to victimize them. And that seemed like a pretty good deal.
Both Alex and Fionn hoped to persuade their parents to let them start training immediately. Transportation with Caleb and Tyler seemed possible. And perhaps they would change to another schedule at a later date, if Liam and Aidan were still interested once spring arrived.
Alex really wasn't ready for vacation to end. The three miles that separated his home from Fionn's was inconvenient, but on most days he would have been running that much anyway. As he rode his bus to school, he was already missing the freedom that he and Fionn had to choose how to spend their time; whether on their own or with Fionn's family.
The one redeeming feature of his return to school was the short week. Winter vacation week had been extended to include a two-day holiday to accommodate Vermont's town meeting days at the start of the week. Many towns around the state used their school buildings to hold the public portion of their town meetings, and sometimes even as polling places for the voting that followed, so it made sense to keep schools closed for those days. Few students complained. Alex certainly hadn't minded.
He was still rather excited about the jiu-jitsu class he and Fionn had watched the previous evening. That dominated their conversation when they met for their Social Studies class. Alex had the sense that Mr. Donnelly was following their exchange with some interest.
Alex was disappointed that his Phys Ed class was more student-directed basketball games. He was even more disappointed when Mr. Talbot insisted that Alex and Fionn take part in the class activity instead of running.
Thumper Frye had been appointed by the teacher to captain yet another team. Mr. Talbot didn't appear to have any imagination when it came to choosing leadership roles. He just pointed casually at Thumper and three more of the usual suspects, then found himself a seat on the bleachers where he casually supervised the action while his nose stayed buried in his tablet.
Alex steeled himself for another period of overly-aggressive play from Thumper and his friends. Preston Corrie and a couple more of his friends had already been selected to join Frye's team. Alex was just grateful that he and Fionn were likely to spend most of their time sitting on the bench. He wished they had been chosen for the same team and could have spent their time together.
Despite their roles as reliable bench jockeys, Alex and Fionn still spent more time than usual on the floor. It took Alex a while to notice Thumper chatting up the captain of his team, followed fairly quickly by his summons to the floor. Once he was in the game, he wasn't surprised that Thumper and his crew took every opportunity they could to make hard physical contact with him.
Alex started to get frustrated when he noticed Fionn getting the same treatment when his team played against the Frye squad. He made a note to stick close to Fionn as soon as they were dismissed to the locker room. It felt like Thumper and his crew might have plans to continue their harassment once the class was over.
Alex had been counting down the minutes on the clock until the end of class. He barely noticed that the girls' phys ed group had started to trickle back into the gym from wherever they had been conducting their class.
There were still more than five minutes remaining in the class when he noticed angry voices coming from the other end of the gym, where Thumper's team was playing against Fionn's team. Alex's first instinct was to check the bleachers where Mr. Talbot had been sitting. But the teacher had already disappeared.
As soon as he realized that Thumper and a couple of friends had Fionn surrounded, Alex jumped to his feet and started in their direction. It felt like he was running in slow motion.
Preston Corrie and another of their crew had restrained Fionn's arms. Thumper was standing in front of Fionn with an expression on his face that promised unpleasantness.
"Jock check!" Thumper announced. He pulled out the waistband of Fionn's shorts. "Nope! Nothing in here!"
"Ooops!" he apologized as he dragged Fionn's shorts down past his knees.
Most of the class was surprised but amused. The few girls that had entered the gym were surprised and quite interested. Fionn looked like he was humiliated.
Alex rammed into Thumper's back and spun him around. Without even thinking about it, he drew back his fist and punched Thumper squarely in the jaw.
'This may not end well,' Alex realized as Thumper's friends let go of Fionn and turned toward him. But he was angry enough that his first thought was to dish out as much punishment as he could before the odds overwhelmed him.
Alex tried to provide Fionn some space to pull himself back together, while Thumper's crew waited for direction from their boss, who appeared stunned by Alex's sudden attack.
The rest of the boys in the class did what eighth grade boys always do when hostilities break out. They formed a protective ring around the prospective combatants and waited for the entertainment to begin.
"What's going on out here?!" Alex recognized Mr. Talbot's bellow. Apparently he had remembered that he was teaching a class.
Thumper's eyes had started to blaze, but the sudden reminder of adult authority had distracted him.
"This isn't over, Fortin!" Thumper snarled. "We're going to get you and your cock sucking friend, if it's the last thing I do!"
Alex was scared and angry. The combination made him reckless.
"You're not getting anybody, Frye." Alex wished that he really believed it. "What you did was sexual assault. You're going to spend time in juvie for this, you pervert!"
Alex couldn't resist adding the insult. He was surprised when Thumper's expression suggested that it might have struck home.
"Break it up! Break it up, you idiots!"
Mr. Talbot sounded closer. The boys surrounding the combatants began to thin out rapidly.
Thumper gave Alex and Fionn another menacing look. But Alex didn't think his heart was really in it. Thumper's friends were still trying to stare them down.
Thumper appeared to be collecting his thoughts. He spun back on Fionn suddenly.
"Nothing happened here, Lucky. You got that?" Thumper hissed. "If either of you say a word, I know of some video that's going to start circulating. Your parents will probably kick you out. It might even cost your father his job."
Thumper tried another hard stare, then turned an innocent face toward Mr. Talbot.
"The game just got a little out of hand, sir," he explained. He rubbed his jaw carefully. "It was the heat of the moment. That's all. I don't want to get anybody in trouble."
Alex wondered how Thumper managed to put on the virtuous expression so easily. In his experience, Thumper was more of a bully than a manipulator. But he decided not to add anything to the story. He was already trying to sort Thumper's threats out in his mind.
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