***I"m starting off right away with the part everybody comes here for. I"m sorry if the latter part feels a little rushed, but my high school schedule is killing me. The next chapter, chapter nine, may very well the the last one. thanks for all your support, i always love feedback***

In the bedroom. The door shut; the window draped. The only light source was the flickering candles that threw soft-edged shadows on the wall in a rather suggestive, evocative, and erotic manner. Sweet, romantic music filled the air, adding to the elements of comfort and affection. The setting was too perfect, just like the movies, only better, because it was real life.

The couple was dancing. Their heads rested on the other’s shoulder; their hands on each other’s back. They swayed with the melody; they stepped to the soft beat. They swirled as the tune picked up; they took no pause as the track transitioned into another song. Their bodies were close; their spirits closer. By the end of the last song, their faces drew together, slowly, sensuously. Soft lips brushed upon softer lips, lightly, tenderly….they kissed.

They took in the passion, the mood, the ambience of the atmosphere, the fervor in all things around them. Their lips parted and merged many times, each time. Their eyes were in a dreamy state between close and open. Their hands reached for their faces. Ethan White and Woody Anderson wanted to take their time; they wanted to truly experience every moment of everything. This night was to be remembered for a long time, perhaps, only topped by the night of their honeymoon.

The former ran gentle fingers through the latter’s fine, silky blond hair. The younger man stroked the beautifully sculpted facial features of his fiancé, from the corner of the sparklingly blue eye down to the strong mandible. Woody loved the feel of Ethan’s one-o’clock shadow against his fingertips. Beautiful soft moans were trapped between their lips and could only seep back into their bodies as self-replenishing fuel for their passion, a source of heat for their body, of warmth for their soul.

The newly engaged were merely kissing, still fully dressed from head to toe, but the heat from their bodies was already radiating through the fabric, already scorching each other’s skin. They were still standing, leaning on each other, and yet in that moment, it seemed their love and affection amounted more than all their previous nights of passion combined. They were simply massaging each other’s lips, with very little tongue, and yet they were gulping down more sweet saliva than ever before.

Now, finally, their lips parted completely, as Ethan’s nose and chin grazed on Woody’s neck. Warm breaths that contacted Woody’s skin made his chin quiver and his throat tense up, but the magic touch of Ethan’s steady, reassuring hand relaxed those troubled areas. Pulling at the collar of the shirt down just a little to expose more of Woody’s chest, Ethan brought his lips to a clavicle and followed the protrusion of bone and muscle to Woody’s right shoulder. There, he stopped and nibbled at the soft peachy skin. Woody sighed longingly at the wonderfulness of it all.

With Ethan’s assistance, the younger man gradually straightened his arms over his head. Ethan took the bottom of the shirt and slowly pulled up; first revealing the navel just below center of his defined, flat abdomen, then showing the ridges of his ribs and toned oblique. Next the revelation of the lower, rounded part of Woody’s chest, topped with hard light-brown nipples. Next of course was the upper chest, the beautiful breast-bone that perfectly split the pectorals. Naturally, the shirt came to the obstruction at the chin, but with a slightly harder and swifter pull, Woody’s face was revealed again, sexy and beautiful as ever. His deep green eyes glittering so amazingly in the candlelight that Ethan just had to pull him in for another kiss.

After that kiss, the man who proposed slowly kneeled down in front of his lover, bringing his hands and face level with Woody’s waistline. Ethan reached for the belt and slowly undid it, pulling it the leather through the loops one by one until the end slid out of the last loop. Ethan gave a sexy smirk, realizing Woody was wearing no underwear. As his pants fell just a little, it hinted at some light-brown pubes. The V-shaped area where stomach met legs was among the most exotic feature of a man’s body. With eager tongue, Ethan savored the beautiful slim hips as he undid the jean and pulled it all the way down. Woody stepped out of his pants; the only thing was he was wearing now was the bracelet with which Ethan proposed.

Ethan had contemplated whether to have proposed with his state championship ring instead; perhaps it would have been more traditional. But Woody had his own ring, and he never wore it because he hated rings. So yes, this was clearly the better choice. It fitted so beautifully on Woody’s wrist; it belonged on Woody’s wrist. Just as Ethan’s heart…all of it…belonged to Ethan’s soul.

Ethan’s hands slowly started out at his lover’s ankles, gradually stroking up the long, firm legs, taking delight over the feel of the sparse hair tickling his palm. Eventually, he passed the knees. Ethan took pleasure in staring at the Woody’s perfect thighs, but he loved even more to feel, to touch those powerful muscles that wrapped the strong bones. Just as he was about to come to Woody’s quickly hardening member, Ethan ran his hands back down, this time stroking the backside of his partner’s legs, feeling his Achilles’ tendon, his twitching calves. Woody sighed with much anticipation and a little frustration, but Ethan did not mean to tease. He only wanted to caress all parts of Woody’s faultless body before focusing on the thing that counted the most.

At last, Ethan returned to that eagerly waiting part of Woody’s body. Running his hands through the inner thighs, urging his lover to spread his legs a little wider so he could reach and pick for Woody’s beautifully hanging cherries. Ethan loved the smoothness of the sack that covered those small, sensitive round fruits, he loved the way it seemed to tighten on his touch. He loved even more when he felt each orb jolting inside the sack. Opening his mouth wide, he closed his lips over the sack. Now with both nuts in his mouth, Ethan juggled them with his tongue, he clamped his lips together and pulled the balls, causing Woody to moan with shock and pleasure.

The sack now dripped with saliva as Ethan opened his mouth to let it go. He held the beautiful, straining cock in his hand. Ethan had took hold of it countless times before; it had slowly become like his very own. He knew all the nuances that would pleasure this penis and its owner most effectively. He knew which method would work, which wouldn’t. Which way to stroke, how slow, how fast, which area to go gentle on and which area to use full force. Ethan’s tongue began at the underlying base, traveling up the ejaculatory tube, milking out the copious amount of precum at the top of the summit to glisten the dark-red beautiful arrowhead. Ethan loved tracing the blue veins that webbed his lover’s cock, finding satisfaction as he saw the veins swelling as the cock grew bigger, a sure sign that he was doing all the right things.

Ethan’s lips reached the end of their long eight inch journey, now planting the tongue deep into the small opening slit at the tip of the cock, blocking the precum that were oozing out. Woody’s legs trembled as the vigorous tongue kneaded the sensitive head, curling his toes as Ethan’s fingers wringed the base of his dick; he arched his back and craned his head to the ceiling as Ethan now engulfed the whole stick of meat. Soon, Ethan’s pleasure-giving lips enclosed around the base of the cock, nuzzling the nose at the dark-blond pubes, inhaling the hypnotic, strong aroma of Woody’s crotch. The boy being pleasured had his eyes closed at the moment, while moaning softly and steadily, as Ethan performed the usual method to bring Woody’s cock to climax. It was all good for both of them, doing the sure-fire things to make certain they were all satisfied. Woody grazed his fingers through Ethan’s luscious dark-brown man, not to guide Ethan…cause Ethan needed no guidance…but to show him how much he appreciated it. Feeling encouraged, Ethan ran his hands between Woody’s moist butt cheeks, venturing his fingers into the love chute. These were all things they had done before…

But tonight was meant to be special. They couldn’t possibly be satisfied with the usual, the safe-bet, the ROUTINE. They wanted to experiment, to try something they had never done before, even if it doesn’t turn out right, at least they would be satisfied in knowing they tried it…and so…

Woody opened his eyes in utter astonishment as Ethan widened his jaw and took in his partner’s whole package…sausage and meatballs and all…everything stuffed into his mouth. Woody could feel it, the two orbs fighting with the huge rod for space in Ethan’s surprisingly large oral orifice. Woody knew the head of his dick had never reached that far down Ethan’s esophagus; nobody had ever reached that far down Ethan’s throat. Perhaps it was his imagination, but Woody felt the lower part of the throat was tighter, drier than anything his dick had ever encountered before. It was an uncharted territory of the older boy’s body, and Woody’s gushing precum were first to settle on it.

It was great; it was exhilarating for both of them. Woody was awestruck by Ethan’s limitless abilities. Ethan was himself amazed he could actually do this for so long without needing to come up for air. Everything the older boy was doing was bringing Woody to the edge fast…perhaps too fast…. “No, please, don’t finish it Ethan,” sighed Woody, “I want to save it all. Spill it all inside of you. I want to plant my seeds deep at the other end of your body.”

Ethan long desired to hear those words. He was not even sure Woody would ever be up to it, entering him with absolutely no protection at all. He had almost given up hope on the idea after Woody had declined him just this morning. But then again, tonight was special. Tonight, they would try new things. Tonight, they were practically new lovers, experimenting, playful, rediscovering the part of sex they have often fast forwarded through or skipped over completely…such as the sensuality in something as simple as taking off your partner’s clothes…

Woody slipped four fingers between two buttons of Ethan’s shirt, feeling for that powerful, hard chest without actually seeing it. With his thumb, he undid the topmost button, revealing Ethan’s beautiful neckline. Woody leaned down to kiss it, licking that hollow area of the throat where the clavicles joined. Unhurriedly, he progressed downward, unbuttoning more and more of the shirt, revealing more and more golden skin, exposing more and more scorching, hot flesh. Woody’s tongue was like a knife, ripping down the meridian of Ethan’s body, but instead of pain, Ethan experienced sheer bliss. Woody was eating out his heart…in a good way.

As Woody unhooked the last button, he came back up to observe that beautiful muscle-lined torso framed by the open shirt. From where he stood, Ethan was facing the candles, so the way the yellow light danced on his chest, casting shadows in the valleys between each bulge of muscle…it was all too much for Woody. He wanted to throw the older boy onto the bed and fuck him over and over again til his genitals became raw.

But Woody restrained himself. He knew tonight wasn’t all about the sex; sex would play a great role, of course, but they had all night to do so…there was absolutely no hurry. Ethan relaxed his arms to the side as Woody now brushed the shirt off those strong, square shoulders. Ethan shrugged lightly, but left most of the work to gravity in bringing down the shirt to the floor.

Woody scattered his hands all over the firm but yielding board of sculpted muscles. Feeling Ethan’s body was sometimes just too much for Woody; it often made his hands tremble to know that his powerful body was his for the taking. For Ethan, Woody’s touch could make his lung collapse by the sheer power only Woody possessed. A power that surged the blood streaming through his body; sizzling the cells of his brain. Heat rose inside them both, and the only way they knew how to cool was to come together for another kiss.

With ease and expertise, Woody knew exactly how to unbutton and pull down Ethan’s pants without parting his eyes from his lover’s face. He knew just how to rub Ethan’s erection through the fabric of his boxers, just how to squeeze at the head that peeked out from the waistband. He knew how to rub Ethan’s cock so the precum would dribble out and coat his fingers; then he’d wipe the slick substance on Ethan’s chest and reach back down for more juice.

It’s been two hours now since the proposal. And they have been in the bedroom for the past hour. An hour...simply kissing and dancing and more kissing. It was amazing, really. All those previous nights of passion, it never took them more then five minutes after the kiss to land on their beds and make love. But it’s been a little more than an hour, and only now, did both agree to progress towards the bed.

Ethan sat on the edge of the mattress and leaned back, exposing his neck for his lover’s taking. Woody took it alright, with teeth and tongue, he took a bite out of the Adam’s apple and suckled at the ridges of the throat. Woody ran light fingers down the beautifully elongated, muscled arms until he came to Ethan’s hands. Now their fingers laced together; Ethan leaned back all the way as his lover laid over him.

Ethan loved the weight of Woody’s body pressing down on his chest. He loved it when Woody teethed lightly on his nipples all the while staring up at him with those sexy, intense green eyes. He loved it now as Woody grabbed both their rock-hard dicks with one hand and squeezed them until the straining heads turned dark purple.

It wasn’t long before Woody directed Ethan to raise his legs high, opening up his buttcheeks that was covered with sparse hair. Woody kneeled down beside the bed, his head now wedged between Ethan’s inner thighs. Woody took hold of his lover’s cock and stroked it, but that was not his main target. With wet tongues and lips, he slavered at Woody’s ballsac; but that was also not his main target. Woody delved even further down, now to Ethan’s crotch, now to his beautiful glory hole. Without hesitation, Woody stuck out his tongue and wedged it between the cheeks.

“OH GOD!” Ethan exclaimed, “What are you doing?”
“Rimming you!” Woody replied.
“But I though it grossed you out?”
“Ethan,” Woody said, “You asked me to marry you. The least I could do is eat out your ass. Now stop complaining, lie back, and enjoy it.”

Ethan protested no further, and did indeed enjoy the wonderful talent of his lover’s tongue. The hot wetness between his eagerly waiting crack. Saliva was the all natural lubrication he needed. Frankly, it was the best kind…and Woody was coating plenty of it…so much so the drool began to drip down to his tailbone. Woody could not believe Ethan’s ass tasted so good, a sweet dampness, but nothing foul…but then again, what part of Ethan’s body that wasn’t good…his armpit most of the time smooth and always lickable…the souls of his feet always fresh and silky …the area between his toes always delicious, always clean. Always immaculate. Always Ethan.

Woody stood back up and let out a big sigh. All this delay…all this prolonged build-up has led to this…the moment Woody would enter Ethan, and their only protection was their love and their trust. Green eyes engaged with the counterpart’s blueness. Woody gripped onto Ethan’s waist and pushed his own hips forward. The younger boy felt the entrance at the tip of his cock and entered all the way, and gasped in total shock of the tightness and hotness of it all. Woody hadn’t seen Ethan for two weeks, and it was another week previous when the former had last been inside of the latter. That accounted for the tightness. But it was the hotness that most surprised Woody. The difference between thin latex and going bareback was a hundred degrees…like night and day. Woody could feel the ridges of Ethan’s inner wall, could detect even the slightest curvature that he never felt before.

Like the very first time Woody had entered Ethan, the younger man felt close to coming already. It was all too much, all too overwhelming. The intestinal walls squeezing in on his cock, the friction as he began to pull out halfway, the flame that ignited as he pummeled all the way in again. As if that wasn’t enough, Ethan brought further pleasure by rubbing his hands all over Woody’s abs and oblique and then pulling down his head so the two were kissing again.

Woody always loved it when they kissed while fucking, operating both ends of their bodies simultaneously. He loved trapping their moans in their mouths as their tongues knotted together, as saliva rushed to and fro each other’s mouth, as teeth carefully glided against another, as nose brushed the other’s cheeks. He loved ramming his cock deep into Ethan’s ass, crushing Ethan’s cock and balls under his stomach, feeling Ethan’s whole body jerk on especially powerful thrusts.

Ethan knew he was usually the ‘man’ in the relationship. Partly because he was older. Partly because his body was more ripped and toned. Partly because he was more level-headed and mature. But sometimes…such as this moment…Ethan just wanted to lose control…offer his whole body to Woody, who was himself a great man…perhaps, a less refined man…but still one hell of a sexy young, vigorous man.

The bed squealed underneath them. The air thickened above. The scent burnt in the sheets. The temperature rose all about them. The candles were dying out, the darkness slowly swallowing up their bodies, but an internal glow lit their spirits, emanating an aura of delight and enchantments that could never go dark. The needed no light to know where each part of their bodies were, to predict how the other would move, nor to understand what the other needed.

Woody had been making love with Ethan now for thirty minutes, but hell if either of them noticed the length. Time mattered little at the moment. The only sense of time they had was the deepening scent of sex in the room, and the amount of sweat they were producing; soaking through the sheets, their clamored hands desperately gripping onto each other, moisture from their faces exchanging as they kissed on and off. Ethan blew airy kisses onto Woody’s forehead, creating a cooling sensation that the younger man very much appreciated.

To show that appreciation, Woody bucked his hips faster, driving deeper into Ethan, making sure everytime he hit that exact spot that would drive Ethan to the edge in the most satisfying way. Their skins may be damp, but deep inside of Ethan, friction and heat and heightened nerves reigned. Woody had suppressed all those sensation in order to prolong their fornication, but all that sensation was catching up to him in a huge way…

“Oh, god….I can’t hold it in any longer.” Woody screamed, “I’m gonna…”
“We’ll do it together!” gasped Ethan, “FILL ME UP, SHERWOOD! I NEED IT ALL INSIDE ME.”

Their moans rented the air; their bodies squirmed wildly. Clinging to each other tight, their muscles tightened, their eyes dilated, the stopped breathing for a moment as they released their passion. Ethan sprayed all the white, creamy juice between their two bodies, mixing with the sweat and body heat, creating a sticky glue to hold them even closer. Woody couldn’t believe how good it felt to feel Ethan’s inner walls tightening around his naked dick; he couldn’t believe neither how much he came. It seemed to erupt nonstop for ten seconds, shooting deep inside of Ethan, probably to a depth never reached by any other man’s sperm. Woody absolutely loved the feel of the cum as it began to drip down towards the opening, squeezing through Woody’s still ramming cock, and the slurping sound as the ejaculatory fluid finally dripped out onto Ethan’s ass.

Too exhausted to continue much further, Woody pulled out and collapsed on Ethan’s chest. The stronger man took his gorgeous lover into his arms. The two lay there in the dark, immersed in warmth and satisfaction. Just for a moment, they would take a breather. They lathered their hands all over each other’s drenched bodies and expressed their shared love with breathy whispers. They kissed again, starting off soft and slowly and gradually building up more fervor as they prepared for another round of hot, beautiful, passionate, time-dissolving sex.

This time, Ethan would take charge....as it should be…as it seemed most naturally. As much as Woody loved to dwell deep inside the older man, he loved it even more to have Ethan’s large cock roam inside of him. He loved the feel of his innards expanding to the pressure of the piston. He loved to be driven to that edge of ecstasy where only Ethan could take him…over and over again…

Woody sprawled flat on his front, his legs spread out, as Ethan laid his larger frame on top, weighing down thick chest muscles on the beautiful landscape of Woody’s rippling backside. Ethan wedged his cock between Woody’s buttcheeks, letting the younger man get reacquainted with the size of that amazing lovestick. But Ethan wasn’t about to enter just yet…he had to enjoy the rolling muscles of Woody’s back with his tongue and lips first. Lapping up the dried sweat from the sex ten minutes ago, licking down the spinal column down to the beautiful derriere. Taking a bite out of that bubble butt…though Woody was five pounds skinnier during the last two weeks…Thank goodness it didn’t affect Woody’s behind much.

Finally, when he was satisfied, Ethan moved back up Woody’s body and realigned his arrowhead with the beautiful, tight asshole. Lowering his head down to kiss Woody’s neck, Ethan lowered his hips as well and Ethan that puckered tightness. Woody winced and squeezed the pillow underneath him as the initial pain of minimal lubrication shocked his body, but as Ethan’s gentle cooing and whispers in his ears the pain eventually ceased. And as Ethan began to swivel his hips around, digging even deeper into Woody, total enjoyment also began.

Every position they engaged in was always splendid, always fantastic, always able to bring them to the best orgasms, but there was something about this position that drove Woody crazy. It was the pressure of Ethan’s body bucking wildly on top of him, smashing at his tight end. It was the ability to grab onto these sheets and the sides of the bed as Ethan fucked him senselessly. It was feeing Ethan’s hardworking sweat drip all over his back, running down his spine to the lower back, cooling off as Ethan’s thrusts brought new air to the area. But mostly, it was the fact that his cock was forced down into the mattress, his balls squeezed to their limits. As Ethan drove in faster and harder and deeper, the pressure of his cock and balls built up, the sensation, the need to cum was overwhelming, but the gates to eruption were closed, and Woody’s fluid were forced to stay in the well until a tiny bit of pressure was relieved.

And the only way the pressure was relieved was due to Ethan’s will, and Ethan was not willing to release the pressure until he too was about to cum. So Woody had to wait, his body writhe in pleasure unable to reach its maximum potential. Each second that passed without his release was torture in the most pleasant way, each time Ethan bucked forward but didn’t show any sign that he was about to come was a torment Woody was willing to go through, because he knew the end result would finally come, and it would come in a great, gut-busting way.

Woody could feel Ethan’s movements getting more erratic now, his thrusts a bit unstable, his moans growing deeper and longer…all good signs that he was about to let everything go…all good signs that Woody was going to be able to blow his wad. But then the man on top gained stability again, his movements smoother and faster than before…it was as if Ethan had orgasmed without cumming…which meant he could go on another twenty minutes without stopping. Woody bite into the pillow, anguished because he desperately needed to release now, but overjoyed that Ethan would still be inside him for a good half hour more

Three months later.

“Now that’s what you call a hole in one!” exclaimed Jack White triumphantly, as he grabbed the golf ball out of the hole and moved off the putt-putt course.

“Then what cha call the first two putts?” asked Ethan White.
“Practice!” laughed Jack. “Everything’s practice until the last shot that goes in. Kinda like you when I threw some cereal into the toilet and taught you to pee standing up.”
“Hey!” Ethan snorted, “I never missed those fruit loops once.”
“Oh yeah, and how come my feet were wet every time you’re done!”
“You must have spilt some cereal on your foot!” Ethan retorted.
The father and son looked at each other and continued to bellow in amusement.

“Oh, I’m gonna hate the next course,” Woody sighed, staring at the miniature windmill that blocked the middle of the course, “Nine out of ten times, my ball gets blocked by the rotating blades, and if it does go in the mill, it doesn’t come out.”

“That’s when you get a child with small arms to pull it out for you.” Jack said. “I made Ethan get the ball for me all the time.”
“Yeah, and I got the scar to prove it from when the blade struck my head open,” said Ethan.
“Well, a true son of mine would have been smart enough to reach in the back and not the front where the blade was rotating at Mache speed.”
“Are you hinting something about the legitimacy of my birth, dad?” asked Ethan.
“Well…” Jack looked his son up and down, “Come to think of it…you do look an awful lot like the mailman that came to our house way back when your mother still worked at home…”
“Gosh, I need to find him then,” laughed Ethan, “Maybe my real dad wouldn’t have put my life at risk like that all the time…”

The father and son continued to jab and jibe at each other like so for the next three courses as well as on through the drive back to Ethan and Woody’s apartment. Woody made comments when he needed, but for the most part, he enjoyed just listening in on the conversation of those two handsome men. It should have reminded Woody of his relationship with his father (which was perfectly fine), but instead, it reminded him more of his relationship with Laurie, his sister.

The way Woody and Laurie used to poke fun of each other, saying some extremely rude stuff right in front of the other, but always getting away with it because they knew it was all fun and games. No offensive comment could break the brother-and-sisterly bond that they had. Unlike with the Welling twins, Woody didn’t have to watch his mouth every time he talked to Laurie. He couldn’t spend a night in bed with Reed Valentine without the boy making sexual advances at him. But with Laurie, Woody had no such problems.

Of course, Woody now had Ethan to talk to at nights. Woody sometimes wished he had a second person to talk to, just as Ethan had his dad.

As the truck pulled up the driveway, Jack White exclaimed, “I can still do a cartwheel if I wanted to!” He used to be the tallest gymnast in college.
“Stop fooling yourself, dad,” guffawed Ethan, “You can barely touch your toes now…you’re way past your prime. I would ask you to show me, but I don’t want to take you to the hospital afterwards.”

“Oh, yeah? Watch this, buddy!” Jack quickly opened the door as soon the truck stopped and ran to the patch of grass in front of the apartment complex. With hands over his head, the forty-five year old leaned forward and let his feet follow…over and over again…he wheeled four times without stopping and ended climatically with a somersault. “Yep!” Jack nodded satisfactorily, “This old man still got it.”

After diner that evening, Jack White had made an excuse that he hated to drive back to South Wind due to poor nighttime vision and asked to stay overnight. Of course, Woody and Ethan offered him a place to stay in the study room. The next morning, Ethan and Woody went to their respective classes and came home to see that Jack White was still there, this time now stating that the car was not working. Ethan wondered why his father didn’t call the mechanic already, and so he called one for him. When the car was fixed, Jack White said his wife was down in Florida visiting Ethan’s aunt so he might as well stay for that weekend. It was a week later, after three more excuses when Ethan finally asked… “Dad, tell me why you’re here.”

Jack stopped chewing the sandwhich he was eating and swallowed. Then he gave a big sigh and said, “Your mother and I…we are trying to see what it would be like if we lived apart for a month.”

“You’re separated…” Ethan’s jaw dropped.
“No…no…we’re just…giving each other some time off.”
“Off? Off of what? Off of a relationship? Off of a marriage?” Ethan said.
“Ethan, listen…”
“No,” Ethan said, “I don’t get it. Why are you two doing this…so suddenly?”

“Have you been living under a rock, Ethan?” asked Jack, “You know that she and I…our relationship have been very strained…it’s been strained since you were in high school, worse when you turned eighteen and moved out of the house and we were forced to face reality…But we haven’t done anything about it because we were afraid what it might do to you and how it would affect your relationship, but now we know, this is not going to bring you down…it might sting for a bit, but not forever. Because you are now engaged to a wonderful boy for goodness’s sake…you are going to be fine, even if in the end she and I do agree to separate forever….you are going to be fine.”

As Ethan continued to drown in gloom for the rest of the day, Woody secretly admitted that Ethan’s father did seem happier than ever. Back when Jack White was still with his wife Linda, the man would usually stand silently beside her as she greeted the guests and he talked only when necessary. He always had on a tight-lipped smile, but his eyes always seemed painfully sad to look at for too long. Ethan had always claimed that he took after his father’s lively spirit and unbounded energy, but Woody never saw this trait until now…

****

The month long separation of Ethan’s parents would inevitably turn into a legal divorce. For a while, Ethan refused to talk to his father, believing that he was the one who suggested ending the marriage. But as he talked to his mother, he began to realize that she was the one who initiated, and his ever-gloomy state worsened.

For the spring semester, Woody did not take classes in which Ethan taught, but based on what he heard around campus, the students were complaining that the discussions he held were becoming boring and lacked the general conducive atmosphere that was present during the beginning of the semester. Soon, Ethan resorted to grading papers exclusively, and never asked to lead any class discussion unless Professor Heinzworth ordered him to.

More frequently, Woody would find himself woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of crying. When his eyes adjusted, he would see the older boy lying on his side, facing the other way, sometimes even shivering under the blankets. Naturally, Woody would ask what was wrong. Although Ethan would refuse to answer, Woody didn’t have to dissect the older boy’s brain to know what was bothering him.

But then one night, Woody woke up, startled, as he felt a sturdy tapping of his shoulders. Drowsiness washed away as Woody rolled over to face Ethan. “What is it, honey?”

“Is it enough?” Ethan asked offhandedly, his eyes swam in tears.
Woody shrugged, “Is what enough?”
“Is everything I’m doing enough for you to realize how much I love you? For you to realize I could never abandon you, your beautiful soul and your wonderful heart. Is it enough? What more do I have to do to prove to you…”

“Nothing! You’ve proven enough. Everyday when I wake up next to you, I feel like the luckiest person in the world. All my wishes have come true.” Woody sighed, “Okay, well, maybe not months ago. Maybe I didn’t realize that then. But now I do. Every time I look at this bracelet, I’m reminded, I’m reassured that that our love is stronger than anything out there that threatens to break us apart.”

“So you’ll never leave me?” Ethan asked.
“Why would you even ask that?” Woody said.
“Answer me. Please tell me you’ll never leave me.”

“Wow, did we just switch roles?” Woody chuckled, “I thought I was the one who was afraid of being dumped.”
“Seriously, though. Would you ever leave me?” Ethan asked.
“Of course not! I shouldn’t have to say it. You should know that by now!”
“Then why did my mom leave my father? They promised each other, didn’t they, at Church, before God, to be together til death do they part. So why did it happen? Why did they break their vows?”

“I don’t have an answer for you, Ethan,” Woody said, “Or at least, not one that you would like. But the troubles between your parents have nothing to do with us…not if we don’t let it. I sure as heck WILL NOT let it affect us, so will you?”

Ethan stayed quiet…staring at Woody.
“Are you gonna let it affect us?” asked Woody again.
After a while, Ethan shook his head and uttered a week, “No…”

****

As soon as Woody got out of his last class, he listened to the message Ethan left on his cell. “Hey, honey. How are you? So when you’re done with your classes, why don’t you go home and put on your best casual formal and drive over to 2020 South Iron Street. I have a surprise for you! Love you so so very much. Bye!”

Woody was surprised to hear Ethan’s voice so high and cheerful. Great, Woody thought, Ethan was finally getting over the slump. The young man drove home quite curious, wondering what Ethan had in store at 2020 South Iron Street…wherever and whatever that is. As Woody went into the apartment and headed for the bedroom, his mind made a map of the notable places on Iron Street. He knew it was in the downtown district where the post office, electric company, power plant, library, and health department situated. There was also a fire station and police department. Woody couldn’t see any of these as a good place to have a date or hold a surprise. The more Woody thought about it, the more excited he became. Ethan’s surprises were always big, but he couldn’t think of anything else that could top the proposal.

How casual is casual formal? Woody wondered as he shifted through the closet. What restaurant downtown required such a strict dress code? Maybe it was the new Italian restaurant that just opened. It was reviewed in the town’s newspaper with five stars. Or maybe it was the old French restaurant that was closing down in a couple weeks…Ethan must have gotten a reservation just in time before the last day.

As Woody continued to scavenge an outfit he deemed ‘casual formal’ something fell out of Ethan’s jacket. It rolled under the bed, and Woody had to bend down and reach under to get it. The first thing Wood noticed was the sound of rattling, and as he retrieved it from under the bed, Woody saw that it was a prescription bottle. Cautiously curious, Woody read the label. Needless to say, it was name out to Ethan White, and the name of the drug was mirtazapine. Woody thought it sounded familiar. He recalled picking up something with a similar name for his mother before, but couldn’t quite remember what it was for.

Ethan did seem a little under the weather lately; they were probably just antibiotics, Woody assumed, placing the drug on the table. The young boy now stood in front of the mirror and checked himself out. Yep, good-lookin’ as usual, in a pink button-up shirt and khakis and brown leather shoes. Woody was prim and proper and ready to find out where exactly 2020 South Iron Street was.

It was some ten minutes later when Woody turned a right onto Iron Street. And he began to read the street address…2000, he passed the old French restaurant….2002, he passed the new Italian restaurant…2006, there goes the post office….As he approached the destination, Woody’s mind began to lean toward certain situation….2010, there goes the fire department….2014, there goes the health department. Yes, Woody now concluded happily, 2020 South Iron must be the address for the public library. He could see it in the distance. The closer he got to the building, the more confident he was with his speculation. Ethan must have finished his short story, it must have been published, and he was doing a book signing today! Yes, that was it! That must be it.

But then the library…address 2018…passed him by, and Woody’s theory was trampled and discarded. The number 2020, as it turned out, was etched in stone to the side of the county’s police department. Troubling thoughts immediately seized Woody. Did Ethan get in trouble with the law? Was it serious? Did he call to bail him out? Why did he tell him to dress like this? Was there a court proceeding already? What the fuck was going on?

Woody spotted Ethan’s truck and parked in the open spot next to it. Confusion continued as Woody got out of his car and saw that Ethan wasn’t inside the truck. As he edged out between the two cars, Woody found himself pinned against the hood of his car as wet tongue and sweet lips smothered his face. Woody giggled and gave way into Ethan’s fervent, sloppy kiss.

After the kiss, they straightened back up, and Woody now had time to gauge Ethan up and down. The taller man was dressed in much more than formal casual. With a black and white tuxedo and slicked back hair, Ethan was straight up formal. Before Woody had time to ask why the showy outfit, Ethan grabbed his hands, “Come on,” and led him up the steps of the courthouse.

As they zipped through the large heavy door into the vast echoing hallway, supported by tall beautiful pillars, Woody finally made Ethan stop and ask, “Where in the world are we going, Ethan?”
“To the judge.”
“What for?”
“What else?” Ethan laughed, “To get married.”

Woody pulled his hand completely away from Ethan, “WHAT?”
“Yeah, let’s get married!” Ethan repeated.

“What? No!” Woody shook his head vehemently, “You have to ask me first.”
“I thought I did.” Ethan looked down at the bracelet on Woody’s wrist.
“No. Well, yes, you proposed.” Woody said, “But we barely made plans. None of our parents are here. None of our friends are here. I thought we wanted it be on a special day.”

“It is special. It’s a special day. Everyday with you is special,” said Ethan.
“But this is…this is just too sudden, Ethan,” Woody said, “We can’t do this…”
“Why not? What’s the use in waiting? I love you. You love me. Let’s get married!”

“No, this isn’t right, Ethan.” Woody sighed, “I know why you’re acting like this. And it isn’t right. I know your parents are signing the divorce papers today, but the cosmic equilibrium of matrimony ain’t gonna balance out with us getting married.”

“What? No!” Ethan denied, “It has nothing to do with my parents. You said so yourself, my parents getting divorced should have no affect on our relationship whatsoever…so yeah, let’s get married.”

“But I’m afraid…” gulped Woody, “your parent’s divorce is the exact reason you’re pulling this impulsive, brainless shenanigan!”

“Brainless shenanigan?” Ethan’s face sunk, “You think this is some kind of ‘shenanigan?’ Me wanting to marry you. Me wanting our love to be recognized by the State an ‘impulsive, brainless shenanigan’? We’ve been engaged for four months…how could this be impulsive?”

“Calm down Ethan,” Woody pleaded, “I’m just saying…the Ethan I know would not do this if he were clear headed.”
“Look, do you want to get married, or not?” Ethan asked.

“No! Not like this!” Woody shook his head. “I wanna marry the clear-headed Ethan. I wanna marry the Ethan I came to know and love.”

“Fine! Have it your way, Woody!” Ethan glowered. With his head hung low, he stormed down the marble-tiled hall. His heavy footsteps reverberated piercingly into Woody’s ears and knocked his heart a little bit out of place. Woody ran after him, but Ethan shrugged him away.

As Woody ran through the giant heavy doors, two dreadful realizations took hold of him and he stopped dead in his tracks. He didn’t know which struck his heart more. The first thing Woody realized was why the prescription that fell out of Ethan’s pants sounded so familiar. Mirtazapine…it was the generic name for Remeron, a drug Woody’s mother took to counterbalance the effects of menopause. Its main purpose, however, was an anti-depressant. Ethan was depressed enough for the doctors to prescribe the medicine.

The other dreadful realization: Ethan had never called Woody by his nickname since…well…since as long as he could remember.

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