Leo now stood before the tall muscular man that Joey had become. As Leo looked up, he saw a man who stood about 6’ 6” and it was easy to see that he was trying not collapse, holding onto that fallen tree.

As Joey looked down on the big guy, he saw him turn pale and Joey now knew the worst. He was now so hideous that they were probably going to send him away. Even strong and powerful Leo was disgusted by him. But Leo was saying something to him. He was asking him something. He had to respond.

“Joey!” he almost screamed, “you’re alright, we’re here now! You’re going to be okay; but the tall muscular man only gripped the tree harder as he began to wail through his tears. Joey felt Leo put his warm, strong arms around him and felt it as Leo leaned his head over to rest it upon his chest. In a very gentle voice Leo said, “We love you Joey. You had us so worried. Please let me take you back. We want you to come home.”

Joey chocked back his tears. He tried to speak, but his own voice seemed strange to him and it scared him, “You …. you … you mean you still want me?”

The warm smile reassured him as Leo’s piercing blue eyes looked up at him, “Of course we do. We love you Joey. Now please, let me take you back.”

The ruggedly handsome, muscular man rolled his lips inwards, his eyes grew wide and he shook his head, ‘yes’. Careful not to loose his footing, in a swift move, Leo scooped Joey into his arms and was carrying him back down the hill. “You’ll be okay buddy as soon as we get you home and get you warmed up and you have something to eat. You’ll see. You’ll feel a whole lot better.”

Joey began to cry again. He was going to get a wonderful warm shower and food. He had stolen from them and run away but they still wanted him. When Leo finally reached the waiting family he was trying to hide the fact that he was really starting to feel the heaviness of the load. Brice came over, reached around the tall man nestled in Leo’s arms and gave him a hug. He kissed him on the forehead and smiled.

Joey chocked back his tears and asked, “You mean you still want me?” Brice just smiled and said, “We don’t throw away family, even if they screw up.”

Joey continued, “But I stole from you”. Brice looked down at him seriously and his dark blue eyes forced Joey to really listen, “And who did you hurt the most?”

Joey’s eyes filled with tears again and his voice cracked as he said it, “me”. Joey’s heart was filled with shame.

The father took control again, “Let’s get started back, it’s a long way home from here.” He and Leo took turns carrying the tall man back to the house. They even let Brian and Evan try for a while, and whilst they had the strength, they didn’t have the durability; their strides simply were not long enough to carry them far. Still the little breaks for Leo and Brice were greatly appreciated.

At long last the house by the sea came into view and Joey practically leaped out of Leo’s arms and started running down the beach for home. All of the sons and their cousin ran after him to the house whilst the ‘adults’ took their time, gathering strength for their arrival.

Michael and Mark were anxious when they saw that Joey had Matthew, (that red hair could be seen all the way down the beach), and it looked like he was swinging him around in circles. They rushed to finish the last part of their journey and Michael looked up at Mark and nudged him as he smiled. Joey had bent down to hug Matthew (he was so excited to be home again) but when he stood up, he carried him back up with him. Matthew just tucked his legs around Joey’s waist and was going for a ride as the tall muscular man danced gaily around in a circle. “We’re home. You want me. You love me.” It was going to become a familiar chant over the next few days.

Getting the big galoot a shower was problematic. Joey just didn’t know what to do with his tall, muscular body. No one ever doubted that Leo loved him just like his own step-sons, and he proved it today. The big burly guy got into the shower and scrubbed Joey down, himself. The end result: one tall, handsome, clean, muscular man; one drowned rat. Leo was so coated with the muck that had been on Joey, that Brian had to have him sit down so they could scrape him off and he could get back into the shower and clean himself. Brian and Evan just giggled in their boyish voices and chattered away at him. Leo loved the boys, but he was getting a headache. They were far too energetic and excited for him.

Leo took his time finishing his shower and put on some ‘very comfortable clothes’. When he got down to the dining room, he was amazed; but he should have known. With all the recent structural changes that had happen with Joey, his appetite now rivaled (and in days to come – outstretched) Leo’s. He could tell by the pile of plates stacked in front of the boy-man, just how much he had already eaten and he didn’t show any signs of stopping anytime soon. The boys were trying to be polite and not stare, but the copious amount of food he was consuming would have startled a four-hundred pound trucker. Leo was now carefully watching his own consumption and pushed his plate back, but Brice set his plate in front of Leo and said, “I can’t finish this hon’, would you help me?”

Leo’s face turned red. They both knew that Brice was giving up his food so his lover wouldn’t go hungry. Leo turned red. There was still enough food on the table to feed an army, even if it was just an army of one, so he pushed Brice’s plate back at him and said, “you finish it, you’re going to need your strength”. Brice’s eyebrow raised and he was about to confront his lover right there in front of God, his sons and everybody when his face relaxed as Leo pulled his own plate back and started to finish his own meal.

“I love you Leo …”

“Ah Dad … don’t get all mushy at the table…”, etc.

Leo flexed his arms and bounced his pecs and smiled back at Brice, “I love you too …. ‘Dad’.” He leaned over to plant a big, juicy one on Brice’s lips.

“Ah … you guys …. uch …. get a room …”

Michael reached over and pulled Mark down to his lips and did the same thing Leo and Brice had just done.

“Ah … uch … ooo…. I think I’m gonna be sick … geez …”

Michael’s boyish voice cut through the air as he snapped his fingers, “We’re all gay here; get over it”. And then he did it; he deliberately gave Mark a long, lingering passionate kiss.

The chorus of voices started again. Brice interrupted them, “You boys could learn a lot from your Uncles Mark and Michael”.

The twins started next, “Ah Dad that just sick”, “ooo…. that’s disgusting”, “that’s just gross”, “Uchk.”

Taking full advantage of the situation, Blaise pulled Chris over and dutifully followed his brother’s example.

Everyone was laughing so hard that Joey snorted a chunk of food out his nose and they all broke down in hysterical laughter. The brunch party finally came to a close. By now, Joey knew in his heart that every single one of them wanted him here. How could he ever be stupid enough not to realize that before? Maybe being twelve didn’t make him all grown up. He had a lot to learn.

The family meeting however, was much more serious business. Joey was now full and feeling very sleepy. He laid down on the long, leather couch with his head propped up on the arm rest and his feet dangling over the other end. Evan handed him a pillow and said, “Here, you’ll be more comfortable with this.” Joey took the pillow and held it in close to his chest like he was holding a teddy bear and he nodded off to sleep. Evan pulled down a blanket to cover him, well at least part of him, and Joey finally rested whilst the other members of his adopted family set about the task of reordering their lives.

Bruno stood up first, “I’ve forgiven Charles for what he did, but I’m still very mad at him. He will have to stay with the twins and Joey can stay with me now.” He sat down as though the matter was closed and the meeting was done.

Charles eyes filled with tears, so the twins went over and put their arms around him. “You can stay with us”, “we’ll take you”, “you won’t be alone”, we’ll have great fun”.

Brice stood up and the air was electrified. “Bruno. Apologize to Charles. You have a right to be mad at him; but that does not give you the right to deliberately hurt him. Benjamin and Barnabus: your brother has a right to feel the way he does. Apologize to him for disregarding his feelings. Charles, you can continue apologizing to whomever you know still requires it of you; you have a long row to hoe before we can put all of this behind us. Now you boys shake on it.”

The twins began to wildly convulse and then Charles started to bounce up and down like a jumping bean. Bruno could only stand there and laugh until the twins came over and started bumping into him so he would join them. Leo snorted and Brice took a deep breath and sat down next to his lover. “I think your sons have outsmarted you on that one. They did exactly what you said by the letter of the law And … the spirit of the law. They never would have spoken to each other for days, but now they are co-conspirators.”

Brice gave Leo a gentle kiss, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Okay. If you clowns are finished now, we would like to get on with our meeting…”

“But I’m still mad at Charles”, Bruno pouted and pushed him.

Charles, still continuing to bounce around, rolled over like a weeble and lightly gave Bruno a kiss on the cheek. The twins joined in bouncing around their brother and kissing him. Bruno stood there turning red. Finally he gave into the urge and started bouncing around with his brothers. They all ended up in a pile on the floor tickling each other. As Bruno and Charles came face to face, Charles whispered to him, “I really am very sorry and I’ve tried to figure out some way to show you. Are you still mad at me?”

Bruno was loosing control as Barnabus was tickling his feet and he was trying to free himself from his brother, “I wanna be …”, but then he almost screamed, “… but my dumb blonde brother won’t leave me alone.” Benjamin piled himself on top of Bruno and began tickling his sides and stomach. Bruno’s face was red and he was laughing so hard tears were streaming down his cheeks. He screamed, “Dad?!? Help!!”

“Sorry son, this is between you and your brothers. I can’t interfere.”

Out of desperation he bellowed, “Okay! Okay!! Okay!!! I’ll try not to be mad at Charles anymore. Just don’t say we have to kiss and makeup. Okay?”

The twins backed off and Charles leaned down to help Bruno get up off the floor. “I’ll be right back”. And Bruno disappeared down the hall to the bathroom. The twins weren’t quick enough; they had to go all the way upstairs. Charles sat down in the middle of the floor and almost cried again, “I really am very sorry…”

The whole remaining family chanted, “We know Charles now get over it.”

When the whole assemblage was reunited, they got down to business. In fact Bruno’s plan proved to be the most feasible. Joey was way too tall to stay with the twins and a king-sized bed for him would fit into Bruno’s room, provided Bruno stayed on his single, over-sized water bed. There wouldn’t be a lot of excess space, but it would be comfortable enough.

The family was allowed to settle back now and get into its routines. By mid-afternoon the family rhythm was reestablished and Brice had ordered the delivery of the new bed. No extra amount of money would get it there yet today, but they promised to be there first thing in the morning. “It’s okay dad”, Bruno announced, “He’s my roomie, I’ll stay down here tonight so he won’t be alone. Maybe if I light a fire, he’ll feel more at home.”

Brice smirked and nudged his son on the shoulder, “Missing our little chats by the fire are we?”

Bruno was going to try to deny it, but Brice interjected, “I know I am.”

Bruno managed a small smile, “Well maybe a little … but I am much better now … I don’t need it like I did before.”

Brice looked down at his son, “But if you ever do, you know right where I’ll be. You won’t wait okay?”

Bruno blushed and looked down at the floor, “Like that day I was so mad I interrupted the blow job?”

“Well okay son, if you want, you can knock first next time”, and he gave his son a hug. His reward was the legendary Bruno hug and he knew his son was going to be alright.

By late afternoon, Blake was feeling very left out. Matthew was swimming with Uncle Blaise and Bruno was practicing the piano again. Everyone else was getting ready for dinner – still hours away, and he finally worked up the nerve to pull out ‘his’ skateboard and fiddle around with it in the driveway. ‘Maybe I’ll just go down the road a little and see if I don’t fall off.’

When Joey woke up from his nap the very first thing he noticed was how hungry he was. Snacks weren’t allowed between meals except carrots and celery or apples or something like that. He quickly forgot his hunger as he stood up and felt his still changing body. Whilst he slept his thighs had grown so thick and muscular that he couldn’t bring his legs together. The sexy leather lace-up briefs that Brian had given him (they were too small for Brian now) helped Joey contain the ugly sack of flesh that had replaced his cute little dick. No one would even want to touch something so horribly deformed and bulky. What was worse is that when it got bigger (and it did it a lot now – he couldn’t figure out why) he had trouble keeping it tucked in. It was always pushing its way out of the top or the side of the strong leather briefs. There was no way to hide the obnoxious thing, but they all pretended that it didn’t bother them that much. If he had been back with the other street boys, none of them would have ever been able to take it, mouth or arse, during their practice sessions. Joey’s muscular chest heaved with a very deep sigh, straining all his muscles to show themselves. He finally understood that that didn’t matter anymore. Brice was not interested in him making the big bucks. He didn’t have to do anything. All he had to do was be there. That seemed to be all they wanted of him. Joey scrunched up his face and began to cry. There had to be some way he could do some thing and maybe show them that he wanted to somehow say thanks for not throwing him away, even if he was a horribly deformed animal that serves no purpose in life.

-*-*-

Blake was so excited and let out a little cheer. He had made it all the way to the park. Then a cold chill went through him. He was at ‘the Park’; Dad was going to be pissed. Blake hadn’t taken the time to tell anyone where he was going. He had been so thrilled at overcoming his fear of the skateboard that he had entirely forgotten to ask for permission to go down the road. Dad would have been glad to give it, the road was barely traveled and there were plenty of friends along the way if Blake might have needed help; but that wasn’t the case. He felt completely alone. He looked around for a phone to call the cell, but he didn’t see one.

Another kid boarded up to him and said, “Nice board dude.” Without even thinking Blake blurted out, “My Dad got it for me; I was just trying it out.” Then the cute blonde boy with the short dreadlocks rambled on in some dialect that poor Blake just couldn’t understand. This was beyond faking it, he finally said, “Man, I don’t understand anything you just said.”

The skateboard kid punched Blake in the arm, not hard, but it startled him and he jumped back and shouted, “Hey man! What was that for?!”

He just laughed at him, “You are cute for a dumb blonde, wanna get it on?” The guy had no way to know all the abuse that Blake had survived. He didn’t know that Blake had no knowledge of the world. Before his real Dad found him, his whole reality was seen through a keyhole letting light into his locked closet. There were days and nights without food; having to ‘hold it’ until he was allowed to go to the bathroom; and then, that only happened once a day. He really thought the guy was going to show him some moves. He knew he had a lot to learn so he was grateful that the guy was going to teach him.

Well in fact, he was. But Blake was entirely not ready. Bertram mistook the smile of eagerness on the sweet boy’s face as a sign that he was willing. He quickly dropped to his knees and started tugging at Blake’s board shorts. He had Blake’s dick in his hand and was getting ready to give it a good tongue lashing as a jeep screeched into the parking lot. There was one huge angry man running towards them and another younger guy, it had to be Blake’s older brother. They almost looked the same except for the fact that his brother looked older. Bertram was mesmerized by it all. Then there was one of the shortest guys scurrying behind the other two, moving as fast as his little legs could carry him. Bertram’s tongue was still just hanging there in mid-air.

The next things happened simultaneously, Leo scooped Blake into his arms like a baby, Brian hoisted Bertram up above his head and was swinging him around shouting, “What do you think you were doing with my little brother?”, “He said it was okay!! PUT ME DOWN you little pip squeak!!”, and Bruno was having some sort of fit, bouncing up and down on his legs and wringing his hands.

“STOP!!” Bruno bellowed.

Brian held Bertram up in the air like he just had been using him for him as free standing weights and Bruno went over with tears in his eyes and took his brothers hand. Blake was considerably shaken by all of these events happening at the same time, but Bruno took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Immediately Blake saw before him a vision of a boy just like him with another boy attached to his front. The front boy’s head was bouncing up and down and the boy that looked like him … ohmygod … it was him. The front boy was doing what he’d caught his brother doing with his husband. Blake’s eyes filled with tears, he was too young to get married, he hadn’t even had a chance to date other guys yet. It was all over for him. Then he heard the soft, confident voice of his big brother, “No Blake that not what it means. It’s what he was ‘going’ to do to you. And he would have wanted money after he was done. He would have hurt you because you don’t have any.”

Blake curled up into a ball in the strong arms of his other-daddy and cried. How could he have been so stupid? Leo’s reassuring voice told him, “You’re alright now. You’re not hurt. You’re safe. We’ve got to get you back, your father is worried.”

As Leo sat Blake on the ground, Bruno came and put his arms around his brother. Leo flipped open the cell and speed-dialed Brice, “Brice honey, it’s okay … he’s safe … it was all a misunderstanding…. yeah … right … we’ll be back in a little while … right … got to sort things out … okay …” he smiled, “I will.”

Without delay, he looked at the brothers and said, “Boys, … your dad says he loves you. Brian you can put the boy down now, he won’t run away.”

Bertram thought to himself, ‘boy is he wrong … that was the first thing I was going to do’. But as Brian put him down, it was if his body was under the control of Leo. He really didn’t want to run away. Somehow he sensed that the big guy wasn’t going to hurt him, well at least for no reason.

Already knowing the answer to his next question (Bruno had ‘briefed’ him) he asked Bertram, “Where’s your father boy?”

“At work.”

“Don’t lie to me boy. Now tell me the truth.”

The sight was ominous. Bertram’s defiant attitude seemed to vanish into air. Brian stood back; it was like one of Bruno’s attacks. Then there was a shower of hysterics and tears, “He threw me out – didn’t want a faggot for a son. Tole me he’d shoot me like a dog if I ever came back there…” and Bertram couldn’t say anything more, lost in his tears and agony. He’d managed to work his way cross-country, park to park earning his keep and hiding from cops.

Leo’s voice softened, “How long ago was that?”

Bert sobbed, “two years ago”.

Sgt. Leo now took command over the privates in his squad. “Brain, help the boy get his things, he’s coming home with us. Bruno … help your brother back to the jeep and Leo … calm down, you have to drive the boys home.” They all laughed at him. Even Bertram managed a little smile. However, he knew that he was not going to run away. He just knew if he tried to make a break for it, that the stocky shrimp blonde would just hurl himself at him and he’d go down like a medicine ball had hit him in the back. He didn’t try. As Bertram reached down to pick up his small backpack he was sure he saw the little guy hold back a tear.

The little guy held out his hand and said, “I’m Brian, ah … Blake’s oldest brother and you saw … ah Bruno well … and the big guy is our dad’s husband Leo. Oh and kid, if a lot of crying bothers you, get over it; Dad says it’s not good to hold back your emotions, it’s not healthy.”

Bert couldn’t believe his ears. Through some twist of fate, he’d landed right in the middle of a family of faggots. This had to be seen to be believed.

After everyone was ‘buckled in’, Leo turned to him and said, “Okay kid, no funny stuff, right?” Bertram shook his head. Was he kidding? With the muscle shrimp waiting to tear his head off and some creepo mutant freak of nature on the other side. No sir, there was not going to be any ‘funny stuff’. Right now, sex was the last thing on Bertram’s mind.

The ride was direct enough. They certainly didn’t hide where they lived. They weren’t driving him up to the mountains to beat him and leave him either. Bertram still remembered the pain of ‘that’ ride. As Leo pulled up next to the minivan, everyone jumped out and looked back at him. Brian smiled and said, “Come on kid, no one’s going to hurt you … well unless you do something you should be hurt for …”

“Brian”, came a warning voice. He turned to see his youngest brother wriggling around trying to get out of dad’s arms and declaring, “I’m okay dad you can put me down”.

Brice took the advantage and stated, “you know what it’ll cost ya’?”. Blake gave his old dad a kiss right on the lips and a great big hug. Brice let him down carefully. He walked over to Bruno put his arm around him.

“Is there a reason we’re all standing around when dinner is waiting?”

Brian’s pudgy little hand grabbed up Bertram’s and he was dragging him toward the house and into the dining room. “Look what Blake found!” and he finally let go of Bertram’s hand. A cute redheaded boy about his age asked, “Why don’t you come over and sit next to me?” Bertram was so lost in this crowd he didn’t know what to do, so he followed compliantly behind his new friend. He was getting dizzy looking at all that food when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was a big hand. He turned slowly and saw Brice, down on his haunches looking him square in the eye. In almost a whisper he said, “If you haven’t eaten for a while, stick to the light stuff and we’ll get you some more in an hour or two. It’s more important for now that you keep down what you take in.” Bertram couldn’t believe it. He had been infected by his brief sexual contact with Blake or maybe Bruno bumped up against him in the car. Tears were erupting from his eyes and he had not the strength or the will to stop them. Some virtually unknown father-type was worried about ‘him’. The abrupt change in his circumstances overwhelmed the boy and he surrendered his soul to hysterics. It felt like he was floating on air. It was better than that. It was like the big strong arms of a lover were carrying him to his warm bed for hours of love making. Then he felt himself slowly gliding to the floor. When he allowed himself to open his eyes, he was standing in a bathroom next to Brice. He felt like a dirty little boy. He must have been fixating on daddy-types or something. “We’d better get you cleaned up first. Blake went up to get you some of his clean clothes; you’re about the same size.”

Then Bertram felt Brice’s serious look and he had to lift his head to meet his eyes. “You aren’t going to run away now? Can I trust you, or do you want me to stay while you take your shower and get cleaned up?”

Very meekly, the previously defiant Bertram just barely audible said, “I promise I won’t run away. You can trust me.”

“Can I?”

He knew he could not just say yes lightly. He thought about it, “If I’m going to leave, I’ll tell you first.”

Then Brice smiled and was making fun of him now, (and he knew it), “You wouldn’t want all my sons to come looking for you and hunt you down and bring you back and hog tie you to the bed… yeah … I know your type … you’d like that too much…”

Bert was locked in between laughing and crying. This emotional stuff really hurt bad. Blake knocked on the door and handed some great looking clothes to Bertram and said, “Hurry up, Matt saved you a plate … but if you’re too late Joey will have everything else gone. Ooops… sorry dad..”

Brice was smiling down at his son, “Now don’t tell him that – you know better”, and he looked at Bert, “remember what I said.” “Yes sir”, and then he looked at Blake, “I’ll be real quick.”

In full Father-mode he said to Bertram, “Just remember please, that for the time being, you are our guest. Act accordingly.”

Brice and his youngest son headed back to dinner. ‘If Bert only knew.’ One minute. One and a half. Two minutes. Two and a quarter. Two and a half. Three. Four minutes. ‘Please God don’t let him run away he needs us so badly’. Five minutes. Five and a … “Hello everybody I’m back. Did you miss me?”

The twins started, “Who’s that?”, “it’s just the new kid”, “Blake’s friend I think”, “I think he’s sitting next to Matt”, “skate boards or something”, “yeah, go figure”.

When he sat back down next to Matt, there was a silver thing where his plate had been. The old redheaded shrimp next to him reached and grabbed it up, revealing hot, steaming food beneath, “I didn’t want it to get cold while you were away.”

Trying to remember what the sexy daddy had told him, Bert just picked at his food. He had promised him more later. Bertram just knew the old guy was ‘a man of his word’. It would be okay.

Bertram was now trying too hard to fit in. During a side conversation with the shrimp next him, he said, “I don’t know why it upset him, my old man gave me a faggot name so why was he so mad at me when I turned out to be a cocksucker?”

It wasn’t that Michael’s face looked shocked, it wasn’t. It was something else. The whole room was silent. It was Evan actually that got out of his seat and walked around the table and unceremoniously climbed up into Bertram’s lap. His strong, short arm went up to Bert’s shoulder and the little guy looked like he really wanted him to know something. Maybe like a secret just between them. “Bertram honey, you are not a faggot. I think probably you might be gay. And your name means ‘bright and fair’.” Everyone twittered. “Everyone here wants you to be here, so stop trying so hard to fit in. It’s like you already belong.”

Bert was blinking back tears, “I wasn’t trying to dis’ anybody … I was just saying …” At that moment, Bert couldn’t hold it back any longer. All his years of abuse came out with those tears. The pain and suffering he’d endured the last two years of hell were all flashing before his eyes. He squeezed Evan like an overstuffed teddy-bear and was holding on for dear life. “I’m so sorry … I didn’t mean …”

Michael stood up and put his arm around Bertram too. He really was checking to make sure Evan was okay, but the burly elf was holding his own. As his tears began to subside, Brian came over and looked him straight in the eye. Nobody was prepared for what he was about to say, “Do you ever get the feeling that somewhere today you stepped over into the ‘Twilight Zone’ and that you’re surrounded by a cute bunch of munchkins?”

The table exploded into laughter and Bert started laughing through his tears. When they got back to reasonably quiet again, Brian put his hand on Bert’s knee and said, “All our meals are fun, but not usually as exciting as dinner tonight. Hell … it’s why I push my husband out of bed every morning and come down to see who’s crying that day.” Bertram suddenly realized how tightly he was holding Evan and immediately released him. Evan almost lost his balance, so in an effort not to fall from Bert’s lap, he did the only thing he could. He leaned in and pushed his little muscular arms around Bertram’s middle and gave him a hug, “I wasn’t done with the other one yet … geez … you’d think I was going to twirl you around over my head.”

Everyone, Bertram included, broke wildly into laughter again as Brian blushed. Dinner just couldn’t get back on track after that, so sherbets were brought in and Bert cautiously looked over at Brice who was smiling and shaking his head.

As everyone was getting up to go to the drawing room for their after dinner coffee, Matt got on one side of Bert and Blake on the other, and the three of them walked together, just like lifelong friends, like they always had been together.

They were just a little way outside the dining room door, not even up to the family room yet when Brice, leaning up against the wall, impeded their progress. “It’ll be okay with me if you three share the bed tonight, but we will have to make other arrangement for tomorrow night. Don’t get too comfy with tonight’s arrangement.”

It was some time later during one of the songs that Brice’s words finally got through to Bertram. “ … other arrangements for tomorrow night …” That could only mean that Brice intended him to stay more than just tonight. Tears began to fill his eyes again. The music had stopped; everyone was looking at him again. Ty took his arm off his lover and leaned forward, “Usually everyone has something to share with the family. Bruno plays the piano, Benjamin and Barnabus play their flutes. We all know you didn’t come prepared like everybody else, but do you have a poem or a story or something else you’d like to share with the family? If you don’t, don’t worry about it. You can come up with something for tomorrow and that will be fine.”

The words echoed through his mind, ‘… you can come up with something for tomorrow …’ The wheels turned in his mind; he just ‘Had’ to share something. These faggots were being really nice to him and they didn’t have to be. From somewhere long ago, even he couldn’t quite remember, he remembered a song. He stood up, went over to the piano and began to sing it. It was a very sad love song about being alone. His voice, although a little shaky and scared, was sweet and strong. As he came to a part where he just couldn’t remember the words, Michael’s voice quietly began next to his own and the sad and lovely song continued as if they’d planned it all along. Mark was gently following the two on his harp and all of the lovers drew near to each other as the song wove it’s magick in their hearts. There was not a dry eye in the house. The last note drifted into infinity and no one could make a sound. All that Bertram could understand was that somehow, in this one moment, in this room filled with strangers to him, he felt …. blessed. Struggling for words and fighting back tears he finally was able to say something, “I’m …. I’m so glad that you guys found me today …” He just didn’t know what else he could say.

Michael reached up to put his hands on the boy’s shoulders and peered deeply into his soul, “For the longest time I was sick and lonely and lost in this world, I thought I had nobody … but I was wrong. I found I had a family that loved me. I found them right here in this very room and I know …” Bertram felt the short handsome man quivering, “I know ‘you’ found ‘them’, tonight. Don’t ever let them go. You will never have this chance again in your lifetime.”

Sensing the sudden awkwardness of the moment, Benjamin and Barnabus shifted into full-twin-mode. “Bruno, play something nice”, “yeah Bruno, one that you wrote this time”, “we wanna be proud of our brother”, “what do you mean? We already are”, “well I mean more proud then”, “then say what you mean”, “I would if you’d quit interrupting”, “I ‘never’ interrupt; it’s you that always interrupts”. Michael gave Bertram a little bear hug and in a stage whisper confided to him, “yes, they’re always like that …” and everybody laughed. No one was able to stay sitting. Everyone had to join in the group hug that followed. Bruno played his song, but after that, the room began to slowly empty as they all drifted towards bed.

Matthew and Blake led Bert to their room. The boys were pushing around the pillows and getting stuff ready for the night, whatever it is that young gay guys need to get ready. The two fourteen-and-a-half year old boys dropped their ‘unders’ and were standing there ready to climb in bed when Bertram suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. “Dude’s, you’re gorgeous men”, he stammered out and whilst he was pulling off his shirt, (like the boys had) Matt started, “you’re a pretty nice piece of meat yourself”, and then Blake added, “prime beef, man”.

When Bruno came down in the morning to get his juice before breakfast, Jeremiah looked at him with a grin and said, “You have a little visitor waiting for you on the deck. Why don’t you invite him to stay for breakfast?”

Bruno was dumbfounded. A visitor? For me? It wasn’t Tristan. He knew that. As he burst onto the deck, still clutching his orange juice, he saw the cutest guy swinging in the hammock. “Good morning Bruno, I’m Miles, Tristan’s lover. I was going to come down yesterday, but I figured you were having a really busy day … oh and thanks … I think you’re cute too”.

Bruno started to blush. He was going to have to be careful thinking around this guy too. But somehow he just felt “safe”.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you. How are you feeling after yesterday’s adventure?”

Bruno smiled, “A little tired still, but I think maybe I was just up too late. Bert is so confusing to be around. He’s hurt real bad inside like Joey and Charles, but he shows it differently.”

“I know what you mean Bruno. But everyone is like that. If you kicked me, for instance, I’d punch you. If you kicked say Charlie, he’d just sit there and let you.”

Bruno winced. The emotional wound surrounding Charles was still fresh in his mind. Miles continued, “but then, after all, you chose not to kick him in the end. That shows me that you were feeling some of his pain, even then.”

Bruno bubbled over, “Does this mean both of you are going to ‘teach’ me stuff?” Miles laughed, “No dear boy. You have to ‘learn’ from all the things that go on around you everyday. Be part of them, learn and grow and of course love and share. That’s all that it is about.”

“You guys are real wizards, aren’t you?”

Miles laughed again, “Yes Bruno. But quit trying to change the subject. That has nothing to do with your gift or learning how to live and love and grow.” He smiled at him again and hopped out of the hammock. Miles came over and reached up to put his hands on Bruno’s shoulders. “Don’t ‘think’ about it too much right now, you don’t want to start the day with a headache,” and Miles pushed himself up on his tiptoes and gave Bruno a little kiss on the cheek.

Bruno was a little embarrassed. Miles was even shorter than Evan had been; but he was cute, adorable, and a hot little guy – Bruno just wanted to grab him up and kiss him. He felt his dick starting to get hard.

“Why thank you Bruno. That was a really nice compliment. Now don’t forget that Jeremiah wanted you to invite me to stay for breakfast. You’d feel real bad about forgetting when you remembered it later.”

In all of his excitement, he had forgotten. Bruno blushed. You didn’t have to be able to read minds to see that his dick was pushing out the thin fabric of his baggy shorts. He decided to be a little like his father, it really helped him ‘show respect’ when he wanted to tell someone older than himself that he was upset with them, “You are welcome. Would you like to stay for breakfast? We always try to welcome everyone.”

“Why thank you Bruno, I would love to. I really had no other plans this morning and I really would like to meet all your family.”

-*-*-

When Joey woke up, he was wrestling with the sheets and trying to fight somebody and run away all at the same time. His heart was racing and that hideous growth of flesh that had replaced his cute little dick was pulsing with violence. He wanted it to stop. He slapped it sharply with his hand, hoping that the pain would make it shrink back at least enough for him to hide it in his briefs. Tears began to fill his eyes when he had to acknowledge that his plan hadn’t work. Instead of shrinking back to his now ‘normal’ over-stretched and misshapen size, the thing began to swell up even more and the angry red tip pushed its own way out from underneath his now heavy thick foreskin. As it emerged into the air, Joey felt a shiver pass through his entire body as the extra sensitive head responded to the gentle breeze of the room passing over it. He felt his buttocks tighten in response and his nipples began to harden. What was he going to do? He was becoming a slave to all of the physical sensations that were flooding through his distorted body.

Jumping out of bed, he thought that if he got a shower, then maybe he might be able to do something to gain control over these new sensations. He was wrong. This morning, more than any other before, the warm water amplified his new sensitivity. The water was streaming over his body and he knew he was becoming a wild animal driven by the urges that were enslaving his body.

As he soaped down his body, he felt his muscles pull tight in response to his touch. The grossly huge appendage that had replaced his dick began to lengthen and rise upwards despite its own grotesque weight. Joey actually felt it as it began to increase in width. The loose skin around it was now pulled as tight as it could be and he was afraid that any moment now that the skin was going to split apart and that all the blood engorging it would burst out, covering that huge bathroom. Despite himself, Joey was forced to reach down and touch the repulsive thing; and the second he did, the skin loosened again. Trying to remain logical, he studied it. No, his touch did not make it shrink any. The skin had merely adapted to its new girth and length. Joey made a futile attempt to restrict any more blood entering the obscene extremity by grasping it firmly around the base. This vain attempt on his part was punished by the thing swelling up even further and the skin was now stretched tight again. The second realization that frightened the boy-man was the fact that his large, mutated hand wasn’t big enough to go around it. What was he going to do? The head was now swollen and pulsing and seemed to be growing larger still. He took his washcloth and thought that if he soaped it down and squeezed it harshly that he might be able to force some of the blood back out of it. Wrong again. Instead, he was punished again as he felt the whole of his penis lengthen and widen even more. He was being punished severely for having stolen from his new family and he hated himself even more because he knew that he had done it to himself. Not one of his new family would have ever even wished these terrible mutations upon him. He knew it in his heart. They were good people and they showed him day by day and even minute by minute that they loved him. Tears began to flow again when he recognized that they all accepted him as part of their family despite his grossly misshapen body. They didn’t try to hide him in a dark, back room. He was allowed to sit with them while they ate, watch the TV with them and they never made him hide when someone new came into the house. They had even let him eat as much as he desired, without criticizing his profuse appetite. He hadn’t ever gone hungry since he arrived.

The crisis of his expanding appendage was momentarily forgotten because of a new pain that he was experiencing. It wasn’t too harsh, but it drew his attention away. He tried to reason with himself as to how he would describe it. He’d remembered the ‘other boys’ telling about how it was when they got their tattoos; the needle pricks and the small amounts of blood that would result. This must be like that. There were tiny pin pricks happening all up and down his legs and arms. At the same time, the pain was much more severe on his chest. Then he felt it beginning to prick around his jaw and around his lips. As the sensation grew more acute on his pectorals, the muscles there began to spasm and jerk. He took his hands and in an attempt to apply enough pressure to stop the tremors, his wet hands slipped and he ended up squeezing his nipples instead. Hypnotized by this new sensation, he grasped them between his thumb and fingers and tugged on them hard. He knew now without question that he was becoming an animal. His nipples hardened under his grasp and he couldn’t help himself. He pulled on them even harder and allowed the waves of pleasure that they were creating to overwhelm his body. The pain subsided into an ecstasy that he had never known before. He was completely overcome and surrendered himself to the animal that he was going to be. Instead of fighting his mutation, Joey now took his hands and began to massage his pecs, still tugging at his hardened nipples. He was greeted with still another sensation. It was completely foreign to him and he was forced to look down. Beneath his soapy wet hands his pecs were covered in hair. He gave himself over once again to the animal that he was becoming and began to stroke the hairs back and forth in the rush of water passing over his body. The effect was mesmerizing. He found himself smiling as he watched the hairs flow this way and then that, depending on how he directed the water with his hand.

He was sure that his whole body would soon be covered with his long dark brown hair, but the second he thought it, the pin pricks stopped. As he examined himself, he saw that his arms and legs had a moderate amount of hair, but none of his new growth seemed to be getting any longer. As he was beginning to get lost in that thought, his crotch began to itch. In purely a natural response, he reached down to scratch it and discovered long, thick pubes where now replacing the previously wispy strands of hair that had been there. When he was finally able to concentrate again, he noticed that there was a line of hair leading upwards to his pecs. His hands were instinctually drawn back to massaging them and squeezing his nipples. Joey couldn’t believe the force that he was using now and how far out he could pull them. The hard centers were demanding that he apply more pressure. His whole body was demanding his touch. He could deny it no longer.

The tip of his penis was smacking his chest just below his pecs and he was forced to seize it and begin pumping. The realization that it now demanded both hands to encircle it was quickly lost in the waves of pleasure entrapping his body. Unconsciously he took one of his hands to squeeze his ballsack and was again forced to look down, pushing away the waves of delight. As he studied it, Joey allowed the water passing over him to gently caress his skin as he stared in wonderment. There was mistake in what he was seeing. Each one of his balls was almost the size of his fist. They were churning under his grasp and aching for release. As his hand released them, it joined its brother in stroking the massive member, finally bringing Joey to climax. As the copious amounts of cum surged to freedom from his monster he almost fainted from the release. He sank to his knees and leaned forward trying to maintain consciousness. The hot water flowed endlessly over his new body and he watched, waiting for the swelling to go down. He tried to forcefully push the head of his dick back under his foreskin; but it’s response was to surge back thicker and fuller than before. He sat under the streaming flood and began to stroke it again. Within a matter of moments, he felt his balls drawing up into his body as another flood of semen gushed forth covering his entire body in the warm, sticky fluid.

As his pulse began to return to normal and his penis began to calm, Joey slowly stood back up and forced himself to soap down his body again. Even with the steady flow of water splashing over him, his sticky seed was gluing itself to his thick fine chest hairs. As he washed away the soapy suds he played in the water watching his hairs flow with it’s current again. A small smile escaped his lips as he thought to himself, ‘Maybe I’m going to enjoy my new life as an animal’. His family would accept him no matter what. He just knew it. •