Alec and Tanner continued their talk. Tanner had forgotten his sundae, and it was now a variegated puddle in a bowl. He shoved it aside. “I’d like to experiment with my throwing motion. But I don’t want anyone watching. Has to be secret. You know a place where you and I could do this?”
Alec thought, then said, “I don’t know anything about anywhere here in Seattle. But I can suggest a place in Portland: your high school. You must have enough pull with the coach there to let you in. We could go in the morning before anyone would be there, not that there’d be many people no matter the time at a deserted high school baseball field. If that’s a place that is locked up, you could ask the coach to give you a key. Can you trust him not to tell people you’ll be working out there?”
“Sure, especially if I offer a couple of seats—or maybe a place in an Otters’ VIP box—for a game. That’s a good idea. But when? You’ll only be here during the day tomorrow. I want to check this out right away.”
“I can imagine. Uh, when do you have an off day? It’s once a week usually, isn’t it?”
“Actually, we have tomorrow’s night game while you’re on the train. After that, I have an off day before our next game in Anaheim. I could fly to Portland early rather than going back to Anaheim with the team, work out with you, and then catch another plane to Anaheim. As long as I’m back with the Angels for the next day’s game, they won’t care what I do before that.”
Tanner stopped to consider, then said, “You know, I can see this happening, this waiver business. And if we keep it quiet, and I work on my delivery, I could really screw up some batters by tipping one pitch and then throwing another. That depends on how changing where my foot lands doesn’t affect my control.”
“You’re as devious as I am,” Alec laughed.
««« »»»
Joel was upset when Alec finally came upstairs.
“Where have you been? It was supposed to be us together tonight. I was looking forward to this all day.” Joel spoke reproachfully to Alec, something Alec had never heard before. Joel was showing a mixture of anger and sadness that almost broke Alec’s heart.
He walked over and hugged Joel and found him stiff and unresponsive. “I’m so sorry. I thought talking to Tanner would be brief. I told him something that should have made him mad. Instead, he looked almost eager, and we talked about it. It took too long. I’m so sorry I left you frustrated. But, you know what?”
“No, what?”
“Now we can have makeup sex. I’ve heard that can be the best.”
Joel managed a grin. “Hard to believe anything can be better than what we’ve already had.”
They were both in bed quicker than one could imagine. They began with kissing, and that took some time as Joel seemed to need reassurance that Alec still loved him, and Alec could feel Joel’s need and wanted to satisfy it.
They became more adventurous as their passions rose. They were both hard from the time they’d gotten in bed, and they each were quickly fondling each other. Then Alec scooched down and kissed what he’d been coddling. That led to new feelings and new adventures for both of them.
Alec had seen pornos, and he’d been intrigued seeing boys having oral sex. When he’d been in the passions of sex by himself in his room, the thought of being pleased orally had been a great turn-on; he’d even visualized giving that pleasure to another boy, and thought how great that would be, maybe even doing it mutually. But, to his surprise, when he thought of this when he wasn’t in the grips of hormonal passion, he found he had some reservations. Would he actually like doing this with another boy? Did he want to taste another boy’s ejaculate? He’d never tasted his own. It somehow wasn’t as sexy a thought when considered in a non-passionate mood.
So he had some reservations. But kissing Joel, feeling his excitement when he did, urged him on, and his reservations disappeared when he took Joel into his mouth. He was bringing his boyfriend into a frenzy. And when the inevitable happened, it wasn’t disturbing at all. His only though was, he hoped reciprocity would come soon. They were tired from a long day, and now, with the hour having become late, they both were ready for sleep. They fell into deep slumber as before, with Joel’s head on Alec’s chest.
««« »»»
They took the train back to Portland the next evening after spending the day with Tanner. Seattle was an amazing city to discover. The sights were new to Tanner, too, who’d been there before but mostly had stayed in his hotel room. Sightseeing was more fun with friends.
They spent a lot of time in a park, watching a flock of ducks challenging each other for bread tossed by tourists, but mostly just sitting on a park bench talking. Tanner learned how Joel had been deep in his shell, gay and shy and with a very sour opinion of himself, and how he was coming out of that now that he and Alec were together.
Tanner ruminated on how much he wanted what those two had. He asked Alec what the Otters’ view was of gay players.
“They have a policy, and they preach it to the players who join the team. There’s no discrimination permitted for any of the things that separate people, like race and religion and all the others. The commitment needed from anyone joining the organization in any position is that they will be good teammates; all employees are considered Otters’ teammates. Anyone who won’t commit to this and then follow through with their actions will be let go. This was one of the first things my dad put into effect when he got there. I’ve heard everyone is looser and happier now.”
“That does sound good to me, and if we have to be sneaky to accomplish it, I’m okay with that. I’d like to play for the Otters, and I want to be closer to and spend more time with you and Joel.”
They spent several hours together and enjoyed an early dinner. Tanner took them to a seafood place he knew, and they had a fantastic meal of shrimp cocktails, deep-fried breaded calamari and sea bass.
Joel hugged Tanner tight when they were back at King Street Station. Tanner hugged him back just as hard.
The train rumbled through the dark. Both boys had books to read, and they again sat in the observation car. Occasionally Joel would reach over and touch Alec, almost as if he was reassuring himself that he was still there.
Alec was half-reading, half-daydreaming. He had a problem. He was going to catch for Tanner tomorrow. Early morning. Yet he had his job then. He couldn’t just leave Leo in the lurch.
He could call him if he had his number, but he didn’t. So, what to do? He couldn’t decide. He also knew that by tomorrow, he’d have figured it out.
When that thought had just passed through his head was when Joel reached over to touch him again. Alec smiled with enlightenment.
“Joel, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“I’m supposed to clean the clubhouses with Leo tomorrow, but I promised Tanner I’d let him pitch to me at the same time I should be at work. Tanner wants to try something he doesn’t want anyone to know about. What I need is for you to go to the stadium and tell Leo I won’t be there to help, but if he does it all himself, I’ll give him my pay for the day. Can you do that?”
“How’ll I get there? I don’t even know him.”
Alec could tell Joel would be well out of his comfort zone finding and talking to Leo all by himself. He had a better idea, anyway.
“Why don’t you sleep over with me again tonight, and then tomorrow drive in with Dad. Dad can either
tell Leo himself or
find a way to get the message to him. And look, there are options. Leo can just do one clubhouse and locker room
and call it quits; I’ll be in soon after that and I can do the other two. Or he can do what I
suggested—all of it himself—and I’ll pay him. Leave the choice up to him.”
“But you can tell your dad that and I don’t have to go in with him at all.”
“Very logical thinking, but that would mean there’s no need for a sleepover. So, it’s a logical thought, but an ugly, ugly one.” Alec laughed, and Joel blushed.
Joel decided he liked the idea of a sleepover. He’d still ride in with Hubbard in the morning, let him notify Leo, and then wait for Alec to show up maybe an hour later.
««« »»»
Alec had Cal drive him to Grant High School in the morning at the time he’d arranged to meet Tanner. Tanner was waiting for him.
“We forgot something,” Alec said. “No catcher’s gear!”
“I’m ahead of you for once,” Tanner said, grinning. “When I asked the coach for permission to throw off the mound in private, I also asked him to put the catcher’s stuff in the dugout. I checked; it’s there.”
“Whew. I thought we’d have to call it off.”
“Nope. Let’s get you dressed out.”
They got Alec dressed into the chest protector, a mask, shin guards, the catcher’s mitt and a cup. Alec looked askance at that. He’d never worn one. Tanner grinned at him.
“I’ll show you how to insert it. I should have said something, though. Works better if you’re wearing a jockstrap.”
“I have boxer briefs.”
“That’ll work almost as well. Here, point this end down and slide it into the briefs so the bulging part is covering your crown jewels.”
After Alec worked it into a comfortable position, Tanner said, “You may need this,” and handed him a package of four 2” by 4” kitchen sponges.”
Alec looked at them and asked, “What are these for?”
“I didn’t really throw you any of my fastest pitches when we did this before. If I’m going to test myself, I have to throw hard. You said your hand was sore after what we did then, and that was using a professional major league glove with full padding. Today you have an ancient, high school glove. Insert two of the sponges in it so they’re between your hand and the leather inside the glove. I’ll bet you’ll need all four of them before we’re finished.”
Out on the mound, Tanner called out that he’d throw only moderately fast till his arm was loose, which is what he did. Then he said, “Now all curves and changeups. I’ll throw them with my foot like always and then try it with it pointed straight at the plate.”
They worked for about 40 minutes. Tanner threw curves with his landing foot pointing straight at the plate and fastballs with it pointed slightly skewed. Alec caught every pitch, and thanked god and Tanner’s forethought for the sponges. His hand was still sore, but not agonizingly so.
Tanner eventually said he’d done enough and walked in to meet Alec at the plate with a huge grin on his face.
“The foot placement made no difference at all to my control. Well, a little, but a good difference. The fastball moves more with my foot offline, and I have better control of the curve with my foot straight.”
“You’re telling me the fastball moves more? I had a hell of a time tracking it. I only knew which fastballs were going to move because you signaled them to me, not by your foot placement, and it was a good thing I knew in advance. How your catcher is going to do with that late movement and with a 98-mile-an-hour bullet coming at him is anyone’s guess.”
“He’s a very good defensive catcher. I’ll warn him that I’ve found a new grip on the fastball and some of them will move a little. Move inside to the right-handed batters. He’ll handle it.”
“When’s your flight?”
“In a little under two hours. I’d better hustle. I need a shower before hitting the airport.”
They said goodbye, Tanner thanked him profusely, and Alec called Cal. A few minutes later, Cal was on the way to the airport after dropping Alec off at the stadium.
There, he went looking for Joel.
««« »»»
Joel was in the cafeteria when Alec found him. He was speaking with the boy Kevin had said he was trying to woo: Baker Evans; Baker was the boy Kevin hadn’t been very successful getting to know so far. It was still some time till the lunch crowd would appear. Joel was being more successful with Baker than Kevin had been. They were chatting, and Baker had closed his book.
When Joel spotted Alec, he stood up, said something to Baker, who smiled, and then went to meet Alec by the door.
“What’s this?” Alec asked accusingly. “My Joel, the shyest kid in the state, actually starting a conversation with another guy? A cute one, too! I’m going to have to keep an eye on you.”
“No, you don’t,” laughed Joel. “I just wanted to see if I could. I’m feeling so much better about myself now. And that’s something I always wanted to do, just go up to someone and start talking; this was a chance to see if I could do it. Baker’s shy, too, and we talked about that. He could be a really good friend. He’s smart, and I think he’s a little soft, like I am, and I like kids like that.”
“I do, too, Joel. Truthfully, it’s your brain I’m in love with. Your looks? Eh, not so much. Pretty boys don’t mean anything to me. And your personality? Nah. You don’t even have one. It’s only that big brain of yours that attracts me. Nothing else.”
Joel knew from Alec’s voice that he was being teased. He could read Alec like a book by now. The superior tone of voice Alec had adopted gave it away. Joel wasn’t too timorous to hand it right back. “That’s not true for me. It’s just your looks I like, Alec. Now if we could put Baker’s brain and my humility into your rock-star, teen-idol but clueless body, then we’d have something to drool over.”
Alec laughed and pushed him. He was shocked when Joel laughed and shoved him back. I’ve created a monster, Alec thought not for the first time.
They walked through the stadium’s passages to the clubhouse. It was clean and tidy. Then they went to the visitors’ rooms.
“Looks like Leo left this for me. Good. You can see what I do and actually help.”
By now Alec was an old hand at this. He had Joel pick up towels and trash while he did the harder jobs in the showers and the locker room. As a new visiting team was coming today, he had to steam clean the rugs in both rooms, a job that was tiring but one he’d done before.
They had the rooms done in an hour. It was lunchtime, and Joel asked if that’s where they were headed now.
“No, we have one more thing to do here. I’ve been sweating like an Eskimo in the Sahara and need a shower. You could use one, too. I brought extra clothes for both of us. Always thinking ahead; that’s just who I am.” He grinned, showing false bravado. “It’s only shorts and tees for the game after lunch. Now, if you want to go to lunch reeking like an unwashed baboon, that’s fine, but I’m showering and then sitting upwind from you.”
Joel gave him a look, then asked, “Is the shower private?”
“Very private.”
Joel considered, then asked, “And you’ve, uh, showered here before?” He said it as though there were quotation marks around the “showered”, suggesting there was more to the shower than washing himself.
Alec laughed. “A gentleman never tells. But we’re wasting time.” He began stripping and was done before Joel had begun. He was already partly aroused. “See you in there, Stinky.”
Joel was less than a minute behind him. They did manage to get clean, but it took them quite a bit longer than it took most boys their age to clean themselves. Actual cleaning was not their principal activity.
When they were out and dried, Alec gave Joel a bundle of clothes: underwear, shorts, socks and a T-shirt. Joel dressed but stopped when he pulled the T-shirt on. “What’s this?” he asked.
“A present. A shirt that will fit you. You don’t need one that’s too big for you now. Think about it, and you’ll agree. This shirt allows people to see your shape, not an innocuous, drooping bunch of cloth. Your shape is fine—spectacular, even. To me, it is. You’ll look great in that shirt. It was my favorite tee shirt. Now it’s yours.”
Joel donned the shirt and looked down at himself, then walked to a sink that had a mirror over it and stood back a ways so he could see the entire effect. As Alec watched, he saw Joel smile.
They went up to lunch. Baker was still there, his book open now. Mr. Rafferty was eating with several other adults. Joel led Alec to Baker’s table. Just then Kevin walked in, saw the three together, and scowled. No wooing today.
He joined them at their table and was surprised. Baker was talking. Kevin had gotten very little from him when he tried. But the boy had loosened up. Kevin took advantage, talking directly to him occasionally and getting responses. This had to help in the future, he decided.
Joel asked Baker if he’d like to play Nerf football with them. Baker declined. “It’s not that I’m not athletic, though I’m not. It’s that I don’t like that sort of game. The running and throwing and catching. I can do it, but I don’t like it. Thanks for inviting me, though.”
They’d made plans for Trevor to join them on the field at one in the afternoon. As a team employee, Trevor was able to come into the stadium without Alec being there waiting for him. Alec and Joel went down to the field when they were done with lunch and tossed the ball back and forth, then practiced the routes they’d put numbers on. Both boys were about equally proficient at throwing and catching. It seemed to Alec that Joel was gaining self-confidence more and more with the time they spent on the field.
Kevin stayed with Baker after Alec and Joel had left. By the time Trevor was with them, tossing the ball around, Kevin finally showed up, a smile on his face.
As before, they alternated the teams’ makeup several times. They played for an hour, then quit, all exhausted, all happy.
Trevor left, Kevin went back to his ground-crew chores, and Joel gave Alec a meaningful look. “I don’t know about you, but I need another shower.”
Yep, Alec thought. Definitely a monster.
Leaving the ballpark, Cal took Joel home with Alec, even though he hadn’t been to his house for several days. The two boys had plans for the evening. In the car, Alec asked Joel, “Did you notice what teams won our games today?”
“We all did.”
“Yeah, but not exactly. No matter who you were paired with, that team won. You were the best player on the field. Time to realize that and give us mortals a break now and then.”
Posted 9 April 2025