The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Becoming His Pet

Part II: Benj

(MM DS BD EX HM HU MA MC MD SF)

Author’s note:

A big thank you to MonsterMash62, who gave many hours of invaluable feedback and editing.

This is a story primarily about control and submission—particularly mind control; and, secondarily, about sex.

The first two parts will be light on sex. You’ll get more as you go along. Please favor me with comments of any sorts.

Chapter 7: The Truth about Evan

Benjamin came immediately out of the trance, and his face registered confusion. “I’m—I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

Evan ran his hand through his unruly black hair. “It’s OK Benj. This has been rough for you. Do you feel better now?”

“Actually, yeah! I really do! Wow, it’s true what they say: confession is good for the soul!”

“Good. OK, look, I told you I know what’s happening. But what I’m going to tell you now is going to sound crazy. You have to trust me and listen.”

Benjamin was notably calm, compared to a few minutes before.

“Sure, man; after what I just told you, and you didn’t get mad or anything… I feel amazing. I do feel like I can trust you.” He looked intently into Evan’s ocean-blue eyes, gazing back at him with intense concern.

“Benj, we’re friends—I mean, pretty good friends, right?”

“Absolutely!”

“I realize we haven’t known each other that long, but I think we’ve gotten close, right? Maybe not best friends, but—”

“Who says we’re not?”

Evan smiled broadly. “You mean it? I’d like that!”

“Man, I told you. You’ve already shown me I can trust you with my big secret.”

Evan put out his hand, and they shook.

“Ohh!” Benjamin said in surprise.

“What?”

Benjamin smiled awkwardly. “I…um, that felt really good. I didn’t expect that.” He nodded sheepishly, indicating the sudden, throbbing erection tenting his pants in an undeniable way. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Evan said. “I know why this is happening. It’s happened before.” Evan held up his hand, stalling Benjamin before continuing. “No, look, this’ll go easier if you just listen.”

Now it was Evan’s turn to pace.

“This is something my father told me about growing up. It runs in my family. And it’s not you; it’s me.” Evan said.

“Think back, Benj. About two weeks ago, you came into the bathroom while I was in the shower, remember?” Benjamin nodded. “And remember: when you did, you looked over at me, right?”

“Right.”

“The glass is frosted, but—you could kind of see through it, right?”

“Yeah sure.”

“So…do you realize that was the first—and only—time you ever saw me naked? Even through glass?”

“Yeah…that’s true, I guess.”

“Think about it. We’ve been roommates all year, and you never saw me in the shower. Actually, you did—but you didn’t know you did.”

“What do you mean? We were both in and out of the bathroom all the time.“

“Exactly. Think: all those times you barged in; how many times can you recall seeing me in the shower?“

Benjamin paused, knitting his brow. “That’s weird.”

“There’s an explanation.” Evan said. “There’s something about me—about men in my family. Everybody produces pheromones—that’s just standard biology. And it’s really simple. But men in my family? Our pheromones are extremely powerful. Much more so than other people.”

In response to a puzzled look on Benjamin’s face, Evan added: “pheromones are a chemical people put out that helps trigger sexual attraction. And ours are supercharged. As a result, they cause a person—male or female—to be drawn very powerfully to us; to the men in my family. But when we’re naked, and someone sees us—I mean, sees everything—well, we’re impossible to resist.”

Benjamin was confused. “OK, but we’ve been around each other all year—you and I have both been through here in our boxers, we’ve been pumping iron side by side in the gym. And even though I can’t seem to remember it, there were a lot of times, all year, when I burst into the bathroom on you just like I did that time.”

“I understand, Benj. The explanation is something else about My Family. By the way, all this? We never tell outsiders.”

Benjamin nodded, taking the discussion very seriously.

“My Family has another Gift—a gift of the mind. We can use our minds to influence others.”

“You mean like telepathy? Mind reading?”

“Yes, and more.”

“You mean you can read my mind, right now?”

“I could, if I chose. But I won’t. And I want you to know that I never have.”

Benjamin paused to absorb that. A few seconds later, he nodded, indicating he believed Evan.

“But what I have done—something We all learn to do when we hit puberty—is to use our minds to ‘protect’ people who might be vulnerable. I’m not sure how to explain it, but—it’s like I put up a shield. As a result, the pheromones only affect you slightly. Basically, they make you happy to see me. But that’s it.

“Long ago, my family discovered this effect we have, and of course, it caused problems. It happened to me when I was 15. I was young and not very careful. I let someone feel the effects of my pheromones. A girl. She became obsessed with me. I thought it was funny at first. But it got old. Then it got weird. My father was very unhappy with me, I don’t mind telling you. Because of our power, We have strict rules about this, and I broke them.”

“So what happened here was this. You came in but I was distracted. I didn’t sense you coming and so I didn’t protect you. I’m sorry; it wasn’t deliberate. At first, I thought, well you only saw me through the glass, so it won’t matter. But after a few days, I began to see I was wrong. After last Thursday and then again last night, I knew for sure.”

Evan finally stopped pacing, sitting back down on the couch. When Evan didn’t continue, Benjamin realized it was his turn to ask questions.

“Wow. I don’t know where to begin…OK, first, you said this happened before. So, you must have fixed this then, right, with that girl?”

“Well, that was a different case. That one I wasn’t even as careful as with you. She saw…the whole deal.” Evan noticed Benjamin’s face flicker; he realized even that passing allusion was arousing him.

“Without going into it…my father had to fix that. What’s important is, that’s not your situation. As I said, however, when someone sees me naked, directly, the effect is total. It’s…it pretty much irreversible.”

Benjamin puzzled over how the girl thing could be fixed; but seeing Evan didn’t want to go into that, he didn’t ask. Instead, he said, “So what about me?”

“Well, the good news is, it’s pretty straightforward. You have to ‘detoxify.’”

Chapter 8: The break-up

Benjamin waited for an explanation of that.

“You have to spend some time away from me for awhile. For at least a month.”

“What?” Benjamin said, suddenly very troubled.

“Look, don’t overreact here. Think about it. Why should being separated for a month bother you anyway? We’re a few days from the end of term anyway, what did you expect?”

“But…”

“Look, this is my pheromones affecting your emotions, even messing with you head. As a result, you have formed a powerful attachment to me. It won’t break unless we’re separated for at least a month, possibly a little longer. You need that time, to get my pheromones out of your system. It’s the only way.”

“Or…what?”

“Or, what you’ve been experiencing will continue. And you’ve noticed, haven’t you, that it’s has been getting worse?” Evan asked, and Benjamin reluctantly nodded in response. “This isn’t like you just took a drink and it’s going to wear off. This is affecting you in every way. You have to understand; it’s making you want me more and more. That’s what our Scent—that’s what we call it—is supposed to do.”

Evan paused, hoping what he said would sink in with Benjamin, but knowing it was a lost cause. So he continued.

“Without detoxifying, what you’re feeling will just keep getting stronger. And stronger. Think about that. How do you think that’s going to end up?”

Benjamin blushed suddenly. Evan realized that’s just what he had been thinking about.

“But…”

“No buts. You know it’s true. You said you’ve dreamt about me. Do you want to say what happens in those dreams?”

“No!” Benjamin said sheepishly.

Evan let Benjamin think it through. After a minute or so, Benjamin, not looking Evan in the eyes, finally said, “OK, I see your point. I…despite what I’m feeling—even now, right now!—I know this isn’t really me. A month ago, I was thinking about Allison, Laura, and several other girls I’d just seen around. I’ve never had a gay feeling in my life. Crazy as this is, I guess…it’s the only explanation that even makes a little sense.”

He paused, fixing Evan with his gaze now.

“Plus, it’s not just about fixing me. I can’t imagine you want me following you around like a puppy. I’m pretty sure you’ve got some girls in mind, too—I can think of some you’ve introduced me to, so…”

Benjamin’s voice trailed off as he noticed Evan’s non-reaction.

“Right? You…”

“I didn’t say what I wanted, did I?”

Benjamin furrowed his brow, then suddenly his eyes widened.

“You mean? You’re…you’re…you’re gay?”

“I won’t lie to you Benj. That’s not my word, but—yes, my nature is oriented to males. This is something else about men in my family—some of us, by…our nature are oriented to males, others to females. Now you understand why my father was able to fix the situation with the girl—where your situation is a lot more dangerous. My pheromones are designed to capture males.”

“Wow!”

Evan could tell from a sudden, faraway look in Benjamin’s eyes, plus the tremor in his pants, where his mind was quickly going.

“No, Benji, don’t let your mind go there. Remember! That’s not you, that’s my effect on you.”

Benjamin caught himself, and noticing what was happening in his pants, he blushed deeply. He slammed his fist against his leg, trying to cut through the fog. “Shit! This is so embarrassing,” he said, trying to rearrange himself in his pants, but with a seven-inch erection, at the moment as hard as he‘d ever known it, he couldn’t really do anything. “I‘m sorry, Evan, I‘m this close to surrendering to you like I‘m a girl!”

“Don’t worry about it buddy. It’s not your fault. But now you see why you have to go cold turkey?”

“Yeah. Oh, fuck, I can‘t believe all I’m feeling right now! I’m a fucking mess!”

Evan wanted to help. He almost reached out to put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, but realized—at this moment—that would actually make things worse. So instead, he held out both his hands as he said, softly, “Easy, easy. Trust me, this isn‘t bothering or offending me. Just trust me. You do trust me, right?”

Benjamin took a breath and nodded. “That’s about the only thing that seems solid right now. I do trust you. It’s just…” Evan nodded, reassuring Benjamin it was OK to say whatever was on his mind. “I’m just so scared! And I’m feeling all kinds of things, my heart, my stomach.” He suddenly laughed. “The one thing that doesn’t feel bad—this is crazy but—since you told me You’re gay, I guess…”

“What?”

“Well, before, when I assumed you were straight, I was really scared about how you’d react if you knew. I mean, come on: getting a major woodie, right in front of another guy? I’d get my ass kicked! Or at least, our friendship would be over. But instead of all that, now I’m thinking…” He shook his head hard with a rueful smile. “I’m sorry, I’m not even going to say that, it’s sick. Anyway, it’s like…the worst crush in the world—only ten times more intense!”

“Right. Or, it’s like…” Evan knew Benjamin could finish the sentence. He wanted him to, to get over the shame he was feeling.

“…it’s like I’m…I’m…”

“Go ahead, trust me, it’s OK.”

“It’s like…I’m in love with you.” Suddenly, his body seized and his whole body began to convulse. His legs drew together as first he arched his back, then drew himself close to his knees. Benjamin groaned with several guttural cries as his whole body quaked repeatedly.

It was several minutes before he came somewhat back to himself.

“Oh, fuck, oh fuck!” He was still panting from the extremely strong orgasm he’d just had. He looked down, and saw, not just a huge wet spot—but some of his semen had actually fired through his clothes, leaving a nickel-sized white blob to mark where his erection was still tenting his pants. And because he was still super-sensitive, the slightest movement made him pulse a few more times, making the puddle grow a little more. All in full sight of Evan. Benjamin was completely humiliated.

“Oh g-d…”

Evan had watched the whole thing. He felt a little remorse about enjoying it. But what was more urgent to him was his own, mounting reaction, in his own pants. That was the last thing either of them needed right now. He forcefully exerted his will, summoning control of himself. It took only a moment, but it was very draining.

Benjamin was still in the afterglow, his erection showing no sign of abating. Yet his shame was so great, he was on the verge of tears. Evan reached over now and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, calming him like a crying child.

“Shh…it’s OK. It’s all right. Shhh.”

He waited for Benjamin to calm down, then continued.

“Do you see what I’m telling you?”

“Oh, g-d yes, Evan, oh! I…I…” he was choking up and he did start crying. “I can’t even think how to say how much it means to me that you’re my…friend! Oh man, I love you so much! I…”

Evan smiled, and just kept calming Benjamin, patting his shoulder. It took a lot of energy both to keep himself from doing anything more, and also to keep a game face on throughout all of this.

“OK, OK, this settles it: cold turkey”—suddenly his face darkened. “But…it’s going to be hell, isn’t it Evan?”

Evan nodded. “Yep. I won’t lie to you. But, there is some good news. There’s something I can do to help, if you want.”

“Sure! Anything.”

“Well, remember, I told you about my gift for influencing people’s minds? That means I’m remarkably good at hypnosis. If you want—and only if you give me permission—I will hypnotize you.” Evan said.

“Yeah, sure—but what will that do?”

“Well, it’ll help you get through it. But first, let me explain what it won’t do. It won’t keep this from hurting. And you will hurt. Realize that, for your sake, if you write or call me, I won’t respond. You won’t be able to see me. It’ll be like I’ve abandoned you. Believe me: that’s not true! But that’s not what you’ll be thinking after awhile.”

Evan continued. “Do you trust me, Benj?”

Benjamin gazed up at Evan, finding refuge in his sparkling blue eyes, which seemed so full of love at that moment.

“You don’t mind me calling you that anymore, do you? I know you didn’t like it at first, and I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s really not important now,” Benjamin said.

“OK, Benj!” Evan said, unable to help himself from smiling slightly at Benj’s acceptance of his nickname. “So—I’ll tell you now what to expect, and remember I did tell you, OK?

“OK.”

“All right. We’ve got two weeks till the end of school. You’re going to have to move out of here. Tonight.”

“But, tonight?” Benj asked.

Evan nodded. “Remember my friend, Beck? He owes me a favor. He’s got an apartment off campus, and he’s got a room available. Truth is—without going into details, I told him you might need it. He said no problem, and I’m sure he’ll let you move in if I ask.”

Benj almost interrupted, then stopped himself. Evan continued.

“You can’t see me. And in fact, you won’t. I’ll make sure of that. And once school’s done for this year—you’ll go home. I’ll call you in a month. But Not before.”

Evan paused, thinking for a second.

“There’s something else.” He finally said. “People are going to notice something is up with you. You’re not going to avoid explaining why you’re in such rough shape. And…well…”

Benj figured it out. “What You’re saying is, everyone’s going to fill it in. They’ll think we were, I don’t know, boyfriends or something, we broke up, and that’s why I’m such a mess. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“Yep, pretty much. If you want my advice—and, to be blunt, you should take it, because you’re not thinking very clearly right now, and I am—here’s exactly what you should say: we had a disagreement. Don’t say anything else. Anyone asks, say you don’t want to talk about it. That’s pretty close to the truth, and you don’t owe anybody any explanation other than that. Just keep saying that we had a disagreement, even if you have to get pissed off, which you probably will. Tell everyone that, including your family and friends back home.”

Continuing, Evan said, “yes, some people will fill in their own explanations. And, yes, some folks will think we had a thing.” Evan shrugged. “If it makes you feel any better, I won’t be embarrassed. All the people whose opinions matter to me already know I’m into guys. I was planning on telling you before the year was up—until this happened, which complicated things. Now you know. But I really don’t care what anyone thinks about me.”

Benjamin nodded; Evan could see his mind was working through all this. On top of all his other emotions, he was processing the fact that even as Evan was going to help “de-gay” him, he’d have to accept a lot of his friends thinking he was gay. And his own feelings, right then, about just that aspect were so complicated, he couldn’t even start to untangle them.

Instead, he reminded Evan: “you said you’d hypnotize me, and it would help.”

“It will. It’ll help steel your resolve. And it’ll help you remember, later, what I’m telling you now. No guarantees; but I’m pretty sure it’ll get you through. And, remember: it will get better. Somewhere after the midpoint, you’ll still feel bad, but at least you’ll know you’re on the upswing.

Evan let Benj ponder that. Eventually Benj nodded.

“OK, one more thing Benji, I want you to know. I just said, a moment ago, that I wouldn’t hypnotize you without your permission. That’s true from this moment forward, but—I did hypnotize you without your permission, one time.”

“You did? When?” Benj asked.

“About an hour ago, when we were first getting into this discussion. I was worried you were going to freak out when I told you all this. I’m sorry Benj, I wouldn‘t have done it—and in fact, up to that point, I never did trance you. But at that time, I was pretty desperate for ways to explain all of this to you. So I hypnotized you, to keep calm you, and help you to listen. That’s all I did. OK? I promise.”

“I understand. Given this whole crazy situation, that’s one of the few parts of this that really makes sense. Thank you!”

“So…do you want me to hypnotize you again?”

“Let’s do it. What do I do?”

“Go into a trance, Benj!” Instantly Benj’s face went slack and his head fell forward.

“Good, very good Benj. How do you feel now?”

“I feel good. I…feel safe. Very safe.”

“Good, Benj. You are safe. Right now, you are as safe as you possibly can be. Am I your friend?”

“Yes, Evan. We‘re best friends.”

Evan smiled—that touched him deeply. “We are. Now listen. After you wake up, as we discussed, I’m going away for awhile and you’re moving to a new place. You won’t want to, but you will know and accept that you have to. If I have to pressure you, you will comply. Any anger or other feelings you have will be OK. I’m telling you this now. I won’t be hurt or angry. It’s all right for you to feel that way, and to say whatever you say.”

“Don’t want to.” Benj said, a little sullenly.

“No, you don’t, and that’s OK, Benj. But we’ve talked and you know it’s the right thing to do.”

“It’s the right thing.” Benj repeated.

“Listen now to several things that are absolutely true. First, I’m your friend. Right?”

“Yes, Evan, best friends.”

“Second. I love you Benj. Do you believe that?”

“Yes Evan. I love you too.”

“I know you do, Benji, thank you. And I love you. Do you know that to be absolutely true?”

“Yes Evan.”

“How certain are you? How true is it?”

“It‘s absolutely true, Evan.”

“That‘s correct Benj, very good. Third: you can trust me. I will always do what is best for you. Do you believe that, Benj?”

“Yes, Evan, I do. That’s absolutely true.”

Evan smiled. He hadn’t prompted that last “absolutely.” A very good sign.

“Yes, Benj, it’s absolutely true that you can trust me. Finally, you know it’s absolutely true that being separated from each other, no matter how hard it is, or how unhappy it makes you, is certainly the right thing to do. You don’t have to like it for it to be true.”

Evan paused for a second, letting Benj absorb that.

Eventually, he asked: “how do you know this is true, Benj?”

“Because…you said it, and you said it has to be this way. And you always do what is best for me, Evan.”

“That‘s exactly right Benj. Very good Benji! Very good.”

Evan continued. “Now, listen carefully. In a moment, when you wake up, you’ll know you were in a trance, and you’ll remember that I said things to you that helped and that made sense. And after tonight, when you are sad about our being apart, the phrase, ‘It’s the right thing to do’ will come to mind. When you think of that phrase, you’ll know it’s true, and even if you don’t realize it, you’ll know they are my words and you’ll believe them. You’ll trust them. That will be strength for you. Do you understand, Benj?”

“Yes Evan.”

“If anyone else says it to you, no matter the context—it will help you. Now what are those words, Benji?”

“It’s the right thing to do.”

“That’s right. Now, I’ll count to three, and when I say three you‘’ll be awake as before, and have the same feelings you had before you fell asleep. One. Two. Three!”

Benj woke up, and at first didn’t realize any time had passed. Then, reading Evan’s face he said, “Wait—did you…is it over?”

“Yes Benj. You just woke up.”

“Wow, it’s like only a few seconds went by. How long was I out?”

“Only a few minutes.” Evan told him.

“Did it work?”

“I think so. Don’t worry.”

Benj looked surprised. “I’m…I’m not worried. Just kind of scared, if that makes sense? And starting to feel sad.”

“I know. ‘But it‘s the right thing to do.’” Evan said.

Benj paused, then slowly nodded his head. “I know it is. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. And now…I’m sorry to say, but—you have to pack.”

“Wait! Can’t I…? No, of course I can’t. Dammit!”

Evan just said: “Let me call Beck.”

Chapter 9: Heartsick

Three hours later, everything was packed in Beck’s car and it was time to go. All three were standing outside. Benj couldn‘t believe how sad he was. He tried to stall, but Evan held strong.

“I’m sorry, Benj—you have to go.” He said. “You know you do.”

“Do I?” Benjamin asked. He reached out and began rubbing Evan’s arm. “Do I really have to go, babe?” Evan’s frown told Benji instantly that he shouldn’t have said that. Benjamin grimaced unhappily. He looked at the floor uncertainly for a moment before looking back up at Evan, waiting.

Evan cocked his head in a puzzled expression. Even Benj didn’t know what he expected, till he blushed realizing what it was. Feeling like he owed Evan some kind of explanation, and flustered by his own thoughts, the best Benj could muster was to stammer out the truth: “I was, uh, hoping for…”

Beck knew right away what Benj wanted; the body language was unmistakable.

Benj, floundering, knowing it was the wrong thing to say but too far gone to stop, blurted it out. “A goodbye kiss?” As soon as he said it, he blushed in shock at his own words.

Evan looked down at him kindly—if the matter weren’t so serious, he’d have laughed; he could see Beck was holding back a smirk. Very gently, he shook his head. “I think you know that’s a bad idea. I’m sorry.” With that he turned and left Benj with Beck, walking back into their dorm building. He heard Benj choke back a sob but he kept walking, the door closing softly behind him.

The next few weeks were exactly as Evan forecast. Benj was miserable. Evan had anticipated correctly that Benj would act exactly like he’d broken up with someone, so there was no point in trying to head people off. If all went well, that would be the least of Benji’s worries.

Beck left his new housemate mostly to himself. After three days of moping around, Benji went looking for his housemate. He had spent all of his time outside of class over the three days sobbing alone in his room, and he was certain Beck had overheard him.

Beck lived in a small building off-campus. Benjamin hadn’t paid much attention to it, other than to notice where the bathroom and his bedroom were. He found his way to the living room from the bedroom Beck had given in, and found Beck sitting at a small desk, working on something.

“Look man, I…I’m sorry, I hope I’m not weirding you out or anything.” Benjamin said.

Beck looked up from his computer and took off his earphones. “What up?”

“Um…look, I guess you’ve noticed, I’m not very good company this week.”

Beck shrugged.

“Well, look, I, uh…I had a fight with…someone…and, um…I’m still pretty upset about it…” Benj seemed about to say more when Beck interjected.

Beck shook his head slightly. “Hey Benji, don’t sweat it. You don’t have to explain. We’ve all been there.” he smiled encouragingly. “You’ll get through it.”

Benj took a breath. “Thanks.” Then, motioning at the nearby couch, he asked Beck: “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all; take a seat.” Beck said.

Benj forced himself to sit down with his laptop, and they both worked, mostly in silence. Benj had a couple of final papers due—thankfully, they were mostly finished. “Good thing Evan was pushing me…” he thought to himself, then felt a sudden stab of anguish, thinking of Evan again. He forced himself to work on one paper, fiddled with another, and eventually decided they were both good enough. Rather than fret over them further, he sent them via email to his profs.

Checking Facebook for the first time in several days, he found messages from several of his friends, who were all wondering why they hadn’t heard from him. He found himself feeling bad for leaving some of them, including his best friend Trevor, hanging. But he wasn’t ready to get into details on any of it yet, so he simply sent out a few short notes saying he was just really busy.

Trevor was especially on his mind for another reason. Trevor had always been someone Benjamin could talk to about his problems; he’d always been a great help. With anything else bothering Benj as much as this was, he would have sought out Trevor right away. But with this, he didn’t know how he’d even begin. And he was a little scared about how this would affect their friendship. Thankfully, Trevor had his own papers and exams to wrap up at Arizona State

By the time the weekend hit, Benj couldn’t stand it anymore. He had to go over to the dorm he’d been living at for the last year. He swore he wouldn’t, but he just couldn’t help himself. He already asked a couple of their mutual acquaintances if any of them had seen Evan. No one had.

He knocked on the door of their dorm, but no answer. He wandered around for a full two hours, hovering around their building, watching for any sign of Evan coming or going. Finally, he walked back to their old room and knocked harder. Still no answer. He came back an hour after that, and this time he banged. After a few minutes of banging and calling Evan, the RA came by and told him it was too late and that he had to leave. Benj got pretty angry and stormed out.

The next day he asked Beck if he could get in touch with Evan.

Beck looked at him compassionately, but still said, “no, I’m sorry.”

“But you’re his friend, right? How can you not have his number?” Benj said.

“I did; but right when you moved in, he told me he’d changed his number. He called just to tell me, and even that time, his number came up ‘private’. I can’t call him back. He told me he’d be out of town for awhile, and then he’d give me his number when he got back.”

“Fuck! That bastard! He did that to spite me!”

Beck restrained a knowing smile.

“He knew I’d ask you, and he knew I’d keep on you if I thought you had it. So he just didn’t tell you.” Benj blustered.

“Break-ups can be shit, bro.” Beck said.

“Wait—no, it’s not…Fuck it, never mind. I don’t want to talk about it!” Benj stormed off to his room.

“No problem.” Beck replied, cool and calm as always.

By the end of the week, as the last day of school was approaching, Benj was packing again. The pain was still bad but there were some moments when he thought it might be getting a little easier. Before he left, he apologized to Beck. He knew Beck assumed he was gay, and he wanted to straighten it all out, but it was too complicated and he just didn’t bother. A few more days, and he’d be home, with parents, old friends, the farm, and his swim-club job. He focused on that instead of worrying about the whole ‘gay’ thing.

Yet within a day of being home, the sadness washed back as strong as ever. His parents asked him what was going on. He knew enough to say what he’d rehearsed with Evan, and his parents were wise enough to recognize a broken heart and leave him be.

A week later, Trevor was back from school and called Benj up. As much as he wanted to see Trevor—if nothing else, to have some fun for the first time in a few weeks—the question was weighed heavily on him: how was he ever going to explain this to his best friend? He knew his friend well: Trevor would bore in on him, especially if things didn’t add up. And in all the time he’d known Trevor, Benj had never been good at saying no to him. Trevor always seemed to get his way.

“C’mon Ben ole buddy, talk to me! Look, I heard you had some kind of breakup. This is your big bro—you can tell me anything.”

“Yeah, I know, but…I just don’t want to talk about it yet.”

“Yet? I’ll say—whoever this girl is, you never even mentioned being this serious. What up, dog? I’m your best friend, I’ve told you about every girl I chased this year—after all, someone’s got to show you how to do it. If it hadn’t been for me, you’d have spent the whole year spotting for your roommate at the gym. And after all that, you won’t even give me a blow-by-blow? You cut me to the quick, Shrek!”

Benj knew his friend was trying to make him laugh—and he did laugh, despite himself, but after a few minutes on the phone, he knew he wasn’t ready to face Trevor yet. There’d be too many questions.

He tried to put Trevor off by suggesting, vaguely, that they could do something together next week. Trevor knew it was a dodge, but he pretended it wasn’t and let Benj off the hook. He knew his friend was really hurting and decided to give Benj some space. So when Trevor and Benj saw each other at the pool during the following week, Trevor laid off, not asking any questions Benj still wasn’t ready to answer.

Another week went by. Benj was still sad, but now he knew; it was better. But he still remembered; Evan had said they’d talk after thirty days. It’d been 21 already; only nine to go.

Trevor called again, and they caught a movie together. It felt great for Benjamin to see his longtime friend, even if he was still upset about Evan. Trevor was a little taller than Benj: 6 foot even. He had brown hair he kept short, a habit from his involvement in high school sports. Despite a year in Arizona, he was still pretty fair. Trevor never could get much of a tan, the way Benj could. It didn’t help that while Benj kept his chest shaved, Trevor had an even spread of hair across his chest and down his stomach.

Still, his year in Arizona had done him good. He’d been working out, giving his already impressive V-shape even more definition. His waist had already been tight, so he’d obviously just added to his shoulders and lats. Trevor was wearing an Under Armor t-shirt that clung pretty tightly to his impressive guns, rippled shoulder and neck. It also showcased his ample pecs, and even showed the nubs of his nipples! Benj kidded him about it, and Trevor was quick to confirm he’d been working on his upper body.

To Benj’s surprise and great relief, even when alone, Trevor didn’t press him for the rest of his story. The one thing Benj feared was having Trevor—with his keen mind and gift for probing questions—turning his irresistible persistence on him. He imagined his friend’s intense gaze, with his brown eyes, set off by fair skin and prominent dark eyebrows, boring into him.

But Trevor gave him a break. They kept it light, mostly just comparing their summer jobs when they spoke. While Benj was splitting his days between the pool and the family farm, Trevor was sweating away heaving boxes and bags of grain at the feed store in town.

Another week went by and Benj felt even better, but he still found himself sad and missing Evan. Only two more days and the 30 were up.

The two days passed quickly, and Benj was getting antsy. When would Evan call? He kept checking the time all day. Midnight; no call. First he thought about the time difference, then remembered Evan’s family lived in Washington state. And anyway… Benj shook it all off; he was being silly. He went to bed.

The next day, he called Beck.

“Hey man, how’s it going?” Benj asked.

“Good, you?”

“Yeah, fine. Hey, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but—have you heard from Evan lately?”

Beck chuckled. “Yeah, it’s funny you ask.”

“Why?”

“Because I just talked to Evan a couple of days ago. And he said, ‘if you talk to Benji, tell him I won’t be able to call him for a couple more weeks, but don’t worry.”

Benj was surprised by how sharply he was disappointed. He thought he’d been getting better. He didn‘t answer Beck right away.

“You all right, guy?” Beck asked.

The pause continued uncomfortably for another second. “Yeah. That’s weird, you know?” Benj finally said. “It’s like…he knew I’d be calling you!”

When Beck didn’t say anything, Benj filled the awkward gap. “So…did he say anything else?”

“Yeah, actually. He said, ‘Tell him, “it’s the right thing to do.”’” Beck clearly didn’t get what that meant.

“Thanks. That’s fine,” Benj said, ringing off.

Chapter 10: Evan’s secret

Three weeks later, Benj’s cell went off while he was sitting back on the lifeguard tower. He wore stereotypical red trunks and no shirt, and he was terribly bored with the antics of the kids in the pool. Keeping one eye on them, he was leaning back, letting the sun deepen his already well established tan.

When he pulled up his phone, he had to shield it against the sunlight. He barely made out the word “private” as he answered.

“Hello?” he said tentatively.

“How are you Benj?”

“Evan! Hey—I’m great. Glad to hear from you!”

“You sound good. Everything going well?” Evan asked.

“Actually, yes. I don’t mind telling you, my summer started pretty rough. But the past few weeks have been good. Really good in fact.”

“I’m glad to hear it. So, are we still friends?”

“Absolutely!” Benj said. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Well...” Evan said, pausing for a split second. “I put you through a rough couple of months. I know it must have been hard.”

Benjamin nodded a little ruefully to himself. “So, you heard?”

“Sure. I kept tabs on you. That ok?”

“Well, yeah, actually. Knowing that makes me feel pretty good.” Benj bit his lip lightly. “I’m afraid to ask, but…do you think we can chance getting together?”

“It’s possible. But to be very honest with you, I’m not sure. I could be sure, if you let me do something.”

“What’s that? You gonna hypnotize me again?” Ben asked.

“No, but that’s not far off the mark. Will you let me ‘read’ you?”

“You mean, read my mind?”

“Sort of—not exactly. More like, read your feelings. But I won’t unless you say it’s OK.”

“Wait, you can do that over the phone?”

“Short answer: yes, if the conditions are right. And I think they are right now. So is it OK?”

Benj hesitated. The idea of Evan entering his mind triggered emotions he couldn’t sort or name very well. On the one hand, it seemed like an intimacy against his nature, like he and Evan were going to…then something else tripped inside him, something warm, vaguely familiar. Benj shook it all off and said, “Sure; it’s fine.”

They were silent a moment. Then Evan spoke. “OK that’s it. Did you feel anything?”

“Actually, yeah! I…I don’t know what to make of that. Is that normal?” The truth was, Benj had experienced, oh-so-briefly, a slight…something, pressing very close. It was intrusive and humbling—but also, it felt kind of good.

“Well, Benj, it depends. But don’t worry about it too much. I can help you sort things out when we get together.”

“Great! Awesome! How soon?”

“Well, to tell you the truth, I’m only a minute or two away from your work!”

“Damn, you stinker!”

Evan laughed. “When do you get off work?”

“You know what? I get off like right now!” Benj looked down, and sure enough, another tan lifeguard in red shorts was walking toward his lifeguard tower. “Your timing is perfect, bud!”

“I’m sure you need a few minutes to change. I’ll meet you in front in 20; will that work?”

“That’s perfect.” Benj said, hanging up.

He was so happy. He quickly handed his whistle to his relief and then raced to the locker room, rushing as he showered, dried and dressed. He was already out front when Evan pulled up. Evan drove a sweet, black BMW convertible. He didn’t get out. Benjamin, keyed up, laughed as he slid in through the window, skipping the door.

“Man, it’s great to see you!” he said, smiling.

“You too, little buddy!” Evan said, a huge grin spread across his own face.

“It’s crazy! So much to talk about!” Benj said.

“What do you say we go find someplace for dinner, and we can talk? It needs to be someplace we can be more private.”

“Sounds great. Wait—let me call my parents and let them know.”

Benj knew a pizza place in the next town. It was fairly large and since it wasn’t busy, they sat in a corner, where they wouldn’t be overheard. They ordered a pitcher of beer and a couple of pies, and Benj filled Evan in. He couldn’t contain his excitement at seeing his friend again, and had so many questions.

“So, let me ask you: can you really read people like that, over the phone?”

“Not exactly. It’s pretty much a matter of how close I am. The truth is, I was parked just outside of the swim club. I didn’t say that, because I wanted to make sure you were…settled, before I showed up.”

Benj nodded. “When I asked if what I felt was normal, you said you’d explain that.”

“Mainly I just didn’t want to go into all of it over the phone.” Evan said. “Part of what I meant was that, the reason you actually felt anything was deliberate on my part. I could have done what I did without you even being aware. But that’s more intrusive, because…” He went silent for a moment, searching for the right way to describe it. “Well, to cover my tracks I have to do re-arrange your thoughts very slightly. It’s harmless, but it would mess with your mind just a little more, and I didn’t want to do that to you—you’re my friend. So the alternative is, you get that little tingling feeling you got. Did it feel weird?”

Benj nodded. “I wouldn’t say this to anyone but you, but: I didn’t like it—but then, I kind of did like it, at the same time!”

Evan grinned. “Like you’re at the doctor, when he asks you to bend over and cough…”

Benj made a face, then quickly looked around. “That’s it! Anyone else, I’d never admit that, but…does that mean anything?”

“You mean, does it mean you’re gay for me?” Evan smirked. “No!”

Benj chuckled, obviously relieved. “No offense, Evan, but that’s a relief!” Then Benj threw his head back in frustration. “I didn’t ask the big question! Do I check out? Am I clear?”

Evan nodded. “I’m convinced you’re clear of my pheromones. For one thing, your reactions right now confirm it.”

“Oh man, that’s so great to hear! So why didn’t you call me after a month?”

“Well, after you left that night, I thought a long time about this. You’re my friend—”

“Best friends—aren’t we?”

“I hope so. But I was afraid maybe not.”

“Aw, fuck no, man!” Benj said, making Evan smile again.

“Anyway, after you left, I thought about it very hard. I care about you a lot, Benj, and it was so important to me that we fix this—you can’t imagine how important that was. And I realized there was a very good chance that it might take longer than 30 days for your system to get clean.” Evan said. Continuing, he said, “so when I left that message with Beck, it was a way to test my theory. If you called him, right at 30 days, that would be a good sign you were still ‘strung out’—and for your sake, it’d be better to keep going a few more weeks.”

Benj nodded. “That makes sense; and, to be honest…I was.”

“Yep. The more I thought about it, the more I expected you would be.”

Benj raised a single eyebrow at Evan. “How’d you know?”

“Well…” Evan hesitated. He was tempted to explain why—but it would be unfair to Benj. Why should he tell him that he was convinced that Benj was a natural submissive—someone who was by nature especially vulnerable to Evan’s pheromones? Since he had decided to let Benj make his own life, this was something he would just have to discover his own way, in his own time.

“Let’s call it a hunch. I can’t be 100% sure, and it doesn’t matter now anyway—does it?”

Benj shrugged. “I guess not. So how did you know when I was clear?”

“When I called Beck back, I told him that if you called again, to give the same message. When the time came that you didn’t call, that would tell me you were free of me. Then, it’d be safe to contact you. Remember? You never did call Beck back.”

“Yeah, I thought about it, but it just didn’t matter that much. It wasn’t like I thought we’d never talk again.”

“Exactly. Getting to this point—that was the goal! Benj, I’m so happy. And so relieved.”

Evan waved at the waiter and asked for the check. He paid for it and they went back to his car. They drove around the area, with Benj giving him the 50-cent tour. They ended up in a city park where they could sit and talk more without being disturbed.

Looking intently at Evan with his hazel eyes, Benj had a question for him. “I wanted to ask you this back two months ago, when…when you first explained all this to me.”

“Well, go ahead then,” Evan said, his eyes showing his curiosity.

“Well, it’s something that still doesn’t make sense to me. You said that you can help protect people from being affected by you this way. So I thought about it, and it occurred to me, whatever you do, it’d have to be something kind of permanent, right? I mean, you go to the gym every day. You were on the football team in high school. If you had to be, I dunno, ‘watching’ for every possible risk, that would be exhausting, right? I think you’re pretty amazing, but—I don’t see how even you could do that.” He stopped, gathering his thoughts. “So, it must be, somehow—on—all the time for people, right?”

Evan nodded. “Very good. That‘s exactly how it works.”

“OK, then, so how come it didn’t work that way for me? I was protected most of the time, but not that one time?”

Evan smiled.

“What?”

“Nothing—it’s just that I’m really proud of you. I told you you’re smart, and boy, did you just prove it!” Evan said. “It’s like this, Benj. Remember, I told you that when I use my gift on someone, I can do it so it leaves no trace? Well, like I said, it does involve some re-arranging; some altering of people’s thoughts and memories. And it’s connected to that.”

He took a breath before continuing.

“I didn’t want to go into all this that night. But as you figured out, there are too many chances for me to be ‘exposed’ to people. So what I do—what I was taught to do by my father as a teenager—was to enter people’s minds, and create a permanent shield for them. Every time I meet someone, that’s what I do. And, as I said, when I go into someone’s head, in order to do it unnoticed, I do some ‘rearranging.’ Well, I don’t feel quite right about that, but there’s no way around it. So I do a quick in-and-out, but don’t hang around, if that makes sense.”

Now Benj nodded. “Right. So why didn’t you do that for me?”

“As I said, it’s intrusive and I don’t feel good about it. You weren’t a stranger, but a friend.”

Benj shook his head. That wasn’t quite enough.

“Yeah…but you have lots of friends. What’s special about me?”

When Evan didn’t answer right away, Benj kept thinking about it. He cocked his head. He scratched at his tangle of sun-bleached hair. “Wait…”

Evan could see Benj’s wheels turning, and knew he couldn’t avoid explaining it all now.

“Benj, that permanent fix isn’t irreversible, but it’s better not to muck around too much like that. So, with strangers—with people I figure will never mean anything particular to me, I make the fix. Again, with friends, even my closest friends, when I know that’s all they’ll ever be—friends? Again, I make the fix. And that was my failure with that girl I told you about. I knew she’d never mean anything to me, because no girl will. After I learned my lesson, with every woman I meet, without exception, right away, I put that protection in place, right off the bat.”

Evan could see Benj starting to connect the dots.

“But the times you don’t put that permanent fix in place, is with guys who, you hope…”

Evan stopped him: “Well, who at least I think, it might be possible, that…”

As much as Evan wanted to look directly into Benj’s beautiful hazel eyes, he instead looked down, while Benj put it all together.

“Oh my g-d! So you mean, that first day we met—you were checking me out?”

Evan looked up with a grin. “Of course! Why do you think I asked you to be my roommate?”

Benj was rubbing his head and face. “Wow! Of course! Damn, this feels…weird! I…” He ran out of words as he sorted his feelings. It was weird—he was used to going after girls, and he was used to having girls playfully respond to being pursued. But now, he was the one pursued—and by a man! It was unnerving. He thought of how some guys react pretty angrily, and he could understand that. Then he thought of guys like his best friend Trevor, who would have just laughed at it. While Benj couldn’t really describe how he felt, he noticed neither of those were his own reactions. But after two months of having so much else turned upside down, somehow this was easier to take.

Benj looked at Evan with a dazed expression and an uncertain, tentative smile.

“I guess I should say…thanks!” Benj laughed and shook his head. “So: all this time, you were interested in me? But you never said anything. You never made a move—” Benj stopped: the shaving-cream moment came back to him. Evan grinned and shrugged sheepishly. “OK, but still…”

‘The thing is, Benj, as I got to know you and we became friends, I really got to care for you. And it became more and more clear you were straight, so I didn’t want to mess up our friendship. And I’ve still never given up hope.”

“And that’s why you never gave me the ‘permanent fix’? You were still hoping?”

Evan nodded.

“OK, but…now I’m really confused! You had me! And yet…”

“I didn’t want it that way. You have to understand something about my Kind. With our gift, we can take what we want. And that’s exactly what we do. That’s our nature. That’s what our pheromones do. That’s what they are designed to do. But I just couldn’t do that to you!” Evan paused, breathing in a deep breath before plunging on. “All right, I admit, I thought about it! But I…I had really come to care for you. My g-d, how could I let it happen that way? More than anything, I was really upset that night, Benj, but I didn’t let it show. I couldn’t! With all you were going through, you didn’t need to deal with that or even know about it. But it sure took a lot out of me.”

Evan sighed a little before continuing. “And, I’ll tell you know, I was very tempted when I figured out what had happened. That’s probably the real reason I pushed you away. You see, I could have fixed you without sending you away. But again, that means digging around in your mind, and changing you in real ways. That was the last thing I wanted to do to my friend. What’s more, you were in no condition to say yes to that. But, as much as anything, I just didn’t trust myself. So, the safest thing was to get you away from me—fast. And, I told you the truth: it was a cure. But—”

“But what?” Benj asked.

“It also meant that we had every chance of going back to being friends, but the right way: not because I turned on switches in your head, but because you chose to be my friend.”

Chapter 11: Benj’s revelation

They sat in silence for a moment. This was a huge amount for Benj to take in. The more he thought about it, the more it affected him. He was about to say something when Evan spoke first.

“Benj, I…I hope this doesn’t affect our friendship. When it was clear there would be nothing between us, I didn’t see any reason to tell you how I felt about you; especially when you fell for me, that would have been the worst! Even tonight, I figured, if I could avoid it, why even bring it up? The right thing, I figured, was just to get you back to your normal self, so you could be whoever you want to be. Hopefully, we’d be friends, and I’d look elsewhere for a mate.”

“Evan—I’m overwhelmed. I’m…” Benj’s heart was bursting; he struggled, but he felt he had to say it.

“My g-d, Evan, with everything so fucked up, the one thing that I can see, clear as clear…” he choked up. Composing himself, Benj continued: “Is…that you love me!” Suddenly Benj’s hands reached out and took Evan’s and held them tight. He might never do it again, but at this moment—he had to.

“I don’t mean lust or desire. Love! You could have taken what you wanted. Not only would I have never been the wiser, but I’d have thanked you for it! Forever! You were my sun and my stars, all I ever wanted, and you could have just given me that!”

“But it wasn’t right.” Evan stated.

“Still Evan—I’m not even sure I’d have been so…honest.”

“I almost wasn’t that honest. You have no idea how close I came. But once you left that night, it didn’t take long before I knew I had made the right choice.” Evan exhaled slowly. “I do love you, Benj. I always will. I am prepared to love you as a friend. Because as much as I wish otherwise—and I had it in my hands!—that’s not what I wanted! And…”

Now it was Evan’s turn to choke up. “I…I couldn’t do that to you! I couldn’t turn you—someone I love so much, someone so worth loving!—into something so…false.”

Evan’s eyes teared up, and so did Benj’s. A wistful smile creased Benj’s face as he said, “so, what now?”

“We’re friends…”

Best friends,” Benj corrected Evan.

“I won’t pretend I didn’t want more—but seeing you, now—knowing I didn’t wreck you…” Evan sighed with deep relief; he couldn’t finish that sentence. Instead, he said, “And, well…as I said: all my friends, I do what I can to protect them. Because I’ve never told anyone outside my family about my gifts, I’ve never been able to discuss “protecting” them. I just worked my mojo to make sure there wasn’t any...let’s call it unnecessary attraction.”

“But this time,” Evan said, “I was able to explain it first. So, whenever you want, I can give you that protection. It won’t change anything else about you, or us, I promise—it’ll just ensure that what happened, never happens again.”

They were still holding hands, but Benj was looking down, thinking. Evan waited for Benj to answer. And waited. And waited.

“Benj?” Evan finally asked. Ben looked up at Evan, confusion written all over his face. Evan finally let go of his hands, as if to bring him out of his reverie.

“Do you want me to do it?” Evan asked.

Benj suddenly threw up his hand and said, almost shouting, “Wait!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just…I don’t want you to do that. Don’t do that—don’t make that change. You won’t until I tell you to, right? You promise?”

“No, absolutely, not without your permission. But…I don’t understand. Why not?”

Benj started shifting around; something was agitating him. Shaking his head, he looked up and met Evan’s bottomless blue eyes.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. If I had to explain what I’m feeling, right now, I couldn’t, with every dictionary in the world. My head, my heart, my insides… Whatever it is, something says ‘No!’ And you said you’d respect that.”

“I will. But…” Evan trailed off, waiting for Benj to say more.

Finally Benj just shrugged, looking away from Evan. “That’s all I know right now,” he said and laughed uncertainly. He slowly looked back at Evan and said: “OK?”

Evan was bewildered. “Sure!” After a pause of his own, he added, “And…”

“And, I’ve got to get up early tomorrow; really early. On a farm, the day starts at 5 am. I’ve got to get to bed, help my family tomorrow, and then go to lifeguard duty again. Maybe in all that, I will figure this out. Are you heading back to Takoma?”

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t have very definite plans. I drove down here hoping to see you. If you wouldn’t see me—or if I needed to hold off—I was going to drive over to San Francisco to see some friends. Or, I figured I’d see you, maybe hang around a day or so, and then head down there.”

“OK—well, could you stay around a bit longer? Where are you staying?”

“At the Embassy Suites in Yuba City.”

“I’m off at 5 pm tomorrow, just like today. Why don’t we meet then?”

“Sure,” Evan said, and started the car to drive Benj home.