CHAPTER 1: HOW IT WAS

 

 SEVENTEEN YEARS EARLIER…

Braylon was just eight years old, but he already had a sense of loyalty about himself. He was quiet and reserved, but he didn’t like to see anyone being mistreated. In his old hometown, he was loved and friends with everyone. This new place didn’t offer him the chance to make friends. He was struggling to form a connection. 

He rode his bicycle out toward the edge of town, where the lake was. The kids in town would often ride their bikes there. Every day he’d go and hope that someone who notice him and want to be his friend. His family was the only black family in town. No one treated them differently, yet they felt different. 

Braylon arrived near the lake. He heard someone screaming, and he jumped off his bike and ran toward the noise. This tiny, curly-haired kid with thick glasses was trapped in a circle by three older boys. They were poking fun at him. 

Braylon picked up some stones and hid behind a bush. He had solid aim. His father would make him get out in the yard and throw balls nightly. He threw a stone and hit one of the guys in the back. The boy yelled. The other ones turned. The curly-haired kid took the opportunity to kick one of the boys in the balls. The guy cried out as he dropped to his knees. 

“I’m gonna kick your ass,” the last boy shouted. 

The curly-haired kid's eyes bulged, and he took off running. The other two boys ran behind him. Braylon ran and jumped on his bike and rode off behind them. He snatched some twigs from a bush as he rode. He pedaled faster and faster. He caught up with them and smacked the one he had hit earlier with the switch. 

The other guy turned around. Braylon almost hit him with his bike. He dived out of the way and cut his chin on the ground. Braylon pulled out in front of the curly-haired boy. 

“Quick, get on,” he shouted.

“Just who the fuck are you?” 

“Name’s Braylon Avery Lawernce. I just saved your ass. Now get on before they get up.”

The kid jumped on the back. Braylon instructed him to hold on tight, and he rode away. They rode and rode until Braylon felt like they were somewhere safe. He parked the bike near a waterhole. 

The curly kid pushed him down on the ground. Braylon looked up at him in complete shock. He thought he had helped. 

“You made me look like a punk in front of Wes Gilmore and his shitty friends.” The little curly one argued.

“I thought I was helping. You could have not gotten on the bike,” Braylon told him as he stood up. He dusted himself off and shot an angry look at the kid.

“I wasn’t thinking right then.”

“And whose fault is that?” Braylon asked as he shoved the boy to the ground. 

“Yours, you big dummy.”

“I was just trying to be a friend, you shit!”

“Now they’re gonna kick your ass when they see you every day as well.”

“They can try. We can stick together and defend ourselves.”

“I don’t know how to fight, Braylon.”

“I’ll teach you. That’s what friends do. At least that’s what my dad says.”

Braylon extended his hand. The kid stared him up and down, and then slowly a smile formed on his little freckled face. 

“Never had a friend before. I’m Nikolai Svante Falkenberg.” 

“Wanna go swimming?”

“Sure.”

They shook hands. They both smiled, and before they knew it, they were best friends for life. 

 

PRESENT DAY…

There he stood, exposed yet covered under the cloak of clothing. The gentle breeze of the wind couldn’t cool his dark chocolate skin. His nerves and anxiety had him on edge in a way that he was not familiar with or comfortable with. The black tux hugged his body like arms holding him tight. Everything looked perfect. At twenty-five years old, Braylon Lawernce had found someone who made him happy. It was unexpected, but it was love. What he and Miguel Rios shared was sweet and pure.

Braylon felt a hand on his shoulder. “I’m happy for you, dude.”  

He glanced over at his best man, Bryan. They had been friends for years. He’d met Bryan during his college years. The two quickly became close friends. Seeing Bryan next to him was bittersweet. Braylon always assumed the person who would be standing next to him would be his best friend, Nikolai Falkenberg. The thought of Nikolai caused the corners of Braylon’s mouth to lift and form a smile. Their past was complicated, wild, brilliant, messy, but most of all, it was filled with love. It was a type of love that was rare and left you emotionally transported somewhere else. 

Braylon closed his eyes briefly. The sun against his skin felt like an old flame. He exhaled for the first time that day. The release gave him a bit of comfort. He opened his eyes and scanned the lush green garden. Everyone looked beautiful. The venue was decorated just the way Miguel wanted. Everything looked perfect, but for some reason, it didn’t feel perfect. It felt like something was missing. 

“Dearly beloved,” the preacher began. “We are gathered here today to join two people in holy matrimony. Braylon Avery Lawerence and Miguel Conrad Rios stand before us and God, ready to declare their love for each other and no one else.”

Braylon smirked, and he looked in the direction of the man he was going to marry. Just five years earlier, he had been straight. Now he was about to profess his love for a man before his friends and family and vow to love him for the rest of his life. 

“If there is anyone who thinks these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

For several long and slow seconds, no one said a word. Braylon and Miguel looked around innocently. There was no reason for anyone to object to their union. Out of the corner of his eye, Braylon caught a glimpse of him. He knew it was him by those long, lush set of dark curls. He slowly turned his head so as not to draw attention. 

Nikolai Falkenberg stood in the back. His black suit fitted his tall and lean torso perfectly. Those green eyes sparkled with hope and a radiance that only Nik could provide. Time felt as if it slowed down. They were the only two people who existed beyond time and space. They could feel each other’s heart beating from across the room. As their eyes lingered on each other for a moment, they were both taken back in time to an encounter full of passion and lust. Flashes of a sexual encounter flashed before their very eyes.

Flashes of Nik lifting Braylon and Braylon wrapping his legs around Nik’s waist. Nik placing Braylon on the kitchen counter. Kisses so passionate that it could pull the soul from a person. Braylon digging his nails into Nik’s back and drawing blood. Braylon spreading his legs, and then Nik inserting his member inside of him. Braylon’s mouth hanging open as moans flow from him. Nik thrusting in and out of him, claiming him over and over again. Love flowing between them at a rate that can’t be understood.

“Braylon,” the preacher called, pulling him from his memory. Braylon turned towards him. He then flashed a soft smile at Miguel. Suddenly, his hands felt sweaty and his throat dry. A tear dropped from his eye. 

“Aww,” Miguel said as he gently wiped the tear from Braylon’s cheek. 

“Bray?” Nikolai called. 

The guest began to murmur. Everyone turned around in their seats. Nikolai emerged from the back, and slowly he began to make his way down the aisle. He moved with such grace and confidence. 

“Nik, what are you doing?” Miguel asked. 

“I’m sorry, Miguel. You’re a nice guy and all, but I can’t let you take him from me.” 

“Are you serious right now?” Miguel yelled the question. It felt like something out of a movie or television show. How could it be real? 

Braylon’s mom jumped up from her seat. “Nik, what are you doing?” 

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Lawernce, to ruin the day like this, but I can’t spend the rest of my life without him. Nikolai turned his attention toward Braylon. “I’m sorry for being afraid and for running away. I’m sorry I did this to us. I will spend every day for the rest of my life making it up to you, but please don’t marry him. Marry me. I love you, Bray. I love you with every part of me. You make my heart flutter.” 

Nik held his hand out. “Take my hand. Love me like I love you.”

 

FIVE YEARS EARLIER…

Braylon was sitting in his bedroom working on his research paper for Professor Hill’s class. He glanced over at the clock. It was nearly 2 am, and he knew he needed to get some rest. He typed the last paragraph, and just as he saved the document, he heard the key in the door. It was slow as if someone was trying not to be loud. That was how Nikolai did whenever he went out and partied hard, which seemed to become a nightly thing. 

The front door opened and closed. He could hear stumbles in the dark. Followed quickly by a BAM.

“Shit,” Nikolai exclaimed. 

Braylon tried not to laugh. He knew instantly his best friend had stumbled in the dark and run into a piece of furniture. He closed his laptop down as he heard the footsteps grow louder. Nikolai was heading to bed. The steps stopped, and then they started back up. Nik had spotted the light from under Braylon’s door. 

He pushed open the bedroom door with a big shit eating grin on his face. His green eyes were low. His curls were damp, and he smelled like a party.

“Did you miss me?” Nik’s voice was low but hopeful. It was like he always wanted to be missed by Braylon.

Braylon teased with his magnetic smile. “Were you gone?”

Nik’s smile quickly faded. “Why do you always do that to me? Just say you missed me.”

“Stop asking. You sound like one of my bitches.”

Nik furrowed his eyebrows. “You’re lucky I've been drinking. I’d kick your ass.”

Braylon laughed. “That’ll be the day. Where’s Lisa? Did she not go with you?”

He kicked his shoes off and said, “She broke up with me tonight.”

“Damn! I’m sorry, bro.”

“It’s cool. I have you to hold me.”

“I’m not holding you, fool.”

“Yes, you are. I need to cuddle when I drink.”

“Then why did you drink, Svante?”

Nik couldn’t contain how it made him feel whenever Braylon called him by his middle name. It was something that was off-limits to everyone else in the world. That was the charm and appeal of their friendship. They could say and do things with one another that no one else could. 

“I thought I’d have Lisa tonight,” he answered honestly. “Can I please sleep in here like when we were kids having sleepovers?”

“Ugh,” Braylon groaned. “Fine. Whatever. You’re such a toddler.”

Nik clasped his hands together in delight. He was always pushing Braylon to do things outside of the norm and to just be more adventurous with life. Braylon was the more reserved one who could bring out the more mature side of Nik. Their friendship was a perfect balance, and it was built on respect, trust, and loyalty. 

Nik dropped his stylish skinny jeans. He pulled his shirt off and exposed his ripped body to the cool air. His bulge sat perfectly in his dark boxer briefs. His body was smooth as fuck. He ran over and hopped into the bed. Braylon shook his head as he got up from the desk. 

He dropped his sweats and pulled off his tank top. Braylon’s body was equally as ripped as Nik’s. His man parts were deliciously outlined in his boxer briefs. The biggest difference aside from the color of their skin was the fact that Braylon was genetically double caked up. 

“Bray, what are you doing double caked up on a Friday night?” Nik asked with all the joy of a little kid poking fun at a friend.

“Fuck off. My ancestors took care of me in all the right places.”

Nik threw the pillow over his face. His arms bounced as he laughed. His laughter was contagious. It never failed that if one laughed, they both laughed. Braylon found himself laughing. He turned the light off and climbed into bed. 

“No snoring,” Braylon warned. 

“Me? Don’t you fart!”

“I don’t fart in my sleep.”

“I’m gonna record your ass blowing holes tonight.”

The two men lay next to one another and just talked for hours about any and everything under the sun. It was a pointless conversation, but those tend to be the best conversations. At some point, they both fell asleep. 

Nik woke up with his arms wrapped around Braylon’s waist. He was the big spoon. He quickly became aware of two things. Braylon had pushed his incredibly soft, fat globes directly into Nik’s cock. The second thing was that Nik was extremely aroused. His erection was nestled directly in the wedge of Braylon’s fat booty. 

For some reason, Nik didn’t scare or pull away. It felt good to him. He slowly peeled the covers back and took a look at the way they were pressed together. The sight made his cock twitch, and he nearly exploded in his underwear. That scared the shit out of him. He quickly jumped out of the bed, made his way out of the room, down the hall, and into the bathroom. He locked the door and stared at himself in the mirror.

“Dude, what the fuck?” He asked his reflection. 

However, it once was; it was never going to be that way again. 

TO BE CONTINUED

 © Grayson Rose 2025. All rights reserved.