hair and took the loose waves in slippery handfuls. A few kisses later, they held each other desperately close, rocking in a tight embrace.
“I’ll miss you,” Georgie said quietly. “I’ll never forget you.”
“I won’t forget you, either,” Martin promised. He was quite sure he would never forget any of these boys, even the Standards. He wasn’t in love with Georgie, but he did love him, and they’d shared so much. He tightened his arms around Georgie’s neck and they kissed again, deeper and more languid. Georgie slid his hand between their bodies and took hold of Martin’s cock again and squeezed, slow strokes.
Martin sighed and moved against Georgie’s hand. They had done this so many times, dozens and dozens, and Georgie’s fingers felt almost as familiar as his own, and Martin would miss this, this deeply erotic ease, and he trembled as Georgie touched him with practiced skill.
When he came, he called out, “Georgie!” and shuddered against him, burying his face in Georgie’s neck.
Georgie caught Martin’s mess in his hand. He brought his hand to his mouth and licked his palm, then offered his sticky fingers to Martin to lick clean. Martin kept his eyes on Georgie’s as he did it, both of them very solemn. No doubt Noah would be angry that Georgie had tasted him, but he hadn’t actually sucked Martin’s cock, after all.
“Am I forbidden from sucking you?” Martin asked, petting Georgie’s hard cock through his trousers.
Georgie thought about this a moment. “Hmm. I’d like it, of course, but I think you’d better not. He’s so upset about everything already. I don’t want to hurt him, you know.”
They weren’t supposed to be jealous, none of them, but boys still formed attachments. Boys still had rivalries. When they were all new companions-in-training, Noah had wanted Richard for a partner, but Richard had chosen Martin instead, and Noah had gone with Georgie. When Richard had died, Georgie had been one of the boys who’d made sure Martin had comfort, and an angry Noah had accused Martin of wanting to take away everything that mattered to him. It seemed obvious to Martin that Georgie cared a great deal for Noah, much more than he’d admit, because he put up with so much bad behavior. But no matter their feelings for one another, they were all destined for other partners, and Martin wasn’t sure Noah understood or accepted that.
“Use your hand,” Georgie said. “Touch me and kiss me. Just do that much.”
Martin did as Georgie asked and Georgie came, moaning into his mouth. Together they licked Martin’s hand clean.
“Will you do something for me?”
“What?” Martin asked.
“Will you think of me every now and then? Will you remember me? Will you touch yourself like I would do and make yourself come for me?”
If Martin’s master wasn’t a beautiful boy, as he likely wouldn’t be, it would be useful to imagine handsome Georgie in his place. “You didn’t have to ask me that,” Martin assured him. “Of course I will.”
“I needed to hear you say so, though.”
“Do you have to go back to sit with Noah?”
“No, not yet.”
Martin sat close within the curve of Georgie’s arm and leaned heavily against him. He yawned and took off his glasses and settled in, and Georgie bent to kiss his head.
“Will you stay here while I sleep a little?” Martin asked. He was hit with a sentimental pang. “Oh! I’m really going to miss sleeping with you!”
“Shh.” Georgie kissed him again. “Go to sleep. I’ll be here.”
Martin gradually relaxed and let the train rock him to sleep, comforted by Georgie’s familiar smells. He woke when Georgie nudged him awake. While he’d been sleeping, the train had made a stop to add on cars from more Houses, and it was now close to 2 o’clock. Mr. Jacob and Mr. Elliott were handing out paper-wrapped sandwiches and battered enamel cups of warm lemonade.
Noah got his sandwich and came to reclaim Georgie, sitting in