For those of you who asked... character recap: Noah (age 20) is a small, blonde college boy hopelessly in love with his dark, muscled, ex-army boyfriend Navid (27). Navid, a native of Iran, works in trading investment properties for his boss Karim (40), an older version of Navid who was raised by a traditional Persian family and helps Navid reconcile his feelings and his culture. Noah's best friend Erik (20), a tall, outgoing gay boy, is dating Aram (26), Navid's best friend since childhood who came with him from Iran to study here.
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++ Noah ++
For the first day of the Fall semester at Tarzana College Navid insisted on wading through the crush of traffic, parking in the overcrowded garage, and walking me to my first class. You might think he was being annoyingly overprotective, but I could tell he missed being on campus with me. It had been his home the past three years.
We'd come the week before to buy my books and see where all my classes were going to be. He seemed sad that he wasn't going to be there anymore. He kept commenting that things were so simple for me.
I got the feeling that the pressure and success of his business was starting to make him nostalgic for his laidback days of class, soccer, and friends. He hadn't played in his league in months. He dropped me at my class and then stayed on campus to meet up with Aram for coffee. Navid had a meeting way out in Ventura that afternoon so Aram would give me a ride home.
He only let me sign up for four courses this semester since they were harder and he wanted me to spend more time at home taking care of things. I'd tried to add a beginner Persian class so I could start to learn his language, but he said that was a waste of time and wouldn't help my degree.
He'd spent the summer working on big business deals and they were picking up speed and size. He was taking on more projects and wanted me to be home more to take care of him. I was glad classes were back in session though. The summer had been lonely and I was anxious to see my friends again.
It wasn't a demand that I stayed home, but I liked being there for him. He needed me there. He said it made him so happy to come home and find dinner cooking and me not overly stressed about school. He said it was his happy place, and I was his happy person, his peace.
Karim and Mike were coming over more often too. Karim and Navid set up their calendar and projects board in the little nook next to the dining table and under the stairs. Mike and I would make dinner while Karim and Navid went over logistics, schemes, finances, business stuff.
The funny thing is that Karim and Mike have a big house with Karim's office, a huge kitchen, and lots of space to relax. But... they seemed to prefer our little townhouse. I asked Mike about it once and he said he didn't understand it either... He told me Karim said they work better here.
I asked Navid about it one night when we were falling asleep and he said Karim liked the "vibe" of our place.
"Our place has vibes?" I asked. I didn't know what that meant.
"Is English word, Noah! You don't know this?" Navid laughed. He loved when he found something I hadn't really heard before. "It means mood. He likes that it is chill here, and you make happy home."
"Their home isn't happy?" I asked and looked up at him with my face against his chest. This was the one time of day when Navid seemed ok with me asking endless questions. He knew his deep, Persian tone soothed me to sleep in his arms.
"That is his business, not ours..." Navid looked down at me with disapproval for prying, but then he continued and told me anyways, "They are having some troubles. Mike does not keep clean the home like you do, and he also stopped working his side jobs... and does not want to work for Karim to help the business. He likes to spend money, but not help earn it or make a nice home... You are opposite. You spend no money and you make perfect home."
"They seem happy when they come over, and Mike helps me clean up the kitchen when we make dinner," I said as Navid rubbed a thumb over my cheek as his hand held my jaw.
"They love each other, and do not want others to get into their relationship. I would feel same with you. We fix our things, they fix theirs," Navid assured with a loud yawn that told me my question time was over.
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Friday afternoon Navid texted me that I needed to pack a bag for us with clothes for that night and the next day. He said to put on my swimsuit when I finished. I was finishing homework and about to start making dinner when I got it so I hurried upstairs and grabbed our small travel bag.
"Swimsuits! Party! Big Client!" Navid yelled when he came in. He quickly stripped off his tie and suit as he came up the stairs towards me.
"Pool party?" I asked excitedly.
"Yes! Big Client, Noah! Big money! He invites us! This can be big money if he likes us," Navid said in between big gulps of breath.
"You pack for me too?" Navid asked as he popped into the bathroom and opened the lid to the toilet. He shoved a toothbrush in his mouth and went to pee without waiting for me to answer him.
He washed his hands and then came out completely naked and drying his hands on a towel. It had been a few weeks since he had hit the gym. He'd been working pretty hard, and his stomach had lost that hard ab etching, but it didn't matter. He was still the most handsome man I'd ever seen.
"What? Why the smiles?" Navid asked as he caught me checking him out. He tossed the hand towel on the low dresser and came towards me as his fat, soft cock dangled between his thighs.
"I never get used to seeing you naked," I admitted and held up the pair of swim trunks I'd picked out for him.
"I used to be hot. I don't go to gym like I need to," he said and took the trunks from me.
"Doesn't matter, you'll always be perfect. It's who you are... my perfect love," I said. Navid tossed the trunks aside and pulled me in for a kiss.
"I love you Noah, so much more than you ever will know," he said and held me against his chest. He leaned in to touch his forehead to mine. The way he did that and looked down at me, it was his way of saying I was precious to him, special.
We "noodled around" (That's what Navid calls it when we make-out. I don't know where he got that.) for a few minutes in our half-naked states until we heard the downstairs door open and Karim call up to us that he was waiting.
"Are you two naked up there?" Karim yelled.
Navid yelled something back in Persian and laughed at what must have been his own joke. He quickly slid on the trunks and then stepped into some slip-on shoes I'd put out for him. He grabbed out bag and pulled me by the hand down to Karim.
Mike was waiting in the car and he just gave us a quick hello when we got in the backseat. He seemed annoyed at something, but I didn't want to pry in front of Karim and Navid. It could wait for a time when we could talk privately.
Karim sped off and up to the freeway as Mike looked quietly out the window with his arms crossed. Navid and Karim talked about the man who had invited us to his party. He was a wealthy older gay man who lived with his partner out in the west hills. He had grown tired of his current investment group and wa willing to invest with Karim and transfer his holdings over. They used a lot of technical terms, but it would mean a lot of money for them so I was happy.
Navid held up his phone and pulled me against his chest. He had really been into taking selfie pics of us in close embraces. It seemed odd since he was so cautious about sharing affection in public, but he had a select group of people who saw these pictures and posts.
This one showed his bare chest since he had nothing on but the trunks and shoes. I'd put on a tank top since he always encouraged my modesty. He held me against his chest with big smiles. He adjusted the coloring and brightness and other stuff to make us look better, and then posted it with the caption "Swimtime with the Baby Noah."
"Who sees that stuff?" I asked as Karim zoomed towards an off-ramp.
"Friends and clients," Navid said.
