This one is a long. If you like it (or don't), let me know.

Unexpected Meeting

Andrew was fumbling for his keys outside the door to his apartment trying to find his keys, lock the door and leave for work. As he set down his briefcase and started searching through the many pockets in his pants, suit jacket, and overcoat he noticed that the door of the apartment immediately across from his was opening. A sandy-haired young man exited and pulled a ring of keys out of his backpack to lock his door.

"This must be the new neighbour," Andrew thought. As he casually looked across the exterior second floor landing that united the two apartments, Andrew realized that he recognized the kid.

"Jake," Andrew tennatively queried?

"Drew, Drew Smith," the young man asked.

"Jake! It is you. What are you doing here, man," he asked. Jake was a full three years younger than Drew. Jake was a freshman in high school when Drew was a senior at their high school in a neighbouring town. The two had been somewhat pals, given that they were both drummers in band and were both on the tennis team. Drew, who had been out of college a year and was an accountant in his uncle's firm, wondered what Jake was doing.

"Well, I'm finishing my last semester at the University. I transferred from the junior college back home," he said. "I moved out of the dorms after Christmas."

Given that they hadn't spoken in about four years, the exchange was quite aquward. Jake had kind of viewed Drew as a mentor and big brother-figure, and actually had tears in his eyes when Drew graduated. Plus, Jake had invited Drew to his graduation through Drew's mom, and he didn't show, though he did send a card.

"Well, I'm late for class," Jake said.

"Uh, well, see you around," Drew said non-committaly.

Jake jogged down the stairs as Drew reflected for a split second, watching his once pal leave.

JAKE DRIVES TO CAMPUS

As Jake drove to the university with the radio blaring, he reflected on what a bizarre coincidence it was to have seen Drew. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about him over the past few years. He had viewed Drew as his best friend, and his mentor since his dad died when he was in 8th grade. Drew taught him how to be a musical drummer, and they were kick-ass doubles partners. As a senior, Drew treated Jake like a real person even before they became friends, instead of like crap, as upperclassmen treated most freshman. He still had a picture of the two accepting their medals at the all state tennis tournament on his desk. Drew tought him about women and dating, though Jake always suspected that Drew's heart was never in his many relationships with his girlfriends. Of course, niether was Jakes, but he never told Drew for fear of loosing his friend. He remembered how hurt he was that Drew never kept in touch with him, but he wasn't angry. 'How could I be,' he thought. He was amazed that he would now likely see Drew every day.

DREW AT THE OFFICE

Drew's cell phone started ringing as he walked out of the parking garage on his way to the office. It was his secretary telling him that his 9:00 appointment was there early. Though Drew hated the hours (he was much more a night person) he loved the money. As the senior partner in his great uncle's lucrative accounting firm at only 23 (he was, after all family [his great uncle's only nephew, in fact] and his uncle was going to leave him the firm) he was putting in less than eight hour days and raking in the dough. He was even having a house built in a posh dubdivision. As he entered his office, he thought how nicely Jake had filled out his once scrawny frame.

After his appointments about 2, Drew sat at his desk wondering why he was such a prick to Jake. Why didn't he ever call him? Well, when he got to college, joining a frat, several girlfriends, trying to forget the thoughts he once had for Jake, pretty much took his time up. He wondered if Jake would be friendly to him again. He wondered about a lot of things that afternoon.

THE NEXT EVENING

The next day was Saturday, and Drew pretty much just chilled out at his apartment. About 8 that night, there came a knock at the door. Drew set down his glass of white wine, muted the video of "Urban Legend" on the television, and rose to answer the door.

When he answered the door, he was only half surprised to see Jake standing there clad in jeans, a tee shirt, and bare feet. (after all, he just lived next door).

"Hey, what's up?" Jake queried.

"Just watching a movie, wanna come in?" Drew asked.

"Sure, no date tonight, just hanging out, so I guess," Jake said.

"I'm having a drink, can I get you one?" Drew asked.

"Sure." Jake said.

Drew poured a glass of wine and gave it to Jake who was admiring the books on the shelves, and sat on the couch.

"I'm watching Urban Legend," Drew said. "I heard it was good."

"Oh, cool. I haven't seen that," Jake said.

Jake sat down in a chair caddycorner to the couch and they began to watch tv and talk. Before long they switched to drinking beer and ordered pizza.

"Man, that lamp really glares on the screen," Jake said.

"Oh, you can turn it off if you want," Drew said.

"Nah, I'll just move," Jake said.

Jake got up and Drew fully expected him to crash into the chair to his left. But, instead, he settled onto the couch. Right next to Drew. He said not a word. Neither did Drew.

"You know, this movie would have been better if Sarah Michelle Gellar was in it." Jake said.

"Uh, yeah. I think so too," said Drew, almost too stunned to speak at the thought of Jake so close to him.

After the movie finished, they watched TV, drank some more, and Jake left about one am. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, except that Jake sat right next to Drew, so close they were touching, most of the night.

THINGS ESCALATE

Drew and Jake continued to pal around, and got close again. They played tennis, watched tv, and Drew helped Jake with his school work a little. They talked about a lot of intimate stuff, but mostly about women, which seemed very strange. They even played nintendo at Jake's apartment.

After about four months of this, right before Jake was set to graduate, they were sitting in Drew's apartment and Jake rose to leave. Jake followed him to the door to lock it after he left. Jake turned and asked some mundane question, now forgotten. Drew replied, someone cracked a joke and they both laughed. In the silence that followed, Jake and Drew realized that they were very, very close to each other in physical proximity. It was not an akward silence, and Jake started darting his eyes at the floor. Drew opened his mouth to speak, and had to swallow to actually have his throat wet enough to speak.

"Listen, Jake. I'm going to do something now, and, uh, if you don't like it, or it's not the way you feel, we can forget about it, and go on being fiends, but if I don't do this, I am going to be thinking 'what if' for a long time," he said.

Jake looked up at Drew, who was a shade taller, and blinked a long, methodical blink. Drew leaned towards him, and they kissed. Jake embraced Drew, and they kissed for several minutes. Jake was trembling.

"Oh, god," he said. "I've thought about that for a long time."

The two kissed again, and Jake had to go because of an early class the next morning. Their relationship progressed beyond kissing over the next few weeks to mutual masturbation, and they slept togather (in the same bed, that is to say) many times, but never had _s_e_x_.

Early one morning, Jake aroused Drew from bed. It was the morning of his last final, and he left his car lights on all night and the battery was dead. "Dude, I need to borrow your car," he said.

Since it was Drew's day off, he gladly obliged his pal, and tossed him the keys from his nighttable. "Don't trash it," he said, knowing Jake was a clutterbug.

THE AFTERMATH OF THE CAR'S RETURN

The Sunday afternoon after Jake graduated,)four days after the car was borrowed) Drew came home to the apartment (they now lived togather, waiting to move into the new house) and found Jake in what was the spare room, now Jake's room, sitting in jeans and a tee shirt, eyes red from the party last night.

"I didn't want to bring this up before graduation, because you were under so much stress, but you left a bunch of junk in my car, pal," Drew said.

"Oh, man, I'm sorry," Jake said sincerely.

"Well, since we are in this thing for the long haul, I think that you need to come to a full understanding of the fact that there are consequences for screwing up," he said.

"I'll be right back," he said.

TEACHING A LESSON

Drew returned with his frat paddle, and Jake was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Remember in school, how when you got three tardies, the principal gave you licks, and you weren't tardy for the rest of the year," Drew queried.

Jake nodded somewhat nervously.

"Well, it's judgement day, pal. I'm sorry, but I love you and you need to be taught a lesson.

"Get up," Drew said, as tersly as he could muster.

Jake, heart racing, stood and walked toward Drew.

"I want you to stand over here with your hands on the wall. Arch your back a little and spread your legs. You know the rules," he said.

Obediently, Jake did as he was told, wondering if this was real.

"Count them aloud. You're getting ten," Drew said.

SMACK. The first lick landed on Jake's ass, catching him by surprise with its intensity.

"One," he said quickly, swallowing hard.

SMACCCKKKK. The second lick landed harder than the first; Jake rose to his tiptoes. His face was bright red and sweat beads were forming down the back of his neck. His pal's tennis ability was translating into sheer pain.

"Two" he said, sucking air into his lungs.

SMMMMACK. The third lick had Jake squirming like a child.

"Three."

SMMACK. The fourth lick. Jake had sweat dripping down his back under his shirt and was feeling hot all over. He tried not to blink, knowing the tears welled at the base of his eyes would fall.

"Four," he said, trying to summon courage.

SMMMMAACCCK. Fifth lick. Jake Blinked hard as he shifted his weight on his feet. A single tear rolled down his left cheek.

"Five," he said, sniffling.

SMMMMMAAAACCCCCKKKK. 'Ahhhh,' came from Jake's mouth as he was now crying like a child.

"Six" he said between sobs.

As Jake was wiggling a lot, Drew placed his hand on Jake's left shoulder, gripping it tight.

SMACK. Seven had Jake saying 'please stop' lightly under his breath as he sobbed. "please stop, please, Drew!"

Drew, feeling sorry for Jake, but being so turned on, said, "Count it, boy," knowing that he couldn't back down now. A lump welled in his throat as he saw his pal's intense pain.

"Seven" Jake cried.

SMACK.

"Eight," Jake screamed, begging for mercy.

SMACK. Nine hurt like hell and Jake tried to move from the wall. Drew put his hand on his friend's neck and told him to hold still. "Just one more, pal. Hold still, you're doin' fine," he said. "Count it, so we can move on,"

"Nine," Jake said.

SMMMMAAACCCKKK. Ten broke Jake's threshold. He sobbed like a child.

"Ten" he sobbed.

Keeping his hand on his buddy's neck, Drew placed the paddle against the desk. He turned Jake around and wiped the tears from his eyes. Jake was too embarrased to look him in the face.

Drew talked him down, and explained that a relationship was give and take. As Jake calmed down, he placed his head on Drew's shoulder as he still sniffled. They embraced and kissed. They fell passionately onto Jake's bed and ended up making love for the first time. Though it hurt Jake, having a red ass, they both took their turns on top.

At some point during their play later, Jake managed to get Drew draped over his lap and preceeded to spank him.

Realizing how much they both liked it, they decided then and there that, from then on, whenever one was 'bad', each took the punishment...just for fun, of course.