This story is fiction.
Luke and Jake were starting the first term of their second university year in Melbourne. They were studying different courses but most weekends they were able to have some enjoyable times together. Their fathers, Laurie and Denis, had lashed out in January with a splash of cash so the guys could buy a vehicle to make them more mobile. And hopefully so the boys would be able to come home to their country town more often to see their fathers.
Jake missed his surfing - the small waves at Melbourne beaches were no good for Jake, so on the occasional weekend he and Luke would drive down to Bells Beach, near Torquay, so Jake could keep up his surfing skills. Luke was still pretty average at it but he enjoyed having a go, and Jake loved having his man surf with him.
Though Luke was happy to surf with Jake, his real love was the boxing ring. He trained two or three nights each week at a local club not far from their flat, and was looking forward to being matched for his next bout in Melbourne on a Saturday night in March. Jake had no interest in boxing, but whenever Luke had a fight Jake would be there to support his partner.
This fight night would also be a chance to catch up with their straight mate Robbie, who was coming down from Orbost for the weekend to have a bout with the Victorian state champion in the super-middleweight division. Robbie's girlfriend Jessica had a sports camp that weekend and would miss his fight, so Robbie was driving down alone early Saturday morning to make the weigh-in on time. He'd arranged to bunk on the fold-out bed in the lounge at Luke and Jake's flat after the fight night, and would drive home on Sunday.
Luke was a pretty handy boxer, but Robbie was a natural athlete who had won every fight he'd had in the nearly three years he'd been training. This fight with the state champion would be a real test for him.
Robbie's father Neil had left his wife and son in Orbost five years earlier to live as a gay man in Melbourne, and Robbie had refused to speak to him for nearly two years, angry at his abandonment. And it made him antagonistic towards gay men.
But when Robbie became mates with Luke and started training with him at the boxing club, he had realised he needed to get over it, and had finally manned up and phoned his father. Neil had been overjoyed to hear from his son, and had come to watch Robbie win his first fight three years ago. They were now comfortable with each other.
The three mates met up at the weigh-in, and after Robbie and Luke been processed they headed back to the flat in Clayton for a feed. Afterwards Robbie had a nap to recover from the four-hour drive, while Luke and Jake lazed about in the courtyard reading and listening to music.
Late that afternoon Neil and his partner Jeff drove over to Luke and Jake's flat and picked the three guys up in their SUV to go to the venue. They all watched the fights together till just after the interval, when Luke headed to the change-rooms to get ready for his bout.
This turned out to be a cat and mouse affair, Luke's opponent ducked and weaved really well and Luke found it hard to land a decent punch on him. But finally, in round three, the other man misjudged and Luke landed a solid right to the jaw that sent his opponent to the canvas. The referee applied an eight-count and then signalled that the bout was over. Luke had won by TKO.
Robbie's fight was the last for the evening, the feature bout. His opponent was highly rated, and no-one thought the country boy from Orbost had a chance against him. As it turned out, the champ had a real battle on his hands. Robbie was charging and hammering at his man relentlessly, and though the champ won the bout on points it was a close fight. Robbie may have lost, but he was suddenly being noticed by the other coaches. Afterwards Neil wrapped his arms around his son and told him he was a "bloody champion."
Neil and Jeff dropped the guys back at the flat and headed home, as it was after eleven o'clock. Robbie was still on a high and full of adrenaline, and told Luke he really wanted to go out somewhere, so the three of them changed into smart casual. Luke had asked Robbie if he'd feel uncomfortable at a gay dance club, and Robbie had replied, "Might as well see how the other half lives!"
They took a cab to South Yarra, and made their way into the club. It was packed, and mostly men. They had a beer while Robbie looked around taking in the sights on the dance-floor. The boy from the country had never seen so many guys dancing together; hell, he'd not seen guys dancing together ever! When Luke and Jake decided to head to the dance-floor, Robbie said he'd come with them and the three men started dancing.
Robbie was soon getting into the space, gyrating to the music. After a while, getting sweaty, he pulled his tee-shirt off and tucked it into his belt the way he could see some other men there had done. His muscular body was on show for the guys and he was getting attention. Soon a slim blond guy moved up and started dancing close to Robbie, and after a minute or so he cheekily placed his hands on Robbie's hips and moved with him.
