Butterflies (boyxboy)

Chapter 28: Anything could happen...

"Well at least I'll get to see you naked."
☆

Tamesh thinks on the question. Where did this leave them? He knew he had the key. He was the only one who could do anything about this. Blake was just waiting for the green light. "I still need to get cleaned up." Tamesh suddenly looks away from Blake, feeling embarrassed at the proposal on the table.

A hand reaches out to take his, pulling at it slightly, making Tamesh once again look up at those chocolate brown eyes. "Lead the way..." Blake utters, his voice seemingly lowering an octave to Tamesh's ears. He takes the outstretched hand as the artist guides the model out of the art studio and towards the door marked 'private'...

***

"This isn't quite what I imagined." Blake mumbles under his breath. He and Tamesh are standing in Tamesh's bathroom, which could only be described as a throwback to the forgotten past. Tiles brown and yellow with an avocado coloured toilet, basin and a bath so small, you'd be lucky to straighten your legs in.

"Well what do you expect Blake? I'm a struggling artist and this is London." Tamesh is rather amused at the shock on his face. Honestly. What did he expect?

Blake furrows his brows in thought "Well I don't know, maybe a shower for starters." He gets a little closer to Tamesh, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind to rest his chin on Tamesh's shoulder. "I thought we could, you know...both get in, under the hot spray....get soapy."

Tamesh pulls his lips into his mouth with a grin. He had never been a fan of his bathroom, but now he wished the place did have a shower more than anything, just to experience what 'getting soapy' actually meant. "Well this is what I got so..." He pulls away from the embrace to push in the bathplug and get the water running, swishing his fingers under the limescale tap until the water heated up just right, before adding a squirt of Matey bubble bath, which Alfie had bought him as an apparent joke. A joke Tamesh didn't get.

"Well at least I'll get to see you naked." Blake smirks, folding his arms as he raked Tamesh up and down from behind.

Tamesh straightens up and turns a little to face Blake. "Yeah I guess you will." He says. He hopes his cool exterior is masking the panic of the thought of getting undressed in front of Blake. It wasn't a big deal. It really wasn't, was it?

He begins to unbutton the paint splattered shirt. His heart banging in his chest as each button unpops. Soon the shirt is shed and dropped to the floor. Eye contact still remains with the only sound being the running water. Tamesh notices Blake's eyes wash over his exposed chest, making him feel vulnerable and somewhat empowered at the same time. Tamesh was calling the shots.

Next, the worse, for wear trousers. It took everything in his power to unbutton the clasp, knowing that this was uncharted territory, that Blake was going to see him. All of him. Nothing to hide behind. He tries to meet his gaze as he tugs the item of clothing down his legs, letting them drop to the floor. Now the only thing between Tamesh and his complete exposure and vulnerability, was the underwear.

It's here that Tamesh falters. He breaks eye contact and looks down on his exposed chest, feeling the urge to cover it up. "What is it Tam?" Blake questions, sensing how the artist was again losing his nerve. Tamesh doesn't answer straight away, causing Blake to speak. "If it makes you feel uncomfortable.."

"Turn around."

"What?"

"Just...do it...please, just turn around." Tamesh repeats.

Blake rolls his eyes and with a heavy sigh, turns his back on Tamesh, staring absentmindedly at the back of the paint chipped wooden door. He becomes in tune to the sounds of material being brushed past what he only imagined as tanned silky thighs, followed by a tap turning off, then a light splashing of water.

"Ok, you can turn back around now." Tamesh finally says as Blake turns back around to see the artist, sitting in a bubble filled bath, like a preschooler.

The corners of Blake's mouth turn up as he takes in the sight. This was too good to mock! "Aw...is my baby dirty, does he need a good wash?"

"Oh my God! Stop it or leave!" Tamesh half flicks a sprinkle of water at the model as he kneels down on the threadbare bath mat by the bath, reaching Tamesh's eye level.

Blake just grins as he pulls a clean washcloth from a pile on the corner of the bath, letting it dip into the hot water. Tamesh watches as he squeezes the excess from the cloth in his large hands before taking the wet cloth to the now dry paint smeared cheek on Tamesh's face.

He closes his eyes just before contact is made. The touch is warm and gentle as Blake gently washes the paint away from his skin. There is a moment of blissful silence where both males just seem to be enjoying the tender moment. Tamesh, with the feel of the cloth as Blake diligently tends to the paint and Blake enjoying the visual of this guy, who's true beauty was slowly being revealed with each stroke of the cloth. "Why don't you ever do a self portrait?" He questions again, now subconsciously pushing Tamesh's hair from his face with the cloth.

"I don't know? I guess I feel uncomfortable staring at myself in the mirror." Tamesh sighs as he glances at Blake before looking down at the bubbles collecting by his knees.

"Your eyes are beautiful." It almost sounds like a whisper. As is Tamesh wasn't even supposed to hear it, but he does. He glances up to meet Blake's gaze. It was as if Blake was not only looking at him, but also studying him. It made the artist feel even more exposed, if he could be, considering he was naked in a bath, but he felt that weird vulnerability where anything could happen...