room // malum au [in progress]

may 29th, 2021

feedback please aka comments

"thanks for picking us up." calum exclaimed while buckling tucker into his car seat. "my dad took my mom on an all-day date and my sister's working."

james smiled, "it's no problem at all. it's actually more convenient for everyone this way. saves gas and whatnot."

"yeah i guess you're right." calum said climbing into the passenger seat. "thank you for inviting us to spend the day at the beach with you."

"i'm glad you could join me." james replied. "so i was thinking that we could go to the bay instead of the ocean. thought it be easier to teach the little guy how to swim there."

"you want to help me teach him how to swim?" calum asked, shock laced in his voice.

"well i used to teach swimming lessons back in high school as an afterschool job. and i'm first aid and lifeguard certified so i thought might as well put my skills to use." james explained. "but only if it's ok with you. if you rather do it yourself i'll sit back and let you do so."

"no no no." calum scrambled.  "you helping would be amazing."

"well good. i have some arm floaties, pool noodles, and a life vest in the trunk to help him get started." james smiled. "you seem shocked. you okay?"

"i am shocked." calum replied. "you put so much thought into this."

"well i just felt like i'd offer my help." james blushed. "you seem to be going through so much that it wouldn't hurt to step in and try to help out here and there."

"that means so much to me." calum breathed. "you have no idea."

"aw cal it really isn't that big of a deal." james cooed. "i just thought it would be a fun idea."

"thank you." calum replied. "tuck do you want to learn to swim today?"

"really?!" tucker squealed from the backseat. "yes! yes! yes!"

"well i think that settles it." james chuckled. "we'll get started on teaching him right after we get there and find a spot on the sand."

***

"it's cold." tucker whined as he dipped his toes into the lapping shoreline of the bay.

"does that mean you don't want to learn how to swim" calum asked kneeling down to tucker's level. "because if you don't that's okay. we can try another time."

"no i wanna try." tucker mumbled. "but i'm scared."

"why are you scared?" calum questioned pulling tucker into a hug to try and calm him down.

"cause the water's cold." tucker stated. "and other things."

"well the water is always cold." calum explained. "but if you get in and stay in eventually the water won't feel cold. and what other things"

"uh sharks?" tucker exclaimed, "and seaweed and crabs and rocks and fish and eels and sharp shells."

"wow okay that's a lot." calum said cutting off tucker from his ramble of fears. "i guess we won't try swimming today."

"but i wanna learn." tucker whined.

"there's too many things you're afraid of right now tuck." calum sighed. "i'm pretty sure michael's parents have a pool in their backyard so maybe we can go there in the next couple of days and try swimming there first. does that sound okay?"

"i guess so." tucker whispered. "i don't want to be afraid."

"i know little man." calum cooed. "it's okay to be scared sometimes though."