There it is. The bath tub. Full of water. And bubbles. And smelling soaps. And soon, naked people.
Oh my God.
I mean, it's kind of perfect. The bubbles hide anything that could be seen, easing us into this new development of our relationship. The water would be nice and cool, making me nice and comfortable because I fucking hate this heat. And we could both have no clothes on. That's the main point of the activity really. The naked part...
It's also supposed to be super romantic. But I don't think I'd know romance if it hit me in the face with a wrench. And I don't really think Mark's the romance type either. I think he wants to be, but he isn't. We're just too fucked up to be able to really understand the whole thing. But I guess we're trying. This is certainly a massive step to becoming that socially-accepted stereotype of a 'couple', isn't it?
It doesn't make this any easier though. We've been stood here, looking at this water-filled bath tub for about five minutes now, and we've gotten no further with it. Neither of us really wants to take the plunge, pardon the pun, and be the first to strip off. Because by doing that, we risk the other chickening out. And then we'd just be sat in this bubbly bath like a fool. Not the ideal scenario for a romantic moment, is it?
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I hear him ask eventually. I glance at him and see his worried expression. “We don't have to, you know.”
“I know.”
“And you still want to.”
“Yes.”
He huffs nervously and nods, moving his gaze back to the tub.
“How do we do this?”
“We get in, I suppose.”
“Well, yeah. But...who gets in first?”
I didn't really want to think of that. I sort of hoped that life would be kind and let us just appear in the bubbly world without actually having to work out any strategy. But, naturally, life is cruel. And likes to see us make these embarrassing decisions for ourselves. And it looks like today, it's my choice.
“You go first.”
“Why?”
“I just...want you to go first.”
“You'll get in after, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah.”
“Fine. Close your eyes then.”
I hear him undressing next to me. Yet all I can see is the darkness behind my lids. A strange thought crosses through my mind as I feel what I believe to be his jeans hit my foot. I'd could see what he looks like. I mean, not because I want to see him like that. I mean, don't be stupid. I don't want to see anyone like that. But...I never have looked at anyone like that before. And if it's going to be anyone, then I would prefer it to be him. If I just opened my eyes just a creak...
But by the time I commit myself to doing it, I hear the sloshing of the water. Telling me that my chance has rushed past me and that he's now settling down into the bath tub. A tiny twinge of something in my stomach catches me by surprise. That wasn't the butterflies. Or, if it was, they weren't very happy...
“Okay, you can look now.”
I open my eyes, blinking at the harsh light of the bulb above me. As my vision clears, I see him sat there. In the middle of a wall of bubbles, he sits there. Looking more awkward than is humanly possibly. But at the same time, the slight flush of his cheeks makes my knees go a tiny bit wobbly. The nervous lip bite sends that tingly feeling rushing to my toes. And as my eyes wander down his neck to that shoulder of his...
