Something in the Water (MxM) ✓

2

It's been a week, and things are going well. It has taken Liam a good while to get used to fishing, but he was surprisingly good at skinning and gutting. We agreed that since I catch more fish, he can clean more than me. It's only fair, and he's somehow better at that part than me anyway, so it works.

It seems like everyday that passes his personality uncovers itself more and more. His eyes are so captivating. Every moment we lock eyes—incidentally or purposefully— I get entranced by him. His smile is perfect, and I crave seeing it, mainly because it's rare.

"What are you thinking about?" Liam interrupts my thoughts about him. I realize all I do is think about him, which is so intrusive. He'll never know, though.

"Nothing, it's just really nice out here." We are floating in a mid-sized fishing boat. It's not a small motor boat, but it's not a gigantic ship either. It's just big enough to stand and walk across, having stability enough to not flip easily by walking. Liam nods off as he awaits the next bite. He's so cute when he's sleepy, with his deep, soft voice and his droopy eyes. Cute? Psssh—no. Handsome because he's manly and we are both men and men are handsome? Yes. Cute? No.

No way.

"God, you are making me tired," I say with a yawn. We've caught a good bit of fish and it's getting late. This boat slowly rocking and wading in the water is hypnotizing me. I reel in my line on the pole. Liam comes to from the sound of my ticking fishing line. He begins reeling as well, noticing the time and how tired we both are becoming. Once we have everything packed up and put away, I get an idea that makes much more sense than going home.

"Hey Liam?" I say.

"What?" he returns.

"The overnight house is only about 20 minutes that way. The east dock is at least an hour and a half if we're fast. What do you think?" He shrugs and gestures for me to decide.

"That's up to you, Cade," he says. I shrug as well and we head to the northern dock for the overnight home, Liam captaining the ship. It's better than trying to make the entire lake at night. The lake house has many more amenities to it of course, but there's still plenty of food, water, hygiene products, you name it. So it's not all bad, just that we'll have to share a bed.

...we'll have to share a bed.

Yeah, no, I'm totally not nervous about that. Getting in close quarters with him is always a challenge for me. I can never contain myself, and I get all nervous and hot. It makes no sense other than I'm either allergic to him or I'm just still not used to being with another person. Maybe his masculinity being much more prominent than mine makes me uncomfortable.

Liam's 24. I learned that. I'm 22, so he's older than me. Good thing; we can both get shit-faced together eventually. Even though he's only two years older, he looks so much older and matured than myself. His body, as evident from the day we met, is much more muscular, and his chest has hair all over it. I'm afraid I feel inferior to him, but I love my body. I just don't know anymore.

"Cade, let's go," Liam says to me. I had zoned out thinking about Liam that I didn't even realize we were docked. I head to the edge and step over to the dock. Liam takes my wrist and helps me down onto the dock, which is a good few feet lower than the boat. I blush at his helping me get down like that.

"Thanks," I say with a nervous chuckle. He smiles and nods to me. At this point, I'm overwhelmed with warmth inside, never really meeting such a casually nice person.

After tying the boat off to the dock, I jump up onto deck and grab the ice chest with the fish inside. I hand it down to Liam, who thankfully carries the heavy chest to the dock house for me. I leap down onto the dock and make my way up to the overnight house, which is positioned on a bluff above the lake. This side of the lake always makes me feel calm. It's much more fulfilling of the name Stillwater than the east side.