The Art of Breathing Underwater
  • Reads 48,071
  • Votes 4,385
  • Parts 32
  • Time 5h 26m
  • Wattys winner
  • Reads 48,071
  • Votes 4,385
  • Parts 32
  • Time 5h 26m
  • Wattys winner
Complete, First published Feb 15, 2020
𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐀 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏  For bipolar fifteen-year-old Aaron, growing up in '90s Dublin, being gay is a choice. It is a choice between risking alienation from his conservative Catholic family and close-minded friends or drowning under the weight of his secrets. So discovering he is falling in love with his witty, bi-racial best friend, Robbie, an aspiring actor, plunges Aaron into a sea of confusion. Swimming against the tide of expectations, the young men set a course through sex, drugs and Bowie concerts, an outlet from a world that doesn't understand them.  

But weighted under the pressure of maintaining a double life, Aaron sinks into a deep depression. When a shocking incident puts his life in perspective, Aaron must decide whether staying silent and invisible is worth losing the only love he has ever known for. 
𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀:
@nonfiction (Memoirs/Sex, love and relationships/ Mental Health and Awareness/ Self-discovery)
@DangerousLove (Hot Nerds, Rockstars & Musicians)
@AmbassadorsUK (Very British Teens)
@Romance (Young Love)
@YA (Love, Actually)
@beauty (Feel Good Stories)
@GeneralFiction (Freestyle Fiction-Miscellaneous/ Finding Love-Romance)
@PsychologicalNovel (Triggering Romance)
@ProfileMentalHealth (Self Love)
@NA (Let Me Share The Truth)
@YARomance (A Diary of Everything)
@TeenFiction (Teen Featured)
@HistoricalFiction (Decade Fiction)
@BullyingPrevention (LGBTQIAP+ Pride)
@ComeSitWithUs (LGBTQIAP+ I Am Who I Am)
@wattpadfriendsandfamily (Always with you)
@FreeTheLGBT (Coming of Age)
All Rights Reserved
Sign up to add The Art of Breathing Underwater to your library and receive updates
or
#2creativenonfiction
Content Guidelines
You may also like
The Pretty Boy In The Sheets| bxb | Slowly Editing by WaishaBooks
22 parts Complete Mature
| Cover by Sunkissedmuffin | (I changes my user) Eric didn't choose or really want to be gay, it just kind of happen- something that just happened, he can't even remember how he found out he was gay all he knew was that he was, And it wasn't like there's nothing wrong with that. Eric wasn't homophobic, he didn't feel disgusted in himself but rather disappointed. Everyone put pressure on him to be this perfect person, whether it being grades or sports or family- everything would be ruin if he came out. That's why he hadn't told anyone in the last couple years, not because he's scared- pft, Eric Goodmen scared? Star football player? Could have all the women by just a click of a button if wasn't for being in love with the same gender- scared? He was just a little 'inconvenienced'. One party changed everything though- to many drinks and making out with the wrong gender to send his fake perfect life crashing down when discovering out the first person he came out to, kissed, and had sex with was Callum Micheals. Mr pretty boy. Like life flashing before his eyes- Eric questioned whether Callum remembered or not? *** The smell of a nose itching fabric softer, too expensive for his parents to buy and the feel of warm feather pillows is what Eric woke up to. His body was somewhat tired, and sweaty but besides that, he felt good- he even let out a morning moan sitting up with his arms to look around, he was at Jackson's. A light ache from his hangover rang through his head reminding him that he drank a lot last night seconds later, he opened his mouth to hiss or groan in pain, but the groan that brought silence to the room wasn't his- it was, "Callum?!" Eric whisper shouted.
SAFE (mxm) by ani_dn
82 parts Ongoing Mature
A handsome man, obsessed with computers, workout and books, clever, well known for his professional expertise, rich and impressive. David is all of that on his thirtieth birthday, but there's one more tiny detail. No one knows this except his best friend Sarah. His extreme anxiety and severe OCD has kept him home most of these years. The shield dome he's been hiding under, cultivating his perfect self, is suddenly too small. He is suffocating and feeling that life can give him more and it might get too late to experience it, if he doesn't break the glass walls. To do this, he needs a place where he can still feel safe and someone who can gain his trust. But what if that someone turns out to be nothing he expected. *** Welcome to my mxm story and thank you for joining the adventure! ❤❤❤ I hope you like it. *** This book depicts a mxm love story. It includes graphic intimate scenes. Those chapters will be marked as XXX. Please, read only if you are comfortable with the topic and of appropriate age. ! 18+ highly recommended ! Best ranking: #1 in bxb Dec 2022 #1 in boyxboy Dec 2022 #1 in mxm Dec 2022 #1 in manxman Dec 2022 #1 in boyxboyromance March 2023 #1 in lgbtlove Dec 2022 #1 in passion Dec 2022 #1 in anxietydisorder Jan 2023 #2 in malexmale Dec 2022 #2 in eroticromance Nov 2022 #2 in fallinginloveagain Sept 2023 #3 in fallingforthebadboy Dec 2022 #9 in unexpected August 2023 #10 in mysterious June 2023 #10 in hotboys Dec 2022 #10 in gayromance August 2022 #10 in lgbtfiction March 2022 #10 in hotness Sept 2023 #14 in love March 2023 #15 in handsome Sept 2023 #18 in gaylove March 2022 #30 in lgbt Sept 2023 #47 in gay Feb 2022 *** Disclaimer: All pictures are used only to illustrate the book's content. They are stock photos posed by models. All people and events described in the story are fictional.
Tear In My Heart ✔️ by ChicagoDreams
45 parts Complete
"Noah, I won't do it unless you ask me to," he whispered, his voice seductively low. "What?" I asked almost breathless. "Kiss you," he murmured. "And God, there are no words for how badly I want to." **** Noah was your all American boy. Captain of his soccer team, extremely good-looking, having other boys want to be him and girls want to be with him, but there's one problem. He doesn't chase after the captain of the cheerleading squad or the girls who spread their legs open for whoever asks. In fact, he doesn't go for any girl. Instead, he hates himself when his eyes linger on a guy that his brain and heart say is cute. He's gay, and he's having a hard time accepting himself for it. It doesn't help when he wakes up almost naked in another guy's house, let alone in another guy's bed. And to make matters worse, he can't help but fall for the outspoken and extremely attractive Madison who he'd drunkenly went home with and tried to screw. Finally, to add the cherry on top of the crap-tastic cake, Noah is forced to work with Madison for at least six months, or he'll lose his beloved soccer. Nothing could go wrong, right? Throw in a bit of awkwardness mixed with a few close calls and you've got a recipe for disaster....and a tiny tear in Noah's heavily protected heart. © 2018 *endless thanks and love to @half_a_hetero for helping me with the Italian in this book. I'm not a native Italian speaker, so having their help was invaluable. Follow them and show them some love!!* Amazing cover by @Grand_ Highest Rank: #4 in lgbt
The Other Guy (BoyxBoy) ✔️ by geekiechicforall13
21 parts Complete Mature
"I walked over to where Aaron was sitting on the ground, kneeling so that I was face-to-face with him. He was wearing a blank expression on his face so I guess he didn't really care if I kissed him or not. I took in a deep breath before taking his face in both of my hands and swooping down to kiss him. At first, I was so nervous I didn't realize that we were already kissing but after a few moments, I realized how soft his lips felt on my own. Before I can register it I felt him moving against me. I would have gotten off of him but I realize that he wasn't moving to get away from me. No, He was moving his lips against mine." °°°°° Aiden Moore isn't extraordinary. He has average looks, he is OK with sports, and his only strong point is that he is smart (although that doesn't mean much to his fellow classmates). And, of course, his virgin ass has never had a girlfriend, let alone a crush. It seemed as if he would never find someone. That was until he met her, Scarlett Hale. She was the most beautiful girl you will ever meet. Kind, sweet, and one of the few people with a higher GPA then him, she was amazing and Aiden imagined that she would be all his. Once Aiden gets rid of her boyfriend, Aaron Tyler. The most annoying guy you will ever meet, Aiden gags just thinking about him. The man is smoking hot and makes Aiden's dreams of getting the girl to seem very impossible. So what would happen if Aiden gets involved with the wrong person? Will Aiden get the girl? Will he fall short? Or will he fall into the arms of a guy who is in love with the girl he loves? _______________________________________ WARNING: First book EVER! The best part about this book is that it has some funny bits and introduces you to characters I use for a while. But, if you don't like the writing, please consider one of my newer works 😊 Started: May 10, 2016 Completed: September 2016
Home Is With You(bxb)✔️ by Re_Pun_Zel
52 parts Complete Mature
Completed📌 ~Jacob Park and Arthur White ~ "I'm scared....maybe this isn't a good idea" I stammer stepping back, but he gets a hold of my waist to pull me forward. "I got you" He says tightening his hold on my waist, "there's nothing to worry about." I doubtfully look him in the eyes and take a deep breath when he strokes my hair, "promise?" "Yeah" he assures me and I take a deep breath when he murmurs the following words looking me deep in the eyes, "I promise." •••• The chemistry they have is remarkably out of this world. Jacob Park has always been a loner. Not that he wants to be one but his shy demeanor never allows him to make friends. Even though he's from a decent family, life never treated him fair. There was always this one thing missing and the one thing he's willing to do anything to get: HAPPINESS. Arthur White isn't the caring type and he's everything but respectful. He doesn't care about how anyone feels and he has a demeanor that demands respect. He has to change school every single time because of the different jobs his father does. It's always the same where he goes, plain and boring, but when he finally moves back to his hometown, everything's different. In his school he comes across this nice boy that wouldn't leave his mind and that made him question himself. Arthur was never one to assist or help anyone, let alone get close to them but confusion still ran wild in his mind when he got this sudden urge to protect Jacob Park in the hallways. #1 Mental health #1 bxb
OPEN [boyxboy] ✓ by flawed-
57 parts Complete Mature
BOOK ONE Discovering your sexuality in high-school is one of the most challenging things a teenage boy can face. Being closet gay for months, finally coming out, being greeted with a punch in the face and being shunned is even worse. For Julian Douglas, life can't get anymore difficult especially in the face of high school, a restrictive religious mother, and a gorgeous man with a huge following who jumped into his life at the most inopportune time. ::: He felt like serenity. He made me feel safe and I couldn't help but slow my heartbeat down to match his and at once, I felt the tempo of his heart thumping against my back, his breaths on my neck, goosebumps raising. I could feel it when his body finally went slack, when he'd fallen asleep and soft snores emitted. And I thought I was getting better at this breaking down thing... I honestly did but when I was alone, I seemed to fall apart. Endless serenades of how worthless I'd been and how destructive I was; I was a disappointment to literally everyone and I hated it. My breathing became shallow as I cried for the second time that day, finally feeling content being immersed in guilt. A shudder wracked through my body, tears escaping and Paul pulled me closer as he woke silently. Mumbling soft nothings against my skin and kissing it to slow my breathing, he tried to lull me to sleep, "It's okay, you're okay." Refusing to speak -my voice failing me- his arm came up to wrap around my shoulder and I held him there, placing a small kiss to his tattooed skin in a broken sign of gratitude, I must've run out of tears. And I felt at ease.
You may also like
Slide 1 of 10
The Pretty Boy In The Sheets| bxb | Slowly Editing cover
He Says He's Just A Friend cover
SAFE (mxm) cover
Tear In My Heart ✔️ cover
Count The Stars cover
The Bad Boy Saved Me  cover
The Other Guy (BoyxBoy) ✔️ cover
Hollow | BxBxBxB cover
Home Is With You(bxb)✔️ cover
OPEN [boyxboy] ✓ cover

The Pretty Boy In The Sheets| bxb | Slowly Editing

22 parts Complete Mature

| Cover by Sunkissedmuffin | (I changes my user) Eric didn't choose or really want to be gay, it just kind of happen- something that just happened, he can't even remember how he found out he was gay all he knew was that he was, And it wasn't like there's nothing wrong with that. Eric wasn't homophobic, he didn't feel disgusted in himself but rather disappointed. Everyone put pressure on him to be this perfect person, whether it being grades or sports or family- everything would be ruin if he came out. That's why he hadn't told anyone in the last couple years, not because he's scared- pft, Eric Goodmen scared? Star football player? Could have all the women by just a click of a button if wasn't for being in love with the same gender- scared? He was just a little 'inconvenienced'. One party changed everything though- to many drinks and making out with the wrong gender to send his fake perfect life crashing down when discovering out the first person he came out to, kissed, and had sex with was Callum Micheals. Mr pretty boy. Like life flashing before his eyes- Eric questioned whether Callum remembered or not? *** The smell of a nose itching fabric softer, too expensive for his parents to buy and the feel of warm feather pillows is what Eric woke up to. His body was somewhat tired, and sweaty but besides that, he felt good- he even let out a morning moan sitting up with his arms to look around, he was at Jackson's. A light ache from his hangover rang through his head reminding him that he drank a lot last night seconds later, he opened his mouth to hiss or groan in pain, but the groan that brought silence to the room wasn't his- it was, "Callum?!" Eric whisper shouted.