Chapter Four - In the Pool
Nick blushes, but before he can answer, a collective yell is heard from across the yard.
Both boys look up to see every single child, boys and girls, charging at them. Nick takes a few steps back, but stops as his feet touch the concrete surrounding the pool. Jeff steps back with him, looking overly frightened, playing the part well.
All the kids stop in a semi circle around them, and Jeff notices they are all holding sticks.
"What is going on?" Nick asks, and the boy who had the snake answers.
"You're the dragons! And we gotta save the princesses!"
"And we're gonna help!" shouts a little blonde girl, brandishing her 'sword' at them.
Nick looks at Jeff and they catch eyes. Reading each other's minds, both boys turn back to the kids simultaneously.
"ROAR!" they yell, making hands into claws and stepping forward and making the kids scream joyfully.
Just when Jeff starts to think they could get out of the dangerous space between thirteen kids with sticks and a pool, the munchkins retaliate.
They push Nick and Jeff back to the water with their sticks. Nick teeters on the edge, and grabs Jeff's elbow to steady himself.
"Ahhh!" the children yell, only a few at first while the rest join in a few seconds later. They all hold out their sticks and save them frantically, still not close enough to actually hit much.
One brave little girl, Abigail, steps forward and 'stabs' Jeff in the leg.
Nick never saw it coming.
Caught up in the drama and imagination of it all, Jeff dies a horrific death, screaming and grabbing his leg with one arm, and Nick with the other, and falls. Backwards. Into the pool.
The boys fall into the still water, splashing loudly and getting all the little kids wet.
Nick comes up spluttering, shaking his head and rubbing the water out of his eyes. Jeff surfaces seconds later, laughing. Nick hazily notices all the children cheering victoriously, and the porch door opening, parents coming out to see what the noise is.
He ignores all this however, to address the dreamy, gorgeous, soaking wet boy in front of him. Jeff shrugs looking sheepish, giving Nick no choice but to forgive him. Nick grins mischievously, and pulls his arm away from Jeff, then pushes it back, splashing him right in the face.
Jeff gasps and wipes his eyes, opening them to see Nick laughing at him. He narrows his eyes playfully, and splashes Nick back.
Soon, everything else disappears, as the two boys start a deadly splash war, laughing and yelling joyfully. Suddenly, Jeff tackles Nick into the pool again, bringing them both underwater. He quickly finds the brunette's lips, kissing him fully.
Before long, Jeff pulls away, allowing them both to surface and breathe. In the second they take to stare at each other, Nick getting over that fact that Jeff just kissed him, in a pool, and Jeff taking in his hypnotizing beautiful boyfriend, a shrill voice cuts through the air.
"Boys!" Nick and Jeff turn around, to see Ms. Duval standing on the edge of the pool, looking frightened. "What are you two doing in there? With your clothes on? Get out!"
Nick swims over to the edge. "Sorry, Mom. We were caught up in the game."
"We killed the dragons!" Katie tells her mother happily.
Ms. Duval sighs as Nick helps Jeff out by the hand. "Well, it's time to come inside anyway. You two stay here while I go get some towels. Kids, you all go sit at the table, we're going to have cake soon."
"Cake!"
The kids race to the door, Katie in the lead.
The parents follow, Nick's mom being last. "Don't either of you dare to come in like that. Wait until I
bring you some towels."
"Roger." Nick salutes, and she turns to walk back inside.
Jeff pulls off his shirt, and Nick blushes and looks away. Jeff doesn't notice, and sits down in the edge of the porch, sighing happily. Seeing Nick looking uncomfortable, he frowns. "What's wrong?" Nick shakes his head, and sits next to him. Jeff's frown deepens. "Something happened. What's wrong?" when Nick doesn't answer, he adds sadly "Was it because of what happened in the pool?"
Nick snaps his head up, locking eyes with Jeff's. "Of course not! I- I actually, liked it…" he admits shyly, making Jeff blush. "It's just that…" he pauses, playing with the edge of his tee shirt, wanting to take it off so badly, but feeling awkward doing it now, in front of Jeff.
Of course they had seen each other shirtless before, they had been best friends for years. But not in the last couple of weeks, since they got together. Nick didn't know why, but it felt strange to go shirtless in front of Jeff now.
"You know, you can just take it off." Jeff smirks, reading Nick's mind and making him blush. "It's nothing I haven't seen before. Or am seeing now, considering how wet it is."
Nick looks down and blushes deeper. His damp shirt was clinging tightly to him, showing off every muscle and curve on his chest and stomach. "Oh." He breathes, and Jeff laughs.
"You need help?"
Nick chokes on his own spit, and Jeff pats his back lightly, laughing. "I was joking! Jeez, Nick, I'm not that desperate."
Nick regains his breath and laughs too. "Sorry." He mumbles, then reaches down and pulls the wet fabric over his head.
Before either boys could say anything more, the door opens and Ms. Duval walks out carrying two towels. "Here you go. Dry off and go upstairs to clean up. Bring your clothes down to the laundry room. I think I can dry them before you go home, Jeff, but you will have to borrow some of Nick's clothes until then. I have to go back inside. Come down when you are done."
"Ok."
The woman leaves the two boys alone, and they dry their hair and clothes in a comfortable silence. They pick up their shirts and quickly pad through the living room, going straight to Nick's room.
Once there, Nick sighs and sits on his desk chair, his towel folded under him to keep the chair dry. "So, uh, you can use the bathroom first, I know you need to wash your hair so it doesn't turn green. I can find you some clothes while you're busy."
Jeff nods. "Sure. You can bring me some stuff in there?"
"Uh, if you're ok with that?" Nick asks, flabbergasted.
Jeff smiles and pats down his dripping shorts further. "I invited you, didn't I?"
Nick nods and swallows tightly. "Ok, you go get in the shower, and I'll find you some clothes."
"Ok, I won't be long. Should I leave the water on for you?" he asks on the way out the door.
"Yeah, I'll rinse off." Nick responds distractedly, looking through his drawers.