“Please?” Lucas clasped Aiden’s hands. Aiden sighed. He couldn’t say no. He wanted to. But he couldn’t. Lucas’s smile widened. “Is that a yes?”

“Fine.” Aiden grumbled.

“You two are going to freeze.” Evie said from the safety of her sleeping bag.

Connor gave them a similar look. “She’s right. We can’t even put down a fire.”

“We’ll warm up when we get back.” Lucas waved them off, digging out his swimming gear. Aiden’s consisted of a pair of shorts. He doubted even a wetsuit would keep him warm in this downpour for very long.

Aiden dashed into the tent next to the main one and changed quickly. He didn’t bother with setting aside a towel to bring down, it would only get wet in the rain.

“Ready?” Lucas called in.

Aiden went out to him.

Lucas’s curls were already being weighted down and stuck to his skin. Aiden’s gaze wavered over his bare chest, and then he stared hard at a stray lock of hair that stuck out over his ear.

“Ready.” Aiden nodded. He led the way to the rock pools. They were deep, and slightly flooded from the rain. He eyed the spot where the gentle stream became a torrent and warned Lucas to avoid it.

Lucas gave a nod, and then jumped in.

Aiden followed suit. He shuddered at the chill in the water and came up gasping for air after only a few seconds.

“Wait here” Lucas swam to the other end, and then held up a bright pink frisbee. “I’m going to throw!”

Aiden had no idea where the frisbee came from. He also wasn’t sure why Lucas was so insistent they come out. But he was glad after a while. Throwing a frisbee when you couldn’t touch the ground resulted in some very wild throws, some tragic dives, and a lot of smiles.

Lucas tossed the frisbee, falling underneath the water with the effort. The pink disk spun up, and was carried by a gust of wind to the edge of the rock pool. It landed in the rivers strong current, and Lucas surfaced in time to see it fall over the edge.

Aiden felt a little bad, but as he swam to the edge he realised how badly his body needed a break.

“You’re panting pretty hard.” Lucas commented.

Aiden jumped. “You’re a fast swimmer.” He cast an eye over Lucas’s torso as he leaned against the edge of the pool with him, “And you’re breathing hard too.”

“I’m tired.” Lucas shrugged. “I’m ready to sleep like a baby.” His green eyes trailed down Aiden’s chest, examining his body to the point where it disappeared into the water.

Aiden lowered himself back down.

“Sorry.” Lucas said with a small smile. He didn’t look very sorry.

Aiden floated closer to him. “I don’t mind.”

Lucas swallowed before speaking, with a hesitant smile. “Do you mind standing up again then? I wasn’t finished checking you out.”

“Okay.” Aiden stood up, but he was close to Lucas, and their lips ended up together. The cold water and rain had numbed Aiden’s skin, and he could feel the same had happened to Lucas. His chest was cold. His lips were cold.

Icy fingers touched his sides and Aiden jumped, breaking their lips apart.

“What’s wrong?” Lucas asked, his voice unsure.

“Nothing.” Aiden said quickly, “Your hands are cold. It just startled me.” He pressed his lips against Lucas’s again before the adrenaline in his blood turned into something like worry or anxiety.

Aiden flinched when Lucas’s hands curved up his sides, but he got used to the cold after a second. Lucas sank back and pulled Aiden onto his lap. Aiden leaned into his body, leaned into his hands, and only pulled back when the rain beat down harder and started to get intolerable.

“I like this.” Lucas followed Aiden’s lips and gently kissed him again.

Aiden struggled not to smile. “It’s not so bad.”

“Aiden.” Lucas flattened his hand against his back, his fingers stretching out over his spine. “You do like it, right?” His voice wavered.

Aiden almost didn’t believe the worry in his voice, suspecting that Lucas was attempting to tease him in some way. But then he saw Lucas’s brow crease, and his heart melted like it had earlier. “I like it.” Aiden said gently.

Lucas grinned.

“But, I’m freezing.”

“Me too.” Lucas sighed, “Lets head back.”

*

Evie and Connor had joined Kal in watching his show. Their concentration only broke long enough to stare at Lucas and Aiden rustling as they got into their sleeping bags. He tried to watch it with them, but the bodies in his way and the small screen made it impossible.

Aiden turned instead to Lucas, who had a book open. He rolled onto his side and looked at the pages. “What’s it-“

“Shh.” Immediately the other three shushed him. Aiden shut his mouth, and he saw Lucas grin. He turned over the book, so Aiden could see the synopsis, and positioned it closer so they could both read it. It was about a space ship, that also controlled human bodies, and apparently had a hard time knowing whether to use ‘he’ or ‘she’.

Aiden’s eyes refused to focus the text after five minutes. He dozed peacefully instead. Every so often someone who rustle in their sleeping bag, and Aiden would read a line or two, but then close his eyes again.

“Lucas” Connor’s voice drifted over him, and he heard rustling next to his ear. Lucas must have turned to look.

“We’re going to sleep.” Connor said softly, “Do you mind getting the light when you’re done?”

“I’ll flick it off now.” Lucas whispered. More rustling. His breath fanned over Aiden’s forehead as he reached over him, and the soft glow against Aiden’s eyelids turned to black. Lucas rested his arm over Aiden’s stomach.

The last time they’d spent the night side by side came into his mind. It had ended with him feeling horrible. He wondered if he’d feel the same way now. If he was awake. If it was mutual. Would he like it? Or would he freak out?

Everyone’s breaths were deep. Aiden couldn’t fall asleep. He rolled over to face Lucas. He rolled over onto his back. He turned away from Lucas. His presence was too unsettling. Even though he’d been lying next to him the past few hours, his heart was beating erratically.

An eternity later and Aiden gave up. He shuffled out from Lucas arm, and moved to the other tent. It was a lot colder and he had to push the wet towels over to one side.

The zip on the tent opening made Aiden’s heart jump into his mouth. Lucas climbed in, and his gaze took in the sleeping bag that was laid out.

“Are you okay?” Lucas asked softly.

“Sorry for waking you.”

“I wasn’t sleeping.” Lucas rubbed his bare arms. “It’s cold in here.”

“Yeah.”

There was a pause of silence. Aiden felt awkward and strangely guilty. He’d left the tent because of Lucas, and now Lucas was in front of him again.

“Are those the kind of books you read now?” Aiden had to break the silence.

“No, I’m not usually into Sci-fi. I’m enjoying this one though.” Lucas shrugged.

“Yeah it seemed okay.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow.

“I wasn’t going to get into it after starting in the middle.” Aiden pointed out.

“You were sleeping after half a page.” Lucas shuffled closer and crossed his legs. “It was relaxing. Having you curled up next to me.”

Aiden mimicked Lucas’s position and their knees brushed together. Aiden looked, and carefully separated them an inch.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” Lucas asked. He looked at their knees instead of Aiden’s face. His voice was low. Soft. His fingers curled tensely on his thighs.

Aiden swallowed down the automatic denial that tried to come out. He needed to be open about this. Or, he thought he did. It had worked with the Hugh situation, sort of. “In a sense.”

“I’m not expecting things all of a sudden. We kissed, and it was good, but it doesn’t mean we have to do it whenever we’re close to each other.” Lucas spoke hesitantly, like he was struggling to find the words and had to search for each one individually. “And it’s the same for other things.”

“Are you uncomfortable?” Aiden asked.

“No.” Lucas said immediately, “Well, a little, but that’s because I’m nervous, not because I’m uneasy.”

Aiden wondered if this was spurred by the memory of what had happened last time they’d been together in the sleeping bag. “I wasn’t able to settle. It’s not because I was worried.”

Lucas’s lips twitched down. “Don’t those two kind of go together?”

“So do nerves and unease.” Aiden pointed out.

Lucas didn’t look happy with the answer. Maybe because either way the problem was that Aiden didn’t want to be next to him.

“I can ease off a bit.” Lucas was ringing his hands.

Aiden stared at the whitening knuckles, and the tension in Lucas’s body. He seemed wound up. Aiden wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Just so you don’t feel pressured, or anything.” Lucas continued, looking at his own hands, then the towels, then the rain drops on the tent. “Or do you want me to back off entirely?”

“No” Aiden said, “I don’t want that. I didn’t come out here with you because I want that.”

Lucas flicked his gaze to him. The tension was there.

“Why are you so nervous?” Aiden asked.

“We’re both guys.” Lucas swallowed, “I’m not…”

Aiden wished he finished the sentence instead of trailing off. Given that he’d been approached by Lucas when he was drunk, told he was a crush and then told that he was liked, Aiden hadn’t really thought about whether Lucas was unsure about things. He’d sounded certain when he’d said he was gay.

Aiden pressed their knees together. “Do you want me to back off?”

“No.” Lucas didn’t hesitate.

Aiden put his hand on Lucas’s knee. “Are you sure?”

Lucas stared at the hand and nodded. Aiden placed the other hand on Lucas’s shoulder, and leaned forwards. He hesitated, giving Lucas time to push him back. Lucas met his eyes, and then looked at his lips.

Lucas tasted like mint and nature valley bars. His shoulders were defined by muscles, and his arms, and his chest. The heat from his body warmed Aiden’s finger tips. The hand cupping his face, teasing the edge of his hairline sent warm tingles down his spine.

Aiden shivered when they pulled apart.

“I definitely don’t want you to back off.” Lucas stated lightly.

Aiden smiled. “Me too.”

There was another moment of silence, but this one wasn’t loaded with tension. Lucas seemed content, stroking Aiden’s hair behind his ears and holding his side. Aiden was content to let him to it too. He shut his eyes as they leaned into one another again.

Lucas led Aiden onto his lap. Aiden’s fingers found their way into his curls, still damp from their drenching earlier. His lower lip seared with heat, and then Lucas’s tongue pushed in, hesitant, then exploring. Tingles raced through Aiden’s body.

The sleeping bag rustled as they straightened it, without breaking apart. It was cold on Aiden’s back, and helped to ease the heat engulfing his skin. Lucas weight was half held up, and each moment it seemed to grow, as heavy breaths became pants, and their bodies shuddered closer.

Aiden gripped Lucas’s sides. He’d never kissed like this. He’d never been kissed like this.

“Aiden.” Lucas murmured against his lips. His voice breathless, and desperate.

Their legs were mixed together, and Aiden knew they both felt the same way right now. They were too close to hide anything.

“What is it?” Aiden rubbed Lucas shoulder. His muscles trembled. His breath trembled. Lucas’s forehead rested against Aiden’s, and Aiden could hear him swallowing hard.

“I think I should leave.” Lucas whispered. “But I really don’t want to.”

Aiden, for once, knew exactly how Lucas felt. A feeling in the pit of his stomach combated the warmth. It was a warning. A slightly sickening sensation telling him that he should stop now, before they went any further. It was a tiny blip next to how Lucas was making him feel.

“If you want me to go, I will.” Lucas added softly.

Aiden weighed up the two sensations, and the scales within him tipped easily in one direction. “And if I don’t?”

“I’ll stay.” Lucas murmured.

“Then stay.” Aiden whispered back.