Where are my pants? / part 4

Taemin gripped Wonshik’s hand tighter, walking side by side at an arm’s length. He stepped carefully, their path lit by two flashlights and the clear night sky. There was one place that Wonshik promised to take him to before morning came; one more memory to create before going home.

After everyone retreated to their rooms, the two snuck out of the camp and followed the beaten trail cutting the forest. Taemin slowed down and let Wonshik lead until the trees became scarcer and the path wider and muddier. Soon, they were hurrying down a slope.

“Almost there,” he heard Wonshik tell him when the terrain leveled again.

Taemin caught glimpses of flowers and insects in the few patches of green grass, trees no longer flanking the road. He hid behind Wonshik, aiming his flashlight at anything but the bugs. He felt safer the closer he got to Wonshik, not knowing the other boy had an equal aversion to certain wonders of nature.

Taemin forgot all about it when the lake appeared before them, a pool of dark water mirroring the moon when viewed from a distance. He let go of Wonshik’s hand and stopped right at the lake’s edge.

He turned around and waved his flashlight.

“It’s so big!”

“And not too deep,” Wonshik followed Taemin. “But I think it’s… hey!”

Taemin placed his flashlight down, took off his jacket, pulled off his T-shirt and tugged down his jeans along with his underwear. He stretched and dipped his right foot in the water. Slowly, he crouched and pushed himself into the lake, legs forward.

Wonshik kneeled next to the pile of Taemin’s clothes, pointing his light at Taemin shaking his head, droplets hooked to the ends of his locks. He rubbed his palms over his face and squeezed his nose, a smile stretching from corner to corner.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Nah, it’s perfect.” Taemin ran his fingers through his hair, watching the other. “Come on in.”

Wonshik thought twice about it. Reluctantly, he turned off Taemin’s flashlight and placed his in a way that would allow them to find their way out of the lake, away from prying eyes. He took off his sweater and sleeves shirt, followed by the belt of his pants. Taemin’s cheeks and his ears flushed pink as he watched him, the upper half of Wonshik’s body visible. He shyly avoided staring at him more than necessary and focused on his muscles, begging they not betray him and show how he hard he was actually trembling, his arms creating small ripples as he moved them. Wonshik’s cry after he joined him had broken his façade. Taemin laughed and splashed him with water.

“Liar!” Wonshik whined, laughing too and swimming forward. “It’s so cold.”

Taemin came closer and brought the other in his arms, still laughing.

“C’mon, it could be worse!”

“I can’t feel my balls, how can it be worse,” Wonshik covered Taemin’s head with his palm, ruffling his damp locks.

Taemin felt mischievous. He wanted to shove Wonshik underwater, let the cold truly bite him and, afterward, prepare himself for Wonshik’s revenge. But his smile faltered and he avoided looking at the other at first, too shy and embarrassed that the same Taemin who did not want to shower because he was afraid of exposing his body had no trouble barring it all on a spur of a moment.

Then he stared at Wonshik, watched the way some of his features came into his view the more he adjusted to the darkness, two silhouettes cloaked by the night.

His hand went up Wonshik’s forearm, reached for his chin and his lips through trial and error. Taemin bent his arm around his neck, still shaking, yet he wondered if it was from the cold or from the force of his heart almost bursting through his chest.

Or from Wonshik mimicking his actions and wrapping his arms around his waist.

Or from the way he leaned down and captured his bottom lip in his mouth, let go, on the upper one, let go again; repeat.

Or from the way his skin felt hot against Taemin’s as his eyes fluttered shut and Wonshik immediately surrendered to their only source of heat.

Taemin pulled away quickly, swallowing hard, ravished by both desire and uncertainty. Wonshik gingerly touched Taemin’s shoulder and rested his palm against his neck, pulling him in for another kiss, one that Taemin allowed – his time to close his eyes and enjoy the sweetness of Wonshik’s mouth.

Finally, he paused with his thumb on Taemin’s lips as they were breathing through their noses.

“It’s ing cold,” Taemin admitted defeated.

“I knew you’d jump in,” Wonshik stated matter-of-factly. “I saw the way you looked when they mentioned the lake the first day.”

“Like a nutjob?” Taemin offered, a pant escaping him.

“Excited,” Wonshik tapped his nose, Taemin huffing in response.

“Let’s just say that when they tell me I can’t do something, I have to do it.”

“I like that about you.”

“You like a lot of things about me.”

“Well, what do you like about me?”

Taemin thought about it, noting the sky above them bejeweled with brilliant stars. “You’re nice.”<