Ewon

Ewon ped his suitcase, the loud sound of metal teeth unclasping from metal teeth filling the cabin he stood in. He pushed back the heavy top flap and dug into the pile of clothes within. He lifted the stack of shirts from inside and brought them over to the cabin's small dresser.

The cruise wasn't going to last forever, but he liked to feel at home when he was on vacation. Living out of a suitcase wasn't going to cut it...especially if he managed to bring someone back to his room while on the open sea.

Ewon tried to hide his smile, but realized that there was no one watching and let himself enjoy the excitement building in his chest. Sure, he'd been nervous when he'd booked the cruise...but what did he have to worry about? He was out of town. No one he knew would see him. As part of an anonymous group of travelers, he could be free without worrying about the social repercussions.

This was his time to enjoy, and he wasn't going to let his shy nature hold him back. 

He placed the shirts in the drawer, then returned to his suitcase and picked up the stack of folded pants he'd brought along. They found their home next to his shirts in the drawer. He placed his socks and underwear in the drawer above, then closed and secured the drawers and plopped back on his new bed beside his partially empty suitcase. His clothes may have been taken care of, but he still had his toiletries to put in the tiny bathroom attached to his room, and his shoes to put away.

Ewon turned his head to the side and examined the suitcase's blue knit material. Propped up against its side nearest Ewon was a folded paper-the itinerary he'd been given when he'd boarded the cruise ship. He reached up awkwardly to grab the paper, then held it up so he could read it over again while he continued to lay on the bed. 

11:00AM - Mandatory lifeboat demonstration

12:00 noon - Lunch

1:00PM - Guest introduction - come meet you fellow travelers!

2:00PM - Theater performance - Waiting for Godot

According to the time on the digital clock on his bedside table, it was fifteen minutes to eleven. The mandatory lifeboat demonstration would be happening soon. Ewon wasn't sure how the organizing staff could make something like that mandatory - there were too many men on the cruise to try to corral, and even then, staff weren't exactly allowed to come into the guest rooms to try to drag people out. Ewon decided that "mandatory" actually meant "strongly recommended" and wondered if he should go.

On one hand, he'd caught a red eye flight to make it to the cruise on time, and he was exhausted. On the other hand, if the ship started to sink, it was probably a good idea to know how the lifeboats worked, and what the procedure was. He stifled a yawn with his hand and debated halfheartedly with himself. There was good to both staying in and going out, but in the end, he had a feeling that going out was in his best interest. He'd watch the demonstration, grab some lunch, then crash back in his room. He wasn't sure he was ready to go out and meet the other guys just yet, and he didn't really care for Samuel Beckett. Two hours was perfect for a nap. Re-energized, he would hit the late afternoon festivities hard and make up for his earlier social ineptitude.

He smiled. 

Yep, seems like a good plan. I can hold off on sleep for another few hours. Besides, if I hurry to the dining hall, I won't have to wait for lunch long. The trick is to beat the crowds...or to plan around them.

Ewon was fairly certain the cruise ship served food all day, and that "lunch" was only built into the schedule for those on board who intended to attend every event they could. Ewon couldn't knock their enthusiasm. This was his first cruise, and he was a little overwhelmed by everything that was going on. From the endless hallways and the breathtaking size of the vessel to all the new faces there were to meet, he wasn't sure he'd ever really get to feel like he was comfortable. There were just too many unknowns.

And that's exactly why I'm here.

Ewon blinked a few times to clear his head of his uncertainty, then tried to turn his mood around by grinning. If he could keep smiling, he could trick his mind into thinking he was fine. He'd lose his nerves, he'd meet some new people, and maybe he'd even find someone to spend the rest of his vacation with.

But he wasn't going to do that by hiding in his cabin, dreaming about what could happen.

Ewon rolled over on the bed, took his shoes from the suitcase, and dropped them on the floor. They landed with a thud. He zipped up his now-empty case again and rolled it onto its side so he could access the zippers on the front panel. Inside, he'd kept all his toiletries and other personal care items. He pulled his body wash and shampoo from the large sealable bag shoved in the largest of the front pouches, then opened the rest to find his toothbrush, loofah, and his condoms and lube. Ewon laid them out on the bed, separating the condoms and lube from the rest of his personal care products. They wouldn't find a temporary home in the bathroom. They'd stay by his bedside.

Ewon picked up the box. It was new. Twelve foil packets were still attached one to the other on the inside. Ewon had bought them for this trip. He was single, and he wasn't looking for anything serious. He was barely out of the closet. Going on this cruise meant discovering himself in a way he'd never been bold enough to do. He'd been with other guys before, sure, but never thoughtlessly. He intended to spend his time on the cruise doing what he wanted because it was fun, not doing what he had to because it was what was expected of him.

Ewon would find his ual freedom. He'd own it. And when he went back to his small town and returned to normal life, he'd have the courage to be outspoken and sure of himself. He wouldn't be intimidated by the thought of being true to himself and chasing what would make him happy. All he needed was a little consideration, and he had twelve chances to find it.

He hoped it would be enough...and at the same time, he hoped he wouldn't disappoint himself. It wasn't like he expected himself to burn through all twelve condoms, but if he did, well...

Ewon laughed and sat up. He put the box of condoms and the lube in the drawer by the bedside, then took his shower products and brought them into his closet-sized bathroom. He'd only just arrived on the MS Pacifica. He'd boarded the ship barely half an hour ago. There was plenty of time to meet his own expectations.

Ewon lifted his head when he heard a loud sound from the hallway. Curiously, he approached his cabin door and opened it. It was an announcement playing over the intercom system. 

"Attention all passengers. Boarding has been completed. There is a mandatory lifeboat demonstration on the Eastern Deck. Please report to the deck immediately for life-saving information. Thank you."

Ewon scrunched his nose. He waited in the doorway to see if there would be further announcements, but there was only silence. He was moments away from closing the door when the message repeated itself. It looked like the MS Pacifica was going to get its travelers to attend the demonstration by annoying the hell out of them. Even with his door closed, Ewon heard the message, even though it was muffled.

It was fine. He'd planned on going, anyway. He stepped over to the mirror to make sure he still looked decent and noticed that one of the buttons on his shirt had come undone. He slipped it back through the buttonhole, then twisted this way and that to make sure that nothing else was out of place.

He looked good. The plain button-down shirt he wore was tucked into his pants, secured with a belt. It highlighted his slender build. Ewon wasn't exactly small, but he wasn't a particularly inspiring vision of masculinity, either. There were days when he regretted that he hadn't gotten into lifting weights in his youth, but it just wasn't him. Besides, he thought he looked kind of cute being skinny. He wasn't exactly a , but he was bordering on it. Longer, styled hair. A young, sweet face. Clear skin. Bright blue eyes. He might not have had what it took to make girls turn their heads, but girls weren't his target, anyway. He'd caught the eye of a few guys - never anyone who stuck around, but always someone fun. 

Ewon just wished he hadn't had a panic attack after every one of them had left, worried that the neighbors might catch on, or that rumors would spread around town. He wasn't ashamed of who he was, but he preferred a life without drama, and being outed by a hook-up would have caused a considerable amount of it.

Here, he didn't have to worry. It was Spring Break, he was on vacation, and he was going to have fun.

He finished checking himself out in the mirror, ran a hand through his hair out of worry, then left the room to head for the Eastern Deck. There were a million identical hallways to navigate, and while they were all well-marked with directional signage, he wanted to make sure he arrived on time. There were men in the crowded halls, all of them on their way to the elevators. It was going to be a long wait, and Ewon wasn't sure he was emotionally ready to engage in small talk...or flirtation. He'd promised himself that he'd be on his own until his nap, after all.

He took the door marked STAIRS instead. It was going to be one hell of a climb, but the cardio would do him good. One day, his lungs would thank him...if his thighs didn't kill him first.

Ewon stretched his neck from side to side and peered up the stairwell. He could do this. He would do this.

He was lookingfor a change, after all - something to shake off the boredom. What better way to do it than to get his blood rushing?

He took to the stairs and started to climb. It was going to be a long way up, but it'd be worth it. Adventure waited above, and it was time to see what it was all about.