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They’re somewhere in the Sierra Mountains in California. They’re well into their second week on the road. They found a first-come first-serve campsite near a small lake, where they set up camp. The others are sitting around the campfire, but Whizzer had dragged him out here, to the freezing lake in the dark of night. He sits with him in the sand on the shore, staring up at the stars.
“I’ve always loved camping,” Whizzer says wistfully.
“Really? I’ve always hated it,” Marvin says.
“How?” Whizzer asks. “With the smell of the pine trees, and the sounds of the birds and the crickets, s’mores over a fire, the ability to see all of the stars in the sky. I love the city, don’t get me wrong, but It’s nice to be away from the concrete and and the traffic and the millions of lights. It’s centering. Calming.”
Marvin stares at him, smiling up at the night sky, and he has to remind himself that his girlfriend is sitting somewhere on the other side of that barricade of trees behind them. Because watching that spark appear in his eye, and the way he looks in the dark lighting of the moon and the stars just makes him want to kiss him. “Yeah, but there are bugs and dirt and sleeping on the ground,” Marvin says, snapping himself out of it.
Whizzer shrugs. “It’s worth it, though.”
“I never would’ve pegged you as much of a camper,” Marvin says.
“Why’s that?”
“Thought you’d be too afraid to get your precious clothes dirty.”
Whizzer snorts and shoves his shoulder. “I pack strategically.”
“How so?”
“Dark colors, cheap brands. Every wardrobe needs a throwaway section.”
“I don’t have one.”
“That’s because your entire wardrobe is a throwaway section.”
Marvin rolls his eyes and looks out at the water. “It is pretty gorgeous,” he says.
“Let’s go in,” Whizzer suggests.
“Hell no,” Marvin says. “You’ve gotta be joking, I mean, hell no!”
But Whizzer is already on his feet, unbuttoning his shirt and kicking his shoes off. “Come on, Marvin! Live a little!”
“It’s freezing! And I’m not wearing a swimsuit. And we don’t have towels.”
Whizzer is down to just his underwear now, and Marvin finds that he can’t take his eyes off of him. “It won’t be so bad once you’re swimming, you don’t need a swimsuit, and we’ll just run back to camp afterwards. Or we just huddle together and keep each other warm.”
Marvin shakes his head. “Never gonna happen.”
Whizzer sighs. “Alright, suit yourself.” He runs toward the water, and as soon as he’s waist deep, dives in. He rises to the surface a couple seconds later, with a giant grin on his face. “It feels amazing!” he calls. “But I’m lonely!”
Marvin takes a breath. Four years of college and the biggest risk he’s ever taken was coming on this road trip in the first place. It always seemed stupid. Impractical. But Whizzer looks so happy out there in the water, and he looks so good in nothing but his briefs, and Marvin feels a sudden spark of spontaneity and daringness hit him. Or maybe it’s just that lust that he’s been pushing down for as long as he’s known him. But whatever it is, he’s soon on his feet. “Fuck it,” he mutters, as he quickly strips down. Whizzer watches from the water, jumping and pumping his fist triumphantly.
He enters the water with much more caution. It’s cold. It’s damn cold. Take your breath away kind of temperatures. He doesn’t understand why Whizzer would describe this as amazing. Regardless, he keeps going. Slowly, deliberately, letting himself get used to the temperature before going deeper. He’s about halfway in when Whizzer swims over to him.
“Just dunk your head in,” Whizzer suggests. “Like a band-aid.”
“No, thanks. I like my method just fine,” Marvin says.
“Trust me, mine is better,”
Marvin takes another slow step forward, sucking in a breath as the surface rises to his belly-button.
“Every step you take sucks, right? And then it stops sucking until you take another step? If you just dunk, all the sucking will happen at once, and then it just feels great.”
Marvin shakes his head and takes another step forward. It’s worse the minute it reaches his ribs.
“Come on, I’ll go down with you,” Whizzer insists. “Just… here, put your hands on my shoulders.” Marvin does what he’s told, and Whizzer mirrors him. Marvin’s skin seems to tingle at Whizzer’s touch. Whizzer stares him in the eye, with a reassuring smile. “Good, now close your eyes, take a breath, and one, two…” He doesn’t make it to three before he drops, pushing Marvin down with him, before letting go of his shoulders. Marvin shoots right back up, trying to catch his breath after the shock of the cold water. But he has to admit that the water suddenly feels far more pleasant. Whizzer re-emerges after a little while, again with that irresistible grin on his face.
Marvin can’t help but smile too.
“See? What did I tell you?” Whizzer asks.
“Fine,” Marvin admits. “You were right.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that before.”
“Well, you’ve never been right before.”
Whizzer rolls his eyes with a laugh. “Okay, I set myself up for that one.”
Marvin wraps his arms around his stomach. He’s beginning to shiver. “Alright, I did my bit. Can I get out now? I’m freezing.”
“That’s only cause you’re just standing there!” Whizzer says, falling back into the water and swimming away from him. “Come, swim with me!”
Marvin sighs and tentatively starts following him in a slow breaststroke. “Where are we going?” he asks.
“Nowhere in particular.”
“I would really prefer a destination.”
“Fine,” Whizzer laughs. “Those rocks over there to the right.”
“I’m not jumping,” Marvin says.
“You don’t have to.”
Marvin is panting a bit by the time they make it to the rocks. Whizzer has already climbed up to a low but wide ledge, his legs dangling off the side. Marvin grabs onto a notch, and pulls himself part of the way out of the water.
Whizzer pats the spot next to him. “Come. Join me.”
“I thought you said I didn’t have to jump.”
“You don’t. Just sit with me.”
“How do I even get up there?”
“Climb,” Whizzer shrugs.
Marvin shakes his head. “No way.”
“It’s not hard,” Whizzer insists. “And it’s not high. And if you fell somehow, you’d land in the water.”
Marvin grips a rock with his other hand, sticking his foot on another that’s slightly underwater. He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath, before slowly making his way up the rock face. At the top, Whizzer reaches out a hand and pulls him up onto the ledge.
“See? Not so bad.”
Marvin crosses his arms over his chest and shrugs. “Getting down will be, though.”
“I’ll make sure you make it down alright,” Whizzer says. “Promise.”
“Thanks,” Marvin grumbles.
Whizzer knocks their shoulders together, looking out at the lake, and the trees that line the shore. Marvin, though, can’t take his eyes off the man sitting next to him. “God, it’s so beautiful,” Whizzer breathes.
“Yeah,” Marvin agrees.
Whizzer turns to him with a smile. “You good?” He asks.
“Yeah!” Marvin says too quickly. “I’m… I’m cold, but I’m good.”
“Cold, huh?” Whizzer asks. He wraps an arm around his shoulders. “Better?”
Marvin nods, his mouth suddenly dry. “Better,” he says. “But, uh, I’m still pretty cold. I think you could do more.”
Whizzer smirks and scoots back on the ledge, patting the ground between his legs. Marvin smiles and sits down in front of him. Whizzer presses himself against him and wraps his arms around Marvin’s stomach. He presses his lips to Marvin’s ear. “Better?” he repeats in a whisper.
All Marvin can do is nod. All thoughts of Trina, or the temperature, or the people camping only a few hundred feet away suddenly wiped from his mind by Whizzer’s soft lips and hot breath on his skin. He turns his head towards Whizzer, until their faces are only centimeters apart.
“Hey,” Whizzer says.
“Hi,” Marvin replies. Whizzer’s eyes are a deep brown with subtle streaks of gold spreading out from his pupil. He hasn’t shaved in a couple days, and Marvin notices a small amount of dark stubble. And he feels so good wrapped around him. Marvin’s breathing slows, and his eyes drift to Whizzer’s lips. He can practically taste his breath. That daredevil spark--or Marvin’s version of a daredevil--that got him into the lake in the first place takes him over again, and he leans his head forward, pressing his lips against Whizzer’s. It’s not a long kiss, as they’re twisted at slightly awkward angles. But it takes Marvin’s breath away. He feels as if he’s melting into Whizzer’s chest. Even when they pull away, Marvin feels as if he’s been taken to another dimension.
Whizzer tilts his head down, and starts trailing kisses along Marvin’s neck. Marvin sucks in a breath and laces his fingers through Whizzer’s, squeezing his hand tightly, as Whizzer’s mouth moves to Marvin’s jaw. There’s a soft spot right behind his earlobe, where Whizzer lingers for a bit, and Marvin lets out a quiet moan. He feels Whizzer smile at that.
This is a mistake. Marvin is going to regret this the moment he hits the frigid water, and it shocks him back to his senses. He is going to regret this when he returns to camp and sees his girlfriend and all his friends. He is going to regret this when he has to spend hours in a van with them and with Whizzer for the rest of this month-long trip. But, right now, under the stars, in the crisp mountain air, with Whizzer’s lips on his neck, and his fingers sliding under his waistband, it doesn’t feel like a mistake. Right now, he can’t think of a single thing that has felt better-- that has felt more right. Right now, this is worth the risk.