𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩//𝐌𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧//

Thirty nine

• 

they packed some sandwiches and snacks alongside a towel like john had told paul to. Paul packed one of his dads shirt guessing that they would be in water. then john took his hand and began leading the way.  he drove pauls car about twenty five minutes before pulling into a dirt patch next to a dirt track through a forest. Paul laughed nervously, "uh is this the part when you kill me?"  John smiled cheekily at him, "this isn't it, we have to walk a bit, but it'll be worth it."  John jumped out the car and ran round to the boot to pull out their picnic basket and began dragging paul through the trees until they eventually reached the end of the track. Pauls mouth dropped open as he looked around.  where John had taken him made him feel like he'd walked into another world. there was a large body of water with a wooden walkway through the middle for passerby's to walk down and probably jump in -pauls best guess. the water had flower heads scattered all over, it looked too beautiful to be real.  the trees from the forest surrounding the entire thing hid it away from civilisation. there were patches of dry land just out of the forest for them to base themselves at, with pink flowers scattered in clusters. nobody else was around, not surprising considering how hidden it was.  truly hypnotising.  "oh my god," paul muttered under his breath taking in his surroundings.  "it's beautiful isn't it?" Paul just nodded his head in response.  the sun shone onto the water making it glisten almost magically.  "how did you find this place?" he asked.  "when i was a kid my mum brought me here to teach me to swim, and ever since then i'd come here to just take a break from the world you know?" again, paul just nodded in response.  "do you like it?"  "i love it."  •  they laid a blanket out on the floor placing the basket on top to keep it steady. the sun was out and keeping them warm in their clothing. john had taken off his sweatshirt leaving him in a cotton vest and jeans. they removed their shoes to sit comfortably. Paul listened to john talk about his memories there, from good to bad. he would go there when he needed to be alone, sometimes he even ended up passing out there drunk and staying the night after his mum died. it was his own safe haven.  "have you showed anyone else?" Paul quizzed putting a grape in his mouth,  "no, just you."  Paul smiled at him.  then john quickly stood up pulling paul up with him, "well are you gonna come in?" he nodded his head to the water and pulled off his vest and unbuttoned his jeans leaving him in his boxer shorts.  "please, it's fun," he pulled on pauls hand pleading.  "i don't know, maybe later?" He replied.  "please paullll," he pouted.  he huffed defeatedly "fine but look away whilst i change," john clapped his hands excitedly.  "yes!"  he ran down the wood and jumped into the glistening water as paul changed,  paul made sure he could see john so he wouldn't look at him so bare.  his insecurities always got the best of him,he knew john wouldn't care but his body made him feel not worth it. Paul hated how skinny he would look in the mirror, not having much to show off like most other guys, and not having much shape to him, it made paul think john would feel that way towards him too.  make john realize he could do better.  it's why paul packed the shirt, it was a red flannel his father would wear whilst gardening according to his mums stories. He slipped the shirt off himself with his jeans, leaving him in just underwear. Paul thought about the scenario, of him being bare in front of john. Paul being so vulnerable in front of him. but it didn't make him feel half as nervous as he thought it would.  Paul pulled the sleeves of his dads shirt over his hands and started walking down the wooden walkway tugging at the bottom of the shirt so it wouldn't ride up.  john kept his eyes on her as he got to the end, paul sat down on the edge and dipped his feet in the water which made him shiver at the temperature.  "that your dads shirt?" he questioned swimming towards paul, he nodded his head.  "god johnny it's so cold," paul said.  "come on if you just get in really quick you'll be fine."  Paul looked around skeptically before deciding to tell john, "i cant swim."  John looked at him for a minute and then  said, "i'm here, come on angel face it'll be fine." Paul quirked his eyebrows at the nickname smiling giddily at his cliche.  Paul put his hands on the wood and lowered himself in the water desperately searching for the ground. john helped paul wrapping his arms around him back and pulling him so he was fully in the water. Paul legs moved trying to find the ground, "what the fuck, how deep is it?"  john positioned his arms in a more comfortable position and replied, "its quite deep here, you'll be alright? you can float right?" he joked. Paul rolled his eyes and said, "yeah i can float, just not swim."  John smirked at him and moved his arms from him instantly leaving paul cold. Paul began to notice that with the water the shirt became very itchy against his skin, making him uncomfortable.  john began moving further away from Paul making panic set in a little, he yelled to him, "john don't leave me."  he looked up at paul and almost felt dizzy staring at him with shining hair from the sun and water dripping from each of his eyelashes.  John moved back over to him pulling pauls legs to wrap around his waist, so he was giving him a piggy back ride. Paul tightly hung on to him, he'd always had a fear of being alone in the water, since he was a little boy.  He'd have consistent nightmares of drowning since he was only seven and ever since they started he'd not been able to bring himself to learn swim or even be alone in the water, as much as he tried. Paul tried to avoid water altogether most of the time.  "god this shirt is so fucking itchy," he complained moving one of his arms from around johns torso to scratch at his stomach.  "Paulie just take it off, i mean it is a shirt it's not supposed to be swam in. i won't look," john said, "even though i'd really love to," john teased.  John brought paul around to the front of him to face him where paul splashed some water in his face.  His arms loosened around paul as he laughed whilst rubbing his eyes to rid the lake water. when john opened them he saw Paul in front of him with a mischievous smile.  he returned it and quickly tackled paul pulling him under the water, the shirt flying up whilst doing so revealing his bare stomach. Johns hands grabbed onto his waist and began tickling pauls sides whilst under the water. Paul began panicking and started hitting johns chest hoping he'd realise he wasn't joking around, which he did. John pulled paul to the top of the water where he was greeted by paul jumping onto him wrapping his arms around john saying shakily, "john don't do that!"  John pulled away from him still holding his waist for security and said, "i'm sorry i was only joking."  Paul had a tear in his eye out of humiliation, "god i'm so stupid, i'm sorry."  "what happened?"  Paul shook his head, tightening his grip on john, "it doesn't matter it's so silly.  just please don't let go. please."  "paul i'm not gonna let go. i promise," john pulled him closer with pauls legs crossing behind his back, his hands resting on pauls own bare back underneath the shirt. "what just happened?"  Paul leaned his head on johns shoulder and said, "i just, i hate being under the water," he breezed over the subject.  "i think it's more than that isn't it," john said quietly in pauls ear whilst holding the back of his neck.  "i just, i'm just scared," his shaky hands began to calm as he steadied his rapid heart beat. Pauls vague answers made john stop questioning.  "okay, i'm sorry, i won't do it again," john kissed pauls cheek.  "i'm sorry i'm no fun," paul gave a breathy laugh as he pulled back holding onto johns shoulders.  "shut up, its my fault i shouldn't of done it. i love being with you," he kissed paul lightly. Paul smiled at his reassuring words and combed his hands through his hair to slick back what had been messed up from John pulling him in the water. John watched his every move absolutely in a trance.  john looked down to his neck looking at the mark he'd left on paul the previous day and smirked to himself. he ran a knuckle over it and lead his fingers down to the gold chain around pauls neck. John opened the locket with his fingers observing the photograph inside. it showed paul, george and jane all hugging. Johns eyes focused on paul, he had looked much different, his hair was a longer length and a slightly lighter, he was smaller too. they were all dressed up in suits and dresses, paul wore a knee length blue shorts and his hair all messy, still looking beautiful as ever.  "that was taken for our school dance in year nine," paul said looking down at the photo with him, "me and jane didn't have dates so we went together, george had about three dates but ended up ditching them for us," he laughed at the memory.  "you look so different," john replied closing the locket.  "i was different then. when i left school i needed the change, starting over y'know?" John nodded looking back up at him.  "what are you gonna put in the other side?"  Paul shrugged his shoulders, "i don't know yet," paul said looking into his eyes. John smiled, "you should put us in there."  Paul said, "we need some photos together first."  "we will, we're gonna make so many memories paulie," john leaned into paul kissing his shoulder on top of the flannel.  "i hope so," paul replied holding john tightly.  when john lifted up paul began itching at his skin again and said, "will you help me back to the wood?"  John pouted, "no don't get out yet."  Paul rolled his eyes and said, "i just wanna take off this shirt it's too itchy."  John eyes almost bulged out of his head at the thought of being able to finally see pauls milky skin, but he hid it by turning his back and letting paul wrap his legs around him for a piggy back and lead him to the wood.
———————————————————————
FINALLY I KNOW A BUNCH OF YOU HAVE BEEN WATING FOR THIS. don't be afraid to let me know what You think :) or what I can do to improve in any way 🤍 hope you all have a good holiday !!!