One Hot Summer (boyxboy)

Chapter 38: Worms

"If you insist on wearing a t shirt as tight as that, I want to see your muscles working!" 
☆

Thomas manages to pull the boat far enough into the lake for it to begin to bob on the water's surface, before he turns around to gather the backpack, hamper and fishing box, not forgetting the two rods, loaned to Thomas by Jim, due to his being broken a few weeks prior. "Is there even any room for us in there?" Jasper questions, gazing at the not overly large boat now laden with goods. 

"Sure there is." Thomas reassures as he proceeds to climb aboard the vessel, not caring too much about his sandals getting wet in the process. He turns to look at the younger, who still looks a little lost on the bank. "Come on! Get in." 

Jasper looks at his now very inappropriate dress code, staring mainly at his smart white converse, which in hindsight were the worst choice ever to bring to a place such as this in the first instance, let alone to get soaked in water, on a fishing trip. "Just hang on." He says, deciding the best course of action is to remove his shoes all together and carry them aboard.  He flings them over the side of the boat before wading into the water, which is lapping just by his shins. Jasper curses at the wetness of his clothes, his skinny jeans too fitted to pull any higher. 

Thomas watches in amusement at the way Jasper is bumbling about getting into the boat, as if the water were tainted with some kind of repellant. Jasper finally manages to climb into the boat, causing the vessel to wobble just slightly before it stills once again. He then carefully sits down across the bench seat and looks up at Thomas still standing over him. 

Thomas looks at Jasper as if waiting for something to happen, which Jasper doesn't have a clue about, with the older finally saying "oars!" 

"What?" Jasper asks.

Thomas points either side of Jasper. "Grab the oars and start rowing." Jasper now looks at either side of him and notices two long sticks with a flat end. 

He repositions them and is about to start rowing when he again looks at Thomas, who is now seated opposite him. "Why am I rowing?" he questions.

Thomas smiles a devilish grin before speaking in a low tone. "If you insist on wearing a t shirt as tight as that, I want to see your muscles working." 

Jasper squints his eyes at the older, trying to portray a look of annoyance, but inside, the fact that Thomas was openly admitting his body was appealing, made him feel some kind of way inside.  He begins to push the oars away from him and the boat starts to move away from the stoney bank.

It isn't long before they are slap bang in the centre of the lake, "Ok stop here, this is perfect." Thomas says as he begins to stand up and pull the fishing box towards him. 

Jasper watches Thomas whilst pulling the oars back into the boat, looking at the older pull out a small lunch box, to which he proceeds to remove the lid before placing it on the seat in which he was just sitting. 

Jasper glances inside the box to see what looked like udon noodles which to his eyes appeared to be moving. He then takes a gulp as he realizes what they are, feeling a little sick in his stomach. "Are….are those worms?" 

Thomas looks up at Jasper, who is evidently trying to plaster a cool, calm and collected face over his stomach turning one. "Yeah, this is the bait. Wanna see?"  Thomas scoops his hand into the box and gathers up a few of the writhing creatures, holding them out to Jasper who looks at them, trying his best not to freak. 

"So I guess they go on the hook?" Jasper asks curiously, still not taking his eyes from the hand.

"Yeah, you'll get to do that in a moment." Thomas says, smirking, before brushing the worms back into the box and allowing Jasper to once again breathe. 

Jasper now doesn't know how he feels about this so-called date afternoon he is on. But he didn't want to ruin it by not trying to show some willingness on his part. He decides the best plan is to get the fish catching part out of the way, that way he could see what Thomas really had in store.

***

"So, that's how you get the bait ready." Thomas has just demonstrated to an inwardly disgusted Jasper how to thread a worm onto a hook. "So now you try."

Jasper can feel his heart rate quicken at having to pick a small wriggly creature out of the box, but he was determined to try and not let his fear show, as he knew Thomas would have an absolute field day and tease him forever if he showed any sign of weakness. "Ok.." he says to himself, first grabbing the line of the spare rod and locating the hook. He now clenches his jaw as he puts just his forefinger and thumb into the box and tries to pick out a solitary worm. The touch makes him instantly retract his hand, but again he tries and this time, manages to pull out a tiny wriggler.

"Ok, now just push it on the hook." Thomas advises.

"Yeah I know!" Jasper says hurriedly, his heartbeat pounding in his chest. His face grimaces as he pushes the mini beast onto the curved sharp spike, with it going on fairly easily and then watches the creature continue to wriggle as if being impaled with a sharp spike was like wearing a comfy jacket. 

Jasper breathed out a shot of air, letting down his bellowed checks. "I did it!" He was more pleased with himself that he thought he would be. 

Thomas picks up the smile now present on his face. The smile is infectious as he matches Jasper's joy. His plan was working. He was giving Jasper the mental break from his tragic loss. He was smiling. This is all that Thomas wanted, to give Jasper a few moments of distraction from the pain.