...of finding our weakest spot

Elio is surprised when a stranger in a chunky knit sweater appears one day in December 1983.

He doesn't seem to speak italian and he isn't selling fish.

Read it here

He tried not to sound too disappointed as he nodded. “Okay. If that’s what you want.”

“Elio, I didn’t say that. It’s just-” Oliver sighed and pushed his hair back in exasperation, and looked like he was about to say something else, but-

Look, some progress has been made on Red Shorts this week!

He’s screwing up his twenty-third attempt at a note when there’s a soft knock on his door.  Before he has a chance to answer, Oliver’s head appears around the door.  “Can I come in?”

“Sure.”

Because I have done the teensiest bit of work on Red Shorts!

"Well, was Liszt gay?"

"I don't think so, no, but this isn't about that, it's just…"

Oliver butted in. "So you think that Liszt, who was to the best of your knowledge a straight man, would have found such a sight as this distracting?"

I actually have something this week! One day Red Shorts will get finished. I promise.

Elio lets Oliver set a leisurely pace on his bike, and it's nice to spend time with him, without the distraction of his body on almost full display. Elio finds he can think more clearly, and Oliver seems more real. Like maybe the arrogant poser in the tight trunks is not who Oliver really is at all.

That's something to think about.

Elio likes this Oliver a lot. So it makes sense to let him in to something. To give something back, an apology for ogling him.

I posted the first half of a little thing called Red Shorts this week- click here if you missed it. Here's a snippet from the second half:

He tries to pull the trunks down over Oliver's erection but there's no way it'll fit. He can slip a couple of fingers into the drawstring- enough to pull the ends out and start to undo the tie.

"Why is this so tight?"

"It has to be. I'm worried that things will fall out otherwise."

"What things?"

Oliver is faced with limited choices when he realises he's forgotten to bring his swimming trunks to his summer internship in Italy.

Chapter 1