💥Ignis💥

Thinking about West at a nude beach was doing things to Copper, though not things that weren’t already happening anyway.  It was definitely a nice thought, that was for sure, and he smiled as he imagined it.  “Yeah, you definitely had to be a big hit there,” Copper replied.  “No wonder creepy perv guy wanted to get something going with you.”  Copper would have wanted to as well, though he knew for a fact that he wouldn’t have acted on it there because despite what porn might suggest, nude beaches weren’t just some big orgy.  “I could probably go,” Copper stated.  He doubted he would get too turned on to handle it because despite everyone being naked, he imagined it wasn’t an overly sexual place.  What Copper didn’t say was that he doubted he could go with West because it was different being naked with someone you had a crush on.  Yes, Copper could admit that he had a crush on the sexy firefighter.  

Smirking, Copper asked, “Am I?  I wonder what else I could make you do then.”  This time he had meant for his comment to sound suggestive, though mostly Copper was just being playful.  Shrugging, Copper answered, “I don’t know.  I don’t really have any other friends here, so I guess my only option would be to text you and be like, “Man, I just got naked with a hot as fuck fireman!’”  Maybe he would still do that; Copper thought West might be amused by that.  He moved closer to West in the water, his heart pounding because Copper was about to do something that terrified him.  “You could make more than one of my fantasies come true, you know,” he told West, voice shaking, and naturally that was when the clouds obscured the moon, making it hard to see his “puppy eyes.”  Quickly Copper clarified, “I swear that this wasn’t all a ploy to get you into my bed.  I’m not that smooth.  Really what I want the most is a friend.  But I think you’re hot, as I’ve made pretty clear I think, and I like talking to you, like…like touching you.”  Copper reached out and touched West’s abs as he said that last part.  “So I guess…I’m just saying that I’m…I’m open to more.”  Nervousness rushed through him, and Copper groaned.  “That was like the last smooth come on ever, wasn’t it?”  And he actually managed to laugh, though his heart was still racing.

“Try it at least once. You live here, so it makes sense to check out the spot one time. Usually it’s packed with older folks, but it’s overall a great experience.” At the nude beach there were usually people you’d rather not see naked because older people were around, but there were always one or two people that you could check out discretely. West let Copper talk and see how he became more forward and honest about the things he wanted. More specifically, the things he’d like to do with him. The blond had to admit that he was very attracted to Copper and not just physically. He felt the spark there between them so the blond wanted to explore it. “I can offer you being a friend. For sure. I’d love that.” He confirmed with Copper and then looked down at the hand on his abs and he bit his lips. West just stopped thinking for a second and did what his body wanted to do, so he grabbed Copper by the neck and pulled him in for a kiss. 

“Probably the guy trying to do that is the one you don’t want to mess around with anyway,” Copper said.  “And it sounds like you’re speaking from experience.  Have you made a trip to a nude beach before?”  He smirked at West, laughing.  “I bet that creepy guy trying to get with anyone who will say yes definitely tried to get…well not in your pants since you weren’t wearing any, but you know what I mean.”  Once they were in the water, Copper relaxed, but he was worried that he went too far, that he pushed too much to get West naked.  He was worried he had made the man uncomfortable until he heard West’s reply, and Copper felt better.  But Copper still didn’t think West would actually do it, but then to Copper’s surprise, he pulled them off.  “I didn’t think it would actually work,” Copper replied, grinning at his friend, and damn, he was really glad that the water came above his waist because being naked with West - even in this capacity - had Copper so hard.  “Now I can tell people that I got naked with a hot firefighter,” he joked before adding, “I won’t really, or if I do I’ll make sure they know the situation.  I won’t start rumors.”  Then he laughed, and Copper said, “And to answer your question, I’m very happy, and not just because you’re naked, though that helps.”

West nods with  confident smile. “Of course. I’ve lived here for 5 years and I think I went there the first month after I moved to town.” He admitted, because he hadn’t been to a nude beach ever in his life and wanted to try it. “Have you been to a nude beach?” He asked curiously, wanting to see if Copper had experience in that. “Well, you’re quite persuasive with your big pretty puppy eyes.” He laughed and splashed more water at the brunet. “Who are you going to tell?” West had to admit that he ws quite happy too because this night had turned out so much better than expected. He was probably just going to scroll through social media and watch some show on Netflix. “I’m glad I helped you make happy and make one of your fantasies come true.” 

Although Copper still felt like he had no idea what he was doing, apparently whatever it was seemed to be working on West.  It helped that the firefighter was so easy to talk to and put Copper at ease…even when he was naked in front of a man who Copper was ridiculously attracted to.  “You really think so?” Copper asked, surprised, and he looked down at his body.  “You think I’d have a lot of attention over there?”  West having that view of him was actually more of a turn on than imagining going to a nude beach, and Copper felt himself getting excited…like in a way where West would notice.  And it was happening fast too, so Copper had no other choice:  he ran, sprinting into the ocean.  “Come on!  The water is so warm!” he yelled, but then he laughed, admitting, “Okay, it’s just lukewarm, but you should still get in.”  The water came above his waist now, hiding his…uh, situation.  But even with the difficulty he was having, Copper still said, “You can lose the trunks too fi you want.  I’ll even turn my back until you’re in the water.”  Honestly Copper didn’t expect to have sex tonight, but he was still a horny guy, and West was hot as fuck, so of course he wanted to see him naked.  What guy wouldn’t?

West nods and lets his body loose, letting the wave movements control his body and sway back and forth. “Everyone is pretty respectful up there, but there’s always one person who’s there to hook up and is trying to see who he can rope in.” He advised, in case Copper actually wanted to go to the nudist part of the beach. “You’re such a liar. The water is not warm. It’s night and it is kinda cold.” He rubbed his arms, but moved deeper into the ocean anyways. West laughed again and took a deep breath. “You really want me naked.” He splashed water at Copper and then sighed, thinking that skinny dipping wasn’t that bad and it wouldn’t be the first. He tossed Copper his shorts back and then peeled off his own, but held onto his trunks for when they went out back to the house. The neighbors didn’t need to see a free show in case they were peaking through their windows. “Happy?” 

Copper had expected West to make some sort of joke, to continue their banter, so he was surprised when the man took this seriously and gave Copper a genuinely nice compliment.  “Really?” Copper asked, surprised, and he broke into a wide smile.  Feeling a little flustered (in a good way), Copper replied, “Well…thanks, West.  Thanks for thinking I’m handsome and for thinking I’m an interesting guy.  I’ve been kind of wondering about that lately ever since my breakup.”  That was true.  Ever since he and Daniel had broken up, Copper had been trying to figure out what he did wrong to make his ex stray.  Grinning at West, Copper joked, “Hopefully I’m still fun to make out with too.”  When he’d said it, Copper honestly hadn’t meant to refer to West making out with him, but that was probably how it had come across, and really Copper thought maybe part of him probably had.  That was okay though because he knew he’d love to make out with the firefighter.  Shaking his head, Copper argued, “You’re not just a pretty face, West.  I mean, you are that too.  I’ve made it pretty clear that I think you’re insanely hot.  But it’s not just all of this.”  Copper patted West’s abs as he said that last part, thinking, There you go again touching him.  “You’re kind and brave and interesting and fun and just like…so many good things.”  Pausing, Copper laughed a second later and quipped, “You’d think a writer and Ivy League graduate would be more eloquent.”  Then more seriously, he added, “But it’s true, West.”

In the moonlight, it was hard to see much, but as West emerged from the water, Copper could see the water dripping off the lines of the man’s muscles.  How was he so sexy?  Copper was seriously into him, and he was forcing himself not to think about that stuff because he was currently very naked, and just because it was dark, West would…well, be able to tell when the shadow between Copper’s legs got bigger.  But West was making that hard (no pun intended).  Somehow it was ridiculously hot to Copper the way that West hooked Copper’s swim trunks into his own, and that laugh seriously did it for him.  Smiling at the other man, Copper replied, “They’re a gift.”  Then he laughed and added, “Yeah, they kinda were.  They make me kinda popular on the beach though, especially a beach full of gay men.”  Finally Copper waded into the water, kneeling down until it was above his waist and he could finally stop worrying about his reaction West’s unbearable sexiness.

West laughed “I think we’ve already established that we’re more than just whatever college we come from or what he do as our day jobs.” Ultimately what mattered to West was that Copper seemed like a nice and interesting guy to hang out with and he loved getting to know him better and seeing him be more comfortable. The blond was just trying to take things slow because he always rushed things when he met guys and that had worked so far since he hadn’t had the need to actually be romantically involved with someone. His last relationship was nice, but it was mostly based on sex and physical attraction and not at all on romance or any deeper level of connection. “You should try the nudist beach if you haven’t been. You’ll be the star over there.” 

“It appears I’m going to have to try harder,” Copper replied, playing along, “but I’ve gotten pretty close.”  When West snapped the waistband against his hip bone, Copper actually groaned.  “Are you trying to taunt me and get me going?” he asked.  “Because it’s working.”  He reached forward, grabbing West’s waistband and doing the same thing.  “It is pretty satisfying doing that though,” Copper joked, grinning at West.  “As it turns out, that’s all I am mostly,” he said.  “Just social awkwardness and accidental porn lines.  And somehow I’ve stumbled into getting a hot as hell firefighter nearly naked with me, and he’s about to be wet too.  So I must be doing something right.”  Really Copper just felt like he had gotten immensely lucky.  As he continued to look up at the moon, Copper laughed, “Like I’m really impressing you with my random astronomy facts.  Better than nothing I guess.”  He glanced over at West’s body, adding, “And don’t worry, you’re impressing me in other ways.”

Copper hadn’t expected what happened next, and he froze when West pulled his trunks down.  His new friend had managed to pull the trunks all the way down to his mid thigh, exposing Copper fully, and he covered himself quickly on instinct as West sprinted away.  “You bastard!” Copper shouted, laughing, and he was about to pull his trunks back up before he thought better of it.  After all, hadn’t he wanted them to get naked anyway?  They were halfway there now, and Copper decided to just take the trunks the rest of the way off, joining the man at the ocean.  “Next time, hmm?” Copper asked as he rejoined his friend.  “I like the sound of that.”  Once he was standing there naked with the other man, Copper said uncertainly, “I hope…that this is okay.”  More confidently, he added, “After all, you’re the one who pulled my trunks down,” tossing them at West.

“It’s your personality and how genuine you are, Copper” West assured the man, because of course there was no doubting that the brunet was stunningly handsome and tall and had eyes that could hypnotize you, but the blond really enjoyed Copper’s persona and even though they had just met, he was looking forward to getting to know more of him. “That’s what you’re doing right. I’ve met handsome guys who are just... boring. Sure, they are fun to make out with, but they have no essence to them. They’re just blank.” And many times West feared that he could be put into that box because he didn’t think he was that interesting sometimes or smart. “My good looks. That’s all I can offer you right now.” He joked. 

West dove into the water and then remerged, running a hand over his face and looking at Copper running the last steps until he was down in the water with him. He did notice the other was naked, but it was dark so he didn’t see much other than shadows and outlines. “Well, I won so I don’t care what methods I used.” He winked and shook his head. “No problem at all.” Catching the trunks with one hand. “Want me to hold onto these?” He hooked half the fabric onto his waist band and laughed. “Your balls were about to spill out from the underside anyways.” He teased. 

Laughing, Copper nodded and agreed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.  What would be the point now?”  Copper tried not to let on how happy he was that West had come to this decision, but he was sure that his huge smile gave away how he was really feeling.  He honestly wasn’t sure how West was going to react to Copper’s lingering touch, but luckily he seemed to not only not mind but also like it.  Smirking at the other man, Copper joked, “You got me.  This whole thing is just some act.  And judging by the fact that we’re both wearing glorified underwear, I’d say my plan is working.”  It wasn’t really a plan, this was just Copper being his normal awkward self, and he hoped that his laughter made this clear, though he did reach out and trace his fingers through West’s abs without even really thinking about it, feeling more secure.  “You really do have a great body though,” Copper replied.  “Definitely the kind of body made for swim trunks like this.”  While he hadn’t seen West from behind yet, he knew that his ass probably filled those trunks out perfectly.  A cheeky grin on his face, Copper retorted, “I could always rub other things on you,” and then he instantly groaned.  “I honestly don’t even know what I meant by that,” he confessed with a sigh.  Wanting to move past that, Copper followed West’s lead and finished his drink, grabbing the man’s hand again and dragging him to the patio door that led out to the beach.  “Come on, come on,” Copper urged.  They were outside now, and Copper looked up at the moon, which was nearly full.  “It’s called a waxing gibbous,” Copper explained, pointing up at the moon.  “Waxing means it’s getting bigger, and gibbous is like the opposite of a crescent.”  Looking over at West, Copper grinned.  “I like astronomy, remember?  I am named after a couple of the most famous astronomers, after all.”

West laughed and nodded. “I knew it, but I did not let you execute your plan completely. You wanted me completely naked and skinny dipping, but at least I’m wearing a thin piece of stretchy fabric around my crotch.” West pointed out and hooked his thumb on the elastic band of the trunks, tugging it and making it slap against his hip bone proudly. “Oh, you are rubbing all of your cheesy porn one liners all over me. I’ve noticed.” He points out with a laugh and walks outside with Copper, feeling the chill air hit his body made him shudder, but moved closer to the burnet for warmth. He looked up and noticed the moon when Copper mentioned it. He frowned a little and nodded. “That’s interesting. Wish I had some fun fact about something so I could impress you.” He shrugged and had a devious idea. West moved as close as he could to Copper then with a quick tug he pulled Copper’s trunks down and then he started running. He didn’t even see how low he managed to pull them, but the idea was to distract him and get a head start. “Last on the water buys drinks and dinner next time!” He announces as he is already heading for the water quickly. 

wildfirewest​:

West laughed when Copper turned and he was already wearing the tight trunks. “They re definitely snug” And he adjusted the fabric near his crotch and grinned at the brunet. Here they were, wearing the shortest trunks ever and standing right in front of each other. This was something he didn’t plan at all would be happening tonight, but he wouldn’t complain. He rubbed his stomach and grabbed a drink to give it to Copper. “If I knew we’d be swimming an be shirtless, I wouldn’t have ate all that food.” He joked and handed Copper his drink. “Hope you like it. It’s West’s special” He winked and then gathered his clothes, folded them on a pile and set them near the couch. “Hey, my eyes are up here” He joked and sipped his drink. 

“Too snug?” Copper asked, suddenly a little self-conscious even though he knew he had a nice body (and was pretty proud of himself below the belt too).  “I probably have some gym shorts we can wear,” he added, hoping West would decline because hot damn he looked good.  When West rubbed his stomach, Copper was mesmerized, staring at his toned abs, and suddenly he had this very clear image of licking them.  What the hell, Copper, he silently chastised himself.  His swim trunks were already tight enough; he didn’t need to be thinking about things that would make them tighter, but now he was forced to subtly adjust (at least he hoped it was subtle).  “Psh, please,” Copper argued.  “You still look amazing,” reaching over to pat the man’s abs, fingers lingering just a few seconds too long.  Seriously, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, he yelled at himself inside his head.  Taking the drink from West, Copper took a big slug, hoping it would mellow him out.  Laughing, Copper apologized, “Sorry, sorry, but somebody put you in some tight swim trunks,” grinning at his friend.  Maybe this would be okay if he just relaxed.  “Are you ready to go swimming?” Copper asked the man.

“Makes no sense covering us up now. We’ve already seen each other wearing these trunks.” West commented, because really there was no point in covering now after they were standing there in front of each other under the room bright lights. The blond noticed how Copper’s fingers lingered and he smirked, well now he could definitely see that the other was relaxing and wasn’t so nervous and awkward anymore. He was excited about it because this new side of Copper was coming out and he wanted to see what else the other would try to do this night. “Yeah, someone who keeps acting all sweet and innocent, but I still think this is all part of some evil plan.” He comments and downs his drink quickly. “I am ready. Let’s go.” He jumped a couple times in excitement. “Glad it is night because having you rub sunscreen on me would be a very dangerous situation with these shorts on. Don’t leave much to the imagination.” He comments with a nonchalant wink and turning around to open the glass door that lead to the beach.

Copper hadn’t been expecting West to squeeze his hand, but it most definitely wasn’t unwelcome, and Copper smiled to himself.  The pair of them really had some great chemistry, even if Copper didn’t ever expect anything to come of it other than friendship.  It was still nice, and Copper shot West another smile.

When Copper walked back out to West with the pair of tiny swim trunks in his hand, part of him expected that to be it, that swimming would be off the table now.  But no, West still wanted to go, and not only that, he complimented Copper on his pair.  “Really?” he asked with a big smile on his face.  “You think so?”  Copper looked down at himself, at his toned body, at the small swim trunks, remembering a time when he felt much more confident (which was when he used to regularly wear swim trunks like this).  “Uh…thanks, West,” Copper replied, blushing brightly but still smiling.  “They’ll look perfect on you too.”  Before turning around at West’s command, Copper pretended to pout, jutting out his lower lip.  But then he laughed, doing as West had said, though not before seeing his amazing shirtless form; somehow Copper had forgotten how good the firefighter looked without a shirt on since their time at the gym.  As his new friend changed, Copper informed him, “I took the white pair and gave you the blue one because I thought you might worry about the white one being see-through when wet.  Though I guess it wouldn’t matter since it’ll be dark.”  Once West was finished, Copper turned around to look at the man, taking the sight of him in.  “Shit,” he cursed without thinking about it.  “You look…well there’s no other way to say it:  you look hot as hell, West.  I think you should like, exclusively wear this, even when fighting fires.”  Copper laughed, and while he was obviously kidding, he also wouldn’t say no to see West like this more often.

West laughed when Copper turned and he was already wearing the tight trunks. “They re definitely snug” And he adjusted the fabric near his crotch and grinned at the brunet. Here they were, wearing the shortest trunks ever and standing right in front of each other. This was something he didn’t plan at all would be happening tonight, but he wouldn’t complain. He rubbed his stomach and grabbed a drink to give it to Copper. “If I knew we’d be swimming an be shirtless, I wouldn’t have ate all that food.” He joked and handed Copper his drink. “Hope you like it. It’s West’s special” He winked and then gathered his clothes, folded them on a pile and set them near the couch. “Hey, my eyes are up here” He joked and sipped his drink. 

Copper had mixed feelings about West asking for swim trunks.  On the one hand, he was disappointed because he really, really wanted to see West naked.  On the other hand, it admittedly took some of the pressure off of this hang out, even if Copper would have thought it was worth it to see how amazing West undoubtedly looked naked.  Maybe that would just have to wait for another time.  Smiling at the firefighter, Copper replied, “Sounds good.”  He walked toward the cabinet where he kept his liquor, grabbing West’s hand and leading him there.  Yeah, it wasn’t strictly necessary to do that, but it was something Copper hadn’t even thought about.  “The liquor is here, and I’ve got juice and soda and other mixers.  I’ll have whatever you’re having.”  Copper smiled at West again, and then he headed down the nearby hall to the master bedroom to get some swim trunks. A few minutes later, Copper returned wearing just a pair of trunks and carrying another pair for his friend.  “So uh…here’s the thing,” Copper started nervously.  “My swim trunks are…kind of small.  They’re not like speedos, but they’re all like this.”  He gestured down to his swimsuit, which didn’t come down his thigh very far and were a bit snug.  “Is that okay?” Copper asked West.

West smiled when Copper held his hand and he squeezed and followed. He nodded as the brunet explained the options he had to work with and then rubbed his hands together. “Perfect. I’ll make you my special” He got to mixing them drinks without really any recipe but just tasting it and adding things until the drinks tasted good. He just finished them with ice and had Copper’s ready for when he reappeared. West was sipping his drink when he saw the other walk back wearing the tightest, shortest trunks he’d seen. The blond choked a bit and grabbed a napkin. “They’re perfect. I mean, they look perfect on you.” He had to comment and then grabbed the pair that Copper brought to him. “Probably look shorter on you because of your super long legs” West removed his top swiftly and then started unzipping his jeans. “Turn around” So he could push them down and slip the trunks on. 

Even though the night had been going well so far, Copper was nervous as he walked into his beach house, West in tow.  He still felt like he was an awkward mess most of the time, especially when talking to a super hot firefighter.  Seriously, West was like that character in a gay porn who you think doesn’t exist, but he was actually that guy, a walking wet dream.  And Copper was a barista who had failed at everything he’d ever really hoped for, ever really wanted.  How did the two even compare?  They didn’t, that was how, and Copper felt like he would bring nothing to this friendship.  But these were things Copper wouldn’t let himself think about because he was already nervous, and this would just make it worse (though the drinks they’d had at the food truck definitely helped loosen him up).

Standing in the living room, Copper gestured around, saying, “Well…this is it,” all too aware of how big the place was, especially for one person.  He walked toward West, focusing on how sweet the man had been instead of the insecurities plaguing him.  And West really had been great so far, patient and kind.  “Do you want another drink?” Copper asked.  “Also…I know we were talking about skinny dipping, but if you’d rather not, I’m sure I have a swimsuit that…that would fit you.”  Copper had trailed off a bit while looking down at West’s hips, trying to imagine what he’d look like in one of Copper’s swimsuits.

West and Copper had only had a couple of interactions, but both times he had really enjoyed the brunet’s company. The other was quite adorable and nervous, which West thought was really sweet. He could see the man was struggling with his self confidence, but seriously Copper had nothing to be worried about because he was a tall good looking and smart guy. “Let’s see... We can do this. Point me to your liquor and I will mix us a drink while you go and change and bring me some shorts, deal?” He offered. At first he’d be wearing shorts, but then maybe he’d lose them. Who knew what could happen later? 

Jude laughed as he smiled. “Sorry, so many older people have been angry about the lack of donuts here. Just part of the script,” he explained, “Even though I’m sure that there are fresh donuts somewhere in this town besides here.” As he scanned his groceries, Jude looked up at the guy and smiled at him. “Well, I think my favorite donut may have to be a creme-filled one, but sometimes I do like a donut with sprinkles. If it looks fun to eat, I’ll take it. Sounds weird, but a boring donut just never hits like a fun one.”

“Has anyone thrown anything at you out anger?” It was a ridiculous question, but West wouldn’t be that surprised if it had actually happened. Maybe not about donuts, but about any other precious item that someone craved and couldn’t find at the store. He nodded as he heard the guy’s recommendation. “But what if the fun is inside? You could be surprised with what you find. Or disappointed if you just pick the colorful fun ones.” He countered with a wink and finished unloading his stuff. 

Julian let out a mirthful snort when the man revealed his phone had been tossed into the Fruity Pebbles. “That sounds like somehin’ I’d do when I’m stoned. I’ve definitely put the cereal box in the fridge before,” he mused as his smile spread to a cheeky, dimpled grin. That wasn’t the worst of it, but he didn’t really know the other guy well enough to start talking about all of his weed-induced adventures. He didn’t even know his name yet! “Oh, hell yeah! You’ve probably seen me there, then. If I’m not runnin’ the register, I’m probably in the kitchen. Say hi next time you’re there. Maybe I’ll make you somethin’ special. No guarantees,” he teased, wrinkling his nose jokingly, as if Julian wouln’t definitely make him something off the menu for fun. Hearing that the other loved his job made Julian’s cheeky smile shift to a warmer expression. That was important, and he knew way too many people who felt miserable in their chosen professions. “Hey, firefighters are important, mate,” he said. He wanted to joke around about buying their yearly calendar, but didn’t want to cheapen his statement with that, so he saved it for another time. “A baaseball player! Hey, that’s fuckin’ awesome. I love baseball. Hockey, too. I think if I were to do anything else, I’d probably…” he pursed his lips for a moment, as if thinking the question over. “I’d be a guitarist in a rock band,” he decided. It was true, he never quite fully gave up his passion for music and did it now more as a hobby than anything. “I’m actually tryin’ to find a band to moonlight with every once in a while,” Julian admitted, then chuckled. “Not that you asked, but there you have it!”

West perked up at the idea of getting something special at the restaurant. He already liked pretty much everything on the menu, so thinking about getting a exclusive food item made him excited. “Seriously? That’d be awesome! Who should I be asking around for? I mean, what’s your name just so people don’t get all freaked out when I walk in and ask to see the guy who runs the place.” He laughed and then stretched out his hand. “I’m West.” He introduced himself with a crooked smile. The fireman nodded. “Thanks. We try our best to help out when needed. I’d say the same thing about saying hey if you ever walk by the station, but we’re not supposed to be distracted. In case the siren goes off and he have to jump into the truck quickly.” The blond sighed. “If I had any musical talent, I’d offer but honestly, it is not my thing. I hated the flute classes we had in elementary school.” 

Copper felt warmth spread through him when West touched his shoulder.  It wasn’t because he was so attracted to the firefighter (even though he was).  No, it was a different kind of warmth, the kind a person feels when someone does something nice for them.  Maybe it was just a small gesture, but Copper appreciated that West was trying to comfort him.  A soft smile spread across his face, and Copper said, “Thank you, West.  You’re just like…a great guy, you know that?  I’m really glad I left my phone on the treadmill at the gym the other day.  Otherwise we wouldn’t have met.”  For a moment, Copper just looked across the table at his friend, and he decided to reveal something he’d often thought about but never really mentioned to anyone before.  “I’ve thought about maybe doing some writing of my own,” he admitted.  “My degree is in literature and writing, and that’s what I taught too, but maybe now instead of studying other people’s works and teaching other people how to write, it’s time to do some of my own work, focus on that.”  Even saying out loud made Copper feel embarrassed in a way he didn’t quite understand.  Maybe it was because many writers failed or at least never found any meaningful success.  “Is that stupid?” Copper asked.  “I really do like working at the Book Nook Cafe, so maybe there will be some sort of non-barista opportunities there as well in the future.”  Smiling at West, Copper said, “Well I’m glad you put down roots here so that we could meet.  And it gives me hope to hear that you could make a life here even though it wasn’t in your plan.  Maybe I can too.”

“I bet there were,” Copper replied with a smirk when West confirmed that there were some “fierce” sessions, and Copper had to work hard to keep his imagination at bay.  He laughed at what West said next, joking, “Who says it’s an act?  Who says that I can’t be shy and awkward and planning to get you naked at the same time?”  That honestly hadn’t been part of his plan, and Copper confessed, “There’s just something about you that makes it so easy to flirt.  Maybe it’s because you put me at ease.”  Another smirk appeared on his face, and Copper said, “If it makes a difference, I’ll be doing whatever you decide.  So if you want a suit, I’ll wear one too.  If you don’t…”  Copper trailed off, letting his unspoken words hang between them.  “I can get it in the morning,” Copper reassured West.  “It’s chained up, so I’m not worried.”  For a little while longer, the pair kept walking, and eventually Copper’s house came into view.  “It’s that one up there,” he told West, pointing at his too-big rental.  “I know it’s kind of too big,” Copper added, “but I’m looking for a roommate so it doesn’t feel so empty.  You know, this is actually the first time I’ve lived alone.”  At Copper’s house now, he unlocked the front door and walked inside with West, turning on a couple of lamps to bathe the area in soft light.

West shook his head, immediately. trying to dismiss the idea that Copper’s wish to do his own writing was not at all stupid. “If it is something you wanna try and do, you should go for it, Copper. You’re just never going to find out if it’s what you’re supposed to do, if you don’t give it a chance.” He tried to encourage and in the end of the day, it didn’t matter if Copper was actually good or bad at writing, he had to give his idea a shot. “Have you thought about what kind of books you wanna write about? Romance, Horror, Crime, Fantasy?” Now he was curious and wanted to hear more about Copper’s preferred literature. 

West laughed and nodded. “Okay, okay. The cute and awkward thing is definitely working because I am really considering not putting on swimming shorts” Though to be honest he didn’t know if he wanted to get naked with Copper right away. He had no problem doing it with the guys he met for one night stands, but he just didn’t want to screw things up with Copper. He liked the guy’s company and feared that turning it into a sexual thing would not be the best. “You live here?” West asked in awe and looked at the house, then continued to be in shock when they walked inside. “I used to check out these houses when I passed by, but never imagined they were so cool inside.” He laughed. “Seriously, you could fit like 5 roommates here” He joked. 

\

Copper felt like he was saying too much, but on the other hand it felt kind of good to talk about things - to a point.  While he wasn’t ready to go into all the nasty details, maybe it was okay to open up a little bit about what had happened.  “I don’t really know,” Copper answered honestly.  “I never really had a plan B.  For as long as I could remember, I’ve had my life planned out, so now I guess…I guess I don’t really know what to do.”  That was true, and Copper hated feeling so lost.  “Honestly I feel a little - or a lot - adrift right now.  I’m just trying to figure everything out, and maybe it’s okay that I don’t have a plan this time.  But I do know that I plan on being here for awhile at least.  I really like it here.  The sun, the beach, the ocean, the…the people.”  As he said that last part, Copper looked up at West and grinned because he was one of those aforementioned people.  “Maybe this will be home forever, or maybe it’s just home for now, but ‘now’ is going to last for awhile,” Copper stated.

As he listened to West, more than one dirty thought crept into his mind, imagining against his will West and his ex-boyfriend working out together, getting all sweaty, grunting from exertion…Copper had to stop because this was making his head spin.  Those were thoughts he’d enjoy later when he was alone.  For now he just smirked at West and commented, “I bet you got some good workouts in with that ex,” not sure if he meant it as a sexual innuendo or not.  For a moment, Copper considered what to say, not sure how to phrase what he wanted to tell West.  Finally he just chuckled and confessed, “I’m sitting here trying to think of a way to tell you that you don’t need swim trunks without it sounding like I’m coming on to you, but I’m coming up short.  So uh…yeah, I have some if you want, but I’m also cool with you…um, not wearing them.”  Could that have been any more awkward?  Copper groaned softly, shaking his head, and he hoped West would put that stupid comment out of his mind.  “Alright, follow me,” he replied, and then the two men were setting off.  “It’s not too far from here,” Copper stated as they walked, “though it was faster on my bike.  It’s a nice night though.”  As they headed to his house, Copper looked up at the sky, commenting, “The stars are so pretty tonight,” looking over at West and beaming.

West nodded and reached to squeeze Copper’s shoulder cross the table. “Take your time and do not rush decisions. I was just asking out of curiosity, but you don’t have to answer the question to me. You have to have the answer yourself. You know? If you’re gonna figure things out as it goes, let yourself do that.” West suggested and then finally added. “I can say that this place wasn’t in my plan at all, but then it happened and I went for it and it’s been quite a pleasant surprise, actually.” He admitted with a smile. 

West nodded and laughed, reminiscing of that guy he dated who used to be a personal trainer. It had been fun while it lasted and it sure as hell had been such a physical journey. “The guy was kinda obsessed with fitness. Guess there could be worse things to be addicted to, but I think he took it too far at times.” He scratched his head. “They were fierce sessions, that’s for sure.” He assured Copper with a smirk. “Alright, alright. I’ll decide on the walk there. Maybe this was just your plan all along. To play all shy and awkward and all you wanted to do was get me naked.” He joked and followed Copper. “Right! Your bike. You sure you okay with leaving it here?” He just wanted to make sure and then looked up. “Right. It’s very clear and just the right amount of windy.” He agreed. 

Copper knew there would be follow up questions to his revelation, but for some reason he felt okay with telling West. Maybe it was because he knew the man wouldn’t judge him, though Copper supposed he couldn’t really know that since he’d just met the guy. “Yeah, Brown University,” Copper confirmed. “It’s an Ivy League school. I was only an associate professor there, basically a glorified teaching assistant.” That part was actually true - he wasn’t just being modest. Still, West telling him he must be smart made Copper smile, but he countered, “Don’t sell yourself short, West. There are different kinds of smart, and I’m sure you are in ways that I’m not.” Copper didn’t want West to feel intimidated by him, and he believed what he was saying. “Thanks for telling me I’m smart though,” he went on. “Teaching…was my dream, but now it’s time for something else.” He tried not to sound too sad when he said this and managed to smile. 

When West was talking about his diet and working out and such, Copper couldn’t help but look at the man’s chest, at the way his shirt fit him. “Well you’re definitely doing something right,” Copper commented, not realizing that he was still staring at West’s chest for several seconds, eventually snapping out of it. He smiled when the other man said he wanted to go back to his place, and Copper said, “We can go swimming even. No one will be around.” After a few more minutes, Copper stood and stretched his arms out over his head. “Ready to go?” he asked West.

West got curious about the thing that Copper said in the end and that it was time for something else. “Can I ask what’s on your future plans? I mean, are you gonna stay here and live or is this a place you’re just gonna pass through on your way to something or somewhere else.” West knew that his planned changed fro when he just arrived to town to today. First day West thought that Provincetown was just going to be his home for a short time, but now he’s actually not planning to move out and loves it there. The past 5 years had been amazing and he forgot about the bad things that happened before. 

“I’ve gotta thank my workout routine and mea plan, provided by a guy I used to date.” West shrugged with a smile. “You’ll have to let me borrow some swimming shorts, because I didn’t bring any obviously. I just dressed up for a casual dinner.” He explained, but wouldn’t be opposed to going for a late swim once he stopped feeling so full from the dinner. West nodded and jumped up, taking the one last chip on Copper’s bowl and tossing it into his mouth. “Lead the way, Copper”

“Yep, I’m not shocked. I had something similar happen to me like two phones back. All of a sudden I could only send iMessages and my microphone just stopped working,” he said shaking his head. It hadn’t even been worth taking to a store to get looked at as it was no longer covered by any plan, of course. “Oh, I don’t think you did. I’m Dante,” he said introducing himself and producing a hand for the man to shake. “I’m probably headed the same way. I don’t really want to pass out hitting any more machines,” he thought out loud. Once dizziness set in that was a pretty good indicator to end a workout.