Chapter 23

Gary's POV

"Alright...no need to bite my head off..." Quietly i mutter, whilst smarting myself up again, moving slightly out of contact from Robbie.
"S...sorry...i've just had a lot on my mind...and-"
"You've had a lot on your mind? Well what exactly have you had on your mind which i haven't?"
Robbie lifts his eyebrow swiftly, surprised over my interruption. "Well... i don't want to sneak around anymore, Gary." Without hesitation, he blurts out.
Studying his face for a smile to show that he's playing around as always, i blink my eyes at his serious facial expression. "What do you mean by that? This 'sneaking' around is the only thing helping us spend time together. Unless you don't want to spend time together on this holiday?"
"Hey!" Robbie immediately takes both of my hands in his, the warmth of his palms stroking against the tops of my hands. "Now that isn't true, there's no other place i want to be, other than being with you...you know that."
"What is it then? Things are just getting confusing now... why all this tonight? Was it for a certain reason? Have...Have you done something? Is that why you were trying to sweeten me, so its easier to break the news?"
Robbie shakes his head, taking a tighter grip to my hands. "No...not yet..." His voice quietens, almost turning into a soft whisper, matching the cool windy breeze.
"Not yet? See! This what i'm talking about...the confusion...its sending me mad! It might be all fun to you, but it bloody isn't to me! Just spit it out man!"

Taking a deep breath, he looks me in the eyes. "I'm going to tell the boys about us...being together...as a couple...that we're in love..."
Suddenly, there's a faint buzzing sound in my ears by Robbie's words. My eyes widen as my heart rate increases. "N...no...you can't...not yet...please."
"Just think about it... once its out in the open we're free. No more sneaking around, we can do all this in public...well minus the sex in public..." He sniggers at his own joke. "...And we can finally share a bed for the rest of this holiday without a care in the world...also it gets koala boy off me during the night..."
"...You're forgetting about the lads feelings, Rob. What if they take it the wrong way? We're like brothers and we've kept something like this from them? I can't loose them...they're the best friends i've ever had...and i'm not just saying that."
"So what, you'd sooner loose me over them?"
My jaw drops slightly. "Are you kidding me? Are you really going down that route? You have done the whole 'Its either Gary or me' to Mark in the frigging nineties, don't you dare do that to me!"

Once dressed and presentable again, i stand to my feet feeling incredibly annoyed. "Gaz... wait..." Sliding his clothes up his partly naked body, he takes a grip to my bicep. "I didn't mean it like that... well i did... but you know what i'm like...right? Always putting my foot in it..." Shyly he smiles, his face almost begs for me to hold him, to tell him everything is going to be ok. "...So...what do you say? Tomorrow...we confess?"
The only noise which can be heard is the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, as Robbie coils an arm around my shoulder. Thinking over and over again about what has just been said, i almost loose my balance over the thought of confessing. "N...no..." Softly i mumble. Over thinking this is just going to make me ill, i know it is. "...I...I need time...to think..." Folding my arms, i move towards the direction of the rocks which i climbed up earlier. "...I'll give you a knock tomorrow...maybe...i need to sleep on this..."
"Gary...please? Come on mate? Don't leave after a night we've just had."
"S...Sorry..." Not looking back or saying anything, that's how the night ends.
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Robbie's POV

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Mark slides his wallet into his back pocket of his colourful blue shorts.
"I'm going to be fine, just bring me back some painkillers for this head... those sodding shorts of yours aren't doing me any favours... my head is spinning from this migraine!" I complain, whilst laying in bed feeling sorry for myself.
"Alright... i'll see what i can do." Shuffling towards the bedroom door, he sympathetically smiles at me. Gently my fingers stroke against my temples, as i squint my eyes staring at the bright blue shorts which are partly covering his slightly tanned legs. "I wont be long."
"Mhmmuh..." Is all i'm able to mumble once Mark sneaks through the crack in the door, closing it behind him, leaving me alone. Finally.

I must of dozed off for a few minutes, because the next thing i know is i hear the door opening again. "Back already?" Stretching my arms above my head, my fingers comb through my chest hair, still feeling a buzzing, niggling pain still inside my head. "Mark? Come on no jokes...my head is still killing me..." My eyes glue shut by yawning a little too loud, almost covering the voice which speaks.
"What's the matter with your head?" He speaks, instantly causing my eyes to snap open by the sound. Clinging to the door handle, stands Gary, with his head poking around the door frame. "Oh god... you look awful..." Looking incredibly concerned, without hesitation he swiftly makes his way over to the bed, placing a hand onto my sweating forehead. "You're burning up!" Gary yelps, by the feel of me.
"Gary..." Calmly i smile, wrapping my fingers around his wrist. "I'm fine, honest. I've got a migraine, but thankfully Mark's gone to get me something to fix that. The sweaty forehead doesn't have anything to do with that, its all these bloody covers Mark's wrapped me up in, that's why I'm sweating."
"Maybe...its a good idea that we take you to a doctor...just to be on the safe side?" Already he spins on his heels heading back outside, until i tug him back into my direction.
"Will you just stop fussing? I can tell you've spent time with Mark over the years, jeez its like twins!" Playfully i roll my eyes, moving my legs aside to allow Gary to take a seat on the bed with me.
"I'm sorry its just-"
"...You're worried about me... and i do appreciate it Gaz... but i don't want you getting worked up over things which don't need to." Happily i sigh, shaking his shoulder gently. "Now... how are you?"
"Been better i guess... hardly slept, but that's nothing new..."

"My fault that is..." Pouting my lips, i glance away from Gary, feeling annoyed with myself.
"Don't be hard on yourself, Rob..." He strokes my knee through the layers of blankets. "It needed to be said... and I'm glad you didn't keep it from me...I don't like waking up in the mornings to find myself alone in bed...I guess that was something you pointed out to me last night..."
Turning my head back into his direction, my eyes lock onto his noticing, his half smile spreading across his face. "Come here...i could do with a cuddle from my favourite man..." Pulling back the duvet, i pat the empty space beside me in bed. Once Gary's kicked his flip flops off, he joins me. "Mmm... i feel better already..." Nuzzling my face against the crook of his neck, i inhale his heavenly scent which almost acts like medicine.
"Maybe i could look after you...?" Running his fingers through the strands of my fringe, he plants soft trails of kisses against my temples. Bringing my lips into contact with his skin, i kiss along his light stubble cheeks, nibbling along his jawline.
"I would love that..." Peacefully i whisper against my wet trail on Gary's cheek. Staring into one anothers eyes, it doesn't take long until our lips begin to work in sync. Without delay we dive into a passionate kiss, causing the pair of us to moan, feeling as if we haven't kissed in a decade. Gary's hand snakes up my chest, swirling his fingers around my darkened hair. His fingertips work like magic, fixing my empty heart. With one turn, Gary suddenly lands on top of me, his knee rests into between my parted legs which are still covered. Our noses press together after Gary abruptly ends the kiss. My hands rest onto his hips, whilst the room fills with our heavy breathing from our moment of passionate kissing. "G...Gary..." Panting a little, my eyes remain fixed on his. "Gary...I...I-"
"Rob? I'm back!" Mark's voice echoes in the kitchen. Both me and Gary look at one another in horror. Its feels as if I'm frozen, actually frozen from shock.
"Shit!" Gary mouths, as his eyes skirt down to his visible bulge in the front of his shorts. Frantically my eyes look around the bare room for a place for Gary to hide, with Mark just seconds away from opening the bedroom door, catching us in action. "T...the bed... get under the bed..." I whisper as quiet as possible. Mark closes the front door, which is Gary's to cue to jump onto the floor, before rolling under the middle of the bed. Just as Gary disappears under the bed with me watching his moves, the bedroom door opens.

"Oh, you're still awake?" A cheerful look enters his face, whilst he makes his way over to the bed, carrying a white plastic bag. "It took forever trying to find the right things, but i did the best i could."
Still in shock, i shake my head trying to act as normal as i possibly can. "T...Thanks mate..." Taking a deep breath, i open the bag to find a rectangular yellow box inside.
"You still look a little peaky...maybe a good sleep would help?"
Gulping a mouthful of water, i wash down one of the small white tablets, then followed by another. "Nah, i'm feeling much better."
"Are you sure?"
Nodding my head in response to Mark's question, sneakily i tug a bit more of the duvet down the side of the bed. "Yes..."
"Oh...well... in that case, i was wondering if i could have a chat with you?"
Lifting my head by the sudden change in Mark's voice, my eyes are drawn to the serious look on Mark's face. You can sense something a mile off which isn't right when Mark is acting serious and not his normal hyper or cheerful self.
"Oh?"
"...And Gary..."
Swallowing hard by the use of Gary's name, i bend my toes under the duvet which are out of sight from Mark's view. I can feel myself start to burn up again, but this time not over the fact that i'm wrapped up in these thick coated blankets. "G...Gary? Is there a problem? I haven't spoken to him since...e...er...ye...yesterday?" Who am i kidding? I couldn't fool a child with my lies.
"Yeah...me either, but i guess... he's probably avoiding me...i mean why else would someone hide under our bed for no reason..." My entire body freezes once again. Did i just hear right?! The room drops into a silent mode, the tension is thick enough to be cut with a knife. He knows. He actually knows about me and Gary. The look on his face gives me the impression that I've upset him with my lies.