Jack

It’s funny, but the first thing I do in the morning (or rather, it’s already almost noon), I go to Aiden. He is trying to lean his canvas on the corner of an old box.

“Hi,” I say. Aiden turns around and looks at me. Today his eyes are bright like clear blue sky above.

“What are you doing?”

“I wanted to make a couple of sketches. And watercolor maybe.”

“We can make you a stand, or what is it called?”

“An easel.”

“Yeah, this!”

We go to the workshop, where we hastily make an easel from what we have found. But it's still better than the old box.

I don't think I will get answers without questions, but what should I ask? I didn't even ask myself anything.

I feel good around him, I am drawn to him.

This is where my thought stops.

It's just here and now. So what to ask him about? Since he is friendly today, I dare to assume that he felt good yesterday too. So we are kind of on an equal footing, are we?

“Jack”. Laura walks into the workshop. “Dad's looking for you”.

She quickly looks over Aiden and me, makes her own conclusions and waits for me to leave.

I tell Aiden:

“Well, you can try it now”.

“Thank you,” he says, and I leave.

My sister-fox will definitely tell him something. When I lack the words, she’ll find a couple dozen.

My father asks me to check the car which I took yesterday. He doesn't like the way the right front wheel behaves, and without batting an eye, I say: “Okay.”

I walk back to the shack and see Aiden sitting at the easel, and Brent standing behind him, they are talking about something.

“Oh, you managed to wake up!”I say with a smile. Brent doesn't seem to be mad at me anymore. He waves at me as I walk over to look at Aiden's sketch. This is our house.

“Cool!” I say.

“I'm just getting started,” Aiden replies and turns to me.

I see his eyes again and forget that I have to say something and that Brent is standing next to me.

“I’ll look up in the dictionary for another word when you’re done.”

Aiden smiles, and I smile back. I think some questions can be answered without even asking.

Aiden asked my father to give him a job, and father sent him to the stable.

I leave Brent to work on his own and ride with Aiden to the stables. It warms my heart that I can spend the whole day with Aiden without a twinge of conscience and look at his face whenever I want.

I show Aiden a stall and a pen with a dozen horses, four foals are running on the other side. Aiden seems to like horses.

“But I've never ridden one before” he says.

“Now you will,” I declare confidently. And I'm bringing Toby – this is our calmest stallion. I show Aiden how to approach the horse, how to saddle, and how to climb on. When he walks up to Toby and grabs the saddle, I stand behind Aiden. And I am immediately bathed in heat when I see his black hairs down to the very neck. I put my hands on his sides and push him forward, he sits in the saddle.

“The main thing is do not try to race me. I'm very competitive and stubborn, you know,” I say with a smile, and Aiden blushes. I wonder what he thought about.

I saddle Weldy, a piebald horse, and we head out of the stables. We make a big circle around the field. I give Aiden the same tour I gave Brent the first day. We return to the stable and dismount. I take off the saddles and bridles, give them to Aiden, and let the horses out into the paddock, where they are happily greeted by the others.

“Put it in the stable,” I say. Aiden walks in front of me, I can see he is sweating. It's hot outside. This feeling overwhelms me again. There is no one in the stables but us. As soon as Aiden puts the saddles on the table, I push him against the wall and kiss him. He doesn't mind when my hands are under his wet T-shirt. He smiles when I bite his lips.

The question is not needed and the answers are not needed. These feelings exist only here and now.

This time, I'm not letting my hands be too frisky. I confine myself to kisses only, although they are painfully not enough for me. Aiden is gasping for breath. I can feel him running his hands uncertainly down my back.

“What if someone sees us,” he whispers. I look into his eyes, I can't look away, and he kisses me.

I stop only because I understand – just a little more, and I will not be able to hold myself back. I already want him so bad it almost hurts.

“We have to work,” I say. Aiden nods. We both try to catch our breath and find it funny.

After working in the stable, Aiden and I go to our house for a snack.

There is always work on the farm, but I absolutely do not want to do anything. I have another idea. I'm collecting some food.

“Do you want to come with me?” I ask Aiden. He doesn't even ask where and immediately nods. We go to their car, I put down a blanket, and we sit down to have dinner. Aiden talks about the school and CalArts. I lie down on the blanket, and he lies down next to me. The heat has already subsided, the sky is full of fluffy clouds. Every now and then we poke our fingers at them and say what they look like. Silly? For Aiden, maybe not, but for me... Fucking romantic.

But again I feel unbearably good.

“I wanted to see what happened to your car,” I say and get up. I do not allow myself to drift away into this state of serenity. In addition, when Aiden is around for a long time, I can't help it, I start thinking about sex and how much I want him.

So I need to distract myself somehow.

I open the hood of the car, take off my shirt, notice with pleasure that Aiden is looking at me, and lean over to the engine.

I think for me digging in cars is like drawing for Aiden. It helps me to focus and think about everything or not think about anything.

Well, the ignition coil is done. The candles were changed relatively recently, but everything else... The gasoline pump, the distributor cover... In general, I'm more surprised that it lasted so long at all.

Aiden is still lying on the blanket and looking up at the sky. I want to tell him that it is better to take the car to the garage, but then he says something that makes me abandon this idea, despite the fact that it would be much more convenient.

“Next time I'll take a sketchbook. While you're busy there, I'll draw. I have to catch up, I haven't practiced for a long time.”