FAKE Ficlet: Drake’s Phobia
Title: Drake’s Phobia
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: JJ, Drake.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Drake and JJ take their first vacation together.
Written Using: The dw100 prompt ‘Phobia’.
Word Count: 512
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
JJ had picked this hotel for his and Drake’s first vacation together at least partly for the massive outdoor swimming pool. As soon as the two of them had unpacked, he’d urged his boyfriend into the trunks he’d bought for him, handed him a towel, and practically dragged him down there. Not that Drake had made any objections, happily settling into one of the poolside chairs to soak up the sunshine; the weather in New York had been cold and rainy when they’d left, but here it was hot and sunny, perfect vacation weather.
Sunbathing wasn’t what JJ had been looking forward to, however. Dropping his towel on the chair beside Drake’s, he made straight for the water, pausing right on the edge.
“Come on, Drakey, there’ll be plenty of time for sunbathing later. After everything we had to go through to get here, don’t you want to take a refreshing dip in the pool?”
“Um, no, not right now,” Drake muttered, looking down.
Frowning, JJ went back to his lover, perching beside him. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? You look a bit pale.”
“That’s because I haven’t been sitting here long enough to tan yet.” It was a lame attempt at a joke, but the best Drake could manage under the circumstances.
“Drakey? What is it? Talk to me,” JJ pleaded, taking his boyfriend’s hand. “You know you can tell me anything.”
Drake sighed. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”
“Why would I think that?”
“I can’t swim.” Drake shook his head. “No, it’s more than that; I’ve been terrified of the water since I was a little kid. I fell into a lake once and almost drowned. Ever since then…” He shrugged. “I have sort of a phobia about deep water.”
“Oh Drakey, why didn’t you tell me before?” Far from laughing at him as Drake had expected, JJ was full of concern. “If I’d known I wouldn’t have dragged you down here!”
“It’s fine, JJ, I’m perfectly happy to sit here and soak up the sun, I just don’t plan on going too near the pool. You should though, I don’t want to spoil your fun.”
“Are you sure? If you’re uncomfortable we could go back to our room.”
“No, I’m okay, you go swim; I’ll sit here and watch you.”
“Okay then, but after I’ve had a swim we’ll go and do something you enjoy, so you just relax here and think about what you’d like to do next.” JJ kissed his lover lightly on the lips. “I promise I won’t be too long.”
With that, JJ jumped to his feet, ran across the tiles, and dived fearlessly into the water, surfacing halfway across the pool and waving.
Drake waved back, smiling; JJ looked so happy and at home in the water he felt a twinge of envy, wishing he could share his boyfriend’s enjoyment. Perhaps one day he’d get up the nerve to seek help in overcoming his phobia, but for now, swimming would have to remain a spectator sport. Still, JJ in wet trunks was definitely worth watching!
The End
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: JJ, Drake.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Drake and JJ take their first vacation together.
Written Using: The dw100 prompt ‘Phobia’.
Word Count: 512
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
JJ had picked this hotel for his and Drake’s first vacation together at least partly for the massive outdoor swimming pool. As soon as the two of them had unpacked, he’d urged his boyfriend into the trunks he’d bought for him, handed him a towel, and practically dragged him down there. Not that Drake had made any objections, happily settling into one of the poolside chairs to soak up the sunshine; the weather in New York had been cold and rainy when they’d left, but here it was hot and sunny, perfect vacation weather.
Sunbathing wasn’t what JJ had been looking forward to, however. Dropping his towel on the chair beside Drake’s, he made straight for the water, pausing right on the edge.
“Come on, Drakey, there’ll be plenty of time for sunbathing later. After everything we had to go through to get here, don’t you want to take a refreshing dip in the pool?”
“Um, no, not right now,” Drake muttered, looking down.
Frowning, JJ went back to his lover, perching beside him. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? You look a bit pale.”
“That’s because I haven’t been sitting here long enough to tan yet.” It was a lame attempt at a joke, but the best Drake could manage under the circumstances.
“Drakey? What is it? Talk to me,” JJ pleaded, taking his boyfriend’s hand. “You know you can tell me anything.”
Drake sighed. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”
“Why would I think that?”
“I can’t swim.” Drake shook his head. “No, it’s more than that; I’ve been terrified of the water since I was a little kid. I fell into a lake once and almost drowned. Ever since then…” He shrugged. “I have sort of a phobia about deep water.”
“Oh Drakey, why didn’t you tell me before?” Far from laughing at him as Drake had expected, JJ was full of concern. “If I’d known I wouldn’t have dragged you down here!”
“It’s fine, JJ, I’m perfectly happy to sit here and soak up the sun, I just don’t plan on going too near the pool. You should though, I don’t want to spoil your fun.”
“Are you sure? If you’re uncomfortable we could go back to our room.”
“No, I’m okay, you go swim; I’ll sit here and watch you.”
“Okay then, but after I’ve had a swim we’ll go and do something you enjoy, so you just relax here and think about what you’d like to do next.” JJ kissed his lover lightly on the lips. “I promise I won’t be too long.”
With that, JJ jumped to his feet, ran across the tiles, and dived fearlessly into the water, surfacing halfway across the pool and waving.
Drake waved back, smiling; JJ looked so happy and at home in the water he felt a twinge of envy, wishing he could share his boyfriend’s enjoyment. Perhaps one day he’d get up the nerve to seek help in overcoming his phobia, but for now, swimming would have to remain a spectator sport. Still, JJ in wet trunks was definitely worth watching!
The End