Breaking up roots (One Night Stand, Book 3)

Chapter 5: Mother nature

The tuna sandwiches tasted delicious, as everything Jay cooked. And God, Edna's cake! Cole had to fight the urge to not devour the whole thing in a matter of seconds —although he did eat most of it. But that was fine. Jay didn't mind his monstrous appetite.

After letting the food sit on their stomachs for a while, the boys decided to stroll around the place some more; checking the beautiful nature, the fantastic view of Ninjago city under them. They talked and joked, because that was how their conversations usually ended up. They even decided to go back to their childhood for a bit and play some games. After Cole won three consecutive rounds of tag, Jay demanded a change.

"Hide and seek?" Cole proposed, and his boyfriend accepted with eagerness. "Just don't go too far, okay?" He smiled at the excited gremlin before leaning onto Lilly's tree and starting a countdown.

When he turned around a minute later, a quick scan of the surroundings revealed that Jay had properly chosen his hiding spot. Cole advanced in a random direction, keeping a sharp eye. He surveyed every bush and tree he could see, hoping to find a curly mop of brown hair or a piece of Jay's colorful sweater amidst the foliage.

Cole paid attention to the sounds. The wind moved the branches and leaves all around, creating a soft murmur of shuffling, but after a while, he could tell apart some of the different noises. He walked slowly towards a certain thicket and held his breath, carefully investigating the vegetation. His eyes widened with victory upon spotting Jay's freckled face behind all that green.

"Ha! Found ya-!"

Cole almost fell on his ass when Jay jumped out of his hideout and surged forward, racing to home base. Cole reacted a moment later and chased him with all his might. Whereas he was taller and had longer legs, Jay had always been one of the fastest runners in their class —his smaller body provided Jay with extra agility that turned him into an arduous 'prey' to catch.

And the boy did almost save himself that time, but Cole drew nearer at the last second and tackled him to the ground just as Jay was about to touch the tree at the shout of "Free!"

"Oof, Cole!" He whined when his back hit the blanket.

"I won!"

"No, you didn't! I touched the tree in time!"

"I didn't see any of that."

"Because you're a bully!"

"And you're a sore loser."

Jay squirmed under Cole's body to free himself from the bear hug, but his giant boyfriend only pinned him with more enthusiasm. Despite his whining, Jay's giggles were back in a flash, laughing and wrapping his arms around Cole as they finally lay together, merged in a loving embrace.

"I hope I didn't break you," Cole apologized, caressing Jay's back.

"I hope so too," the other laughed before moving in for a kiss. Jay snuggled up to Cole and took a deep, calm breath. "This is so relaxing."

Cole hummed in agreement, nuzzling Jay's hair while the other boy went on.

"The breeze, the smell of nature, the birds, and- Oops!" Jay sat up with a jerk, tense as a bowstring. "I have to pee," he said, scrambling to his feet in a rush.

Cole let out a loud guffaw.

"This is your fault! If you hadn't crushed my guts, I wouldn't be in such a hurry," Jay scolded while Cole couldn't stop laughing.

"Don't get lost!" He shouted while Jay walked away to find a peaceful spot amidst the undergrowth. The boy stuck out his tongue with a childish pout, then finally disappeared behind a bush.