A Series Of One-Shots [REQUESTS OPEN]

In Case of Emergency

In Case of Emergency has now been published as a full-length novel by Entangled Publishing under the title 'Tripwrecked'.

Original - 2020

boyxboy, smut ahead

As a spur-of-the-moment decision, Aiden travels across the world to Australia to escape his own life. He just needs time to clear his head. But what he finds is the quiet and reserved Finn, who might just be a better solution.

Aka 10k of an escapism meet-cute

*

"So here's the pool! Swims like an absolute dream."

Aiden Cole is currently receiving a tour of the house he'll be residing in for the next month. His host, a rambunctious man by the name of Ryan, uses the word absolute at least once a sentence - and seems so enthusiastic about everything that Aiden is exhausted just listening to him.

"And if you ever want to throw a party, you can fire up the barbie on the deck. It's an absolute win."

"I don't think I'll be having a lot of parties," Aiden admits with a small shrug. He slides his sunglasses down against the glare of the sun.

It's just reaching midday, the hottest part of the day. Aiden is sweating through his jeans and t-shirt combination. Ryan is suitably more dressed for the weather, in loose fitting board shorts and a vest.

Aiden can't be judged too harshly, considering he's just arrived from the airport. It'd been raining in Dublin when he left (then again, when wasn't it?). So landing down in sunny Sydney had been a shock to his system.

Not an unwelcome one, granted. But he is inwardly hoping that Ryan will wrap up his tour soon so that Aiden can strip off, take a cold shower and a long nap.

"No worries!" Ryan grins, not at all thrown off. "You seem like a quieter kinda guy. You'd get on with my brother, he's an absolute shut in."

Aiden frowns at that, but Ryan doesn't see the insult in his words and takes him back into the house.

It's cool inside, thanks to the blast of air conditioning. It's elegantly decorated, with white pristine surfaces and plenty of angles. There are obscenely large photographs on the walls of various Australian wildlife and the coast.

It's pretty. Aiden shouldn't be able to afford this AirBnB, but here he is. It's too late to back out now.

"Speaking of that absolute stick in the mud!" Ryan continues, almost jogging to the kitchen to point at a piece of paper stuck on the fridge. "I'm away for the next while, I mentioned that in the email, yeah? Anyway, any problems - Finn is your guy."

"Should there be problems?" Aiden raises a brow, looking to the paper that has only one number written on it. A series of scrawled numbers, then Finn :)

No number for an ambulance or the fire department, just Finn.

Aiden feels a little dubious about that.

"Nah!" Ryan waves off with a toothy grin. "Absolutely none. But better safe than sorry, y'know? I've got another one of those tucked under the barbie outside. I don't know about you, but I'm always losing bits of paper."

Aiden nods, he can appreciate that at least. Anyway, he can just google other emergency numbers if needed rather than bothering Ryan's brother.

"Right! I think that's everything." Ryan claps his hands together, casting his eyes around the house as though he'll be struck by something else to tell Aiden. "I best be off. You look absolutely exhausted, mate. Dead on your feet."