Fish out of water (Closed)

[Knightmare27]

Daniel looked at his watch. His star swimmer was not usually that late, but it was not too bad yet. Just five minutes. Still, he would have to put his Mean Coach face on for him. The young man might be a swimming prodigy, but that did not mean he could just slack like that. The coach knew better than most people that talent meant nothing if it was wasted. All it did was make the first steps less frustrating. Everything after that was your own hard work.

The swimming coach paced a little at the end of the pool, which was still lying there undisturbed, its shiny surface beautifully still. At the moment, he was still wearing a white T-shirt over his swim trunks, but he would soon take it off. And he had to admit he liked to take it off. A former performance swimmer himself, he had now taken up amateur boxing as a hobby, and it had helped keep him in good shape, as well as given him some muscles swimmers did not normally develop. Now in his late forties, his hair was short and gray and wrinkles were showing on his face. He looked like an aging warrior-king, an impression that was helped by his size.

Daniel thought he heard something outside. If that was him, he would face some serious correction (something he looked forward to...). If that was still not him, he would put him through hell.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey had been a water baby all his life. There weren't many things he was good at, being smaller than most other boys and not all that smart, but he could swim like a fish. With not much else going for him, he embraced swimming with everything he had, and now, at eighteen, with his coach's eye on him, he actually had a fragment of hope he could make something of himself by the time high school ended and he was cast out into the cruel world.

He had to be up at an ungodly hour to manage these special sessions with his coach, but he didn't exactly mind it. Swimming was always good motivation. The only issue was factors beyond his control - namely, his mother. He knew she'd had a few too many last night and stumbled into the apartment only a couple of hours before he was supposed to be up. He was counting on her for a ride to school, and as soon as he peeked into her bedroom and saw her sprawled out disheveled, he knew it was going to be a feat to get her up before noon.

"Mom! Wake up! I need a ride!"

"Mmmf," was the only response from her.

"Please, can you drive me?" Joey pleaded. "Or at least let me take the car today?"

"Ffffckoff."

With a huff, Joey left her room and hurried off to get himself ready. He put on his jammers under his clothes so he didn't have to waste valuable minutes changing when he got there, and had a high protein but not too heavy breakfast before giving his mother another try.

He didn't succeed in getting anything out of her but a little more muffled swearing, so in desperation, he searched her purse, the pockets of her discarded clothes, the little table next to the door, the kitchen, anywhere she might have left her car keys. They were nowhere to be found.

Dare he take a chance on the bus? At this hour it only came down the street every thirty minutes, if that, and it was rarely on schedule. Joey grabbed his backpack and made a run for it... just in time to see the bus driving away down the street.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he hissed, hurrying back to the apartment. He only had one option left - taking his bike. It meant he'd be a few minutes late, and arrive a bit winded, which he wanted to avoid whenever possible. There was no getting around it.

He arrived at the pool exactly six minutes late, panting heavily. He hadn't even taken the time to lock up his bike - if someone stole it, that was hardly among his greatest worries at the moment. Joey just didn't want to piss off his coach, the one guy who seemed to have some hope for him.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" he burst out as he rushed across the pool deck, flinging his backpack aside and kicking off his sandals. "I'm here!"

Hopping awkwardly on one foot, and then the other, he stripped off his shorts to reveal his form-fitting jammers beneath. Then came his t-shirt, exposing his smooth, lean, boyish upper body that usually embarrassed him in the locker room, but at least helped him to be a fast swimmer.

With a sheepish, almost bashful expression, he stood before his coach and waited anxiously for his reprimand, still breathing raggedly.

 

[Knightmare27]

That had better be Joey. Granted, it was the first time he was that late, but he was not going to let that get in the way of a good dressing-down. He was not an amateur anymore, and he had to get that into his head. Professional swimmers let nothing get in the way of training.

"Yes, I can see that", Daniel replied curtly as his protegé rushed in. He watched impatiently as he got ready for training, then held up a hand to stop him.

"Wait for a second. I have something to tell you. What do you think you are? Still an amateur, swimming for shits and giggles? Joey, you are with the big boys now. And that means training must be your top priority, always. I do not fucking care how talented you are. Especially if you are talented - that means you must train extra hard, to develop that talent. Do not waste it by letting this or that get in the way, you moron!"

He stepped a little closer to Joey. "Is that the problem? Is your talent going to your head? Do you think just because you are a natural you need to train LESS than everyone else? Because if that is your problem, I am going to fucking DESTROY you with extra training until you get it through your thick skull to NEVER GET ARROGANT. Nature gave you the body of a fish. And this is how you repay her? By wasting it?"

He calmed down a little. "Anyway, we have wasted enough time already. Do your warm-up, and give me your excuse. And it better be a good one, not that you fucking overslept or something. Because if you try to pull that one on me, I will give you SO MUCH extra exercise you will not even get to go home tonight, and will have to sleep in the locker room. How is that for solving your problem, huh, Mr. Natural?"

He hated having to be so harsh on him, but there were certain things he could not tolerate if Joey really was going to develop his full potential. It was true. He did have the body of a fish. All smooth and made for swimming. But Daniel knew just how far upstream that fish would have to swim if he was ever going to make anything of his talent. ALL the people he was facing were talented, he was nothing special anymore.

There was also something else... not that he would ever have admitted it, but his gift was not the only reason he had agreed to be his coach. Deep inside, he admired the young man's spirit, the way he had clawed his way up to the top and always believed in his talent, despite the circumstances he had grown up in. He was very strong on the inside, no matter what his slim, boyish body claimed on the outside.

Oh yes, his body... That was another reason Daniel had become interested in Joey. Most swimmers had great bodies, of course. But something about the way he moved, inside the water, or out, had made it very hard for him to take his eyes off. It would have been clichéd - but very fitting - to compare it to a panther's. He really did move like he did not even have to think about anything, like it all just came naturally to him.

As the swimmer began to do his warm-up exercises, as ordered, Daniel was very glad his long T-shirt hid what was his natural reaction to seeing his body move. That happened so often it was embarrassing... it would not be very long, and he had to find out if Joey returned his feelings. He had certainly never seen him with a girl, but you never knew. How would he go about it? He was still not quite sure about that.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey stood very still and wide-eyed as Daniel tore into him, trying to take it like a man but unable to hold back the occasional tiny chin tremble. It wasn't that he wasn't used to getting yelled at, but he really respected his coach, and coach seemed to be one of the few people in the world that had at least a little respect for him. The idea of losing that seemed like the most frightening thing in the world.

He believed in his own talent but he never thought he was arrogant - confidence was always a struggle for the boy, and the idea that he was arrogant seemed absurd. Still, no way would he talk back to his coach. And despite his temptation to just spill everything that troubled him, no way would Joey whine or even shift blame to someone else. That wouldn't earn Daniel's respect.

He stretched his legs and arms, warming up his body as expected despite the fact that he'd been exercising all the way here. He used the time to catch his breath and consider how to respond. How could he be honest about the reason for his tardiness without sounding like he was just trying to weasel out of responsibility? Coach was right - he had to take this seriously, more seriously than anything, and work his little butt off. He had to embrace his own responsibilities and not let his mother's many failings hold him back with this like they had with seemingly everything else in his life.

He knew his mom must have been drinking when she was pregnant - he'd always been small, and had learning disabilities. It meant he struggled in school, got teased and bullied, and avoided ever getting too close to anyone so they wouldn't find out. But he had to draw a line - he was eighteen now. He was supposed to be getting ready to be an adult. And even though he was a long way from being able to afford to move out, he could sure as hell take additional measures to ensure she didn't get in the way of his swimming practice.

"My mistake," he finally spoke up, with only a little quiver in his voice, "was relying on anyone but myself. I will get here on time from now on... even if I have to bike all the way here every time. And even if I have to sleep in the locker room."

He bent double to touch his toes, stretching out his back and hamstrings.

 

[Knightmare27]

Daniel knew him well. He had plenty of armor. He had to have it, given his upbringing. He closed it around him, tried not to reveal his feelings. Yet he saw the tiny tremble... his anger was really reaching him. Good. He would not have yelled at him if he had thought it would not reach him. No mercy. Not at the moment. Later, maybe.

He watched Joey do his warm-up, his smooth, fit body moving in that thoughtless way he so admired about him. He was far less outwardly muscular than his coach, but what muscle he had was now clearly visible, flowing over his body as he stretched different parts of it. Good thing that watching him exercise provided the perfect excuse for shamelessly watching this movement and taking in every fascinating detail.

He never overthought things. Maybe that was the secret that made him move through water as if he was himself made of it? His grades were terrible, but Joey had it where it counted - dedication, talent and the ability to move in a totally uninhibited way... Daniel almost regretted having been so harsh on him before. It had been necessary, but not entirely fair. Late or not, he still loved this boy, in so many ways.

"And by 'anyone but myself', you probably mean your dear old mom, right? Joey, I understand you are her son and would be a right bastard if you did not love her. But you are right. You can not rely on her. I do not care how you do it. Yeah, you might even bike here every day. But I can not have you relying on her to get you here. I have no say in how you treat her at home. But as long as you swim for me, you get here on time."

"Okay, enough stretching for today. Let's have you swim a few lanes and see how your time is coming along. Remember what I told you last time, and do not lose so much time on the turn. Concentrate on that."

He got a stop watch and took position on the side of the pool as he waited for the swimmer to begin his lanes. The lateness problem was taken care of now, and he could feel that Joey really was sorry for the problems he was caused. Good boy. His faith in him was justified.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey nodded minutely to the words about his mom, and was glad that his coach didn't go on too long about it. He didn't want to talk about his mom. He just wanted to move ahead and do what he loved. He wanted to remind Daniel that in the water, he was worthy, despite his many screwups out of the water.

All the heaviness inside him lifted as soon as he put on his goggles and perched at the edge of the deck, ready to dive in. The moment his coach was ready to time him, he dove in so neatly that there was barely a splash, his aquadynamic little body shooting through the water like a barracuda.

He loved the water in ways he couldn't put into words. Swimming was like no other form of movement. The water supported him, surrounded him, like a loving embrace. Water was life - nothing alive could exist without it. At the same time, water was deadly and not to be taken lightly. There was no breath available down here, beneath the surface - if he inhaled deeply, his life could be over in a mere minute. He loved, feared, and respected the water, just like he did Coach Daniel. Joey needed both of them with undeniable longing, yet neither was to be underestimated.

Don't lose time on the turn. He focused on this, held tightly to his goal. Make Coach Daniel proud. Impress him.

Looking ahead had been a difficult instinct to let go of once he'd started getting serious about his training, but it was what slowed down turns for anyone who wasn't very experienced.

Forget the wall. The wall doesn't exist.

He kept his eyes down, following the dark line tiled along the bottom of the pool beneath him, watching for the "T" that indicated the lane was about to end. He timed himself carefully, pulled up his legs just short of the far wall, flipped himself over in an underwater somersault, and shot his legs out like a frog. His feet connected perfectly with the wall, using it to launch himself back in the opposite direction, racing back toward his point of origin.

He did a few more quick laps this way and stopped once he heard the coach's whistle. Clinging to the edge of the deck, Joey flipped his goggles up and looked way, way up at the man who stood over him, looking at the face above with very wide, anxious eyes. He was panting more than he normally would, doing laps right on the heels of a frantic bike ride, but he still felt he'd performed well. He looked desperately for either approval or disapproval.

Joey liked this position, looking up at his coach from his position below, in the pool. The big man was a source of no small degree of awe, and from here, he seemed even bigger and more important, like a giant or a god who held the boy's fate in his hand.

 

[Knightmare27]

Daniel watched with anticipation as he neared the wall. He always rocketed through the water, then lost precious moments performing that maneuver... it was certainly not that he was not nimble enough. While he was normally so natural, so unthinking when he swam, the sight of that wall always brought his brain into play. And that was, admittedly, the only slightly slow part about him, and always cost him precious moments.

It was quite hard to keep up with him without slipping, but he had to have a close look at Joey during these crucial few moments. Everything was still going fine. His wet body had become one with the water, flowed to it at that speed you could only reach once there was no difference left between you and the waves around you. That speed that even he in his prime could not have hoped to match. He smiled with pride at the sight of it.

Still going strong. No tension or nervousness to be seen. As soon as that boy made contact with the water, he just switched off and moved. If only he could get him to do that during this decisive moment... the movement was probably too unnatural for his fish instincts to do it. He had to think about it, and that was when it all came crashing down. Once he had gotten rid of that, Joey could make it anywhere.

He turned. Nearly perfectly, but the coach could see that he was still thinking about it. Nevertheless, he managed to shoot off in the opposite direction at a very respectable speed. Very good! He wanted to shout some praise to the swimmer, but decided not to break his concentration. Beaming with pride, he ran alongside him as the young man completed another lane, then another one, and another one.

Daniel blew his whistle, and walked over to where Joey was holding on to the side of the pool. "You are making good progress. You are still overthinking the turns slightly, but that is just a matter of training. Let's take a break for a few minutes, then we will work on your starting technique. That also needs a little bit of work. You are perfect in the water, but we must work on getting you there before anyone else."

He helped Joey out of the pool and sat down next to him on one of the heated stone benches surrounding it. As he had noticed sometimes before, the boy really was like a fish: Most appetizing when pulled fresh from the water. It was more than just the drops of water sparkling all over his body, shining like a thousand diamonds. It was the whole way his body was exhausted, yet strangely revived every time after a swim.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey loved when his coach grabbed his hand and boosted him up out of the pool. They both had to know it wasn't necessary - Joey could scramble out all on his own, but instead, Daniel almost always reached down to help him. Maybe it was childish and pathetic, but the boy simply enjoyed the excuse for the physical contact, and that brief sensation of weightlessness as Daniel's strength pulled him up made him feel small, in a nice way, and cared for. It certainly wasn't something he could ever admit to.

Sometimes, in the park, Joey would see dads picking up their small children and tossing them into the air, and it made Joey think of Daniel. That brief boost out of the pool - was that what it felt like to be a kid, and to have a dad?

He always wished Daniel would hold onto his hand just a little longer. Daniel's hand was big, thick, kind of rough. It surrounded his much smaller hand, and sometimes even part of his wrist. There were times he was tempted to mess up his form on purpose, just to have Daniel dive in next to him and place that big hand on his back or his arm to ease him back to the correct position.

His cheeks, already flushed from the effort of the exercise, darkened a little more as he sat down next to his coach, his thoughts now turning to what Daniel had said.

Perfect in the water.

Yes, he still had plenty to improve on, but something about him was perfect. It was an unexpected compliment, and though he tried to hold back his smile, it came out anyway, especially when the heat of the bench began to soak into his cool, damp flesh. That felt nice too.

"Thank you," he whispered, "for helping me."

 

[Knightmare27]

A tiny reddening... Joey was blushing. Well, he had called him perfect. And meant it. His swimming was so natural, any instruction would only mess it up. The only parts he needed coaching on were the unnatural ones - turning, starting. And he had to have someone who kept him focused on his goal and not wasting his incredible talent.

When he looked at the young swimmer next to him, two loves rose up in him. He loved him like a father, but he also loved him like a lover. The uncertainty made it nearly unbearable to be so close to him for so many hours. He just had to take his chances - if Joey felt the same way he did, it would be the happiest day of his life. If not - he would probably get into all kinds of trouble and lose a very promising talent. He was worth it. In an instant, he decided to be bold and reached for his hand.

Daniel looked into Joey's eyes and waited for his reaction. Everything was balanced on this single moment. If he pulled back, if he got scared, he would not deny anything. It was no use. He had made a move on the swimmer, in the mad hope that it would be reciprocated. Yet it was more than hope. His hand had felt his heart quicken every time it touched him... quicken even over the strain of exercise.

In a moment, he would have either met the love of his life, or looked like an old fool who had let wishful thinking make him see love where there was none. A second stretched into hours as his heart leapt - only to either float into the clouds or shatter on the ground. He had never felt this excited in his life, even before competitions. He gripped Joey's hand a little bit more without even realizing he was doing that.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey's eyelids had begun to lower as he let the heat and the quiet moment soothe him, but when he felt that big, strong hand take hold of his and squeeze, just like he'd been imagining, his eyes grew very wide and a little wet. He looked up at his tall coach in surprise and awe, and squeezed back to make sure he wasn't just dreaming.

Suddenly there didn't seem to be room in his small chest to contain his wildly thumping heart. What did this mean? What did he dare even hope it might mean? How many ways could this be interpreted? Was it a friendly thing - apologizing in some tacit way for cussing him out? Was it some special coach/athlete bond? Or could it possibly be what his entire body and soul now longed for it to be?

Daniel was more than twice his age, smart, talented, sophisticated, and painfully gorgeous, with a body that could earn him a career as a fitness model - what was he doing wasting his time mentoring a scrawny teen from the wrong side of the tracks... and holding his hand, no less? What were the chances that Coach Daniel actually felt something more than a coach's pride toward him?

Daniel had a look on his face Joey had never seen on him before. It looked like uncertainty, maybe almost nervousness. The boy could scarcely remember how to breathe in this moment. He couldn't be sure he wasn't misinterpreting whatever was happening, but if Daniel could take a leap like this, he could take one of his own and be honest about one small thing he wanted desperately - to be close. Just to be close.

Joey leaned over a few inches, feeling the warmth of Daniel's body so very close to his cool, wet flesh, and finally came into contact. He couldn't hold back a sigh as he allowed himself to relax against his coach's side, his damp cheek pressing against Daniel's solid bicep. His large eyes were still cast upward to maintain eye contact, begging for all this to be okay. For it to last, even for just a few minutes.

 

[Knightmare27]

His eyes widened. He squeezed back. Was it the sign he had hoped for? Daniel began breathing harder.

As he leaned in, he could hear the swimmer's heartbeat. It told him what his lips were not yet ready to say. It was not the exercise that had quickened his pulse. He was feeling the same way he was feeling, and he was struggling to allow himself to show it openly. Come on, it is alright, he thought and looked into his eyes even more deeply, trying to telepathically project his words into him. Just allow it, be brave...

Joey was paralyzed with indecision, clearly wondering whether to return his love - and how. There was no going back now. The coach pulled him closer until his naked chest lightly touched his slightly wet and cold one. His other arm went around his back, almost as if pulling him into a kiss, but he did not do that yet. Just held him tightly, concentrating on his heart, pleading with him to follow what it was so clearly telling him to do.

It was a tiny movement, but the swimmer came closer at the same time. They stayed in this embrace, Joey's cheek resting on his arm. They sat there for an entire minute, their eyes saying what their lips did not dare. Then, following a sudden impulse, he gripped him even more tightly and kissed him on the mouth. Lips touched, and a fire flared up in his insides, taking over all his thoughts, making him bolder and bolder.

Even in his tight embrace, the young athlete still had this thoughtless quality to his movements. He had probably never kissed that passionately before, let alone a man - but he still moved as if he had been doing this forever. His muscles slid along under his naked skin, brushing against Daniel's rough fingertips as he concentrated on every bit of his smooth body. A happiness filled the coach, greater than any he had ever felt before.

 

[tamgreen]

The sustained, breathless eye contact between them was hypnotic. Joey had never experienced anything like this - the connection between them was as hot and palpable as the skin-to-skin contact. Joey had been preoccupied with his coach since day one, more so than he knew was appropriate. He'd been sure it was just a pathetic, childish obsession with the one adult in his life to give him positive attention amidst the inevitable dressing-downs, and he felt sure it would be the most embarrassing thing in the world if anyone found out how much he adored Daniel and wanted to be close to him.

He had to bite the inside of his cheek to make sure he was fully awake as Daniel pulled him close. How could this be happening, for real? But it was, and Joey wanted even more, wanted to be closer still. Was it allowed? Was it possible? If he leaned even closer, would the fantasy shatter? Joey had no idea how to correctly interpret a moment like this.

Coach saved him from his hesitation. Suddenly they were kissing, and Joey was melting, all of him melting. After the lecture he'd gotten for being late, Joey had been so sure Coach Daniel was just barely putting up with him - to know that his coach not only put up with him, but actually desired him would have knocked him off his feet if he hadn't already been held firmly against the big man's solid, warm body. So warm, everything warm. Daniel's mouth on his, their chests together, hearts hammering.

Joey wrapped his slender arms around the older man's strong neck and held on, feeling a flood of sweet relief that he could finally be this close with his coach, closer even than he'd dared to fantasize about. The longer the kiss lasted, the hungrier Joey felt. He hadn't been aware of the level of want and need inside him until Daniel made that first move. Joey didn't think anything could make him feel as alive and at home as the water did, but this man had at least as much power, and he wanted to dive in and swim in this feeling forever.

But nothing good could last, experience had taught young Joey - something would always go wrong, and it was always his fault. The moment he felt actually happy, he began to brace for the catch.

Panting hard, he broke the kiss, lowering his eyes, suddenly looking embarrassed. In his mind, an older man like Daniel had to be married or something. And certainly, considering their positions, this would be all sorts of not allowed. If there was trouble, Joey felt he had to be to blame somehow.

"Sorry," he whispered, unsure what he was apologizing for but feeling somehow that he had to say it.

 

[Knightmare27]

The swimmer broke away, clearly embarrassed by the whole situation. Daniel did not blame him. He was quite embarrassed, too. He patted Joey's hand. "No, you don't have to be sorry for anything." He really did not. Daniel's boldness had been rewarded. It was an awkward, blushing moment, but they both knew now. There was no need to speak anymore. They understood. And his dreams had been fulfilled in the most marvelous way possible.

He was almost glad when he could drop back into his coach persona. "Well, time to continue", he announced, perhaps a bit too cheerfully. He was happy. Happy that his love had been answered, but also happy that he could drop this moment now and return to something that felt familiar. Safe.

"Okay, back to work. As I said, we need to do something about the way you start. It is the one part of the race where, for some reason, you always overthink things. I do not know yet why, but there is nothing that can be overcome with some good old training, right?"

Now that he knew the young man loved him back, it was much easier to look at him. Not only because it was permitted now - he was no longer a creepy coach ogling an athlete, but a lover looking with pride at his beloved - but also because so much tension was gone. They could sort out the details later, but they were on the same page for now, and that felt good. Now the training could continue, without this distraction.

As Joey got up to walk to the starting blocks, Daniel had a good look at him. He had looked at him so many times, but it felt like the first time, somehow. Smooth, thin, covered in neither excess fat nor excess muscle. He was exactly as he was meant to be.

Daniel found himself getting a little bit impatient for the training to end. He had to double-check to see if that could really be what he was feeling. Yes, it was. Weird. Normally, he loved nothing more than to work hard on every aspect of his, or someone else's technique. It was what had made him a good athlete, and then a coach. Yet at the moment, he could not wait for this day to go by faster. They had so much to talk about...

Only a dope-slap from his inner coach brought him back into reality. And the reality was that if he kept acting like a love-struck fool, he could potentially ruin Joey's one chance at fame.

 

[tamgreen]

Unlike Daniel, Joey was not nearly as convinced they were on the same page. In fact, he was more confused than ever and had a hundred questions he wasn't sure he was allowed to ask. This resulted in him being even more distracted than ever. He chewed on his bottom lip as he walked on slightly shaky legs over to the starting blocks.

Like a nervous kid trying to get up the courage to try his first dive, Joey perched at the edge of the pool in an uncharacteristically tense posture. He glanced back over his shoulder at his coach, lips parted. He could still feel the warmth of Daniel lingering on them, and he now wondered if that would ever happen again. That kiss, that closeness. Already his mind was replaying it on repeat, and blood was rushing to his core, his snug jammers doing nothing to conceal it.

"I don't... I don't know how I can... not overthink right now," he admitted, his voice sounding especially small and timid in the large, cavernous space. "Not after.... What just happened?"

 

[Knightmare27]

Well, fuck. By giving in to his urges, he had turned their training session into...something. Something he had not been prepared for. No use swimming now. They had to clear this up. There was no denying that something had happened. He took him by the hand.

They sat down together on the bench again. For a few endless moments, he stared straight ahead, then he sighed deeply and looked at Joey. "I...I am not sure I should have done this. I am a coach. You are a swimmer. That is all. That should be all. I don't know why I did that. It felt right. And I believed it felt right to you too. But it was stupid of me. A coach is a coach..."

The words were bypassing his brain now. He did not really know what to say, especially now, looking directly at him.

 

[tamgreen]

A swimmer. That's all.

It was all Joey had wanted to be until a few minutes ago. Now, it didn't seem like enough. For Daniel to be a coach and nothing more to him was not enough. Not after that kiss. How could Daniel do that and just say it was stupid and try to pretend nothing had ever happened?

If there was anything stupid, it was the way Joey was reacting now. He couldn't even look Daniel in the eye, because his own were welling up. It was definitely stupid to feel so devastated about this.

"I don't want you to get into any trouble," he said in a small, unsteady voice. "So if you say it can't happen again, then I guess it can't. But you're not just a coach to me. You're a lot more. A lot. Does this ruin everything?"

 

[Knightmare27]

He had not expected Joey to be the more forward one in their relationship. If it was one at this point. Either way, hearing him say that he was a lot more was such a relief.

"No, no one is getting into any trouble. We are not doing anything wrong. This is so very right."

He kissed him on the lips again. "I am still your coach. I will work you harder than ever before now."

They were losing so much training time... but Joey was right. Daniel had been too quick in moving on. This needed more explanation. More time to settle in. Alright. They could take ten minutes off without destroying his chances at the Olympic Games.

He pulled him up and into a tight standing embrace, then he leaned over and whispered into his ear: "I have been meaning to do this for a very long time. To me, you have been more than a swimmer for such a long time... and I am so glad I finally did this. And that you did what you did. That we have both admitted it to each other."

 

[tamgreen]

Joey's mouth relaxed into a grateful smile, and several knots of tension inside him loosened. The bit of wetness still lingered around his eyes, but he didn't try to hide it now. The hug was almost better than the kisses - he loved the feeling of Daniel's big, broad, muscular body pulling him in, those thick arms surrounding him. He knew his coach did boxing, and he looked like he could beat the crap out of anyone who crossed him. It was both exhilarating and comforting being held in those powerful arms with affection.

Joey still wasn't sure what this would mean, but at least he knew now that there was something good and real and mutual between them that had been acknowledged and accepted. The young man himself felt acknowledged and accepted, but he had taken his coach's earlier dressing-down to heart in more ways than one - he would never be arrogant.

He squeezed Daniel a little harder as the man whispered to him. He shivered at the warmth and light tickle of breath in his ear.

"I'm glad too," he sighed in response. "Really glad. Thank you, Coach. I'll do anything you ask. I'll be as good as I can, and I'll do it for you."

 

[Knightmare27]

Daniel smiled and gave him an encouraging slap on the butt. "Very good, Joey. That is what I wanted to her. Now let's see you give everything."

He stood up and went back to the pool. Now they were ready to continue their training. Now he could easily watch him practice for a few hours, all coach and not a lover for the moment. There would be enough time to talk more afterwards. For now, they understood each other. Daniel and Joey, the lovers, would stand aside for now as Daniel and Joey, the swimmers, continued to prepare what he hoped would be the next great swimming sensation.

He got into position to watch him closely, but not correct him too much. The last thing he needed were even more corrections to think about when that was exactly his problem. He planned to just let him practice the movement over and over again until he stopped using his brain for it. It would be tedious, but he knew he would do it. He had never shied away from anything if it meant pleasing his coach. And his lover.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey felt much looser now, much more at ease, and even more alert, if it were possible. A deepening bond with his coach made him feel more connected to the man, more in tune. He was quicker on the pickup with each instruction, understanding more instinctively what his coach required of him and how to achieve it.

He practiced his starts over and over, bending nearly double each time he got into position, toes curled around the edge of the block and hands gripping it between his feet. His butt was in the air, his head close to his knees, giving himself optimal position for his centre of gravity and preparing himself for the quickest possible reaction time. He also knew Daniel was watching him every time, and he was much less self-conscious than he had been before. He hadn't even noticed he'd been self-conscious previously, but the way he felt now certainly highlighted it. Knowing Daniel was watching him, not just evaluating but possibly even enjoying looking at him, was exhilarating. And this time, it wasn't a distraction.

Daniel blew his whistle to signal his start, and Joey exploded off the block, throwing his arms forward into a streamlined position, aligning himself as perfectly straight as possible as he hit the water. He looped back and repeated his starts over and over and over, with Daniel carefully observing and tracking his times. Daniel had been right about overthinking - it had always been his enemy, and the repetition was sure to make everything more instinctive.

There were plenty of things he did want to think about, of course, but he was able to leave them on his mental backburner until he was allowed to take another break. By the time this came, he was starting to feel close to burning out. He'd been sure he had as healthy a breakfast as he could, trying to follow what his coach had drilled into him over and over about the importance of nutrition, but he only had so many groceries available at home, and now Joey wasn't sure he was eating enough. He was a small guy, but competitive swimming burned thousands of calories in a very short time.

By the time Daniel reached down again to help him out of the pool, he was obviously weakened.

 

[Knightmare27]

Perfect! The swimmer was simply perfect, as if a knot had opened in his mind, allowing him to move through the air with the same natural attitude he had in the water. The fish had become a bird, diving into the water with enviable elegance. It was a joy to watch - and not just because he loved watching his...well, let's face it...lover's smooth, fit body up close. This beauty was on a completely different level.

Again and again, he jumped. He had not been kidding when he had promised his coach to give everything. Here, too, something had been unlocked. Was that what he had been missing? Had he carried the same unsure feelings around with him, had they been weighing him down? Or was it just the wishful thinking of an old man with a new love? Quite probably. Still, there was no denying that he was incredibly dedicated.

Daniel looked at Joey with pride, mixed with a little bit of worry. It was too obvious that he had pushed his body to the limit.

Now, all that was left was the "small" matter of sorting out what might be a relationship. He was not so sure of it himself. As they were getting dressed, they finally had some time to talk. And they had a lot to talk about. "Well... we are a lot more now, I guess. I still can't quite believe it."

He really could not. But what now? He loved Joey, he really did, but it sounded stupid to blurt that out mere hours after first holding hands with him. A stupid teenager thing....present company excluded, of course.

It was late and Joey had to be tired and exhausted, and he wanted them to talk about this when they had both slept over it. "Tomorrow, how about you come in half an hour before the beginning? And be punctual this time", he added with a grin and gave him a loving slap on the butt. He had to admit that he himself could hardly wait that long, but it was the sensible thing to do. Joey, even more than him, would have a lot to sort out.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey grinned and blushed at the butt smack. He didn't want to leave his coach, and it would be hard to wait until they could be together again. He just wanted to follow after Daniel, but of course the man had to have a life outside of him.

It wouldn't be easy to fall asleep tonight knowing he'd have some special time set aside with his coach in the morning, very early, but he would have to make sure he got a good night's sleep somehow. It was important for his training.

"I'll be here," he promised. "I won't let you down. I don't ever want to let you down, coach."

He leaned against the older man, and not just with affection. His head was spinning.

"Coach... I'm so embarrassed to even ask. But do you have anything to eat? I don't think I have enough groceries at home."

 

[Knightmare27]

Here he was, desperately trying to get his mind to stop looking for excuses for taking Joey home. And now he was giving him one himself! Nothing wrong with feeding a starving young athlete, after all.

"Y...yes", Daniel said, caught slightly off-guard. "I can make you some dinner at my apartment, no problem."

The swimmer was unlikely to be very impressed with his cooking, but it would certainly be food. Or nutrition, at least. It looked like he would get to know him a bit sooner than he had expected.

They got into his car and he started driving the short way to his apartment. It was reasonably nice and very clean, but otherwise looked exactly like a single man lived there. A single man who lived at the swimming pool and, since recently, the boxing ring. "Please sit down while I look what I can make for us."

He considered his options for a moment, then began chopping onions. As bad a cook as he was, he was too much of a health nut to rely on prepared stuff. His body was not a temple (he hated that cliché), but he would be damned if he let it become a landfill.

 

[tamgreen]

Joey was surprised that he'd offered right away to take him to his place and cook for him. He'd been hoping Daniel might have a granola bar or a piece of fruit or something that could at least keep him alert for his bike ride home, but this was so much more, and he was touched. He certainly wasn't going to turn down this opportunity.

His heart was pounding all the way there. Even just being in his coach's car was exhilarating. He didn't think being at Daniel's place would be a possibility, but he was delighted to find that his coach lived alone in a nice apartment - worlds nicer than his own, in a much better neighbourhood.

"Can I help?" Joey asked as he watched the big, handsome man busy himself in the kitchen. "My mom never cooks, so I've been trying to teach myself. I don't have a lot to work with though. I'm trying to work part time as much as I can so I can get my own groceries, but my new jammers took a big chunk out of my budget. Mom thinks I'm a moron for spending money on swimming stuff. She doesn't realize...."

He sighed and shook his head, not having intended to vent like this.

 

[Knightmare27]

As soon as they were in the car, he realized that his love-struck brain had misunderstood a simple request for an apple as an invitation to take him home. Well, it was probably the best misunderstanding ever. And it was not as if Joey seemed to mind it much, either. He was clearly not quite thinking straight. Rather the opposite, in fact...

It was rare for him to open up like this about his home life. He was vaguely aware that there were problems with his mother, that she was probably the biggest obstacle in the way of his athletic progress. Until now, however, he had always thought about this like a coach. Now, the interest was much more personal. He was no longer only a swimmer with home problems.

"Sure, you can help. I am sure we can mess it up twice as quickly when we work together."

He put Joey to work cutting and cleaning various vegetables which he threw together into a pan. After he had cooked some rice and prepared a simple tomato salad, he set the table and ladled out rice and stew into two plates. "I realize now that you were probably just asking me for a snack back there...oops. But this is okay, too, right?"

He hoped he would agree. He was still feeling a little bad about practically abducting him, and he knew Joey was very much a good boy. One who did not necessarily complain if he disagreed with something.