Troy chuckled at the salivating look on Liam’s face. The pies were fantastic though, and Liam was obviously up for letting his diet disappear for the weekend.
They ate lunch with Derrick and his family. His two sons were up for the weekend, helping out and more than likely there to join in the drinking after the pub closed for the night. Both had their girlfriends in tow, and they all reminisced and laughed, talking about what they used to get up to years ago as kids. A couple of hours later, they were all full and on their third pint of the afternoon. Derrick left them to tend to the group of walkers which just arrived, leaving the six of them to continue with their afternoon’s drinking.
Before Troy could let himself relax fully, he needed to get one thing out of the way. The tent. “Liam, we have to get the tents up before we get drunk. Remember the last time we did this and we ended up crashing on top of the tents because we were too drunk to set them up?”
“Not really.” Liam laughed. “I remember the cold you had for two weeks afterwards though.”
Troy folded his arms across his chest, glaring at Liam. Like most things in life, Liam got away with nothing that night and Troy caught the flu. It knocked him out for a good month and he wasn’t about to relive that wonderful experience any time soon. “Get the hell up and get outside, wanker. I'm not sleeping in the night air again. No matter how nice it feels now, knowing my luck, it’ll piss it down during the night like last time.”
“I was fine and I was right there with you.”
“Yeah, so?”
Liam pulled his heavy legs from the chair in front of him and stood. “Come on then. I hate fucking about with these tents.”
“Once they’re up, it’s fine.”
“No, then you have to take it back down again, and that’s even worse ‘cos you have to fit everything back in its place. Takes longer.”
Troy gave him a nudge, speeding him up as they left the pub. After unpacking the equipment from the saddle bags on their bikes, and finding a place not too far away from the pub to set them up, they joked about putting Troy’s tent up. He insisted it be his first because Liam had a short attention span and Troy knew after doing one he’d want a break—a break which would lead him back in the bar and more beer down his neck. Troy didn’t care. Let him sleep outside, Troy was going to be in his sleeping bag, dry and warm.
As predicated, as soon as the one man tent was up was up, and with lots of jokes from Liam about his fantastic erection skills and Troy trying not to laugh too much, Liam strode back into the pub, Troy happily following him.
The afternoon turned into the evening, another meal was brought out and they sobered up a bit, but not for long because then the locals were filling up the place. By locals, Troy meant the local village a few miles away. This pub was legendary for it lock-ins, and tonight, with Troy and Liam being there, Derrick had spread the word about the late opening. There was a good crowd in and the music became louder, everyone drinking and joking. It was around three in the morning when Derrick said no more. He wasn’t as young as he used to be, and his sons were passed out somewhere, so it was bed time. A few of the locals wouldn’t make the walk back down so Derrick just let them flake out on the chairs by the fire.
It was when they stumbled outside Troy started to howl with laughter. It was raining, and a warm summer breeze was carrying the welcome raindrops over their hot bodies. “You're going to get wet, matey.” Troy grinned as they reached his tent.
“I’ll be fine,” Liam slurred out, already dropping to the grass with a thump. “I’ll be asleep in no time.” His lids were already dropping, and Troy gave a shrug before he pulled down the zipper on the small one man tent and crawled into it.
He soon realised he should have stripped off outside because there was no room to stand, but somehow he managed to kick off his boots and jeans and laid on top of his sleeping bag, a thin layer of sweat already forming on his body. He pulled back the entrance and let the breeze brush over him.
He must have drifted off, and when his eyes next opened, it was because his foot was soaking. He leaned up, looking down his body, seeing his feet hanging out of the entrance, the rain now falling hard and fast and the temperature had dropped. Liam could sleep through anything after a drink, but surely not this? Troy kneeled up, sticking his head out of the tent and shaking Liam up. “Get inside, dickhead.”
Liam rolled onto his side and glared at Troy, but then the realisation he was getting wet, and fast, made him speed up and Troy found himself pushed backwards as Liam struggled through the opening and took his space.
“Get the fuck off my spot, Liam. You're all wet. Take your clothes off.”
With much swearing and kicking, Liam had his boots and jeans off, leaving him in his shorts and t-shirt. Troy pulled out the spare bag and threw it at him.
“Told you to put up yours. I knew this would happen.”
“You sound like an old woman bitching. Shut up and lay down. I’ve got a headache.”
Troy slumped back. It was still hot despite the rain and he laid next to Liam, both of them soon falling asleep.
Troy was still half asleep when he became aware of the thunder in the distance, or at least he thought it was thunder. He laid still, waiting, then he growled and spun over to Liam who was snoring loudly beside him. “Liam!” Troy poked him hard in the ribs. “Turn over. You're deafening me.”
Liam snorted awake, turning on his side and throwing an arm over Troy, instantly falling back asleep. Troy huffed, shuffling about, trying to worm his way backwards, but really there wasn’t much room to begin with, so he just gave up and laid there. The bright flash of lightening and actual thunder rolling above them made Troy stiffen. So it wasn’t just Liam snoring after all.
He fell asleep wondering if the poles they’d used were metal or plastic, imagining the tent going up in flames after being struck by lightning and Liam’s warmth lulling him into happier place. But then sleeping with Liam always comforted him; it had since they were teenagers. He found his head resting on the plump muscle of his chest, his scent and tighter hold cradling Troy as he drifted off.
Morning, or possibly afternoon, came quickly, and Troy felt Liam playing with his hair before he opened his eyes. Liam always did wake before him, but generally never moved while Troy was still asleep. He yawned, stretching out his legs, his body still pressed up against Liam’s side as he lay on his back, Liam’s brown eyes meeting his and a goofy grin on his face.
“You’ve been making me laugh.”
“What?” Troy rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“You’ve been talking in your sleep.”
“I have?” Troy didn’t do that. Liam had to be pissing about. “I have not.”
“Oh, no, you have. You were all mad at someone. You had a real slagging match.”
“Who was I talking to?”
“I dunno, but he peed you off.” Liam flicked his nose, changing the subject when he saw how wide Troy’s eyes became. “Thanks for sharing your tent.”
“Yeah, well, I'm not a total bastard. I wouldn’t wish the flu on anyone. Not even you.”
“Aww, fanks.”
Troy turned away, his back now to Liam as he woke up and thought about his sleep talking. He had things on his mind, and it could’ve been his dad who he was shouting at.
“Troy…” Liam was right there behind him again, large hand holding his shoulder as he scooted closer. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
Liam slapped his back and Troy smiled.
“Tell me about the guy you met.”
“No.” Liam sighed heavily.
“Why?”
He fell silent and Troy looked over his shoulder, watching as Liam thought hard about something.
“What’s up with him? He got a hump or something?” Troy elbowed him in the ribs, but Liam just looked down at him, blank expression on his face and nothing in his body language to give him away. “Liam… Oh, fine. It’s okay. Don’t tell me about him.”
“Why are you worried about him and me?”
Troy opened his mouth, then paused. “I'm not worried. Why would you think that?”
“It’s just…” Liam fell back on the sleeping bag and looked up at the roof of the tent. “It seems to be on your mind, that’s all.”
“It’s not on my mind. I'm just curious about him.” Troy spun around, facing him again. “It’s no big deal.”
Liam slid his eyes to him, lifting a brow, lazy smile curling on his lips. “Right.” There was a long pause where Troy became even more confused and Liam smiled even more. “Look, let’s just say unconscious you're a lot more honest.”
Troy’s eyes opened wider, his lips parting in shock, then he threw a punch at Liam's arm. “What the fuck did I say?”
“Not much, just a mixture of random shit. You got upset.” Liam turned on his side, holding Troy's hip in his warm hold. “If I ever meet anyone who I want more from, that doesn’t mean I'm going to forget about you or leave you out, T.”
“I know that.” Troy shrugged off his touch and slipped further backwards. “I don’t know why you think I’d be worried.”