AN: Hi! *waves* Thanks for reading! :D I hope you're enjoying the story so far.

So, the reason for this authors note is that I am seeking some ideas for this story. Anything that you can think of or would like to read would be really helpful. At the moment I have the first 4 chapters done and I have a few ideas for the rest but nothing substantial. Please help!

Also, total black beauty moment in the photo above. I immediately imagined Travis on its back galloping through the waves with his white shirt flowing in the wind. Lol as if...>>

Okay, on to the chapter!

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It took Travis almost an hour to remember the excursion. Something about riding horses along the beach. It was his mom's idea and he basically wanted to disown her for it because everyone had gone for it and now he was going to spend the day hung over with the sun beating down on his head, water spraying at his face and a smelly animal between his legs.

When Travis stumbled into the room in the morning, Jared wasn't there to remind him, hence the hour it took for Travis to remember. He stumbled out of bed and into clean clothes before running down the stairs to the hotel lobby. He arrived, panting and disheveled—four star or not, those elevators were still shady—and grinned as casually as he could at the group of tourists waiting for the bus.

"You forgot, didn't you?" his mother asked with a knowing smile.

"Never!" he said, and then dropping the façade, "Do you have any Tylenol?"

She snorted and then sorted through her purse until she found some. Taking it, he glanced over at Jared.

The brunette was talking to his dad. It looked casual but Travis could tell by the tilt of his body, the way that he kept his back ever so slightly facing Travis that he was ignoring him. It sent a thrill of annoyance skittering through him. He couldn't be put back into the ignore zone, not now. They were going to be stuck together for the rest of the week.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of Jared—maybe a little too close—forcing the other boy to look up at him.

His eyes looked really round from this angle, which was a little disconcerting but puppy-dog-eyes or not, Travis was on a mission.

"Let's pretend that nothing happened," he said.

Not what he had been planning to say—but as he hadn't planned anything at all, he couldn't complain. At least he'd spoken English.

Jared's cheeks turned red instantly.

"Nothing did happened!" Jared said a little too loudly.

He shot his dad a look and grabbed Travis by the wrist, dragging him away from the others.

"What is wrong with you?" he hissed. "Now everyone's gonna think we..."

He fell silent.

Travis bit his lip.

"Well your reaction isn't helping."

Jared grimaced.

"Look, can we just be normal for the rest of the week?" Travis asked.

Jared fixed his gaze on the floor.

"I don't know if I can be," he finally said.

"It's easy," Travis insisted. "All you have to do is forget everything."

Jared snorted and looked up at him squarely for the first time, Travis realized, since they'd been on the balcony.

The green of his eyes shot the memory into Travis, a thrill running through his veins and into his cock but Jared didn't seem to be having that same problem because a smile tugged at the corner of his lips and he shrugged.

"Fine, I'll try."

He turned and walked back to the group as the bus arrived and Travis was left watching him go, his stomach twisting into knots.

***

Travis didn't get why they had to drive for an hour to go to the beach to ride horses when their hotel was on the beach.

And for the whole ride Jared was basically oblivious to Travis. The hostility was gone though and he seemed more relaxed. Apparently talking had eased the tension out of the boy, unfortunately for Travis it seemed to have had the opposite effect on him.

He'd wanted to get Jared to forget about everything, but bringing it up got Travis remembering.

He could see the back of Jared's head from where he was sitting, could see the way the sun caught soft streaks of blond in his hair and lit them up and he remembered how soft it felt last night, tickling his nose.

Travis pulled his gaze away and covered his face with his towel, attempting to catch a bit of rest before they arrived.

As they reached their destination, the horses were already ready to go. Everyone picked out their rides with enthusiasm but Travis could care less. He walked up to the horse, their excursion lead directed him to, bumping shoulders with someone.

Jared flushed when their eyes met and looked away.

"Sorry," he said lightly and moved to another horse but it was too late.

Jared's eyes. That vibrant green...

For the next two hours, every time Travis glimpsed Jared's eyes he got hard which on a horse, it turned out, was really uncomfortable. Not to mention the fact that Travis had never gotten a hard on from looking at any part of a guy before and now just those big green eyes were doing it for him.

Finally, wet and sore, Travis climbed from the back of the horse.

"Wasn't that amazing?"

He rolled his eyes at the conversations around him.

Lunch was served on the beach, fresh fish and pineapple rice but Travis couldn't even stomach the thought of it. Instead, he nursed a drink in the shade, trying to pull himself together.

"I think I have sun stroke," he muttered.

"Or you're hung over."

Travis looked up, just realizing that Jared had followed him just as his friend pressed a palm to his forehead.

"You feel hot," he said and then smiled. "But it's like thirty degrees so I don't think that means anything."

He was acting surprisingly normal. Travis hadn't expected such a quick turnaround but of course that wasn't what he found the most surprising.

"So you don't have a problem with touching me?"

Jared reddened at once.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Before Travis could think of an answer the tour guide called everyone's attention to read their names as they got back onto the bus. Jared separated as a line formed, not so casually leaving Travis where he stood at the back and sliding ahead of a couple in the front.

Normally Travis wouldn't care, but today, which was probably the worst morning after ever, watching Jared's retreating back left him on edge.

"You alright?" Margaret asked gently.

Travis nodded, but the blood rushing through his ears proved otherwise. He walked onto the freezing bus in a haze, barely noticing the AC turned up in all its glory. Jared was sitting in a window seat, the fat British guy in the seat next to him.

"Can I sit there?" he asked.

The man didn't seem to mind, but Jared stiffened and didn't relax even after the bus began to move.

It was quieter leaving then coming. Everyone was tired and the sun was beginning to set at its usual, early hour. It was almost dark when Travis finally turned to Jared.

"So, you gonna stop talking to me once we're back home?" he asked quietly.

Jared glanced at him briefly but didn't answer.

"It's not gonna work you know. We're neighbors and our parents love each other."

Still no answer.

"And we have two classes together," he added for good measure.

Jared sighed.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Because I don't get you," Travis snapped.

His jaw dropping, Jared finally turned to look at him.

"You don't get me?!"

He laughed.

"You know what, why don't you just take your own advice and forget about everything?"

"I can't forget when nothing even happened."

Jared opened his mouth to retort and then frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing happened... and it could have," Travis realized.

Was that what was bothering him? Was he that sexed up that he was hung up on every lost chance for some action? Even if it was with Jared?

Jared was staring at him.

"When people are into something... don't they usually get involved?" Travis asked.

The obvious answer was yes, but Jared just frowned some more.

"You could have touched me at least a little, but you didn't."

Jared's eyes narrowed further.

"Is that what this is?" he asked slowly. "Is your ego bruised?"

He arched a brow and Travis wanted to hit him. Instead, he grabbed Jared's hand.

Surprised, Jared tried to pull it away at once but Travis just tightened his grip until finally the little tug of war ended.

For a moment Travis didn't know what to do with it and then all at once it seemed obvious. He rested their joined hands on his thigh relishing the weight and then slid them purposefully onto his package.

Shocked, Jared tried to yank his hand away but Travis just pressed it down harder to keep him there. The short struggle made his cock twitch and Jared went still the second he felt it against the back of his hand.

Jared looked at Travis like he was some wild animal on the verge of attack as he slid open his shorts. He was breathing deep, quick breaths and Travis found himself transfixed by the sight of him watching, yet again. If only he could see his eyes better. He resisted the urge to reach up and flick on the reading light before sliding their hands, together, into his boxers.

Jared was shaking. Not just his hand, but everything, even his breath was trembling as Travis guided his hand around him.

"Don't worry," he whispered. He leaned in close, pressing his lips just under Jared's ear comfortingly. "I can keep quiet."

Jared took a sharp breath and bit his lip at once at the noise.

He looked genuinely frightened, which didn't make much sense as Travis was the one in the most danger of making noise.

Jared's hand in his own, he squeezed, forcing his friends fingers tight around his cock. He could feel the blood rushing from the rest of his body, making him swell into the tight grip. Soon it felt too tight and he eased his grip. It took Jared a moment longer to do the same but when he did, he began to slide those soft fingers along his length, massaging and teasing him gently to his full length.

Little tremors were running through Travis' body now.

He pulled his hand gently away, leaving the job to Jared who just looked at him before continuing. He was biting his lips hard and Travis had the sudden urge to occupy them with something else. Only as he leaned in did he realize how strange that would be. Kissing Jared.

He shut his eyes. He didn't want to think about this being Jared. He didn't want to think at all, just feel the strong grip pulling at his erection, squeezing harder as it went, never quickening the speed in case someone heard the sound of fabric rubbing or skin slapping.

He pressed his face hard into his friend's shoulder, attempting to muffle his gasped breaths. It was getting harder now, to keep quiet. A soft moan escaped him and he bit down on Jared's shoulder hard to stop another.

Jared gasped. The noise was right in his ear and unable to hold back any more, Travis jerked into his friend's hand. His entire body strained against it, twisting against Jared until everything drained out of him and trembling, he slumped back down in his seat.

Jared, his hands slick from Travis' come continued to massage him until the tremors stopped racking his body. Finally, Travis became aware of the cold air blasting him from the AC. He had one hand clasped incredibly tightly in the band of Jared's shorts, the other rubbing large invasive circles hard over his stomach, his hips.

He forced is hands to stop, pulling them back into his lap and finally Jared pulled his hand out of his underwear.

Travis nonchalantly handed his friend a towel and reclined his chair sleepily. Sleeping always beat thinking in his opinion. There was silence for a while which was more than Travis expected but then Jared spoke, almost more like he was speaking to himself.

"I don't get it," he whispered softly. "It's like you're trying to punish me or something."

Travis didn't know how to respond to that. 'Punish' seemed like a strong word but he didn't have any better explanation for what had just happened so he shut his eyes and let Jared think what he wanted.

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AN: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote if you're enjoying the story so far!