EIGHT REMARKABLE

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c. august 1994

"What is it with you and pictures?" Jeremiah asked with a gentle laugh as the boy with him began to set up his camera. He was always taking photos of Jeremiah and the boy was beginning to think he had an obsession, but he wasn't complaining. "What am I even supposed to do?"

Sam just laughed, "Just act natural. You'll look perfect no matter what."

"You're just saying that," Jeremiah scoffed as the boy pressed a button before leaning up against the tree they were near. Without thinking, the blond boy laid down with his head in Sam's lap, a giddy smile on his face as the boy above him looked down at him with a twinkle in his eye. Jeremiah knew this was dangerous; to feel this much so soon, but there was something about Sam that was irresistible. He heard the camera go off, but that was the furthest thing from his mind as he reached up and gently pressed a hand against Sam's face, cupping his cheek. He had never felt like this before, he didn't even know how to begin to understand the feelings Sam had let loose in him.

"What?" Sam asked, a coy smile playing at his face as their eyes met. The world around them had melted away and it was just the two of them laying against a tree, not a care in the world.

Jeremiah shrugged, not knowing what to say that could possibly capture the thoughts constantly tearing through his mind as he tried to place what Sam made him feel. "I just like looking at you."

"Sap," the boy teased, but it was clear by the softness in his voice that there was no meaning behind it. "I like looking at you, too."

"Sap," Jeremiah mocked, scrunching up his nose at the boy as he sat up, leaning his head on Sam's shoulder as they both leaned against the tree. The dark-skinned boy reached forward to take another photo. He had never been camera shy, but for some reason when Sam was the one taking pictures of him, he felt the overwhelming need to bury himself in the boy's shoulder. His fingers gripped onto the dark skin, slipping under his t-shirt leave as his cold fingertips met warm skin beneath them. Without hesitation, Sam leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Jeremiah's head. His heart began to beat faster with this act and Jeremiah lifted his hand from Sam's shoulder to grab Sam's hand, pressing the fingers against the center of his chest. Sam smiled.

He lifted his head so his eyes met Sam's, saying, "This is what you do to me."

Sam didn't say much as he took Jeremiah's hand and pressed it against the same spot on his chest, responding with, "You do the same. I don't ever want it to stop."

"I don't want it to stop either," the blond shook his head, a smile teasing the corners of his lips as he leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Sam's lips. The boy kissed him back eagerly and once again, it was just the two of them in their own world separate from space and time. Jeremiah could live like this forever and knowing that was terrifying. He would let himself drown in Sam and he wouldn't even bother gasping for air.

"My heart is yours, you know that," Sam whispered into his lips as the two rested their foreheads against each other, his hand cupping Jeremiah's cheek ever-so-softly. He couldn't believe this was real, it still felt like a dream. He reached up a hand to cover Sam's, feeling the warmth seep into his palm from the touch. It was real, so real.

"And mine is yours," was Jeremiah's response and he ached to kiss him again -- so he did. And again, and again. After a while, he remarked, "I think we're going to be late."

Sam laughed as he checked his watch, nodding, "I mean, I don't think Airheads is gonna be a cinematic masterpiece, I'm sure we could attend a later showing."

"As much as I would love that," Jeremiah indulged, standing up and pulling Sam with him, "My mom wants me home for dinner so it's now or never."

"Never he says as if it wouldn't be playing tomorrow," Sam shakes his head but follows his boy regardless. Their hands disconnect as they leave the cover of their tree, a swift movement they were already used to, but that never stopped them from walking side by side as close as they could. They would soon have the darkness of the movie theater to rescue them and allow their small touches and gentle affections, it was just a few minutes walk.

Jeremiah was content to spend as many days with Sam as possible, now that it was summer they were seeing each other almost every day. Still, the summer would come to an end soon and life would pick back up with their junior year, but Jeremiah knew he wouldn't abandon Sam no matter how busy he got.

"Hey, you gotta come to my practices once school starts up again," Jeremiah spoke up, nudging the boy gently with his shoulder, "Have you considered joining the team? I'm sure you'd be great, you're buffer than me and I do pretty all right."

"You're more than all right," Sam shook his head with a teasing smile, "I'll be at every practice, no doubt. I don't think I'll join, though, not my thing. I like watching you play, though. You're good, like, really good."

Jeremiah shook his head, his eyes glued to the ground as they walked as his cheeks burned pink, "Nah, I'm decent, but I wouldn't say really good."

"Well, if you say so, but I don't agree," the boy laughed, "but you've got two years to start seeing you for how you really are."

"Which is?"

Sam smiled as their eyes met, bumping their shoulders together as they walked like it was the most normal thing in the world. Something about the way Sam looked at him never failed to take Jeremiah's breath away. His gaze was mesmerizing and every time their eyes met, it tugged directly at his heart and Jeremiah was more than happy to follow blindly. It was taking everything in him not to grab the boy and kiss him senseless every time he looked at him like that.

There was a coy grin playing at his face, his eyes drifting up and down Jeremiah's form in a way that made him feel exposed, but when their eyes met again, all Sam had to say was, "Remarkable."