The Maple Effect

by Madeleine Cull

  “I’m not sucking your dick to an Usher song.” He grit his teeth as Aaron’s hand curled under his chin. “Never.”

  Aaron—the absolute bastard—dared to laugh at him. And then, even worse, he started to sing along to the chorus. Mocking him.

  “Oh, no,” June threatened. “You don’t want my teeth anywhere near you right now.”

  Aaron slid his free hand down the length of his stomach, middle finger, and first finger separating down the sides of his cock. He tilted it down, closing the distance between its tip and June’s stubborn, closed lips.

  “Come on,” Aaron whispered, and how dare he sound so sultry. “Nice and slow...”

  Inevitably, June’s hand replaced Aaron’s, and he opened his mouth to take him in one careful inch at a time. Didn’t stop until he felt the pressure against his tonsils and had to fight not to gag. When he slid back, he hollowed out his cheeks and sucked hard. Swirled his tongue against the sensitive head and gave it a few generous pumps. This was the first time he’d ever done this, but judging by the way Aaron’s chest rose and fell and his fists strained white against the tile, he’d say he was doing a decent job.

  That or (more realistically) Aaron had nothing to compare it to.

  Either way, June closed his eyes and focused on the feeling. The rhythm and the position of his hands. The bob of his head. The musky taste of skin. Everything. He felt his pleasure rising as Aaron’s hands grew more curious and confident. Loved the way his nails raked against June’s scalp once before gripping tighter. Loved the way Aaron’s vocabulary turned from polite to a filthy string of curse words. Loved the way he fought the urge to fuck him in the mouth until June pulled back and ran his tongue flat against every throbbing inch of him.

  “I’m—”

  “Yeah.” June sucked in a desperate breath, chest heaving. Blood pulsing. He felt like an absolute animal as he clawed the backs of Aaron’s thigh. “Do it.”

  It took a mere four more seconds for Aaron to curl over on himself and let out a desperate cry. June held himself there. Eyes squeezed shut and more aware now than he’d been ever before. He could feel the tiny pulsing of Aaron’s orgasm as it came in several quick shots against his tongue. Felt the weight of cum in his cheeks before he decided what to do with it.

  He pulled off Aaron in one smooth, sloppy movement. Half spitting and half swallowing and very thankful they were in a shower because this would otherwise be very messy. Aaron leaned down, using June’s shoulders to brace himself until he could speak.

  “Holy…shit.”

  June turned his head to the spray of the shower and let it rinse his mouth out. He coughed once, and then cleared his throat, triumphant.

  “You good?”

  Aaron nodded and laughed, half slumped against the tile and barely standing. “I should have done you first. I-I can’t feel my legs.”

  June shook his head, fighting a grin. It would take him maybe two minutes of jerking off to reach his orgasm, and the water was getting cold anyway.

  “You can repay me later.” He used the wall and the edge of the tub to hoist himself up. His legs were numb from kneeling, so he stumbled slightly. Right against Aaron’s chest. It was a wonder how they didn’t completely topple over.

  “Okay,” Aaron agreed, righting them both. His hand rubbed the length of June’s bicep lovingly. “Next time not in the shower.”

  June scoffed. “Next time not to a fucking Usher song.”

  True to his word, Aaron repaid the favor to June the next morning. Slow hands and lips covering his tanned body until he writhed back and forth in the sheets. June, having still been in a sleepy haze, moaned and croaked small, throaty noises of pleasure. Never quite saying real words but making it very clear where it felt good. His hands tugged hard at Aaron’s wild bedhead as he teased him. Explored the length of his body and experimented with different rhythms. Aaron was playful but tenacious. Taking the time to make mental notes of what worked and what didn't. Doing his best to match June’s level of skill from last night.

  He discovered the insides of June’s thighs were especially sensitive and was just brash enough to leave twin hickies there. He discovered June was rather quiet when overwhelmed, and couldn’t speak even though Aaron kept asking him what he wanted. He discovered, perhaps the most exciting part of the whole experience, that when June was thoroughly done and gone, he would decide he wanted to curl up and cuddle until the sun completely rose. That he was willing to stay in bed together a little longer. That he was happy and unafraid.

  Aaron wasn’t sure if the wounds between then were completely healed, or if they ever would be, but he knew the bleeding had stopped. And what he felt he could keep to himself about June’s cancer, he found was now easily replaced by a significant amount of relief. There was something new and exciting about the way June opened up and let him in; like a budding poppy billowing outward. Red and furious and brilliant all the same. It was soothing and invigorating. The sun breaking over the mountains at dawn.

  Of course, there was still uncertainty. Like in all new relationships, Aaron worried they would screw up again. He worried June would get bored of him or come full circle and try to push him away. He worried time would grow heavy on their shoulders and fear of the inevitable would pressure them in ways he didn’t even understand. He worried that eventually, they would have to go up in flames for the sake of burning out.

  Aaron worried; and as he did, he pulled June in closer, nuzzled the back of his neck and breathed in the smell of him. It was generic bar soap and whatever cheap shampoo he’d bought for the master shower. Also underlying hints of summer. The lake, the earth, the pines. All the things that had once been foreign to Aaron, but now felt like home. When he closed his eyes and thought back to Portland, he could hardly remember the chilly air or the dreary skies.

  Deep down, wedged between Aaron’s subconscious and the awful, crippling fear of the dark, was the understanding that June was a temporary fix, and all the wonderful things about him would have to come to an end. When August turned to September, Aaron would have to return to his old home. He’d have to learn how to pick up where he left off, and hope that one way or another he would be okay.

  June must have felt the shift in Aaron’s mood as he lay there tampering with dangerous thoughts because he turned over and faced him with a knowing look. Placed his hand on his face and bopped their foreheads together gently.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Aaron smiled because it was easy to ignore dread when June was touching him. “Can’t say.”

  June thumbed the hairs of his eyebrows back gently, tracing their shape and then a line down his temple. “Can’t say because it will make me mad, or can’t say because there’s nothing but elevator music in there?”

  “It’ll make you mad,” Aaron clarified, still smiling despite himself. “I promised I wouldn’t bring it up.”

  June stiffened slightly, brow furrowing. “Yeah, you did. So, don’t.”

  “Sorry.” Aaron kissed him on the forehead, making a point to change the subject. “What do you want to do today?”

  June hummed, considering it for a long moment. His hand fell and made lazy circles around Aaron’s collarbone. Soft enough to bring goosebumps to the surface of his skin. Aaron was content to stay like this all day, with maybe the exception of getting up to pee or eat, but he knew June well enough to know that wouldn’t fly. He got antsy and bored too easily.

  “Can we go get haircuts?”

  Aaron wasn’t sure what he expected, but that certainly wasn’t it. He pulled back and blinked at June a few times; noted his inky hair had gotten rather long since they’d met at the beginning of summer. It wasn’t bad though, just long enough to curl around his ears and the nape of his neck. Aaron liked the way it framed June’s face; especially when he was fresh out of the shower and slicked it back.

  “Why do you want to do that?” he mused. “I like your hair.”

  “It makes me look twice as emo when
it's long.” He blew back a few strands that fell over his forehead. “And you just need help.”

  Aaron frowned, pushing a hand through his own messy hair. It was always like this—long on top and short in the back. Sure, it was a bird’s nest from time to time, but Aaron had been told the tousled look was a good one on him. He pulled at the longest parts of it and then shook it out.

  Maybe June was right; considering he hadn’t touched gel or hairspray since he’d gotten here. It was hard to defend a hairstyle like his when he wasn’t putting effort into doing it. Plus, the season was getting hotter and hotter all the time. He could use some thinning out, if nothing else, for the sake of staying cool.

  “I guess,” Aaron allowed.

  “Time to get rid of those frosted tips,” June teased.

  “Oh, my God.” Aaron rolled his eyes. “I had frosted tips over a year ago! They’re grown out and barely noticeable.”

  “It’s 2004, Aaron, time to move on.”

  “Whatever.” He grinned. “We’ll go get haircuts.”

  Angie and Charlie showed up unexpectedly as June and Aaron stepped out into the carport to leave. They were blaring a loud, cheerful radio station with sunglasses on their freckled faces. Charlie was smiling today, looking friendlier and more relaxed than normal, and Angie was her typical ray of sunshine. Toothy grin, glossy lips and bag of beach towels thrown over her shoulder.

  “Where you going?!” She slammed her truck door hard behind her. “We ditched work! Let’s go to the lake!”

  June squinted at them, eyebrow quirked and arms crossed as he leaned against the side of Aaron’s car. It was evident he still had a bone to pick with her for the whole sexy R&B playlist.

  “We’re going into town,” he said curtly. “You know the lake is too crowded at this time of day.”

  It was true. Every time they’d gone down to the lake in the past, they’d left much earlier in order to secure a decent spot along the shore. When families started showing up, it got hectic. June said he didn’t like having to behave himself in the eyes of children or their judgmental mothers. Not to mention, having a bad spot on the lake was bound to end in more sunburn. Aaron shuddered at the very thought.

  “Well…” Angie lifted the sunglasses from her face and peered at them. “I thought maybe we could go to Manzanita Lake instead.”

  June hummed; interest piqued. His eyes widened a fraction, and he turned to look at Aaron with mild excitement.

  “You’ve never been there.” It wasn’t a question.

  Aaron shrugged and shook his head. He’d never even heard of the place, never seen signs for it along the highway either. June spent so much time raving about Bass Lake and how amazing it was, he’d never realized there were more lakes around here.

  “No?”

  “It’s nicer than Bass Lake, in my opinion,” Charlie, who had stepped out of Angie’s truck and approached the three of them commented. “Not as crowded, and a lot cooler.”

  “The water is kind of cold, but it’s beautiful,” Angie agreed. “It’s good for fishing too.”

  “Arco might never forgive me if he found out I went fishing.” Aaron looked at June, who was amused.

  “Forget fishing. The ladybugs, Angie. The ladybugs!” There was suddenly something beautiful and childlike in his blue eyes. Wanderlust and innocence shining bright and electric. He turned and grabbed Aaron by the wrist. “We can go get haircuts tomorrow. I want you to see the ladybugs!”

  Aaron thought it was charming and…quite frankly adorable, that something as simple as ladybugs could make a guy like June bounce on his toes in excitement. His heart felt like it was melting.

  “Alright, sure.” Aaron smiled sweetly. He’d been iffy about haircuts anyway.

  “To the lake!” Angie cheered, turning and marching back toward her truck. “I’ll drive, you guys can get in the back!”

  “Ang, we gotta change.” June scoffed.

  “Oh, right…wanna meet us there?”

  “Sure.”

  Manzanita Lake was merely a puddle compared to the size of Bass Lake. But it was surrounded by luscious overgrown forest that began and ended from each side, and there was more shade than anyone could hope for. Thick, springy grass and reeds fell away into deep water. In some areas, it was much less murky than Bass Lake, and when you stood, looking down, you could see hundreds of fry scattering around your feet. The water was cold, due to mountain runoff, but its bite reminded Aaron of the Pacific, and for that alone it was incredible.

  He’d almost asked June why he’d never brought him here before, given the sanctity of it all. Then decided June always had a reason for things, and asking didn’t change the fact that he was here now. It might have to do with his memories or the convenience of the ice cream shop nearby at Bass, but it wasn’t worth worrying over.

  From where they had parked their car and walked down to the shore, it was another quarter mile of swimming toward an alcove that separated the four of them from the eyes of anyone else driving by. They crossed the distance slowly, stopping to wade water and grapple with each other just for the sake of it. Charlie was exponentially slower at swimming than the rest of them, so a lot of time revolved around making sure his curly head stayed afloat. Surprisingly, Angie teased him about it more than June did, and Aaron was hopeful they were finally getting along.

  Tucked away in the alcove was an area of shallow, clear water where they could stand up to their waists in if they wanted to. The bottom was not muddy or thick with clay, but rather full of large, smooth river stones. And as they got closer to the bank, they turned into boulders piling up together, separating the overgrown trees just beyond them. Wind whistled a hollow sound in the distance, but other than that it was silent.

  Aaron stopped and stared in awe, taking in the way sunshine filtered through the shimmery leaves and cast dappled light across the water. Everything sparkled and glowed, and the smell of honeysuckle was strong. It was stunning, but perhaps the most incredible part was the fact that covering huge portions of the boulders were indeed, thousands of ladybugs. Bright red and orange, speckled with black, moving in slow, careful masses. While everything else was muted in greens, yellows, and blue tones, they stood out like a sore thumb even from a distance. Aaron gaped.

  “I told you!” June flung his arms around Aaron’s neck from behind and leaned on him heavily. “Isn’t it crazy?”

  It was crazy. And a little bit frightening too. Aaron didn’t mind bugs for the most part, but he’d never seen so many of them in one place before. He wished he’d been able to take his camera so he’d have some proof this place existed. Surely, the story he would tell of it wouldn’t do it any justice. He turned and looked at June, still stunned.

  “Umm, yeah.”

  “Come on, let’s go cover our arms with them,” June suggested and leaped away from him.

  “W-What? June!” Aaron had no choice but to follow. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear his mother telling him this was a bad idea. That even ladybugs could carry disease or…or lay eggs under his skin or something absurd. The thought of disobeying her, in a way, made him more eager. June’s smile was contagious, and if he wanted to get infested with ladybugs then so be it. Aaron would play along.

  He found his feet beneath him and pushed up to wade forward, only to be caught by the loophole of his swim trunks and tugged backward. He nearly fell on Angie.

  “Hey!” she hissed.

  He bent to rub at his stubbed toe. Grit his teeth in pain. “What?”

  “I know June finally told you the truth,” she said matter-of-factly, her chocolate brown eyes wide with curiosity. “A-Are you okay?”

  Aaron hadn’t thought much about the history of June’s cancer. At least, not anymore about it than he’d been told. He hadn’t considered the fact that Angie, his best friend, would have been there through the worst of it with him, and she would have her perspective on him dying. He glanced back at June, who approached the ladybugs with both his hands now
, absorbed in the way they clumped together over the rocks. He was far enough away not to hear, but Aaron leaned in closer to Angie anyway.

  “Yeah, he told me…” he whispered, “and he made me promise not to bring it up.”

  Angie gave him a pitiful look. “Yeah, he made me promise the same thing before he even got here this summer. But I know how hard that is, so if you want to talk…you and I can still talk about it.”

  Aaron didn’t realize how much those words would relieve him until she’d said them. He’d been fully prepared to harbor all his feelings and fears about June dying alone, but knowing Angie was willing to be an outlet for him meant he didn’t have to. Not entirely at least. He wasn’t sure what came over him at that moment, but he felt his throat tighten and couldn’t help himself. He caught Angie in a hug and squeezed her as tightly as he could.

  “I have so many fucking questions,” he admitted.

  Angie patted his back with both hands, and he could feel the way her throat moved as she swallowed against him. Reigning in her own emotions.

  “We can talk later.” She pulled back and sniffed. “I know how difficult June is about this; it’s not easy.”

  He nodded, and could only imagine how hard this must be for her. Sure, Aaron had fallen for June, but Angie had been his best friend since they were in diapers. They had roots together. Years of history ingrained in this mountain; sunken in the lake and hidden behind every blade of grass. She was stronger than he gave her credit for. For sticking by June and for her endless charisma and positive attitude.

  “Thanks.” Aaron wanted to say more but was cut off by June’s sudden, sharp yell.

  “Hey!” He raised both his arms over his head, flinging ladybugs into his hair and all around him. “Aaron, come on!”

  Angie broke off in laughter, dipped back into the water and turned to swim toward Charlie, who was busy struggling with a patch of reeds.

  “He’s totally in love with you,” she told Aaron as she went. “In case you hadn’t noticed.”