hardhitter_nj | for alonewillsing Surf's Up.

for alonewillsing Surf's Up.

Crystal Beach: New Hampshire Ave

There weren't that many people in the diner. Six am saw a few stragglers getting their coffee and and breakfast to go on the way to work and a few dedicated surfers, meeting up with friends who were also trying to get in the last few weekends before it got to be too much of a pain to catch a wave - until it got warmer that is.

Sitting down at the counter, he ordered a quick coffee and waited for Alex.

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"And don't worry. I'm no official lifeguard, but I do know most skills needed for it, so even if you do wipe out? I got your back." Michael sets the bigger board down and heads to the shoreline with the smaller. It was better if he showed Alex a few times. After he did, he explained a few basics.

"Ready?"

Alex laughs and nods, taking a deep breath as he looks out across the water. "Much appreciated. I'll do my best to watch after you, too, even though I'm sure you won't need it. Also, just so you know? I'm totally CPR certified. So there's that."

And Alex listens intently. Really, he just doesn't want to look like a dumbass. He kinda wants to see Michael again after this.

"Ready as I'll ever be, I think."

"All right then. I guess could form our own 'Baywatch' East Coast style, yeah?" He snort laughs. Yes. Snort laughs.

"Ok, I need to see you try it a few times first, before I'm comfortable getting on my the bigger board. Sound fair?"

"Oh, without a doubt. Just ... no red Speedos. Not going that far."

Alex laughs, and then laughs harder at Michael's snort laugh (what? It's cute!) and sighs, shaking his hair out.

"No, yeah - that sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Wanna?"

"Speedos just looks all kinds of wrong to me. Sure on some they look good, but even then it's like, 'dude, leave a little to the imagination yeah?'"

It takes a while because once the s nort starts, it's hard to stop. Getting it under control finally, he adds.

"After you, I still wanna see you try it a few times first." He smiles encouragingly.

"Seriously! I have to say that I kind of prefer a little mystery to 'bam, here's the whole package', you know?"

Alex thinks the snort-laughing is really cute. He hopes that he gets to hear it more often!

"Oh, geez, really? I can't, like, practice a few more times?"

"Tell me about it. At least not until the third date, right?" He teases.

"Oh, get out there you ..." Michael laughs and gives him a friendly shove. He kept his hands on both bigger boards while he encouraged Alex to give the body board a few solid tries.

Alex's cheeks flush slightly, and he hopes he can pass it off as the crisp morning air. "That implies that you'd like to see me again."

But he laughs anyway, and takes a deep breath, and dives right in. He's not great at first, but he gets better as time goes on.

"Well yeah. You're fun and willing to humor me with this surfing business." He winks and then watches as Alex takes off. Not bad for a beginner he shouts out and encourages him some more.

"Well, yeah - you're the one who's offered to teach me, even though I've barely stepped foot in lakes my entire life."

Alex just laughs, and rolls with the punches, and falls a few times, but has a total blast while doing so.

"You're doing fine. Keep going!" He shouts back as Alex goes again.

"You ready for the bigger board?" Michael thinks he is, but lets Alex make that call.

Alex laughs happily, coming back to the shore, wiping his wet hair out of his face with a sigh.

"I think I might like to try the big boy board now, yeah. If you think I'm ready."

"All right. Oh and uh ...you look really cute right now." Michael blushed and hurriedly handed him the second of the two boards and went into great detail on how to handle it, how to check for the right wave. He then went first, showing him a few times before pointing out how to do the same thing a few yards down from his own board.

"Now the standing is gonna trip you up for a bit, but don't let that worry you."

Alex just blushes, speechless for a long moment, and then shakes his head, attempting to listen to everything that Michael is telling him about the board and how to use it. He watches and he thinks he gets it, but he's still nervous. He smiles again, before heading out to the water. "Here goes nothing. And - uh ... I think you're cute, too." Oh, look, now he's hurrying in so Michael can't see just how red his face is.

Michael smiles. He's having a good time. Actually, a great time. Michael waits for a spot to get a good enough wave and pads out several spaces away if not farther and lets her rip. Smooth sailing over so so waters and it was awesome.

About an hour of them both taking turns on the waves, he asks. "Ready for some grub?"

Alex has never had so much fun in his life. He finds himself hoping that this becomes a regular thing, and that he gets to see Michael more often.

"Oh, my God, yes. I'm starving.!"

Michael beams. His date's enthusiasm is infectious. "I'm sure Maggie's got tons of food we can fix up for a feast. She won't mind. My place is in transition at the moment. She's helping me get a new apartment.".

"Oh, yeah? Is it better or worse than your old apartment?" He laughs, shaking his hair out. "My apartment is in an old building, but I really love it. I lucked out when I got it, that's for sure. You sure your sister won't mind the extra mouth to feed?"

"Well, old buildings have great character and all." He nods.

"I'm pretty sure it's gonna be better if Maggie has anything to do with it. and nah, she won't mind. In fact, she probably won't be home until mid afternoon. We're set as long as we fix her up something too for when she gets back."

"You should come see it sometime - I mean, the whole neighborhood is full of the most amazing architecture."

Alex laughs, his teeth chattering slightly. "Believe me, I'm gonna make enough food to feed an army. You two'll be eating leftovers for days."

"Sounds fun." Michael calls over his shoulder as he pulls the short board and one of the long boards to hold, nodding to Alex to hold up the other long board.

"Good, because I can eat like a horse even on a slow day." He teases as they trudge towards Maggie's place. "Let's put them in her garage. She never parks in there.

Alex brings the board with a smile. This has been the most fun he's had in a good long while, and he's happy for the opportunity to hang out longer, to eat, spend more time together. He's loathing the thought of when he'll have to leave to go home.

"Please, I bet I could out eat you any day of the week."

"That's a bet I'm willing to take oh budding Iron Chef. You're on." Michael laughs as they finally make it to Maggie's. Once the boards were settled, he guides them to the fully stocked kitchen.

Alex rubs his hands together, gleefully surveying all the food. "So, what is it that we want to eat today?"

"Mmm, protein and carbs and ...lots of different veggies. Gotta start eating healthy again." Michael grins and tosses him an avocado.

"Again? Looks like you never stopped. I, unfortunately, mostly eat a lot of fast food. I should really start cooking for myself again."

"Left to my own devices, I do too, but now that I'm in a new place, I don't want to depend on my mother's cooking all the time. I mean, I know the basics, I know what I'm supposed to do, but sometimes fast food is easier and thanks man. You look pretty good for a junk food junkie yourself." Michael teases and playfully punches lightly on the arm.

"Ok, we've probably got everything we need, you just need to nudge me in the right direction."

"Thank you for noticing." Alex laughs, pretending to duck away from the punch. "I indulge every once in a while - I mean, you have to, right? But for the most part, I try to stay pretty healthy. So ... pasta? Chicken, maybe? I can bake a mean chicken."

http://hardhitter-nj.livejournal.com/26127.html?thread=84239#t84239

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