Making Remy Laugh (BoyxBoy)

One- Cecil Clarke

A/N So here's another one, and this honestly was the hardest thing that I've ever written, and multiple times throughout writing it I wondered if I should just give up and start something different, but I was determined to finish. I'm happy that I kept going, and I'm happy that this story took so long to write (we're talking like 6 months here, which isn't bad but I wrote TTIHAAV in 30 days) but because it took so long my characters and my ideas really got a chance to grow and by the end of the novel they were these completely complex people who had flaws and strengths .. but then I went back to edit the first chapter and realized that oh-shit, I contradicted myself a lot, so I'm really trying to catch the mistakes and fix all the ones that I can to make this readable, and sort this mess out. I hope this is enjoyed. Thank you for reading.

"Mr. Cecil," the young boy asked, his small hands clutching the edge of the pool so tight that the tips of his fingers were turning white. He was afraid, Cecil could tell, but he didn't know why since all he had to do was let his feet drop and he would be standing on the bottom.

"Yes Atticus?" Cecil moved through the water and gently guided the boy away from the wall, instructing him to stand. Atticus looked frightened for a moment, but then incredibly relieved. Cecil let his arms fall to his sides as he glanced over the rest of his class, who were doing as they should be and practicing their side stroke from one wall of the shallow end to the other. The problem with Atticus was-

"WilI I ever be able to swim?" The five year old asked, pouting as he watched the older students move gracefully through the water. "I have been trying forever-" the class started three weeks ago, which meant Atticus had come to the pool six times so far. While this was enough time for most students to at least learn how to float, it was not forever, "but I just can't do it".

"You can," Cecil insisted and smiled down at the young boy encouragingly. "It's just because they're older than you that they're picking up on it faster". This was only part of the issue, but Cecil didn't feel like explaining to a five year old that he talked too damn much for him to even begin to explain how he was supposed to swim.

"That's what Remy keeps saying," Atticus said, cupping the water in his small hands and splashing it.

He was a cute kid with large blue eyes and curly brown hair. It made it even more concerning to Cecil that Atticus was by far his most trusting student. He was a bit worried that someday, one of the people Atticus decided to approach wouldn't be as friendly as the young boy perceived everyone to be.

This is why Cecil always waited with Atticus in front of the building until his ride, typically a boy named Sydney, would pick him up. Sometimes Sydney would come inside and watch the lessons, but today didn't seem to be one of those days.

"Remy hates swimming, you know. He does not like to get his whole body wet, or to take off his clothes," Atticus said, subconsciously wading back over to the wall of the pool and tightly grasping it once more as if to keep himself in place. Cecil's eyebrows raised.

Atticus was always talking about his older brother Remy, but Cecil had yet to meet him. Sydney, who was Atti's cousin, was usually the one to pick up the young boy, and when it wasn't him, it was his mother or father.

This wasn't really a bad thing. Cecil liked Sydney and all- he was good company and they had actually gone out for coffee a few times- but he couldn't help but be curious as to what the boy Atticus loved more than anything was like.

"Remy likes the water though-"

Before the boy could say more, Cecil cut him off with a quick, "I can't wait to hear more about him next week," and then called all the children towards him to dismiss.