Page 52 of A Long Way Back
“I thought that, but it’s a fear of long words. ‘Course, then I looked up what a fear of hippos was and there isn’t a word for that. Which is ridiculous. There must be loads of people scared of hippos.”
Tay laughed.
“So do you want to play Twister?”
“I’m pretty tired.”
“Is that a no or a yes?”
“How can we use the spinner and both play?”
“Dog! You want to play?”
Dog looked at him and then closed his eyes again.
“There’ll be a way to do it online.” Tay reached for his trousers to get his phone.
Ink unfolded the plastic mat, spread it out on the blanket and pinned it down at the corners with their footwear. His cock was still semi-hard. Maybe Tay would think he was well hung.
“Okay. I downloaded something,” Tay said. “Ready? You go first and I’ll do my best, but I might collapse.”
“Right hand red. Left foot blue,” said a slow robotic voice.
Ink made the moves. “Can you speed it up?”
“I’ll try.”
“Left hand yellow. Left foot blue.”
“Ouch,” Ink yelped. “I already had my foot—”
“Right hand green. Left hand yellow.”
“Right foot blue. Right hand yellow.”
Tay was half underneath Ink and laughing. The instructions seemed to be coming faster and faster and Ink was deliberately going for circles that brought him into contact with Tay.
“Green not red,” Tay yelled. “Are you colour-blind?”
“Oh God. Yes! That explains so much.”
“Watch out!”
“I can’t spread my legs any wider.” Ink moaned.
They weren’t doing badly until Dog decided to join in. He put his paws on Ink’s shoulders, licked his face, and Ink collapsed. Then Dog brought Tay down and began licking him, his tail whipping across Ink’s crotch.
“Ow!” Ink reached for the plastic bag, pulled out the dog chew and threw it. “That should keep him busy.”
Except Dog brought it back and dropped it between Ink and Tay. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Chew it, you daft animal.” Ink put it in Dog’s mouth and for a moment Dog just stood there, his ears twitching, until it sank in that the strange ridged green thing was food, and he ran off with it.
“Where were we?” Tay asked.
“Left foot yellow. Right hand red,” said the voice, which had been talking to itself for quite a while.
Ink moved at the same time as Tay and as they tangled, they collapsed in a heap. Somehow, one of Tay’s hands found a way to the nape of Ink’s neck and when he began to stroke him gently, Ink slid away off the plastic.
