My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 63: Stay Afloat (BC)

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For a moment, my brain completely shut down when Adrien unexpectedly said he’d teach me how to swim. I just stood there, staring at him like he’d sprouted a second head. This was Adrien Fell, the same guy who’d laughed at me when I tripped over my shoelaces, and now he wanted to help me with something that wasn’t about basketball scores or throwing shade? Something felt off.

"Wait... you?" I blinked at him, still processing. "You want to teach me how to swim?"

He looked at me, wearing that annoyingly casual grin, his wet hair slicked back, water glistening down his shoulders and chest like a scene from some summer flick. "Yep, me. Don’t act so surprised. It’s a life skill, hamster. You should be able to float next time Vanessa decides to toss you into a pool. You don’t want to die, do you?"

I stared at him, caught between feeling offended and oddly touched. "That’s... reassuring," I muttered as I wrapped my arms around myself.

He smirked, tilting his head like he was weighing his words. "You’ll thank me when you’re not plummeting to the bottom next time."

I managed a tight-lipped smile. "And what if I just... don’t want to? I’m kind of a fan of solid ground."

With a dramatic sigh, he swam closer to the edge, resting his arms on the bank, water dancing over his skin in the sunlight. "Noah, if you don’t confront your fear, it’ll keep gnawing at you." His tone softened, just a bit, enough to make me pause. "And really, what’s the worst that could happen?"

I blinked at him. "Uh, drowning?"

"Right, but look, I’m here, aren’t I?" he replied, like that was the final word on the matter.

There was something in his voice that made me roll my eyes, but at the same time, my chest tightened in a strange way. I tried to brush it off, crossing my arms. "So, you’ll be really sad if I die?"

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Sad? Hmm..." He pretended to consider it. "Probably not. But it’d definitely be a hassle. I’d have to explain to your mom how I let her precious son drown. Talk about paperwork, guilt, maybe even therapy."

I couldn’t help but laugh in spite of myself. "You’re such a jerk."

He grinned, clearly amused with himself. "And you’d probably haunt me forever just to get the last word in. So yeah, let’s avoid that."

I sighed, a reluctant smile creeping onto my face. "Fine. I’ll do it. But if I drown, I’m blaming you."

"Deal," he said, his tone smug yet light-hearted.

I hesitated, tugging at the hem of my sweater, unsure why my pulse was hammering so hard. The lake shimmered before me, sunlight flickering like shards of glass across the surface. Adrien was already standing a few feet away, waiting, the picture of ease and confidence, that half-smirk playing on his lips as if he was watching something amusing.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or are you actually getting in?" he asked, his voice teasing but calm, carrying over the breeze.

I swallowed hard, feeling the heat crawl up my neck. "You—you could turn around, you know," I muttered, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

He tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly. "Why would I do that?"

My fingers froze on the edge of my shirt. I blinked up at him, caught off guard by his tone, not mocking, not playful, just steady. Unflinching. It made it impossible to look away.

"Because..." I began, realizing how ridiculous I sounded even before I finished the sentence. "It’s weird."

Adrien’s gaze didn’t waver. There was something in his expression I couldn’t quite name, curiosity, maybe, or a quiet challenge. "You think I haven’t seen a naked guy before?" he said, and though his words were teasing, his voice was quieter now, almost softer.

I huffed out a nervous laugh and shook my head. "You’re annoying, you know that?."

He smiled faintly, like he’d won some silent game. "And you’re stalling."

With a resigned breath, I finally pulled the sweater over my head. The air felt cold against my skin, and every small movement seemed exaggerated under the weight of his gaze. My heartbeat thrummed so loudly I swore he could hear it.

Adrien didn’t say anything —he just watched, his expression unreadable but intent, like he was memorizing every detail of my skin without realizing it, reminding of that night I got a jumpscare of him lounging on my bed after I took a shower...where he proceeded to stare at my nipples. His eyes followed the movement of my hands as I brushed hair out of my face, then lingered a little too long before he looked away, pretending to study the water instead.

"You done yet?" he asked, his voice a little rougher than before, though he covered it with a smirk.

"Yeah," I said quickly, though I wasn’t sure I believed it myself. I bent down to take off my trousers, needing something to do with my hands. The air between us felt heavy, not uncomfortable, but charged, like if either of us said the wrong thing, it might shatter.

Adrien glanced back at me, the corner of his mouth quirking up again. "Relax, Noah. I’m not going to bite."

"That’s great," I muttered, refusing to meet his eyes as I stepped closer to the water. "Because you look like you might."

He laughed quietly, that deep, warm sound that made something strange stir in my chest, and shook his head. "You’re ridiculous."

"Maybe," I said, glancing at him then, just for a second. "But you’re still staring."

He didn’t deny it. Just looked at me, really looked, before finally turning his gaze toward the lake again. "Maybe I am," he said under his breath, and the words hit the air like a ripple spreading through still water.

But when I finally stepped in, the cold water shocked me, and before I could even think, Adrien reached out and steadied me by the wrist. His grip was firm...anchoring, really, strong enough that I could feel the faint pulse beneath my fingers.

"Easy," he said quietly, locking eyes with me for just a moment. "Just follow my lead."

And surprisingly, I did.

The water was warmer than I thought, cool enough to send a shiver up my legs, but not freezing. I waded in slowly, gasping a bit as the water reached my waist. Adrien was a few feet ahead, his hair damp and messy, sunlight catching the droplets on his shoulders.

"Okay," he said, sounding calm and steady, a bit too close for comfort. "First rule: don’t panic. The water’s not out to get you."

I shot him a look. "Easy for you to say. You didn’t almost drown in front of a bunch of people in a pool party."

He smirked slightly, that infuriating curve of his lips that sent my heart racing. "That’s exactly why I’m here. I won’t let you drown, hamster."

"I really hate when you call me that."

"Liar," he said, wading even closer.

The ripples spread between us, brushing against my skin as he gently rested his hand on my back. I went rigid; his touch wasn’t rough or teasing like I expected, but careful and steady.

"Relax," he murmured softly. "You’re as stiff as a board. Just breathe."

"I am breathing," I lied, though my chest felt tight. I tried to focus on the sounds of the lake, the gentle splashes, the trees swaying in the breeze, but all I could hear was his voice...low, patient and the pounding of my own heart.

He moved behind me, his hand lingering at my lower back while the other guided my arm. "Like this," he said, his breath warm against my neck. "Keep your body flat. Let the water support you."

"That’s easy to say."

"Give it a shot," he replied, his tone both reassuring and a bit teasing.

I tried... sort of. The second I began to float, I lost my balance and splashed too hard, half-panicking. Adrien caught me instantly, wrapping his arms around me, firm and steady.

"Hey, hey—" he said quickly, balancing me. "You’re all right. I’ve got you."

My fingers gripped his shoulder without thinking, my heart racing so fast I was sure he could feel it through the water. When I glanced up, his face was only inches from mine, his eyes darker in the shade, watching me with an intensity that made my breath hitch.

"You’re... way too close," I muttered, though I didn’t pull away.

He raised an eyebrow. "You’re the one hanging onto me like your life depends on it."

"It kind of does," I shot back, earning a quiet laugh from him, warm and genuine, something I didn’t hear often.

He adjusted my hands again, his tone softening. "You’re doing great. Just trust me, Noah. The water won’t let you fall if you stop fighting it."

"I’m not fighting it," I protested weakly.

"You’re fighting yourself," he corrected.

That hit home. I tried again, doing my best to follow his guidance, though my brain felt like it had melted between his voice and the way his fingers lightly adjusted my posture. Every tiny movement sent ripples through the lake and my nerves.

When I finally managed to float for a few seconds, Adrien let go but stayed close enough for his presence to feel like an anchor.

"See?" he said, sounding quietly proud. "You didn’t die."

"Barely," I replied, trying to sound sarcastic even as I smiled.

He grinned, shaking his head. "You’re a dumbass."

"Maybe," I admitted, accepting the jab, realizing there was no malice in it anymore. "But I’ve got a pretty solid teacher."

He blinked, as if taken aback, and for a moment, the teasing expression faded, replaced with something softer, almost shy.

"Yeah," he finally said, glancing away. "Don’t get used to it, loser."

But I already was.