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Edward Richtofen felt vulnerable wearing nothing but his undergarments. Doing so felt slobbish, and his companions didn’t deserve the front row seats to the freak show. Yet, being underdressed was the least of his worries.
He was in danger.
Richtofen was breathless as he wove through the maze-like bunker of the island. Perhaps if it wasn't so disgustingly humid, his stamina would've managed. Instead, he was bogged down by the weight of his own sweat and fatigue.
“Get away from me!” Richtofen shouted as he scrambled behind a concrete pillar.
From there, the doctor glimpsed a gnarled branch on the laboratory floor.
He grabbed it as an improvised weapon, flailing it at his pursuer, “I'm warning you!”
At the other end of the lab, Dempsey approached menacingly. He closed in as if he were about to grapple the poor doctor, “come on~ I know you love to cuddle~”
The marine was likewise in his undergarments; though, unlike Edward, he was not bashful. In fact, he preferred going to bed commando. He simply decided otherwise that night. The potential for some awkward mosquito bites was convincing enough. And damn were there a lot of mosquitoes.
Richtofen swung again for emphasis, “Get your sweaty stinking body away from me!”
“Hey, now! I bathed!”
“When?”
“Just now!”
“With soap?”
“I'm not Nikolai, Eddie,” he deadpanned.
Richtofen peaked around his hiding spot for a quick look, before disappearing behind the pillar once more, “...I can see beads of sweat from here.”
There was a brief struggle as they faked each other out for a way around the beam. There were no winners as they stopped to catch their breath again.
“Oh come on, you know this heat sucks,” Dempsey attempted to end the game of tag, “and I know you're dying under all that body hair.”
“Maybe so, but I have standards.”
“What's it matter if we're both hot?”
“ Hot is one thing. Sticky is another.”
The marine frowned a little too sincerely, as though his feelings were hurt, “I thought you liked sticky.”
“You're disgusting!” Richtofen barked, shading a deep red.
They juked eachother out a few more times.
Edward asserted himself, “we may share a bed, but no cuddling. I won't allow your stench to contaminate me.”
That was when the Marine lunged forward and grabbed Richtofen's arm. The defense-branch was dropped as Dempsey held his wrist to his nose.
He inhaled deeply, as if attempting to smell the sweet blood of Edward’s vessels underneath his flesh. The doctor flushed an even deeper rouge.
Dempsey hummed in his low baritone, “if anything, your cologne does wonders for you. I wouldn’t worry about little ol’ me.”
The marine knew flirtatious instances often turned Richtofen to putty, but he also knew: the doctor was one stubborn bastard.
Richtofen pulled his arm away forcefully, “you!!- y-you!!”
Dempsey laughed brightly, “yeah?”
“Your tricks won't work!” He clutched his hand to his chest. But after an exhausted sigh and a tender smile, Dempsey finally reached out with a gentler demeanor.
“Alright, alright. I get it.”
“You mean it? You'll keep your distance?”
“I promise,” he chuckled again, “let’s just get to bed. I don’t think I can chase you much longer.”
Edward took the gentleman's hand with a defiant huff, “good. That's more like it.”
…but that was not the end of their game, as Edward started to feel guilty after they laid down. Not that Dempsey was genuinely offended or upset– Richtofen was simply his own worst critic. It was fun playing the stubborn German, but sometimes winning was boring. Edward was ultimately someone that liked to please others, especially to a fault.
He gazed to his side, where Dempsey was sprawled on his back for maximum cooling. It seemed he was already starting to doze off. Thus, Richtofen copied the pose for similar relief. The fan at the end of their bed should earn a medal for the hours of overtime it was about to work.
Then, suddenly, the Marine felt a clammy hand wrap around his arm. He peaked at the culprit, who was attempting to shuffle closer.
“Change your mind?”
“Er. Maybe I do crave a little touch,” Edward admitted shamefully.
Dempsey smiled and motioned the other to nestle in closer, which he did with a grumble.
But before the doctor could utter a goodnight, Dempsey coughed out awkwardly, “uh, Eddie?”
“Yes?” He sounded annoyed.
“I really, really, hate to say it. But uh. This feels kinda gross.”
Richtofen shot up from his position with anger, “I TOLD YOU-”