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Robert Floyd did not stare. Staring was incredibly rude and disrespectful, something his mother had drilled into him from a young age.
And usually, Bob didn’t fall short. He’d avert his eyes, unless it was something truly worth staring at.
Like today.
Today was a reason to stare.
Today was a reason to take advantage of sunglasses and soak in every last ounce of goodness at his disposal.
Bob wasn’t necessarily a beach person, not that he inherently disliked the beach, but it wasn’t his favorite. He hated when the sand would stick to the bottoms of his feet, and he hated that there was no way to walk from the beach back to the car without getting sand, quite literally everywhere.
However, there was an enormous perk that came with the beach Bob hadn’t considered.
The perk in question? His boyfriends.
It wasn’t just them, though, but perhaps the perfect combination of things.
He’d seen both of them shirtless before, multiple times even. He’d been gifted the glorious opportunity to lock eyes with Bradley’s biceps more times than he could count.
And on multiple occasions, Bob had witnessed the steady rise and fall of Jake’s chest, but…
When combined with the steady crash of the ocean's waves and the gleaming sun reflecting off those same muscles and the way they so freely splashed each other, which…
In turn meant water, warm salty droplets of ocean water dribbling and trickling down both of their well-built, religiously maintained bodies…
It made something in his stomach flutter, be it excitement or awe, Bob couldn’t really tell.
But did it matter?
Not really. Not in Bob’s eyes.
Bob swallowed, his eyes fixated on the two of them. The way Jake so freely flung water in Bradley’s direction, and Bradley, in turn, raised his arms, biceps flexing to try to cover his face out of reflex.
Water flew again, though this time in reverse as Bradley shoved an armful of water in Jake’s direction, which soaked his hair.
Bob blinked slowly, eyes shielded from the offensive act of staring by his sunglasses, the fancy kind Jake had insisted he pursue.
The prescription kind.
His body squirmed in the chair, the water-resistant material crinkling underneath his body. God, he hated when this happened, but his toes had dug themselves into the sand.
But how could he be mad? There was absolutely nothing to be mad about when both of his boyfriends were dripping wet and putting on such a lovely show. Albeit, they didn’t know they were performing, but Bob did.
And Bob was drinking it all in.
Or he had been anyway. Because, despite his heart's desire for this to go on for all eternity, it seemed as though both Bradley and Jake had found a reason to start trudging their way back to shore.
Back to Bob.
It was like something out of a movie, that was the only way Bob could think to describe it.
Even though time itself wouldn’t slow down for his boyfriends, it should.
And for him, it did…at least, it felt like it did. They’d emerged from the deeper depths of the water, absolutely soaking wet, water dribbling off each and every rippling muscle.
The sun seemed to be working in his favor, too, hitting Bradley’s left shoulder in just the right way.
Bob’s breath stuttered for only a moment, eyes blown behind his sunglasses and his lower lip, unbeknownst to him, though.
His hands gripped the armrests of the chair, trying in vain to settle his pounding heart.
There was no fear, just an overwhelming amount of adoration and…sincere, overwhelming, mind-numbing attraction to both of them.
Truthfully, Bob would have stayed in that very purple chair all day, stomach knotted, heart thundering, and eyes glued to his absolute favorite show.
However, the sun disappeared, not permanently but at least momentarily, blocked out by the towering bodies standing over him now.
Droplets falling in a never-ending storm into the sand by his feet.
“Whatcha starin’ at, Bobby?” Jake's question came first, and with that absolute shit-eating grin Bob simply couldn’t get enough of.
Bob could smell it, the salt clinging to him with remnants of sunscreen.
Bob swallowed, his throat suddenly rather dry.
His head lifted slowly, his eyes raking at a tortoise pace up both of their bodies.
Both of them. Standing there, dripping water, hair darkened and curling from the water.
Bradley pounced first, moving in and placing a hand on either armrest, bracing himself on it.
He was dripping on the tops of Bob’s feet now, and Bob was most positive that the heat burning his cheeks wasn’t just from the sun, but rather from the minimal space between him and Bradley.
Bradley’s lips curled up, “C’mon,” he purred out, “Should come join us, Sunshine, waters damn near perfect.”
Bob had been so utterly enchanted by the proximity at which Rooster stood dripping water on the tops of his feet and using a Rooster-sirens call on him, he’d missed the part where Jake had snuck around behind him.
He snorted and folded over the back, his arms wrapping around Bob’s chest from behind, which in turn pulled a gentle gasp from Bob.
“Sorry, darlin’, didn’t mean to scare you,” Jake's voice smooth as all fucking get out.
Ohhh, Bob could melt. Right then and there.
“It—I just—“ Bob stammered at first, his toes curling deeper into the sand, the droplets now plopping themselves into his lap, on his stomach from Jake’s arms and seeming to utterly soak him.
“You just what?” Bradley asked, “You need someone to hold your hand?” The question wasn’t meant to be condescending or cruel, but rather…flirty.
Bob started to respond, but a scoff from Jake cut him off, “Oh sure, Bradshaw, you’d let our lil’ ball of sunshine walk in the sand? You know how persnickety he is about walking in the sand.”
Bradley’s eyes narrowed, “Then I’ll carry him. Not a problem.”
But Jake wasn’t relenting, especially not that easily.
“HA! As if I’d let you do so!” Jake shook his head, “If anythin’ I am going to carry him, I suggested it!”
“I’m closer,” Bradley fired back. “It’ll be easier for me to pick him up, makes the mo—“
“—Absolutely not!”
They were bickering now…over him.
Both figuratively and physically. Bob’s heart was beating what felt like a million miles a minute.
Oh God.
Bob opened his mouth to try to intervene, but had no luck.
Bradley and Jake’s newfound squabble over who got to carry him down to the ocean seemed to be all-consuming for them both. Their voices were overlapping, hands gesturing wildly in an attempt to emphasize their arguments.
Jake’s arms still loosely held Bob over, and Bradley hadn’t budged from where he’d perched himself, bracing on the armrests of Bob’s chair. Like he belonged there, like some sun-kissed God guarding him from the sun.
Bob's lip quivered, his skin trembling with goosebumps, and his face burned a cherry red color from sheer overwhelm and not the sun…he was pretty sure anyway.
“Guys,” Bob tried for the second time, just a bit louder than before.
But still, Bob went unheard.
Finally, Bob huffed, squirming slightly. “Hey— hey,” Bob insisted, Jake’s arms instinctively tightening around him, both grounding him while simultaneously making it so much worse.
“Guys,” Bob finally said, the word a bit breathless yet as firm as he could, given the circumstances.
That finally seemed to do the trick.
The bickering ceased. They both froze, the only sounds filling the space now being the ocean's crash, a seagull's cry, and Bob's breath.
Bradley’s body straightened first, his eyes defaulting back to Bob, concern immediately softening his features.
Jake followed, beginning to slink back, but Bob grabbed hold of his arm to stop him.
A soft kiss found his temple, “Sorry, Bobby, we got a bit carried away,” Jake whispered, “Especially when it comes to you, sunshine.”
Bob nodded quickly, his throat working as he tried to settle himself from that sudden surge of pure affection from Jake.
“There’s no need to fight, though,” Bob started, his words softer now.
“Jealousy isn’t for us…remember? We agreed…”
Neither spoke; both of them existed in that space, they themselves soaking in Bob's soft reminder.
“That said,” Bob started again, carefully readjusting his sunglasses on his nose.
“I’ll come with,” he started, first glancing at Bradley and then just slightly at Jake.
He could see the satisfaction spreading across Bradley’s face, and before he could stop himself, he was tacking on conditions.
“But,” Bob added, and before he could stop himself or reconsider his condition, it came out, “You have to…you know, make up.”
Bradley’s head cocked to the side, his eyes gleaming as he studied Bob, trying to get a read on him.
“Go on…Jealousy is ugly…we do the kind thing in this relationship…Make up kiss, for— you know, bickering.”
Silence first, which gave the panic just enough time to seep in.
“I mean— I can’t obviously make you but—“ Bob attempted to backtrack, only to be silenced with another kiss to his temple.
That curiosity melted into affection, a soft smile, and a warmth in his eyes.
“Well,” Bradley began, a rough, calloused hand finding Bob's chin, gently taking hold. “Look at that, playing mediator, hmm? Keeping Jake and me in line?”
Bob swore his heart stuttered, and instinctively, he wanted to look away, simply because being so close to Bradley had him all kinds of flustered.
He nodded.
“Mmhm. I don’t want you guys to fight…so, I—I need you to be mature and kiss. To make up,” Bob explained, his voice wobbling just the slightest hint.
Jake chuckled softly, “Well then, whatever sunshine wants, sunshine gets.”
Over Bob, Bradley leaned again, a hand braced on the armrest and the other reached for Jake’s hair, fingers curling around the damp strands.
Jake leaned forward, more of himself melting over the back of the chair, and Bob had to lean just slightly aside to observe.
Their lips met with no hesitation, not a single beat missed. The kiss came as naturally as breathing between the two.
And God, did Bob forget how to breathe. His toes dug deeper into the sand, and his teeth sank into his lower lip, eyes glimmering with unexplainable joy at the sight.
A stuttered inhale and a sharp exhale followed from Bob as they pulled apart.
“‘M sorry, Roo,” Jake chirped, “There’s enough sunshine for both of us, ain’t there?”
Bradley nodded; his smile was still on his face.
“Mmhm, plenty. I— I’m sorry too, Hangman.”
With makeup kisses exchanged and apologies for their bickering, both Bradley and Jake’s gazes drifted to an utterly awestruck Bob.
Bob beamed, “Good. I’m glad you both worked this out,” Bob gently pushed himself to his feet.
“Now, in all fairness, since you both want to carry me, how about Bradley carries me down, and Jake carries me back? Hm? One trip for each of you?”
Bob looked first at Bradley and then over his shoulder at Jake, following him as he rounded his way back to being beside Bradley.
“I can work with that,” Bradley responded, his fist meeting his hand to crack the knuckles on his left hand first, “that work for you, Jake?”
Jake nodded, “Yes, Sir, that more than works for me,” he responded with a small snicker.
Bob's entire being was still overrun with pure adoration and glee, unable to wipe the glowing grin off his face. Bob gently plucked his sunglasses off, folding them and tossing them into the pile of their things.
“Now, remember, we don’t do jealousy…” Bob's words trailed off gently, waiting for one of them to finish.
Bradley stepped forward, scooping Bob right up into his arms, “We do each other instead.”