Second Chances [BxB]

thirty six

The surface of the swimming pool shone like glitter under the bright Italian sun. Sebastian could have watched it all day, mesmerised by the light that bounced off of the ripples that surged through the water like shockwaves. He had had swimming lessons as a child, but he had never seen a pool like this one before; blue, and clear, and shrouded by shady apple trees.

He had only ever left England once before; a trip to France with his parents when he was eight. They spent a week roaming around museums, and lounging by the pool at their hotel. He hated every second of it, and his parents never took him on holiday again.

He wasn't used to the sun being this bright, or the sky being this blue, or the air being this warm.

He was laying on a sun lounger, with Harvey sprawled out beside him, soaking up the Italian sunshine. Sebastian hadn't allowed himself to be so lazy in so long, it felt strangely unnatural, to give his muscles a break. He didn't mind it though. It felt good, to finally let himself relax.

He sat up when Declan pushed through the apple trees, and into the clearing, barefoot, and wearing his swimming trunks. Sebastian's eyes swept over all of Declan's soft edges and curves, trying his hardest to catch his breath. No matter how many times Sebastian saw Declan's body like this, he knew that he would never get used to it.

Declan wordlessly shoved a bottle of suncream into Sebastian hand, and Sebastian stared down at it in confusion, "I'm already wearing-"

"Yes, I know." Declan rolled his eyes, "Can you do my back?"

"Oh." Sebastian breathed out, adamantly ignoring the way Harvey snorted in amusement beside him. "Yeah, 'course." He agreed.

Declan crawled onto the sun lounger, and situated himself cross legged between Sebastian's thighs, facing away from him, towards the pool.

"Where's Evan?" Harvey asked.

"He's coming." Declan replied plainly, his voice indicating that Harvey wasn't allowed to know any more than that.

Sebastian poured a generous portion of suncream into the palm of his hand, and started rubbing it into Declan's back, relishing in the feeling of Declan's soft skin beneath his fingertips. He traced every freckle, before running his fingers around the shape of Declan's shoulder blades, and down the curve of his spine. When he finished, he pressed a kiss to Declan's shoulder, and squeezed his side playfully.

Declan huffed out a laugh, squirming under Sebastian's touch, "Don't." He choked out, "That's ticklish-"

"Right, I'm gonna nip this in the bud early." Harvey said flatly, "No flirting in front of me. Or kissing. Or...Or talking-"

"Talking?" Declan repeated incredulously, lazily leaning back into Sebastian's chest, "D'you want us to just ignore each other for this whole trip?"

"Preferably." Harvey replied.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around Declan's front, pulling Declan flush against him, before hooking his chin over Declan's shoulder. He started absentmindedly tracing shapes on Declan's stomach, enjoying the way he fidgeted under his touch, and yet, refused to tell Sebastian to stop.

When Evan broke into the clearing, Harvey released a vague noise of triumph, "Oh, thank god." He sighed in relied, "Evan, save me, please."

Evan smiled in amusement, "Save you from what exactly?"

"These two." He gestured to Sebastian and Declan in disgust, "They're being all touchy and...and gross." He complained, "Make them stop."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"