drown for you | jjk

22

You don't think you've ever managed to surprise Jeongguk with your arrival before, and maybe you've climbed the stairs lighter than usual, but he's visibly startled when you appear.

It lasts a second before relief colors his growing smile. "You're back!"

He floats towards the edge and uses his arms to push himself up as far as possible while still keeping his tail in the water.

It hits you then, like it does sometimes, just how muscular Jeongguk really is. With his entire top half above the water, your eyes can't help but follow the droplets that drip from him. A lot comes from his wet, black hair, rolling down his neck and chest in the different paths that his muscles create.

There's just no way for you not to look. Your gaze follows the protruding veins that start somewhere on the inside of his biceps and trace along his thick forearms where they branch out into smaller ones. Is it weird that you want to run your hands over them? Or the taut skin of his abdomen?

You force yourself to stop daydreaming about his body. This is Jeongguk, for God's sake!

"Yeah, I am."

Thankfully, he doesn't seem to have caught on to your ogling, and you sit down beside him, putting your wetsuit-clad legs into the water. He doesn't change his position much, but looks to be... subtly stretching? He moves his shoulders slightly, tensing the muscles as if he's stretching his back.

"You okay?" you ask, biting down on your lip. He's probably sore from last night when he was forced to stay in somewhat odd positions for extended periods of time. For you.

"Yeah! Just a little... My back feels a little..."

"Sore?" you fill in when he trails off. He nods. "If you're willing to be out of the water for a few minutes, I can help you?"

You know full well he usually doesn't mind a few minutes. After all, he can go without it for a long time. What did he tell those men? An hour and a half?

Jeongguk watches you with big eyes, curious as to how you'd help. You smile, patting your lap since that seems like the easiest way.

"Lay here. If you want to, of course."

The look he gives you is one of narrowed eyes and amused suspicion as he lowers himself to take one last gulp of water before pushing himself up again.

Water drips all over you when you guide him onto your lap, but you don't mind. His tail goes on one side and his head–resting on his forearms–on the other. He barely even fits across your thighs like that.

With the heavy weight of one siren on your lap, you touch your fingers to his back and start massaging. Different parts of your hands are used to apply varying amounts of pressure against his skin, and he enjoys it. You can tell because of the pleased sounds he's making, letting both low moans and grunts slip through his lips.

Working your hands over him, it makes you realize how much joy it brings you. You feel warm and cozy inside, being able to give him something. A small act of kindness.

Taking the opportunity, you also chance a glance at his fin. Are your eyes betraying you, or does the wound appear just a tad bit smaller today? You hope so, unable to wait until it's fully healed and all physical traces of the horrendous act performed against him are gone.

"Stop looking at my tail and continue touching me," comes a lowly voiced complaint. "Please?"

You look down, seeing your unhappy customer smiling cheekily over his shoulder. In the midst of admiring his tail and trying to inspect the wound, your hands slowed their ministrations on his back.