asharpertongue | Beach BBQ [Open]

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Beach BBQ [Open]

Levi's idea for a beach party had been a good one. After the past few weeks they both needed to blow off a little steam and Lara had taken to the idea like the proverbial siren to water, inviting all her employees and friends. Levi had put the word out at the police station and among his closer friends so between them a decent crowd was forming.

The tables lining the beach were piled high with food and drink, a DJ was already in full swing and people were drifting over to the large bonfire for warmth as the chill started to cut through the summer evening. A few of the Heart of Gold employees had brought their kids along for the festivities and a friend of Lara's was performing little glamours and tricks to keep them entertained. Large clusters of huge pillows were dotted about the beach just a little way from Levi's house and lanterns and firelight bathed the whole area in a warm glow.

Maybe Lara had taken it a little far but she liked to treat her friends and everyone could use a little R&R.

OOC: Levi and Lara's friends have been officially invited, but everyone else feel free to wander in at your leisure~.

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The fact that Joel says he knows sends a warmth through Spencer that he can't quite describe. There hasn't been a day since that night in his library--maybe even the day of the Hydra, he thinks, when Joel had chosen to reveal his secret over letting Spencer get hurt--that Spencer has wanted Joel to be anything less than close to him. From the first time their fingers brushed to the first time they'd held hands to the first time they'd kissed in the lighthouse, Spencer has wondered what the future might hold for them and being here now, knowing that Joel knows how much Spencer cares for him and for the first time in his life being able to say that he's certain the feeling is mutual... It's all more than he could ever have imagined for himself. It's true what he'd told Joel a few days ago, that he'd come to terms with being alone. He hadn't minded, not when he hadn't known just how incredible it is to have someone to share his life with, but he can't--doesn't want to, rather--fathom how much it would destroy him to lose Joel now. It's still a fear, one that comes with a pattern of losing the people most important to him, but for once, he's ready to push that fear aside and take advantage of the time they have together.

He shakes his head with a slight laugh when Joel blinks an eye shut and it's truly offensive how his boyfriend can look so sweet and devastatingly sexy at the same time but it seems to be easy enough to achieve for Joel. "I have seen Levi," he says, his smile faltering. He'd seen Levi, he'd see the beer in Levi's hand, and Spencer knows it's not his place to say anything about it but in truth, he's concerned. He hadn't seen Joel the night he'd opted to get drunk while on his painkillers, and Spencer's grateful for that because just thinking about it makes his stomach sick. To see Levi turning to that option now, it worries him because Spencer would like to think that they're on track to becoming friends.

He looks for Levi again in the crowd and spots him by Lara now, the ghost of a smile returning when he sees the way they look at each other, the way they exchange a sweet kiss. He turns back to Joel, deciding that Levi's well taken care of as it is, and lets out a surprised but pleased yelp when he feels Joel's hands squeeze his ass then pull their bodies flush against each other. The whiskey is working, he notes, and he can feel the slight haze of it in his own head but he's not complaining. He likes this, doesn't mind if people are watching because he doesn't care about anyone else. Joel's the only person who matters right now, and he leans in to press a kiss to Joel's lips before trailing more up his jawline.

"You're right," he says, teasing the other man's earlobe with a graze of his teeth. "I think I'm nearly ready for that swimming lesson, Professor."

Spencer calling him Professor only serves to remind him of the day he'd shown him the back room of the store and of their first time together and a shiver races down his spine at the sound of it. He's never been close enough to anyone for them to call him anything other than his name -- his sister referring to him as dummy hardly counts -- and he never imagined it would be the sort of thing that he cared about one way or the other. But he likes it. He likes it a lot more than he would have thought because it's something just between the two of them. No one else knows what it refers to, no one else has been privy to the conversations where Spencer has used it. It's yet one more thing that belongs to just the two of them.

It's surprisingly easy to forget they're surrounded by people when Spencer's lips are trailing over his jaw and his teeth are grazing his ear. He's never thought of himself as being particularly comfortable with public displays of affection, but maybe it's just that he's never had the opportunity to discover how nice it is to have someone wrap their arms around him in front of others. How good to feels to know there's one person who is proud to be with him, someone who makes him feel this happy.

"Come with me," he says, fighting back another shiver as he unwraps his arms from around Spencer and takes his hand instead. The beach isn't exactly the most private place in Siren Cove, but he expects they'll be able to find somewhere not far down. There are all sorts of small, enclosed spaces where the rocks will block most of what anyone might see and Joel knows of one close enough that they won't get impatient and far enough away that he doubts anyone from the party will wander near.

"I'm going to have to come up with more things to teach you just so you can keep calling me that," he says, his gaze down on the sand as he walks, though it flicks over to Spencer briefly when he speaks. "It's kind of growing on me." The way he's smiling when he says that, though, makes it clear it's far more than just grown on him already.

"Well, just think of all the potions you still have to teach me how to make," he answers, raising a suggestive eyebrow. "That first one turned out quite well, I think."

Spencer notices the glances people sneak in their direction as they walk further down the beach, though they're mostly just curious like he'd expect from a town as small as Siren Cove. It's not as if they haven't been public about their affection for each other already; they'd held hands at the ball and at the art fair, even before they'd shared their first kiss. He nearly frowns as he dwells on that thought because really, that first kiss isn't quite something to celebrate. He knows he'd already been attached to Joel then, had already felt an inexplicable connection to him, and that Joel had been ready to kill Mark on the spot is more than enough of an idication that he'd felt the same; but they'd both been injured then, afraid and desperate and in need of the physical proof that the other was still alive, and Spencer sometimes finds himself wishing that they could have a better memory than that.

Still, everything they've been through has led them to here so Spencer pushes past his thoughts of the lighthouse even as he flexes the fingers on his left hand, something he's taken up doing lately just to remind himself that he's better now, that Mark Fuller hadn't been able to leave a permanent physical impact on him other than the tiny, nearly invisible scars on his left temple from the glass that had been shattered against his head.

He glances down at their interlocked hands and his smile returns to something more relaxed, more content because this has been a good night so far and he can only imagine how much better it's going to get now that they're wandering off on their own. Everything seems to be better when they're alone, he thinks, and he knows that could come off as sounding co-dependent or anti-social or whatever people want to call it but the truth is, nobody makes him happy like Joel does. He doesn't have to worry about being anything other than himself when they're together, doesn't have to wonder whether the people he's talking to are only polite on the surface. It's just easier when they're together, and nobody has ever made him feel that way before.

A shiver runs up his spine then and it's not even from the chill in the air, it's from realizing yet again just how important Joel is to him. He meets Joel's gaze when it flickers his way before ducking his head with a bashful laugh. The music is starting to fade more and more behind them as they head toward the rockier part of the beach, and he lets out a deep exhale as a rush of tension he hadn't even known he'd been holding onto escapes him.

"I'm not sure whether I should be trying to be a good student or not," he says with a light teasing tone. "Although I do have to admit, I've never enjoyed learning as much as I do when it's with you. That's saying quite a lot, you know."

"I suspect that's due to the fact that our tutoring sessions often seem to end with nudity, which I'm hoping isn't something you're inclined to do with anyone else who might be teaching you," Joel answers with a laugh, glancing over at Spencer again as he leads him around an outcropping of rock. It's not really a question he's asking and while he thinks he might be jealous if he were to catch anyone blatantly coming on to Spencer, he also doesn't doubt Spencer at all. Whatever anger he might feel in a situation like that would be directed at the hypothetical other person in the scenario and it's not a surprise entirely, but at the same time it is. Joel's always been one to lose his temper and while he wouldn't say he has a problem with anger, he's also never tried particularly hard to rein it in either. But he trusts Spencer. He trusts him without reservation and it's such a nice thing to realize that he breaks into another smile, letting go of Spencer's hand so he can wrap his arm around him instead, leaning close to press a kiss to his cheek even as they walk.

The sounds of the party are getting further and further behind them and when Joel glances back, he can just barely make out the bonfire flickering in the distance. It's far enough away that he doesn't imagine they'll be discovered by anyone, but even if they are, he has every intention of getting Spencer into the water as quickly as possible and it won't matter quite so much when they're not standing on the beach without their clothes.

They're close now and Joel peers into the dark for a moment before he lifts his free hand, pointing to a place just ahead where the rocks form a semi-circle several yards back from the water. While the beach in Siren Cove is usually fairly busy during the summer, there's something about this place few people seem to really like and Joel has always found it empty whenever he goes. The rocks throw shade and block any wind off the ocean, so he's always found it a particularly good place to read and tonight it's going to be a particularly good place to strip his boyfriend down before dragging him into the water.

"Here," he says when they reach it, stepping carefully over one of the lower rocks to find his way into the small protected area before he drops his shoes and then offers both his hands to Spencer. There's an opening in the rocks that faces toward the ocean and Joel has to pause for a moment, just to watch the way the water ripples, the reflection of the moon off the waves and he realizes what he's always sort of known; that no matter how hard Siren Cove has been for him sometimes, no matter how frustrated he is with the people who treat Spencer poorly, he really does love this town, even if it doesn't love him.

And he loves this man he's with, a man he thinks could love him, even if he doesn't deserve that, and he smiles at Spencer, using both his hands to pull him closer so he can wrap his arms around his waist. "I feel like this is the right time to say some cheesy line about how good you look in the moonlight, but I'm not good with lines." And it wouldn't even be one, because Spencer really does look incredible with the moonlight hitting the rise of his cheekbones and the slope of his nose. Joel wants to see him naked in this light and he tugs Spencer closer, finding his mouth with his own as he lets out a soft sigh against Spencer's lips.

He nearly snorts at that, shaking his head even though he's sure Joel isn't actually expecting an answer because they both know there's no reason for doubt. "You're the only teacher for me," he says earnestly, leaning into the other man and not bothering to hold back his pleased smile at the cheek kiss. "Not to mention the only person I want to end any sort of session with in the nude." Nobody else could possibly touch him the way Joel has, not even just physically but in the ways that have allowed Spencer to let down his walls and open his heart to a man he'd gotten to know over a bottle of whiskey. Most days, he finds it nearly impossible to get out of bed because Joel's arms will still be around him or their legs will be tangled or they'll be blinking sleep from their eyes as their lips brush for a morning kiss, and Spencer has no idea how any of this happened in the considerably short time they've been together.

He'll take it for as long as Joel will give it to him, though. He knows without a shadow of a doubt that finding Joel is the single best thing that has ever happened to him and his chest swells with a powerful surge of overwhelming affection for the man next to him who looks so breathtakingly gorgeous under the light of the moon and stars. He's lost track of the number of times he's had to stop what he's doing just to gaze at Joel from across the room, to admire the arch of his back or the curve of his ass; to think about what he knows Joel looks like under the shirt and the jeans and the cardigan; and sometimes it's almost too much, sometimes he feels like he needs to step away from his boyfriend just to give himself a break because there are still moments when he feels like this is too good to be true and that he isn't deserving of how much care Joel gives him.

His heart beats fast, and he wonders if Joel can feel it against his own chest. Spencer gladly takes Joel's hands as he follows the other man cautiously over the rocks, and it's a good thing he does because he nearly slips on one and follows it with a nervous but amused laugh. He's safe, though. He always feels that way when Joel is next to him, and it's only emphasized by the way his boyfriend's arms wrap around his waist as they gaze at each other. "I don't know, I didn't mind that one," he teases. He grins into the kiss, threading his fingers through Joel's curls and allowing himself to fully appreciate this moment. They're alone, under an incredible night sky in this sometimes truly beautiful small town of theirs, and it's quiet this far down the beach aside from the crash of the waves against the shore. He's perfect, Spencer thinks, Joel is unquestionably perfect and this evening is shaping up to be quite the same.

He doesn't break the kiss as he moves his other hand down to slide under Joel's cardigan and shirt and as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss, he curls his fingers over the hem of Joel's top and tugs. "Teach me," he murmurs. "I'll do my best to be a model student."

"You're a perfect student," Joel answers with a small grin before he leans away from Spencer just enough to tug his cardigan and his t-shirt over his head at the same time. He takes care to drape them over a rock rather than throwing them in the sand, because when they come out of the ocean, wet and hopefully tired, he's fairly certain he'll regret having tossed his clothes in a pile of sand when he needs to put them back on. "You're always on time," he says, pressing a kiss to the corner of Spencer's mouth. "And you never talk back." He kisses the edge of his jaw, then smiles against his skin. "And when you do talk back, like the day in my car, it's never anything I don't want to hear."

His hands slide up under Spencer's shirt, fingers spreading against his ribs and his moan vibrates across Spencer's skin as he presses soft kisses along the underside of his jaw. As much as he's learned he loves sex with Spencer, he thinks he might be able to do this forever if it was asked of him. He might be able to just stand here, his hands on Spencer's warm skin, his nose buried in the curve of his throat, his teeth and tongue and lips moving over his skin. He's so easily distracted when it comes to his boyfriend, forgetting almost everything and everyone else around him whenever they're simply near each other. "You do have a tendency to distract your teacher, though," he murmurs, tugging Spencer's shirt up and over his head before he traces a path with his tongue along Spencer's collarbone.

Then he sinks to his knees in the sand, palming Spencer through his jeans, rubbing the heel of his hand against him as he grins up at him, his lower lip pulled between his teeth. "But I think I can forgive you for that," he decides as he uses his other hand to pop the button of Spencer's pants, tugging down the zipper before he curls his fingers in the waist and pulls them down. The night isn't exactly warm and he can feel goosebumps on Spencer's skin, though he doesn't know if it's from the light breeze or from what he's doing when he leans in and begins to trace the waist of Spencer's briefs with his teeth and tongue. All he wants to do is get Spencer completely naked and feel their bodies pressed together, but this is an awful lot of fun, too, and he ducks his head further, teasing his mouth over Spencer's cock through his briefs, his eyes closed, a low moan rumbling in his throat.

He'll never tire of watching Joel take his clothes off, Spencer knows that for a fact. He has to bite down hard on his lip to hold back that moan that threatens to escape him just from watching the flex of Joel's arms, from wanting so badly to drag his hands down Joel's bare shoulders and chest, and he can feel himself getting hard just from the sight of his boyfriend undressing under the moonlight. They could end this night without being intimate, they have the rest of their lives--and Spencer catches himself at that thought because he wants to have the rest of their lives, and he's more confident than not that Joel does, too, but they haven't had that discussion yet and he doesn't know how early is too early because he's never done any of this before--to have sex whenever they want.

But then Joel's murmuring things about what makes Spencer a good student and then his shirt is coming off and Joel's tongue is tracing his collarbone, and he thinks maybe it would be a shame to let an opportunity to have sex here, in public, in the ocean and just far away enough from people they know, slip past them. He can't even think of anything to say as Joel lowers himself to his knees, his jaw just hangs open as obvious lust fills his eyes, and his hands tremble at his sides as he watches his boyfriend run his mouth over Spencer's briefs. He grasps for something, anything, but the rocks aren't going to cut it so he can only reach forward to hold onto Joel's shoulders.

"Talk back," he breathes, and it's followed by a huffed laugh. "Is this your way of punishing me? Because I have to say--ah, god, Joel--" He lifts one hand to thread through the other man's hair, tugging lightly as his hips roll forward involuntarily, his entire body and mind desperate for more. "If that's the case, I'll have to make a point of talking back more often." He uses his other hand to smooth over the planes of Joel's back, tracing his fingers along Joel's shoulder blades and dragging them back up his spine.

"Your lesson plan is very effective," he continues, leaning down just enough to be able to kiss the crown of Joel's head, needing as much contact as possible because he can't get enough of this man, can never be close enough to him. He wants nothing more than to get Joel naked and it's a primal urge, but it's not just a matter of the sex; it's the lack of layers between them, it's being completely bared for only one man to see, this man that he's chosen to let into his life. It's private--even in a public setting--and it's personal, it's just for them. His body and his heart, he's willing to give up full control of them but only for Joel.

Joel knows he isn't as good at the playful, flirtatious banter as Spencer is, though he tries and sometimes thinks he succeeds. But now, with his lips pressed against the outline of Spencer's cock, his own erection pressing painfully against the zipper of his jeans, he can't think of a single thing to say in return, because they would mean taking his focus off Spencer for long enough to come up with something cute and light, and he just can't do it. He only moans, hooking his fingers in the waist of Spencer's briefs, tugging them down his hips, and he leans back in as soon as he does, his lips sliding up the length of Spencer's cock, not taking him into his mouth yet, just enjoying the feel of his skin under Joel's mouth. His tongue flicks out, tracing a soft line up the length of him before he reaches the tip and he laps at him gently before tipping his head back slightly, grinning up at Spencer.

"Are you ready for your swimming lesson?" he asks, his hands running up over Spencer's thighs and then around to smooth over his ass lightly. He can hear the crash of the waves not far off and he's pleased to realize the sound of them will disguise any noise they might make hear in these rocks or out in the water. It's dark enough now, too, that he doubts anyone will even know they're out there, even if they walk by on shore. It's private and yet not, and while Joel knows they won't be caught simply because it's not possible, there's also a little part of him that thinks they might and he's surprised to find the thought excites him a little.

He presses a kiss to the edge of Spencer's hip before he climbs to his feet, undoing his jeans as he rises. He's hard enough that it's painful to be confined to his jeans and he has to stifle a soft sigh of relief as he pushes them down, his briefs going with them and he steps out of his pants, tossing them in the same direction as his and Spencer's shirts. "Come on," he urges gently, stepping closer, another soft moan slipping out of him when he feels his erection bumping against Spencer's in the dark. "Get undressed. Come in the water with me."

Then he kisses Spencer once more, long and deep, before he's stepping past him, moving through the opening in the rocks and walking toward the water. It's not the first time he's dared to swim without his trunks, but it's certainly the first time he's done it with anyone watching and he can feel Spencer's gaze on him as he heads into the water. He likes how it feels, even as a shiver runs down his spine.

He's about ready to complain about how unfair it is that Joel would leave him like this, already hard and aching and still constrained by his briefs, but then he glances over his shoulder to catch the way Joel looks so incredible on his way to the ocean. He takes a long moment to just watch, to take in the sight of his boyfriend completely naked in such an open space and under the light that's doing him so much justice, and he sighs to himself as he slips out of his briefs and sets them aside to join the rest of their clothes.

"I was going to suggest you go everywhere naked but I'm selfish and don't want anyone else to be so privileged," he calls out as he follows Joel to the shoreline. He shivers from the breeze that's all the more noticeable now that he's rid of his clothes, and he steps up behind Joel to wrap his arms around the other man's waist. His cock presses against the small of Joel's back and he lets out a soft moan as he nuzzles his cheek against Joel's neck. He's about ready to tell Joel to forget the water, to lay out on the sand and pull Joel on top of him, but at the same time, he's just a bit curious to know what it's like to have sex in the ocean.

He's amazed more and more with every passing time they're intimate because he couldn't picture anything more perfect than their first time together. Joel had been so tender, so caring without being too cautious, and they'd moved together in perfect harmony that Spencer knows he couldn't have achieved with anyone else. There's so much for them to discover about each other, so many different experiences that they'll be able to share, and Spencer can't even explain in his own mind how utterly happy he is that they can, if they choose, do that for the rest of their lives. It's in absolutes that he thinks about his future with Joel, he realizes, because there's simply no other option for him. It's Joel, there's nobody else, how could there be when the connection they have is this strong?

He squeezes Joel a little tighter back against his chest before kissing a trail down the back of the other man's neck and pulling away to take a few steps forward. He shivers again then takes a deep breath as he reaches out with his toe to test the water. The waves rush at him then, splashing up on his legs and torso, and he nearly jumps a full foot in the air before spinning around with an accusatory glare. "It's freezing!"

Joel's hands fall to Spencer's arms when he wraps them around his waist and he leans back against him, enjoying the warmth of his body pressed so close. It's a strong contrast to the breeze that's coming in off the ocean and though Joel wouldn't call the evening cool, exactly, he's still much more comfortable with Spencer so close to him, although he thinks he might feel that way no matter what the temperature. It could be a hundred degrees, he thinks, sticky and uncomfortable, but he'd still want Spencer exactly where he is. The heat has always been hard for Joel in the summer, it's always made him tired and grumpy, but he thinks of the days when his apartment had no air conditioning, when he'd lie on top of the sheets with the fan blowing and the window open, praying for a stray gust of wind, how uncomfortable and unhappy he'd been. And he thinks of Spencer being there, a warm weight against his side, and suddenly even those nights when he'd been too hot and unable to sleep don't seem so bad. Spencer's presence can change just about anything.

He lets out a little sound of protest when Spencer steps away from him, because he wants to just keep holding him close and he holds his hand out toward his boyfriend with a little frown that disappears the second Spencer jumps and turns around to look at him. The expression on his face is maybe the funniest Joel has ever seen and he has to press his hand to his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud, sucking his lower lip between his teeth and biting down hard so he doesn't give himself away. Most of the time he doesn't even think about it anymore, he doesn't think about the temperature of the water because it's better than the oppressive heat of the day in the summer and he always forgets that it takes some getting used to. He remembers swimming in the lakes at home in mid-May, when the water had still been cold enough to turn his skin blue.

"You'll get used to it," he promises, still holding his hand out as he takes a few steps closer to Spencer. The water is cool as it washes over his legs and he shivers a little, but once he's close enough, he takes hold of Spencer's hands and wraps his arms around his waist again. Then he slides his own arms around Spencer, turning them so Joel's back is to the water before he begins to walk backwards. There are no rocks littering the ocean floor here, only soft, smooth sand under their feet and he tugs Spencer with him, bit by bit, letting him adjust to the water as they move. He presses a kiss to his mouth, sucking gently on his lower lip before he moves on, kissing his jaw, nuzzling against his ear before his tongue traces the edge of his earlobe. It's partly to distract Spencer from the temperate of the water, partly because Joel simply can't imagine not touching him when they're here like this. He loves the ocean so much and he loves that he's sharing it with Spencer now.

Even if Spencer is a little less excited about the temperature.

"Better?" he asks when they've moved past the waves breaking on the shore. The water is up to their waists now and it still rolls, pulling in toward shore and then pushing back out again, but it's a relatively calm night and the waves are small. Joel doesn't even feel that the water is cool anymore, he's only aware of Spencer's arms around him, of his thigh pressed tightly between Spencer's legs, of his way his skin feels under Joel's fingers now, warm and damp and slick with salt water.

There's a lot less that Spencer can complain about when Joel is pulling him close again, when Joel's high is right there against the arousal he can't hide, and even though he fakes a pout when at Joel's question, it doesn't last long. "Moderately better," he grumbles, biting back a yelp as a receding wave splashes against his back and shoulders. He gazes out past Joel's shoulder at the dark horizon and somehow, he finds it more comforting than when he looks out at the ocean in the light. It's vast out there, seemingly endless, and Spencer remembers when he'd first arrived in Siren Cove as a child. He'd asked his mother what would happen if he ever got lost out in the water, if there'd ever be hope of finding a way back home. She'd merely smiled, kissed his forehead and told them there's nowhere he could go that would keep her from finding him. Of course, he'd nearly drowned on one of his first attempts to swim out on his own so even as an adult and at Dane's goading, he hasn't spent much time in the water since then.

He's kept his distance from people for a long time because the less rational part of him has always held onto that, the inadvertently broken promise his mother had made to him over twenty years ago, but he knows why he's in the water with Joel right now. It hadn't just been the temptation of seeing Joel naked on the beach, though that hadn't been a demotivator; it's the fact that, as he's been saying since the beginning, Joel's the one who's been there to find him. Outside of the library during the Hydra attack, in the water with Cosette and the creature, at the lighthouse with Mark--Joel has always been there, a common denominator, a steady presence that Spencer knows he can no longer do without.

By the time he brings his attention back to where he is, where they are, he realizes that they're just about to tread water and a small part of him panics. He tenses, flailing a bit as he feels his feet reaching for the sand and moving his arms from around Joel's waist to over his shoulders. He knows he has nothing to be afraid of with Joel here but Spencer feels a distinct lack of control when it comes to floating in the water. There's nothing to grip, nothing to keep him afloat, it's only himself and he isn't sure how much he trusts himself to be able to kick his legs and moves his arms and keep himself from breathing in salt water all at once. He knows it's silly, he's a bit embarrassed that he lives in a coastal town and still can't swim at twenty-nine, but it's just never seemed very important.

"Don't let go of me, okay?" It's not quite a question, Spencer knows Joel won't let go unless he says it's okay, but his heart is practically pounding out of his chest as he tries to take a deep breath to steady him against the small waves. He shakes his head before giving Joel a sheepish smile. "I'm sure you're regretting this already."

"Hey," Joel says softly, lifting one hand out of the water to brush over Spencer's cheek, though he keeps his other arm locked tight around his waist. "Never." He means he'll never let go of him, he'll never stop and he'd never regret doing anything with Spencer, least of all this. Being out here in the water with him feels amazing, even if Spencer is nervous, but Joel will be sure not to let go of him, not to give him any reason to doubt or feel more nervous than he already is. His arms stays tight around his waist and he ducks his head, pressing a kiss to the top of Spencer's shoulder, tasting salt on his skin. At the beginning of the night, he'd never imagined they would be out here, but he certainly can't find a single thing wrong with where this night has gone.

"I was a life guard for a summer," he tells Spencer, partly to distract him and partly to reassure him. "Just one summer, though, it was a terrible job and I hated it. Having to sit out in the sun for eight hours while people ran around me and screamed was not my idea of a good summer job." He hadn't even had to do anything at the end of it all, he'd only ever sat in his chair and watched, no one had ever been in any kind of danger and all he'd ended up with was a big stack of books that he managed to read while keeping one eye on the water, which hadn't been all that awful, really.

"So I won't let go of you," he continues, pressing another kiss to Spencer's shoulder, then one to the side of his throat. He smiles against his skin, his eyes closing, treading water carefully with one arm as he keeps the other around Spencer. It's hard to forget his revelation of earlier, that he loves this man, that he doesn't ever want another person, that he's sure this is it for the rest of his life. "Not just out here."

With time and practice, it's become so easy for him to tell Spencer how he feels. With every passing day he finds himself stuttering and stammering less often. The words haven't been so difficult for him to find, not when he knows that Spencer isn't going to laugh at him. He's not going to say something and see Spencer roll his eyes in response. He's never felt this secure with a person before, he's never felt this safe, and he wants to be able to repay that every single second of every single day.

As always, having Joel talk him through this puts Spencer more at ease. He feels the tension in his shoulders wash a little more away with every wave that moves them, and he buries his face in the crook of Joel's neck without being able to hold back his grin at the thought of Joel as a lifeguard. He imagines the hustle and bustle of children running poolside when they're meant to only walk; having to overhear complaints and gossip and all sorts of things that are much better kept away from such a public setting; the occasional and inevitable sunburn that must have come with the job, and he can't help but laugh, though it's not out of mockery. As utterly incapable as Spencer would be at holding that particular job, he imagines Joel would have been quite good at it if the need for any actual guarding of lives had ever arisen.

"I know you won't," he answers, relaxing a bit more as he feels the panic dulling in his chest and starts to kick under water with less force, less resistance. "I'm sure you were an excellent lifeguard, I'd have trusted you to save me without question. I do now, anyway."

Joel is always there, after all, to pick Spencer up when he falls, no matter what the circumstances. It's only Joel who can truly lift him to a better place, a better mood that's more than just a small smile, and it's only Joel who understands better than anyone what it's like to be alone for so long that it becomes difficult to accept that there's anyone willing to be there. Spencer's accepted it, that Joel doesn't just feel obligated to be with him, to protect him because Spencer can't protect himself; Joel wants to do these things, and he wishes he could find a way to repay that.

He realizes then that he's been treading water for a full minute without complaint or any sudden bouts of terror of drowning and his eyes brighten as he pulls back to look at Joel. "I'm getting better," he says, nodding down toward the water, and he experimentally lets one hand free of holding onto Joel only to find himself slipping through Joel's arms and nearly underwater. His boyfriend wastes no time in hauling him back up before Spencer can swallow any water and he wraps his legs around Joel's waist because it seems secure enough to him.

He groans, rolling his eyes at himself as his cheeks turn a few shades darker. "We're not every very far out," he complains, looking back toward the shore. "Perhaps the ocean and I just aren't meant to be."

"Well, I'm not being a very good teacher right now either," Joel admits and he has to suck his lower lip between his teeth, biting down on it a little harder than he normally does the second Spencer's legs are suddenly around his waist. He can feel his erection brushing against the back of Spencer's thigh and though he keeps his grip tight, he lets his hands roam down, sliding over Spencer's back and over the curve of his ass, hitching him a little higher. "The trick is to expend as little energy as possible." His legs are bent at the knee, his thighs parallel to the top of the water as he does a slow egg-beater kick, keeping their heads above the water easily and without much effort. It leaves his hands free, too, which he's extremely grateful for as his fingers slide over Spencer's ass, a light, teasing brush more than anything. But it's as much a tease to himself as it is to Spencer and he wants to be touching him more than this, he wants to be exploring him with his hands and his mouth and his fingers become a little more insistent, one pressing against Spencer gently before he pulls back again with a grin.

"I'll tread water for now," he murmurs, his voice low and hoarse as he ducks his head and traces the tip of up tongue up toward Spencer's ear. "You can just hang onto me." He's going to get distracted soon enough, he knows that, he's going to need to take them further in so he can either touch the sand under their feet or drag Spencer right back onto the beach and into the little semi-circle of rocks. He wishes he'd thought to bring a towel or a blanket or anything so he could lay Spencer down on the beach without thought, but this hadn't been his plan tonight.

He should know by now, Spencer distracts him from any and all plans he might have made, and he's never been happier to not be entirely sure where his evenings might lead. He's just as likely now to end up curled up on a couch with a book in his hand and Spencer's feet propped up in his lap as he is falling into bed with Spencer, beyond needy, beyond desperate, his hands searching for smooth, warm skin. Most of the time it feels as thought his life has both been turned completely upside down and not changed at all and he has no idea how Spencer has managed such a thing, but he loves every moment of it. He's never felt so normal and so different all at once.

His hips roll a little, his erection pressing harder against the underside of Spencer's thigh and he lets out a little gasp, the cool water lapping at his back and shoulders. "I'll really teach you one day," he promises, leaning in to press little kisses against Spencer's jaw and then his cheek. "You'll have to wear swimming trunks then, though, or I'll never get anywhere with lessons."

"I don't know, you seem to be doing just fine to me," Spencer counters before grazing his teeth over Joel's shoulder and tracing a light line with his tongue over his collarbone. He is learning, after all, though not quite in the way Joel had intended. It's a slightly more important lesson, he thinks, the one that's helped him discover a side of himself he's never even thought to have tap into before. It's the one that had encouraged him to keep talking the other day in the car and to take his clothes off on a public beach so that he could feel the waves around him while clinging to his boyfriend. It's a lesson he's been learning since he'd asked Joel not to leave him, and he keeps adding to his bank of knowledge of how to be a boyfriend every single day. Sometimes he doesn't know if he's doing it right, sometimes he feels like there's a pop quiz and there's a chance he'll fail, but the most important discovery he's made is that Joel will always be there to catch him if he falls.

Even now, in the still shallow waters, Joel is all that keep him above water and Spencer doesn't have to worry about him letting go. He's distracted already by the feel of Joel's length pressing against his thigh and Joel's gasp is followed by one of his own because his own arousal keeps brushing against his boyfriend's stomach and between that and Joel's fingers teasing his ass the way they are, Spencer isn't sure how much longer he's going to be able to last before he's reduced to begging.

"Sometimes you have to stray from the lesson plan. But you can teach me a new one," he murmurs, leaning into the kisses and letting his fingers dig a little deeper into Joel's back before leaning back just enough to watch Joel's face as reaches behind himself to take hold of his boyfriend's cock. He can't hold back the shiver that pulses through him as he gives one long, slow stroke and he so desperately wants Joel to enter him right now, to be having sex with him in the ocean or on the shore or anywhere, really. There's nobody else he could be doing this with, another thing he'd learned, though it had been early on in their relationship.

There's nobody else who could know so quickly and so easily just how to touch him. Joel had said that they just work by way of explanation and it's true, there's really no simpler way to describe it. Joel's that missing piece of a puzzle that had been otherwise incomplete, even if Spencer hadn't realized it; and as he starts to steadily pump Joel's cock through his fist, amazed at how utterly light everything feels when he's doing it underwater, he smiles softly even though his pupils are already nearly blown and his own erection is desperate for some friction. "Forget the swimming trunks, I think I'd much rather believe that this is what swimming is really like."

Any retort Joel might have had disappears as Spencer begins to stroke him in earnest and his mouth falls open, his eyes fluttering shut and for a second he almost forgets to continue kicking. They dip a little in the water, though he doesn't let them go under and his hand still, simply holding Spencer close to him for a moment. Then, with one arm still tight around Spencer, he uses the other to propel them through the water, a little closer to shore, because he needs the stability of standing and when he feels the sand brushing against his feet, he plants them, hitching Spencer closer as best he can, dragging him in for a deep kiss as both his hands return to smoothing and exploring everywhere he can reach. His hand bumps against Spencer's, his fist still moving over his cock and Joel runs his hand down Spencer's thigh, arching his back so he can feel Spencer's erection trapped between them and he presses his body forward, grinding against him.

It's so difficult, sometimes, not to just let himself get completely caught up in the way Spencer makes him feel, but for everything Spencer does for him, he wants to do in return and a second later he realizes his hand as all but stilled against Spencer's skin. "This is what swimming is really like," he finally manages to say and one finger circles against Spencer's ass, still teasing, knowing water is different, it's not the same as lube, he needs to be careful. The last thing he wants is to hurt him, but at the same time he feels desperate already. He wants to be inside Spencer and he's never felt a need this bad for any other person. He's never so badly wanted to be connected, wanted to please someone the way he does with Spencer.

"But only for us," he manages to add, his voice low and hoarse as he very carefully presses his finger inside Spencer and he groans almost as soon as the words are out. Spencer's body is so warm and the water around them is still cool, causing him to shiver, causing goosebumps to break out across his arms and shoulders and he ducks his head, his teeth grazing the outer edge of Spencer's ear and he's already breathing harder, his heart beating loud against his chest.

Never in his life has he been so deeply attracted to a person and he knows it's more than just the physical. Spencer is by far the most beautiful person he's ever seen, he has the most incredible smile and Joel finds himself sometimes fantasizing about simply trailing his fingers along the edge of his perfect jaw. But it's more than that, it's the knowledge of what they've been through together, the things they've seen in each other and neither of them has run. It's the way Spencer seems to have hundreds of thousands of facts stored inside his head, the way he finds exactly the right literary quote to describe everything Joel wants to say, almost as if he can read his mind. No one has ever known him the way Spencer does and it's that knowledge that drives Joel to please him in every possible way he can.

His hand twists, his finger moving inside of Spencer, and he moans softly against his ear. "Spencer... god..." He doesn't now what else to say, he never knows what else to say, and he's always been terrible with expressing himself, but he thinks, in this case, it's more than enough.

He's quietly grateful for the stability of Joel's feet touching the sand, even though he's rationally aware that it isn't as if his own boyfriend would let him drown even if they'd floated out further into the sea. Those worrisome thoughts don't last long, though, not when Joel is pushing a finger into him and Spencer lets out a low, guttural moan as he tries to relax against the touch. It's not the same without the lube, not that this isn't something he'd already expected, but it's not unwelcome because he knows how good Joel can make him feel. It takes longer for him to adjust than usual, if only because being in the water is making him tense up, and when Joel slides his finger in past his knuckle, Spencer is already breathing hard as he clings to Joel as best as he can.

"Joel." It comes out as more of a whisper than anything else, and he knows he doesn't actually have to say anything because there's nothing that could describe this, the way Joel's finger twists and curves and moves inside him, and when he feels a second finger join in, he digs his fingernails into Joel's back with a hiss before crying out. "Oh, god, just-- don't stop, please, don't stop." His grip on Joel's length hasn't loosened and he rubs his thumb gingerly over the head of his boyfriend's cock as he grazes his teeth over Joel's neck before nibbling lightly at the curve of his shoulder.

This is only for them, Joel has said, and it sends a shiver through Spencer's spine because every time they're intimate is like going on a whole new adventure for him. They've only been having sex regularly for just over a couple weeks now but Joel has wasted no time in getting to know all of Spencer's most sensitive spots--though the other man seems to find another new one nearly every time--or figuring out just the right pace and the perfect way to grip Spencer's cock in his hand. These moments, even out here in the ocean, are just for them. They're something they'll only ever share with each other, and he smiles against Joel's skin as he trails his tongue over the hollow of Joel's throat. He gasps when a third finger enters him and it stings a bit but not in an unbearable way, it's nothing Spencer can't handle because he knows that one Joel guides his cock into his ass, he won't care about anything else.

He trusts Joel in everything, from keeping him from drowning to taking care of him when they're having sex, and he knows that trust is returned. It's why they're out here right now, naked in the ocean with three of Joel's fingers pumping in and out of Spencer as they're lifted every few seconds by the slow roll of the waves, and he lets out another moan as he tries to push himself down to get Joel's fingers even deeper. "God, I just want you to always be touching me."

There's something about the way Spencer whispers his name, something perfect, something that sends a thrill through him because no one has ever said his name like that before and he knows no one will say it that way again. It's only Spencer, it will only ever be Spencer and Joel finds himself gasping already, breathing hard just at the way Spencer's thumb sweeps over him, the press of his teeth against his skin. He wants to reach between them and take Spencer's cock in his hand, but at the moment his free hand seems to be locked around Spencer's waist, anchoring them together in the water as he pumps his fingers in and out of him slowly, his shoulders arching and flexing against the bite of Spencer's nails against his skin.

It comes as a bit of a surprise just how much he likes that. The little burst of pain brings him back, makes him more aware of everything, of how warm and tight Spencer is around his fingers, the cool waves that lap at their skin, how heavy the night feels, like it's wrapped around them, giving them all the privacy they need. He knows that last bit isn't true, that they're just as easily heard as the waves that hit the shore, but he makes no effort to quiet Spencer and his own gasps only get louder as Spencer pushes himself down, forcing Joel's fingers deeper into his body.

He's not normally prone to cursing, but Spencer's fist twists around him in just the right way and Joel's fingers are so deep inside him that it slips out, a strangled, "Fuck," that he tries to muffle against Spencer's throat. But it surprises a laugh out of him at the same time and he presses his lips to the side of Spencer's neck, his fingers twisting as he kisses a line up toward his ear. "I could close the store," he mumbles, only half-aware he's speaking at all, because he's desperate as he slowly withdraws his fingers, reaching down with that hand to find Spencer's on his cock. He fumbles briefly, but then his fingers close down around Spencer's, urging him to take control, to guide Joel into him at whatever pace he wants. "Close the store, quit my job, I could just do this full-time."

He's teasing, only half-aware of what he's even saying as he releases is hold on Spencer's hand, letting him take control. For a moment, both his hands fall to Spencer's hips and then one arm locks around him again, the other snaking between their bodies to find Spencer's cock.

Edited 2014-07-16 04:52 (UTC)

"Don't tease me like that," he says, though it's through another moan, and he's not just talking about the way Joel's fingers slip out of him before Joel wraps one arm around his waist and his other hand around his cock. He knows Joel is leaving it up to him, letting him take control in an environment Spencer doesn't feel remotely in control of, and he feels a fresh surge of affection for the man who's holding him above the gentle crash of the waves.

He's also talking, though, about what Joel says about quitting his job. He knows his boyfriend isn't being serious about closing the store but sometimes, in moments like this or when they're lying in bed together or even when Joel does something as small as smile at him from across the room, Spencer thinks that he could do the same thing. He could drop everything for this man, go anywhere Joel wants to go because he can't imagine life without him now. The mere thought of losing Joel in any way is what makes Spencer lean in for an aggressive kiss, deep and passionate and raw, as he whimpers at the sound of Joel cursing before he lifts his hips so he can settle onto Joel's cock.

"I--ah, god, I would leave the library in a second if it meant we could do this full-time," he says, and he buries his face against Joel's shoulder as he guides Joel into him. It's rougher than usual thanks to the sting of the salt water, he's still tight even though he tries to relax so he can accept Joel's length, and his entire body is trembling from how tense he is as his breaths come in shallow gasps until Joel is finally filling him entirely.

He needs to stay still for a moment and Joel seems to understand that because he only holds Spencer closer. The lapping of the waves that surround them soothes Spencer into a more relaxed state and he pulls back slightly so he can leave a trail of kisses from Joel's collarbone up to his neck until he riches his lips for something softer this time, something sweet and encouraging to let Joel know he's okay. The waves give him leverage, make it easier for him to pull himself up only to sink back down onto Joel's cock with a moan. Joel's body is the only warmth he's getting from the comparative coolness of the ocean but he can feel his body flushing from the rush of pleasure that's pulsing through him.

He rests his forehead against Joel's, eyes closed and lips parted as he keeps moving slowly but steadily, grateful that they've found somewhere so isolated because he wants them to be able to take their time. Being intimate in the ocean, under the light of the moon and stars, is something he wants to savor for as long as he can.

It's not a tease, not really, because although Joel loves his store and has no reason to close it, he also knows he'd go anywhere and do anything for Spencer. It's an easy thing to promise because he knows Spencer would never ask him to, but he knows that isn't the only reason he's able to say such things. There's never been anyone in his life like this, there's never been a single person who understands him the way Spencer does and if Spencer decided he wanted to leave Siren Cove tomorrow, Joel would go with him without question. It would make him sick with nerves, he knows, because the furthest he's gone in ten years is one town over and only for inventory and Spencer's ice cream. But for Spencer, he'd do anything.

"Oh, god, Spencer," he groans, his hands smoothing over his back under the water as he slowly sinks down onto Joel's cock. In his position, he doesn't have much control, he can't do much more but let Spencer move as he wants to, but he's perfectly happy giving that to him. For a moment all he does it hold Spencer close, feeling his body adjust, but then he's moving, then he's lifting himself up and sinking back down, and Joel's lips part as a deep shiver runs through him, so beyond turned on that he doesn't even know what to do.

He's so in love with him. The thought occurs to him again and Joel laughs softly, though it's cut off by another moan as Spencer continues to move. The waves seem to be helping, guiding, and Joel lifts one hand, burying his fingers in Spencer's hair so he can pull him in for another long kiss. He's inside Spencer in the ocean, surrounded by water, the wide open sky, everything quiet and peaceful, nothing to interrupt them at all. The sounds of the party have long since faded away and all Joel can hear is the sound of the wind and the water and their gasps and moans as Spencer slowly rides him.

"Spencer," he breathes again and it's the only thing he can think to say, he's so dizzy with desire and affection. "Spencer, god... Spencer... you..." But it really is the only word that he can manage to say and instead of saying anything more, he leans in for another kiss, his tongue parting Spencer's lips, sweeping into his mouth with a moan. At the same time he reaches between them again and takes hold of Spencer's cock, the water making it easy for his hand to glide over him.

It's maddening, the way the water keeps him from quickening his pace; but even though his body is desperate to be moving faster, harder, Spencer can't deny that taking it nice and slow like this feels unbelievably good. He squeezes his legs tighter around Joel's waist, his breath hitching with a pleasured gasp as he finds a new angle, one that allows for Joel's cock to press right up against his most sensitive of spots. It takes his breath away, he feels winded, and he's thankful again for the fact that Joel is holding him up right now because Spencer is sure that he'd be a lost cause otherwise. To be riding Joel like this, out in the open ocean with a light breeze providing a chilled thrill that provides a fine contrast for the heat of their bodies, is something he never would have thought he'd be doing.

He moans into Joel's mouth as they kiss and he can already feel himself getting close, his ass tightening around Joel's cock every time he sinks back down, letting Joel fill him over and over with his length, all along quite sure that he's going to pass out from how good Joel makes him feel. Joel keeps saying his name but Spencer can't even find it in himself to reply, just hugs Joel tightly to him as he does his best to keep in control when his boyfriend takes his cock in hand.

It's so much at once and Spencer knows that despite his efforts, he's not going to be able to last much longer. They can do this again, he reminds himself, again and again and again because Joel isn't going anywhere and neither is he. They have all sorts of new experiences to share together, new ways of making each other feel the way nobody else has been able to, and Spencer is looking forward to every single one of them because each time they have sex, he's pretty convinced that nothing can beat it; but with every night they're naked together, losing themselves in each other's touch and falling asleep with their limbs still tangled, Spencer realizes that it's only ever going to get better.

"Joel," he finally manages to whisper before his body tenses and he's whimpering, a long and low sounds that emits from further in his throat than he thought possible as he comes, spilling into Joel's hand before the water washes any sign of it away in a split second. The orgasm had been quiet, restrained thanks to the surrounding quiet of the evening, and he lets out short, shallow breaths as he drops his forehead against Joel's shoulder. He's still moving over Joel's cock, still riding his boyfriend even as his body shudders over and over from the sensation of still having Joel's length pumping into him, still pressing against that spot. He lifts his head and licks a line up Joel's neck to his earlobe, reveling in the taste of the salt on the other man's skin, content to go as long as he needs to so that he can feel Joel release inside of him.

It's so different from so much of what they've done together so far, but Joel finds he's not loving it any less. It's quiet and slow and Spencer has every last bit of control, even as Joel pumps his cock through his hand. A soft, shuddering moan escapes him when he feels Spencer's muscles tighten, when he feels his body pulled taut around his cock, and knows Spencer is coming, he can feel it in the changes in his body and it's not the same as being in bed, he can't feel Spencer spilling into his hand, but he knows at the same time that he has. It's different and Joel doesn't know if it's because of the gentle rhythm of the water or the silence around them or the dark, clear sky stretched out overhead, or maybe he's the thing that's different. Maybe it's knowing that his feelings have grown, that they've developed into something much deeper than he's ever felt before in his life.

Whatever it is, something is different, and when Spencer comes, when he whispers Joel's name like that, it's all he can do to keep himself from coming right away. His feet press down into the sand and he slips his hand off Spencer gently, both his hands moving to Spencer's hips, helping to guide him slowly and he knows he isn't going to last much longer, not with his name on Spencer's lips, not with his body tightening around his cock and Joel lets out a long, shuddering sigh as Spencer's forehead comes to a rest against his shoulder.

The feel of Spencer's tongue on his neck startles him and he groans in surprise, both his hands tightening on Spencer's hips as he tugs him down, burying himself inside of him, gasping for air at the same time. "Oh, god. Spencer." His hips jerk, pushing himself as deep inside Spencer as he possibly can before he comes, a desperate shudder coursing through him as he does and he's never had anything like this, he's never known how incredible it feels just to come inside someone he loves this much. He's on the verge of laughing as he rides the last few waves of his orgasm, this feeling, this unexplainable, impossible to define feeling nearly overwhelming him.

But it's not unexplainable, he thinks, wrapping his arms tight around Spencer, holding him close in the water. It's not impossible to define. He's in love and it makes perfect sense. He'll tell him soon, he decides, maybe not tonight, maybe not even tomorrow, but soon. He's breathing hard, his shoulders heaving, his heart beating fast, but it still feels peaceful somehow, quiet and relaxed, and he knows they can't very well stay in the water forever, but there's a part of him that wants to try anyway. That never wants to move from this very spot.

They stay that way for what feels like a peaceful eternity, arms wrapped tightly around each other and Spencer's head on Joel's shoulder and Joel still buried inside of him. The gentle breeze and way the waves make them bob in the water sends a shiver through him every so often but he can't find it in himself to let go, to want to go back to shore because right now, he's certain he's never experienced anything more perfect. He knows that every moment with Joel will surpass the last, that every time they have sex is going to be even more incredible--which is almost hard to believe but it's been true so far--and it just reminds him all over again how unbelievably fortunate he is to have found this man.

"Joel, I..." He trails off, not even sure what he'd meant to say in the first place. He's been feeling so many different things over the course of the past couple months, since Joel had walked into his life and turned everything upside down, and sometimes he still doesn't really know how to process any of them. His life had been so empty, he realizes, so void of what's keeping him so afloat now and that's Joel, it will always be Joel.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he finishes quietly, almost shyly because it's not nearly as encompassing as he'd like it to be even though it's still the truth. He could have gone through life without ever having met Joel, as much as the very thought distresses him, but what makes his stomach actually turn is a life of being with Joel only to lose him. He can't be without this and he knows that if Joel can help it, his boyfriend won't ever give him a reason to be; but the fact remains, he'd be absolutely lost without Joel by his side.

He glances over his shoulder at the shore and lets out a little sigh. "I don't want this night to end."

"You don't have to find out," Joel responds without thinking, though even if he'd stopped and considered, he's sure he would have said the same thing. There's nothing in this world that can make him walk away from Spencer now. After the lighthouse, he'd thought that staying away might be the best way to protect Spencer, but he's too selfish for that now. He needs to be here with him and he thinks if anything like that were to happen again, it's better that he's here. Spencer is hardly someone in need of saving, but Joel knows if anything happens, if someone like Mark ever comes back into their lives, the best place for him to be is right here. Right beside Spencer.

He doesn't know what he'd do without Spencer either. To have had this and to lose it is such a daunting thought and Joel knows himself well enough to know he wouldn't get over it. He'd lock himself in his apartment, he'd run the store, but that would be the end of it. He wouldn't be the same man ever again.

Glancing toward the shore as well, Joel can just make out the shape of the rocks on the beach, and he smiles, wishing for the same thing. If there was some way for them to stay out here, to not have to return to reality, he'd more than happily take it, but as it is, he can feel himself growing soft inside of Spencer and he carefully, slowly draws his hips back, a muffled sigh escaping him as he does. "It doesn't have to end yet," he murmurs lifting one arm out of the water, brushing his fingertips against Spencer's temple, the line of his jaw. "We can go home now. By the time we get there we'll be covered in salt and sand. We should... we'd probably need to shower."

He believes that's true. With every part of him, Spencer believes it. He knows that some might say it's naive, to think that in just a month, he could say he's found his person, the one who he's willing to promise forever to, but Spencer doesn't care about what others think. Nobody else in this town has touched him the way Joel has, brushed his hair back or kissed him so gently or held him the way Joel has; nobody else has told him how amazing he is, been there to comfort him when he jolts awake in the middle of the night; nobody else had seen him that night at the lighthouse, seen him broken and crying and needy, but Joel had. Joel had seen and done and said all these things, and he's still here.

It doesn't quite compute sometimes. He couldn't have hoped for someone to complement him better, someone who'd be so willing to just lay out and read in silence with their legs tangled in bed or their fingers brushing in between page turns. It doesn't make sense that the first person he's ever so desperately wanted to be with is a man so perfect for him, the odds of that happening are so beyond slim that coming up with a percentage would be pointless. Joel is an anomaly, really, an exception that had been made by the world for Spencer for some reason he doesn't think he'll ever figure out but he'll take it. He'll take it, and he won't let it go.

He begrudgingly unhinges his legs from around Joel's waist and lets his feet hit the sand, groaning his displeasure even though Joel suggests a welcome alternative. "Shower," he repeats, giving a slight nod before running his hands down the other man's sides and letting them come to a rest on Joel's hips. "We'd be saving the environment, too, by showering together. Waste not, right?"

Beach BBQ [Open]

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