Vacation Daze by Cienna

Chapter 3 - Fun in the Sun

Author's Note - Thanks to chibicherrychan for reviewing and pointing out the mistake I made in chapter 1. Also thanks to takadainmate for forcing me to write this. (I don't think it really required too much effort on her part.) Please read and review.

Ban slept fitfully through the night, several times waking up to find Ginji almost on top of him. He didn't know if he could endure seven more nights of this. He was never going to forgive himself for not splurging on those twin beds.

Ginji woke up as cheerful as ever with no mention of their conversation the night before. Ban was still worried. It was rare to see Ginji that upset about something. He resolved to act as energetic as possible so that Ginji could see for himself that he was all right. But first he had to take a cold shower.

"Why are you taking a shower now, Ban-chan? We're just going to get in the ocean."

"I feel grimy," he replied. In truth, he knew that the ocean would be nowhere near cold enough to get his libido in check.

After the shower he changed into his swim trunks and a t-shirt. He came into the kitchen to find Ginji still eating breakfast.

"I saved some for you, Ban-chan," Ginji said, shoving a box of cereal in his direction.

"Thanks." He caught the cereal and dumped the remainder in a bowl with some milk. "We're definitely going to have to go grocery shopping later. I think we're already completely out of food."

"I don't know how that could have happened." Ginji was looking all too innocent again.

"Yeah, right. I knew you would eat all that chocolate right away, but I can't believe you ate all the other food too."

"It wasn't like it was just me, Ban-chan. I saw you eat an entire box of Pocky when we were watching TV last night."

Ban grinned. "I need my strength, remember? I'm supposed to be recovering."

Ginji's happy expression disappeared. "That's not funny, Ban-chan."

Ban sighed. How did Ginji always manage to make him feel so guilty with the slightest of looks?"Come on, Ginji. Let's finish so we can go to the beach." Ginji's expression brightened and Ban finished the rest of his cereal while listening to his friend's reassuring chatter.

Finally, they finished eating and threw the dishes in the sink without bothering to clean up. Ban grabbed their towels and they headed out to the beach. It was a beautiful day and there actually were a lot of girls in bikinis sunning themselves on the grey sand. There were also a lot of families with children, Ban noticed unhappily. Children were something to be avoided at all costs.

Ginji immediately ran to the edge of the water and threw himself in. Ban almost followed him until he put one foot in and realized that the water was freezing.

Ginji noticed his hesitation and yelled back at him. "The water's great! What are you waiting for?"

Ban cringed as a wave of icy water swept over his feet, sending goosebumps up his back. Maybe he hadn't needed to take that shower after all. "This water's freezing, Ginji. I'm going to have to wait until it gets a little warmer outside." Ginji moved closer to shore and walked up to him, water droplets making their way down his chest.

"It's not that cold, Ban-chan. See." And somehow he managed to send a huge spray of icy cold sea water in Ban's direction. Ban was completely soaked.

"You're going to pay for that!" Unfortunately, making Ginji pay required entering the icy cold water himself, which was no doubt what his sneaky partner had planned. After dunking Ginji five or six times the water did seem quite a bit warmer.

"I told you it wasn't that cold, Ban-chan." Ginji's face was flushed with excitement, his brown eyes sparkling. Ban noted the way his hair still stuck straight out even when wet. His own spikes had disintegrated into wet tendrils that were now plastered to his face.

"Well, now that I'm sopping wet it's not that cold." They moved to shallower water and Ban floated on his back while Ginji circled around him, reminding Ban of a shark. He pretended to sleep while staying on his guard. Sure enough, about two minutes later Ginji jumped him, only to be thwarted when Ban abruptly stood up in the shallow water and grabbed him, pinning his arms behind his back.

"Aww…Ban-chan! I didn't even get you once. How can you know what's going on with your eyes closed like that?"

Ban held Ginji's arms more tightly as he tried to struggle. "I know because it's you, Ginji. I always know what you're thinking."

Ginji stopped struggling and stared into Ban's eyes as if mesmerized. Suddenly Ban realized that he was holding Ginji's nearly naked body directly against his own. He felt a blush spread across his face, but was for some reason unwilling to let go of his partner. Ginji's breath was warm against him; all it would take was a small movement and he would have those lips against his.

"Do you know what I'm thinking now, Ban-chan?"

Ban swallowed, his mouth slightly dry. He couldn't seem to think anymore. Suddenly, they were interrupted by shouts and splashing as two boys swam past them, apparently in a race to the red buoy that was faintly visible in the distance. The boys seemed to be oblivious to the fact that Ban and Ginji were directly in their path.

"Damn kids," Ban muttered as he released Ginji and they moved out of the way.

Ginji laughed. "You were a kid once, Ban-chan. Not that long ago."

"It seems like another life," Ban said and immediately regretted his words. Ginji had that worried look again. "Come on, let's go play volleyball or something." He grabbed Ginji's arm and proceeded to drag him out of the water.

They lounged around on the beach for the rest of the day, taking frequent dips in the ocean to stay cool. In the late afternoon they both lay on their towels, Ban sipping an icy cold beer. Ginji propped himself up on his elbow to face him.

"Aren't you glad you came, Ban-chan? Admit it."

"I'm not trying to deny it. I mean what more could you ask for, warm weather, cold drinks, girls in bikinis…" he gestured towards several girls sunning themselves in barely there bikinis, while watching for Ginji's reaction. Something flashed behind the warm brown eyes for a moment before he responded.

"Yeah, we definitely picked a good viewing location."

Ban cursed inwardly. Had the tension that had seemed to exist between them in the ocean been his own imagination? Surely he wasn't so desperate that he had resorted to projecting his own fantasies on his friend.

Ginji was still looking at him. "What's wrong, Ban-chan? Aren't you going to go over there and make a move?"

Ban forced himself to remain calm. "Maybe later," he said. "Right now I'm fine with this beer." And you, he thought.

Ginji smiled and lay back down on his towel closing his eyes. A few minutes later he spoke again. "Ne, Ban-chan, what do you think about Kazu-chan and Juubei?

Ban's eyes slowly opened. "What about them?"

"They're really good friends aren't they?"

"I guess." Where was Ginji going with this exactly?

"Just like you and me."

Ban froze.

Seeing his expression Ginji frowned. "Well, not exactly like you and me."

Unfortunately not, Ban thought. "No, not exactly," he agreed.

"They've been friends since they were little kids, but we didn't meet until we were older," Ginji continued thoughtfully.

"True." Ginji was obviously completely clueless about the true nature of Kazuki and Juubei's relationship.

"And we're not lovers like them."

Ban's mouth fell open in disbelief as Ginji sprang to his feet. "I'm going to go get us some more drinks. Do you want anything, Ban-chan?"

Wordlessly, Ban shook his head. "Wait…Ginji…" But his partner was already halfway down the beach.

tbc