In Some Other Existence

Sparrowsace: Deamus prompt for you :) So it's a weekend toward the end of the school year and it's finally warming up outside so all the Gryffindor boys in Harry's dorm are going down to the lake to have a swim and enjoy the peaking summer but Seamus has got to put on a ton of sunscreen because that pale freckled Irish boy simply fries in the sun. And the poor thing has got these stubby little arms that can't reach everywhere on his back, and Dean, being the thoughtful mate that he is, remembers from all the summers they've spent together how bad Seamus can burn at any sign of sunshine if he's not completely covered up from head to toe in his sunblock. and normally Shay's mam will take on the job of lathering him up but she's not here, is she? so I guess I'll just step in and help my mate Seamus. And so basically it involves Dean innocently(?) giving Seamus an oily massage and Seamus desperately trying to not get extremely turned on by his best mate and the way his long, artistic fingers feel all over his back.

Originally posted July 21, 2015, on tumblr

8: Sunscreen - Dean

The fifth years blinked slowly as they walked out into the sunshine, having just finished the last of their O.W.L.'s. It had been so long since they'd been outdoors, and even longer since they hadn't been anywhere that wasn't the common room or the library with their faces shoved into books that they should've been reading all year.

Dean wasn't sure how it started, or who suggested it, but somehow they all found themselves running back to Gryffindor Tower to grab their things so they could go swimming in the Great Lake. They'd all gone mad with giddy, test-less joy.

A few minutes later, Dean was watching with amusement as Hermione, who was standing knee-deep in the freezing water, was yelling at Ron and Harry to stop splashing her; they insisted that it was a science experiment necessary to discover what her hair looked like wet. Lavender and Parvati were stretched out on towels in the grass a few feet away, soaking up the rare sunlight. Neville was wading through the shallows, happily poking his wand at the algae and plants. And Seamus -

He turned and laughed when he found Seamus cowering in the shade of a tree, trying to put sunscreen on himself.

Dean remembered last summer when he stayed with the Finnigans before and after the World Cup, and how Mrs. Finnigan wouldn't let Seamus take even a step outside without being slathered in sunscreen, and one day he found out why.

They'd sneaked out of the house early one morning so Seamus could show Dean the town without the hovering of his mam, and by the time they'd finished the ten minute walk to town, Seamus' shoulders were a bright red and Mrs. Finnigan had a fit when they got back.

"Oi, I think I the castle has a new ghost!" Dean called out.

The trio looked over and laughed right before Ron sneaked up and knocked Hermione over in the water. Seamus rolled his eyes.

"Ye gon' to keep laughing or are ye gon' to help?" Seamus asked, arms straining to reach his back.

Dean stifled another laugh; Seamus looked like a turtle struggling to get back on its feet, but his heart skipped a beat at the word help. He'd be lying if he said that he hadn't developed a crush on his best friend, and the idea of rubbing sunscreen into Seamus' back had him really nervous. Still, if nobody helped him then the poor guy would burn, and there'd be no living with him for a few weeks. (Seamus was incredibly irritable when he was burnt.)

"Coming," Dean said, jogging briefly over to the tree Seamus was taking shelter under.

"Here," Seamus said, handing him the bottle of sunscreen before turning around.

Dean took a steadying breath and tried to be nonchalant as he squeezed a bit of sunscreen onto his fingers. Experimentally, he wiped it off on the tops of Seamus' shoulders and stared.

Seamus turned his head. "Ye have to rub it in, mate."

"I-I know," Dean said, trying to make excuses. "I was just marveling at how translucent you are is all."

He laughed and turned his head back. "Shut up and keep going."

Dean swallowed and used the palm of his hand to rub the sunscreen into Seamus' shoulders, feeling the soft skin under his hand. He squeezed more out and tucked the bottle up under his arm, using both hands to rub it into Seamus' back. His heart beat a little faster when he got to Seamus' lower back.

"Quite being so hesitant," Seamus told him. "Just rub it in."

Just rub it in. Oh Godric.

Dean nodded to himself and really started pressing with his hands. He could feel Seamus' wiry muscles under the skin as he pushed and pulled his fingers and palms over his friend's back. He made his way down to the lower back, moving his hands back and forth over the pale skin. Then he dipped his thumbs under the hem of Seamus' swim shorts, thinking up the excuse, Well, what if the shorts shift? Wouldn't want to be negligent. but Seamus didn't comment, so he kept going.

He squeezed more sunscreen and put his hands on Seamus' hips, pushing them forward so he was half-hugging Seamus, then pulled them back and worked up Seamus' sides. His fingers pressed over Seamus' ribs and he heard Seamus let out a tiny sigh and watched as goosebumps rose on his arms.

With more sunscreen Dean rubbed his shoulders again, fingers pushing up his neck and into the hair at the base of his neck, then out and down his arms. Dean was pretty sure Seamus had already gotten his arms, but he did want to stop touching Seamus, and Seamus wasn't stopping him, so he kept going.

They were back to chest now, with Seamus half-leaning back into him and Dean with his chin next to Seamus' ear, breath washing over his shoulder as he moved his hands up and down his arms. Seamus turned his head slightly to look up at him and Dean's hands skittered over the slick skin as he noticed how wide the Irishman's pupils were.

"Say, Lavender, how much sunscreen do white people really need?" Parvati asked loudly.

Lavender propped herself up on her elbows and looked over at Dean and Seamus, who'd taken two quick steps away from each other.

"Not that much, that's for sure," Lavender said with a laugh. "Although Seamus is really pale."

"Shut up," Seamus muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Oh, looks like you missed your face," Parvati said. "Your cheeks are already red!"

Seamus let out a loud groan and grabbed Dean's hand began dragging him over to the lake. Dean laughed and abandoned the sunscreen bottle in the grass, using his long legs to catch up, but even when they were side by side Seamus didn't let go of his hand.

They walked up to the water's edge and then Seamus looked up at him, cheeks red and eyes questioning. Dean smiled and interlaced their fingers, and then Ron and Harry blasted them with jets of water from their wands and they fell laughing into the lake.