When Donghae woke up the next day, he was covered in sticky sweat. Next to him Eunhyuk was flushed, the neckline of his t-shirt unpleasantly moist. When he moved to shove the blankets off the bed, Donghae had to literally peel himself away from Eunhyuk. His own shirt was clinging uncomfortable to his back so he stripped it off before lying down again. Concerned, he checked Eunhyuk for a fever and decided that he was probably just too hot. It was seriously humid – even though it looked like there was nice weather outside, the rain had obviously left a present for them.

Donghae peeled the t-shirt from Eunhyuk’s back, flapping it back and forth to give the heated flesh a small breeze. The elder sighed, stretching like a cat. Donghae smirked. If Eunhyuk’s fans could see him cutely begging for more attention like this, it would make it really hard for him to maintain his bad boy image.

Breathing in deeply, Eunhyuk rolled onto his back and lifted an eyelid to peek at Donghae. “You may continue,” he murmured, his voice husky from sleep.

“Why don’t you just take it off?” Donghae suggested teasingly.

“Because then you wouldn’t have anything to fan me with,” Eunhyuk replied readily, placing his hands behind his head. “Also, it’d be easier for me to feel your sweaty body if I was too.”

“Oh please, you know you want this,” Donghae laughed, but he obligingly began to cool his hyung’s chest. Donghae found his eyes focusing on the deliciously lean abs that flashed him every time he lifted the hem of Hyuk’s shirt into the air.

“Why did it have to become so hot after it rained, anyways?” Eunhyuk complained after a while. His cheeks had returned to their normal color but his eyes still had that hazy quality that said he wasn’t as cool as he wanted to be.

“Today would be a good day to go to the pool,” Donghae suggested, and Eunhyuk made a face.

“More moisture? Although, I guess it really doesn’t seem so bad if you’re already immersed in water…”

“Does that mean you want to go?” Donghae asked eagerly, resting his hand on Eunhyuk’s stomach as he sat up.

“Sure, if they’re open today.” Eunhyuk sat up as well, scooting back until Donghae’s hand fell to his thigh. He held the hem of his shirt, fanning himself as Donghae had earlier. “Ugh, in this kind of weather it doesn’t matter how many showers you take, you’ll still feel disgusting.”

Donghae nodded in agreement. “It kind of makes me sick to my stomach,” he commented.

“Are you sure that isn’t the pizza?” Eunhyuk teased. “Maybe your delicate stomach can’t handle American food anymore!”

“Why wouldn’t it?” Donghae challenged as he scooted to the edge of the bed. “I’m more worried about you, since you’re exposed to it the least! Are you sure you’re feeling well enough to swim~?”

Eunhyuk snorted. “You’re so offensive.”

Donghae widened his eyes and innocently replied, “But hyung, I’m just concerned for you! Unless you want me to heroically rescue you when you get cramps in the pool~?”

“Gah, so offensive!” Eunhyuk laughed, throwing his pillow at the younger. Donghae let the impact topple him over the side of the bed, landing on the floor. “Ah~ the floorboards feel so good!” he sighed, spreading out to cool himself on the wood.

“Eh? Really?” Eunhyuk slid from the bed onto his stomach, mimicking Donghae’s position. He rested his head on the floor, making a face. “Even the floor feels sticky and humid!”

“Ugh, what time is it? I hope the pool is open early – I want to go there right away!”

“I don’t know. Your laptop is downstairs, go and check it.” The two laid quietly for a while, until the floorboards had soaked up all their extra body heat and were no longer cool. Donghae rose first, smirking when he caught a glimpse of Eunhyuk’s face, turned towards him so the elder could sneakily watch him. Putting on a little show Donghae stretched, letting his back muscles ripple as he released the tension in them.

“Aish, you take so long!” Eunhyuk complained, kicking him in the calf. “Aren’t you the one who said to leave quickly and get there soon?”

“You just don’t appreciate my artistic morning exercises!” Donghae replied cutely, sticking out his tongue and fleeing before Eunhyuk could kick him again.

After cleaning up the dishes from the night before Donghae his computer and checked his phone. A couple of his hyungs had sent messages asking if they were having fun and not getting in trouble. Teukkie-hyung’s sounded especially motherly, but Siwon-hyung made a joke saying that he hadn’t seen articles about them in the American news so they must not have cause any disasters yet. Kyuhyun had even texted him a short message, asking if he had met any American Starcraft players. Donghae just shook his head and laughed before turning his attention to the computer.

Except he didn’t know what to search for and he wasn’t having any luck, so when Eunhyuk came down not much later he was beginning to grind his teeth in frustration.

“I think we should just go down there and check it out,” he commented with a sigh. “I can’t find a website for it and it’s just a few blocks down – the walk will do us good.”

Eunhyuk nodded in agreement, drumming his fingers on the island counter. He had dressed in baggy shorts and a sleeveless zip-up vest with a hoody. “You look like you’re going to the beach!” Donghae laughed, and Eunhyuk scowled.

“Shut up! I don’t want to just wear my bathing suit if they really are closed and we end up just walking around! It’s better to change anyways, because you shouldn’t wear wet clothes for a long time!”

Eunhyuk pouted, huffing a little after his indignant speech. “You sound like Sungmin,” Donghae teased, closing his laptop and walking over to the redhead, tugging lightly on his zipper. “But actually, I was going to say you look good in this style.” Donghae drew closer, looking at his hyung’s face intently. “Did you put on more makeup?!” he exclaimed after a moment, laughing and jumping away as Eunhyuk immediately reached out to slap him.

“It’s just moisturizer!” he elder practically screeched. “Since someone wasn’t considerate enough to pack sunblock!”

“Ah, really? My bad, then. I’ll buy you some when we get back!” Donghae raced to the stairs to go and get ready, snickering as Eunhyuk yelled at him.

“I won’t need it later, I need it now! Aish, my dongsaengs, seriously…”

Donghae threw on clothes and grabbed a towel from the bathroom for later. He tossed his bathing suit onto the towel and looked around for Eunhyuk’s. “Hyukkie~” he finally called, “where’s your suit?”

“I’m wearing it!”

“Under your shorts?”

“Yeah!”

“But then…won’t you be going commando afterward?”

A pause, and then: “Does it matter? Won’t we be coming home straight afterwards?”

“Hm, I guess, unless you want to get food afterwards.”

“Bring your backpack and a pair for me!” Donghae chuckled quietly even as he moved to obey, emptying his backpack onto the bed and shoving his things inside. He went through Eunhyuk’s suitcase, finding a cute pair of boxers that Donghae had gotten him a few years back. He hesitated when he saw Hyuk’s phone, wondering if he should bring it along. But Hyukkie had obviously left it behind for a reason, and Donghae didn’t think he’d need it anyways.

Making sure he had his wallet, Donghae closed his backpack and bounded down the stairs. Eunhyuk was waiting in the kitchen with his arms crossed, looking like a cat who had too much fur in the summertime. Donghae pushed him out the door, wanting to hold hands or hold him around the shoulders but knowing that Eunhyuk would push him off because of the heat.

“I hope it’s not too crowded if it is open,” Eunhyuk said after a moment, as they started off down the block. “It’d be good if there aren’t too many people.”

“Aw, you don’t want to show off your stomach, Hyukkie?” Donghae teased, and Eunhyuk glared. “Although it’s true that you haven’t been to the gym lately…”

“Yah! You’re one to talk! All the little kids are going to cry when you take off your shirt!” Eunhyuk argued, shoving Donghae away from his petulantly.

“Nuh-uh!” Donghae stuck his tongue out and jogged to catch up with Eunhyuk. “I have a naturally lean body so my stomach will always look good, whereas you have to have rock hard abs to feel y!”

Eunhyuk glanced at him with a hurt expression and the glee melted from Donghae’s face. “Oh, Hyukkie,” he rasped, clearing his throat nervously at the thought of actually hurting his best friend. “It’s not like –“

“It’s fine,” Eunhyuk replied shortly. “I just have to work harder than you to maintain a good body image, right? Thanks for reminding me.”

Donghae grabbed Eunhyuk’s arm and the elder tried to shake him off, but he pulled them to a stop. “Lee Hyukjae,” Donghae groaned, “if your fans had heard me just now I would already be a ball of bloody ribbons on the ground, joking or not. You know I would never really mean something like that.” He pulled the reluctant redhead closer and gathered him into his arms, ignoring the way they were both sticky with sweat. “You are the epitome of on legs, and I’m just jealous because I don’t have the determination to work out that hard.” He was practically cooing now, until Eunhyuk punched him in the stomach.

“That is such a lie!” the elder accused. “Your muscles are tighter than mine, they barely even rippled when I hit them!” He punched Donghae again for good effect and the younger whined, letting go of his hyung to cover his stomach.

“Uwah, don’t be mean! You’re more visually striking anyways! Even without your blond hair people will naturally look to you!” Donghae held his hands in a pleading position and inched away from the violent Eunhyuk.

“Tch, you’re lucky you’re right.” Taking pity on the comically-shaking man, Eunhyuk held out a hand for reconciliation. Donghae took it gratefully and hugged the redhead slowly, squeezing tightly for just a quick moment. He pulled back and caught a glimpse of Eunhyuk’s small smile just as a car passed them, honking at their cute scene.

“Aish, what mood-ruiners,” Eunhyuk complained lightly, shaking a fist at the car but keeping one arm wrapped around Donghae’s waist.

“There was a mood around us?” Donghae asked innocently. He held an arm around Eunhyuk as well, urging the man to continue their walk to the pool.

“Of course,” Eunhyuk scoffed. “When your aura mingles with my y aura it creates a tension, like a charge –“

“Like how I can’t take my eyes off of you?” Donghae asked silkily, leaning into Eunhyuk’s space to whisper in the man’s ear.

“Cheesy,” Eunhyuk groaned even as he shivered. Donghae’s breath on his sweaty neck had tickled his nerves.

“Then…I can’t keep my hands off of you either,” Donghae murmured, before viciously attacking Eunhyuk’s sides. The elder screeched, shooting out of the younger’s reach and stumbling over the uneven sidewalk.

“Yah! The hell?!” Donghae grinned as Eunhyuk glared, carefully keeping out of the younger’s reach. You’re definitely the cruel one in this relationship!

“Omo, I can smell the chlorine already~!” Donghae commented lightly as they approached the pool’s parking lot. Eunhyuk scowled, disappointed that his dongsaeng had completely ignored his comment.

Donghae was trying hard to keep the smirk off his lips, knowing that Eunhyuk’s eyes were completely on him.

Although the parking lot was almost half-filled with cars, most of the swimmers seemed to be small children with their grandparents. Paying for their wristbands, Donghae followed Eunhyuk into the locker rooms. They were actually pretty nice, for an outdoor public pool. Finding an empty locker, Donghae shrugged off his backpack and searched through it for his swimming trunks. Stripping silently, Eunhyuk messily folded his clothes and placed them in Donghae’s locker. The redhead turned and saw Donghae just as he was about to strip out of his boxers. “Yah!” he exclaimed, “Go into a cubicle if you’re going to get ! You don’t want to burn any little kids’ eyes!”

“There’re no kids in here now!” the younger complained, crossing the room to the showers and closing the curtain behind himself. “Omo~ it’s spacious in here!”

Eunhyuk rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he waited on his dongsaeng. Donghae came out only a moment later ready to swim, his boxers slung over one shoulder carelessly. “It’s been a while since we last went to a public pool, huh?” he reminisced as he stacked everything into the locker. “Even public baths, not that we went so often before we debuted…”

“It’s a good thing it’s mostly really old and really young people today,” Eunhyuk replied, not taking Donghae’s comments into much consideration. “Otherwise we’d have to avoid this place as well.”

Donghae slapped a hand on Eunhyuk’s back and led him out towards the pool. “Just try not to be too y,” he teased, “or the grandmas will have and fall into the pool!”

“I’d tell you the same, but it doesn’t really apply~,” Eunhyuk teased, laughing at Donghae’s incredulous face. Playing mad, the younger moved to tickle him but Eunhyuk danced away, narrowly avoiding a pair of running kids. “Yah!” If anything, I should be telling you to keep your hands off of me, before you teach the kids weird things!”

Advancing with a gleam in his eyes Donghae purred, “What weird things, Hyukkie~? We’re close friends, so nothing is weird between us~!”

“Who’s close friends with you?!” Eunhyuk yelled, raising his hands in a blocking gesture and stepping back. Unfortunately there was nothing to step back on and Donghae wasn’t able to catch him before he fell into the pool. He surfaced immediately after though, shaking the water off his face. The lifeguard blew his whistle, yelling at them to be more careful.

Eunhyuk shook his head once more and turned to glare at Donghae, whose mouth was twitching as if it wanted to break out into a grin, though his eyes were wide and feigning innocence. “Lee Donghae!” Eunhyuk shouted, “Get in here now!”

“Ahhhh, hyung, I’m a little scared, I think I just forgot how to swim…”

“LEE DONGHAE!!”