Case Closed (Ryden)

Chapter 9

"Did you have to choose here?" Ryan groaned as he trudged through the burning sand. Brendon was far ahead of him and threw Ryan a wide smile. Ryan's face was scrunched up due to the heat and sun beaming down, his sunglasses barely giving him any protection.

Brendon kept moving closer to the water before dropping his things into the sand. Ryan finally caught up and plopped down beside the towel Brendon already had laid out. He scanned the beach as Brendon made himself comfortable.

"You good?" Brendon asked in an amused tone.

"It's so bright," Ryan mumbled. "And hot." He looked up at Brendon, a hand came up to shield himself from the light. Brendon chuckled and kicked off his shoes.

"Don't be so grumpy." Ryan pulled off his shoes, grumbling to himself. Brendon laughed softly as pulled his shirt off. Ryan paused his complaining as his eyes slowly moved down Brendon's toned stomach. He quickly turned to look out at the water before Brendon could catch him staring.

"Do you mind helping me put lotion on my back?" Ryan's eyes went wide as he looked over at his partner who was laying face down on the towel. Ryan slowly inched closer and took the bottle out of Brendon's hand. He looked down at the bottle for a second.

"You want me to like," Ryan trailed off not entirely sure what he was going to ask. "Um." Brendon chuckled.

"Don't tell me you've never put lotion on someone before."

"I have," Ryan said defensively. "I just... eh."

"Well if you have, then I don't understand what the problem is. Unless you're not as big of a hot shot as I thought you were. All you really are is just a workaholic who doesn't know how to put on sun tan lotion." Ryan could hear the smirk in his voice. Grumbling to himself, he poured a generous amount of lotion onto the palm of his hand.

"Not a workaholic... I know how... stupid lotion." He felt Brendon's body shake slightly as the man giggled.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," Ryan said still pouting. He moved his hands over Brendon's shoulders and down his back, rubbing in the lotion. He slowed as his hands drifted lower. Brendon sighed contently at the mini massage he was receiving.

The older man ran his hands just above the waistline of Brendon's swim trunks. He inched closer and pushed the band down the slightest amount. Brendon hummed at the touch, not protesting at all. Ryan pulled back at the sound. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

"You're done." Brendon sat up with a big smile on his face.

"Want me to do you now?" Ryan shook his head and looked out at the other people on the beach. "You're gonna get a sunburn all over your back you know." Ryan shook his head again with a smirk on his lips.

"Not if I don't take off my shirt."

"You can't wear your shirt at the beach."

"Oh yeah?" Brendon nodded. "Watch me." Brendon pouted at Ryan only to see a smirk in return.

Ryan had to stop a part of himself from thinking how adorable Brendon looked with a small frown and his bottom lip pushed out. Lucky for him, Brendon's cute pout was replaced with a smirk. There was another problem for Ryan when he saw his partner's lip trapped between his teeth.

"What?" Ryan asked hesitantly.

"I know why you won't take off your shirt." Ryan raised an eyebrow in question.

"Do you?" Brendon nodded.

"You're hiding underneath there."

"What would I be hiding?" Brendon shrugged.

"Maybe those big biceps stretching the sleeves of your shirt is just a facade." Brendon reached out and ran his hand over Ryan's arm. Ryan was no where near bulky, but there was no denying he did have muscle. "I bet you're a squishy boy." Brendon sat back with a smile. Ryan frowned. He spent most of his time out of work making sure he kept himself in shape.

"I'm not squishy."

"I don't know that. I wouldn't doubt if you were on the verge of having a dad bod." Brendon stood up and brushed sand off his body. "But that's okay. Not everyone at the office can have the nice pecks and rock hard abs." Ryan found himself standing with Brendon. He began following the shorter as he backed up toward the water.

"I do not have a dad bod." Brendon put up his hands up in surrender.

"I never said you did. I'm simply suggesting that without proof, it is possible." Neither agent paid any attention as gentle waves began to lap over their bare feet. Brendon continued retreating into the cold water with Ryan matching his steps.

They kept moving until the water was at their waists. Brendon would've moved further into the water if he hadn't tripped over something hidden under the surface. Before he could fall back, Ryan lunged forward and caught him. As harmless as falling back into the water would've been, Ryan felt the need to save Brendon.

One of Brendon's arms reflexively wrapped around Ryan's neck and the other pressed to his chest. He yelped at the sensation of cold water splashing against his bare back. Ryan's eyes moved over Brendon's face.

"You alright?" Brendon nodded with a smile. His hand slowly moved down Ryan's chest to the hem of his wet shirt. Neither took their eyes off the other. Ryan shivered at Brendon's fingers grazing his abs.

"Well I stand correct," Brendon smirked. "Definitely not a dad bod." Ryan wanted to shy away from Brendon's hand and the man's body against his. He was about to let go of Brendon and leave to water, but Brendon was looking at him with those big brown eyes and lip pulled between his teeth again.

He tried to ignore the tingle of his partner's fingertips dancing against his stomach. He pretended not to feel the thumping of his heart against his chest as he glanced at Brendon's lips before going back to his eyes.

Ryan's hold on Brendon tightened as he felt himself slowly lean forward. Brendon released the hold on his lip as he moved up. Ryan could feel Brendon's breath against his face, so close to each other.

Their lips were mere centimeters apart before a cold splash came from beside them, causing Ryan to jerk away. Brendon pulled his hand out from underneath Ryan's shirt and stood properly.

"I am so sorry." The pair turned to see a middle aged man hurrying toward them. Ryan grabbed the football, the cause of the splash, floating beside him. "I was teaching my son how to throw and he doesn't have good aim yet." The man gave an apologetic smile.

"It's no problem. We all need practice at first," Ryan said with a friendly smile as he tossed the ball back. the man walked away as Ryan turned back to Brendon. He scratched the back of his head nervously, not meeting Brendon's eyes.

"So," Ryan spoke up after a moment.

"So." The tension between them was obvious.

"I- I'm gonna go and." Ryan pointed back to shore.

"Yeah," Brendon said nodding. "Of course."

Ryan turned and started moving out of the water, leaving Brendon to stand alone and confused. He was mentally kicking himself over what just happened. They almost... Ryan shook his head. He needed to clear his head and focus. He had a case to solve.

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A/N:

Don't hate me!! It'll get better (hopefully)!

Also thanks for over 100 reads, the comments and voting!