TANK

25 (plot, fluff)

I'm not ashamed to admit I check Tank out as he drops our bags in the living room. I linger around watching him as Anna slides past me into her kitchen.

"I know it's only like noon," Anna starts, speaking while digging in her freezer. I hear a loud clink. "But who wants to day drink in the pool." She says. Nora cheers, shuffling over to where Tank and I are standing, dropping to dig through her bag for her swimsuit.

"I like you. Why have we never met?" I hear Sofia say, leaning over the counter into Anna's face. I see Anna blush as she laughs, ducking her head. I smile to myself, she might be in danger with Sofia around.

I'm startled out of my thought by a tap on my shoulder. I turn around right into Tank, colliding with his chest. He catches me with an arm around my waist. I laugh off the embarrassment as he ducks his head, speaking directly into my ear. "I didn't bring a swimsuit." He mumbles.

I pat his chest, "Don't worry about it. Anna probably has something somewhere." I say softly. I turn, leaning my back into him as he keeps me steadied with an arm around my waist. "Hey, Anna." I call out.

Anna startles out of her trance from where she was leaning in to Sofia, turning to look at me. "Yeah, what's up?" Anna asks, looking me up at down, eyes catching on Tank's arm.

"Got any men's suits here?" I say, prying myself away from Tank, suddenly feeling watched, "Tank uh- forgot his." I say, taking a step away. Anna hums for a moment, considering.

"For sure but, I don't know if there are any big enough." Anna says, looking like she's trying to measure Tank with her eyes.

Tank leans forward, hand coming back to land on my hip as he slots his mouth next to my ear again. "I could swim naked like last time." He says, low. I blush, slapping his hands away with an embarrassed laugh.

I'm saved by Anna as she walks past, then flaps her hand, beckoning us. "I think I got it." She says, "Follow me." We both follow Anna upstairs to her room, the same room she's had since we were kids.

"You didn't steal the master bedroom once your parents left?" I ask, looking around at the nostalgia decorating her walls. I assume Tank hovers closely behind me. Anna opens her closet, pulling out a box and digging through it, throwing all kinds of swimsuits to the floor.

"Nah it felt... weird." She says. "Plus staying in this room means I don't have to move any- aha." Anna interrupts her own speech, hopping up with a pair of bright blue short swim shorts that look at least a size too small. I have to hide my smile, knowing Tank is gonna have to squeeze himself into them.

I turn to see his face, surprised when he's not immediately behind me, but leaning up to the wall looking at something. I almost scream as I remember. I step toward him, but's it's too late. He turns back with a grin, thumb planted on a photo of me, Nora, and Anna from high school. The photo we took before our 9th grade homecoming, big shining braces, atrocities for dresses and all.

Anna coos but I grimace. "We were such little babies," she says, approaching. She jams the swim shorts into Tank's arms and thumbs the picture herself. I feel stuck where I stand as Tank smirks at me, then looks down at the swimsuit he was handed.

"So do you think that'll work?" Anna asks Tank without looking back at him.

Tank stares at down it, blinking with a grimace. "It's... certainly... a swimsuit." He says. I can't help but smile at him, feeling pleased at the karmic justice.