Duh, Adam thinks. Of course it’s flirting. But there was more to it with Matt. He was more in control of it than Matt thinks. It will be interesting to see what Matt thinks happened.

“Obviously,” Austin says. “But specifically.”

Matt sighs. “Alright, well, you have to start off by acting like you’re confused about something you know he can help with.”

Adam thinks for a second. Something about that statement itches the back of his mind.

“Like…steel drums?”

“Okay, getting closer,” Matt says. “Try going for something he really likes, but something you can actually, like. Figure out how to bring up naturally.”

The itch grows stronger.

“He likes drums and killing people, kind of,” Austin says. “Oh! Wrestling. I could ask him to help me with wrestling in a more technical style.”

“Perfect,” Matt says. “Yes. That’s exactly where to start.”

Adam blinks. Horses. Something about horses.

“So, figure out the thing that he likes. Done. Now need help in that area. Make him feel like a hero.”

Adam figures it out. He should step in now, say something to them, do something to suggest that he’s right here and can hear the whole conversation. But he’s intrigued. And no one has ever chosen to say he’s rational.

“Hero,” Austin says. “Got it. What did you do?”

“I set up a fundraiser for kids with cancer that involved a pop up petting zoo, and pretended I didn’t know how to do anything with horses. I’d worked with them before, but, like, I didn’t super know, so I knew Adam would see and be all interested.” He sighs, and Adam is tempted to go put him in a headlock or something. Affectionately.

“Okay, got it. Fuck up a hold or something while practicing, right in front of Yuta. Bat my eyelashes and be all cute about it.”

Matt waves his hand. “Easy. You’re always cute.”

Adam hears a little gasp from Austin. “You think I’m cute?”

Adam rolls his eyes.

“Of course I do. But that’s not the point here. It has to happen organically. You can’t, like, stalk Yuta or anything. He has to happen upon you.”

Adam rolls his eyes even harder. Not because it’s bad advice, necessarily. Because it’s stupid. And, unfortunately, it seems like it works.

Over the next few days, he decides to hover around the ring a little bit more. Austin is putting on all the flair, but it looks like he made some sort of deal with his brother that Colten could kick his ass all he wants as long as he can look like he needs help. For an older brother, that kind of sounds like the dream, Adam thinks.

“You okay?” Adam asks. “Want me to give you some pointers?”

“Oh, no,” Austin says. His sigh is incredibly performative. It’s almost charming. “I need help with technical wrestling, not blood sports.”

“That’s – okay, whatever.” Adam resists the urge to call Austin out for whatever the fuck he’s doing. If he did that, then it would come out that his boyfriend is at fault. He continues his warm up, watching Austin expertly fuck up even the most elementary of holds. He figures Yuta will show up, eventually, and Adam wants to see if Matt’s batshit crazy ideas work. It’s just taking longer than he expected.

It happens like he’s watching a movie. Yuta shows up with his BCC dweebs, shoving and pushing at each other as they get up to the ring. Yuta spots Austin’s bizarre and, frankly, terrible ankle lock before Adam even does.

“Short Gunn,” Yuta yells. He slides into the ring smoothly, and lands right next to where Colten looks highly displeased and Austin has his eyes giant. “The fuck are you doing?”

“I’m doing an ankle lock!” Austin says. “At least, I’m trying.” His eyes are the size of dinner plates.

Maybe Matt’s a good teacher in this area after all.

“Jesus – god, fine, I’ll help you.” Before Austin can even do anything to correct, Yuta’s up behind him, hands over Austin’s, moving them to the correct position.

“Oh, wow,” Austin breathes. “Yeah, that feels so much better. Do, um. Do you think…” He trails off and levels a boo boo eye look that Adam’s pretty sure Matt would consider for valedictorian Bottoms Class of 2024.

“You want help?” Yuta asks. He glances over to Mox, who shrugs, like he’s as confused as the rest of them are. “Seriously?”

“I’ll never be able to get up to the big leagues if I can’t get the technical stuff right,” he sighs.

“I, your brother and tag team partner with whom you won tag championship belts, am right here.”

“Whom,” Austin snorts. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Adam stifles a snort as Yuta twists the lock a little harder like it’s nothing and Colten whimpers. “Sure,” Yuta says, after a second of what looks like consideration. “Sure, yeah. I’ll show you the ropes on how to do the technical stuff. Text me. We’ll meet up before a show sometime.”

“Here, come with me and I’ll give you my number.” The look he throws Yuta suggests it’s not just a number he’ll give, and Adam is briefly baffled by how smoothly that went.

And how similarly that looked to the first time he and Matt really got together.

“Son of a god damn fish kissing bitch,” he mutters.

“Who the fuck kisses fish?” Mox asks, and Adam has to duck a lariat out of nowhere before he can do anything else.

~

It’s well after the show before Adam gets a chance to find Matt alone. Unfortunately it’s in the EVP room once Tony and Nick have left to review tape, but it’ll have to do.

“Adam!” Matt says, sunny. “You did great – ”

“Cut the crap.”

Matt blinks. “What crap?”

“You’re teaching twinks seduction strategies,” Adam says. He gets into Matt’s space. “I overheard you with Austin.”

Matt’s expression breaks into an incredibly self satisfied smile. “Hmm? Can’t imagine what you’re talking about. I wouldn’t know anything about any twink training.”

“What,” Adam says, crowding Matt up against the wall, “the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Matt flutters those stupid, pretty eyelashes, like he doesn’t know what he’s been doing. He absolutely does. “What do you mean?”

“You’re teaching people manipulative bottom tricks, aren’t you?” He slides a leg between Matt’s, already feeling Matt getting hard. “Not enough to be manipulating me all this time?”

“I’m, ah, I’m – you gotta stop doing that if you want an answer.”

Adam grins, rubs his thigh up once more, then moves his leg away. Matt almost gasps with the loss of pressure, and it feels pretty good on Adam’s end.

“Okay, I didn’t want you to do that, but fine.” Matt’s eyes are huge. “I’m teaching the new generation of wrestlers. It’s community service. It’s outreach.”

“God, I can’t fucking stand you.” Adam leans in and grabs Matt’s face, kissing him so hard he gets dizzy from forgetting to breathe. Matt makes him ignore things that keep him alive, and ain’t that a bitch and a half. “Outreach,” he mumbles against Matt’s jaw. “And I bet you really believe all that, don’t you?”

Matt’s response is a giggle that turns quickly into a sigh. “What are you gonna do about it?”

A lot, and it’s annoying that Matt knew exactly the right way to get Adam riled up. He’s got Matt shoved up against the wall in seconds, kissing him into oblivion.

“What do you have on you?” he asks. He kicks back and slams the door shut. If it locks, great. If not, fuck it.

“Are you asking if you can fuck me in the boss’ office?” Matt asks. He doesn’t even fake being scandalized well.

“Yes, but mostly if you have what we need to do so.”

Matt scoffs. “Duh.”

If nothing else, Matt is always prepared. The lube in his pocket comes in handy and knowing that they don’t have much time makes Matt pliant and demanding.

“Good lord,” Adam says, slicking up his cock. “Usually, you’re willing to be a little more patient.”

“Don’t care,” Matt says. He throws one leg around Adam’s waist and gets his hips in an angle that can’t be comfortable. “Just get in me.”

It takes a bit of wrangling, but eventually Adam gets Matt folded essentially in half and pressed against the wall.

“You good?” he asks. The heavy breathing is less the exertion and more the knowledge that he’s right there and about to fuck all the breath out of Matt’s lungs.

Matt nods and wiggles his hips down, his rim catching on Adam’s cock. “Oh my god, yes, just – come on.”

With one hand braced against the wall and another on Matt’s hip, Adam tilts his hips to slide into Matt. It’s more shallow than he usually goes due to the weird angle, but the way Matt moans tells him the angle isn’t just weird.

“Good?” Adam laughs, rocking back and forth.

Matt’s response is to dig his fingernails into Adam’s shoulders and wiggle down again. “Very,” he whispers. “Just – keep going. You are hitting, like, the spot every – oh, god – every time.”

Adam never expects this to last too long, especially when they do stupid shit in public – Matt usually works himself up enough that it transfers over to Adam without much difficulty – but he has to work harder this time, has to correct, has to adjust. It adds a level of effort into the moment that is more intriguing than he expected.

“Matt,” he says, getting his hand between the two of them, “you gotta be careful, or I’m gonna drop you.”

“I will be,” Matt says. He reaches out and presses his hand to the desk, and gets his hips working again.

“Fucking hell,” Adam mumbles.

Hips and hands work together, and Matt makes a mess of the two of them in no time. The way he clenches around Adam – that’s all it takes. Adam groans and shoves up into Matt one last time, coming out every ounce of sanity he’s ever gained in his life. Matt giggles.

“Have fun?”

“Shh,” Adam says, pressing a kiss to Adam’s neck. “Don’t ruin it.”

Incredibly slowly, Adam pulls out of Matt and grabs his shirt to clean up the mess dripping out of Matt and between them. Matt, for his part, doesn’t do anything but slump against the wall once his feet hit the floor with a delightfully dopey smile on his face.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” Adam mumbles with a kiss on Matt’s forehead. “My arms are killing me.”

“Yeah,” Matt says, “my lower back didn’t like that so much, but the rest of me did.”

Adam gives up for a minute and just rests his head against Matt’s skin. They don’t always get these moments, not with how fast paced everything is lately.

“It works every time, by the way.”

Adam moves his head back so he can look Matt in the eyes, and brushes some rogue locks of hair from Matt’s face. “What works?”

“The outreach strategy.” For someone who just got wrecked, Matt looks incredibly smug. “It worked right now, didn’t it?”

Adam rolls his eyes. “I mean, I guess. It’s more that I love you and all your weird sex ideas.”

Matt flutters his eyelashes. “And how do you think we got to this point?”

“Oh, for the love of god.” Adam leans in to kiss Matt again, because what other choice does he have?

He has half a mind to keep this up for a while, but the door slams open and he hears Nick say, “Hey, we’ve been looking – oh my effing god.”

“Hey, Nicky!” Matt says over Adam’s shoulder, as Adam laughs into Matt’s neck. “We’ll be right out.”

“I straight up can’t deal with you,” Nick grumbles. “Get out of here in, like, ten minutes or I’m suing both of you for emotional damages.” The door slams again.

“That would never hold up in court,” Matt says.

Adam throws his pants at him. “Put your clothes on so we don’t have to find out, babe.”

~

Austin shifts to sitting. His eyes look even more puppy dog like that, and Yuta refuses to find him cute. “I got rejected.”

“That sucks,” Yuta says. “Bye.”

“By Lance,” Austin says, throwing himself on the floor again. “I got rejected by Lance Archer.”

“Yeah,” Yuta says, because he’s not quite sure what else to say. “He’s straight. I thought everybody knew that.”

“I didn’t!” Austin shrieks. “And then I went out there and humiliated myself.”

“So, what, you ended up here because you wanted me to beat the shit out of you, like, to take your mind off of it?”

Austin sits up and then – and then gets on his knees. “Not exactly.”

Yuta blinks. “I, like, just got back from injury.”

“And?” Austin says. “I can do all the work.”

Yuta glances to the door. “Are you serious?”

“Am I?” Austin asks, and he’s always shirtless, yeah, and, sure, Yuta’s looked before. But he’s never looked before. It feels more salacious right now. He stands and his hands go to his belt buckle. “You tell me.”

Yuta swallows. “You – like, blow jobs? What are you looking for?”

Austin smiles. “I – well, whatever you’re into?”

Yuta licks his lips. “Take off those pants and I’ll tell you what I’m thinking.”

Austin is almost embarrassingly eager as he scrambles out of his jeans, and Yuta watches him.

“Turn around,” Yuta says, twirling his finger. “Okay, you might have one of the best assess on the roster.”

“Really?!” Austin exclaims, looking over his shoulder. “Do you mean it?”

“I do mean it,” Yuta says. “Don’t tell him or anything, but I’ve seen Matt Jackson’s and yours is up there with his.”

“Only up there?” Austin asks, and his pout comes back with full force.

“I – Jesus, you’re impossible. You two are tied, okay?”

Austin beams. “Awesome. Are you gonna fuck me now or what?” He wiggles his ass. “You can’t say you don’t want to get up on this.”

“I mean, duh,” Yuta says. He adjusts himself in his jeans, and watches Austin watch him. “You wanna see?”

“Yeah,” Austin says. “Obviously. I mean, you’re not gonna be as big as Lance, but you’ll do.”

“I’ll do?!” Yuta asks, and he can’t believe he’s this pissed about it. “I’ll do?!”

“You don’t have to yell about it.” Austin asks, kicking his jeans to the ground. “Just look at you, and then look at him, and I mean…” He trails off. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

Yuta rolls his eyes. “You’re doing a terrible job of selling me on fucking you.”

“Am not,” Austin says back. “Come on. Just fuck me. I won’t even be a size queen about it.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve already been a size queen about it, but okay.” He sits on the couch, hoping it’s cleaner than he’s worried about. “I’m still working through injuries, though, so you need to take care of the difficult work.” He eyes Austin, expecting pushback. He doesn’t get it.

“Yeah,” Austin says. “Yeah, I’ll just ride you, if you want. What hurts?” Austin stares at his body, like he’s trying to find an answer. “You’ll have to get naked, first.”

“Duh,” Yuta says. “It’s my shoulder and my right ankle.”

“Alright,” Austin says, almost more to himself, nodding. “I can work with that. Get undressed. I can just ride you when you sit on the couch. You won’t even really have to do anything.”

Yuta thinks that, whatever issues are on this couch, he can ignore them. He can always take a shower afterward. “Yeah, okay,” he says. He licks his lips as he pulls his hoodie and shirt off all in one go. “You sure?”

“Yuta,” Austin says, blue sparkling eyes far too serious, “of course I’m sure.”

He’s still half expecting somebody to come in and yell at him that he’s being pranked or something. It’s not that he’s been oblivious to Austin’s behavior lately – Mox himself has been approached and wooed more than once – but the fact that he’s been chosen…

“Why me?” Yuta asks, as Austin straddles Yuta’s bare lap and slides his hands under his shirt.

Austin pauses. “What?”

“You were waiting in here for, like, Bryan or Mox or Claudio, right?” Yuta makes himself look up into Austin’s eyes. “So why did you settle for me?”

Austin tilts his head to the side. “Settle?” He blinks. “What makes you think you weren’t the person I was looking for?”

Yuta stares. “Well, first of all, because you and Mox have been doing whatever the fuck for the past few weeks –”

“Oh!” Austin says. “Oh, I get it. No, Mox was kind of – a surprise? I’ve been looking for you the whole time. He was a – what do they call it? A happy accident.”

Yuta sighs. “You are really confusing, you know that?”

Austin shrugs. “It’s part of my charm. Are you gonna fuck me now or not?”

“I – yes? But, like…” Yuta trails off. Bryan has taught him many things, not the least of which being that spit is not acceptable if you’re gonna fuck somebody in the ass. Apparently, he had issues in the past with that going wrong. Yuta’s never been brave enough to ask for details. “How?”

“Okay, see, there’s no way you’re a virgin, because Mox told me you’re a really good fuck,” Austin studies his face. “Oh. Duh. I’m so stupid.”

Yuta’s impulse is to agree, because why not, but then he shuts himself up in favor of finding out what Austin is so eagerly digging for in his discarded pair of pants.

“Here,” Austin says, pressing it into Yuta’s hands.

“You really were eager for it, weren’t you,” Yuta mutters.

“I’m always eager for it,” Austin says, and he doesn’t even look ashamed or cowed by it. “It’s kind of my thing. It’s why people like me.”

“I haven’t even decided if I like you yet, so let’s slow it down.” Yuta pats Austin on the ass. “I got an idea.” He turns, stretching his right leg out to protect his ankle and dangling the left one off the side of the couch. “You come and sit, just like this, so I can watch as I get you all ready for me.”

Austin turns pink, and Yuta grins as that blush goes all the way down his chest. He settles in front of Yuta, hands braced on Yuta’s shins, facing away. “Like this?

The view, in Yuta’s opinion, is fucking spectacular. “Exactly like that,” he murmurs. He reaches out and palms at Austin’s ass. It really is amazing – round and firm and begging to be grabbed. “Don’t get any of your shitty tattoos on this thing. It’ll ruin it.”

“Excuse me!” Austin says, but he doesn’t turn around. “My tattoos are great.”

“They are mediocre at best, and don’t you dare argue with that,” Yuta says. He reaches out and palms Austin’s cheeks, massaging and spreading them. Of course even his asshole is aesthetically pleasing. “Damn it.”

“What?” Austin asks.

“You’re fucking pretty, is all,” Yuta says. “Damn it.” He grabs the lube from Ausitn’s hand as he hands it back and dribbles it down from the top of Austin’s crack. Austin gasps.

“That was – unique,” he says.

“Wanted to see what you would do,” Yuta says, dragging his finger through the mess and slicking up his finger as it slides along Austin’s skin. “If I tease a little.”

“Wait, no,” Austin says, throwing a frantic look over his shoulder. “Tease?”

“A little,” Yuta confirms. “Come on. Let me have fun.”

“I’m offering to ride your dick!” Austin bitches. “What’s more fun than that?”

Yuta can’t help his grin. “This.” He traces the rim of Austin’s hole, fingertips and an almost mocking pace. “I like making you wait.”

“Mox didn’t tell me about this part,” Austin mutters, and it’s so quiet Yuta’s wondering if he should pretend he didn’t hear it.

He draws out his touches, tapping over his hole, pushing just the tiniest bit against it, and watches as Austin’s body tries to draw him in.

“Yuta,” Austin whines. “What is wrong with you?”

“If you ask the internet, it’s that I’m a blood freak,” Yuta says mildly, and he finally presses in, just the tip of his finger, and watches as Austin opens for him. “But, really, I think I’m just a really big asshole, in the end.”

Austin shoves back without warning, and Yuta’s finger slips in more than he’d been planning to give Austin. But the sound Austin makes – open, wanton, wanting – may be worth the change in plans.

“I knew you’d be loud,” Yuta says, moving his finger slowly. “You should be more careful, though. You could hurt yourself.”

“Says the punishment whore in the BCC,” says Austin, pulling back and pushing down. Yuta doesn’t even have to move anymore. Austin really is doing all the work.

“We’re all whores for punishment,” Yuta says, like he’s not a finger deep into Austin with the intent to do more very soon, “but you’re the one running around this place with, like, a list of guys you wanna get impaled by.”

Austin snorts. “What am I, the sword in the stone?”

“I’m the sword,” Yuta says, and he adds more lube before slowly adding another finger inside of Austin. It’s a pretty sight, to see how easily and readily Austin opens up for him. “You’re the stone. I guess.” He frowns. “I feel like stones have a very specific metaphorical standing as hard and impenetrable and I’m penetrating you pretty good right now.” He pauses. “Penetrating means –”

“I went to school to be a teacher, man, I did all the same language analysis shit as you did, I bet,” Austin rolls his hips back, arching his back. “Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not!” Yuta says, even though he definitely was. “Just – okay, look, you have to know you give off himbo vibes.”

“Says who?”

“Says the fact that you’re fucking yourself on my fingers in my locker room because you got rejected by a giant man whose dick you wanted to ride like Seabiscuit,” Yuta replies.

Austin goes still and quiet. “Well, when you put it that way.”

Yuta rolls his eyes. “Okay, so you can be self-aware. Good to know.”

“Can you just fuck me already so I don’t have to hear you be all smug?”

“Sure,” Yuta says. He pulls his fingers out without warning Austin, and Austin all but falls over.

“You fucking suck,” Austin grumbles, shifting so he can get into place.

“Wait a sec,” Yuta says. He dumps lube, probably too much, into his hand and slicks up his cock. He uses the rest to spread it between Austin’s cheeks. He grins. Austin’s gonna be a mess for the rest of the night. He likes the idea of it.

“Again,” Austin says, sounding furious for a man about to get exactly what he wants, “you fucking suck.” He grabs at Yuta’s dick and lowers himself down on it almost too quickly. Yuta’s brain whites out and leaks out of his ears, and he’s unable to process anything but the vice of Austin.

“I –” There’s supposed to be some sort of retort, he knows. But all he can really focus on is how goddamned good it feels to be this deep into somebody. He barely has to move, but he’s getting everything he could want from this just from Austin rising and falling on his knees. The view is beyond compare, too.

“Wish you could see yourself like this,” Yuta muses. “This is amazing.”

“Yeah?” Austin says. “Why don’t you get a camera out? Show everybody what it looks like when all you’re good for is your cock.”

Yuta isn’t sure why that totally does it for him, but he groans and grabs his phone, trying to convince himself it’s the filming bit that gets him even hotter instead of the idea of him being a dick for Austin to use. He gets his phone out and the camera started.

“Yeah, baby,” he says, and it’s not that he feels like he has to perform for the camera, but more that he wants Austin to watch this back and immediately come back to Yuta for more. “Keep riding. Take that dick.”

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?” Austin bitches back.

“No – you’re not supposed to be a – I’m filming!”

“And?” Austin asks, and the look he flings over the shoulder will be burnt into Yuta’s memory forever. “Maybe I like fucking with you.”

“I thought that’s what I’m supposed to do right now,” Yuta says, grabbing Austin’s cheek to spread. He gives the camera a better view, and something about seeing it through a phone screen makes it that might more salacious. “Be mean.”

“We can do both,” Austin says. “Now hold on. I got something good for the video.”

Yuta’s kind of in awe at the athleticism of the next move. Austin, pushes down on Yuta’s dick in almost a twerk, of sorts, his ass jiggling as it slides down onto Yuta’s cock, and it feels as good as it looks. He lets out a moan he’d intended to hold back.

“Wow,” he murmurs. “I should make you do all the work like this more.”

“Yeah?” Austin says, and he’s finally sounding the smallest bit out of breath. “Good. Means you’re coming back for seconds.”

Yuta doesn’t whimper, exactly, but he steadies his hand holding the camera and massages at Austin’s ass more. He’d work his hips better, he would, but his ankle is in a weird position and he’s worried that any motion will cause damage. And, more so, will cause Austin to stop whatever the fuck he’s got going on right now.

His eyes flick from the camera screen to the real, live event, soaking in all the noises, slaps and moans, coming from it. It’s good. He’d never admit it to anybody, but it’s the best fuck he’s had since before he got injured. Licks his lips, lifts his hips, and meets Austin where he bounces on his dick.

“Fucking Christ,” Yuta breathes.

“Yeah,” Austin says. “You close?”

“Can be,” Yuta says, grunting as he shifts to get a better angle.

“Good, because I –” Austin cuts himself off with what is definitely an overdramatic moan, but he clenches down on Yuta’s cock. “Yeah, that.” Yuta’s legs are wet. He doesn’t care.

“Keep riding me,” Yuta demands, one hand on Austin’s hip and the other steadying the camera. “I wanna get you all messy.”

Austin whimpers, his legs shaking a little. “Okay,” he says. He keeps working, and it’s the idea of getting to watch himself fill Austin, watch his come leak out of him, in the video, for the rest of his life. That does it. He makes a weird little noise as he shoves up into Austin, coming hard enough that his vision goes a little blurry and his mind goes a lot blank.

“Fuck,” Yuta murmurs. He gets both hands steady as he films the spot where he and Austin connect, as Austin slowly pulls himself off. His come already leaking out of Austin, making an unholy mess. He grins. “You gotta see all of this.”

“I will,” Austin says, turning and throwing a smile at the camera. “But first you should turn off that camera.” He winks, and it feels like the perfect end to the perfect movie. “You better send me that video.”

“Duh,” Yuta says. He waves the phone in Austin’s face. “Just waiting for it to load and it’ll send.”

Austin stands, wrinkling his nose. “Jesus. I’m a mess. Gonna hop in the shower.”

Yuta nods, tempted to ask to join. But at this stage of his ankle he needs a lot of help, and he doesn’t want to put that on Austin. “Yeah, I will later,” he says. He leans down and grabs his sweats and boxers. He cleans himself up with the boxers and chucks them toward the bags, deciding that going commando will have to do. Austin hops out of the shower by the time Yuta’s back on his feet and dressed. He’s used the crutches to get to his bag.

“Can I get one of those?” Austin asks, nodding toward the Gatorades on the counter.

Yuta nods and tosses it to Austin. “You got a match tonight?”

Austin grins. “Yeah. Champs and all.”

Yuta nods as he wipes the back of his hand across his mouth. “Have fun with that. When I get back, I’m making Claudio and Mox go for those with me.”

“Good luck,” Austin says, a little too knowing, a little too pretty. He walks up into Yuta’s space and kisses him lightly. “You’d be good competition since I know you can keep up with me.”

He winks before he turns to put his clothes on. Yuta allows himself to be greedy, because there’s no way Austin’s bent over to pick up his pants by accident.

“Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out,” Yuta calls as Austin fixes his belt buckle.

Austin walks backward to the door. “Nah,” he says, “I’ll leave the ass smacking to you.”

Mox comes in half an hour later, wrinkling his nose. Yuta still hasn’t moved from his spot, rewatching the video a second time. “Did you fuck in here?”

Yuta shrugs.

“Who?” Mox demands. “You always tell me if you’re fucking Bryan so I can come and make fun of you.” His expression shifts. “Were you careful about your ankle? I swear to Christ, Yuta, if you got more hurt –”

“We were on the couch. Chill.” Yuta throws a Gatorade at Mox’s head. He barely dodges it, tries to catch it, and ends up batting it into his shin. Yuta snickers as Mox swears at the bottle. “Smooth.”

“Fuck off,” Mox grumbles. “I’m tired. Who was it?”

“A Gatorade bottle.”

“Go fuck yourself,” Mox says.

“Austin Gunn.”

“What about Austin Gunn?”

Yuta stares and waits for the penny to drop.

Mox groans and scrubs his hand over his face. “Jesus, you’re stupid.”

“Am not!”

“That kid’s been fucking the whole roster for months, and you’re just now getting in on it?” He shakes his head. He almost looks disappointed. “Took you long enough.”

“I will hit you with my crutches.”

Mox grins. “No you won’t.”

Yuta’s proved him wrong, and is sitting on his chest in the middle of the room, when Claudio comes in a few minutes later.

“I mean this literally,” he says, staring. “I want to know nothing of what has happened in this room.”

“Hey, Yuta has a video for you to watch,” Mox says, voice strained. He holds up the phone. “Hit play. Volume up.”

Yuta watches, trying to look innocent as Claudio grabs the phone. “Yeah, Claudio,” he says. “Hit play.”

~

“I can’t swim,” Austin says in a tiny voice. “Don’t – please don’t throw me in there.”

Yuta pauses for the briefest of seconds as he studies the naked fear in Austin’s eyes. “Can I jump in with you?” he asks.

“Okay.” Austin’s voice is still tiny. “Just – don’t let go of me.”

Yuta is endeared by this infuriating weirdo, and jumps into the pool with Austin. But he tries to make sure Austin’s head stays above water.

“Thank you,” Austin says. Yuta feels his muscles move under his hands where he’s wrapped around Austin’s waist. When he looks up at Yuta…

“Fuck,” Yuta mutters.

Then Austin shoves his head under the water, and he panics. But not in a drowning way. In a gay way.

Yuta may be in trouble.

~

“Hey.”

Yuta turns as he runs his towel through his hair. He’s surprised to see Austin in the doorway of his tiny cruise ship room, blue eyes wide. He almost looks sweet, with the way his crewneck shirt is just too long on the arms. The booty shorts sort of ruin the illusion, though. That’s a whole lot of thigh. “Uh,” Yuta says, “hi?”

Austin scuffs his foot on the shitty ship carpet, then brings his hand up to scratch at the back of his neck. Yuta’s used to bravado, bombastic energy, from both Gunns. This right here might qualify as cute. “I wanted to say thank you,” he mutters to the floor. “For not, um, drowning me earlier.” He looks back up, and Yuta’s struck by those eyes again. “That was cool.”

Yuta nods. “Course, man. Not going to kill somebody on a cruise ship. Jericho would put me in a feud with him for a decade.”

Austin laughs, and he looks so damned pretty Yuta’s about to swoon. “Sure. I – right.”

“And,” Yuta risks. He drops the towel on the floor, and is suddenly incredibly aware he’s only wearing a pair of boxers. “I mean, what a waste of a hot guy.”

Austin’s eyes widen. “You think…?”

“Don’t be obtuse,” Yuta laughs. “You know you’re hot. But, uh.” Yuta shrugs. “Also, I didn’t want you to drown or anything.”

Austin takes a few steps in, and it’s enough to clear the room. He’s shorter than Yuta, but broader. Giant arms.

Yuta’s so gay.

“You didn’t want me to drown?”

Yuta smiles at him. “I don’t think that’s the question you’re trying to ask, Austin.”

“Oh, my god, shut up,” Austin says. It’s almost a whine. It’s cute. “Are you gonna kiss me or what?”

“Maybe if you learn to swim.”

“If you’re just gonna make fun of –”

Yuta leans in and kisses Austin. When Austin sighs and leans against him, Yuta reaches out and yanks him closer. The crewneck is even softer than it looks.

Yuta’s screwed.

When Austin pulls away, Yuta’s pretty sure he sees literal stars in his eyes.

“Okay.” Austin nods, like he’s gotten the answer to the question. “Okay, if you do that again, maybe you can teach me to swim.”

Yuta grins. “Tomorrow?”

Austin shrugs. “Can I grab a margarita and call it a date?”

“Sure,” Yuta says, running his fingertips along the seams of Austin’s shirt, “you can call it anything you want, as long as you get there.”

“Mox gonna be mad?”

Yuta scoffs. “He’ll deal.” He leans in, lips by Austin’s ear. “He can’t swim either.”

He can practically see Austin winding up for nonsense. “Mox – ”

Yuta covers Austin’s mouth with his hand. “Don’t. Don’t ruin it.”

Austin bites at Yuta’s palm. “I won’t.” Yuta drops his hand to see a near blinding smile. “I won’t.”

Yuta pulls him in to kiss him again.