The crabs do be trappin

It was a nice, warm day, and 4 was feeling invigorated. It was a great day to go crab fishing. It was an even better day to bring Ruckus on a boat ride. 

Ruckus sat back in one of the seats of 4’s boat. He had tied his hair into braids in an attempt to beat the heat, and it was working well - that is, as long as he didn’t move. He watched 4 stretch in his swimming gear. 

“I didn’t know you had crab traps all the way out here…” Ruckus said, turning away from his husband to peek into the water. 4 snorted, rolling his eyes. 

“I don’t.” He said. It made Ruckus glance back up to him. 

“Er- What? But- I thought-” Ruckus stammered, watching 4 pick up his hook and walk towards the water. 4 paused when Ruckus talked, though, and groaned. 

“Don’t be so fucking surprised. You should know me by now.” 4 said, sneering at his husband. Ruckus’ jaw dropped.

“No way. You’re stealing. You’re stealing and I’m an accomplice to your crime.” He said, and put his head in his hands. It made 4 huff out a half-chuckle. 

“Uh huh. Luv ya. Turn around if you want deniability, but you’re stuck with me.” He said. He heard Ruckus groaning in disappointment as he dove into the water. 

While 4 was committing thievery against a stranger and their crab pot loot, Ruckus turned to face the water and watched him swim. God, it was sweltering. He dipped his fingers in the water, letting the ocean cool down his digits and claws. 4 was a marine animal, and he worked much like a reptile - in these hotass temperatures, he got a lot more energy. Ruckus’ energy levels peaked at 70 degrees and went down the hotter it got. So all he could do now is watch his energized man zip through the water, picking up each crab trap by it’s chain. 

While he was swirling his finger through the water, making tiny waves and wakes, 4 reached out from the water and grabbed his hand. It made Ruckus yelp. He hadn’t been paying attention. Using Ruckus’ hand, 4 was able to breach the surface of the water. He grinned at him. 

“Help me bring these onto the boat.” 4 said, holding up the dirty barnacle-covered chains. When Ruckus didn’t respond with ‘of course my love, light of my life, home of my heart, thief to my jewel’, 4 frowned. “What is it?”

“I’m hot as hell.” Ruckus said.

“Don’t blow smoke up your own ass.” 4 snarked, rolling his eyes, but he stopped mid-roll when he noticed that Ruckus looked miserable, and not flirty. He paused. “You’re hot? Do you wanna be in the water?” Ruckus stared at 4’s hand, squeezing it a little. 

“I’m not a good swimmer.” He said. 4 rolled his eyes for real this time. 

“I’ll just help you, then.” He said. “I’m a shark. I’ll hold you up. Let me get these traps on the boat, first.” He said. Ruckus smiled and hummed at him, and watched him pull the traps onto the boat.

4 helped Ruckus float in the water, with the help of a life vest, of course. They had a nice swim together, and were able to get back on land before anyone knew that their crab traps had been nabbed.