By The Ocean’s Side

Chapter One

By Roofles

The bus came to a bumpy stop before the engine died, the front and mid-section doors opening for those inside to get out as a hot breeze blew into the air-conditioned vehicle. The albeit short bus ride after the trip had been more of a hassle than it’d been worth, and Bryan Gardener was looking forward to stretching his legs after the long boat ride to the island.

The sound of the ocean waves could be heard even up on the street overlooking the beach where they had stopped at. The smell of it filled the air. A mixture of salt water, along with a warm fresh breeze and the smell of the coast filled his eager lungs. Bryan didn’t care if anyone saw him breathing it all in as deeply as he did.

The nostalgia of it was worth the expensive trip over.

He was finally home.

“Final stop.” The bus driver called back. Everyone was already piling out the exits, bumping and shoving their way to sun-soaked freedom. Except for one man who waited for the crowd to thin out before daring to make his escape from the confined vehicle.

The crashing of waves was a familiar sound Bryan recalled from his childhood, looking out the window towards the beach he could see them. The windows were tinted against the harsh sun above, but he could still make out the golden sands, the rolling waves, and the clear blue sky above the seemingly vast, endless ocean laying before him.

It was the perfect day to come back.

Near the Caribbean islands was a small settlement that floated both on and off the coast of the island. Sea-fearing folk lived here from otters to sharks and orcas, to dolphins and even several types of seals. It was uncommon for a human to be born here, but Bryan’s family had been stationed here. His father doing time in the service. Bryan had been born and raised along with the natives of the island. Growing up with and being part of this rich culture of sailors, fishermen and beach goers.

In the big city people retreated to the skate parks to burn off their excess energy. Here, it was the waves. The beach that he’d spent countless hours on searching for buried treasure with his old friends and, later on when he was older, the rocky cliff sides that they would climb. Much to the detriment of their parents.  

He had to move back to the mainland after his grandparents had gotten sick. His father retired shortly thereafter from the military and their family, unable to use the base housing any longer, were forced to move. It hadn’t been easy for anyone. Even as strange as it was to see a human there, Bryan had become family to most the locals and all his friends were there at the island. Even after he left, he made sure to keep in contact with a few close friends and keep others updated on how life was going.

The one thing it hadn’t changed? It hadn’t stopped Bryan from dreaming of coming back here, to the place he called home.  Despite his busy school and, then, his busy work schedule, Bryan made sure to keep a marked calendar around to remind him what all this stressful work was for. The day he could return.

He’d been thinking about The Cove since they left. It was the only reason why Bryan wasn’t having a cultural shock after getting off the boat that had brought him here as some of the other tourists were.

People of all sizes and species stepped out of the bus making it shift dangerously to one side before, finally, the hippo got off much to the bus driver’s relief as the vehicle bounced back into place. The tourist not even apologizing as they wondered off towards the beach. They, like everyone else, were sporting summer clothes for the warm weather; harsh sunlight beaming down on them from above as the crunch of their sandals could be heard over the sandy sidewalk leading down towards the beach cove.

Even up here overlooking the beach, the road was covered in sand. The pavement and sidewalks looked dusted with the golden grains. On the other side of the road were several rolling dunes covered with sea oats, beach elder, and bitter panicum. The rough, itchy plants brought Bryan back to those school days, walking over those dunes, across the road, and to the beach to hang out until long after the sun went down, and the countless stars had filled the night sky with their wonder.

They used to build bonfires on the beach. The only source of light pollution, unlike the big city. It was far more culturally acceptable here than it was on the mainland to do so. Gather the drift wood, form it into a neat pile surrounded by rocks before igniting it.

“Unlike the city…” Bryan sighed, relief washing over him now that he was finally here and away from his responsibilities back home.

The beaches there couldn’t compare to here. Not like here. These beaches were pristine, the water crystal clear and the locals made sure to keep it that way.

Bryan had opted to wear something like everyone else had. He had gotten several looks in the big city, wearing sandals and swim trunks in his eagerness to get here, but here, back at The Cove, he fit right in. The inlet sat between two large grassy headlands with a pristine beach next to crystal clear waters. He’d lost a bit of his tan during his time at college and was hoping to make up for it during his visit. The palm trees not providing any kind of cover from the sun above.

Unlike the city. Bryan couldn’t stop thinking about that.

The tall high rises around him, skyscrapers seeming to squeeze in on every side. The noise pollution, so many people crammed together like sardines in a can. Shoving, bumping and yet somehow ignoring each other all at the same time. How rude everyone was. Bryan didn’t even know his neighbors name or who or what they were.

The hassle of getting to and from work. The hours lost in traffic. Ticking away the hours to make sure he could pay rent and his bills. Exhausted once he got home, Bryan would crash on the sofa and flip through the streaming services he forgotten to unsubscribe to.

That wasn’t life.

That wasn’t living.

This. This was.

On a beautiful blue, cloudless morning like this? There was nothing better to wear when going to the beach! To feel the warm breeze through his sandy brown hair. To let that saltwater smell fill his lungs and enjoy the crisp cleanliness to it all.

He wasn’t the only one with that in mind and Bryan was already chuckling like an idiot seeing “his people” again.

Swim trunks galore, risqué speedos, woman in nothing more than bikini bottoms… it was perfect as Bryan Gardener got off the bus, waiting his turn until the very end not wanting to get run over by the crowd. Tourists were some of the worst people he’d ever had to deal with growing up here and if the locals didn’t need their abundant wealth to help the economy thrive, they’d have prevented “their kind” from setting foot on their island.

The human was a good head shorter than most of the Anthros on the bus had been. He stood out as it was and quickly needed to separate himself from the pack, so the locals didn’t count him as one of the other countless tourists taking up residence here for the summer condos or houses they only dared to visit one month in the year.

“Such a waste,” Bryan had to laugh. If he owned a place like that? He’d live there all year round, despite the harsh weather the got during winter time.

Snagging his bag from underneath the bus, he waited.

Checking left, then right, Bryan was confused to where his ride was at. He was sure they’d be here by now. He’d given them plenty of time and notice to pick him up with his bags. Bryan did not want to haul his suitcase all the way up the sloped hill towards the houses residing there. Built high above The Cove, they had been designed to hopefully survive any tsunami that might hit. It would be hell trying to take the shortcut over the dunes as he once did as a kid with his suitcase to check in.   

Bryan scratched his head, running his hands through wavy sandy brown hair looking down at his phone before glancing around once more. Bryan hadn’t seen that “silly otter” through the windows when the bus pulled up to the stop. He just hoped Robbie hadn’t gotten sidetracked by something else, again.

“Just like old times,” he could only laugh. Bryan was in far too good of spirits to let a slight delay like this get to him. “Just like old times,” he sighed feeling the wave of nostalgia wash over him.

It wouldn’t have been the first time that silly otter got sidetracked by some shiny seashell or rock.

Robert, or Robbie, and Bryan had grown up together. They’d been next door neighbors. Robbie’s uncle being part of the “Aqua unit” in the base Bryan’s father worked with. The sea otter and the fisherman’s son with the uncle in the military. It was a classic, if boring, story to tell. Despite Bryan’s family being in the military, that was what most people called them. Fisherman, just because his dad fished every time he got a chance to do so. The two had lived near the docks where Bryan’s father had worked on the other side of the small island. It was only natural they’d end up going to the same elementary, middle, and high school together on the small island. Most the kids here did. There weren’t any other schools they could’ve gone to.

It left him as the only human family on an island full of aquatic Anthros. Being on the smaller side, Rob and him had gravitated towards each other out of survival. Soon becoming best friends and spending all their free time together as their parents went fishing together.

Rob was usually late to, well, everything. The sea otter blamed it on his anchor of a tail, weighing him down on dry land. Bryan would tease him about it constantly, in good gest. This wasn’t that big of a shock as Bryan stepped underneath the shade of the bus stop. He needed to apply sunscreen before soaking in any of the sunlight. It’d be a shame to get burned the first day back.

Bryan only had a carry-on bag and a small suitcase, planning on staying at Rob’s place for the summer. He had a couple months off and was looking forward to see his old friend again. It had been a couple years since Bryan had the luxury, or money, to afford coming home for break. More so the latter than the former.

Travel expenses were insane. He didn’t blame the otter for wanting to stay near his family and Robbie didn’t blame Bryan for not being able to stay, understanding the economical struggles of living in such a luxurious place.

They both agreed to blame the rich tourists for that and would often play cruel tricks on them when they were younger.

“Hot oyster sauce instead of ketchup, classic.” Bryan laughed at the warm thoughts.

Covering his face with an arm, Bryan looked up at the sky above. It was a perfect day. The seagulls were as loud and noisy as always, squawking up a storm. He noted the three seagull bros across the street harassing a woman walking by with a bag of fries. The birds nudged each other after, bragging about which one she had been looking at amongst the three.

They’re “ha-ha-ha” squawking always did get a kick out of the human as the three bros bragged about what had just happened. Loud and annoying as ever. They didn’t even bother to keep their voices down. Some things never changed.

“Pfft, idiots.” Bryan had to laugh, stepping off to the side and underneath the shade of the bus stop again. He was already beginning to perspire after the AC bus ride to The Cove from the docks. It was going to be a hot day and he was looking forward to jumping into the ocean to cool off. “Some things never changed...” He said the thought aloud, ruminating about it as a salty breeze blew.

It smelled like home.  

With his eyes closed, he thought back to his days here. The roads, the seaside shops, the pier that needed to be repaired, the vast beaches and the large waves that were a surfers paradise… Opening his eyes, Bryan saw the exact same thing. Even five years later, it was all just the same.

And he couldn’t have asked for anything else.

It was good to be back.

Bryan just hadn’t fit in on the mainland. He was from a beach town. He liked the sun and waves. Smelling the salt in the air. Hearing the seagull bros who, he swore, lived on the beach. This was where he was meant to be. Not the colder climate of the north. Hard to relate to others when you wanted to go surfing, hit up the food stalls around the pier and spend your time outdoors when the weather was close to zero outside forcing you to live indoors over half the year.

There had been far more snow than Bryan had expected up North. It was something he was still trying to acclimate to. The polar bears and artic foxes seemed to be living it up though. His roommate, a Greenland dog, would go outside shirtless and just jump into the snow face first. Bryan had almost called the emergency line the first time he saw the canine do so before their head burst out of the snowbank, laughing about it, and telling Bryan to jump in.

He had flatly refused such an insane offer, as he stripped off his shirt and did just that. Bryan instantly regretted the action and had to stay in front of the fire the rest of the night.

Bryan had to bundle up under three sweaters not to freeze his balls off as it was whenever he went outside there. Here? Here, Bryan wanted to strip everything off and bask in glorious nudity.

“Should I take my shirt off now or…?” Bryan mused with a soft smile. This weather, this place is what he needed! Not the snow or ice of the North. Trapped indoors behind a bright screen in a dark room.

He needed sun and waves.

It was warm, sure. But it had been a long time since he’d seen Rob. The small, cute, sea otter had been his best friend growing up. He hated leaving Rob behind, but such was life, such was growing up… They did everything they could to stay in touch with each other. Not letting the challenge of distance damage their “rock” of friendship.

Something Robbie would say. That they were a rock that even the battering sea and harsh waves could erode away. It must’ve been a sea otter thing as Bryan had never gotten it. He stilled enjoyed whenever Robbie would say or do things like that.

That cute, fuzzy-faced sea otter he always had to look down on. To slow his pace for whenever Robbie tagged along. They had been nearly inseparable until the cruelty of life pulled them apart.

Bryan did promise to return. It just took several years to do so, not counting holiday visits that were far too rare and fleeting to fully enjoy.

“Damn, so many memories.” Bryan looked around the area as the bus finally took off, giving him a clear view of the place he’d grown up in.

It was just as beautiful as he remembered.

The rolling waves, the golden sandy beach, and the pier off to the side was still up and running somehow. It looked as if there were a few more additional things added onto it, which did make sense he supposed. This area was a tourist wet dream and the locals made sure to milk those suckers for all they were worth.

“Like a crab trap,” Robbie had giggled about as a kid. “We place the bait, lure the fat juicy crabs inside and then spring the trap!” The sea otter had practically drooled at the thought of tender crab legs soaked in butter.

“That fattest of crabs,” Bryan had gladly joined in on. When the two were together, even the locals overlooked him being a human. Accepting him as a local who hated the outsiders, mostly tourists, that were trying to ruin and soil their home.

Past the pier, over the hill, Bryan knew the main city was located at. It wasn’t the largest of places and couldn’t compare to the city he currently lived in. It was still an impressive sight for an island to have.

The strip of small shops lined the central road, where another road cut upwards going up the sloped hill towards the houses. It was where the city lived and breathe at. The docks were mostly ignored by the tourists, located past the city on the other shoreline next to the military base Bryan grew up on. Then there was the pier. Small shops on small shops filled the place up, selling everything imaginable one could acquire or want at the beach.

Even from where he stood, Bryan could see the colorful stands and stalls. There were fairground rides and even a Ferris wheel located near the end of the pier. A new addition. Something Bryan guiltily wanted to enjoy and hoped he convince a local like Robbie to tag along with him.

Bryan had promised his parents to bring home souvenirs and that’d be the perfect place to acquire them at. A perfect excuse to go there.

Sea salt taffy, seashell ornaments, wind chimes and flip flops of every size and shape for every foot or paw or webbed feet imaginable. Living here was nothing like visiting. Bryan supposed, living here, it had gotten old and familiar far too fast but coming back was nice. Welcoming. Made him feel like he belonged as he scanned the distant shops looking for the ones he knew from his childhood. Bryan had to squint his eyes to see anything and still could only make out small shapes in the distance.

This town, as cute and quaint as it was, didn’t offer much in the way of employment. Even Rob had gotten stuck with the family business after graduating high school. The place wasn’t growing but it wasn’t dying either. It was a thriving tourist trap that made sure to make as much money as possible during the warmer summer months before settling in during the colder ones where the foot traffic died off.

Another thing Bryan was forced to learn as he got older. Getting old and being “Adult” sucked.

One misconception about the world was that it was, somehow, the same. The same people, the same cultures, the same areas… Bryan had traveled most his younger years until ending up here due to his father working in the military. Now, as an adult, he was forced to travel again for school. And still, he’d only seen the western side of the world.

Up north, where the species became less diverse and more… fluffy, made for the colder climate there, things were far different than on a beach. The houses up North were insulated, for starts. Every building had a fireplace as clothes weren’t as commonly worn. Bryan couldn’t count the times his roommate would walk around in nothing but a pair of underwear in their shared dorm room with the furnace blasting. His roommate’s fluffy fur made it extremely difficult to wear anything constricting and it provided him with the warmth and protection he needed anyways.

Everything had been built in mind for those cold born species and not that of a human. And that was just in the North.

Those in the desert made sure to wear open clothes to protect themselves from the scorching heat and blowing sands while allowing airflow. Those born there were born into such a place. Anthros were built differently than humans, able to survive those harsh climates and usually didn’t need to wear as much. The other species had to, needing protecting from the sun and sands. Or the cold.

Maybe it was just humans that wore a lot? Bryan wasn’t sure how humans had survived as long as they had as he mused on the thought.

“Okay, maybe some things are similar.” Bryan laughed as a sea lion in nothing more than a string walked past, heading across the street to the beach with a surfboard under one flipper arm. The sea lion made a sign to his friends and the whole group began barking at each other in greeting as they headed down towards the crashing waves.

This place was an aquatic Anthros paradise.

The place was far cleaner than some of the other beaches Bryan had read about. The local aquatic Anthros made sure of that. No one wanted to get on the bad side of an orca by tossing trash onto their beach.

Aquatic run beaches were very popular because of the strict rules the locals kept. While warm and welcoming to outsiders, a shark would gladly drag you out into the ocean if you thought it’d be funny to throw your empty soda can into it. They lived and breathe both in and out of the water. Making sure their home was clean and natural for them to live in.

No one wanted to breathe polluted air. It was the same for those who swam and lived in the sea. No matter what corporations tried to say or who they tried to pay off. This place belonged to the locals, no matter how many fancy mansions they built in the upper hills.  

The entire beach wasn’t even owned by the city. They had a contract with a local whale family that had been there far before humans, or other European Anthros, had shown up. Aquatic species needed access to water, and wars had been fought over the precious resource. To humans? It was useful for fishing and transportation. For an aquatic Anthro? It was a matter between life and death.

Several of them still lived in their ocean cities underneath the waves, having strict access to parts of it and threatening violence against any nation foolish enough to pollute their home. When you breathe through your skin and gills? It was understandable that the water your breathing needed to be clean and fresh to raise your children in.

Some of the best research centers were located on the bottom of the ocean run by the aquatic nations.

Bryan had always wanted to visit one of these underwater cities. To see Atlantis? It would be amazing! Issue was, his body wasn’t made for those kind of depths and if he didn’t suffocate first, the pressure would do him in. And, after all the stories he read about imploding submarines, he wasn’t on board to be stuck in a tin can underneath the waves either.

He’d just have to enjoy the surface. And those on it. For now.

“Orcas and sharks and sealions, oh my.” Bryan guilty took in the view with a voyeuristic interest. Not that he was left complaining.

Thanks to the weather, most were out shirtless giving the human plenty of eye candy to enjoy and eat in. Swimming did wonders for the body and the majority of the guys were fit, muscular and had ass’s that you could bounce a freaking quarter off of.

Or take a bite of.

Bryan wanted to sink his teeth into some of that sea food.

It was always interesting to see a heavier set “dad bod” or a hairy “manly” aquatic mammal. Something that was far more common than one might think. Aquatic mammals and Anthros were related to their animal counterpart, but, like humans, were only somewhat closely related to the animal instead of direct descendants. As a human was to a primate, so too was a shark man to a Chondrichthyes, a shark. It was the same thing for Anthros, aquatic or not, as it was humans.

It left several hairy bodies with nipples unabashedly on display to see and enjoy. The majority of guys had feet, hairy bodies, and hands. Not flippers. Most had fins on their back and tails above their plump, juicy asses. Some even had webbed digits. It was an interesting cross between what a human and a sea creature might look like. Something Bryan’s old friends had drilled through his dumb thick skull when they were in school together.

“Just because we have fins and gills doesn’t make us fish.” Bryan cringed at the memories coming back to him as he laughed, a rosy tint taking his scruffy face at the nostalgic, yet, embarrassing thoughts.

This entire place was reminding him of his high school days. He just couldn’t help it.

“You’re a primate but we don’t treat you like a monkey or ape at the zoo.” Rob had smacked Bryan over the head with that thick rudder like tail of his for the human’s ignorance. “Unless you want a banana.” The otter would giggle after, blushing as his round beady ears would wiggle at the idea. Even as a kid, Rob had a scruffy sea otters face making him look older than anyone else in class was.

There had been a long running inside joke between the two of them that the human wanted to go down on a banana that the sea otter never got tired of.

“Better than a sea cucumber,” Bryan would just say back, and Rob would burst into another fit of squeaky giggling laughter making his short furry, whiskered snout wiggle with the sound.

Bryan was looking forward to seeing that silly sea otter again. For now, he’d enjoy the show presented before him.

Orcas walked around in flip flops, they wore speedos or swim trunks to cover up their hanging bits. The color of which matched their natural body and made most look as if they had a natural bulge, an impressive sight to see. Some were more revealing than others, making even Bryan blush at just how unabashedly open some of these guys had become over the years. Some of them had hairy faces, while others were perfectly smooth. Their bodies glistening as the water dripped off their muscular, toned black and white marked bodies as they grabbed a drink, chugging it down as the water spilled from their lips and dribbled down, over their thick chests and large dark-skinned nipples… making their skin glisten in the sunlight as if it were tanning oil being spurted over them.

Spurt. Spurt. Spurt…

“Fuck, I need to get laid.” Bryan covered his mouth with a hand, peeling his eyes away from a rather large orca dad bending over to fish something out of the cooler he’d brought for him and his family. That thick tail was up in the air, swaying back and forth with a cake Bryan hoped was going to be for his birthday.

Thankfully, he soon became distracted by one of the lifeguards jogging and waving towards him.

“Hey!” They called loudly towards him.

“Me?” Bryan was confused, standing there at the bus stop as the guy waved at him. Bryan did a quick look around, patting himself down to make sure he hadn’t done something wrong as the lifeguard double checked the street before crossing over to join him.

He was a large otter. A mixture of black and brown fur covered the lifeguard’s long body. The fur lightened on his exposed chest and became a rich creamy tone around his furry face. With a cute set of beady ears and a whiskered face, he beamed down at the human. The colors of his muzzle, a mix of white and darker shades of brown, told Bryan he was a sea otter. He’d never forget a scruffy face like that. They were larger than the human thought a sea otter could grow up to be, wearing a pair of flip flops, with a red and white lifeguard shorts and little else.  

Bryan was hyper focused on the way the whistle around the sea otters neck would jump and bounce with his running movement as the metal device used the otter’s large chest like a trampoline.

Just… bouncing. Up and down. Up and down as the otter jogged towards him like something he’d seen out of Baywatch. Their body was drying off from the water they’d surely just come out of. Most likely saving someone. Giving them mouth to mouth before pressing down on their chest and just…

Bryan swallowed audibly as he tried not to drool at the thought of being rescued by such a beast of a man.

“Hey!” The otter waved again, getting closer. He stopped on the sidewalk, tilting to one side as he placed a hand on his hip looking down at the human with a smug grin plastered over his face. “There you are.”

The lifeguard pushed down his dark sunglasses to the end of his short whiskered snout and gave Bryan a huge grin that made the human’s heart do a backflip in delight.

“Afternoon, handsome.” The sea otter gruff voice growled from his lips as he wiggled his eyebrows at Bryan. “Tired? Because you’ve been swimming around my mind all day.”

Bryan hated that such a cheesy pick-up line made him blush.

“Uh… Hi?” Bryan was still confused as to what was happening as his eyes roamed over the muscular furry sculpture that was this otter before him. Fuck, he wanted to sink his teeth into that chest, he was sure, the otter was pushing out towards him. “I’d nurse like a dying newborn on those tits…” Bryan muttered under his breath, wiping the drool away as he quickly looked back up at the otter. “Can I help you?”

“Sorry, I just got off work.” The sea otter casually said. He had a deep voice like crashing waves against a rocky shore and Bryan’s horny brain wanted to hear that voice as he was going down on this big boy. The sea otter’s tail slapped against the concrete as he let it drop and Bryan jumped out of his horny thoughts. “My replacement was running late today. Took longer than I thought to clock out.”

The sea otter adjusted the bright red lifeguard float he had under one arm, switching it to underneath the other. Those muscular arms flexing as he did so and Bryan hoped the sea otter was here to bully him, trapping his face against that chest, under one arm as he got picked on…

Maybe have the otter push him into the sand, lying out over him and just…

Bryan quickly looked up from that chest pushed out towards him and up to that furry, cute whiskered face.

The sea otter had a foam ring buoy strapped to his back even though he could easily float if he wanted to. The rescue devices must be for those he was saving. Bryan had half a mind to jump off the pier if that gave him an excuse to float on the otter’s chest to safety before getting mouth to mouth resuscitation.

“Be my buoy, daddy…” Bryan muttered.

“What?” The lifeguard asked, lifting up his dark shades to look down at him now.

“Ahem, I mean. That’s nice…” Bryan glanced up at that furry whiskered face as the otter just smiled down at him in a familiarity Bryan couldn’t put his finger on. How would those whiskers feel between his thighs as the otter went to town on his oysters…? “I’m just waiting for my friend.”

“Yeah.” The sea otter chuckled. His smile faded then as he looked at the human. “Dude.” He said harshly making Bryan pull his eyes up from the bulge he was sporting. “It’s me!” The otter rested back on his thick rudder tail, using it as a kickstand, throwing his arms open. “Rob! Robert Clamston.”

“R-Robbie?” Bryan jumped at that, pulling back as his faced turn a darker shade of red, matching the lifeguard’s short shorts. “Y-your huge!” Bryan would go to his grave before ever admitting all the lewd thoughts, scenarios and positions he wanted this otter to put this otter in. Or have this sea god of a man put him in.  

The sea otter just laughed, holding his gut with both webbed hands now.

“The look on your face! So worth not telling you.” The sea otter spun around, showing off. “I hit my growth spurt a month or so after you left. Then got a job as a lifeguard, keeps me rather… thick.” The otter flexed in front of the human’s face who just blanked at the sight. Bryan wanted to reach out and touch it. With both hands. “Got to keep the beaches safe, bro.” Robert said in a deeper voice, wiggling his eyebrows as he let the human check him out. “Don’t worry. If you fall in? I’ll save you.”

“I was practically drooling over you!” Bryan sputtered out, laughing along with the otter now despite his embarrassment. “You flipping asshole. Can’t believe you hid… this from me!” He motioned at Robert’s hard work.

“I know. The look on your face,” Rob laughed, and his beady ears wiggled as his entire face lit up with that smile. Robert desperately trying to hide his blush. It would be a first for Bryan to look at him like this. “I-I guess, I look kind of good now, huh?” The otter giggled slightly, his furry white cheeks burning with a red tint as he looked down at his flip flops, unable to meet the humans eyes. “Nothing like how I was back in school.” Robert cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice deeper than it naturally was.

Trying to impress his old friend. Not wanting his squeaky otter habits ruin the imagine he’d worked so hard on.

“I just… wanted to look good.” Robert admitted, swallowing his nerves down as he fumbled with his web fingers. “It’s not too much, is it..?”

“You look incredible!” Bryan just said, giving Rob a big hug. The otter’s body stiffened at the sudden embrace and before Bryan could let go, he was soon scooped off his feet, spun around and set back down on the sidewalk as Robert reciprocated the affection. Rob looked like he was about to burst with embarrassment, clearly happy to see his friend again after all these years. “Seriously. I was about to ask you for your number or a quicky behind the bathrooms,” Bryan thumbed over one shoulder. “Man. That would’ve been embarrassing,” the human teased with a flirty smile. “Then again,” Bryan had to keep going before laughing it off.

The sea otter’s face turned lobster red now as he laughed, a squeaky sound he attempted to cover with his large, webbed paws taking a step back and squeaking out a giggling laugh that was, without a doubt, something the younger Robbie would’ve done.

It was unbelievable cute seeing a full-grown man like Robert squeak his face off like this and Bryan just beamed happily at the otter, waiting for him to calm down.

“Need a drink? Cause you’re the one looking thirsty now,” Bryan stuck the tip of his tongue out and Robert flipped him off as the two laughed about it.

Rob’s white furred face gave him a distinguish older appearance than what he was. It was no wonder why the human hadn’t noticed him first. Robert looked far more like his dad nowadays than the cute silly otter he’d grown up with. Bryan was the older one of the two, but it would be hard to tell without knowing that. A lot of Anthros looked older than humans, their fur or feathers helping hide their appearance until a much older age. Rob, unfortunately, got the other side of things and had always looked far older than he was even when they were still in elementary school. White whiskered face just made you look ten years older than you were.

“S-shut up,” Rob squeaked at him, his tail thumping on the ground several times showing how worked up he’d gotten. He still was that young sea otter inside that Bryan used to go to the pool with as he playfully punched at Robert’s arm.

“Robbie! Just look at you! You son of a bitch. I can’t believe you hid this from me. You’d think I’d have seen pictures.” Bryan just laughed, pulling the otter down to rub his hair with his knuckles. Rob’s elongated torso allowed him to easily bend down to Bryan’s height, getting the noogie from his friend. It would’ve been impossible to give the tall, long bodied otter it otherwise. “Jerk! Hiding this from me. What next, got a boyfriend before me?” 

“N-no, not yet.” Robert chuckled as he pulled back, trying to smooth his fur back down. He still wasn’t looking at the human, clearly embarrassed over it. “Been busy with gaming to get a dude to notice me.” The otter just shrugged as if it wasn’t that big of a deal. “Or working. Not much else to do here. Some things never changed…” He trailed off, looking out over the beach and towards the sea.

Robert had a sullen look in his eyes and the clouds above his head were turning dark and gloomy. Bryan didn’t like the atmosphere falling over them and quickly stepped in to fix it. They had just reunited, there was no need to get doom and gloom about it! He would be here the entire time to keep Rob company and didn’t want that ruining things.  

“Some do.” Bryan said with a loud laugh, stepping back and looking the otter over once more. “Damn dude, how are you still single? I’ll never know.” Bryan spun the conversation around, keeping Robert’s mind busy about it. “Or are you the smash rocks on your belly kind of guy and leave? Love ‘em and leave ‘em?” Bryan shrugged, not judging his friend. “Could smash me any day,” he added with a tease.

“Dude, stop!” Rob squeaked, giggling over it as his face hurt from smiling so much.

“My offer still stands.” Bryan thumbed over towards the bathroom and the sea otter jumped. It was Bryan’s turn to laugh now. “Dude, I’m just pulling your tail.” And the human swiped a hand at it before Robert moved it aside. He used to tug on Robbie’s tail all the time to get the insecure otter to tag along with him places. If it wasn’t for Bryan, Robert might’ve lived his entire life indoors. “Ah, Robbie. It’s so fucking good to see you again. You are a breath of fresh air and the sunshine in my life. Holy shit, it’s been way far too long!”

Bryan practically jumped against the otter, giving him another strong hug.

This time, Robert didn’t pull back from the hug as the human pressed his face against his furry chest. The otter smelled of the beach, of sea water and algae. Of fish and clams from his lunch. He still had that strong distinct male otter musk under it bringing back the memories. Everything mixed together was exactly what Bryan had been hoping for.

Robert’s fur was so soft. Double layered, thick, and plush. Bryan hated how much he enjoyed the feel of it and understood why some people used to poach them for their fur. A guilty pleasure that Bryan far more enjoyed from the warm, musky bodied otter than he had noticed until now.

How many times had Bryan slept over at Robbie’s house? It took forever to figure out how the hell to transverse the place. There were water ways throughout the entire house and even a water slide from the second floor to the first! Several of the rooms you could only get to by swimming. At least the water was temperature controlled and Rob had warned Bryan before coming over to bring his swim trunks.

It had still been quite the experience.

And he thought his place was a pain to clean! Having water hallways made such a mess, the human couldn’t figure out what the point to them were. The walkways around them were rubber instead of carpet or hardwood like the human’s place was. It was kind of neat to be able to swim inside the house, underneath the wall, and into their outdoor swimming pool behind the house. It was more of a pool than a house.

“Missed you to.” The sea otter nuzzled his whiskered face down at the human’s face making Bryan laugh and push him away.

“Ah, not the whiskers! I give, I give.” He pulled back laughing as he rubbed his cheek from where the whiskers had brushed them. “You got the rest of the day off, right? Promise me that you do! Don’t you dare pull something or I really will pull your tail.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got the weekend off!” Rob told him as he picked up the lifeguard float he’d dropped in their excitement. “Just got to dump this stuff off in the jeep and then we can head to my place.” The otter glanced at the bag next to the human. “Is that all you got?”

“Yup. Packed light.” Bryan shrugged, trying to appear casual and cool in front of his friend. He desperately hoped he didn’t forget anything. Not that he thought Robert wouldn’t be willing to share something he needed.

Before Bryan could stop him, Robert slung the bag over one shoulder and picked up the suitcase as if it weighed nothing. Bryan admired the showboating display of strength, figuring Robert would show off after all this time. Bryan would have to get him back for this. It wasn’t like the human had been slacking off. There had been an indoor gym at his college and a pool he religiously frequented thanks to it being heated.

“Well, you said I didn’t need much… and I got some funds still from my night job! I can buy whatever else I need while I’m visiting.” Bryan answered, scratching the scruff on his chin. “They still have the K C Mart, right? They have everything… even if it’s highly overpriced.”

“True, true.” The otter nodded, motioning for Bryan to follow him across the street and towards the parking lot to the side. “And you can wear anything of mine, o-of course.” The otter’s tail lifted before slapping on the cement loudly. Bryan winced; afraid Rob would hurt himself one of these days doing that.

Apparently it was a display of strength for a lot of Anthro’s with thick tails like them. Beavers and otters did it a lot to show off or intimidate others. Robert had, blushingly, told Bryan that his father used to do it all the time to impress his mom.

Bryan never understood why Robert told him that, but it was amusing to think of his best friend slapping his tail on the ground to impress some twinky dude on the beach. Something Bryan had promised himself to help with. To try and get his best friend laid during his visit.

“Heh, I might take you up on that. Use one of your night shirts as a pajama top. I doubt any of my clothes would fit you anymore, big guy.” Bryan laughed as the otter’s whiskers wiggled as the human nudged his side with an elbow. “Unless you want to wear a crop top you long bastard,” he swiped playfully at Rob’s side who easily dodged out of the way. “Show off that midriff of yours and put you on the street to make me some money!” Bryan crassly teased.

“Yes, daddy.” Robert played along with, sticking his tongue out before slapping Bryan’s ass with his tail making the human jump. “Bitch please, if either of us was the ho? It’d be you. I’d be a good pimp daddy though, treat you right.”

“Oh, fuck off.” Bryan laughed loudly though. They talked far worse online with each other than this. “Fuck, it’s good to get out again Robbie. TO be outside and enjoy it? Hell, you would turn into an actual otter pop up north. It’s so damn cold.” Bryan shuddered at the very thought of seeing snow again.  

“I go by Robert now.” The otter said. “B-but you can still call me Robbie, I-if you want. J-just letting you know. In case someone else calls me Robert you’d know why…” The sea otter fumbled with his words, trying to appear like an adult but not wanting to ruin something special the two had with each other.

Bryan was the only one to still call him Robbie. Unfortunately, the human also still seemed to see him as that small silly playful sea otter next door. Instead of the man he had become.

“Oh, okay, cool. Cool. I don’t know if I could ever not see you as that small little otter I found crying in the back yard because he dropped his ice cream cone in the pool. Again.” Bryan snorted. “That was like your third ice cream cone! How did you keep dropping them in the pool? It was the same god damn day!” Bryan couldn’t let that go and Robert blush grew at the embarrassing memory.

“I was trying to get in, dammit! The damn things just kept sliding off.” Robert growled back and the two laughed about it, reminiscing on their lives together before getting to Robert’s jeep.

The jeep wrangler was red, covered in sand and, as Bryan opened the passenger door, had sand inside as well. A small mound of it just poured out the open door onto the ground. He wasn’t sure how it had gotten there as he looked over the dashboard.

Robbie might look different, but it was still that same silly otter he always had been. There were stickers on the dash, seashells up near the window and several colorful rocks that the sea otter must’ve found during his dives. A seashell necklace hung up on the rearview mirror with small pearl beads connecting each one together. Then there was a picture tucked into the driver side sun visor.

Bryon ignored it for now and focused on the main problem. The sand.

“H-how? How does it get everywhere?” Bryan just shook his head, never sure how so much sand could leave the beach as he shook off his shorts and sandals.

“Fur.” Robert said hoisting up the suitcase and bag into the back. He tied everything in, securing it before motioning for Bryan to come around out front. “Cleaning sand out of your fur is hell. Remember that strange brush you found in my room? The one with the extra rounded tip bristles? It’s used for that. To get sand out of your fur. I don't like sand. It's coarse, rough, and irritating and it gets everywhere.”

“I don’t need to imagine!” Bryan laughed at the quote. “I still remember brushing you out after rolling down the dunes,” he pointed behind them. “You had buckets worth of sand in your fur. It took hours to clean it up. Then again, maybe we shouldn’t have brushed you inside the house.” Bryan grinned, his cheeks flushing lightly as Robert’s round beady ears wiggled.

The otter thumped his tail again, blushing as he twiddled his webbed fingers together.

“I-it wasn’t that bad, was it?” Robert asked and Bryan gave him a strong one arm hug.

“It was, Rob. It really, really was.” The human shook his head, thankful he wouldn’t have to deal with that this time around. Hopefully.

“Okay, first thing first.” Robert clapped his webbed hands together, beaming proudly. “It’s tradition to dip your toes in the ocean when you arrive. Then we can go back to my place, grab some lunch and just…” Robert trailed off, smiling softly to himself as he stared down at his webbed feet.

“Will everything be safe in the back…?” Bryan asked, missing the look on his friend’s face.

“Yeah, don’t worry. We got eyes and ears everywhere,” Rob motioned towards a nearby lifeguard post where a disgruntled looking bottlenose dolphin was sitting. The guy was somehow larger than Rob was and looked like he ate coral for breakfast. “I also secured and tied everything down with a lock. They’d have to break it to get your cheap ass stuff out.” Rob snarkily added on with a sideways smirk towards the human.  

“Okay, I just…” Bryan glanced back. He didn’t own much but what he did own was in those bags.

“I got you covered.” Rob said, pushing the human towards the beach. “The day is still young, and we have a lot of catching up to do! Once I put these away,” he added showing off the lifeguard equipment he still had with him. “Kind of was in a hurry. Forgot.”

“Himbo.” Bryan flatly said, staring at the otter who took it as a compliment.

“Proudly!” Robert stuck out his chest, threw his shoulders back and placed his hands on his hips as he gave a pearly white smile that Bryan was sure went “ding” in the sun as it sparkled. “Not like I could keep my fans waiting,” Robert added on.

“Thanks for not leaving me hanging,” Bryan rolled his eyes with a smirk as he followed the sea otter onto the beach.

As was tradition, he was stopped before stepping onto the sand. The sea otter stretched down to untie and take off his flip flops, the long white, red cross lifeguard shirt riding up in the back as he did so. The large thick rudder tail made it impossible to check out his ass as it sagged over it as Bryon tried to steal a peek. Robert’s flip flops were specially designed looking more like sandals for his web feet.

Bryan just kicked his off before picking them up.  

“Ready?” Robert asked and Bryan nodded along.

Hesitantly, as if afraid it’d burn him, Bryan put his foot onto the beach and felt the warm grains of sand slide between his toes. He groaned out at the feel and slid his foot the rest of the way underneath to the cool part underneath.

Soaking in the feeling, it was better than he remembered.

“It’s like sex. On the beach. Amazing,” Bryon laughed as he took another step forward, shortly followed by another. Not caring if he looked like an idiot as he did so. “You coming?”

“For sex on the beach? If you insist.” Robert shrugged and followed behind with a sway of his hips as he watched the human go. The entire beach was crowded and filled with people, but the sea otter only had his eyes on one person there as the human stopped, turning around to look at him with a beaming smile that the sun only seemed to highlight further.

“It’s so nice to be back!” Bryan said as he pulled his shirt off. The tip of Robert’s tail lifted up at the sight of his old friend.

“Welcome home, Bryan…” Robert followed in his friend’s footsteps, amused that now his webbed feet were the larger of the two. Leaving indented footprints behind.