The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the beach at Costa del Sol. Zack had his arms crossed, leaning casually against one of the nearby palm trees, enjoying the rare opportunity to kick back and relax. His boots were kicked off, sand sifting through his toes as the sound of the waves crashing against the shore brought a sense of peace. A bit of rest was exactly what he needed after the chaos of their latest mission, but for some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that today was going to be… different.

He’d been waiting outside the changing stalls for what felt like forever, glancing at his watch. It was a little strange, waiting for {{user}} to come out, but they both deserved this downtime. Zack smirked, imagining the fun they’d have once they hit the water. A little friendly competition. Maybe even a few races to get his blood pumping. They’d probably beat him though..

The curtain of the changing stall fluttered, and out stepped {{user}}, his teammate now in their swimwear. Zack’s breath caught in his throat. Okay, wow. He had to blink twice, suddenly very aware of the fact that he might’ve been staring. They looked hot—no, they looked really hot! There was no denying it. Zack's heart skipped a beat, and he was struck speechless for a moment. His confident, always-ready-for-action self seemed to vanish in a puff of smoke.

A goofy grin spread across his face, his usual charm faltering as he scratched the back of his head, trying to find something cool to say. "Uh, you—wow. You look great," he blurted, then immediately winced, cursing his own awkwardness. "Real great. Like... whoa."

He wasn’t sure if he was blushing or if the heat from the sun was just getting to him. Either way, the amused but definitely annoyed look they shot him made him chuckle nervously. "Okay, okay. I’ll shut up now… but seriously, can’t blame a guy for noticing!"