Past Prompts Revisited #036; It's Not What You Think; Beetle Bailey; Sarge/Julius; PG-ish

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Title: Handball
Author: Mellifluous
Fandom: Beetle Bailey
Pairing: Sarge/Julius, implied
Prompt: slashthedrabble Past Prompts Revisited. #036 - It's Not What You Think
Summary: Awkwardness in change-rooms, basically.
Word count: 500
Rating: PG-ish? Nudity's involved, but everything is implied.
Disclaimer: Mort Walker owns these characters, not me. :D
Author's Note: First fic here, you guys! Woo! This is from Julius's point of view. I tried to get his voice right.

--

He only made us quit when he couldn't see the ball anymore.

Gosh, I couldn't stand it. All he wanted was someone he can best at everything, because his poor sweet Beetle didn't let him. Of course, that led to his challenging the most delicate one at camp - me - to a handball match. Which meant that poor me got covered in sweat. Ick ick ick with a side order of yuck.

When we got back to camp, I felt like I should say something. I made do with something neutral, so I didn't inspire a beating. "That was a...hot game of handball, Snorkel."

"Yeah," he replied, "and I do need a shower."

That reminded me of the sweat cooling on my skin; I shuddered. It was time to find a gym, and fast.

It was disgusting to still be wearing my soaked clothing. By the time we actually reached the gym, I'd unbuttoned my shirt and tossed it on my arm, and was reaching for my pants buckle.

He was staring at me, mouth slightly open. I could feel it - two eyes were boring into my back. I turned around and jutted my jaw out at him, hoping he'd start to change, too. I mean, wouldn't it be gross to be bathing in your own sweat? And hadn't he seen guys change in the locker room?

That was where we heading - the locker room. Which, it turned out, was

"Hey! Something's wrong with the lights!" said Captain Obvious over there. I grinned.

"Never mind. We can find our locker rooms in the dark."

As my eyes got used to the light, I could see that his shirt was gone. Next to go were his shoes and socks, and then his trousers. I don't know why I was now the one staring. Perhaps because I was already nude, with nothing else to do. Might as well stare. He tugged off his boxers with both hands, and was about to get rid of them when the light flicked on.

Several hundred pairs of female eyes gazed back at us.
There was a mass gasp along the whole room.
And they were all thinking the same thing.

I could see their image in my mind. Two naked men, one holding a pair of boxers, and they're staring at each other, awkwardly.

"It's not what you think!" Sarge blurted out. He got it, too. "We - we were just, you know, coming back from a match of handball, and - and - " Here, he collected himself. "What are all you women doing in the gym, anyway? Conferences are not held here! You're all to leave, immediately!" The women immediately jumped up from their chairs and hurried out from the gym, giggling and spluttering in equal measure.

He turned back to me and gestured awkwardly to the showers, which were now fully lit.

"Well...uh...it's best if we go and take our showers, right?"

"Right," I replied, bolting for it.