Work Text:
They had almost made it safely back to the Matthew Smith home through the rain, chatting happily along the way about today`s rehearsal when Seb pulled them around the corner onto the path leading up to the farmhouse - and Carlos suddenly stopped abruptly.
“Wait! We can't walk here.”
Seb frowned. "Why not?" He nodded to the farmhouse in the distance. "We're almost home."
Carlos raised his eyebrows and gestured towards the gravel path in front of them with the hand which was still holding Seb's.
“But there is a literal ocean!”
He looked at the row of puddles, some of them so big that they basically covered the whole path and reflected the clouds in the sky on their surface.
“I have many talents, but crossing oceans isn't one of them.”
Seb blinked at him, then his eyes travelled down to their feet. His own feet were covered by the red dotted rain boots he got last Christmas and Carlos - was wearing his signature red Converse.
"Is this your dramatic way of saying that you don't want to ruin your shoes?" Seb asked.
"Yes," Carlos answered and added sheepishly "and also because I don't wanna get cold feet."
Seb rolled his eyes fondly. “See, this is why I put on rain boots. They make them for a reason.”
"I know," Carlos whined. "I forgot that there was a rain forecast when I put them on this morning."
Seb raised an eyebrow. "It's been pouring ever since I got up at 5 am…"
Carlos sighed, defeated. “Alright, I admit that I may have actively ignored that fact in favour of being able to put on these shoes because they matched my outfit. Go on, judge me."
"I'm not judging you,” Seb said, scratching the side of his head as he looked at the mess of puddles in front of them. “I'm just wondering what you want to do now.”
Carlos followed his gaze to the puddles, then he looked back at his boyfriend and smiled.
"I might have an idea."
"Oh?" Seb said surprised.
Then he squinted his eyes at him, suspicious of his smile. "Wait, you're not gonna ask me to carry you, are you?"
Carlos tried a winning smile. "Pleeeease."
Seb huffed. "I've told you this before but I'm saying it again, you completely overestimate how strong I actually am.”
"Please," Carlos said again, completely ignoring his protests and giving him puppy eyes instead. "You can't really be asking me to take off my shoes. I'll get sick, Sebastian. Terribly sick. With an awful cough and everything. And you will be the one who's gonna have to nurse me back to health and then you are probably gonna get sick as well, and then -"
"Fine," Seb gave in with a sigh. "I'll give you a piggyback ride."
Carlos pouted, disappointed. “A piggyback ride? I thought you'd do it like, bridal style. Like a superhero carrying the unconscious love of his life through a fire when the world is exploding behind them and stuff.”
“Last time I checked,” Seb poked his side, making him yelp, “you were very much conscious and there were no explosions behind us, so I think a piggyback ride will do.”
Carlos sighed. “Fine. I'll take it.”
Seb squinted at him. "You know, now I'm wondering if you planned this ahead and deliberately put on those shoes because you wanted me to carry you."
Carlos looked down at his red Converse. "Oh I haven't, they really just went with my outfit. But now that you said it I might have to remember it for future occasions."
Seb huffed. "If you do that, I'll leave you standing in the pouring rain."
Carlos gasped offended. "I'll have you know, that's not a very gentleman way to treat your boyfriend."
Seb raised his eyebrows. "I just offered to carry you through puddles and I think that very much does qualify me as gentleman.” He tugged at his hand. “Now come here and I'll carry you before I change my mind."
Carlos smiled. “Okay."
Seb bent his knees so Carlos could hop onto his back more easily, placing his arms around Seb's shoulders while his boyfriend securely held onto his legs.
“You good?” Seb asked, slowly raising again and shifting Carlos' weight on his back.
“Mhm,” Carlos confirmed, quickly letting go of one hand gripping Seb's shoulder to push his glasses up his nose which had slided down in the process.
“Alright, are you ready?” Seb asked him.
Carlos frowned and slightly leaned forward, trying to look at his boyfriend's face.
“Ready for what? Are you gonna run away now?”
“Hmm, maybe,” Seb said, tightening his grip on Carlos' legs, audible mischief in his voice.
“Honey,” Carlos said, suddenly serious while also on the edge of panic. “If you drop me in a puddle, I swear I am gonna have to –“
But before he could tell him what he was planning to do in that case (which was to deprive him of his cuddle rights for at least two days) Seb took off, running down the gravel path from puddle to puddle in his rain boots.
Carlos screeched, instantly reconsidering his decision to let his boyfriend carry him, but now that it was too late to change it, the only thing that was left for him to do was to clutch to his shoulders and neck like his life depended on it.
Which - it basically did, considering that if Seb would drop him and he'd land in the muddy and wet puddle not only his Converse would be ruined but also the whole entire outfit which had been the reason for this disaster in the first place.
But once the initial fear had worn off, Carlos noticed that it was also somewhat fun to be jumping through puddles. Even if he didn't do any actual jumping himself. Still, he closed his eyes more than one time in fear of either being dropped or the water or mud from the puddles spraying all his clothes, but Seb held onto him safely and his laughter while he ran was so contagious that Carlos couldn't help but laugh as well.
Sooner than he thought, they had reached the dry end of the path, not very far from the house and Seb slowed down, stopping on safe ground to let Carlos slide off his back, turning around once he made sure his boyfriend was standing on both feet again.
“That was the most terrifying but also the most fun thing we've done in a while,” Carlos blurted out once they were standing face to face again.
Seb laughed, slightly out of breath.
“So it was better than that superhero thing you imagined?” he teased, but clearly happy about it.
Carlos grinned. “I'm still not quite ready to let go of that dream but I have to admit that this was also great.”
Seb laughed. “You know what?” he said and leaned in to peck Carlos' lips. “I prescribe you more jumping through puddles.”
“Oh, so now you're a doctor as well?” Carlos teased. “The doctor of my heart maybe?”
He pulled him in for another kiss.
“Yes,” Seb said, seriously, but mouth twitching with a smile. “And as I don't take that responsibility lightly, I see it as my duty to tell you that jumping through puddles is a very healthy activity for the heart and soul and thus must be done regularly.”
Carlos threw his head back in laughter.
“Alright my doctor slash superhero slash crazy boyfriend, what would you recommend I do now then?”
"Hmm. Wanna go inside and find you some rain boots so we can jump through puddles together?" Seb suggested with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.
Carlos thought about it for a moment. “Will that also include other waterproof clothes? Because my outfit problem still stands.”
“This is a house full of children so I'm sure we'll find you plenty of rainproof clothing,” Seb grinned and took his hand, squeezing it.
Carlos smiled. “Okay. Then yes, please.”
“Yes!” Seb said excitedly and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Let's go then," he added and pulled Carlos towards the house, happily swinging their tangled hands between them as he did so.
Carlos followed with a grin. Maybe puddles and rainy weather really wasn't so bad after all.