A TEAM STICKS TOGETHER - FAVE SNIPPETS

It all began as a normal, hot, August morning. A young man with tanned skin and short, dark brown hair and eyes practically leaped out his front door with a half-consumed piece of toast in his mouth. This sixteen year-old individual, Connor, used one hand to wave farewell to his mother while his other hand greedily stuffed the buttered bread into his mouth. Connor was wearing a plain blue t-shirt and shorts, as well as a pair of new sandals, but this information wasn’t very important because…

“Did you remember your speedo, Connor?” yelled the teen’s mother.

“Of course I did!” Connor replied as he gave the large backpack he was carrying on his shoulder a shake. “As if I’d forget that! See you later, mom!” With another wave, the brunet licked some crumbs off his lips and jogged down the nearby sidewalk. He had only stepped outside a minute ago and already he was sweating bullets. The teenager wiped his forehead and gazed up at the sky. It was a clear, flawless blue…the bright sun radiating its heat down upon the Earth unhindered. There was even a beautiful rainbow stretched across the sky; most likely formed after last night’s downpour. “I can tell it’s gonna be a great day for a swim!” Connor smiled toothily as he stretched his arms toward the bright sky. Connor was a member of his high school’s swim team and he was about to begin the day like he did most others: with a little swimming practice.

“Yo! Connor!” shouted a nearby voice. The brown-eyed swimmer glanced to his left to spot another young man his own age. The boy, an average-looking Joe with messy black hair and blue eyes, waved to him from across the street. He quickly made his way over to him and started walking alongside him. “Morning, dude!”

“Morning, Ryan.” Connor replied before bumping fists with his best friend and fellow swim team member. Ryan and he had known each other for the longest time; he still remembered when their parents would take them to the beach to swim when they were kids. “You ready for practice?”

“I guess…” Ryan scratched the back of his head with his right hand and then used the same to cover his mouth as he yawned. “How can you have so much energy in the morning? Are you a robot?”

“Haha, maybe I am! The world’s #1 swimming bot!” Connor laughed; Ryan joining him with a tired chuckle. “Ever since I got that new water bed I’ve been waking up in tip-top shape!”

“Water bed? When did you get a water bed?!” Ryan gave his slightly taller friend a playful nudge. “You’ve been holding out on me, man! That’s it…this weekend I’m definitely sleeping over your house!”

“Heh, sure. It’s a promise!” Connor gave Ryan a pat on the shoulder as the duo continued strolling down the sidewalk toward their school. For several minutes they chatted about stuff two teenage friends would usually talk about. Soon the high school came into view and it was around that time Ryan looked down and took notice of Connor’s sandals.

“Oh, are those new?”

“The sandals?” Connor looked down at them as well while he walked. “Yup! Just bought them yesterday. My old ones were getting too small for my feet, haha! You wanna try ‘em on sometime?”

“Nah, I’ll pass.” Ryan replied as he gave a dismissing wave. “You got huge feet, dude. Those things are probably way too big for me.”

“You got that right!” Connor grinned toothily. “Hehe, you’d probably get yourself lost in them if you…” Connor trailed off as something in the shop window they were passing grabbed his attention. He stopped walking and pressed himself against the large glass. Ryan took a few more strides before he realized his buddy was falling behind.

“Hmm? Whatcha looking at?” Ryan walked backwards until he was next to Connor again and gazed into the window with him. The teen’s blue eyes narrowed as he saw his glutton of a friend was staring into a bakery shop. Countless donuts and pastries were laid out before them.

“Look at them all…” Connor mumbled as drool dripped from the corner of his mouth. He heard his stomach growl and noisily smacked his lips with his tongue. “I gotta have one! Or two…or three!”

“Come on, dude.” responded Ryan as he tried to tug his friend away from the display window. “Didn’t you just have breakfast?”

“It wasn’t filling enough.” Connor said simply. Ignoring his bud’s attempts to drag him away from the bakery, Connor moved toward the shop’s entryway. “I’m gonna grab a quick bite; go on ahead without me!” Before Ryan could protest, his best friend had already disappeared into the bakery shop. The black-haired teen sighed and face-palmed before continuing on toward the high school.

When he arrived at the front entrance he ignored it and went left toward the gymnasium. Near the gym was the school’s 50-meter long, outside pool; separated from him via a chain fence. Ryan took in the gorgeous, crystal-clear water as he walked past; the bright sunlight radiating down from above reflecting off its still surface. Dividing the pool into several columns were blue lane lines stretched across its length. Soon Connor’s friend arrived at a small building next to the pool and walked on in. It was their team’s locker room and the scent of male musk entered his nostrils the moment he opened the door. That wasn’t the only thing that happened when he walked in…

“I’m telling you, Oliver, at this rate you’re gonna get kicked off the team! Out of all thirteen of us, you’re the slowest!” spoke a tall, seventeen year-old junior with tanned skin and bushy, dirty blond hair. The guy was so tall and athletic that many people mistook him for a member of the basketball team. “Get some training in outside of practice! Hit the gym every now and then! Do that and I’m sure you’ll catch up with the rest of us!” The teen grinned toothily and flexed his two biceps. “Well, excluding me of course! No one can catch up to me~!”

“Ugh, just stop talking already.” was Oliver’s reply as the redheaded junior tipped the glasses he was wearing on his face. “Believe it or not, Tristan, being a member of a swimming team isn’t just about swimming! Who do you think came up with those training regimes and tactics that won us the last competition? Me, that’s who!”

“Your brain is pretty big, dude, but if you don’t bulk up the rest of your body…” Tristan used a finger to poke Oliver’s forehead; easily making the smaller teenager take a step back. It was obvious the nerdy high schooler had an underdeveloped frame. Hell, even Ben, who was about the same height, looked stronger! “…the rest of us are gonna step all over you, dude! You get me?”

“Just shut up!” Oliver gritted his teeth and turned away from the taller male so he could work on taking off his glasses and substituting them for a pair of contacts. “I’m not taking any advice from a muscle headed buffoon like you! Maybe if you didn’t spend so much time in the water your brain wouldn’t leak out of your ears.”

“Huuuuh? You trying to say I spend too much time in the water?” Tristan looked like he was about to burst out laughing as he placed his hands on his hips and grinned widely. “Dude, it’s all that time I’ve spent submerged in fine H2O that’s made me the pro I am today! I was born in water, you know! Ever since then I’m pretty sure I’ve spent more of the last seventeen years underwater than I have above it.” The tall blond nodded to himself as his mind drifted back to his days as a child; living over in Hawaii and spending every ounce of his free time at the beach. “Yep…water and I go together like ham and cheese. When that fateful day comes…I hope I die in water too.”

“I hope you get eaten by a shark or something.” was all Oliver had to say in response to Tristan’s story. The taller male didn’t seem to hear him since he gave no retort; he only walked past Oliver after deciding not to waste any more time trying to talk sense into the boy.

“Reminiscing’s reminded me…” muttered the tanned young man as he walked past Ryan; the black-haired swimmer pulling up his blue speedo. “…there’s a great, big, refreshing pool waiting for me outside! I’m gonna go hop in first; the rest of you can wait for the slowpokes if you want!” Before anyone could say anything, Tristan was out of the locker room. For a moment to room was silent; the remaining guys either finishing up their preparations or just waiting around. Not even a minute had passed before Tristan returned carrying a white, rectangle-shaped box. “Hey…did someone bring these?”

“What are they?” Ryan asked as he approached his upperclassman and stared at the box he was holding.

“Donuts!” Tristan answered with a gleeful smile as he opened up the box to reveal a dozen decorated donuts of several flavors. “They were just sitting outside next to the door.” Ryan and Tristan both scanned over the locker room, but none of the other four boys gave any indication the donuts belonged to them.

"Who cares?” Tristan spoke at the same moment he stuffed half of a donut into his mouth. He continued to speak even as he chewed. “They’re delicious!”

Before long, each of the young highschoolers had a donut in their hand and were happily munching away. They must have all had a light breakfast to be so eager to eat the mysterious donuts. Tristan was about to stick his hand into the box and grab another when Ryan stopped him by taking it away.

“Leave some for the rest of the team.” Ryan requested as he placed the half-empty box atop one of the nearby lockers. Tristan grumbled, but nodded with acceptance before making his way back out into the pool area.

“I hope he remembers to stretch first.” said Oliver as he watched the taller male disappear through the metal door. Not five seconds later, everyone heard a loud SPLASH from outside and the nerdy swimmer sighed. “Damn that fool! I don’t like to admit it, but it’d really hurt us if he gets himself injured! He’s one of our best.” The redhead rushed outside and Ryan heard him begin raising his voice.

“Ugh, he’s gonna cause another scene.” Ryan mumbled before following Oliver outside; leaving only three members of the team inside the locker room. Butch and Drake were both sitting down at the benches; several feet of empty space separating them. They decided to just wait for Connor and the rest of the team to arrive. Ben was still near the door; licking his fingers of cream as he waited for his “secret” crush to walk in. His light blue eyes glanced over at the box of donuts and a light bulb went off in his head.

“Ooh, I should offer Connor a donut when he walks in! That’s sure to make him happy…he does love to eat~” The young sophomore had barely stepped toward the locker where the donut box sat when he heard a sound from outside. He turned to see the door’s doorknob turn a bit and a bright smile lit up his face. That had to be Connor! “G-Good morning, Co-!”

Connor swung open the door to the locker room; one hand gripping the knob while the other was gently caressing his blue clothed belly. His tongue crept out from between his lips to lick up some white flecks and he grinned gleefully.

“Ahh, those pastries were delish!” Connor exclaimed as he strolled into the team locker room; shutting the door behind him. He blinked and took a quick glance around to find the entire room empty of a single soul. “That’s odd…there’s no one here. Didn’t notice anyone out in the pool either…” As Connor surveyed the empty locker room, he had yet to notice the black speedo a few feet in front of him. 

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“Alright, everyone, into the pool! We’re gonna start with some backstrokes!” instructed the swim team’s captain as he and his fellow high schoolers finished their stretching. As wet, bare feet marched toward the large pool, Connor smiled and got ready to lower himself into the crystal-clear water to join his teammates in practice. Before he could move, however, a hand touched him on his broad right shoulder.

“Yo, hold up, Connor!” exclaimed the voice of a fellow sophomore; a young man with black hair dyed red on one side. In his hand was a bottle of cold spring water which he was motioning toward Connor. “You look a little dehydrated. Care for some water?”

“Oh? Sounds good!” the muscular boy replied with a smile as his generous teammate unscrewed the bottle’s white cap. “You happen to have any snacks? I’m a little hungry too…” Connor chuckled as he took the bottle of H2O from the other male.

“Geez, you’re always hungry!” the guy said with a smile of his own as he gave Connor a playful slap to his back. The athlete, however, was not expecting this and coughed with surprise as the hand struck his soaked back. A normal and typical reaction to him, but for the two swimmers in his mouth it was a whole other story. It was like a scene from some sci-fi flick in which someone was ejected out an airlock. An unimaginable, irresistible force tore Tristan off Connor’s uvula and yanked Ryan out from between his teeth; sending both boys flying out of the mouth like a couple airborne ticks.

“Oh shit oh shit oh shiiiiiiit!” Ryan repeated over and over again as his body spun around in open air; powerful wind force taking control of his entire form. What could he do?! He was going to plummet and plummet until he smacked into the ground and his body shattered. “I’ve gotta…grab onto something! Anything!” His eyes squinting, Ryan tried to make out what was in his current path of descent. He had stopped spinning like a ragdoll, but he was still falling at a rapid rate and wind pressure was pushing on his face. He noticed he was plummeting right towards some sort of transparent structure; like a building or something. Throwing everything to luck, the desperate teen threw out his arms and prayed he caught a hold of whatever this structure was. Lady Luck must not have completely abandoned him yet, because he found himself catching something and coming to a sudden stop; wincing with a whine as he pulled something in his arms by doing so. “T-Thank…thank God!” Ryan took a glance around as he tried to figure out where he was. It seemed like he was still high in the air, but hanging from some kind of plastic protrusions. Below him there were no such grips; just a transparent, smooth wall that seemed to slope outward. Through the clear barrier below him, Ryan could see something colorless sloshing around…water?

Before the shrunken swimmer could acknowledge anything else, the structure he was hanging from started to move. The vertical tower tilted slowly into a horizontal position and Ryan’s eyes widened when he gazed upon something new: a gigantic face…the gigantic face of Connor! As the wall the tiny male was holding onto became a surface underneath him, he knelt and watched the expansive, god-like face of his best friend stop just a couple feet before his own mug. More precisely; he was face-to-face with Connor’s upper lip!

“W-Wait…a transparent object…water…” Ryan gasped as he looked over his shoulder and saw Connor’s humungous hand behind him; strong fingers wrapped around this huge structure. He listened to numerous, loud GULP sounds and gazed down at the water flowing between his giant bud’s lips like a river. “A…A water bottle! This thing is a bottle of water! Shit, man, I can’t even recognize THAT at this size!” Ryan smacked his face with his hand before watching what looked like gallons of drinkable water get sucked into the titan’s body. “I was lucky. Another inch or so and I could have ended up right…in…” Ryan’s jaw dropped when he saw something he really didn’t want to see. Water wasn’t the only thing Connor was drawing into his mouth; there was something else in there…something alive…something that looked a lot like a certain tall junior he knew!! “TRISTAN!!!” In that water bottle was tiny Tristan; swimming faster than he had ever swam before to avoid being sucked back into his teammate’s mouth. Ryan got down on his hands and knees and banged a fist against the plastic wall that separated the two teenagers. “Tristan! Tristan!”

Ryan wasn’t sure if Tristan heard him or not, but he did seem to notice him as the dirty blond swimmer glanced up in his direction. He was in no position to say anything; every atom of his being was focused on not getting swallowed by the humungous god behind him. The black abyss of the mouth was right behind him, but he kept on paddling against the current like his life depended on it…which it, in fact, did.

“Hold on, Tristan! Don’t stop; I’ll get you out of there!” Ryan shouted down at his teammate, despite being sure the athlete couldn’t hear him. Even if his voice did reach the innards of the plastic bottle, Tristan’s ears were probably engulfed in the sound of rushing water, his own breathing, and the monstrous gulps of their enormous teammate. The black-haired shrinkiee looked up at Connor’s tanned, slightly hairy upper lip. He knew there was only one thing he could do: strike his friend’s face and hope he noticed it before Tristan became one with his breakfast. Before he could even make a move, however, the plastic “floor” under his knees started to shift. As the contents of the bottle were poured down Connor’s gullet, the giant had to tilt the container more and more so to direct the beverage into his mouth. Before Ryan knew it, Connor had turned the plastic container upside-down; the bottom pointing up at the blue sky. The behemoth’s tiny friend once again clung to the bottle’s collar; desperately shouting at him while kicking his feet in hopes of touching the skin below him. It was useless…there was nothing he could do without risking his own life. Ryan clenched his teeth and gazed into the bottle once more; eyes quivering in their sockets.

The remaining water inside the bottle had become a whirlpool that was quickly draining into Connor’s maw below. Tristan refused to give in; he continued to thrust his arms forward and kick his feet wildly to change his fate. It did not matter in the end; even if Tristan had been the fastest swimmer on Earth, a swimmer is restricted by the water. Once the last drop of H2O disappeared between Connor’s lips; the young, tanned junior disappeared with it. Ryan bit his lip and rested his forehead against the plastic in mourning as Tristan became part of one final GLURCH.

“Ahh, that was refreshing!” Connor exclaimed as he took the empty bottle of plastic away from his lips and pushed it into his kind teammate’s chest. As the black-and-red-haired teen grabbed the container with both hands, Connor thanked him with a grin before leaving to join his team in the pool. The sophomore looked down at the once filled bottle and chuckled.

“Wow, I didn’t think he’d drink it all.” the boy mumbled before setting the recyclable object down between his feet and following Connor into the warm water. Left behind at the top of the bottle was Ryan; now in a very awkward position after his giant friend had suddenly turned the bottle upright again. He hung from the collar; gripping the indentations with his arms behind his head. His face grimaced; his arms still hurting from when he pulled them earlier. This position was certainly not helping!

Being at the very top of the plastic bottle was like being on the roof of a skyscraper for Ryan; it gave him a good view of the school pool before him. He felt like he was looking out at the freaking ocean! His seven normal-sized teammates had begun their backstroking practice and Ryan watched them move through the water like living, breathing islands! They were causing tidal waves and massive sprays of water as they paddled, so it was difficult for the half-centimeter tall male to differentiate between them through all the chaos. He knew, however, that behind one of those sets of abs, a tiny young man once larger than all of them was being digested. In fact, with the little guy’s pathetically small size and Connor’s over productive digestive system, it was likely Tristan was already being metabolized into the larger boy’s body by the time he touched the other end of the pool. The days, months, and years Tristan had put into his love for swimming…the experience he had gained as he strengthened his body and hastened his speed over the course of seventeen years. What had it all been for? The answer: A single swing of the arm. The tiny bit of protein Tristan had given his fellow swimmer helped him with a single stroke during practice. Thus, the teen’s ultimate purpose was complete.

“W-What am I gonna do…?” Ryan muttered to himself; and not only referring to how he was gonna get down from here safely. What if he lived through all of this? What if he, by some miracle, returned to normal size? Could he still look at Connor like nothing had happened? Could he still consider him his best friend after what he had unknowingly done? “O-Of course…I can…” the messy-haired teen reminded himself as he gave a twitchy, nervous smile. “We promised each other, after all…” Ryan sniffed back his tears and focused on how he was going to get down to the concrete below without becoming a splatter on it. Before his brain could even begin to think…