Soda was tossing towels and sunscreen and his hoodie into his duffel bag to go surfing with Gumball. He changed into his rainbow swim trunks because his bubble ones were dirty and he didn't wanna have to do laundry.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and closed his bedroom door.

The blunette dashed down the spiral staircase and into his mom's study to find her reading, "Hey Mom? I'm gonna go surfing with Gumball, I'll be back later". Sea fairy looked up from her page and set her book down on her lap as she turned towards her son, "ok have fun, be back before 7".

He quickly nodded and gave her a thumbs-up, making her smile. When he ran back up the stairs she looked at his shorts but shook it off as she thought nothing of it, he just liked bright colors.

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Soda saw the boy covered in paint and sprinted over to him. "Dude, you're STILL covered in paint? I thought you said you showered?" He giggled as Gumball gave him an unamused expression and opened his mouth. "I did, but my project was lookin at me from across my room and I couldn't help it" the shorter whined.

Soda readjusted his grip on his popsicle-shaped board, "well come on, the waves might leave soon, I'll race ya there!" He took off with a head start, "HEY, no fair!" Gumball laughed and ran after him.

They ran down to the shore, Soda beat him and rubbed it in his face. They set up their spot in a random area and took off into the water. The beach wasn't packed so they didn't have to worry about other cookies snooping through their things.

They swam out and climbed onto the big board. Gumball was still learning but Soda was happy to help him. Soda gracefully stood up and grabbed onto the other's forearms, gently pulling him up so they wouldn't topple over.

Once situated they saw a wave right behind them and Soda set his hands on Gumball's waist to steady him. The pinkette blushed, why was he nervous all of the sudden? They cuddle all the time, so why was this getting to him? He shook off the feeling when Soda noticed and grinned.

The boys surfed in the ocean for what seemed like hours. They kept pushing each other into the water and messing around. They might have only ridden like 5 waves without pushing each other in, but it didn't matter. They were having a wonderful time.

The two boys were dragging the board back to shore, still laughing and tripping through the water. Tossing the board aside, they dried off, laying the towels back out after they were done.

Gumball flopped back onto his neon coloured towel. Soda laid across his stomach, practically crushing his shorter friend.

"AAH, you're cRuShinG mee" Soda snickered at him and sat up, pulling the other with him into a hug. Gumball huffed and leaned into it, shivering slightly as a breeze came by. The sun was starting to set causing the temperature to cool.

"Dude, are you cold?" Soda asked amused. Gumball grumbled, his body ran at a lower temperature than Soda's did and the breeze wasn't helping. He nodded as the taller one unwrapped his arms from around him and rummaged through his duffel bag.

He pulled out his blue hoodie and tossed it in Gumball's lap. The pinkette grabbed the oversized piece of clothing and slid it over his head, getting it caught on his rats nest. Soda just chuckled and helped him pull it over so he wouldn't suffocate.

Gumball readjusted it and grabbed his hoodie out of his bag making Soda huff. "I just wanted yours" he smiled annoyingly and gave the hoodie to his unamused friend. Soda snatched it from his hands, putting it on even if he wasn't cold at the moment.

The blunette let out a long sigh as he leaned back on his elbows. Gumball laid his head on his shoulder as they watched the sky turn all shades of pink and orange. The water almost turned purple from the reflection of the soft colours.

Soda hummed and ran a hand through the pinkette's hair. Gumball loved when he did that.

Soda grabbed his phone from his bag and turned it on to check the time. "Aw, dude it's like 6:45, we gotta get going" Soda groaned and patted Gumball's head, indicating for him to get up. The shorter grumbled as he got off the other and helped gather their things.

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"Bye Soda, I'll see ya at school tomorrow dude" Gumball wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, Soda accepted the hug. He blushed when he felt the other's arms around his waist, 'why is it happening AGAIN?!' He was so confused.

He waved goodbye and shut the door, slowly sliding his back down it. "Why do feelings have to suck absolute balls?" Gumball muttered to himself. "Hey kiddo, you're home" Sparkling appeared from around the couch and stepped over to his confused son. Gumball looked him in the eyes then avoided eye contact completely.

"You ok bud? You seem more fidgety than usual" he questioned, concerned for him. Gumball hummed and played with the strings of Soda's hoodie. Sparkling just noticed the piece of clothing.

"My heart won't stop, am I having a panic attack? I don't think so, nothin triggered one, but maybe I just-" Sparkling interrupted the boy's rambling by setting his hand on his head. "Can you explain what happened?" He spoke as the pinkette looked up at him.

Gumball exhaled and gathered his thoughts "All Soda did was hug me and I blushed like a little bitch! Now my head won't stop thinking about it, we hug all the time!" He grumbled, kicking his legs. Sparkling chuckled and gave him a knowing look, "first of all, don't say that! And second of all, kiddo, I think you have a crush".

Sparkling watched as his eyes widened, grabbing at the hoodie again. "No, NO I DO NOT!" He exclaimed, pulling the hood over his head and yanking on the strings in an attempt to cover his face. Sparkling only laughed at his flustered son and pulled him to his feet.

Gumball threw off his shoes and tried running off but Sparkling grabbed his wrist. The floor was very interesting to him as he stood there. "Look bud, you don't have to admit it but it'll catch up sooner or later, I see the way he looks at you and I don't mind" he softly spoke and let go of Gumball.

The pinkette nodded and ran off into his room to call Soda.

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Herb was fixing up some of his indoor plants when he heard aggressive knocking on the door. "Coming" he shouted and looked at the clock, who would be at the door at 10 pm. He shrugged and wiped his hands on his apron, shuffling over to the door.

Upon opening it, he was greeted by a nervous-looking Soda "Heyo Mr.Herb, is Gumball home? He said he needed to talk to me". Herb smiled at the boy and called his son, "Gumball! Soda's at the door". Said teen stumbled over and thanked his dad. Stepping out onto the porch, he closed the door for privacy.

"Soda, I have something I want to confess" Soda hummed as Gumball leaned on the railing, looking at the park to calm himself down. The taller patiently waited, not rushing the jittery boy. He opened his arms and flashed the other a small smile. 'That smile was gonna be the death of him' he thought as he ran back into Soda's arms.

Soda ran his fingers through the bright pink strands, already feeling Gumball's arms loosen but they immediately tightened again. He was about to ask why but Gumball interrupted him before he could get his words out "I love you, Soda, like a lot, to the point where I don't think it's just a homie thing anymore, I don't wanna lose you" he was about to cry.

This was a lot for him. He was waiting for Soda to push him away and call him disgusting, but it never happened. Instead, he felt him smile against his forehead as he started to giggle. The blunette hugged him closer, happily burying his nose in the messy hair "I realized that a while ago too, I love you dude". Soda leaned down and kissed Gumball's cheek, the boy instantly flushed.

"Oh stop it you" Gumball smiled stupidly and hid his red face in the crook of his neck, slightly sniffling. Soda heard him "Dude are you crying? Cause I wasn't gonna leave you, I love you means you're never ever ever getting rid of me" Gumball laughed at him and wiped his eyes with the hoodie sleeve.

"You're so dumb, I can't believe you quoted 'the waitress' after I came out to you!" he could barely contain his smile, it made him so very happy that he fell for his best friend. Soda pushed the hair out of the golden eyes gazing at him and started peppering kisses all over the pink-haired boy's face, making his tears disappear "I've wanted to do this for a long while, I don't think you understand just how smoochable your face is bro".

Gumball giggled and let it happen, he was loving this. Soda pecked his cheek one last time and let go "I gotta go for real now, you can just return my hoodie tomorrow at school, I love you broski" he ran off the porch.

Soda turned around halfway and made a quick heart with his hands.

"I love you too broski, see ya" Gumball called back out and returned the heart. He couldn't have wished for anyone else other than Soda. He shook his head with a goofy little smile and went back inside, ready to see his best friend in the morning.

-(1667 words)-