Sybill rolled her eyes. She knew Pete was shy about his body, but they'd been at the beach for thirty minutes and this conversation was getting insufferable.
"All your friends are topless! I don't understand what the big deal is."
Peter snorted in the annoying manner that alerted Sybill he was going to deflect everything she'd just said with humor. Merlin, would it kill him to be vulnerable?
"Look, Billie, I just don't wanna take my top off, alright?" He started, a bit more earnestly than she expected.
"Trust me, it's for the good of society." Sybill rolled her eyes again. If he could just listen, she really was trying to help.
"Don't you want to go play in the water?" she attempted weakly, hoping companionship with his parasocial dorm mates could tempt him out of his shell.
"I'd rather stay here with you." He batted his eyelashes innocently.
Rubbish. They'd been alone together all morning (more than enough for her, she was ready to spend time with the girls) and those boys could barely stand five minutes apart from each other. She just wanted him to have fun with his friends without letting his worries hold him back. She sighed and scooted closer to him on their beach towel, entwining her hand with his. Peter was now anxiously chewing his lip as he watched his friends splash around in the water. It hurt Sybill's heart.
Solid logic it was then. She was a Ravenclaw, after all.
"Babe, I love you, but do you think people assume you have washboard abs under that shirt?"
Sybill had never seen someone's head snap around so fast.
He looked up, brows furrowed, thinking. Then back at her. Then down at himself. Then back at her again. He looked incredibly confused, and Sybill giggled a bit.
He let out a long stream of air.
Not five minutes later, three very happy boys were screaming "PETEY" as he waded out into the water, shirt tucked neatly into Sybill's tote bag.
(He did forget sunscreen tho)
