The siblings found themselves back on the infamous boat ride they had taken with their parents as kids.
The ocean spray misted Ryan's face as the boat cut through the waves, and he closed his eyes, savoring the sensation on Gemma's skin. Their parents sat across from them, their father snapping photos with his old digital camera while their mother pointed out landmarks along the coastline.
"Smile, kids!" their father called out, aiming the camera at them.
Ryan instinctively struck Gemma's pose—head tilted slightly, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
"Remember when we did this the first time?" their father asked, nostalgia thick in his voice, "Gemma, you were so scared of the water splashing over the side!"
Ryan froze, unsure how to respond. This was a memory he didn't share—it was Gemma's.
"Oh, yeah," Ryan laughed awkwardly.
The captain pulled the boat up to a small cove,
“We’ll anchor here for a bit!”
The sight brought back vivid memories for Gemma, and Ryan felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him as he blinked at the familiar scenery.
As the boat slowed and drifted, Ryan’s heart raced. He fidgeted with the hem of Gemma’s t-shirt, his mind racing with thoughts of the bikini beneath it.
He watched as their parents pulled off their own clothes, revealing their swimwear beneath.
“I guess we can’t just sit here,” Gemma glanced at Ryan, cracking a smile despite the awkwardness of their situation.
“Right,” Ryan replied, summoning as much confidence as he could muster.
He took a deep breath before pulling the t-shirt off, revealing the blue bikini that hugged Gemma’s girlish frame. His heart raced from the heat of being exposed, surrounded by family.
He crossed his arms and took a careful step towards the back of the boat.
Suddenly, he felt a shove from behind, and he fell into the warm water.
As his head broke the surface, he sputtered and wiped water from his eyes.
He looked back to see Gemma doubled over in laughter, “Oh no! Did you fall in?”
“You’re gonna pay for that!” Water dripped from Gemma’s hair, as Ryan pulled himself back on board.
He wrapped his hands around Gemma and launched the both of them into the water.
The splash was chaotic, and as they broke the surface together, laughter erupted between them.
They continued their sibling banter as they splashed each other mercilessly, the sound of their laughter mingling with the gentle lapping of waves against the boat.
And for a moment, it didn’t matter that they were in each other's bodies. They were just a brother and sister again, lost in the carefree joy of their childhood.
They finally waded back to the boat, panting and giggling like they used to when they were younger.
“Just like old times,” Gemma smiled as the two climbed back onto the deck.
"I can't believe we used to do this every summer," Ryan said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Gemma sighed, "Yeah, I miss these days."
Ryan adjusted the fit of the bikini top, “That’s why we traveled back in time though, right? To relive it.”
Gemma looked at Ryan, “Except now we get to relive it as each other…”
The captain soon lifted the anchor, and they were back on their way, the boat gently slicing through the waves as the sun glinted off the water.
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