#I want to do breakfast canoes

[raycatz]

my call and response this week is going to be "I say sploosh, you say KABOOM. SPLOOSH. KABOOM." and I'm going to get away with it because we can play irl battleship with a tarp, sit spots, and some water balloons

we're all gonna be nerds and nobody will know

[venileix]

𝜗𝜚 .River's Edge

PAIRING: Scott Barringer x F!reader SYNOPSIS: Tension is heavy between you and Scott and the others thought of a bonding exercise to help you make up. WARNINGS: first post!, established relationship, jealous Scott, slight angst?

⋆𝜗𝜚˚｡⋆

You simply could not understand why Scott was so mad. Raking your mind of the past few days, you were almost positive you hadn't done a thing.

It didn't take long for the others to catch on to Scott's behavior, especially towards you and anybody who tried to talk to you. So the group decided to orchestrate the perfect little getaway for the two of you.

It was a difficult task to find a way for the staff to fall blind to two students disappearing for a few hours, but the plan was almost perfect.

The next morning, the plan was put into action. The Saturday sun beamed down on you as you hiked the trail through the woods, Juliette just ahead of you, leading you to a spot she was telling you about at breakfast.

You were suspicious of her as you follow, there was no chance Juliette had a spot in the woods that she found.

The sounds of calmly flowing water got louder as you walked, the nearing river drowning out Juliette's ranting.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" Out of the years you had been at Mount Horizon you weren't very close to the girl in front of you, so the confusion hadn't left you since you both split from the cabin that morning.

"You're so impatient," Juliette rolled her eyes, "We're practically there." You didn't get the chance to respond as you freeze at the sight in front of you.

Scott and Auggie stood on the river's edge, and the confusion grows further through your chest as Auggie shoves Scott further towards the canoe resting on shore.

"Juliette, what exactly is going on?" Your voice was low, but the sound of your footsteps must of alerted the boys a couple ways down the small hill as they both snap their heads in your direction.

"Just give it a chance," The girl drags you towards the pair on the shore, "Please."

You roll your eyes, letting her lead you towards the last person you wanted to see right now.

"Nice of you to finally join us," Auggie smirked, watching the way your eyes narrowed at the three people around you.

"Can somebody just tell me what's going on?" Your chest tightened as you noticed Scott's annoyed glare on you and Auggie.

"Well," Juliette grins next to you, her shoulders straightening, "The group thought it would be good to let the two of you have some time together."

Scott scoffs, "We spend time together."

Auggie shakes his head, bringing his hand up to the boy's shoulder, "Well, now you get to spend more together. Now get in the damn canoe."

Juliette was quick to also push you in the same direction.

Soon you found yourself in the middle of the calm river across from your boyfriend, void of any paddles to be able to get yourself back to shore. Auggie said it was to make sure we actually spent the time together, or whatever.

It was silent for a while, you were stuck in your thoughts. Why hadn't Scott been talking to you lately? It did actually feel like forever since you hung out. Maybe you did something wrong? Did you overstep on any boundaries?

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Scott's voice startled you, your eyes jumping up to meet his as he sat across from you in the narrow canoe.

"Did I do something to upset you?" Your voice was quiet, and you felt small under his stormy blue eyes.

It looked as if he was struggling to form the right words as the corner of his lips tugged down.

"Do you like Auggie?" The question took you completely off guard as your eyes widen in surprise, a confused laugh ghosting over your lips.

"Auggie? God no, he's so in love with Juliette, it's honestly comical at this point!" Despite your attempt at lightening the mood, Scott still seemed ticked off.

"Really? He seemed to be real into you the other day at the bonfire," He turned his gaze away from you, refusing to meet your eyes again.

"Scott," you try to meet his eyes, sighing as he doesn't make any movement, "I was helping him with ideas for asking Juliette out."

You watched as his hands tightened into a small fist, "You were practically on top of him!"

You scoffed, crossing your arms, "Juliette was a couple feet away from us, he didn't want her to hear us!"

He didn't say anything, just flexing his hand in annoyance, still refusing to look at you. "Scott."

It all made so much sense now, Scott was jealous.

His blue eyes slowly turn towards yours again, a frustrated glare making them appear darker than usual.

"I love you. You are the only person I want to be able to know me the way you do. The only person I want to see me how you do."

That was the first time either of you had said those words to the other.

In the flash of an eye Scott closes the distance between you, catching your lips in a love filled kiss.

"I love you." He grinned into the kiss, and you would never complain about his switch up in moods in this moment.

You push him away gently, smiling sweetly as you stare into him, feeling the relief flowing through his veins.

You lean back but the sudden movements rock the canoe and in the blink of an eye you find yourself submerged into chilled water.

Hands find your waist, and as you open your eyes, the dark water is brightened by beams of light around you. The blue eyes in front of you are like a saving grace as they peer into yours.

Breathing feels like a distant thought as his eyes search your own, and with a wide, closed-lipped smile you tug his face towards you, this time it's you bringing him in for a kiss.

He responds immediately, wrapping his arms further around your waist, the cold water long forgotten as your lips move in sync.

Letting this moment sink in for as long as possible, the internal fight for air wins as you drag your bodies up, breaking the surface and separating for breaths.

The two of you swim to shore, tugging the canoe in tow.

Logically, you knew you probably didn't have a lot of time left, knowing the group can keep the staff distracted from your disappearance for only so long.

But you ignored that, instead choosing to sit in comfortable silence with your head on Scott's shoulder as you sat on some rocks on the river's edge.

With the affection from your boyfriend back, you both complied ideas to pitch to Auggie about how to win over Juliette.

[marvelobsessed134]

Going to Disneyland with Elvis headcannons

A/n: First Elvis fic! I’ve had this idea for a couple days now and finally decided to write it! Also just a disclaimer even though I am a huge Disney nerd especially for the parks I may get some information inaccurate because I was obviously not around in the 60s to go to Disneyland during that time. I have been an avid Disneyland guest for my whole life basically so I do know a lot about how the park is run and things like that.

Pairings: Late 60s!Elvis x Fem!Reader

Warnings: too much explanation about vintage Disneyland sorry

Okay so the day would start out where the two of you would get there bright and early for rope drop (when the park opens and they drop the rope that blocks off the rides)

You wanted to make sure you could get on the E ticket rides (Back then Disney had tickets for rides and you’d buy a little ticket book and there were different tickets: A, B, C, D, and E. E ticket rides were the popular more thrilling rides like Matterhorn bobsleds) before the lines got too long

Elvis always had a blast at Disneyland with you being able to let out his inner child

After a couple rides you’d get breakfast on Main Street and talked about your plans for the day after eating. You’d both stare at sleeping beauty castle in awe and a cast member (what the employees are called) would offer to take your picture in front of it which of course you’d say yes

Elvis obviously being extremely famous has people come up to him and ask for autographs and such and he’d politely decline, saying he was here to have a good time with his girl

Cinderella definitely had a thing for him when the two of you went to get your picture with her, she was paying much more attention to Elvis than you. She was trying to hold in the fangirling and not break character

Elvis thought it was funny that you were a tiny bit upset about it until non other than Prince Phillip seemed so enamored by you and he felt how you were feeling previously. The two of you just laughed it off together though

You went on the smaller (but still fun) rides like the carousel, teacups, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, Pinocchio, and Mr. Toads Wild Ride

Elvis loves the Mickey ice cream bars and you love the cotton candy

You had a lot of fun waving to the mermaids that sat on the rocks above the submarine voyage ride

Elvis didn’t like that other men thought it was okay to whistle and be disrespectful to the mermaids but he didn’t say anything to them just muttered to you, “The lack of respect these men have is disgusting.” Which made you giggle a bit and agree

Midday you’d watch the parade and then go into the Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln attraction to watch the amazing Abraham Lincoln animatronic (it’s actually really amazing one of the best animatronics in the park)

You’d ride on the pack mules on the trail through natures wonderland attraction which was super fun

And even go on the canoes which Elvis helped the whole boat with how good he was at rowing

The day would end at night, standing in front of the castle with your head resting on his shoulder as you watched the fireworks.

And of course you’d fall asleep on the car ride home

[alonetimelover]

Hey! Hope I’m not too late for the blurb weekend requests - could you please do 29 from the six word as fluff and just banter between y/n and H? ❤️

"Where are my manners, my dear."

pairing: Harry Styles x polish!reader

summary: “I can’t believe you,” she laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “Out of all the days in a year you chose this one to be like this?” “Like what?” He teased, moving his right hand up to her cheek. He held her face in place so she couldn’t look away from him. “Like I would really like to just take you right he-”

word count: 0,7k

blurb#1 blurb#2 blurb#3

masterlist

“You’re stepping on thin ice, Harry,” YN warned Harry, eyes flexed on him. 

“How thin?” 

Harry smirked at her, feeding from how frustrated she was. They were celebrating with her family some Polish holiday Harry couldn't remember even if his life depended on it. And he was insufferable. From the minute he woke up, stealing the blanket, waking her up two hours earlier than needed, making his coffee in her mug, overseasoning the breakfast, making it inedible and to top it off, being very, and YN thought, very provoking not to leave the house. 

“It’s starting to crack, that thin.” 

YN moved to the fridge and took out all the premade snacks that she knew her grandma would be looking for in moments. She unwrapped the foil from the plates and put them on the counter. When she reached for some fresh basil and parsley to decorate the dishes with, she felt Harry’s hands on her hips, his breath tickling the skin on her neck. 

“Good thing I know how to swim.”

“You think?” She wiggled her body around to face him. “Fancy a swim?”

“With you? Always, my baby.”

“I can’t believe you,” she laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “Out of all the days in a year you chose this one to be like this?”

“Like what?” He teased, moving his right hand up to her cheek. He held her face in place so she couldn’t look away from him. “Like I would really like to just take you right he-”

“Oh, there you two are!” Interrupted the heavy accented voice from behind Harry’s back. 

YN cleared her throat and pushed Harry away. Still smirking, Harry turned around to face his best friend. 

“Babcia (granny)! There you are. I was just about to look for you.” 

“I know I’m old, but I’m not stupid, Harry.” Now it was granny’s turn to smirk. “You are a naughty boy, keeping my granddaughter all to yourself!” 

Harry blushed, just like that losing all his wit and adventurousness. Behind him, YN was grinning at her granny. Of course, it was quite embarrassing to be caught in a somehow compromised position, but at the same time, granny knew that all of Harry’s songs were about her granddaughter. And yes, she knew the meanings. 

“Yeah, tell him, granny.”

Harry turned around, glaring at YN with an open mouth and thespian shock painted all over his face. “You both against me? I’m used to YN being like this, but you, granny? My heart is breaking right here.” 

“You really are an actor,” granny laughed, patting Harry’s cheek. “Go back to the party. Out of my kitchen. Now. Shush, shush.” 

After some bickering from Harry and YN that they wanted to help her prepare everything, they flew out of the kitchen being chased off with a kitchen cloth. 

Harry wrapped his arm around YN and led them to the terrace where the party was in full swing. The grill was smoking with YN’s two uncles arguing about the rawness of the steaks above it. Her younger cousins were running around the garden, playing catch and destroying too many flowers. 

“Harry, YN! Come here, come!” Called the family’s friend - Anna, waving her hand towards the table near the middle of the deck. “We’re discussing whether or not we should go canoeing.” 

After briefly looking at each other, they moved to the older part of the family, ready to discuss whatever was worth of so much noise and outtalking. Nearing the two empty chairs, YN went for the one near her mother. 

“Where are my manners, my dear,” Harry quickly interrupted YN’s actions and moved the chair for her, wiping it from the imaginary dust, blowing the air on it to finish the act. 

The table laughed at his antics, making Harry’s smirk grow deeper in the right side of his face, dimples daring its presence there. Oh, he loved attention and the look on YN’s face. 

When the commotion cooled down and the conversation came back on its tracks, YN leaned towards Harry’s ear, whispering “I hope you know that you’re gonna pay for all of this.” 

“Oh, I’m counting on it, baby.” 

[garbagevanfleet]

Pink Lemonade (series)

PART SIX

Pairing: Sam x female!reader

Word Count: 12k words

Summary: Being a counselor at your childhood summer camp had been your dream since you were little and you had a specific vision of how it would go when it finally happened. You had not, however, planned to make an immediate enemy.

WARNINGS (this chapter): EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT - 18+ ONLY

Editor in Chief (and creator of the moodboard on each chapter): @gardenvanfleet

MASTERPOST

​

It felt so reckless. You were smarter than that - a fact that Sam, himself, had so ironically pointed out. Since you were little enough to understand socializing, you’d prided yourself on being the responsible one - logical, problem-solving, a leader. But, without even realizing it, you’d attached yourself to Sam in a meaningful way. With the way he had done absolutely everything he could to keep you at a distance, it would have been a stretch for you two to end up as friends, let alone anything more.

At the forefront of your mind, you knew you should dislike him; after all the snide remarks, sarcastic replies, and annoyed huffs, he should be the last person you’d want to have feelings for. But, you guessed, that was the downfall of being more of a logical person. Emotions refused to recognize the rules of logic, even when there were clear consequences. 

Sam had built up a million barriers between you and him, brick by brick, and you were finally starting to realize it. You spent the entire next day pulling the puzzle pieces out of the box and laying them all out in your head - every time he’d wanted to say or do something nice but had stopped himself. Every time he would forget and accidentally give you more than he was intending to. It suddenly made sense to you, why you’d lose so much progress every time it started to feel like things were improving. Whether consciously or not, Sam was trying to figure out how to have his cake and eat it too, but there simply wasn’t a way for him to push you away and let you in.  

You tried not to interact with him throughout your day, which was obviously not an easy task since you were supposed to be each other’s support. Luckily, he had already spent three weeks getting you used to not relying on him. 

Unlike all the other times you’d had a spat with him, today he was tense. Up until that point, it was almost as if he pressed a reset button on himself every night - he didn’t seem to carry any grudges against you other than a general distaste for you as a whole.

Today, he would barely look at you. He treated every interaction with you as if he were doing it against his will. Which, the more you thought about it, you guessed he kind of was. He had skipped breakfast and had shown up to dinner only to get his tray of food and then leave. 

“So, just like that, he’s back to eating in his cabin,” Josh noted, sounding a little forlorn as he watched Sam walk back through the front doors. You couldn’t be bothered to comment on it, since you were pretty sure there was no way you could express what you were feeling while maintaining what little dignity you had left, so you just kept your eyes fixed on your plate until you heard Josh call your name. 

He was wearing a concerned expression when you looked back up at him, so you let out a short sigh and meant it when you said, “I’m fine.” 

“Uh-huh...,” He clearly was not convinced in the slightest, but still, he graciously decided to change the subject. Taking on a tone that was meant to entice you back to life, he stated, “So, I heard that the director is announcing the special activity. Should be any minute now.” 

“Oh, yeah?” you prompted with an energy to match his, even if it felt a little forced. “Were you right? Is it the canoes?”

His mouth parted in a grin, giving you a cheeky smile as his answer. 

He was, in fact, partially right. Director Graywater looked and sounded proud to announce that the camp had used a chunk of grant money to purchase some canoes, and the older age groups would be taking them out, while the littler kids got to have an ice cream sundae party and have a sleepover in the dining hall. From the little chatter you could decipher, it sounded like most people were excited about the choice, but as soon as the director excused himself, Josh gave you a comically unamused look. 

“Well, that bites.”

You snorted a laugh at him, momentarily forgetting anything and everything that was troubling you. “I’m positive that he’ll let us take them out this weekend once the kids are gone. And, in the meantime, you get to have a bangin’ ice cream sundae. I’ve seen all the potential supplies in the pantry.” 

“That’s true...” he agreed, seeming to deeply consider it.

“And, you get to spend an entire night entertaining a million little kids, which also seems like something you were created for specifically.” 

He hummed, nodding. “That’s also true.” After another brief second of consideration, he confidently stated, “On second thought, I could probably use all the time I can get to recoup before I add to my sunburn, so I’m okay with it.”

“When you and I go out on the water this weekend, I’m setting an alarm on my phone. Every half hour, I’d better see you applying sunscreen,” you threatened teasingly. 

He snickered at you but clearly had no objections. “Alright, deal.”

 ❀❀❀

During the previous cycle of kids, the special activity had to be pushed forward, but this go around, it was held when it was originally scheduled; the day before the children went home. The younger campers were set to have free time until eight pm, when they’d be rounded up into the dining hall for the evening, and the older kids were instructed to be down to the beach at ten am. 

You’d set your girls loose for free time immediately after breakfast, telling them to watch the time and be back to the cabin by 9:30, so you decided to spend the rest of your morning trying to center yourself. Ever since you came to that jolting realization, you hadn’t been able to truly focus, and it was an unsettlingly foreign state of mind. 

You let your longest playlist shuffle through itself, propped up on the little soap ledge as you stepped into the shower. Even though you knew you were just going to get sweaty and stinky out on the lake in a matter of hours, you were certain in your belief that nothing helped to clear your mind like metaphorically scrubbing it clean. 

When you decided it wasn’t eco-friendly to keep wasting time under the water, even well after you were clean, you begrudgingly toweled off, picking through fond memories of camp to remind yourself why you’d done this in the first place. 

You didn’t want to waste the energy blow drying your hair, so instead, you let the sun and breeze have at it as you sat in the grassy little area by your cabin. For your last free half-hour, you tipped your face to the sun and let your eyes slip shut in between moments of gazing up at the clouds as they lazily passed. 

By the time the girls started showing back up, you were in a completely different state of mind. The first few joined you in the grass, and you had them tell you about their free time activities while you waited for the rest. 

All of them were present by the time you’d set, and you were almost excited to feel pride about that fact - to feel anything truly positive again. Even when one of the girls questioned whether you’d be waiting for the boys to head down to the beach, you simply declined instead of dwelling on it, assuring them that the boys would head there on their own. 

Standing at the shoreline was a whole group of lifeguards to watch over, and Director Graywater had the head lifeguard go over safety protocols, loud enough for everyone to hear.

You were given three strict rules; everyone was to remain in a life vest, there would be no roughhousing on the boats, and everyone was to remain in sight of a lifeguard or their counselor. 

More kids chose to opt out of the activity than you were expecting - as it were, only half of your girls wanted to join your boat, which made for the perfect amount of people. The rest of the kids got to stay and swim, and there were already a lot of them splashing around at the beach as you readied your kids at the docks. 

For your mental well-being, you decided it was best to continue to interact with Sam only when necessary, which is why you hadn’t even looked directly at him until you were helping your kids step into the unsteady boat. He was doing the same thing as you, dressed in a pink camp shirt with his hair left loose to shield his neck from the sun, but you were devastated to find that looking at him now felt different than it had before. 

The anxious uncertainty you’d become accustomed to had evolved. You used to wonder what kind of secrets he was keeping, but now you felt like you had a secret - a looming, grizzly one, even though the butterflies in your stomach tried to tell a different story. 

Since there was no solution that you could foresee, you sucked in a deep, readying breath and tried to focus on what you were doing. As you paddled the girls out onto the water, you firmly reminded yourself that you had a job to do, and it was more important now than ever. You had four little lives in your hands, and they deserved your full attention, so that’s what you gave them. 

You let them lead the conversation as you got the hang of maneuvering the boat, listening fondly as they flitted from topic to topic over the sounds of song and laughter from all across the lake. They were delighted when you surprised each of them with a can of soda, which was almost never served at camp; you’d seen them in the pantry and figured no one would know if a few got misplaced. You made them all clink their cans against yours in “cheers” before they could take their first sip, a request that all of them seemed more than happy to oblige. 

Even at the high point of the day, the lake acted as a buffer from the heat of the sun, and the breeze was just enough to catch on what little sweat had formed around the nape of your neck to cool you down. By the time the bell alerted you it was time to head back in, you felt as though you’d gotten your fill of the activity, but you weren’t as exhausted as you were expecting to be. 

You counted it as a near-miracle that not a single bad thing had happened as you tried to get the boat close enough to the dock that you could let the kids out without damaging the new equipment. Not a single child in the camp had fallen overboard, and the only injury to speak of had been nothing more than a splinter. 

Your girls were off instantly to greet the ones that had stayed behind, leaving you to figure out a way off the boat by yourself - and, as an added stressor, Sam had beaten you back. The water was just choppy enough that you didn’t feel safe just making a leap out of the swaying vessel. You were pretty sure you’d die of embarrassment if you ate shit and fell in, but...

You let out a quiet groan when you realized what you were going to have to do, and even then, you almost didn’t. It took a lot out of you to have to swallow your pride while you were still in the weeds with processing the last interaction you’d had with him, but you figured you’d just start over later with something new to dwell on before you fell asleep. 

Your nerves made you speak his name too softly the first time, and the second time it came out a little raspy, but you didn’t have the emotional capacity to be too embarrassed about it. He glanced back over his shoulder at you before turning his whole body. 

He didn’t even waste time with a quipping remark, and that’s how you knew he was still upset with you. Ordinarily, he’d take the opportunity to poke fun or pick at you, but he offered no niceties to pair with his flat expression. You hadn’t even had to ask - he seemed to know exactly what you wanted from him as he extended a hand for you to grip. 

You planted one foot onto the dock, but as he went to help you out, the dip of a wave under you made you second-guess your balance. The brunt of the muscle work fell on him as you wobbled on the step up, and you saw him have to plant his feet more firmly to brace himself as you started to tip back. You teetered on the very edge of the wood for a second, the panic of the moment forcing you to reach for him with your other hand too. There was no question that you would have both ended up in the water if he hadn’t been able to tug you into him with the remainder of his strength. 

You were breathing too quickly as he stepped back to create some distance between you, but to his credit, he didn’t shake you off of him completely until he was sure you had your footing. The thanks you offered him was wispy, and in response, he nodded tightly before padding off the dock. He was already gone from the beach by the time you got your things together and the boat secured. 

Since the rest of the day was free time, you let the girls find their way to the dining hall for dinner on their own and you gave Josh a recap of the event over spaghetti and meatballs, being sure to avoid the almost-incident at the end. 

Your girls were so tired that they struggled to stay awake while you all sat close on the bunks and shared what your favorite part of their trip was. It wasn’t a thing that had been advised by the camp itself, but one of your counselors had done it with you as a kid, and it had become a certain part of your routine. 

As you slid into your bed, certain that all of your kids were already asleep, you realized just how tired you were too. You didn’t have the energy to stave away the yearning feeling creeping up on you, so you didn’t try to fight it. You thought about being pressed against him as you drifted off. 

❀❀❀

Since the kids were all leaving the next day, right away when you woke up, you tried to really make the most of the last three hours. You braided hair and sang songs and helped fold clothes, and when the kids took off after breakfast, you were left satisfied but sad. 

You even went to greet parents this time, shaking hands and thanking them for raising such kind children. You were killing it. 

But so was Sam. 

When you walked your girls down to the parking area, you were so shocked to see him there that you faltered in your step, causing one of your kids to bump into your hip. You shared a little laugh about it and then you sent her off in a car with her mom and three tiny siblings, but try as you might, you couldn’t fully buy into the sentiment of seeing your kids off when you were so distracted with watching Sam do the same thing. 

He even helped one of his kids load their bag into the trunk of an old sedan, pulling him into a side hug before ushering him off. Like everything he did, it was meant to look half-hearted, but his body language hinted at the contrary. He kept subconsciously fidgeting - sticking his hand in the back pocket of his denim shorts as he shifted from foot to sandal-clad foot. Yeah, a little social anxiety was undoubtedly a contributing factor; it wasn’t like this was familiar territory for him, and you were positive he must feel terribly out of place. 

But it really was more than that.

You brought it up to Josh on a walk you decided you both could use. Neither of you were really leading, but you ended up down at the beach, planting yourself into a couple of lounging chairs like you had once before. 

You immediately pulled a little tube of sunscreen out of the pack on your hip, handing it over and eliciting a snickering laugh. As he was doing a poor job of rubbing it over the bridge of his nose, you cleared your throat in preparation. 

“Do you think Sam actually hates being here?” It wasn’t really what you had meant to ask, but it slipped out that way anyway. His eyes flicked over at you as he adopted a crooked smile. 

“No,” He used a fond, warm tone that told you a lot about just how much he loved Sam, despite his surface flaws. “I know he doesn’t.” 

Out of the corner of your eye, he wiped what was left of the sunscreen over his shoulders and then dipped a hand into his pocket to pull out a little package of sunflower seeds, tipping the opening towards you. You breathed a laugh and took a couple as he continued, “As a matter of fact, now I think he’s pissed off because he’s starting to like it here.”

After a few long seconds of trying to think of something appropriate to say, you just settled on declaring, “That’s fucking stupid.”

He snorted a laugh and then popped a seed in his mouth. “I agree. But Sam’s a really prideful person. He’s always had a hard time admitting when he’s wrong.” 

“He sounds like a real treat to live with.” 

The hum he breathed through his nose was warm with nostalgia. In a cheeky tone that you knew held some amount of truth, he admitted, “He’s lucky I’m a patient person. And, I cannot stress enough that I’ve never seen him act quite...like this before.” 

He paused for only a second before adding, “I’ve never seen him treat someone quite like he treats you.”

Just hearing him vocalize it stirred the emotional sediment; it relieved and validated you to know that he saw it too, but it also left you with the kind of anxiety that felt like a looming hand, ready to snap closed and crush you at any moment. You had to push back the lump rising in your throat, so when you spoke, it came out sounding raspy as if your voice were stretched too thin. 

“Josh, I feel so stupid. How foolish is it to let yourself form feelings for someone that dislikes you so deeply?” you deplored, but as much as you wish you could say it helped, the self-scolding only served to sink you deeper. 

You’d expected him to be nothing but sympathetic, but through a smirk that would have been frustrating to see on anyone else in that moment, he pressed, “You can’t really believe that.”

But you did believe it - so strong, in fact, that just hearing the confidence with which he said it made your frustrated frown turn to one of confusion. “What are you talking about- Of course, I think that! You just said yourself that you’ve never seen him treat someone as shitty as he treats me.” 

He shook his head, smiling out at the lake. “No, I said that I’ve never seen him treat someone quite like he treats you.” 

In an almost comical way, you visibly wracked your brain to figure out what he meant, and when you came up short, he put a gracious stop to it. 

“Just take a deep breath,” he instructed in a tone and volume that was just as comforting as he intended it to be. “I’m confident that he’ll come around.”

With a humorless laugh, you shot him a look, but it wasn’t as sharp as you wanted it to be. But it didn’t matter anyway, because he had let his eyes slip closed, one hand tucked behind his head. 

“How confident?” you pressed dubiously once you realized he wasn’t intending on giving any more. 

One of his eyes cracked open to glance over at you so he could ask through a crooked smile, “What, you don’t trust me all of a sudden?” 

“I trust you implicitly,” you argued. Exasperated and snappy, you added, “I think you’re the best friend I’ve ever had, which is alarming because I’ve known you for like, a month. I just also know that you’re way too fucking nice.”

An amused hum slipped through his smile as he relaxed back again. “Here’s the thing. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, hm? Just feel how you’re feeling and keep moving forward.” 

He was, at least, kinda right, but it was your immediate instinct to reject something so laissez-faire. Plus, even though not a shred of this was his drama to deal with, you weren’t too proud to admit you felt a petty jealousy for how relaxed he was when you were only ever one minor inconvenience away from frustrated tears.

“Fine,” you grumbled. 

Josh cracked a smile, and without even having to see your face, he added, “And no pouting.”

❀❀❀

It was the sound of the boy’s cabin door closing that roused you from sleep the next morning, five minutes before your alarm was set to go off. You sat up in your bed, letting the sheet fall off you as you rubbed at your face, and it wasn’t until you had full clarity that you realized just how out of place the noise was.

As inconspicuously as you could manage, you peeked out the window. When you realized you really wouldn’t be able to see much because your room was at the very back of the cabin, you padded out into the common space by the bunks and tried that window instead. 

Sam was about halfway down the path to the main trail, and through the bare screen, you could hear the crunch of his tennies on the rocky soil bouncing off the treeline. You had to glance at your phone one more time, just to confirm you didn’t oversleep. 

You hadn’t thought much more of it until you were at breakfast and he wasn’t. It’s not like you were expecting him to settle down at the table with you and Josh - you’d barely communicated with Sam over the last few days - but you at least expected him to show up for his food. 

“Did you talk to Sam this morning?” 

Josh lifted his eyes to acknowledge your question before focusing back on trying to unpeel a particularly stubborn orange. 

“No, but I’m sure he’s just sleeping in. He’s kind of a celebrated over-sleeper.” Once he got a segment of the fruit free, he popped it in his mouth, tucked it into the corner of his cheek, and added, “I actually think not being able to sleep in is the worst thing about being here for him.”

You shook your head. “I saw him leave his cabin early this morning.” When Josh raised his eyebrows at you, as if to call attention to you admitting you were watching Sam through a window, you tacked on, “It’s just so unlike him.”

He finished chewing the slice, shrugging apologetically. 

You hummed, ready to change the subject before you start to feel any semblance of embarrassment. 

The rest of the day, you burrowed into Josh’s cabin with him and Ashley and a bottle of wine. Seeing as there were three of you, you never even felt so much as a buzz, but it was fun to sip it out of Frozen printed dixie cups while you watched an endless stream of youtube videos on Ashley’s laptop. 

When Sam didn’t show up for dinner, you and Josh started to get a little concerned. You’d asked if he could call, but Josh opted to send him a text instead, stating that if he hadn’t gotten a message back by the time dinner was done, he’d go and check out the situation himself. 

He had set his phone on the tabletop, so when he got a text back, it vibrated the whole table, causing you to send an apologetic smile to the counselors down the line while Josh opened it. 

He read it for half a second before turning it around to show you the screen. 

Sam’s name in Josh’s phone was “sammy”, and the contact picture was him in his teens, smiling intentionally too big at the camera. The recent text chain was Josh asking, is everything okay? and the one he got back just said, I’m fine.

Josh was giving you a suspicious frown that you mirrored back to him. 

“I mean, you know him a lot better than I do,” you prompted. “What do you think?”

Worrying his lips together, he put on a puzzled expression, his brown eyes flicking in random directions as he considered the next move. 

“Well, he texted back, which is obviously a good sign. But, I’m not sure what could be going on.” 

You hummed at his admission. “Okay, how about this. I’m going to head back to my cabin for the night, and I’ll text you whether it looks like he’s there or not. Then, we can move forward from there.”

He agreed, and when you parted ways on the fork in the trail, you could feel the pressure instantly. You were so anxious on the walk back that you had to stuff your hands in your pockets to keep your fingers from shaking. You tried to quell the feeling by focusing on your surroundings. 

The sky above was open and clear enough that you could see every star sewn into the blue-black fabric, and the sounds of the night were idyllic - crickets and a light breeze, mixed with the satisfying sound of the soles of your shoes with every step. Somewhere on the grounds, there was a party. You could hear the bouncy music and laughter muffled and distorted by the trees. 

You were disheartened to see that the boys’ cabin was dark inside, and you had a choice to make - worry Josh and have him make the trek back over here, or do something about it yourself.

For the time being, you decided on the latter. It wasn’t like it was an emergency yet - for all you knew, Sam could be stargazing somewhere like you’d just done. You hadn’t known him long, but he seemed like the type to benefit from some tranquil shit like that. Plus, you reasoned, you could always call on Josh if things started to feel like too much. 

You pulled your phone from your little pack and sent him, No luck yet but I’m going to walk the trails around here.

Near instantly, he’d read the message and typed back, should i come?

Not yet. I’ll let you know in a few minutes, you assured him. You tried knocking on Sam’s door, but you didn’t wait around too long for an answer, since that was kind of a long shot anyway. 

To your sigh-heaving relief, you spotted a silhouette up on the trails and knew it was him instantly - luckily, he had an easily recognizable form. 

“Sam?” you called. You thought you saw the shape of him look in your direction, but it was so quick that you couldn’t be sure. When he didn’t respond, you tried again, a little louder this time as you started to trot in his direction. When you got close enough to be certain, you didn’t suppress a scolding tone as you said, “There you are. Where have you been all day?”

There was no doubt that he’d heard you - this time you were positive you saw him glance in your direction, but it wasn’t until you could see the basic contours of his expression in the moonlight that you realized something was wrong.

You were used to seeing him angry, annoyed, bored, and tired. More rarely, you’d see him look smug or even entertained, and once or twice you’d seen him genuinely happy - if only for a second. But, you’d never seen him worried. 

He was trying to hide it by turning his face away and looking anywhere else, but you could piece together an expression of genuine concern, even with what little he was giving you. 

Taking a massive risk, you reached for his shoulder without even thinking about it and spun him around to face you. “Sam, what’s wrong?” you prompted him, being careful not to sound like you were patronizing him. 

He let out a short breath of exasperation “Okay, I-” he started, and it became perfectly clear that there was something he didn’t want to tell you when he abruptly cut himself off. He absently raked his fingers through his hair, pushing it off his forehead until it slipped back into place. 

“Sam, you’re kinda scaring me.”

He impatiently shook his head at your admission, letting you know he just needed to stumble through this. “No, shut up,” he requested without animosity, his tone assuring you that, whatever the issue was, it didn’t have anything to do with you. He pursed his lips together, squeezed his eyes shut, and then sucked in a tight breath in preparation.

“I fucking hate that I have to ask you for help right now, but I lost my key and I need you to help me find it.” The confession was choppy as if he had to force himself to keep going, every step of the way.

“You...lost your key,” you repeated, prompting him to nod impatiently at you, though he didn’t seem to want to look at you directly. “And you want me to help you find it.”

As if he were bracing himself for you to deny him, his shoulders stiffened - but, of course, you would never do that, even if he were an actual enemy of yours. The key was important because it served a lot of purposes. Counselors weren’t supposed to lock the doors to their cabins in case the kids wanted to go in and out during free time, but in an emergency, your specific key was the way to do it. It was your only access to a whole list of supplies - the pantry and the utility closet, not to mention the emergency medical supplies. It wasn’t a question of if you’d need it, but when, and you knew with the utmost confidence that if you’d misplaced yours, you’d be a fucking wreck too.

“Okay. Where should we start?” 

He finally found your eyes and frowned in confusion. Deciding to forgo your question, it was with a laughable amount of suspicion that he repeated the word, “Okay?” 

You were surprised that he didn’t take the out you’d just given him. All of it could have been skipped - the awkward process of acknowledging everything that had gone unspoken between you. But, you were feeling particularly generous with the relief of having found him, so you nodded at him innocently, offering, just one more time, an instant pass around this conversation. 

The Sam you’d come to know would have taken it in a heartbeat, but this Sam seemed to have been pushed past the point of niceties. “Just like that?” he pressed like he couldn’t bring himself to believe you didn’t have an ulterior motive in helping him. 

It wasn’t on purpose that you let out a breathy laugh, but it made his suspicious frown deepen. “Yes.”

He let it be silent as he shifted from one foot to the other, buying himself time to chew over how he wanted the rest of this to go. “No questions asked? Because I wouldn’t let you hear the end of this if it were you. You’re not going to give me any shit about it at all?” 

You rolled your eyes light-heartedly, wishing you could hate the fluttery feeling as your brain spoon-fed you dopamine. “No, Sam. I’m capable of having an interaction with you without playing that weird game you’re so attached to. Since the moment I accidentally slammed into you on that first day, I’ve wanted nothing more from you than a conversation that wasn’t so fucking hard to navigate.”

As he stared at you, processing, you pulled your phone out again and opened the new message you got from Josh asking for an update.

“Is that- Are you texting my brother, for fuck’s sake?” The emotion in his voice felt like a bit of an overreaction to you; it was like he was personally offended, his voice creeping up in pitch in his disbelief at your audacity. “Can you just- Like for just a minute not involve him in something? I really don’t think he needs to know about this.”

Like you were handling an overstimulated animal, you put on an assuring smile as he floundered to come up with the words he wanted, holding your hand up to release him of the embarrassment of continuing. “I’m just texting him that I found you. We were worried,” you explained, finally getting to test out the calm and consoling counselor voice you’d imagined yourself using a lot more frequently. 

“I told him I was fucking fine,” he grumbled, shaking his head in frustration.

After a second, you carefully asked, “Are you sure you don’t want his help with this though? Having one more person could really only-”

As if he were frustrated that there was no way for you to just automatically know what he was trying to say - that he actually had to work to vocalize it, he firmly stated, “No, we’re not telling him unless we can’t find it and since I know you’re going to fucking ask me why,” He paused to swipe his tongue over his bottom lip anxiously. “He just- pulled a lot of strings to get me here and I don’t want to-...Well, we’re just not gonna tell him unless we absolutely have to.”

There was no question that this was important to him, so you nodded in agreement to his terms, using all your mental energy to keep the evidence from your face that it was the most endearing thing you’d ever heard him say. “Okay. But, for the record, I wasn’t going to ask.”

For a split second, you could tell that statement had comforted him, but he shook it away, lest you see him soften. “Fine.”

“Alright, with all of that out of the way, let’s go over this. When did you last use it?” 

Like it was a crushing weight lifted to finally get past all the awkward wheeling and dealing at the beginning (that he chose to trudge through), you could see his relief when he heaved in a breath and let it out. 

“I don’t know when I used it, but I know for sure I had it Thursday,” he stated. “I remember checking to make sure before I left the cabin for dinner.”

Pleased with even the slightest progress, you nodded as a prompt for him to hold onto that attitude. “Okay. Friday morning was free time - what did you do?” 

His eyes squeezed shut as if he were having a hard time going through with this, even though he’d been the one to ask for your help. “Once all the kids were out of the cabin, I went back to sleep.”

“So, why are you checking all the way out here?”

It took him a prolonged moment to make peace with the fact that he was going to have to admit, “Because, I went for a walk after dinner.”

You hummed in consideration, not allowing yourself even a second to think about the implications of him needing to walk off the things you’d said to each other at dinner. “Well, since we’re up here, let’s retrace your steps.” You held your hand out towards the trail in a gesture for him to take the lead. 

There wasn’t much conversation as you walked by his side, and that was perfectly okay with you; you had hopefully decided right away that everything else with him was going to get shelved until you’d gotten through this trial.

At least, it started out that way. By the time you’d thoroughly checked the length of trail he’d walked that evening, both of you were starting to feel the drag of disappointment. 

He was using a defeated tone as he stated, “That’s it. That’s the entire route I took.”

With a sense of finality for that step, you nodded. You met his eyes in solidarity as you both silently recognized that the next leg was going to be even less fun. 

“Lake?” you asked, to which he let out a tired breath and suggested, “Yeah. Let’s start back at the cabin.” 

The walk back wasn’t what you’d call a hike, but the path was windy - it dipped and sloped a few times, and you were sure it would be a good idea when you’d brushed his shoulder and nodded him towards the woods. You had the flashlight on your phone after all, and you’d taken the little game trail a couple of times in your adulthood - twice with Josh, and once on your own.

Somewhere along the line though, you lost the path. You realized it before Sam did, but you kept it to yourself, hoping that you could forge a way out and he’d be none the wiser.

But, Sam was smarter than that; it had only taken him a minute or two after you to figure out that something was off. 

“Are you sure you know where we’re going?” he asked dubiously, and when you didn’t answer instantly, he flatly stated, “You’re lost, aren’t you?” 

“Uhm,” was all you could come up with, causing him to groan low in his throat. 

“Are you kidding?” he snapped. 

You turned your head to face him, even though you couldn’t really see anything but shapes in the density of the trees. “I’m sorry. It was supposed to be a shortcut.” 

“We’re going to be out here all goddamned night.”

Even though the situation warranted all seriousness, you had to suppress a laugh at the idea of someone being able to hear you two arguing as you loudly squeezed your way through the thick, damp foliage. 

“Well, good thing you can sleep the entire day tomorrow if you want.” 

He scoffed at your quippy reply, and you could practically see him rolling his brown eyes. “I’m gonna smell like woods. I’ll have to take a shower when I get back, and then I’ll have to wait for my hair to dry.” 

You paused mid-step and spun around, planting a hand on his chest and forcing him to a halt. In the kindest voice you knew, you reminded him, “Sam. I’m sorry about this snag, but I’m trying to help you.”

Under your palm, you felt him take a slow breath. You wanted to grip his shirt - feel the fabric bunch in your hand. Instead, when you were pretty sure he’d reset himself, you settled for dragging your touch down his sternum - only an inch or so - as you pulled it back.

For a second too long, you both stood there, not seeing any more of each other than a general outline, before you started forward again. 

The hostility melted away instantly, but just because it was still Sam that was trudging on behind you, he light-heartedly grumbled, “I can get lost on my own.”

You huffed a laugh. “Next time, I’ll let you.”

By the time you saw the lake glittering through the trees, the shortcut had only set you back about ten minutes by your estimation. 

“Well, since we’re already down here, should we start here and work our way back up to the cabins?” you asked. 

“That probably makes the most sense.”

The air was refreshingly cooler by the shore, but no less heavy. It was such an open space that the reflection of the moon on the water was enough to let you comfortably feel around without fear of tripping over something.

“Okay, let’s comb the beach together quickly and then move up the shore,” you suggested. With no objections from him, you lead the way to the vague spot you remembered him standing in that morning and started scanning over the sand. Since there had been more than 24 hours of people freely tromping around the area, you couldn’t see the sense in wasting a lot of effort there, but you brushed over the top layer with your feet every now and again in hopes that you might miraculously uncover it. 

After a few minutes of nothing but the sound of the waves lapping up on the beach, Sam broke the silence with, “Fuck, the camp doesn’t have a metal detector, does it?”

Through a sympathetic smile, you declined. “But, let’s move on. Should we head back up the trail to the cabins?”

He considered it for only a moment before he slowly turned his head to look out at the water. 

You followed his line of sight and asked, “The docks?” 

His tone of voice told you just how excited he was to reply, “Yeah.”

“I mean, it’s worth a try, right?” The hold you had on your positivity was a weak one, but you knew if you let yourself feel defeated, he was likely to let himself get too upset to keep looking.

You started off that way, but paused when you realized he wasn’t following. 

“Sam?” you asked cautiously.

He let out a long, heavy sigh and then pressed his palm to his forehead in exasperation. “What if it’s out in the middle of the fucking lake? What if I dropped it while we were out there? It was on my wrist - it could have easily just slipped off while I was paddling.”

You weren’t sure how he wanted you to help, but you figured there wasn’t any point in trying to figure out - he’d never really given you any guidelines about these kinds of things. He seemed to determine and shift his boundaries at random. 

Your feet started moving without your conscious decision until you were standing just a couple of feet in front of him. “When bad shit like this happens to me, it always helps me to talk it out. So, what’s the worst thing that could happen? We come up empty and you’ve permanently lost your key - but it can be replaced. I’m sure the director won’t be thrilled, but it’s not like you’re trying to get invited back here again next year. At the end of this summer, you still get to go home and move on with your life.”

He dropped his arm about halfway through your reasoning, and after it had settled into the folds of his brain, he nodded begrudgingly. “You’re right. Let’s do this.” 

Standing over the lake at night was tranquil in a way you couldn’t explain. You had to pull your eyes away from the end of the dock when you imagined how cute it would be for Sam to sit next to you out there, your feet dangling off the edge with your toes in the water. 

“What color was the elastic band on the key?” you asked, shining your light into the sand by the start of the wood.

“Red.” 

“Okay, at least that should be easy to see. Maybe we should tell the director he needs to get glow-in-the-dark ones,” you jested, and when you spotted Sam checking into the water on the right side, you decided you’d take the left. 

You could feel the old wood shift under your feet as you moved. “Anything?” you asked him over your shoulder. 

“If I found something, you’d be the first to know,” he replied, just a hair on the snippy side for your liking, but you decided that he could be excused due to the circumstances - just this once. You were about to reply when he blurted, “Fuck, wait.”

His cautiously optimistic tone made your heart race, and you were over by his side in half a second, ducking down to your knees to match his position. 

The view was partially obscured by the sparse strands of black seaweed, but as they swayed with the currents, you caught a peek of the red cord. 

“Oh my god,” you breathed as you both stared down at it, unmoving for a moment. 

Neither of you were saying it, but you were both perfectly aware of how inconvenient it was. Sam’s eyes were wide as he started to process the fact that someone would have to jump in and get it, and it wasn’t like the key had had the decency to land somewhere shallow. It had fallen off near the end of the dock - the lack of light made it hard to determine how deep it was, but you were pretty positive it would be over your head.

Alarmingly, when you looked over at him, he was already staring at you. 

“You going in for it?”

Your eyes popped open wide at his question, making you squeak, “What?! Why would I be the one to go in for it? I didn’t lose the key.”

He breathed a laugh that sounded genuinely amused. “You know where this is?” he asked coyly. You were holding your breath as you shook your head. “This is right where you almost fell in the other day.” 

“Oh,” was all you could think to say. He nodded slowly at your understanding. 

“Mhm. You ripped that bitch off my arm.”

You grimaced at him apologetically, putting on an innocent smile. 

“What if I just push you in?” he quipped. You wanted to believe he was teasing but you just couldn’t put your trust in it completely. 

Your eyes narrowed threateningly. “If you push me into this water, I will punch you so hard in your stupid fucking face, Samuel.”

Completely ignoring your statement, he noted, “If I pushed you in, you’d have no reason to not grab it. You’d already be wet.”

“Sam,” you warned, sitting up a little straighter so you could jump back if you had to. 

He snickered, rolling his eyes as he stood up to toe his sandals off. “Calm down.” 

You were expecting him to walk in from the beach, but instead, he just sat at the edge of the dock and slid in. It was apparently as deep as you’d thought because gravity pulled him under once he let go, and for a second, you were left peering off the edge into the dark.

When he popped back up, he instantly pushed his wet hair off his face and let out a wavering breath. 

Before you could stop yourself, your lips parted and you quipped, “Remember how you were worried about smelling like the woods? Well, now you get to smell like lake water too.”

He glared at you, but it was half-hearted and weak. “Shut the fuck up. I’m not going to be able to see it well from in here, so you’ll have to point it out, I think.”

You nodded, wanting more than anything to be helpful despite the ribbing you’d just given him. Even as bright as your phone flashlight was, you still had to strain to find the key again through the dark. You picked out just a flash of red and pointed to it. 

“It’s right...” He pointed his finger down into the water and you waited until he was hovering over it before finishing, “There.”

He took a breath and then dove for it. It wasn’t more than a few seconds that he was gone, but you waited in suspense, leaning as far over the edge of the dock as you could without the immediate risk of flipping ass over tin cup. 

When he popped back up, he blew the water off his lips and pushed his hair from his eyes for a second time. “I didn’t get it,” he stated. 

You frowned sympathetically. “Well, that’s not good. Did you stir up all the dirt at the bottom?” 

With an unamused expression, he asked, “What do you think? I had to try to feel for it.” 

“Maybe if you-”

“Unless you wanna get in here instead, don’t say it,” he challenged, and you put your hands up in surrender, pursing your lips around a humored smile.

Sam was still wearing a smirk of warning when he sucked in another breath before submerging. When he resurfaced this time, he responded to your hopeful look by triumphantly lifting his hand to show you the key, dangling from the red cord in his grasp. 

You rocked back on your heels, pressing your fingers over your mouth to muffle an excited squeak that bubbled out without warning. 

“Fuck, what a relief,” you gushed through a beaming grin that forced a fond smile of his own. “I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling.” 

You extended a hand with the intention of taking the key from him, hoping to keep it safe while he swam back to the shore, but he reached past you and dropped it on the dock. Instead, he opted to press his chilled palm to yours, slotting your fingers together. 

A hot rush of adrenaline surged through your body. You had been expecting him to near-immediately go back to being cold and closed off once you’d helped him complete his goal - the very best case scenario you could have imagined was him visibly struggling to be annoyed with you from then on.  

Your face was burning as you took in his features, highlighted in liquid silver from above by the moon. Little shining beads dripped from his chin as he used his other hand to push back his hair, one more time. With the most caution you could ever remember using, you started to lean forward toward him. The thought that he might reject you now, after all of this, filled you with the kind of fear that made you feel like you were vibrating. 

When you got close enough to him, he used his other hand to grip the side of the dock and turned his knuckles white by lifting himself just enough. As you met in the middle, the chilled tip of his nose touched you first; like ice against your superheated skin. He had obviously been intending to just brush his lips against yours, testing whether or not you’d let him, but the well-timed swell of a wave jolted you forward just enough to press your mouths together in earnest. 

He peeled his hand from yours and you sucked a shocked breath in through your nostrils as he wrapped his long fingers around the back of your neck. The corners of his lips turned up into a pleased smile at the sound. 

When he broke the kiss, you sat back just a bit. You wanted desperately to continue, but your core muscles were weak from the strain of keeping you at such a dramatic angle. If he had made it clear that he wanted you to, you would have kept it up until you physically could not, but as it were, he let go of the dock, allowing gravity to pull him back into the water.

You didn’t know what to expect when his fingers wrapped into the hair at the nape of your neck, gripping tighter than you were expecting, but you knew you liked the feeling.

“You know if you want to keep doing this, you’re going to have to come in here, right?” he asked smugly. It took you a second to understand what he was saying, but once it clicked your eyes popped open wide. 

“No, no- Sam, no.” It started out as a plea but quickly turned to a growling threat. 

Having absolutely no effect on him other than to widen his grin, he laughed, “Don’t scream.” 

For being as lithe as he appeared, you found out that evening that he had a hidden strength to him. When he tugged you forward, you made the split-second decision to jump with the direction of the movement for fear that the wood would scrape up your legs on the way down. He was right to warn you; you had to purse your lips together as tightly as you could manage in order to not let out a shriek as the crown of your head hit the water. 

You were a great swimmer, but between the chill and the excitement of the moment, you had to work to reorient yourself. It was his hand around your bicep that guided you to the surface, and when you broke through, you sucked in such a dramatic breath that you were sure it could be heard all the way to the other side of the grounds. 

He was snickering as he shushed you, but you didn’t even think about it before cocking your fist back and using all of your hidden strength to punch the meatiest part of his shoulder. It wasn’t the slug to the face you’d promised him, but he still winced, hissing through his perfect teeth in between bursts of muffled laughter. 

“You fucking asshole,” you growled, thinking about swiping for him again but deciding against it in favor of wrapping your arms around your chest like that might help. 

The water wasn’t quite as cold as you’d expected it to be, but your wet skin made you dread the breeze. You were just lucky that it wasn’t a super deep lake. 

Just by the smile he was wearing, you knew he was perfectly aware that you were going to forgive him, near-instantly. “See, now we got the hard part out of the way.”

“Prick,” you grumbled, glaring at him. But despite that, you didn’t even consider moving away when he stretched a hand out for your waist. Between the current, your shivering, and the lack of anything tethering you to something solid, it was tough to control your body; when he pulled you closer to him, there was nothing stopping you from just bumping into him. 

You couldn’t really see any other choice but to wrap your arms around his neck, threading your shaking fingers through his heavy hair for security. This time his mouth was open when it pressed to yours, his tongue swiping over your lips. Your heart was pounding; it muted your hearing with each pulse as the icy-hot adrenaline pumped through your veins. 

His hand first settled on the small of your waist before he realized it wasn’t enough for him. There was the slightest hesitation before it slipped down your side, cupping under the back of your thigh and lifting your leg to hitch over his hip. He immediately did the same with your other leg, leaving you pressed flush to him with nothing but your wet clothes in between. 

His fingers dug into your muscle as you tried to level your jagged breathing, but your instinct was to tighten your thighs around him. You hooked your ankles behind his lower back, leaving him holding your entire weight and his own as you bobbed with the lazy waves. 

When you sucked in a deep breath through your nose, your rib cage swelled; oxygen and bravery filling the space. You slipped your tongue into his mouth, and his low hum rattled against your teeth. His left hand left your leg to reach for the dock, turning so he could press you back into the submerged support beam. On either side of your head, his fingers gripped the wooden slats, leaving you feeling protected from the world outside the one you’d shoddily constructed around the two of you.

The water rhythmically lapping against your back felt like a caress in a dream. There were so many points of contact on your body that you could focus on, but all your attention was trained on what your mouth was doing - what his silky tongue felt and tasted like on yours. 

You framed his face with your palms, holding him still while you pulled back to catch your breath. The weight of the water had pulled down the hem of his collar, letting your eyes catch on the hollow spot under his throat, right between his collarbones. You weren’t sure if you were being irrational in the fear that if you met his eyes, the moment would shatter, so it took you a while to gather the courage. You placed your hand on his breastbone, gripping lightly around his throat as you followed it up. With your first two fingers, you traced his lips, causing the corners to twitch into a smile. 

“It’s cold,” you noted in a whisper, running your hand down the goosebumps on his shoulder like they were braille you were trying to decipher. 

He hummed in agreement. “It is.”

After a few silent seconds, you huffed amusedly, rolled your eyes, and said, “That was a cue for you to take me back to the cabins.”

“I know what it was,” he assured you, smug enough that you shot him a slight glare.

“Don’t look at me like that.” 

He took your hand, letting you know he intended to drag you with him as he started to wade back to the shore. 

The walk back to the cabins was unpleasant. After he’d grabbed his key and shoes off the dock, you made a beeline, not wanting to waste any more time freezing your ass off than you had to. Each step was soggy and sandy as you wrapped your arms around your chest in a vain attempt at staving off the light breeze. 

Without asking your opinion, he picked your cabin, ushering you into the dark and then shut the door behind himself. Your haste was spurred on by the need to get warm rather than to rush the interaction, so you stayed facing away from him as you peeled your sopping wet shirt off your chest and let it hit the wooden floor with a heavy sound. 

Your eyes had become accustomed to only the light of the moon, and you guessed he was in the same boat; neither of you made a move to flip on any light switches until you got to the bathroom. 

He kept pausing to shed his layers, so he was a few good steps behind, still in the living space by the time you were turning the water on. You were completely undressed and already standing in the shower by the time you heard the bathroom door latch shut.

You knew that starting off with the water too hot would be a bad idea - you remembered that you were supposed to bring your body temperature up slowly - so you fiddled with it until it felt right. 

To his credit, when he stepped in, he pointedly kept his eyes on yours, seemingly just to show off the depth of his self control. But, you weren’t impressed - or, at least that’s what you wanted him to believe. Without wasting a second, you looped your arms around his neck and stepped into him, pressing him back against the cold tile as you kissed him. 

You could sense him second guessing himself before his hand settled into the dip of your waist, the pads of his fingers digging in where they landed. He used the leverage to walk you back until the warm spray was falling over the nape of your neck.

You weren’t sure where the urge to tease him came from, but it bubbled up past your lips in the form of, “Is this why you’ve been such an awful pain in the ass?” 

“Don’t ask me that,” he instructed, wearing an amused tone. “Actually, maybe just don’t talk at all.”

You pressed your luck, cupping his jawbone with your hand to sweeten the sentiment. “I already did. Can’t take it back now.”

He huffed a laugh. “Here, let me show you how to shut up.” You were sure he was going to kiss you again until he tipped you back, dunking your face into the running water and making you have to spit some onto the shower floor. 

You smacked the back of your hand against his peck, making him blurt out a truly unrestrained laugh - so bubbly and sweet sounding as it bounced around the confined space that you couldn’t even bring yourself to be upset. 

“C’mere,” he requested, holding an arm open and pulling you in once you got close enough. You could feel the shape of him pressed against you, making your cheeks flush as you let out a shaky exhale. 

“Sam?” you breathed as you cautiously rested your chin on his shoulder. 

“Hm?”

“We can’t let this affect us. Like, during camp hours,” you warned him weakly. You could picture him rolling his eyes. 

He was putting on an air of annoyance, but his tone was undeniably fond. “Yeah, yeah. Leave it to you to suck the fun out of something like this.”

A strange kind of embarrassment washed over you, urging you to ask, “Who said it can’t be fun?” 

“No one. Now shut up,” he instructed playfully, walking you back even further until you were wedged in the corner of the shower tightly enough that he could hitch your leg on his hip without the threat of you losing your balance. 

His lips, still clinging to the slight chill from outside, connected with your neck. He ran them up your jugular vein, no doubt feeling your erratic pulse against his sensitive skin, but you were too consumed to care if he knew. 

In fact, he probably should know. 

The edges of his teeth were sharp enough to sting a little as he dragged them over your collarbone. You could imagine the fuschia mark you’d be left with tomorrow morning - yellowed around the edges. You were already flicking through the list of made up excuses you’d dish out if you were questioned about it until his hand slipped up your side to cup your breast. 

He kneaded it in his palm as you threaded your fingers through his hair, holding his face to your chest and focusing only on his touch and the feeling of his rhythmic breaths hitting your wet skin. 

Like a one-two punch, he slowly sunk his teeth into the swell of your breast as his free hand slipped down your body to cup your ass. Once he had a good handful, he guided you forward until his thigh slipped between your legs. 

An embarrassing noise that you could only describe as a whimper escaped passed your pursed lips as you met the shape of his femur through the flesh and muscle. Encouragement in the form of a low hum brushed against the shell of your ear as he coaxed you into chasing the feeling. 

So, you did.

You were a little too self conscious to really go for it at first. Your instincts were telling you to prize sex appeal over your own pleasure, but that could only last for so long. Once the feeling started to build, you were clawing for it; you were desperate to see the height of it. 

His fingers were dug into your muscle, guiding you forward to grind against him in a way that would be too rough if it were anyone else. But this was Sam, and you didn’t think you could handle him being too sweet to you right now. 

You stuttered out his name, embarrassingly breathy and shaking, and in response, he mumbled something into your neck. You were positive it was an encouragement, but between the shower and the white noise in your brain, it sounded like static. 

Your toes curled as you started to come, leaving him supporting the vast majority of your weight - which, to his credit, he shouldered without letting you see the effort. It wasn’t until you were coming out of it that you realized you were holding onto him too tightly; you had to focus on relaxing your rigid muscles as he let your body rest against the shower wall. 

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, you dragged your fingers down his body. His lashes fluttered as you wrapped your fingers around him, slipping him through your tightened fist. 

You could tell he wasn’t exactly sure what to do with himself, the same way you’d been just a few short moments ago. Wrapping your fingers in his hair, you coaxed him forward until he was leaning against you, his head hung so his cheek was pressed to yours. 

His breath, the warm water, and his body heat had you feeling like you were melting in a post-orgasm haze. Luckily, after a few strokes, your hand seemed to move on its own like muscle memory. 

You turned your face, nuzzling the bridge of your nose into his jawline and then kissing down to his neck. It must have felt nice, because he tilted his head, opening the space for you. As you lapped the flat of your tongue up the line of his artery, you could feel goosebumps form under your tastebuds, and soon after, they were littering his arms too. 

His breathing was steady until you tightened your grip - then it started to become increasingly more jagged. Every now and then, he’d let a groan slip that you otherwise would have missed, had you not had your mouth pressed directly to his throat. 

“Does that feel nice, Sam?” you asked, your own voice coming out raspy. He didn’t verbally respond, but he didn’t have to; you felt him pulse in your hand. “Are you gonna be nicer to me now?” 

You had been expecting the breathy laugh, but you hadn’t expected him to raise his hand to cover your mouth; you tried to squirm away from it, but he just shoved his first two fingers past your lips instead. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see him smirking as he crowded in on you, rocking his hips with the movement of your arm every now and again. 

When he was about to come, he pulled his fingers out to wrap his hand around the back of your neck, turning your head to rest his forehead on yours. His heavy breathing breezed over your mouth as it became jagged, and then, he lost it. 

There was no way you could have processed it all in the moment, but you knew you’d be thinking about the feeling of his come painting your lower stomach for days after. 

He tried to pull himself out of the fog too quickly, lifting his head and going to take a step back, but you weren’t ready. You wriggled out of his grip and then looped your arms around his neck. He wasn’t sure how to respond as you held him tight to you until you felt him decide to relax. He placed his palm in the center of your back, rubbing comfortable circles as he recovered. 

When you finally pulled away, you made it a point to not completely meet his eyes, but you couldn’t purse back a smile as you passed the shampoo bottle to him. 

“Are you staying?” you asked, trying to sound as casual as possible once he stepped out onto the bathmat. You hadn’t expected him to, so it wouldn’t have been devastating if he hadn’t, and you certainly didn’t want him thinking he was doing you any favors. 

He looked upsettingly good as he raked his fingers through his long hair, tucking one side of it behind his ear so he could meet your eyes as he secured a towel around his waist. His reply was delivered with a challenging smirk. 

“Why would I?”

“You really wanna go all the way back to your own cabin?” 

He huffed a laugh that, for once, sounded genuinely charmed. “You mean the one that’s literally twenty feet from the door?” 

“Mhm. That one. What are you gonna do, go over there naked?” 

“Well, I did plan on wearing a towel,” he assured playfully. “Why, what do you suggest?” 

You pretended to think about it for a couple of short seconds. “You could just sleep here.” 

“Naked?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at you from across the room. When you nodded, he added, “You think it would be better for me to sneak over to my cabin naked in the morning than right now in the dark?” 

“To be honest, I don’t really care what consequences you suffer, but I think it would be nice to sleep next to someone tonight,” you admitted. 

He hummed in faux consideration. “Maybe you should text Josh. I bet he’d still answer.”

You glanced over to where your phone was drying out on the side table. Sam hadn’t said it in a malicious tone, so you weren’t sure how to proceed other than to challengingly quip, “What if I did?” 

He raised an eyebrow at you as if he were also trying to figure out if you were just joking with him. “Are you going to?” 

It was admittedly a little flattering to hear him ask you that. Obviously, you wouldn’t, but he didn’t really need to know that. You shrugged. “Thinking about it.” 

“That would be a great way to assure this never happens again.” 

He’d done a good job at keeping his tone light, but you knew the warning was serious. You smirked at him. “Then don’t leave.” 

His expression slipped into something stony and irritated as he slipped his sandals back on and grabbed his wet clothes. He didn’t say anything else before he headed for the door and let himself out. 

You released a long sigh and absently ran your fingers through your hair. You were careful to not let the grief settle into your chest as you pulled on your pajamas - you didn’t want to get sucked into it after such a pleasant couple of hours. 

You were just about to tuck into bed when you heard the front door open again. Padding to your bedroom doorway, you peeked around the frame to see Sam slipping his sandals back off. 

You hummed, pleased to see that he’d changed into something comfy. “Welcome back.” 

He shot you a warning look, nodding past you into your room. “Quiet. Get in bed.” 

An amused scoff escaped you, but you still turned around and did as he instructed. You weren’t even completely under the covers when he reached the side of your bed.

“Move over,” he grumbled, ushering you to the very corner where your mattress met the wall. You were grinning as he slipped in next to you and leaned over the side to flip off the light. 

As soon as he was back in place, you settled into his side, draping an arm over his chest, and triumphantly said, “Goodnight, Sam.” 

You couldn’t see it, but you knew he rolled his eyes at your goading tone. “You’re so annoying.”

You weren’t sure if he had intended to come back to your cabin as he was leaving, or if he got over to his own and decided, but you guessed it didn’t really matter. 

[strangesickness]

what if the losers did the camp councillor thing when they were teenagers... what then...

richie would be so loud about singing camp songs, everyone can always tell when his cabin is passing through because he sings so loudly. he knows camp songs no one else has ever heard of. he's always trying to get the kids to participate too, he loves the pizza man song because his campers always come up with the weirdest professions and he has to invent a verse on the spot lol

they have a themed day every week and bev has taken it upon herself to make them as wacky as possible. alice in wonderland? she's convincing the kitchen to do breakfast for dinner, dinner for breakfast. pirates? camp-wide game of capture the flag in the water with canoes. space? there are paper mache planets hanging from the dining hall ceiling and glow in the dark paint is everywhere.

ben leads survival activities and teaches all the kids how to build awesome structures, and at the end of the week theres a competition to see who can build the best one, with ben as the judge. he's at least half responsible for 99% of the structures though so he usually just defers to the other losers lol. he's like teaching these nine year old kids about complex math so they can build the weird little stick houses of their dreams

stan also leads survival activities and he loves being soooo serious with the campers and the campers take it so seriously too, he has all his boy scouts knowledge and he uses it to destroy the competition it is very funny how these little kids take it so seriously because of stan. by the end of the week its like he has an army of mini-mes.

they have two campfires with marshmallows every week and mike runs them and they have a talent show on the last day and he lets the kids "sneak" second marshmallows and he tells ghost stories that are maybe a bit scarier than they should be for a bunch of 10 year olds lol. he's so good at it too, even the other councillors are way freaked out. him and bill brainstorm for the campfires with mike contributing historical knowledge and bill helping to make it more story-like and scary

back to stan and his army of mini-mes, every week theres a capture the flag competition, and bill and stan take it way too seriously, they have a tally in the main office of whos team wins each week. stan doesn't take it as seriously as bill but he finds his little army to be one of the funniest things in the world so he always gives it his all. bill and stan are yelling out directions like drill sergeants and all the other camp leaders are just being normal about it. its great

richie always sings super loud and obnoxiously at campfires but after a summer or two of them he secretly starts to get very good at singing but still does the awful out of tune singing from the beginning

eddie is fighting for his life trying to strike a balance between not letting the kids get hurt and not being smothering it is very difficult and he keeps having to call in his friends to ask them if something is a serious injury or if he's blowing it out of proportion. they have little walkie talkies and he's like "so one of my campers just fell and twisted their ankle and its kind of puffy. do you think i should bring them to the med tent or can they walk it off?" and everyones like. DUDE WHAT THE FUCK!

richie insists on being like "roger" and "over and out" and using codenames on the walkie talkies and ben and bev and mike participate but everyone else thinks its stupid and the longer they refuse to engage the more stupid codenames richie comes up with

richie and eddie are in an ongoing prank war between their cabins. it is disastrous for everyone and everyone wants them to stop but they wont and its kind of awful but also incredibly funny

loser campfires after all the kids have gone to bed... <3

[uzumaki-rebellion]

"King Killmonger: The Golden Jaguar Chapter 9"

Need to catch up? Masterlist HERE.

"You're beautiful, you're wonderful! Incredible, I love you so You're beautiful! Each moment spent with you is simply wonderful This love I have for you, girl, it's incredible And I don't know what I'd do If I can't be with you The world could not go on so every night I pray If the Lord should come for me before I wake I wouldn't want to go if I can't see your face Can't hold you close What good would Heaven be? If the angels came for me I'd tell them no"

Michael Jackson – "Heaven Can Wait"

The king and queen rose early at approximately seven in the morning to shower and eat a quick breakfast of porridge, scrambled eggs and fried crocodile sausage. They chose to wear periwinkle blue linen pants and tight long-sleeved shirts to protect them from the sun that was supposed to warm the entire day without rain for once. Stylish and functional, their fits looked good enough for a royal cocktail party. Yani carefully placed her queen's isicholo on her head. Her crown was meant for all public appearances, no matter the occasion.

Okoye was adamant that they were escorted to the market on the water and also when they walked on land again. That meant four Dora Milaje canoes flanked Yani's and N'Jadaka's river paddling. The Royal Talon Fighter would be on stand-by in the air on remote if the royal couple had to be swept away from overzealous crowds.

N'Jadaka had hoped he and Yani could blend in discreetly with the people, but his aura was hard to hide behind shades and covered locs. It was better to just be open about their appearances. He walked like royalty and his presence alone jarred people in person, especially up close.

They were both excited to start their trip downriver right away. Ayo had arranged for them to have lunch at a secured location inland and stinger aircraft flown by his hand-picked Onyx Squad would track them on the water hidden behind their spectral camouflage.

He helped Yani climb into their canoe and he settled in behind her. They worked in tandem rowing with the oars for ten miles and he eventually told Yani to stop rowing so she could rest her arms and take in the views before they arrived to their destination. He paddled at a leisurely pace. Yani stuck her hand in the cool emerald water and glanced back at him occasionally with a huge smile on her face. He looked all around pleased that the weather was perfect. Directly in front of their canoe at fifty feet was Okoye. Behind them was Ayo, and on their sides were Quamba and Aneka. He knew they were having fun with them by the slips of grins that he caught on their faces whenever Yani squealed about the beauty of the landscape on the wide river, snapping more holo-pics with her kimoyo beads.

To their right lurking just above the surface were a pair of crocodiles that ignored them as they floated by. Everything around them was wide open, green and lush. Yani waved her hands with thrilled abandon.

"I see it! I see it!" she said.

N'Jadaka could already smell the odors of cooked food, fresh fish, sweet foods, and smoking grills. Music peppered the air in the distance and there were already river boat vendors shouting about their wares for sell all across the wide body of water. Quaint floating shops shaped the throughway for all the customer boats floating about. Larger craft shops and riverside cafes closer to shore were propped up on stilts. Entire families rowed long boats to shop for seafood, crocodile meat, chicken, goat, or beef, rice, vegetables and fruits plucked from the rainforest. Entire platters of cooked combination meals were already being served hot and it was only a quarter past nine. Sparkly trinkets, hand-crafted rugs, colorful rainbows of fabric and jewelry were sold too. It reminded N'Jadaka of a Moroccan-styled Open Air Bazaar except it all took place on the river itself.

River security riding on sleek Wakandan-styled personal watercraft jetted over to Okoye and she gave them instructions on how they would proceed through the floating market. Five more security watercrafts took their direction from their boss and N'Jadaka paddled them forward.

Word spread fast.

Vendors and customers gaped openly at the king and queen. No one there was told of their arrival. Only the river security team was notified and there were emergency contingency plans on their route there. Luckily, the people were respectful. Many tried to pretend it wasn't a big deal to have royalty floating near them shopping for goods like regular citizens.

The colors and aroma of the market dazzled the eye and nose. The sounds of laughter and shouts to buy goods kept Yani enthralled. He noticed a large Ferris wheel on a pier that reached across the water filled with all kinds of amusements. Tall metal poles held an aerial tram ride that carried six people at a time over the treetops. There was also a zipline that shot couples down an exciting adventure below the grand heights of the outer emergent layer of broad-leaf forest trees that had lived for almost one thousand years.

An elderly vendor in one of the floating shops waved his thin dark carob-brown arm to get Yani's attention so she could taste a sample of his fresh chocolate candies. Yani gobbled down what looked like a piece of fudge with coconut and peanuts in it. She leaned back and handed a sample to him. He ate it and the chocolate had a kick to it as it melted on his tongue. The peanuts were roasted in cayenne pepper infused honey and the fresh grated coconut was soft.

Yani purchased a pound of it using her kimoyo beads, tapping it against the small yellow screen floating above the vendor's beads. She tucked the candy inside the water-proof bags she brought to collect souvenirs. Easing in among the other customers they enjoyed strong thick coffee with a springy layered flatbread smothered in cherry butter. They licked fingers, sipped, and spoke choppy D'Ja, a River Tribe dialect, to the proprietor floating next to their canoe with the help of their translator buds. The River Tribe territory was inside Birnin D'Jata and because the Panther Tribe and River Tribe ancestral territory overlapped, D'Ja was often used as a universal tongue since they shared a similar linguistic root.

N'Jadaka paddled further into the throng of small boats, some shaped like micro-sized catamarans carved from wood that could hold up to four people and their goods in the center. Yani inspected bananas, mangoes, passion fruit, papayas, loquats, and various tree nuts before buying two pounds of fried plantain chips from a young woman who couldn't stop fawning over meeting the queen in person. He watched his wife nibble fried fish nuggets and barter over sweetbread stuffed with sweet vanilla cream.

"Yani, you'll be too full to eat lunch at the restaurant later," he said.

She crammed half of the sweetbread in her mouth and flushed it down with chocolate goat's milk.

"I'll make room," she said stuffing the other half of bread into her mouth.

The two older women who sold Yani the sweetbread grinned at the king. One of them clucked her tongue at him in a friendly way.

"Kumkani, it has been a long time since we have had a good round queen. It is propper to fatten up your wife. It makes her even more beautiful than she already is. Here we call Queen Yani our special daughter because she looks like us with lighter skin. Do not deny her the pleasure of food. A fat woman is a gorgeous woman who is loved," she said.

N'Jadaka burst out laughing at the openness.

"Fatten her up, huh?" he said.

The woman nodded emphatically and stuffed another bag of sweetbread into Yani's hand.

"I promise you kumkani, make her a bigger woman and you will never have any problems in your life."

He sampled the bread and stayed away from any more sweets. However, he did put another small round sweetbread in Yani's hand. Good elderly women never steered him wrong and he always enjoyed big women. Another thirty pounds on Yani might be the move, he thought.

"There's so much to see here…almost too much. I can't believe this goes on every day," Yani said.

Their security made sure they had plenty of room to maneuver and that made it easier for him to control the canoe and keep it from bumping into boats crammed close to theirs and the Doras. Vendor after vendor slid their boats against each other trying to sway customers their way. From an outsider's perspective it looked chaotic to N'Jadaka, but there was a natural rhythm to the dense population sharing water space. A pretty woman in a faded green dress and short close-cropped hair floated next to their boat under Okoye's watchful eye so that Yani could check out her supply of fresh flowers picked from the forest floor earlier that morning. N'Jadaka paid for several bouquets delighting the vendor. He allowed her to take a picture of him and Yani. Aneka snapped the holo-pic with her kimoyo and transferred the image to the woman so she could be in the photo too. Once Yani had her fill of shopping on the water and filling their canoe and all of their Dora Milaje's canoes too, they went to the pier, tied their canoe, and had one of the River security men guard their things from prying eyes.

Helping his wife out of the canoe, they were met with people holding up their kimoyo's to record their travel onto the land. Some observers seemed to just want a chance to catch a whiff of Yani's walking by air, because her perfume attracted oglers like bees waltzing to a honeycomb. Okoye and Quamba shooed folks away, but didn't deny them holo-vids under Yani's command. No citizen had become unruly and she didn't feel the need to stop them from capturing her image. Okoye warned them to stay at a respectful distance from the couple. Yani pulled a light blue shawl over her shoulders and they walked hand-in-hand up the steps that led to a busy amusement area. People played all manner of games like shooting long water guns at fish and crocodile images, and fished directly from the pier. Some ate ice cream and other treats as they watched visitors chatter and scream on spinning rides or amuse themselves being entertained by magicians and a puppet show for children. There was a line of thrill- seekers waiting to ride the zip line. A group of young musicians played instruments and sang songs for tips. The large Ferris wheel took up the far end of the pier. Scattered throughout were picnic tables where people could eat their bought food or just relax and enjoy the weather and a view of the wide river below.

They made it a point to visit each entertainment stall and snack station to say hello to the people they ruled over. Yani greeted children who shyly waved at her and giggled when she asked for their names and spoke to their parents. N'Jadaka shook hands and did his part to be cordial like his wife.

The zip line attendant allowed them to cut in the front of the line much to the insistence of the thirty people already waiting before them. Okoye and Ayo rode it first to place themselves at the final destination point before he and Yani went down. He walked up the stairs that took them to the top of the platform where a young man eagerly strapped them into the double seats. Yani held the thin strap in front of them and yelped when they were pushed down. They were so high up. Their legs dangled above the emergent layer and then there was a gentle downward swoosh as the zipline carried them through the opening in the canopy. Yani laughed and yelled her loudest to hear her voice travel across the scenery. Both their stomachs dropped. He laughed too and enjoyed the view flying past them while keeping his hand on Yani's isicholo to keep it from flying off. At the very bottom of the forest floor, Okoye and Ayo stood watching them disembark. Waiting for Aneka and Quamba to reach them, they decided to ride the aerial tram to see other parts of the forest that would also return them back up to the top where the market was, saving them a tiresome hike up the stairs or using the long escalator that ferried people back to the starting point. They rode in their own tram with the Doras in front and behind them in separate transports.

"The air is so clean and so different from Zana. Smell it?" Yani asked.

He nodded.

Far below a herd of domesticated water buffalo crossed a section of the Ibukun and Yani sighed.

"We are so blessed," she said in awe.

He stroked her cheek and kissed her.

"Happy?" he asked.

"Very."

Yani rubbed his arm.

"Let's go and find the restaurant. You're running low on batteries and wearing your hungry face," she said.

N'Jadaka clasped her hand and on their return to the market pier, Okoye guided them through a tumultuous boardwalk filled with shoppers and other citizens simply going about their regular day. They were gawked at and plenty of people stopped in their tracks to watch them pass. Yani's isicholo gave her a regal bearing that was gentler to take in as opposed to his larger-than-life figure. A few children ran up and handed Yani flowers and handmade bracelets. She accepted the flowers and sniffed their fragrance. N'Jadaka helped her put on the bracelets after Okoye scanned them for anything strange. The king didn't sense any oddities, but appreciated Okoye's thorough nature.

Ayo hustled them away to give them room for sightseeing the land-based shops and various cafes filled to the brim with men and women enjoying brunch on sidewalk seating. Most people stood up immediately the moment they realized who they were seeing, and others froze, too stunned to do anything but stare.

"This is the establishment, kumkani and ukumkanikazi. The proprietor's name is Lungile Chilza. His family has run this business for over fifty years. His wife, Nomble Chilza is the head chef," Okoye said.

Lungile and Nomble stood waiting for them at the front entrance. Nomble wore a pale green chef's hat and matching chef's apron. Her dark skin was without blemish for her age and her smile held white teeth with small gaps in them that made her look even more youthful. Lungile was a robust man with hair whiter than soft cotton that floated like a cloud three inches off his scalp. His ebony skin was shiny and smooth like his wife's.

Yani stepped forward first and greeted them both. She shook their hands and the older couple gushed over her before N'Jadaka was brought forward. He elicited nervous energy in them both. Giving a heartfelt smile that relaxed them, N'Jadaka held out his hand to Lungile and the man shook it firmly.

"King N'Jadaka…Queen Yani, my wife has prepared a wonderful meal for you. Come inside, please, make yourself comfortable. We have you seated at our best table."

Lungile held out his hand inviting them in. Okoye and Ayo stepped in first to inspect the place and gestured for them to enter. Yani sauntered in first and they immediately noticed the exquisite artwork on the walls. Landscape paintings of the Ibukun River and portraits of Birnin D'Jata life at night.

"Here…sit here, please," Nomble said.

N'Jadaka reached to pull out the chair for Yani, but Lungile beat him too it, his pudgy yet spritely frame eager to please. Yani sat down and Nomble admired the isicholo on her head.

"Your crown is so lovely Queen Yani. I enjoyed watching your nuptials to the king. It was all that everyone talked about."

"Thank you, Nkosikazi Chilza," Yani said.

"Please, call me Nomble, daughter. You are family here," Nomble said.

The other patrons in the restaurant peeked at them, but then went about eating their own meals when his eyes cast out to take in more of the restaurant décor. Lungile poured them refreshing cool glasses of chilled passion fruit juice along with glasses of water.

"Would you like anything stronger, kumkani? We have a wide array of wines and other beverages."

"This is fine for me. Yani would you like anything else?"

"I'd like a glass of your best wine from this region," Yani said.

Lungile clapped his hands thrilled that she wanted to try something else from their place.

"My wife has cooked you both a delicate smoked pork brisket smothered in a mango glaze with some savory greens and our famous spicy plantains. I will bring you a glass of D'Jata's most popular white wine that will tickle your tastebuds, my queen."

"Spicy plantains? My father Prince N'Jobu cooked those all the time for me and my mother," N'Jadaka said.

Lungile patted his chest with pride.

"Your father used to come to our restaurant when he spent time here as a teenager. My wife taught him our special recipe to make them."

"Then I have her to thank for making my belly happy when I was a child."

Lungile beamed and his wife returned to their table carrying two platters of finger foods to start their meal.

"The king loves your plantains. Prince N'Jobu cooked it for him and is mother," Lungile gushed.

Nomble cheesed hard, her cheeks rising up higher than the sun outside.

"I think in another life your father would've been a wonderful chef. He was a quick learner and loved food. He would fly here all the time with your grandparents and…."

Nomble stopped talking.

"Finish what you were about to say," N'Jadaka said.

"I do not want to upset you kumkani."

"You won't."

"I was going to say your uncle's name. My apologies for making that mistake."

"No need to apologize. My family held this place in high regard. It's why I brought my wife here. To enjoy what my father loved."

Nomble nodded quickly and her eyes watered, fearful of upsetting the king despite what he said. He reached out and held her hand.

"No reason to get upset Mama Nomble. I take no offense and look forward to chowing down on the best pork brisket in Birnin D'Jata," he said.

Nomble trembled with his hand covering hers. His touch shook her up and she wiped her eyes. Yani stood up and gave the woman a hug.

"He means what he says Mama Nomble," Yani said.

"Eh eh…the king and queen have called me Mama…me a humble cook," Nomble said.

"Who said you were humble?' N'Jadaka joked, "I heard you brag on your food to rival the chefs in the double palace."

A few patrons eavesdropping laughed at his comment and Nomble held her cheeks.

"Brag on yourself!" N'Jadaka said.

"Yes, I am the best!' Nomble conceded and even Lungile laughed with her. "Let me get the rest of your food. Baba, keep them entertained until I return."

N'Jadaka glanced at the window of the restaurant. A crowd of people stole glances at them, pressing their noses to the glass.

"I will close the blinds to give you privacy," Lungile said.

"No. Let them watch. Queen Yani doesn't want any special attention other than ones needed for safety. We are customers like anyone else."

"No…no kumkani, you are our guests. This meal is our treat."

"I insist on paying. Let me contribute to your continued success."

Lungile wanted to shake his head, but N'Jadaka's voice was commanding and the man grew nervous at the idea of pressing the matter.

Nomble returned with four servers. Three held large platters of food and a fourth carried a warm bowl of lemon water and hand towels to clean their hands. The food was placed on the table along with plates and bowls. Two servers helped him and Yani wash and dry their hands.

"Mama Nomble…Baba Lungile…you will join us, won't you?" Yani asked.

The elderly couple looked shocked at the request. A bottle of white wine was brought over to their table. Yani waved a hand to get the attention of another server.

"Please bring two more plates, bowls and wine glasses for Mama Nomble and Baba Lungile," Yani said.

The server hurried away and N'Jadaka stood to pull back the chairs across from them for the elders. Nomble handed her chef's hat and apron to another server. Her silvery-white hair was styled in puffy Nubian knots. She took her seat next to her husband and N'Jadaka helped push their chairs closer to the food-laden table. Lungile gave instructions to another server to take his place as the host and Nomble gave instructions to her other cooks to continue working without her.

"A toast," N'Jadaka said after he poured glasses of wine for his hosts.

Glasses clinked and the wine tasted crisp and delightfully elegant. A perfect pairing with pork. Yani shared their day in the market and the older couple sat spellbound listening to his wife rave about their honeymoon thus far. N'Jadaka discussed the history of the river market with Lungile full of enthusiasm, and after a couple of glasses of wine and delectable food, all four of them chatted like lifelong friends catching up. Loquacious and energetic, Nomble and Lungile were avid historians and prideful people. N'Jadaka learned more about the River Tribe in one sitting than he ever did reading about it or hearing tidbits from Nakia. The Chilza's were happy to answer any question they had, and Yani had plenty more over dessert.

"There are so many breathtaking places throughout D'Jata," Yani stated over another glass of dessert wine that was nearly empty, "We hiked above the waterfall near Ekuqaleni and it looked so unreal above the trees."

"Ekuqaleni is a very special place to the River Tribe. It is where the Panther Tribe and River Tribe made their truce before the final war of binding us all together with King Bashenga," Nomble said.

N'Jadaka offered to pour more after-dinner wine for her, but she held up a hand and latched her eyes onto Yani's.

"We were told our tribe had a habit of intermarrying with yours," N'Jadaka said.

"Elder Bhira's niece and your cousin carried on the tradition. In a way, you've also carried it," Nomble said.

"How so?"

Nomble folded her plump fingers on the table and smiled at Yani first before wrenching her eyes away to gaze at the king.

"She is a child of Mama Wati. As was your mother kumkani. We see the Lost Tribe as our kin. Other tribes in Wakanda do not agree, but we do. In our oldest creation stories they say that a lost child from outside will return here and raise an empire."

"Empire?" N'Jadaka chuckled.

Yani studied his face carefully. It was a touchy subject with her since their return from the states. Several African nations surrounding them accused him of that so often that it became a narrative that carried far and wide on the continent.

"I have no plans for empire, and I've never read in our books about creation where someone comes back here to do that," he said.

Lungile patted his wife's hand and Nomble grinned.

"Not your Panther Tribe stories, kumkani, ours. My people of this region," Nomble corrected.

"Tell us your story," Yani asked.

"I have taken up much of the talking, I will let my husband share that."

Nomble looked at Lungile and he cleared his throat.

"We used to think they were fables…myths that we told our people in times of war, famine or intertribal disagreements that may have led to more war. I suppose every culture in the world has a story about a savior of some kind appearing to redress all wrongs. Isn't that what the Christians out there believe their Jesus will do? In Wakanda, Bast is the great cosmic mother who birthed daughters and sons that she planted like seeds on this earth. One of her daughters, Mama Wati, was planted near here before there was any water in the world at all. The Ibukun River that we know of today used to be a big dry gorge that stretched all the way to where the sea is now. Bast spit on her precious seed, and our water goddess sprang forth fully formed. This is why every newly married king must offer his seed back to her in a burning ceremony before he can taste the fruits of his wife—"

"Lungile! Sthhh! Must you say that in front of our queen?" Nomble scolded before covering her mouth with embarrassment.

Lungile lifted his hands palms up and stared at his wife.

"Aye…Mama…it is part of the story they have asked me to tell."

Yani laughed and tilted her head. Her eyes twinkled.

"Go on, Baba…tell us more," Yani encouraged.

Nomble rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair with her arm thrown over the back of it, her body turned toward her husband. Lungile slowed his cadence, making his voice sound more dramatic with the telling.

"Mama Wati made the great trek through Wakanda leaving water in her wake, creating all of our lakes and rivers and waterfalls until she reached our empty ocean and gave the world all of the liquid you see all over the planet. She was given dominion over all the water that birthed all the creatures in the sea and even mankind. She is the goddess of childbirth and healing. She is the goddess who cradled the first man and first woman on this earth. The Panther Tribe says that Bast is the mother of us all, but in our ancient stories that were written on the sides of cliff walls in a language we don't even speak anymore, she is actually the grandmother. Mama Wati is our ancient mother. She is your mother too," Lungile said with conviction.

The older man's voice grew softer. He sipped some dessert wine and looked down at his fingers.

"In the dark days, when the slavers came to this continent, we in Wakanda didn't always have secure boarders or have the full capabilities to make our shield dome just yet. The border tribe protected all of us. They are some of our fiercest fighters. We were still warring with the nations along our borders and knew we had to close ourselves off from the rest of the world in order to prevent more bloodshed and other countries discovering our secret. Mama, you tell the rest, you know it better than me," Lungile said.

Nomble turned back to Yani and N'Jadaka.

"Well…there are several versions of a prophecy that have been handed down, and depending on which clan you talk to, it is said that a child of ours…a Wakandan…would come to us from the outside world and help protect the entire nation by creating a vast empire by absorbing other tribes into our fold. No one believed it of course because we had closed ourselves off for centuries. We were never slaves to anyone so it would be impossible for Wakandan blood to leave our borders…let alone return to conquer other nations and rule over them. But here is the most interesting part, and this comes from the eastern faction of our region…"

N'Jadaka glanced at Yani and his wife's eyes were as big as plums. She had leaned forward in her seat. He reached over and rubbed the middle of her back. Nomble palmed her hands together, warming up to her addition of the story.

"The people there say that it's not one child who will return, but actually two from very different places in the world who will guide the hand in the building of a future empire. Unfortunately, the stories never say when this will happen."

"Well it can't be me or in my time because I'm the only person to return here with Wakandan lineage from the outside that shifted the culture… and like I said, empire building is not on my agenda," N'Jadaka said.

Nomble nodded her head.

"The prophecy says that it will happen in a time of great distress, and I think you have already fulfilled it when you fought the alien intruders. You are powerful enough for two people, kumkani," Nomble said.

"Or," N'Jadaka said, "My greatest grandfather already fulfilled the myth by uniting all the tribes during the great battles back in the day. Remember, he was still an outsider to your people until he married Queen Tiye, your tribal member. Their first child was born outside of this territory and brought back to your people."

"True, true," Nomble said, "But the elders of long ago had many stories and who knows, we could be living out what was told long ago and choose to ignore it because we think myths and fairy tales are for children."

N'Jadaka thought of the stories he was raised with back in Oakland. Believing in fairy tales from his father brought him an entire kingdom to rule. As far as he was concerned, fairy tales held kernels of truth. Had he fulfilled the legends on their cliff walls and whispers around long ago campfires? If two children were supposed to come back…

Riki and Joba.

His heart thumped a little faster. His two youngest children came from two very different places in the world. They had Wakandan blood through him.

Lungile lifted his wine glass and his hand shook slightly. He was a little tipsy.

"To King N'Jadaka Udaku and also our first ruler, King Bashenga…two great kings who helped save the nation twice…our myths who sprang to life!" Lungile said.

N'Jadaka and Yani raised their glasses for a final toast.

A pregnant customer headed for the exit with her husband and Yani stopped them to ask how far along she was. The expectant mother shared that she was seven months along. After they left, servers began lighting candles on all the tables. Yani checked her kimoyo beads.

"We have been here for three hours. Taking up all your time," Yani said.

"Stay as long as you like, in fact, stay for the dancing," Nomble said.

"Dancing?" N'Jadak glanced around at the dining area. The Chilza's restaurant had nothing but tables and chairs for eating.

"Come see…in the back," Lungile said.

He ushered them with their Doras who finished eating their own meal hours ago to a door that led to another section of the restaurant that was set up with a bar and a dance floor. A bartender and a few waiters prepared for an evening crowd. D.J. equipment was set up in a corner and a woman behind the D.J. booth fiddled with a soundboard. Everyone stopped what they were doing to set their eyes on the king and queen.

The walls were decorated with giant pink flamingoes and 3D blue lagoons that gave the space a marshland setting that didn't match the décor in the restaurant. Nomble noticed the confusion on N'Jadaka's face.

"In three weeks the pink flamingoes flock here before they set off for Birnin S'Yan's beaches, right before the Mama Wati celebrations. It is a spectacular sight. Vast numbers, over two hundred thousand alone flock to Umbono Lake and then migrate through our territory," Nomble said.

"What do you think, kumkani, hmm?" Lungile said, wiggling his hips and holding his hands out like he had a dancing partner, "You and our wonderful queen enjoying a night of music and dancing together?"

N'Jadaka waved his hand. He rubbed his stomach and reached for Yani's hand, pulling her next to him.

"You have fed us beyond capacity. Your reputation as a master chef has been proven Mama Nomble and because of that, we'll probably start to nod off. Another time," he said.

Yani released his hand and held Nomble's shoulders, "Thank you for your hospitality and the fantastic food. We will come again real soon and bring our children."

"That would be our honor, ukumkanikazi. Please let us show you out," Nomble said.

Lungile rushed off to the back of the bar and met them outside later carrying another bottle of top shelf wine and a small tan biodegradable container.

"A gift from us. Enjoy it tonight. Our best wine you enjoyed and some spicy plantains to snack on later. It is Mama Wati's favorite offering outside of sugary sweets and flowers. Give some to the river and she will taste that you know her as your own," Lungile said.

N'Jadaka took the gifts. The Dora Milaje blocked off the street as the royal couple said their final goodbyes. The evening patrons studied their interactions and Okoye summoned the Royal Talon Fighter to fly above them for a gravitational pick up. The tracker beam pulled them into the aircraft and Yani hugged N'Jadaka's waist.

"Today was so beautiful," Yani said.

She settled in their comfortable couch in the back and they watched their flight across the boardwalk. Ayo traced her fingers on the viewscreen across from them to lift the six canoes they used that were stuffed with all of their river market shopping. A gravitational force field kept the canoes stuck against the bottom of the aircraft.

They arrived at the treehouse encampment in time to catch a new display of stars above the river tributary. The canoes were lowered onto the ground with them and Yani picked out items that could go onto their houseboat, and the rest that would be stored on the Talon Fighter. The Doras worked quickly and the canoes were pulled back up to the aircraft.

"Remember to leave two canoes at the houseboat. We'll need the extra for when the children join us," N'Jadaka instructed Aneka.

Yani pulled off her isicholo and walked up the stairs into the treehouse.

"I am beat," she sighed.

She tucked her crown inside the special hat box made for it that locked by her fingerprint. Too tired to bathe or do anything else, they slipped off their clothes and went to bed early. They cuddled and listened to the night song of nocturnal creatures.

"Okoye had a hard time today, yeah?" Yani said in the darkness of the room.

The faint light of stars appeared above the skylight. He stroked Yani's arm.

"She doesn't like us to mingle with citizens in the streets for long. Too much unpredictability and one thing that woman wants is to control every security move."

"It looked like she had a little fun, even though she was strict."

"Yeah, they all did I think."

"Imagine being forced to canoe on a lovely day and fly across tree tops," Yani said.

"The nerve of us making her do all that," N'Jadaka teased.

"I know right? Her having to eat chocolate and cake samples because the queen couldn't make up her mind which tasted better."

"You also demanded that she eat that jumbo fried shrimp plate while on duty at the restaurant."

"I expect our security personnel to comply with my wishes at all times."

"You are a cruel ruler. They will ask to have your head cut off!"

They giggled together.

"Tomorrow we will simply relax, read, and nap…deal?' he said.

"Deal."

Yani lifted her head and pressed her lips softly against his.

"I love you so much," she whispered.

"I love you, too."

Yani drifted off to sleep before he did. When she had slept for a least an hour peacefully, he detached from her and pulled on a robe. He needed to check the grounds before he could fall asleep and decompress from the day alone.

"I know your big asses aren't on that furniture," N'Jadaka scolded.

S'Bu and Unathi lounged on the outdoor couch. Unathi jumped up at the sound of his voice and quickly leapt from the couch to scurry onto a thatch of soft grass near the treehouse. S'Bu rolled over on his belly.

"Nah, man. Get down and go sleep somewhere else. Y'all ain't slick. Now I know what you do when we aren't watching. Go on now…get."

N'Jadaka clapped his hands and S'Bu joined the other panther.

"Watch my wife. Stay here," he said in Wakandan.

Both panthers ambled over to either side of the staircase entrance of the treehouse and watched him move quietly around the perimeter. He sniffed the air and used his own special nocturnal vision to check for movement of any animals. He had been warned that crocodiles sometimes crawled onto the land to sleep under their outdoor furniture often, attracted by the energy of the place. There were protective barriers and warning systems in place to let them know if any had snuck into their area.

Nothing was out of order.

The moon finally rose above the trees. A halo of colorful hazy light surrounded it indicating new rain to come in a few days. It was a good sign. He and Yani would be floating on their houseboat and could enjoy the patter of raindrops falling on the lake they would anchor down in for a week.

Moonlight sparkled on the tributary and he thought of the conversation with the Chilzas. They reiterated what he had been told about Ekuqaleni. It was a place of enchantment that made one feel that anything in life was possible for those who walked among the ancient trees. He understood why the people there considered it a healing place. There was a spiritual energy that pervaded it. It prodded the mind and body to recognize it.

It also made him feel like something would happen that would nudge him to some important discovery about himself. There was a power there that still made the hairs on his neck and arms rise like it did when he did his sabbatical at the Temple of Bast. This was a kindred power. He searched within his soul for reassurance from Bast herself. She rested within him quietly letting him settle into the expectation. Ogum slumbered in a deep repose, unbothered by the place.

Ekuqaleni was tranquility and contentment. A needed retreat from the responsibility of holding up a nation that dominated the political landscape of the outside world. It gave his wife joy, and whatever Yani wanted he would give it to her in abundance with more trips together out in nature.

He wandered about on a sort of meditative walk that cleansed the slate for that day. The staff would bring them breakfast in bed in the morning per his directions. Perhaps by noon he and Yani would frolic in the bigger pool of water, or maybe take a dip in the tributary. Sunbathe. Sleep. Make love.

The children crossed his mind. He missed them dearly, but he had to admit, time away from them and being alone with his wife was a dream come true. No wonder his parents snuck away to their bedroom as many times as they did when he was a child. It was good to be in solitude with your beloved and not have to worry about your child for a few hours. His parents had one child, but he had three and more energy depletion because of it. He couldn't even imagine his parents handling two more of him growing up.

Two more of him.

The Chilza's story still poked around in his mind. The possibility of Riki and Joba fulfilling some long ago legend bothered him. Unlike his own later childhood, N'Jadaka wanted his children to grow up knowing nothing but peace and security. He would be the only one of his new lineage that would experience war and have to build up nations to defend their own lands. One day all three of his children would have to do the mandatory military service required of all citizens. He would raise them to become whatever they wanted and whichever one took over the throne, he would become their counsel.

The idea flitted in his mind about whether or not he wanted them to even take on ruling the nation. All Udakus had been raised to one day take the throne. What if Riki or Joba didn't want to? Sydette was legally his daughter in the eyes of the ruling class, so she would also be considered for the role. But he knew all of the tribes would challenge her at Warrior Falls. Legal daughter or not, the elites preferred direct bloodlines. He couldn't see Yani allowing their eldest to fight five challengers. Sweet Pea was a gentle spirit who detested all violence. She had survived mercenaries holding guns to her body and being shot at as a baby. It wasn't in her to inflict harm. Truthfully, he just didn't see his children choosing that life anyway. Sydette wanted to be a scientist. Riki a rock star. Joba wanted to learn new languages and study art.

A tickling in his gut compelled him to walk closer to the water.

His mother told him a child was coming that would shake up the world. Maybe the throne wasn't meant for his three oldest, but for the one that wasn't there yet. His mother had been adamant that he look out for that new one because they would be something different. N'Jadaka wasn't seeking to build empire. But maybe the next Udaku from him would.

He hurried back into the treehouse and collected three pieces of spicy plantains from the container Lungile gave him. Returning to the tributary, he knelt down in the soft, moist earth and offered the plantains to the water. They floated away toward the center and were swept downstream quickly. Still kneeling, he lifted his palms up and stared at the water.

"Mama Wati, I offer you a gift. My mind is troubled with thoughts about my children. I was a man who sought retribution in this land, but instead I gained my soul and my family back. Bast raised me and Ogum chose me, but I feel as if you have touched my life more times than I can count without even knowing it. In Brazil I knew you as Yemanjá. With my Nana Jean, she called you Cymbee. I see traces of you in my wife. Back where she is from, they call her the Black mermaid. By nature, I am not a humble man. I come from a father who was as large as a god in my eyes until he was taken from me. But now I am here…on my knees in your domain, asking for guidance…a sign that all will be well with my family. If there is a child coming who is going to build an empire, help me understand why this needs to be…if it needs to be. I have killed and spilled blood all over the earth. I don't want that life for my children. I beg of you, under the eyes of Bast, your mother, and Ogum who wields the iron of war in my blood…please. Don't let my children ever have to see the destruction that war brings again. I want them to become who I could've become if…"

N'Jadaka's night vision caught sight of the crocodile much too late to move. It rose to the surface, black eyes shining with icy concentration. He heard and sensed movement behind him. Turning his head slowly, he found S'Bu and Unathi flanking him. They sat on their haunches in a relaxed stance and not one of protecting him from the predator.

N'Jadaka regarded the giant crocodile coolly as it ambled its big body slowly from the water. He held his breath and kept the springing of his panther suit at the tip of his one immediate thought. His natural recoil reflexes were kept still and he waited to see what the croc would do.

Bast moved and the pressure of her presence sat at the top of his head. Ogum remained submerged in inactivity. This was a Wakandan matter not needing his input.

The crocodile settled its mammoth head in front of N'Jadaka's bent knees. This wasn't an ambush at all. The creature could've snapped the king's head into its giant maw, and that should've been unlikely from jump since their encampment was surrounded by security detectors. A powerful system in the water was also on alert to prevent them from sneaking onto land without people knowing. There was even a force field deterrent set up for crocs and water vipers that gave a slight shock to help them move away from that section of the river. The eyeshine in the crocs slit pupils reflected an unnatural iridescent glow that grew brighter. Mighty jaws snapped open and the croc lunged forward, its heavy snout-tip pushing weighted pressure against N'Jadaka's chest before it disintegrated into a splash of cold river water onto his chest, waist, and thighs.

He threw his hands up and gasped, startled by the frigid water soaking his robe through to the skin underneath. N'Jadaka touched his chest and the cool liquid evaporated. His robe and skin were as dry as when he first approached the edge of the tributary. He exhaled relief and his body felt light and airy. The intrusive thoughts about his children's future turned into warmth and serenity. In his mind, Mama Wati let her presence be known. Nana Jean once told him that alligators and crocodiles held spiritual meaning. They existed in two worlds, the physical and spiritual. The land was the physical world, and the water they submerged in was the spiritual one. He took on the experience as a message that he was a part of those two worlds and he would have to trust the greater wisdom of the gods to carry him through.

S'Bu nudged his head against N'Jadaka's shoulder. The king lifted his arm and scratched the back of the big cat's ears.

"You two were letting me know it was okay. I understand," he said.

N'Jadaka stood up and tilted his head back. He bathed his face in moonlight and said a prayer for his parents. And his beloved Nana Jean.

Breakfast in bed was so good, Yani ate seconds and refused to get out of it until it hit high noon.

She bathed and put on a bikini, joining N'Jadaka outside to sunbathe while reading. She held a physical book in her hand and stretched her left arm above her head indulging in doing nothing. N'Jadaka read a physical book right next to her on the lounger couch wearing tight trunks that might as well had been briefs. It did nothing to hide all that he held between his legs, his dick print and balls outlined visibly. She peeked at his face. He'd been pretty quiet for most of the afternoon. They'd chatted a lot during breakfast and once they were in their own little worlds reading, no words had passed between them for two hours.

Yani placed her book on her chest and sighed to get N'Jadaka's attention. He turned the page of his book and scratched at a scar on his chest.

"Should we call the kids?" Yani asked.

"No."

N'Jadaka kept reading, not even looking at her.

"We've been sending them vids and pictures, but we haven't spoken to them directly since we left. You think they miss us?"

"I'm sure they do, but think about it. There are a ton of little cousins still in the palace on holiday with our family. They're busy running around and having fun. Probably preoccupied with the wedding gifts we gave them too."

His eyes scanned the pages on the book, but Yani caught the glint in his eye the moment she mentioned them. There was a little twitch in his jawline too, like he'd been waiting to talk about his pride and joy.

"Three days is a long time not talking to them. Maybe just a quick chat up?" Yani said.

"We agreed to five days of no direct contact. For us."

Yani turned on her side, her fully baked skin two shades darker and smelling like sweet coconut oil.

"Just five minutes. Not a minute more. I want to see their faces."

N'Jadaka dropped his book near his side and stared at her.

"Didn't we talk about not coddling them too much? This was an opportunity to build up character and self-reliance. They have an entire staff, three nannies, great-grandparents, aunties, uncles, and cousins keeping them occupied. I don't want to be one of those helicopter parents," he said.

Yani chewed her lip and squinted when a ray of bright sunlight struck her eye when he adjusted his separate couch back support to a lower position. It unblocked the sun from his bulky frame. He glanced over at her and the pout on her face made him smirk.

"Five minutes," he said.

Yani clapped her hands and wiggled in her seat. He tapped his kimoyo beads for all three children. Riki answered first. The eyes that stared back at them with his floating image looked just like his father's when he was annoyed.

"Baba, what is it now? You keep calling us," Riki whined.

"What?" Yani yelped.

She smacked N'Jadaka's arm. Joba and Sydette's images popped up next to Riki's.

"How many times has your father called you guys?" Yani asked.

"Four times today," Sydette sighed out with an equally annoyed tone.

"Four times?" Yani said. "But I was here and I didn't see him call anyone."

They'd eaten breakfast. Swam in the river, showered, sunbathed, read their books, ate lunch and…

Yani's lip curled into a grin. She'd gone to the restroom four times that day. He'd called the kids when she was inside the treehouse.

N'Jadaka quirked his lips and shrugged his shoulders.

"All this backchat you were doin' man, and here you are calling them behind my back."

"Can we make this quick please, Mama? I'm in the middle of something with Zuko and Balwe, and if I don't pay attention, Zuko will move one of my game pieces," Riki said.

Yani looked them all over one by one. Happy, healthy, and whole. Her perfect trio.

"I miss you. It's been a long time since I spoke to you all."

"Three days isn't a long time, Mama," Joba said.

"To us it is. Neither one of us has been away from you all this long together. It feels uncomfortable sometimes," Yani said.

"But you're having fun, right?" Sydette asked.

"Yes Sweet Pea, we're having the best time—"

"Snack time everybody! Leave your toys and games where they are…what…what are you doing?" Umama said.

Their great-grandmother's face came into view.

"N'Jadaka, Yani…is everything okay?" Umama asked.

"We're fine, just checking in with the kids," N'Jadaka said.

"Again?" Umama said.

"I wanted to see their faces this time, Umama. Let them go have their snack."

"Okay, Mama, bye!" Riki said.

The call winked out.

"You sneaky cheater!" Yani said, pinching his arm. "Talking all that stoic shit and you're the one to break our pact."

"Okay, okay, I missed them a lot. They were on my mind all last night and part of today. Thinking about their future."

"Thinking about their future because of the story we heard last night?"

"Yeah. A part of me doesn't want them to carry the weight of the throne, and yet another part of me wants their legacy to be better than mine."

"You're going to be king for a very long time. We'll probably be great-grandparents before you even have to worry about succession."

"Even so, I can't be the Golden Jaguar forever. One of them may have to take the mantle while I'm still king."

Yani cradled his chin with her hand, the softness of his beard warmed by the sun.

"Listen to me. That's a long way away."

"I hear you. But you're right. It's nothing to worry about now."

He rolled over and placed his head on her stomach. She rubbed his head and untangled his locs on his back. Tension rested in his muscles. The future still rested on him. Yani hummed him a tune and stroked his forehead gently. The tautness in his muscles relaxed under her fingers.

Yani didn't like that he pondered too long on the children and their political future in Wakanda. They were finally a happy family unit and their children were living fruitful lives as normal children. At least as normal as royal children could be.

He needed something to get his mind off of politics and the march of time to come. She wanted to have fun with him and not waste their energy soothing fears.

"It's getting extra warm for me, I'm going to go cool off and rest indoors for a minute until the sun is behind the trees," she murmured in his ear.

"No, stay here. You've made me too comfortable. Don't leave now, it's not that hot."

"I'll be back. You can take this heat more than me right now. I want to fix my hair too, oil my scalp a little," she said.

He whined and pretended to throw a tantrum with his feet. She bent her head closer to his and kissed his forehead. Scooting off the couch, Yani headed for the treehouse and bee-lined to the bedroom where she rummaged through their belongings and pulled out a wig box. Inside was the red wig N'Jadaka loved. She shook the tresses and carried it into the restroom. Using a brush by the sink bowl, she smoothed the hair and fixed it on her head with a bit of hair sealant and a spritz of perfume on her body. She unfastened her bikini and pulled on a short silk bathing robe that rose above her thighs.

Staring at her face in the mirror, she added a little make-up and pink lip gloss. Debating about adding eyelashes, she eventually took the time to add some onto her top lid and made one final inspection of herself. Sexy, and she carried the aura of a different woman. That's what she wanted to be. Not the fretting mommy needing to check up on her kids. That woman could return when the children joined them in eleven days. She fixed the bit up lip gloss that ran over her lip line and decided to add one more detail before she left the treehouse. The bottle of lubricant on the open cupboard would help with what she needed to do.

After her preparations in the restroom, she returned to the outside where N'Jadaka rested with an arm over his eyes.

"Is this seat taken?" Yani said.

N'Jadaka lifted his arm and looked at her. The grin plastered on his lips thrilled her.

"My wife was planning to come back later," he said.

"Oh, well, I'll just find someplace else to sit."

"Nah, you can chill until she comes back. Long time no see, Toya."

Yani pushed back the hair on her shoulders.

"You don't mind if I sunbathe next you…nude, yeah?"

He patted the vacant seat next to his on the comfortable couch lounger. She took off the robe slowly and turned to place it on the end table next to the couch. Bending over further than she needed to, she allowed him to see the cherry-red anal plug heart she had inserted in the restroom. She crawled onto the couch knees first and settled in next to him, her toasted skin sparkly with mica chips from her coconut oil. He watched her recline and his gaze fell to her breasts.

"You sure this is okay?" she asked.

"Yeah."

Her right hand drifted to her vulva. Running her fingers gently around her clit, she kept her eyes on his face while he watched her hand play with her pussy. He reached over and played with her right breast, squeezing her nipple. They didn't speak. Yani dipped her fingers lower to open her labia. She made sure he saw that it glistened with her own arousal. The piercings they loved looked so pretty. Her inner labia fell open and the puffy engorgement made him groan. Yani stared at his swim trunks and the bulge there grew and stretched the material. She reached over and palmed it, feeling the girth inside harden under her touch. His fingers trailed down to her vulva and he bypassed her clit to finger her opening, her arousal making his digits sticky.

"Do you miss fucking me, kumkani?" she said, all breathy and low, as if she didn't want anyone else to hear them.

"Yesssss."

He moaned and slipped his trunks down, freeing his erection. The full mass of his dick had her sighing his royal title, exciting N'Jadaka more.

"Kumkani, I don't want to get you in trouble on your honeymoon. But I know you miss fucking me in the ass and stretching out my pussy."

She gripped his dick, squeezing it first to test how hard it was before sliding her hand up and down.

"I miss this big dick, kumkani. Let me make you happy."

"Shit…yes…keep squeezing it like that…"

He sat back and let her work her fingers around him. She nestled her index and thumb under the ridge of his tip and twisted it in tight half circles. It didn't take long for pre-cum to spill out. She stopped her movement to let him kick off his trunks all the way, and then continued pleasuring him. Her pussy was already acting up and the fullness of her anal plug hinted at the debauchery to come.

"Has your wife been good to you?"

N'Jadaka's lips were smooshed together; his focus lost on her hand getting slick from his pre-cum. His eyes became glassy and narrowed. She began to give his dick harder strokes up and down, loving the feel of her hand wetting up his shaft, making it sticky. Lowering her head, she darted the tip of her tongue in and out of his slit.

"Fuck!"

N'Jadaka's voiced carried over her head as it moved up and down, deep throating his dick. His right hand slid down her spine and around the curve of her ass to finger her pussy. He finger-fucked her, plowing his digits into her fast, wiggling them back and forth so he could hear how wet she was. She gasped when he spanked her hard. Rubbing on her backside, he moaned and thrust his hips up to shove his dick further into her throat. He pushed on her anal plug and fondled the shiny heart.

"Lemme stretch that pussy before my wife comes back," he whispered in her ear.

Yani obeyed, scrambling onto her knees and straddling his dick in reverse cowgirl. She wanted him to look at her anal plug in anticipation of stuffing his dick there in its place. Widening her thighs, she guided him inside her slippery entrance and the tightness in her ass doubled her pleasure with his dick stretching her out too.

"Kumkani, you feel so good in my tight little pussy," Yani huffed, meaning every word she said while looking over her shoulder at him.

N'Jadaka slapped her ass cheeks with a determined rhythm.

"Look at that ass…look at that big ass…tight pussy fucking me so good…grip that shit…yeah…grip it tighter…you a little grip monster on that thang girl…fuck…"

His words tumbled over each other and Yani bounced on his dick, flexing her back muscles to give him a view of the perfect arch.

"I missed your big dick, kumkani," Yani yelped.

"Ride that dick, baby…yes, ride it hard Toya…"

Yani twisted her hips from side to side so he could experience the pleasure of her cheeks bouncing as she moved. N'Jadaka kept smacking her ass and her backside grew hot and tingled with delicious pain. He rubbed both sides of her rump to give her skin a break from his slaps, but he continued again when she did slow winds all the way to the tip and back down. The slow motion dance on his dick had him shouting her name and cursing about how good it felt. Yani rose up again and leaned forward to let him watch her opening throb and grip the tip of his dick with syncopated squeezes that looked like sucking motions from her pussy. She practiced for weeks with her queen training on the erotic arts. Her instructor was a no-nonsense elder noblewoman who gave Yani silver balls of varying sizes to insert in her vagina and walk around with for hours using her pelvic floor muscles to grip them. Every time a ball fell out, she had to re-insert and try again or risk a scolding. Sex was a very serious matter in the royal lineage. Even N'Jadaka had to take lessons for his dick, tongue and fingers to please his new queen. Those tiresome lessons paid off as she made her man holler and grunt with pleasure. She gripped and released his tip in fast successive motions, twisting her body ever so slightly to change the angle. Her suction around the ridge was like the lure used to catch a big fish. Her husband gasped and clutched the cushion of the couch.

She dropped down on his length hard and used her walls to clench around the root of his dick while she fondled and squeezed his nutsack. He was literal putty in her hands only eliciting moans as she showed off her sex magic. Those queen lessons truly enhanced the natural gifts she already possessed, and helped her build up more stamina to handle the king. She did the ripple effect, using her walls to clench his dick in sections as she rose up and down slowly. Because he stretched her with his girth, N'Jadaka could watch her pussy lips kiss and pulse on every inch of his dick. She became more excited by the delicious feeling of fullness in her insides. His sounds of enjoyment rewarded her pussy with hot throbbing coming from his dick. Her perspiration increased from the furnace of his heavy body radiating so much heat.

The pressure of his dick tugging on her clit and the anal plug filling her up had Yani speaking in tongues. Her skin tingled all over and the heat from his blows to her ass cheeks created a perfect storm of pleasure for her that she couldn't hold onto anymore. Her pussy throbbed on a final thrust from him. A pulsing sensation raced up her spine and she trembled all over. Yani threw her head back and wailed out his name as her orgasm choked his dick and her own throat. Her voice echoed above the trees and shushed a few birds who had been chirping in the late afternoon sunlight.

When he couldn't take it anymore himself, N'Jadaka plucked the anal plug from her ass and pulled her down against him. Her back went into his chest and he spooned her for a few minutes, playing with her breasts and kissing her neck and shoulders before pushing his dick into her ass. She was ready for it, already keening and pulling her ass cheek to the side so he could watch his entry.

"Bitch I love it…I love when you let me fuck you in the ass…taking all this dick…"

His voice sounded bewildered and hungry for release. She gripped the cushion on the couch and held still, letting him pump wild thrusts into her.

"Just letting me fuck you like this…nasty little bitch…fucking the king's dick…I'm all up in there…fuck!"

"Your wife will be back soon," she said, urging him on to glory.

"Tryna rush me like I'm scared of being caught?"

"Aren't you, kumkani? The queen wouldn't be happy to see you fucking one of your secret women."

"I think she'd like watching me fuck you."

Yani gasped as he slowed down his thrusts and played with her breasts.

"I think her pussy would get wet watching this big ass dick stretching you…watching you cream all over me Toya…"

He stroked her clit, plucking at the piercing there. His breath warmed her earlobe and he nibbled on the outer shell of her ear.

"Or maybe you'd like to watch me fuck my wife like this. She takes dick so good in the ass."

"Yeah?"

Yani shuddered as her skin combusted with the fire of her lust listening to his words.

"My wife is the best. Before we were married…back when we were on an island together, she used to let me fuck her in the ass all the time. She has a nice big bubble. Niggas been after her for years and still want her. But she's mine and she lets me do anything I want to her. When I fuck her pussy, it weeps on my dick…"

Yani gasped. Listening to him talk about her in the third person was such a turn on. N'Jadaka had transformed into a trickster, changing the power dynamic of their encounter. She had come down from the treehouse to seduce and drive him crazy and he flipped it on her. He shifted their position, forcing her on her knees with her ass up and her head down. He kept a hand on the back of her neck and fucked her ass with slow hard thrusts. Each time he smacked against her rump, the slapping sound was loud and disrespectful to her ears.

"My wife is such a good girl. She knows to get on her knees without me asking so I can cum all over her pretty face. She'll lick up every drop of cum I give her. And she can take my dick so deep…lemme show you how I fuck her ass deep, Toya."

Yani began whimpering. The nerve endings in her ass were on high alert and her clit twitched.

"I took her to an opera in Zana and she let me fuck her ass right in the theater booth. She hiked her dress up and got on the floor and let me fuck her like that, even though there were nobles in the sections next to us. Feel it? Feel how I fucked her ass, Toya?"

"Yes!"

Yani cried out and she squirted on the couch. The sudden release heightened everything.

"I'm making you squirt, baby?"

The tone of his voice was so raspy that Yani's body squirted again, harder, making a complete mess on the couch.

"I'ma nut in you so deep. Let you have what my wife gets…yeah…feel all that? Your king is balls deep in that ass."

He pressed a hand on the arch of her back, and then gripped her hips with both hands.

"Taking it so good…that's a good girl…that's it…let your king fuck that ass…ooohhh….'bout to nut…fuck…here it comes…here it comes…shit…here it comes!"

He thrust hard once more and shot hot cum with curses flying from his mouth. Yani took it all and fell over in a satisfied lump when he finished. Her entire vulva throbbed and her clit still pulsed with anticipation.

He allowed her to rest a few minutes. She lifted from the couch and smoothed the hair on her wig. His dick was still hard.

"Come on," he said, lifting her up in his arms and cradling her against his chest.

"Where are we going?"

"Inside."

"But the queen…"

"She'll just have to deal with her man fucking his lover on their bed."

Yani held onto his neck tight. He bounded up the treehouse stairs and carried her into the bedroom.

"Wait here," he said.

She listened to him shuffle into the restroom and run water to clean his dick off. He returned and stroked his dick with fresh lubricant on it. Yani admired his body. He had always been a beautiful man. From the moment she first laid eyes on him, N'Jadaka was the finest chiseled specimen of man she had ever seen. The scars on his body actually enhanced his beauty and that man knew he was physical perfection just by the way he preened in front of her.

He lowered himself to the bedding and held her close to him.

"I will show you how I make love to her," he said.

He kissed her forehead with lips so soft that she forgot that he was her husband. The scent of his skin reminded her of honeysuckle blooming and she held onto his shoulders feeling safe in his arms. He rubbed his nose against hers making her smile.

"I love you," he said.

Yani pressed her lips against his and savored the softness. Oh how she fought to have this man! From the naysayers back home to the nobles who questioned her worthiness, Yani held onto her husband tight, feeling his heartbeat against her chest. Her tongue twisted around his and the joy in her heart thrummed throughout her body, raising the temperature on her skin and causing her pores to sweat even more. Their combined heat raised her arousal. He bit the side of her neck with those sharp slugs and Yani gasped, her eyes glued to the opening in the ceiling.

N'Jadaka penetrated her pussy with a quick motion in his hips and he marinated inside of her, keeping his kisses deep and wet inside her mouth. Her walls contracted when he pushed in further, accommodating him with intense slick heat.

He sucked in a breath when she squeezed around him tighter. His claw necklace dangled above her nose. She raised her legs up and held her thighs. N'Jadaka raised up on his hands and watched his dick go slowly in and out of her pussy. The focused concentration gave her joyful shivers. He loved looking at her body while he made love, and kept checking in with her by staring at her face. Swiveling his hips he slowed down his pumps and drops of sweat fell on her from his chest.

"Show me how much you love me," she begged.

N'Jadaka inhaled and then huffed out puffs of frantic air. The pussy clenching was getting to him. Yani absorbed the yearning he had to make her cum again while he stretched her out. Her clit was engorged and sat there fat and gorgeous like a precious jewel.

He was so big everywhere. His body. His dick. His personality. His legacy. His love.

Yani had shaped him and the world he conquered. No two people had ever wielded the power they did together all over the globe. His power over her body flowed out in hot waves across her tender skin. Her breasts bounced with his thrusts and his eyes darted down to watch. He loved every inch of her and she could see that clearly in those cunning brown eyes. She panted. He was too much. In the end of all their intimate encounters he was always too much. God, what a blessing.

He hit a spot inside of her that made her scream his name that became exaltations to heaven. N'Jadaka watched her face as she came on his dick and she felt him swell and spill inside of her. Looking down at their wet messy joining, his dick pulsed and so did his balls.

Yani let go of her thighs and let her orgasm cascade over any thoughts of anything outside of Ekuqaleni. All that mattered was them. Right there. Right now.

She gave herself permission to forget her children and the rest of the world.

N'Jadaka was all that she would live and breathe for in that moment. They were perfect and divine and meant to make love for a lifetime.

Attendants carried away the last of Yani's personal belongings she used in Ekuqaleni.

N'Jadaka conferred with their Dora Milaje and she took a final walk past the treehouse and into the forest. Their houseboat was ready for the next part of their honeymoon and all that was left was to give instructions to their personal staff and notify the palace that they were leaving within the hour.

"Don't go far," N'Jadaka called out.

"I won't," she said, waving at him.

She wandered past the large mineral pool and headed over to the mini waterfall that fed into the stream that attracted the best butterflies because of all the lovely flowers that beckoned with their nectar. The long wrap-around cornflower-blue dress she wore brushed past her ankles and a gentle breeze blew across her face. The coolness from the canopy gave her skin a break from the sun as she rounded a bend in the stream to get one last look at the mini waterfall.

In her peripheral, she caught sight of something dark and low to the ground. She pretended not to see the panther cub until two others popped out on her side next to it, all three watching her walk along the damp path of forest floor dirt in her sandals. Above the canopy she could hear and feel the vibration of the Royal Talon Fighter leaving Ekuqaleni.

"I'm going to ignore you because you aren't real and you won't harm me," she said out loud, throwing her voice over her shoulder at the cubs.

There was no sense looking at them, they would only disappear after a few minutes anyway. Whatever magic or spirits that lived in the forest would stay there. Yani was leaving in thirty minutes.

"Where are you?" N'Jadaka asked.

His image floated above her wrist. She stopped walking to catch her breath.

"Not far. I wanted to see the little waterfall and maybe collect some flowers before we leave," she said.

"Do that, then head on back. I'll wait for you at the firepit," he said.

She tapped her beads and his image winked out. Bending down to pluck the best flowers, one of the cubs brushed against her leg. She yelped and jumped back, not expecting it to be real flesh and blood at all. It purred loudly and rubbed against her ankles, its cute little tail flicking with agitation.

Should she pick it up?

Yani glanced around. The other two cubs sat on their haunches watching her…and waited.

What harm could befall her if she bent down to test if it were a solid thing?

N'Jadaka waited for her. All she had to do was walk away and leave with happy memories. They weren't real, just a trick of the mind. She decided to forgo touching and spun around to head back to her husband.

The cub jumped in front of her path and rubbed himself back and forth against both of her ankles. She felt the warmth from its chunky body. It opened its mouth and gave a weak kittenish yawp, showing its tiny baby teeth. Too cute. It stared up at her with cute eyes and cute whiskers.

Yani bent down and the first cub ran in front of her, looking back to see if she still locked eyes on it. It gave that pitiful baby panther cry again and the two other cubs ran toward them and ran around her in a circle, rubbing their little warm bodies against her ankles too. They jumped away when she tried to pet them, and ran in front of her a few feet, looking back to check her stance. She walked forward when they ambled back to her, but the closer she got, they ran ahead of her again and stopped. Yani got the message.

They wanted her to follow them.

Running ahead of her in the opposite direction she needed to go, Yani had a decision to make once more. Go with them or stay?

N'Jadaka knew where she was. If she sensed danger, she could scream and tap her beads, and he would come to her rescue within seconds with his enhanced speed. She could follow them and if they led her to someplace sketchy, she would put up the force field that was embedded in her beads to protect her until her husband arrived. Ekuqaleni never showed her any harm or made her feel unsafe. Panthers were the Udaku's animal guides. If she left without seeing where they went, the curiosity would get the better of her and ruin her honeymoon. She tapped her beads.

"N'Jadaka, I see the panther cubs again," she whispered into the beads.

"Stay where you are, I'll be there in a minute."

"They rubbed against my legs. They seem real."

"Do not touch them," he said.

"Okay. I'll wait here."

It would take him at least fifteen minutes to walk there.

The cubs ran ahead of her again, much further this time. They still looked back at her to make sure she had eyes on them.

Wait.

Yani tapped her foot and glanced over her shoulder. N'Jadaka was taking too long coming to her. The cubs padded further south. She took a few steps forward to keep them in her eyesight as they passed through some low fronds off the path she had taken.

"Hurry N'Jadaka," she muttered under her breath, not wanting to cause the cubs to disappear before he arrived. Although he couldn't see them, he could sense them, and it would be better to have him go with her on a wild goose chase. Or a panther chase.

She couldn't see them ahead of her anymore and took a chance following. Nothing in her gut felt weird and she wasn't afraid.

She quickly caught up to them and they began to run. They weren't as fast as her and she lifted the hem of her dress to keep from tripping on it. The shade around her seemed to grow darker the further she went and she brushed away low hanging branches, vines and brush to keep up.

Ahead of her was a clearing and she caught sight of the cubs running as fast as their little legs could carry them. She started laughing, feeling the air on her skin rush by, and the wonderful physical sensation of her leg muscles stretching in a good sprint. To her right was a part of the tributary that led to the main river of the Ibukun, and that shocked her because it meant that she had run further than she thought. Twenty miles.

Yani took in her surroundings and checked her kimoyos. There was no way she should've been able to run that far in under fifteen seconds.

"Yani, where are you?" N'Jadaka's voice broke her reverie.

"I'm here!" she said, looking at his floating image.

It winked out and Yani stared at the three panther cubs still running ahead of her. Several yards ahead of them, next to the riverbank sat three serene-looking River Tribe women on a rug in a circle. They're eyes were closed tight as if in a deep meditation session and they stood up the moment Yani appeared. They all wore lavender headwraps twisted in the style of their people. Two wore sleeveless long purple and turquoise dresses and the other had short sleeves on her pale turquoise long dress. The purple rug under their feet was five feet in diameter with white swirling lines and white dots that looked like tiny stars. A lit candle floated inside a bowl filled with water at the bottom of the carpet. The flame flickered and Yani noticed that sky was the color of lilac and amethysts and that could only occur there at sunset.

"Wait…wait…this can't be. It's still morning," Yani said.

The panther cubs ran directly toward the women and before Yani could reach them, each cub ran through the bottom of each woman's dress and vanished.

"Are you real?" Yani asked.

The woman in the white dress smiled.

"Yes Queen Yani, we are very real," she said.

"Were those panther cubs…?"

The woman in the white dress stepped forward but kept her feet on the rug.

"Our apologies, kumkanikazi. I am Jabulile. That is Khanyisile, and she is Nolwazi. We had to get your attention without upsetting the king. He gave an edict that no one was to disturb you on your honeymoon, so we were unable to come to you directly. Using avatars allowed us to get close to you. We had hoped to catch you alone and draw you out here to meet us without the king becoming angry."

"Why do you need to see me?"

"The oracle requests an audience with you."

"Oracle? What oracle?"

"Nolwandle…the mother of oceans. She received an urgent message from the other side and Mama Wati has given permission to let it pass through her. You must go to Nolwandle as soon as possible. But the king must not know about this or else Bast will find out," Khanyisile said.

Yani took a step back.

"If you are afraid of Bast finding out, then are you trying to do something bad behind her back?"

Nolwazi clasped her hands together in a beseeching motion, "Kumkanikazi, the Grandmother of us all must not know about this because she does not like messages about the future reaching human ears. There is order in all divine things coming to pass, but if humans know things ahead of that time, they may disrupt the pattern she has set forth."

"I want my husband with me. I don't go anywhere alone without him by my side."

Jabulile nodded with understanding, but her eyes pleaded for Yani to heed their words.

"You must see Nolwandle, within three days. She can only be a vessel for the message that long, or else it will cause her great bodily harm and mental distress. Today will be her first day. It will be to your detriment to ignore her call. A message like this has traveled through souls to get to you, my dear queen."

Yani gestured toward the sky.

"You could be tricking me," Yani said.

All three women shook their heads.

"It would be a sin for us to trick anyone," Jabulile said, "We do not mean to frighten you, but I beg you Queen Yani. Heed our words daughter. Go to Mama Wati's statue at the mouth of Warrior Falls, past the great Manta Ray monument. Look at her face at the first light of the morning and it will show you the path to the Oracle. If you do not receive this message, the Udaku bloodline will come into jeopardy, and so will the fate of our country."

Jabulile held out her hand. Her words startled Yani and she reached out to the woman. Jabulile clasped Yani's hand and pulled her onto the beautiful rug.

"Oh God!" Yani cried out.

Her body felt like it was rushing through a powerful vortex of pure light and loud sounds that rattled her eardrums. After a few seconds she saw the figure of a dark-skinned woman sitting crossed-legged with a crackling fire in front of her. The woman's eyes rose from the flickering flames and stared right through Yani.

"Come daughter…Mama Wati protects you here…come Black mermaid…I have a message for you…come quickly…"

Yani's body whipped back at an angle and it felt like she was about to do a backflip or split in half trying to do so.

"Easy kumkanikazi, you are here with us again," Jabulile said, still holding Yani's hands.

Yani stumbled back off of the rug. The women stepped off of it too, and Jabulile rolled it up.

"Find your way to her…your bloodline is in danger if you don't," Jabulile said. "Go to Mama Wati's statue. Let her show you the way."

The women lowered their heads to Yani and walked toward a canoe waiting for them halfway out of the water. The tucked the rug inside and each woman climbed inside quietly with Jabulile in the center. The other two women paddled them downriver.

Yani watched them and caught her breath.

"Yani!"

Yani whipped her head around toward N'Jadaka's voice and it was morning once more. She checked her kimoyo beads. It was the same time as when she had first spotted the panther cubs. Glancing around, she was back at the mini waterfall with flowers still clasped in her fingers.

Her husband smiled and walked toward her.

"Ready to leave?" he said.

He held out his hand and she threaded her fingers with his, her body trembling.

"You okay, Yani?"

"It's just a little chillier in the shade. That rainy weather must be on the way," she said.

"Don't matter, we'll be snuggled up and floating in blissful waters."

Yani walked out of Ekuqaleni trying to figure out a way to go to Warrior Falls sooner without raising any suspicions in her husband. The weight of something extraordinary depended on her carrying it in secrecy. That was something she promised N'Jadaka she would never have with him. Secrets.

"Onward, " he said, and Yani stayed by his side.

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[gatheringbones]

hi bones! for life/education/employment reasons I will probably be moving to seattle in a year or so. if you have the spoons and inclination, i'd welcome any advice for someone who wants to do right by hir new community/city but also wants to take care of hirself. (and/or just advice for moving to seattle in general!) i'm a neurodivergent, white, mentally ill butch lesbian, if that affects the advice any. thanks for all the incredible book excerpts and writing thoughts you post!

there’s a breakfast place in Fremont called Roxie’s that does latkes instead of english muffins in their benedicts and where you can get an amazing reuben.

there’s also a Cuban sandwich joint called Paseo’s up the hill where you can get an extremely messy and life changing sandwich. god willing there’s still a Mexican sushi place in Wallingford right down the block from Changes the gay bar.

carry change with you and give it to anyone who asks and remember their face, remember where you saw them, place them on a mental map in a way that reinforces their worth as a full and complete human being. if you don’t have change you apologize with intention. you will have some next time. never offer to substitute food for change; this is a terrible insult.

there’s a queer library at a queer community center called Gay City in Capitol Hill where you can sit and read and check out books and access other community services like therapy and social support.

pay attention to the caste system at work wherever you go in seattle. It’s ever-present and exerts constant psychic force on everyone inside city limits. the people who the city refuses to house or treat flock there because seattle technically offers many services for help and healing, but these services have been allowed to exist in a state of complete overwhelm for decades by city officials who support and value the caste system. the mad the sick and the unhoused are meant to float through third and pine and westlake and the waterfront for the Real people to practice dissociating from. this perpetual dissociation colors the whole city. everyone is complicit. everyone swears not to know what they know and see what they see. everyone receives patient conditioning to sort and categorize the shapes they see moving through the city of seattle as human or inhuman and resisting this conditioning will require all of your attention and insight. you will be asked at every second to betray yourself.

read the archives of the view from Nathan’s bus

read about the Duwamish. go down and buy something from the woodcarvers by the ferris wheel. know that the canoes and masks and religious items inside the restaurant next door were hand carved by a white conservative guy who bought a bunch of books on coastal Salish art and copied as best he could.

there is queer community. the lesbian book club that changed the trajectory of my life isn’t the only one. if you have it in you to look for opportunities and spaces to be around the bodies you need to survive, you will find them.

do not wear headphones while out and about unless absolutely necessary. you need to be able to be spoken to.

go watch the sunset at fremont peak park and if you feel absolutely overwhelmed and alien in the world know that a twenty two to twenty eight year old version of me is sitting somewhere behind you and to your left. look out for a blonde cat and the dinosaur village.

don’t call the cops.

[fiiniaofficial]

Wip - The swamp near my house

Last summer I went down to the swamp a few meters below my house, only to discover that since I last went down there (back when covid first stuck), it no longer looked the same.

The swamp hadn't been taken care of for 3 whole years, resulting in the long bridge rotting and boards breaking. The entire water's surface covered in varying plants, making you unable to see the water that used to sparkle so prettily in the sun. The bridge becoming a giant nest for varying kinds of bugs and insects.

It looked as if nobody had walked or taken care of it for 3 years straight. When I ran on that bridge, the resting spot in the middle of it even had the same old soda can stuck between the wooden planks...

Walking along the several kilometers of swamp and river was my favorite way to pass time before covid. So discovering that I will never see the beauty of it again and that they will never take care of the bridge or swamp, if that is even possible anymore, deeply saddens me.

So I want to draw what is left of it now before it gets any worse.

The strange street sign in the middle of the water that has been there since previously.

The old train tracks in the ground they used for old carts and mining.

The resting spot where I had breakfast sometimes during summer.

The canoe river that can be found at the end of the long bridge.

There is however several spots I could no longer visit as nobody had taken care of the roads, leaving too much long grass and making it impossible to tell where the edge is before you fall into the water.

The mysterious mini bridge where I saw bisons passing through, an "impossible event" nobody believed. Turned out that the bisons were imported to Sweden by a bison farmer who wanted to do a showcase and start a bison farm business here. (Which also failed) The farmer was bringing the bisons there as a breather on his way to a town a bit further away.

The forest grill surrounded by a small lake, the location looked as if it came from a fairytale book.

The canoe starting point, where you could dangle your legs several meters above the river.

The four barns in all different shades.

So I want to make a collection of the favorite parts I could reach for now.

It feels silly, but I want to draw my favorite places how they look now in my town before it becomes too late and deteriorates too much. So I might make a collection of them all once they're finished called "I existed".

I planned this last year, and I wanted to draw them in as much detail as possible for all those locations. But I realize now that I will never be able to draw them all if I spend too much time on them. They will have to end up simplified if I wish to make this a thing in the end.

[bugsbunnyblogsstuff]

The Woodchuck Way.

(Took a break from Samurai Quack to at least start this, and an excuse to show my ducktales oc!!!)

(Huey Pov)

I was sprawled on the couch, my red t-shirt all gross and disgusting from it being a hand-me-down, I hated being a triplet.

But clearly, that didn't matter to my hyperactive brother Dewey, who was already begging me to make him breakfast. Uncle Donald wasn't home. He was on his port missions. This one had him taking down a cult? I didn't question it, though.

"Pleeeease, can't you at least make me some Porn Pops or at least some Boob O's?" Before I could speak, he began rambling about different erotic cereals, some that had vibrators as prizes.

"Fine, I'll make you some. But why on earth would they target this cereal for kids?"  I asked as Louie lazily walked downstairs as he turned on the TV, to some 'Saturday Morning Cartoons', but in reality, it was a drama series of murders and femme fatales

I sighed, taking out some Busty Puffs from the cabinet, and poured them into a bowl.

Until I saw the back, it was an advertisement for the Junior Woodchucks?!

"You guys won't believe this!" I excitedly exclaimed, blocking both of my brothers' view of the television.

"You're adopted?" Louie said casually, but I ignored him, "No, I just got invited to be part of the Junior Woodchucks!" I said.

Dewey pretended to be excited, "No way, the box only cares about you, and not the space camp I wanted to go to since I was 5, I was five, may I remind you!"

I sighed, knowing about the Castellean Space Camp, Dewey wanted to go to, to search for our mother.

As Uncle Donald came home early, I excitedly told him the news, "And, they even have canoeing!" I said, as he sighed smoking a pipe. "That's wonderful, but is that really what you wanna do all summer?" He asked, motioning to his gross-out houseboat.

"I'm not cleaning that!" The three of us shouted together, as Uncle Donald chuckled, "Ok, ok, but Huey can't be the only one, doing something for the summer, you two can't sit around forever." He said as Louie groaned.

Later that day, I was in uniform, excitedly bouncing in my car seat as Dewey was buried in comic books, while Louie was trying to convince Uncle Donald that doing nothing was recommended by a professional doctor.

I saw the big brown arch up the driveway and excitedly squealed. This was it!

"Now, promise me you'll behave. There will be a pickup line each day, so try to spot my mini van, kay?" He said as I nodded in my little world of reading.

"Yeah, uh-huh...." I said dismissively as I walked to where the other campers were as the care drove off.

There were many newbies like me, all crowded together, chatting about how excited they were.

The camp list was behind them

Camp Novice List;

Violet Sabrewing

Isabella Finch

Doofus Drake

Cornelius C. Spoon

Forkington A. Sliverworth

Macintosh (Mac) Appleton

Casey Robinson

Huey Duck

Charlie Beatlea

April O'Neil

Camp Counselor List:

Mugman

Marie

Umi

Axel

Pacifica

Launchpad McQuack

Wakko

Yakko

Dot

I finished reading as a group of boys were immediately getting a crowd of newbies, I slipped in through the crowd and found a merboy (in human form) with his friends showing some of their treasures.

As they finished, I noticed one of their badges, was that a satanic symbol?

I shrugged it off, watching my childhood friend Violet, writing about how fascinating this was.

"This is so beautiful, Mr. Pacifica, how'd you do it?" Violet Sabrewing, a top A+ student who, along with other refugees, escaped Duckburg during the Marine War.

"Please, just call me Pacifica. I ain't to chill about that. " He said, his piercing glowing. He was a lanky 17 year old, with beach blonde hair, that was damp and curly. He was wearing sunglasses and a shark tooth necklace. His eyes were blue-green, while his white pupils were shaped like waves. He was naked except for some tan cargo shorts and sandals.

He then began to announce the rest of his friends, "Alright, Bros and Betty's, lemme introduce you to some of my camp co-workers..." He said, ignoring Cornelius hand.

"Excuse me, but I asked you a question?" Cornelius snapped, not noticing another counselor, shooting a syringe into his back.

"You bros don't wanna be like Barney over their little dudes and dudettes, Kay?" He said as we all nodded.

"Rules..... Ugh, I told her I don't wanna review this, but fine, Rule One, always expect the unexpected, kay? and

Rule Two, all Junior Woodchucks must be open to the unknown in their quest for the truth?" He said, crumbling the rules paper.

"Alright'o, so we'll do some real activities tomorrow, for now let's meet our staff..." He said, motioning to his friends.

From a punk with skating skills, a hippie, or a mall bimbo, these camp counselors were something.

"And now, Miss Scarlet, the sister of Isabella Finch, has a few words to say."

Miss Scarlet, a Robin, unlike her who was a finch and explorer, was a very rich household executive of the Junior Woodchucks Foundation.

She was a very exclusive woman.

"Greetings, Woodchucks, my name is Scarlet, I'm am the sister of the explorer and founder of the Junior Woodchucks."  She said, turning to the five boys beside her.

"I don't have much to discuss with you all until tomorrow. Mugman, can you watch them while I talk to the others?" She said as Mugman nodded.

Mugman was a skinny 16 year old, with blue highlights in his blonde foam hair.

His eyes were very detailed, a blue and gold color, he had a small blue nose and nose piercings lining it, he wore a crop top, daisy dukes, and white high tops, with goggles on. He almost looked like something out of Disney Channel.

He walked around, his grin getting slightly dark as he watched them leave.

"Ok, campers. Why don't we play a game?" He said, quickly pulling out a toolbox filed with weapons.

"First camper to make a direct hit on me wins!" He said, his eyes gleaming at all the worried looks on their faces.

As he handed each of us a weapon, I looked at Wakko, a fellow camp counselor, who was bewildered by the fact he had a gun.

"Are you sure, dude, this is seeming kinda tight? Just hang loose, man..." he said, trying not to sound so scared.

"Alright, you b*tch, you can go first then..." Mugman said, sitting on the stump, not even protecting himself.

"Kay, I can do that, Bro." He said, trying his best not to hurt him, Mugman rolled his eyes, grabbing the gun and shooting at his head. He was healthy regardless, not a scratch.

"Are you in a cult?" Forkington asked, pointing to his badge. Something must have stirred in Mugman because he brawled Forkington, splitting him open as Forkington's organs squirted out fresh blood all over the grass, drying once it hit the pavement

Forkington's eyes were blood-shot and melted, his mouth slightly open. As you could see his esophagus, by the way, he opened his mouth.

Soon, he was lashing out on other campers. Most were injured, and few died on the scene, I was lucky that I got away, but I had a huge tear in my bill.

The nurse's office was closed, but I could see the pick-up line, I immediately ran to my car, watching Uncle Donald, whip his head around as he saw me breathe heavily.

"Did you have fun o-" he stopped mid-thought as Mugman was on the roof of another campers car, while the four others were destroying the parking lot. Was that a summoning circle?!

Uncle Donald didn't bother to finish his thought as he sped away, as Pacifica jumped onto the roof of our car. Louie and my brother Dewey and I screamed, and his laser gun was putting a hole in our car.

Dot who was swinging from tree to tree using a grappling hook was trying to stop them.

"Like, literally Pacifica, the f*cks, your deal?!" She said, tackling him on the floor. More of his little group showed up. I panicked, I noticed he dropped his Junior Woodchucks Guidebook, and I stole it, I gasped. They were a group of criminals who were anti-heros in the Marine War, each of whom destroyed, manipulated, and started extreme war crimes.

"How about you and your plastic ass move it or lose it!" He barked, grabbing a tranquility gun.

He began shooting it. As I passed out, I as I woke, I was in a summoning circle, I gulped.

"Please, Dot, call us Pacific Rim...."

,

(My OCs are Pacific Rim and Scarlet Robinson, along with Cornelius C. Spoon. I had a blast making this)

[justabooknerdposts]

Anyway. I saw that you put the order list so I have some: howI saw that you put the order list so I have some ideas: how grover, chiron, Sally, and the like discovered romance; the first time they makeout, no sex! just teenage fire. the three going to new rome; a day as a camp counselor and I love stories that take place well before TLO!!!

*Okay, I decided to go with a little bit of a day as a camp counselor, set post-BotL, pre-TLO (and there’s a bonus scene at the end regarding Sally, post-TLO 😊)*

I couldn’t find Annabeth.  True, things had been weird between the two of us ever since the Battle of the Labyrinth and the end of our quest a couple weeks ago, so we’d both been kind of avoiding each other.  But I figured that today was the one day she’d be way more mad if I didn’t find her than if I did.

I’d spent the morning doing my regular camp counselor duties.  Unfortunately, that had included kitchen patrol because the Poseidon cabin had scored last in inspections.  I said Silena was too picky at inspections, wanting everything to be pretty.  No one had agreed with me.  So, I was stuck cleaning up after breakfast, which extra sucked since I was currently the only one in the Poseidon cabin; Tyson was back in the undersea forges for the week.  The lava spray guns the harpies used made me extra nervous now, after my experience in Mt. St. Helens. 

Luckily, I managed to escape with only a very minor burn on my finger.  Then I grabbed the package I’d set carefully by the door, far away from the water and lava, and headed out the kitchen door.  Morning activities were in full swing.  The Hephaestus cabin had arts and crafts time, so they were making their usual elaborately designed machines.  The Aphrodite cabin was down at the lake, doing canoe races, although some of them, like Drew Tanaka, appeared to just be tanning.  Hermes cabin was running relay races on the climbing wall; as I passed, I saw Connor Stoll rolling on the ground, trying to put out his burning shirt.  I thought about dousing him, but his shirt had already stopped burning and was now simply smoldering, so I figured he’d be okay.  Over on the archery range, the Athena and Apollo cabins were competing.  That should have been super unfair to the Athena cabin, but some of their campers were almost as good with calculating velocity and angles as the Apollo campers were with their natural talent.  However, I didn’t see Annabeth.  And, despite my lucky shot against Geryon earlier this summer, I had no desire to go near the archery range.  Although, I probably needed to burn a thank you offering to Artemis and Apollo for that shot.

I finally found Annabeth in the empty dining pavilion, still seated at the Athena table, absorbed in Daedalus’s laptop.  Its screen gave her face a faintly blue tint. 

Interrupting her was risky, so I kind of stood there awkwardly until she said, “Hey, Percy,” without looking up.

“Hey.”  I shifted from foot to foot.  “Are you busy?”

She pursed her lips, then shook her head.  “I could take a break,” she admitted, scooting her laptop back.  She gave me a small smile, which I figured was a big win, and said, “What’s up, Seaweed Brain?”

Remembering what Athena had told me back in December on Olympus, I was a little hesitant to sit at the goddess’s table, but I decided to take the risk.  I perched myself on the very edge of the bench beside Annabeth—but not, you know, too close.  When no thunder rumbled and I wasn’t immediately incinerated, I figured Annabeth’s mom was giving me a pass.  For now.

“How’s it going with that thing?” I asked, nodding at Daedalus’s laptop.

Her eyes lit up.  “It’s amazing.  There are so many different designs and inventions—I could probably spend the next hundred years, literally, going through them.”

“That sounds…fun.  For you, anyway.”

“I told Beckendorf about some of the designs.  We might try to collaborate on making some of Daedalus’s inventions for real.  Like there’s this shield—”

Thunder rumbled overhead.  I leapt up from the Athena table like my butt was on fire.  Because I really didn’t want it to end up that way.

“Uh, sorry.  I don’t think your mom likes me sitting at her table.”

Annabeth looked like she was fighting back a smirk.  “Want to walk down to the dock instead?”

“That would be great.”  I tucked the wrapped package I’d brought under my arm.

We sat at the end of the dock on the canoe lake, dangling our feet in the water.  Farther out, the Aphrodite kids were squabbling.  Someone had flipped Drew Tanaka’s canoe, dunking her, which was apparently a huge ordeal because it had gotten her hair wet.  Drew clearly was not happy about it.  Silena was trying to mediate, but looked a little stressed.

“Should we help?” Annabeth asked, looking out at the lake.

“I don’t think they’ll listen to us,” I said.  “But I can always try to separate them with a wave or something if it gets really ugly.”

“That works,” Annabeth said.  “So, did you have a reason for coming to find me, Seaweed Brain?”

“Maybe.”  My neck felt hot, but I handed over my clumsily wrapped present that I was suddenly wishing I’d taken more care with wrapping.  “This is for you.  Happy birthday, Annabeth.”

She took the present, looking surprised, then said quietly, “Thanks, Percy.”

I waited nervously while she unwrapped it.  It was a book about Frank Lloyd Wright, who was a famous architect.  Annabeth had mentioned him a few times, so I hoped I wasn’t too far off track.  I’d asked my mom to order the book, then she’d mailed it to camp for me.  I’d been a little worried it wasn’t going to show up on time; it had only arrived yesterday.  I’d had to ask Silena for wrapping paper.  Her knowing look when I said it was for Annabeth made me feel embarrassed and I’d hurried to get out of the Aphrodite cabin as quickly as possible.

Annabeth’s face when she unwrapped the book made it all worth it, though.  “Oh my gods, Percy!  This is so cool.”  She looked up at me then, her smile as bright as the summer sky.  “How did you know I like Frank Lloyd Wright?”

I shrugged.  “You’ve mentioned him a few times.  Didn’t you say the house at the Triple G Ranch looked like a Frank Lloyd Wright?”

“Yeah, I did.”  Annabeth studied me for a moment, then she leaned over and kissed my cheek.  “Thank you.”

I tried not to look too pleased.  “You’re welcome.”

We sat there quietly for a minute while Annabeth flipped through her book, pausing on different pages like she was reading a couple of lines. 

Finally, I asked, “So, how’s your birthday going so far?”

“Pretty good.  My siblings woke me up by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me this morning.”

“That sounds like a terrifying way to wake up.”

Annabeth laughed, which was good to hear.  “It kind of was.  But they meant well.”

We talked for a few minutes about nothing important.  Definitely nothing quest or war related.  It felt nice to just hang out, like we used to before things got weird this summer.

“I finally got to lead a quest,” Annabeth said after talking about how it had been a crazy year, between going to school with Thalia in Brooklyn, then getting kidnapped by Atlas, then the quest this summer.  “I just wish I’d done a better job with it.  I always…” her voice trailed off as she bit her lip, then she said in a rush, “I always thought I’d be better at it.  More of a natural.”

“I thought you did great,” I said truthfully.  “This was a tough quest.  Like you said, some of our other ones have been more logical.  This one was all over the place.  Literally.  I mean, we walked from Long Island to San Francisco in a day.  And then ended up in Texas a couple hours later.  Who could plan for that?”

“But I should have been able to.”  Annabeth gripped her book more tightly, her knuckles turning white.  “If I don’t have a clear plan, who’s ever going to follow me on…anything?”

“I’d still follow you.”

Annabeth looked taken aback.  Then, in a small voice, she said, “You would?”

“Definitely.  I’d follow you anywhere.”

The words were out of my mouth before I could think about them.  I felt the back of my neck heat up again.  But it was true.  I trusted Annabeth more than I trusted anyone else.  Even if she didn’t know all the details, I knew she’d always come up with some kind of a plan.

Annabeth’s ears were red.  But instead of saying anything, she laid her book gently down beside her on the dock.  Then she reached over and took my hand.  I summoned my courage and lightly squeezed her fingers.  She returned the pressure.

We sat there for a while, holding hands at the end of the dock, watching the Aphrodite kids use their paddles to fling water at each other, not saying much.  But I was reminded of the time we’d shared a dance on Mount Olympus, the music a little sad, but a little hopeful, too. 

*

Okay, and then for fun, another part of the request was about first make out session and also Sally finding out—so I decided to combine the two lol This is set post-TLO

Sally was pleasantly surprised when Percy asked if he could invite Annabeth over for dinner.  He had only been home from camp for a few days, and Sally knew Annabeth had flown back to the city to move into her dorm room, after going home to San Francisco for a couple of days to pack her things.  Sally hadn’t seen her since the kids had come out of the elevator in the Empire State Building at the end of the war, so she was looking forward to catching up.  Especially since she hadn’t seen a lot of Annabeth this summer, with Percy spending a lot of time hanging out with Rachel.  Not that that was a problem.  Sally liked Rachel, too.  But she had to admit that she’d missed seeing Annabeth around.

Paul would be home in an hour.  He was currently at Goode High School, getting his classroom ready for school to start next week.  Percy was in the living room, playing a video game.  Sally knew she needed to start dinner soon, but she was currently back sitting at the desk in her bedroom, jotting down a few quick ideas she’d had about the next chapter in her novel.  She wanted to get them down on paper before she forgot about them.  So she heard the knock on the apartment door, but didn’t think too much about it, since she was still absorbed in her book.  Which meant that it was a huge surprise for her, when she headed back out into the living room, to find Annabeth now sitting on the couch with Percy. 

Actually, Annabeth sitting on the couch wasn’t the surprise. 

The surprise was finding the two of them sitting on the couch making out.

“Oh,” Sally said, her initial reaction to stumbling on this scene.

Percy and Annabeth broke apart like they’d been shocked with Zeus’s lightning bolt.

“Oh shi—um, sorry, Mom,” Percy said, his face bright red.

Annabeth looked mortified.  “Oh my gods.  Sorry, Ms. Jackson!”

Sally just stood for a moment, processing.  Then, she exhaled and said, “Finally.”

Leaving the two teenagers gaping at her, she headed into the kitchen to start dinner, a slight smile on her face.

*Because Sally was totally one of the first Percabeth fans.*

[pbandjesse]

I am very tired today. I also am just having trouble hearing people. I feel like I am hearing them but not understanding. I don't know what's up. Not fun.

Last night when I got home James wanted me to try their garlic bread. Which was very good but I was not hungry so I didn't eat much. I was just so tired. I washed my hair and felt a little better. And fell asleep pretty quickly. I was just so beat.

I did not feel much better when I woke up. I just wanted to keep sleeping. I gave myself an extra 15 minutes and would get up and tried to feel fine.

Jsmss left while I was doing my makeup. They packed me lots of snacks and things today. And I had hoped that it would perk me up.

The drive into camp was fine. It wasn't as cold today but it was still cold.

I spent the first half hour I was there eating breakfast and working on my beading project. But soon I needed to go set up my program for the feild trip today.

I was frustrated when I went over to the eyrie and could not find my program box. It was in the closet. Why! Annoying. Whatever. I went to arts and crafts and set that up and turned on a space heater that did not do much. And went back to the office.

Sarah, Celia, and Eliza were there. We chatted and I kept working on my beading. I was not feeling very social. I wanted to save my energy for our field trip. Because it was going to go very quick and crazy. 4 groups of 23 2nd graders. 25 minute rotations. Wild.

And of course the group was late. So we had to cut the first program. Not shocked. Me and Celia were talking before they got there and we were both very worried about skipping a program. Because then everyone is missing a different one. And so someone won't do my craft and another won't see the animals. And it just makes us both a little stressed.

But we did our best to make it the best quick feildtirp we could!!

And they were lovely children. Good listeners. Just so sweet. And for being such a quick turn around we got through a bunch of stuff I would normally do in the bee program. They didn't all finish their crafts but their teacher said they could finish once they got back to school. That made me feel better too.

Elizabeth came up to watch the program. Which always makes me nervous but I think I did a good job. My tape dispensers are all broken so I would be standing there with tape and scissors and just put a ton of pieces on the edge of the table so people could just come and grab it.

In the last half hour Elizabeth came up to ask me to put together a bag of supplies for the group who didn't get to do the project. I am glad they will get to do it. So while I put that together and made an example Elizabeth would do the tape cutting and was like. We are getting you new dispensers. Amazing. That will make things a lot easier.

It would take me a while to clean up the art building. Putting my markers away. And sweeping. I returned the box to the eyrie and then to the lodge. I volunteered to clean the bathrooms because I had sweeping and putting away the chairs. So I collected all the trash (accidently upended the trash bag s d had to pick up all the paper towels) and sprayed everything with cleaning product and cleaned it up nice. I checked in with Bonnie and she said she would mop. Amazing. Hate doing the floors.

I had not gotten to eat lunch. During the 15 minute break we had in the middle of the trip I did run and eat a few mouthfuls of pasta salad. But I needed to eat for real.

I had my veggie hot dog and kept working on my beads. And would slowly start to feel better.

Me and Heather would go over my schedule I had made and she pointed out a few issues. Firstly I forgot about tipis. Just completely not on the schedule. Oops. And apparently we don't do canoes in the afternoon! Interesting. But at least for now I have something to fix. That's one of the things I want to do tomorrow. Continue to work on this schedule. And I want to work on the organizing of the attic. We will see how that goes.

I started coughing again this afternoon. Which was uncomfortable. I tried drinking more water but it didn't help much. I was excited to go home.

But first I had to go to the Dutch market.

I said goodbye to everyone. And drove to the market. I got some fancy soaps. One is a vanilla peppermint and the other is spiced chai. I got a ton of baked goods for us to have over the week. And I got me and James pretzels. I had to come back for those because they were in the oven still so once I got them they were super fresh. Amazing. It was nice walking around and seeing all the stuff. It was a fun stop.

I got stuck in some traffic on the way home but that was fine. It wasn't horrible. And I would be home around 5.

When I got inside James was there and I was happy to see them. They had gotten pizza dough ingredients in the bread machine for dinner later. And they went to get on their computer to do their podcast. And after I did a little cleaning of my fish tanks I went to work on my studio.

I made 6 more horses for the holiday market this weekend. They need finishing work but at least they are seen and stuffed. My hands still hurt from the cuts I got at ceramics. So I wasn't having the bestest time but it's fine. I'm glad I got them to that point. I'll finish those tomorrow.

I took a bath. Watched a video. James put an extra kettle of hot water in the tub for me. And now we are all in bed. Jess sent us a list of things we can go see in NYC next weekend when we go to do Christmas stuff. We highlighted a few things I would for sure like to see. I'm excited to go to New York with my favorite people. It's been forever since I've been there. And I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

I am very ready to sleep. I hope tomorrow is a productive day. And I feel better.

Sleep well everyone. Take care of eachother! Goodnight!

[chaletnz]

Amazon: Palo Alto Trek

The morning after my trip, I woke up early enough to make it to the dining room for breakfast, after extraditing a huge cockroach from my room. I ate some tiny slices of bread with butter and jam, with fried plantain and orange slices on the side. I also managed to take down half a cup of coffee splashed with some mystery milk from a tin can with a hole pierced in the top – probably condensed milk. I farewelled the Puerto Rican family who were leaving the jungle today, and then went back to my room to rest again for a few more hours until it was lunchtime. When I woke again and showered, I was shocked at how manageable the temperature was after the rain. It had removed so much humidity from the air and was no longer sweltering hot. Lunch was little medallions of beef (they told us it was snake at first), with rice, yuka potato, and watermelon. After lunch Rodrigo and I headed out to Palo Alto for the day. This was meant as an overnight trip but I didn’t want to go camping feeling so weak so I asked if we could do it as a day trip. Old reliable had been fitted with an engine and had life vests strapped to the seats to make it a little more comfortable for the journey over the river. Our first stop was Santa Maria de Fatima, a more developed town in the rainforest with nicer buildings and even satellite dishes on the houses. Rodrigo took me on a walking tour and showed me plantains, papaya, huge limes, and tumbo the Peruvian giant passionfruit growing on the trees. We then walked about 40 minutes through the jungle to the campsite where I was glad to not be staying. We saw some monkeys on the way, a lot of fire ants, and a couple butterflies. At the campsite there was a boat full of rainwater that Rodrigo scooped out so that we could continue our journey. He paddled us slowly down a little lagoon with seemingly black water. It was beautiful and quiet, with just the sounds of birds chirping as we floated down. We went as far as possible in the boat before the water was too shallow and we then had to get out and squelch our way through the shallows to reach the bank. About 10 minutes later we arrived at the viewpoint tower which overlooks the lowlands and swamp area with a wide view, Rodrigo said there are giant caimans and a lot of other predtors in that area and he wouldn’t want to venture out there too far for his own safety. Thew view was impressive but the black lagoon canoe ride was truly the highlight. We paddled backwards to get back to the campsite and I had a great view, I was lucky to see a tiny monkey run on a branch all the way out to the water until it saw us, got a fright, and ran away. We then trekked the 40 minutes back to old reliable for a nice sunset ride back to Maniti Camp and dinner of the pineapple chicken, rice, fried plantains, and orange halves. I packed up most of my bag ready for departure tomorrow while the lights were on and then went to leave a tip in the tip box for the kitchen staff. The tip box was covered in ants and I wondered if they would eat it before they unlocked it and took the tips. I laid down for another early night and dreamed about my next few nights in Iquitos with air conditioning, and a much more comfortable mattress and pillow that would help the intense pain I was getting in my legs and back every time I slept here.

[homomenhommes]

STORY: Ups And Downs 16

Character

(Note: This chapter does not contain a lot of explicit sex, but the information here is necessary to follow the development of the characters and the plot. Plus, there is a lot of humor and there will be more artwork at the end.)

“There you are,” Woody observed nonchalantly. I had clenched my eyes shut when Zac and Davey practically sucked me into a parallel universe, but I panicked when I heard the door of the limo open and saw Woody leaning over, almost touching me, as my dick blasted gobs of goop all over Zac and Davey’s faces and forced Woody to flinch lest he be caught in the onslaught of my cum barrage as well. Oh fuck! I just got this incredible job two hours ago, and now I’m gonna be fired before the ink on the paperwork dries.

“Kim has been looking for you two,” indicating Rafael and me as if nothing had just happened. “Your lunch is getting cold. I would invite you two (Davey and Zac) to join them, but it seems that you’ve already eaten.” Rafael, Davey, and Zac laughed at the joke with cum all over their faces and dripping out of their mouths, but I was still too panic-stricken to do anything but squirm in my seat—with my shorts down around my knees and my dick still at attention and still oozing joy juice.

And as Woody walked away, leaving the door wide open, Davey and Zac gave us both kisses as we pulled up our shorts and fled to the patio, where Kim was setting up our lunch.

“I knew you’d be starving, wanting more than a sandwich,” said Kim, “so I grilled you some steaks with baked potatoes and a medley of sauteed zucchini and squash. And if that’s not enough, I’ve got cookies baking in the oven.”

I was indeed starving, so I scarfed down the hearty meal, and when Kim brought us four hot chocolate-chip cookies, Rafael took a pass, so I devoured his two as well as mine. “I have to eat fast,” I confessed, “since this may be my last meal. I think I’m a dead man.”

“Because you had sex in the limo?” questioned Rafael. “Pfft. It’s not as big a deal as you might think. If Woody doesn’t say any more about it before breakfast tomorrow, you’re safe.”

“I hope so, but I’m not going to take any more chances today. Let’s get back to my training ASAP.” And so we did.

Rafael took me back to the garage and showed me how to operate all the new-fangled computerized gadgets in all the vehicles. When I asked about maintenance on the vehicles, Rafael explained that we were not expected to be mechanics. We just had to keep the vehicles clean, keep track of the maintenance required under the warranties, and schedule the service appointments.

Next on the agenda, Rafael showed me how to operate and maintain the pool and spa. I had a pretty good idea from having worked in the hardware store, but our family had never owned a pool ourselves, so I paid close attention to Rafael’s instructions. He then took me to the pool house and showed me where the supplies were kept.

The pool house was attached to a shed/workshop that housed all the lawn and garden tools as well as ladders, work benches, power tools, and other hardware, all of which I was very familiar with. “You may never have to use most of these tools,” said Rafael, “but some guys like to come in here and build stuff for their dorm rooms or whatever.”

Or to get their rocks off.

The next stop on our tour was the boat house down by the lake. There was no motor boat, but there was a paddle boat, a canoe, a kayak, a row boat, and related gear. “There’s not much to do here,” said Rafael. “All the guys are pretty good about putting things back where they belong when they’re finished, but we do make a point of following up on the guests when they use the boats just to be on the safe side.”

There was nothing to do at the barn or the guest houses, so we skipped those. “You just have to look after the gardens,” said my guide. “And just as with everything else, you can tap any of the guys around the pool to help out when needed.”

The tour and training session took us right up to 5:00 o’clock, and since we had an hour free before dinner, I decided to relax by the pool, but before I did, I went up to my room to retrieve a sketch pad I had brought with me. I had always enjoyed drawing but never really got to do as much of it as I had wished, so I thought now would be a good time to hone my skills.

Sitting at a table under the loggia on the patio, I began sketching portraits of some of the guys around the pool. “That’s very good,” stressed the voice over my shoulder. I recognized the voice immediately and snapped to attention as Mr. Block put his hand on my shoulder.

“Relax, Joe. No need for formalities. We’re all family around here.” As I settled back into my seat, Mr. Block lifted up the sketch pad I had placed on the table. “Do you mind?” he asked. What the fuck was I gonna say? “Hell no, asshole. Keep your goddam hands off my artwork?” Of course not.

Remaining standing, with Woody now at his side, Mr. Block flipped through several pages of the sketch book and nodded his approval. I don’t know if he appreciated the artistic talent or if he was just getting off on the fact that most of the sketches were nudes and some were undeniably homoerotic, but I accepted his endorsement gratefully.

“Woody did mention last night that you had an affection for the arts, and I can see that he was right.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Turning to Woody, Mr. Block said, “What do you think, Woody? Greenwich?”

“Yes, indeed. I’ll take care of it.”

I had no friggin’ idea what the hell they were talking about, but before I could ask, they walked on.

Rafael, who had been standing nearby, joined me at the table, but before I could ask him if he knew what they were talking about, Woody suddenly reappeared.

“You,” he asserted, pointing a finger as he addressed me, “and you,” he repeated, pointing this time at Rafael. “My office. Two minutes.”

“Oh shit!” I whispered to Rafael as soon as Woody was out of earshot. “He’s gonna can me for that little stunt in the limo.” Rafael said nothing. He just tried to console me a bit by rubbing his hand over my back. It felt good, but I knew it was pointless. The die had been cast.

“Not there,” said Rafael, as I started to knock on Mr. Block’s office door. Instead, he led me to another door at the other end of that wall. I had never noticed it before because it blended in so perfectly with the wood-paneled walls in the library.

“Come in,” said Woody in that deep sexy voice of his when Rafael knocked on that door. Getting chewed out or not, I could listen to that resonant voice all day and all night. I just hoped I wouldn’t pop a boner while he raked me over the coals. I thought he was fucking hot, but I also felt intimidated by him. Part of that was because of the fact that he was my boss and my fate rested in his hands; part of it was the simple fact that he had a commanding presence wherever he was or whatever he was doing.

“Sit down,” he said, indicating the two high-back leather chairs in front of his desk, nearly identical to the ones in Mr. Block’s office.

“I’m so sorry, Woody…Mr. Woodward. I won’t—”

“Have you killed someone without my knowing it?”

“Huh? No, I just—”

“Have you burnt down one of the guest houses?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then shut up and listen. If you’re trying to apologize for that little incident in the limo, forget it.”

Seeing the puzzled look on my face, he explained. “Look, Joe. You have suddenly found yourself thrust into a strange new world, and you don’t know quite what to make of it yet. You may feel like a kid in a sexual candy shop. That’s natural.

“Every boy dreams of screwing his prom date in the back of a limousine. Or having sex on an airplane.” With that comment, Rafael mustered all the strength he could to avoid laughing, and I turned beet red. “You’re blushing,” Woody continued. “That’s cute.” And that little observation fractured Rafael’s restraints. He burst out laughing so hard, I thought I was going to have to give him CPR. As for Woody, he simply broached that tiny demi-smirk of his, and I thought I saw a microscopic gleam in his eye as he paused and then continued.

“Over the next few weeks, you’ll probably play out your cowboy fantasies in the loft of the barn, your pirate fantasies in the row boat, or your Tarzan fantasies by swinging from the chandeliers. Don’t try that one,” he quickly added. “It didn’t work for me, and I’m sure as hell it won’t work for you.”

Oh, my god! Was that a confession?

“Go ahead,” Woody continued. “Get it all out of your system. Eventually, you will settle down. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later. Now, may we get down to business?” Once again, it was more of a command than a question.

“In a couple of weeks, Mr. Block is going to an art show in Connecticut—Greenwich to be more precise—and he would like you to go with him, Joe.”

Holy shit! Me?

He thinks you have some artistic talent, and I agree, and he wants to encourage that. As you have no doubt observed, Mr. Block is quite a collector of homoerotic art.

“Yes, and it’s all beautiful,” I said.

“Indeed. So, meet me here in my office tomorrow morning at 9:00, and we will start planning our trip.”

“Our trip?”

“Of course, I’ll be going with you. Somebody’s gotta keep an eye on you to keep you from swinging from the hotel chandeliers.” That comment was made all the more funny because he said it with his characteristic deadpan face, and Rafael again nearly fell out of his chair laughing. And I must admit, I thought it was pretty funny too.

“As for you, Rafael, you may be wondering why I brought you into this conversation.” As Rafael nodded his concurrence, Woody continued, “Mr. Block is inviting you to join us on this trip as well.”

“Really? But I’ll be leaving for Spain in just a few weeks.”

“Precisely,” acknowledged Woody. “Mr. Block wants to reward you for all of your exemplary service these past few years with this little vacation. You will fly to New York with us, but while we are at the art show in Greenwich, you can remain in New York City—all expenses paid, of course—and see the sights or do whatever horny young men do in such places when left without proper supervision. Once you leave here, you will not be returning to San Diego. Mr. Block has a little something he wants you to do for him on the East Coast, which I will explain in due time, and then you will be off to Spain, where you will become the worst nightmare of Catalonian mothers instead of the mothers of California’s defenseless young men.”

And to that comment, Rafael rubbed his hands together, batted his long eyelashes, and grinned like the proverbial cat that was about to eat the hapless canary.

Before either Woody or I could rein in Rafael’s hysteria, Mr. Block knocked on Woody’s office door. “Pardon the interruption,” he said. “Could I see you for a minute, Woody?”

“Excuse me, fellas. Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

“Whew!” I exclaimed the minute that Woody stepped out. “I thought for sure I was gonna get canned.”

“I told you not to worry,” said Rafael, slowly regaining his composure. “It all really boils down to character,” he added.

“Character? Whaddya mean? All the rampant sex around here, and you say it’s all about character?”

“Sex has nothing to do with character,” explained Rafael. “It’s really about how you treat people. You can demonstrate character with people whether you’re having sex with them or not. Likewise, you can demonstrate lack of character if you mistreat them. It’s not about sex. It’s about dignity and respect.”

“Wow! When did you become King Solomon?” I teased, but at the same time, I knew that what he had said made a lot of sense.

“Sorry about that, guys,” said Woody, re-entering the room and once again taking his seat behind the hand-carved executive desk.

“As I was saying,” he continued, “meet me here at 9:00 in the morning, Joe, and we’ll start planning our trip. I told you I could use your help with some administrative tasks. This will be your first chance to demonstrate those skills.

“While we’re doing that, Rafael, I need you to make sure the Navigator is ready. We’ll be going out right after our meeting.”

“That’s it for now. Go get ready for dinner.”

Rafael left the office ahead of me, but I paused, mulling over what he had just told me about character.

“Is there something else?” Woody asked me.

As I turned to face him again, I asked somewhat sheepishly, but very sincerely, “Would it be appropriate if I invited Davey and Zac to join us for dinner?|”

For a moment, Woody gazed at me as if he were trying to figure out if I was the same homeless vagabond he had rescued from a seedy motel room in Atlanta or if perhaps my body had been inhabited by some alien from another planet. But then there appeared that ever-so-slight smile at the edge of his lips and that miniscule gleam in his eyes. “Sure,” he finally said. “That will be just fine.”

As I turned again to leave, Woody caught me. “But make sure they are dressed appropriately for dinner. We wouldn’t want them to make a bad impression on Mr. Block.”

To be continued

+

[shardkeeperwip]

I decided to move the opening of Shardkeeper to earlier in the day to better introduce Rebecca and Paige before things hit the fan.

Excerpt under the cut.

My chest tightened and my feet rooted themselves to the dirt below while the other girls moved easily around me. Free choice of partners – so freeing to everyone else – froze me to the spot. Canoeing. It was just canoeing. I could hardly slow anyone down or get in anyone’s way. It was just sitting in a little boat and rowing. I’d wanted to do it a half-hour ago. Now I was sure I was going to mess up.

Sasha hurried past me to play rock-paper-scissors with Alma over who got to pair with Jasmine, the only one in the troop who’d been canoeing before. Other girls gravitated to their best friends or split off from larger gaggles into duos. I scanned the thinning crowd for someone who might offer their hand first. I didn’t want to annoy anyone. I told myself that it wouldn’t matter that I’d never done this before. Almost none of us had. We’d all be equally bad at it.

Some eyes glanced at me and then quickly slid away to other partners just as our gazes met. I’d done it. I’d held still too long and made it weird.

I felt a presence behind me and a light smack on my shoulder. I turned to see Paige Cullen’s freckled face and cheerful brown eyes.

“Come on, Rebecca,” said Paige, smiling brightly. “Don’t just stand there. Let’s pick a canoe and go!”

The tension that paralyzed me in place melted into relief, followed by regret.

“She just follows Paige around everywhere. Like she’s lost.” The whisper overheard at breakfast echoes in my thoughts.

“You’re okay with always doing stuff with me?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Where’s this coming from?” She cast a fierce gaze around at the other campers as though hoping she’d catch one of them smirking.

“I just… I mean… I’m not holding you back, am I?” I stammered. “In case you want to go with someone else?”

“I’m cool with going with you,” said Paige. “Did you want to go with someone else?”

By now everyone else was partnered up, so I shook my head and followed Paige. Why shouldn’t I always hang out with her? She was my friend, after all. I hesitated to call her a “best friend” because I’ve never really been sure where the mark is for that sort of thing, but we probably counted. She’d introduced herself to me at lunch one day. I was too shy to do more than just answer her questions at first, but now we share our interests and hang out. I don’t know how I’d have ever gotten along if Paige hadn’t made the first move.

Seven canoes set forth on the small lake (really more of a large pond, I thought). It didn’t take long to get the hang of rowing as we worked together to steer. A light breeze and an overcast sky kept us cool while a pair of ducks watched us from the reeds. It was nice. I let myself relax and followed Paige’s commands when she wanted to turn. It seemed silly that I’d been so hesitant earlier. This was fun.

“Your turn,” said Paige. She turned in her seat to face me.

“Huh?”

“To lead. You need to face the other way.”

“Oh. Uh.” I felt my stomach drop as the canoe rocked from side to side when I readjusted. What if I capsized us?

The canoe stabilized and I settled into place. I could see that another canoe had lost a paddle and the girls were pulling it back with the one they still had. They weren’t angry at each other for losing it, just giggling and cheering when they got it in reach.

“I need to be braver,” I muttered.

“Hm?”

I considered pretending I hadn’t said it aloud. That I’d just said ‘Let’s go left’ or something else. But I swallowed and repeated myself, head turned to Paige could hear.

“I need to be braver. I’ve been so worried about messing things up that I’ve been holding myself back. Look, Katie and Amanda can lose a paddle and carry on like nothing happened. I… I think I need to let myself make mistakes. I need to be braver.”

I wanted to scream. I really just said that all out loud, hadn’t I? I looked back at Paige, who put a hand to her chin in thought.

“You know,” she said. “I might just have an idea.”

[now-we-say-c0ral]

May 18, 2023

Woke up at 5am to Eddie's alarm. Asked him what date it is and he told me it's the 18th. We greeted each other a happy 6th monthsary. He gave me extra warm cuddles before leaving. I was too sleepy to reciprocate but I was awake enough to greet him though. Couldn't go back to sleep so I just did today's Wordle. I felt sleepy after and woke up around 9:50am.

I was excited for breakfast today because of the croissants I bought yesterday. Paired it with the protein nutella I had and fried 2 eggs and cooked the San Marino corned tuna that I had with me here. It was such a good breakfast. Cleaned the house a bit and went back upstairs to have a look at the canoeing services that was available in Lake District. We have to plan what we're going to be doing next weekend. I'm kind of excited to do some activities especially the water activities that we're planning.

Niki is going to be holding a concert here on October. I just ate breakfast and all the tickets under 40GBP were sold out already. My gosh. The ones that were left are all the 120GBP ones. I just gulped and said, "Fuck it!" and bought one ticket with my eyes closed. I was about to pass considering I'm well above my expenditure this month and payday's far from reach but I will not regret not going this time because I WILL BE THERE. I've missed Dua Lipa, Lady GaGa, Carly Rae, and etc and I will not miss any more concert from the artists that I love. I've let so many opportunities pass me by and I will not pass up any more. This year is literally my poor era and I kind of not regret it. I may be poor but I'm having fun so what the hell. Life's too short.

Played a bit of Zelda and called the family back in the Philippines. Took a shower afterwards and biked to Canning Town using a different route. Went to the barber shop first. It costed me 27GBP but the haircut was worth it. Went to Morrisons afterwards and bought the ingredients for Pork Binagoongan. Eddie wanted to cook but would be coming home late. I said that I didn't mind cooking. I told him he cooks the food that I want and I wouldn't mind cooking what he wanted too. He's going a bit late from climbing and he still wanted to cook just because he wanted me comfortable in the house. He's sweet but that's not how I do things. Went to the gym afterwards and did legs and some cardio.

Went home and cooked the dish he wanted. I think I've achieved the desired taste for the dish. Prepared his meal for tomorrow after cooking. He arrived a bit late, around 9:30pm. We had dinner together. The dish was a hit. I loved it, he loved it. My grandma would be proud of me.

Today was a good day.