Green - Leah | Blue - Shel
Hobbie, from where he was keeping the skiff sailing
semi-straight toward the deserted islandlet he'd pickedout, smiled as
he watched the wind blow stray strands from Feni's hair around.
Fen was
holding loosely onto the rail at the bow with one hand as the other kept
her long hair reigned in at the base of her neck. That's what she gets
for not braiding it, hmm? Every so often she would glance back at Hobbie
to
smile
adoringly and make sure he wasn't going to do something she would do and
speed up to go over the wake of another boat and splash the hell out of
her.
Little did she know, he had already been eying a wake
not far in the distance, one that a speederboat kept going back and forth,
and had turned into quite the froth....
Yeah,
and as they neared it, Fen was too busy admiring that carefree look about
her Hobbie -her Hobbie. What a pleasant thought- to notice the wake.
*fwoom! splash!* his face never betraying what he
was doing, it was too late, and Feni was thrown about some and nicely soaked.
The wash
of water and jolt from hitting the wake slid her all the way back to sit
against Hobbie, her hips nestled quite nicely between his knees. Looking
over her shoulder, dripping wet, she grinned knowingly at him. "You're
perfect.
I'm keeping you."
He blinked at her innocently. "Fen, are you aware
you're quite wet?"
"Yeah,
I noticed that. What do you think I should do about that?" She may be
drenched, but with her leaning against him, he was getting water run off.
"Well, you might want to take off that skirt and tanktop,
lay them out to dry..." he smiled wickedly.
"Good
idea!" Scrambling with an energy and false innocence, she started stripping
down and stretching her sarong and tank top out on a clear spot of deck.
"It's all soaked up here too. I'll just have to wait until we get
somewhere
dry." She looked at him over her shoulder, thick tendrils of wet hair
stuck to her back and a few to ehr face, her posture straight and VERY teasing.
He couldn't help but grin at the picture before him.
"You know something, Fen?"
"I know
lots of somethings. Which one are you talking about, Hobbs?"
He directed them toward a protected cove. He shrugged,
"I haven't decided yet," he gave her a half smile.
Smoothing
her hair from her face and making an attempt at controlling it, Fen just
smiled gently at him, wondering what he'd almost said,.
Hobbie expertly swerved their small sailskiff about,
getting up to grab the anchor and haul it overboard. When he did so,
he pulled up the sail so they wouldn't end up floating off.
She glanced
about her, grinning at the private beauty he'd brought her too. Yeah,
it was artificial and even seemed like in in a lot of places, but it was
still nice.
Artificially grown, but all the plants *were* real,
of course. He smiled and leaned back against the mast. "Well...?"
"Well
what?" she replied absently as her eyes explored the cove before she left
the skiff.
"Well, I thought maybe swim for a bit before we eat?"
he asked as he started stripping off his damp shirt.
"Sounds
like a plan to me," she grinned as she stood and hopped over the side of
the skiff, her feet splashing into the shallow water at the shore of the
cove. Laying her wet sarong and tank top out on a dry, sunbaked rock,
she
turned
and held out a hand for his damp clothing. "Here, I'll lay your stuff
out with mine to dry."
"Alright," he tossed her his shirt, then stripped
off his slacks and tossed them over as well. He'd already taken off his
shoes and socks once
they'd boarded the skiff, and so he was left in his
marine blue speedo. A few small scars lined him, one prominent one curved
up about his left side.
Without another word, he dove off the opposite end
into a place where the water went much deeper than it was at the opposing
end, there being a swift drop just beneath them.
Just
before he'd dove in, she'd grinned
at that speedo. She'd never been a speedo fan before, but then she'd only
seen fat, hairy men in speedos before. Once he was gone, she flipped her
hair over her shoulder, got a few steps running start before she too
dove
in, clearing the small shallow bit in her jump before she swam after him
He treaded water, waiting for her to catch up, then
darted to the side, splashing her playfully. This is what he needed.
to get completely away, and just... be.
Fen wasn't
a weak swimmer by any means, but she wasn't the best either. Surfacing
next to him to a small wave of water coming at her, she blinked a few times
before it really registered that Hobbie had splashed her. This was
almost
a completely new side to Hobbie, one that she'd only seen once before in
that lum fight a while back. "Hey!" she cried and splashed him back.
He laughed and ducked under the water out of sight.
Her hair
was floating in a big dark cloud around her as she tried to catch a glimpse
of him. "My little merman," she mummbled softly, laughing to herself.
He swam beneath her and tickled her feet, before popping
up not far behind her.
"ACK!"
she wiggled and squirmed, slipping beneath the waves a moment as she'd
stopped treading water.
He quickly reached out and pulled her up above the
surface, concerned she might accidentally inhale water in her surprise.
"Sorry."
With
his help, she resurfaced quickly and shook it off. "No harm no worries."
"Still... I often forget that not everyone is as at
home in the water as I am," he shrugged a watery shrug.
Beneath
the cool water, she slipped a hand into his. "It's just going to take
me a few minutes to get used to it again. Remember, I only ever had a pond
and pools."
He pulled her hand up and gently brushed his lips
against the inside of her wrist. "That's quite alright, Fen."
As she
treaded water, she bobbed a bit more than he did, but of course, that's
uz he was used to it and she was still getting there. "So now that you
have me out here, in my bathing suit, soaked from head to toe, and all
alone,
what
do you plan to do with me?" Her cheeks flushed a bit when he'd kissed
her wrist, her fingers curling a bit more around his hand. Romantic stuff
like that was going to be quite nice getting used to.
"I don't know," he held her hand in his as he tread
water just by kicking. "What do you want me to do with you?"
"Oh,
I dunno. I suppose you'll just have to go with your first instinct."
She shrugged a bit, her expression only mildly insinuating, and even that
wasn't intentional.
"I see..." he smiled softly and caught her up in his
arms, treading for the both of them as he lowerd his lips toward hers.
"How about this?" he asked softly just before their lips connected.
Kissing
Hobbie was still very new to Fen, elliciting a sort of warm wave of gooseflesh
and slight guilt each time, a guilt that was one of those 'I know I'm doing
something that's fun that I should get in trouble for, so I'm just
gonna
do it s'more' type of things. During the kiss she found an easy pattern
to kick her legs, making it easier for the pair to stay afloat. Yeah, like
she was going to let him tread water for the both of them. Sadly, the
need
for air
broke her lips from him, giving her a chance to respond, "Good choice,"
she teased before ducking out of his arms to sink beneath the waves and
swim back toward the shore.
He chuckled and, blushing, ducked beneath the waves.
Sliding
up into shallow enough water that she could turn and sit about waist deep
on the artificial shore, she watched him cut through the water with a natural
grace that very few had. Almost made her consider moving to a world
woth
more oceans just so she could see him like this more often.
He soon came closer, staying beneath the water, though
his stoomach was only about a foot from the false bed. He rested on his
elbows, staying mostly submerged, as he just looked at her.
After
a few silent moments like that, their bodies gently swayed by the currents,
she blushed a bit embarassedly. "What?" she questioned softly.
"I'm not allowed to look?"
He tilted hs head to one side, "I thought true art
was to be appreciated...."
Her mouth
opened and closed a few times like a fish out of water as her mind fumbled
for a reply. Nothing came save a brighter blush and her eyes averting
down to look at her feet stretched out in front of her.
He moved up beside her, and righted himself that he
might gently tip her chin with o ne hand that she would look at him. "Fen?"
"Yes?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, a fitting match for the deep blush
warming her face as she sun shimmered down on the pair, glistening on the
water around them and in their hair.
"Don't be embarassed," he said quietly.
"I'm
not," she fibbed a bit, smiling up at him.
"Liar," he whispered softly, with a slight smile.
"Yeah.
What are you going to do about it?" There was that grin again, lopsided,
and confident.
"I'm thinking..." he chuckled.
She laughed
softly, eyes alight with joy. "So that's what I-"
He stopped her mouth with his own, kissing her gently,
searchingly, lovingly.
She blinked
once, twice, before letting her eyes close and her heart melt into this
kiss Hobbie loved to gift her with so often now. She braced herself with
one hand, the other rising from the water to caress his cheek adoringly,
her fingers
eventually searching into his hair.
The hand that had tipped her chin moved to cup her
cheek. Somewhere in his subconscious, he wondered if he was simply love-starved.
However, he knew this was not the case. This very special woman had somehow
caught him... and he
was not about to allow her to let him go.
Her fingertips
pressed firmly against his scalp as she shivered under another wave of
those guilt shivers. She'd had something of an 'impure thought' about
the be-speedoed Hobbie and the private place in the sun he'd found them.
Leaning
into him, she wrapped her other arm over his shoulder, hugging him all
the closer.
He held them upright with one hand, as the waves splashed
gently about them. The hand cupping her cheek travled to cradle her head,
his fingers tangling in her soft, so very long hair.
She had
to to stop herself from breaking the kiss when that 'impure thought' came
back. She'd almost broken the contact on the thought of accidental pregnancy.
Hello! Fen! It's a bit late for that! Somehow, in that very brief
moment
of introspection, she'd found her way onto his lap, both of her arms hugging
him so close and tight.
He did break their kiss then, simply cuddling her
to himself as he planted small kisses on her shoulder before resting his
head there.
"Hobbie?"
she asked lazilly, not wanting to really break the moment, wishing that
they could stay here, in this puddle of happiness for days on end.
"Yes?" he mumbled into her neck
"You
know what I said earlier about not knowing how I felt about that second
man in my life?"
He clamped down on the cynical fear which threatened
to rise, and not trusting his voice, he simply nodded against her.
"I'm
pretty sure I figured out what I feel about him." She felt him tense a
little beneath her, but only noticeable because she was sitting on him.
He said nothing, letting a hand trail down the wet
strands of her hair on her bak.
A silence
she took cue on and copied, sighing very softly, her fingers tracing the
lines of his more defined muscles, working up his back to rub slowly along
the ridge on the back of his neck.
After a long silence, he spoke quietly. "And... what
have you decided?"
She leaned
back a bit, mimicing his maneuver of lifting her chin with his finger.
"Brace yourself, Hobbs."
He looked into her eyes questioningly.
"I love
you," she admitted softly, as bright a smile as she'd ever worn working
it's way into her eyes, though she kept only a gentle one on her lips.
He, however, could not smile so subtly. His grin
reached his eyes, and those blue orbs danced at her admission. "I love
you too, Fen," he admitted back to her before holding her closly.
"Yeah,
I know." Teasing in her voice, though really only lightly as she cuddled
closely in the arms of her Hobbie. Yes, her Hobbie.
He held her tightly, sudden realisation hitting him.
He'd admitted his love for her. And now... He shuddered slightly as
he pulled away and kissed her in effort to banish the spiraling thoughts.
This
kiss, unlike it's predecessor, didn't last as long as Fen broke it eventually,
albeit reluctantly. "Hobbie?" She searched his face in concern, wondering
why he had shuddered. "What's on your mind?"
He shook his head, "Don't, Fen... don't ask."
He sighed, "Just let me hold you."
while I may....
"Alright." She settled back into his arms,
resting her head on his shoulder, trying to figure out what he could have
been...."Oh," it came to her. His superstition.
He sighed softly, resting his cheek against her hair
as he stroked one hand along her back, holding her close in comfourt -
to whom, he did not know.
Looking
down at two of their hands pooled together in her lap, she smiled a bit,
taking his hand in hers and pressing it gently against her lower tummy.
"I keep forgeting sometimes that I'm going to be a Mommy. Moments like
this really make me look forward
to it."
He chuckled, "I'm sure your child will be as creative,
loyal, and kind, as his or her parents are."
"Yeah,
probably." That isn't quite what she'd meant, but in a lot of ways, she
was kind of glad he'd missed her point. In retrospect, it was definately
too soon for that train of thought. Shifting her mood a bit, she wiggled
on
his lap,
"Got your second wind?"
That wiggling wasn't a good idea, in response, he
grinned and pushed her off his lap before darting away, "Yep!" he called
to her.
"Hey!"
she laughed as she hit the rock shore beneath her, bouncing once on her
bum before she scrambled to her feet to chase after him.
"Hay is for Nerfs!" he called back to her, slowing
to jog backwards along the shoreline. Oops, dumb move. He hadn't gone
ten paces when he tripped and fell hard.
"uhnn."
"Hobbie!!"
she cried as she sped from her chase to a concerned run. Falling to her
knees next to him, she winced a bit at the pain from that, though pushed
it aside to do a precursory check on him. "Are you alright?" Ok, can
we
say over
concerned? Very good! Now, can we say accident prone? I knew you could!
He sat and shook his brains back into place, "Yeah,
I'm fine," he smiled, almost goofily, at her.
Another
bright blush lit her face as she realized just how much she had over reacted.
"Sorry."
He chuckkled and reached up to grab her down to his
level.
She fell
the short distance to his side, grinning brightly. "Hey there stranger."
He winked at her, "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise.
Anyone ever tell you that you're quite an attractive guy?"
"Are you telling me that?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Not
just yet, I'm not. I want to know if anyone else has said it before me
so that I can find a more original way of telling you."
He shrugged and smiled, "Not in a long time, I don't
think."
"Oh good."
She grinned brightly, pausing for a long moment until that smile on his
face flickered a bit. "Oh, sorry. Hobbie? You're a very handsome man,
and that one mechanic chick is lucky to have you."
He burst out laughing, "you're a piece of work, Fen.
You know that?" He leaned closer, their noses almost touching. "A very
beautiful piece, at that."
She adopted
a sort of grin and a roll of her eyes that falsely dismissed his compliment.
"I like to think that I'm two or three pieces skillfully put together."
"As is often found in a work of art." he responded
quickly.
"Oh?
Since when are you an art conessuer?" she questioned with a flick of her
brow.
He tilted his head slightly and thought about it.
"Oh.... I don't know."
"A fairly
recent development then?"
He shrugged.
"Ok then,
Mr Art Conessuer, tell me what you think of that view then." she nodded
over toward the closer shore lined with grey city scape.
"I think it is more lovely than last time I beheld
it."
"Really?"
she looked back, wrinkling her nose a bit. "I dunno, I kinda miss the
green hills just outside Coronet."
He turned to look at her, "I don't think you understand,
Fen. Sure, the dusky grey outlining the shore gives it some of an ethereal
quality, however...."
"However?"
She looked back at him, brows raised in curiosity.
"It's only beautiful because you're here beside me,"
he smiled.
The corners
of her lips curled in a grin. "Hobbie, that is both the sweetest thing
and the corniest thing I've ever heard you say!" She giggled a bit, her
nose scrunching in her laughter. "I love it!"
He chuckled, "I realised that as soon as I said it."
He winked at her.
He lifted a finger and poked her nose.
"Beep!"
He blinked, his jaw dropping, then he fell back on
the ground as he laughed. Force, it felt so good to laugh.
Crawling
up on her hands and knees, she braced herself over him, slowly drying hair
framing her face and shoulders. "What are you laughing at, goofball?
Haven't you ever heard of a nose noise before?"
He chuckled, shakiing his head and grinning like a
fool.
"Well
then, lets learn what your nose noise is, shall we?" LEaning her weight
on one arm, she pressed a finger to his nose and let out a low pitched "Honk!"
His jaw dropped and his eyebrows seemed to draw every
which way. "What the-" he just started laughing again.
"you're crazy!"
"Yup!"
she declared proudly. "You're the one with the horn for his nose noise."
He screwed up his face, "You did that on purpose."
"No I
didn't! I swear!"
He just looked at her.
She swung
her leg over, one hand and one knee on either side of him. "That nose
noise is unique and yours alone," her fairly serious tone announced, though
her face was alight with joviality.
"So why does it sound like a Gouse?"
"Well,
hun, you do have a slightly larger nose. I think it's perfect for your
face though," she amended, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose lightly.
When she did so, he quickly captured her in his arms
so she could not get away.
Pushing
up against the reach of his arms, she pretended to struggle a little, finally
giving up and collapsing atop him with an "oof."
He chuckled, "Got you."
She did
have enough room to look solidly into his eyes, her smile soft and loving.
"Yes, you do."
He loosened his grasp as he lifted his head to kiss
her nose. "Good." His stomach growled.
"What
was that?" She hadn't heard it all that clearly, thinking it was something
much more distant and therefore loud.
He chuckled, "That was my stomach telling me it was
time to feed the pilot."
"Feed
the pilot, hmm? What would the pilot like to eat?"
"How about the food I stashed aboard while you were
using the fresher back at port?"
"Ooh!
What did you get?" She sat up, resting part of her weight on his hips.
"Nothing special... just a few grinders."
"That
actually sounds really good." The sound of a nummy chilled sandwhich made
her mouth water a bit.
"Well... We can't get back to the boat until you get
off me," he chuckled.
She looked
down at her seat, a finger idly tracing around his belly button, then back
toward the skiff, then back down again. "IT's too hard of a decision!"
she whined.
He regarded her silently.
Her face
scrunched into a sort of pout. "I found this really great seat that I
don't want to give up, but I'm starting to get a bit hungry...."
He started chuckling softly, the low rumbling low
in his chest.
She leaned
down again, pressing a warm kiss to his lips before finally releasing her
'hold' on him.
He smiled slightly and got to his feet.
