The Beat of a Dancing Heart

[featheredhugs]

Date: June 12th, sunset
Location: On the front steps of the Manor
Status: Kirby, Raphael

Raphael had his wings stretched out sunning themselves. He always seemed to grow tired around this time and he knew better than to believe it had nothing to do with the blade. Normally he kept it at the small of his back, but for now he had it resting by his side, the jewel reflecting in the final rays of sunlight.

He was slightly hunched over his journal, a little bit oblivious to his surroundings, humming slightly as he trapped his thoughts and confined them to the lined pages.

((*))

Comments

[beachbunnykirby]

"Not at all!" Kirby said. She glanced around. "Do you need to get her?"

[featheredhugs]

"she's over there... Come on, Pancake!"

The pup looked up from where it was curled under the tree and scampered over. Raphael picked it up. "This is Pancake."

The animal wagged it's pom-pom tail as it looked at Kirby.

[beachbunnykirby]

Kirby bent over to scratch the little thing's ears. "She's adorable," she said. "You're sure she can swim without danger?"

To her, the dog looked just about the right size to be fish food if the fish was large enough.

[featheredhugs]

"Oh yes! She is an excellent swimmer. Would you like to play fetch with her? We can take turn throwing her frisbee."

[beachbunnykirby]

"If you're sure there's nothing that'll think her just the right size for dinner, sure!" Kirby grinned at him. "Let's go! Come on, Pancake!"

She stopped after a few steps and turned to Raphael again: "You got something to throw around?"

[featheredhugs]

He realized he had been staring as she started away from him. "Uhm. Yes." He held up a neon pink frisbee.

[beachbunnykirby]

"Good!" She said. "We'll all enjoy a dive into that pool I'm certain."

She jogged ahead to their destination, relying on angel and dog to follow her.

[featheredhugs]

Raphael snapped out of his stare, but was having a hard time keeping his gaze from drifting to her as he ran to catch up. She was a good runner, artistic, even, the way her hair flowed behind her and her muscles flexed and her-

Oof! He found himself falling back and looking up at a very large tree. When did that get there??

[beachbunnykirby]

Kirby was used to keeping an eye and ear on her surroundings, even when she wasn't seeming to. She did notice Raphael's little mishap, even though she gave no indication of it. She merely chuckled silently to herself.

"Last one there has to pay for drinks at the bar tonight!" she called out.

[featheredhugs]

He picked himself up. His pup was already bounding after her, wagging its tail. The angel's cheeks colored, wondering what right did that tree have to just step right there in the middle of the - oh. Must be a side effect of the fever. He apologized silently to the tree for trespassing and got back onto the road, racing to catch up to her.

...though maybe he had slowed down just a little. She did look lovely from behind.

[beachbunnykirby]

Kirby skidded to a halt just by the edge of the pool. "I win!" She announced. "Drinks are on you!"

[featheredhugs]

He could feel that his face was red. "Okay," he said with a chuckle.

[beachbunnykirby]

"That's for later, though," she said. "Now, the pool is nice and cool after that run, I bet. You look a little flushed, you know..."

She wondered if she should just start to wear a bikini under her clothes, considering how often she'd recently gone swimming in her underwear.

Well, whatever.

She took off all the clothes that would hinder swimming and dove right into the water, head first.

[featheredhugs]

And He saw that it was good... Yup, he knew what Father meant by that when He first created man and woman. He was staring and he knew it. And he had suddenly become very very hot. His clothes, normally nicely ventilated, made him almost feel as if the fabric was strangling him. It must have been the run, human corporations have a tendency to do that after physical activity.

"It was the run," he managed to squeak out. "It made me hot."
He could not stop staring.... What was wrong with him?!

[beachbunnykirby]

"Then jump in and cool off," Kirby suggested, seemingly oblivious to his reaction.

She did wonder if that young man had never had any contact with women before. Maybe he had gone to an all-boys' school or wherever people with wings usually went to. Or maybe there were no winged women at all...

[featheredhugs]

He had to tear his stare gaze away from the sight of Kirby's wet skin gliding through the water. He picked up Pancake's toy and tossed it. The pup excitedly pounced after it, making a big splash as she did.

[beachbunnykirby]

"So, what about you?" Kirby asked. "I'm in, the dog is in. Are you staying out?"

[featheredhugs]

"uhm...." His cheeks were burning. "I'm just... supervising. Like a lifeguard."

[beachbunnykirby]

"Supervise from in here!" Kirby told him. "It's really nice here."

[featheredhugs]

"Uhm... uhm, ah..." He swallowed hard (when did he need oxygen, really?) "But then we might both drown and uhm..."

His cheeks burned. "Well, okay."
Then he realized.
"I didn't bring anything to swim in."

[beachbunnykirby]

"Do I look like I brought anything to swim in?" Kirby asked back.

[featheredhugs]

"Uhm. Well... I didn't notice."

Well it wasn't like he had anything to hide...
He ducked behind a tree to remove his robe. "Don't peek!" he called out.

[beachbunnykirby]

"As you command, mylord," Kirby called back and started swimming back and forth in the pool.

[featheredhugs]

Raphael peered around to make sure she really wasn't peeking, then wrapped his wings around him as best as he could and slipped into the water, his wings sticking straight up as if he was afraid they would melt if they got wet. His blade was still strapped to his back and the scar it was leaving behind was more obvious with his wings up.

"Uhm, the water is cold," he pointed out.

[beachbunnykirby]

"You'll get warm if you move," Kirby promised. "Come on - the last one by the other bank has to pay for ice cream for both of us afterwards."

She didn't want for his reply but launched herself off across the pond.