Phenomenal

30 ~ Fireflies

"My next boxing match had been decided."

Clarissa looked up at him as they walked, him a couple of steps ahead, his hands shoved in his pockets as he kicked a stone across the sand.

"Yeah?" she said, skipping to catch up with him, catching his sleeve. He moved his arm away from his side and she slid her arm through the loop before he closed the gap again. "Is it another charity event?"

"Yeah, seems so. It'll be next week, if you still want to go."

"I'd like to go," Clarissa said and he rolled his eyes. "Ah don't make a fuss now, you said I could go."

"Shouldn't have been so nice."

"It's your fatal flaw," Clarissa said and Damien smirked. "What calibre is it? High class like the last one?"

"Yeah, penguin suits and all."

"I have yet to see you in a penguin suit," Clarissa said, laughing, "Though in my head, you don't look very comfortable. That little dickie-bow looks tight."

He grinned as he looked down at her. "What makes you think I wear that ridiculous bow? I have the collar open; I'm not getting choked by those clothes on top of getting the hell beaten out of me."

"Ey, that attitude doesn't win fights," Clarissa said, prodding him in the side, making him recoil away. She held up her hands, surprised. "Did I hit a bruise?"

"... Yes," Damien said, turning his face away and easing his arm away from her.

Clarissa looked up at him for a moment, then gasped, throwing her hands to her mouth as she realised something she'd never realised before because she'd usually been patching him up when she'd touched him.

"Ticklish!" she shouted and launched at him, grabbing his waist, making him let out a scream about three octaves higher than normal and fall over, crashing into the dunes as he grabbed her and her punishing fingers, keeping her as arms length.

"Stop that you little monster!" he snarled as she waggled her fingers threatening at him, grinning like an idiot.

"Oh c'mon, let me have my fun, gives me a reason to feel you up," Clarissa laughed and he growled at her, forcing her back, away from him, catching both her hands in one of his own before catching her waist with his free hand and she screamed.

Clarissa's entire body went limp against him and he let out a wicked cackle, dragging her closer to him.

"No!" she cried, "Damien! Sto-KYA!" She shrieked with laughter as he tickled her tummy, only releasing her when she managed to bite his hand and forced him to recoil.

She fell backwards, scrambled to her feet and ran.

"Hey!" he cried, laughing as he stumbled up and ran after her.

Their morning runs had clearly taken affect over the last few months. Damien actually had to try to catch her, pouncing as soon as he was in reach, wrapping his arms around her and they fell over.

He managed to turn at the last second and he hit the sand on his back, Clarissa using his chest as a mattress and they started laughing, Clarissa rolling off him to collapse to the ground as they giggled uncontrollably.

Up above the stars were starting to bloom, catching up with the moon that had come up hours ago. Clarissa smiled slightly as she pushed herself onto her elbows, tilting her head back to look at the stars as Damien stretched out, clasped his hands behind his head and closing his eyes.