I only meant to stay out one night...I didn't think I'd be stepping into a whole new world....
This is fan fiction mashup of two of my favs...all credit of brilliance goes to CL Stone for her amazing Academy characters and Andrea Hosts Touchstone...
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I dove into the water and kicked back to the surface. Nathan stood at the pool edge still, hands on his hips and smirking down at me.
"What?" I asked, "Are you not coming in?"
His blue eyes twinkled. "Let's use the breathers and go into the deep section. We haven't done that just for fun in awhile. Usually, it is all work when we get down there."
"Okay," I said as I swam to where he stood.
He handed me a breather and then jumped into the pool with a splash. He surfaced only a moment to place the breather in his mouth and we went under. I swam slightly behind and to the left of Nathan, admiring the play of muscles beneath the nanosuit as he made powerful strokes with his arms through the water.
We approached one of the tunnels that twisted and looped into a lower section of the underwater course. Nathan opened a channel so we could communicate. ****** Interface Channel: private Users: N🔥te, S💝
N: Do you want to go this way or through a different area?
S: This one is okay. I like the box section, too.
N: We can do both.
Nathan darted down into the tunnel opening.
N: Do you want to activate the lights?
S: The blue or the red?
N: Ha. Red is my favorite color but it looks weird down here. Let's do the green actually. ******** Tiny pinpoints of soft green lights spiraled around the walls of the tunnel. The tunnels were clear in most places, and lights were positioned all around the large aquatic training pool, even at the very bottom, but I liked the little colored lights. Nathan dimmed the big floodlights and I could see the green better. I smiled as we swam further through the course, thinking that maybe picking up the green was a way to show me he and Kota were good now...maybe even a small thanks to Kota for giving us time together alone.
After making our way through all the loops and twists of the tunnels we moved to the boxes section. When Marie and I were little and played together one of our favorite games was hide-and-seek. This section of the underwater course was perfect for hide-and-seek. The guys had thought it fun when I had explained the game before. Luke had been especially good when we played. **** S: Remember the game I showed you all last time?
N: uh, sure...you called it hide and search...or something?
S: yes, close enough....hide-and-seek. Want to play?
N: just two of us?
S: we can...or not if you don't want to.
N: it's game on Peanut! Counting until twenty...one...two.... ***** I twisted around and took off around a corner pulling myself through three box rooms the were connected, then tucked myself into the top corner. I watched my bubbles drift down after exhaling and realized my sense of up and down was a bit skewed. I recalled North's lecture on that and giggled silently to myself. ***** N: Ready, Set, Go!
S: You say 'Ready or not, here I come' ha ha
N: HA! Ok...Ready or not here I come! ***** Sound was muffled, but I heard some occasional knocks as Nathan searched for me. Eventually his face peeked around the entryway to my left and I was spotted. He propelled himself towards me through the water and pulled me into a hug. **** N: Found you...I think I earned something.
S: Really? What?
N: Take a breath, pull out your breather. **** We both did and he pressed his mouth to mine. Nathan's kisses were sometimes sweet, sometimes passionate, but this seemed hesitant, like he wasn't sure of my acceptance. I pressed closer to him, trying to show him everything I felt. He responded with deeper, more confident kisses. We had to take little breaks for breaths between kisses. When we finally pulled apart to start returning to the surface, I felt so cherished in a way I could never have imagined back on Earth.
Gabriel was waiting for me at the surface. He was wearing clothes for going out to Konna.
"Oy, Trouble, hurry out of there. I need to fix your hair. It looks like shit all wet. I can't take you shopping like that," he said offering me a hand out of the pool.
"Who is escorting you to the city?" Nathan asked, joining us at the towel rack. I wasn't sure who decided I would always have two Setari accompanying me outside of KOTIS, probably the Council, or maybe just North.
"Marc is, since he thinks he has a new blend for Uncle to try with those muffins," Gabriel replied. "There is a new dress store near the cafe, I want to check out anyway."
"Okay, well be careful and have fun, Peanut," Nathan said as Gabriel and I left. He was still watching us, longing in his expression, as we turned the corner down the hall.
Gabriel slid his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.
"Oy, Trouble, we've got to find you a dress for Victor's New Year Celebration Concert," he said, smiling.
"I did not know what the concert was for. Is New Year's a big holiday?" I asked.
"Depends, some people exchange presents, have parties, eat lots of food and drink fermented klavi," Gabriel replied, then asked, "What about Earth? How do you celebrate the new year there?"
"Similar. On Earth, at least in my country and most places, people celebrate a holiday called Christmas just before the new year where they exchange gifts, but the new year is celebrated with a countdown and fireworks, parties and drinking, and...uhm...well, kissing..."
"Kissing?" Gabriel stopped and turned to me suddenly. His eyes were bright and curious, "What do you mean kissing?"
"Um...I think you are supposed to kiss whoever you are nearest when the countdown gets to zero," I said, heat radiating from my cheeks.
His eyes narrowed and he quizzed, "What kind of kiss...what if you're next to your brother or your grandmother?"
"I think, you could kiss them on the cheek," I squeaked.
His eyes dropped to my lips and his voice grew husky, "And what if you were standing next to me? How would you kiss me?" He leaned in to leave only the tiniest space between us.
I wet my lips and gently pressed them against his. After a soft sigh, he took over the kiss, and his tongue darted out against the seam of my lips. I opened my mouth slightly in surprise and he took that as an invitation to deepen the kiss. I was flooded with warmth and the new sensation of his tongue caressing mine. My knees wobbled and I leaned into him for support.
He pulled back with a throaty laugh. "Ha! Trouble, you really are trouble. Fuck, we shouldn't be doing this in the middle of the hall."
I pressed my hands to my cheeks in embarrassment, gaze dropping to the floor.
"Hey, Sang. Sorry, don't...fuck, don't look like that," Gabriel groaned and put a finger under my chin. "I'm an idiot. Don't listen to me. You are...Fuck, I would kiss you all day anywhere you want. I just imagined doing all that romantic shit for our first kiss, and I am fucking it up by...."
I gave him another small kiss to interrupt. I pulled back and our eyes met. His crystal blues swam with questions. "It was perfect," I said.
"Fuck, yeah," he whispered and then grabbed my hand and started down the hall again. "Come on. We've got shopping to do."
