Operation: Healing Shadows

A short date

Luna's pov
I looked at Mason as he ran his hand over the thin beard he's grown over the course of the last couple weeks, I asked "gonna shave?" He looked over "I'm not sure yet, should I?" I carefully inspected his face, "Nej, I think it looks good. Could use a trim but" he chuckled before nodding "I suppose I am a bit wild looking" I looked up from my book again "Ja, I agree" he glanced over playfully pouting "you're not supposed to agree" I chuckled at the pout before looking at my book again "I know" he sighed but slowly started trimming the beard. I glanced up before asking "Mace, does it ever feel wrong to be here living like this?" He put down the scissors before replying "yeah, yeah it does. I miss our friends and the comfortable beds, the regular showers.... everything. I hope we've got something that'll give us an answer here" I sighed before looking up at him, carefully inspecting him as he went about grooming himself. I continued reading until I heard his voice "hey Gemstone, why don't we go out for a bit? I heard from some of the locals there's a good ocean safari to take nearby" I asked distractedly "How long before we head for Tsavo?" He replied quickly "3 days" I sat up before asking another question "why do you wanna go on this safari?" He was quiet causing me to ask again "Mace, what's up? Something wrong?" He was looking at his prosthetic "I wanna be normal for a little bit, I don't want to be a special operator, or a cripple, or even some senator's son. I just want to experience being normal for a little while"
      I marked my page and placed my book on the bed next to me before I walked over to the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe "Alright, let's go on this date. Do me a favor will you? Stop wishing to be someone else, you're just gonna end up hating yourself" he looked over his shoulder at me before nodding "I'll try, but I make no promises" I smiled faintly as I nodded "Good, just try" he chuckled before doubling over laughing, my confusion grew as he continued to laugh until I couldn't take it anymore "what? What's so funny?" He sat on the edge of the bathtub and looked up at me "My father once told me I'd meet someone who could make every problem fade away, I told him that it was more likely I'd be a criminal. Well look at me now a criminal and going on dates with someone who makes everything fade" I covered my mouth with my hand as I grinned like an idiot behind it. He stood and prodded my side with his elbow before saying "I'm starving, you comin'?" I nodded before spinning on my heel and saying "Mind waiting 5 minutes while I change?" He cocked his head to the side before nodding "Of course, take your time" I walked over to my bag and grabbed a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top before walking to the bathroom, the last thing I saw was Mason laying on the bed looking at the book I was reading.
Mason's POV
"He gently caressed my body before he.... what the fuck Luna? What even is this?" I stared in horror at the words on the page as I realized what Luna was reading. I quickly slammed the book shut and tossed it on the second bed sitting in shocked silence at the revelation "Luna's kinky.... what the fuck am I supposed to do with this information" I felt a sick intrigue grow in my chest as I looked at the leather back book on the other bed and considered opening it again before fighting the urge. I lost track of time looking down when I heard the door open and saw Luna in her new outfit, her face drained of color when I caused the book to slam shut with a loud clap and I commented "Interesting taste" she stuttered "I... I can.... I can explain...." I motioned her to go on with a twinkle in my eyes "oh please do explain" she managed to squeak out "Grace.... I asked her for book recommendations.... she... she uh, she recommended that.... I didn't realize it was that.... steamy" I looked at the title before looking at her "really? You didn't think a book titles 50 days of eroticism was steamy?"
      She looked down a combination of pale skin and bright rosy red cheeks on her face as she shook her head no, I sighed before dropping the book and standing "My dearly beloved, you're too innocent" she looked up at me as her face shone with worry "you're not gonna judge me for this right? I didn't know...." I shook my head no as my face shifted to a warm smile "never, come on.... let's go have some fun for a bit" she nodded before giving me a tight hug, it felt like my lungs were going to implode as she mumbled "tak skal du have(thank you)" I patted her back as I wheezed out "My lungs, air... I need air" she released and shifted nervously from foot to foot "undskyld(sorry)" I chuckled as I took in air "It's okay" she gripped my hand and led me through the hotel and down the stairs. I sighed in contentment which Luna mistook for disappointment "you're still judging me... aren't you?" I recoiled in shock at the accusation "What, no. I'm just oddly happy right now, I can't really explain it" she nodded before asking "Like it'll all be alright?" I confirmed her question "yeah, yeah that's right" she smiled before speaking "it's because I'm here, I'm just that awesome" I rolled my eyes but laughed at her antics.
I raised my hand to block the suns rays until my eyes adjusted to the sunlight and I looked around the busy streets, I heard Luna to my left "I'll drive" my eyes glanced over to her before I pulled the keys out of my pocket and tossed them to her "It's your car" she smirked as she slid in while I shook my head in amusement and walked to the passenger seat. We drove through the streets while listening to music and talking "So what's this water safari? I've never heard about it" I looked into the market as I replied "Shark watching, like whale watching but you're watching the big White Sharks hunt" she nodded before speaking "I've always wanted to watch them jump" I replied happily "yeah, ever since I was a kid I've wanted to see it in person" she patted my shoulder before speaking "we'll be there shortly" I spoke to no one in particular "good, good." When we arrived at the docks I took Luna's hand while we walked towards the boat, the captain was at the helm double checking everything until he looked up at the sound of "Mornin'" he replied tiredly "Morning, how're we doing today?" Luna replied "Good" and I followed it up "I'm doing pretty well, how about yourself?" He smiled as he spoke "I'm just lovely, come aboard, come aboard, we'll be casting off soon" I dropped in and turned to help Luna in, I gripped her waist and lifted as she jumped and spun so she was next to me when she landed.
She smiled as she spoke "tak skal du have(thank you)" I nodded as the rest of the crew climbed on "good morning Cap" he gave a nod of recognition before speaking to them "Get your stations squared away we're leaving in a minute" they nodded and started moving around the deck while Luna and I sat at the seats in the bow and talked. 3 minutes later we were off and on our way to Seal Island, I heard Luna "I'm so excited!" As she yelled over the wind, I nodded as I yelled back "me too!" She smiled excitedly as we bounced over the rough seas. I heard one of the crew members "Well be there in an hour to an hour and a half, right when the sharks start hunting" I nodded before asking "What's gonna happen when we reach Seal Island?" The man responded "Well we're gonna follow a group of seals until the sharks show up to get some food, the seals get hit almost hourly" I heard Luna "How big are the Sharks?" The woman next to him spoke excitedly "Most are around 15 feet long, we've had a big girl here lately who's about 20 feet" I shook my head as the words bounced around my head "20 feet? The fuck, that could take half my abdomen in one bite" they nodded before I heard the captain "Rich, Jen, I need you guys up here!" They disappeared into the cabin while I watched the ocean pass.
We reached the area and got handed binoculars and told "Watch for any seals with their heads above water, sharks target those" I nodded and continued searching. 1 hour later I had just shifted my eyes to one of the seal pups and mused to myself "god you are adorable" as the water around the pup erupted and the white nose of a Great White Shark replaced most of my view, I saw the white eye protection as the sharks jaws clamped shut, I was expecting to see the seal in her mouth only to see it flailing wildly as it belly flopped. I heard Luna "hellig lort(Holy shit)" I nodded as we watched the seals in the area swimming quickly for the island. The seal pup was doing many quick maneuvers trying to lose the shark which wasn't seen chasing it, the seal stopped and looked around for any sign of the shark. I scoured the water for it until Luna spoke "right below it" I shifted my binoculars to the area and saw the dark silhouette of a shark before it erupted in a geyser of white water with the seal squarely in its jaws. I sighed before muttering "I had money on you" Luna looked at me surprised before she poked "Shark always wins" I rolled my eyes before Rich spoke "Do you guys wanna see a shark up close? We can chum them in" I looked at Luna before nodding "I do but it's up to the lady" rich shifted his attention to Luna as she nodded "Ja, definitely."
Rich grabbed a bucket and asked "Mason do you any to help me get the chum ready?" I shrugged before following him to the table. He handed me a knife "I need you to cut off the head and put both the head and the body in this bucket" I nodded and started quickly cutting through the dead tuna . Rich asked "You're really comfortable with a knife, are you a soldier?" I spoke sadly "in a past life, I was but no longer" he nodded suddenly hyper aware of the tone before he spoke "we've got enough, let's get it out in the water" I saw him put on the lid and tie the rope through the bucket before throwing it into the water. I sat next to Luna and nudged her shoulder "excited to see a shark up close?" She nodded before speaking "they've been one of my favorite animals since I was a kid" I chuckled as we waited. 30 minutes later I heard Jen "Shark, We got one. It's Mission" I asked Rich "Who's mission?" Rich replied "he's an 18 ft white shark that got tagged here 8 years ago" I nodded and looked out at the water and saw the face and large toothy grin of a white shark three times my size as he turned and kept circling the boat. We watched the sharks that visited for hours as Luna and I got familiar with the sharks so much so we could name them as they swam by, until The Captain called "We have to head back, there's a storm comin in and I don't want to be stuck in it" I sighed I didn't want to leave the sharks I'd become so fond of. I sat next to Luna as she leaned into me and we headed back towards the port and only got closer to our deadline to hit the target, I rested my head on Luna's "Was it worth coming out here with me?" She nodded as she stayed quiet "I'm tired" I chuckled as I replied "me too, when we get back to the hotel I'm goin to sleep" her shoulders racked with unheard laughs before she spoke "you're getting old, it's only 2" I shot back with feigned offense "Well it's not my fault, nap times are important" she nodded as we watched Seal Island fade from view.