MAEA
It's the smiles that make it hard, really. And the trust. And the suggestion that he has no ulterior motives, not really. That he's not planning any of this, just... take things as they come. It's that devil-may-care attitude that makes her reckless, feel invincible... and makes everything feel so damned risky.
Talking about bows and training is a distraction, and a welcome one. But even as she tries to think of something else to say, Sunjata jolted towards her. She saw the surprise on his face, realized this wasn't part of the easy shifting he'd done on and off, and watched in some confusion as he sunk down below the surface. His shifting grip held her in place all the same - his hand was radiating heat against her waist, even through the fabric of her shift - but it was second to a brief concern that rushed through her mind. Had the river carried debris into his back? Was he hurt, did he bleed, what did she know about bandaging wounds and stopping...
"A... fish? It was a fish? Maea stared at him in outrage for a moment, head reeling with the implications. Then she began to laugh, a bright cheerful sound that filled the air and bounced off the rocky cliffs along the banks. It unclenched her fists, undid some of the tension that had been gathering in her spine. Sucking in a breath, she tried to calm herself... but the laughter only started up again as she looked at Sunjata and saw the amusement there.
She hardly even noticed how much closer they'd gotten as she shifted an arm and gathered up some water, that she splashed onto the side of his face in a mock slap without any force. "You nearly had me scared, boy. I thought you'd been hit by something big!" Still grinning, she held on a little tighter with the arm that still wrapped around his neck, not sure she was ready to battle the current on her own just yet.
Talking about bows and training is a distraction, and a welcome one. But even as she tries to think of something else to say, Sunjata jolted towards her. She saw the surprise on his face, realized this wasn't part of the easy shifting he'd done on and off, and watched in some confusion as he sunk down below the surface. His shifting grip held her in place all the same - his hand was radiating heat against her waist, even through the fabric of her shift - but it was second to a brief concern that rushed through her mind. Had the river carried debris into his back? Was he hurt, did he bleed, what did she know about bandaging wounds and stopping...
"A... fish? It was a fish? Maea stared at him in outrage for a moment, head reeling with the implications. Then she began to laugh, a bright cheerful sound that filled the air and bounced off the rocky cliffs along the banks. It unclenched her fists, undid some of the tension that had been gathering in her spine. Sucking in a breath, she tried to calm herself... but the laughter only started up again as she looked at Sunjata and saw the amusement there.
She hardly even noticed how much closer they'd gotten as she shifted an arm and gathered up some water, that she splashed onto the side of his face in a mock slap without any force. "You nearly had me scared, boy. I thought you'd been hit by something big!" Still grinning, she held on a little tighter with the arm that still wrapped around his neck, not sure she was ready to battle the current on her own just yet.
