Dovev teaches Aidan to swim, 7/13/2005

• Aidan 's stockings and shoes are discarded on the beach.
• Aidan is walking knee-deep through the surf, skipping rocks moodily. His hair whips about loosely in the breeze, and his shirt is

 half-unbuttoned.

• Aidan looks damn sexy right now, which is unusual for him.
• Dovev slides inland through the clear cool water.
• Aidan is usually too self-conscious to look damn sexy but he seems rather careless about his appearance today, which lends him a rather

 edgy, rugged air.

• Aidan stoops to pick up another rock and whips it out into the waves, altering his trajectory at the last minute when he spots something

 sinuous coming through the waves and tries not to hit it.

• Dovev rises from the water, shifting into his humanoid shape as he does so.
• Aidan nearly loses his footing, he jerks so violently to avoid throwing a rock at you. So much for looking rugged and edgy.
• Dovev stands about chest deep in the sea, fully clothed,the ends of his hair floating in the water.
• Aidan rubs his hands on his sides nervously, a gesture left over from his boyhood.

<Aidan> (From when Tally would always get them into trouble!  ;D )

• Dovev steps forward to about waist depth; the sea floor is rather steeply sloped here.

<Aidan> (It would have been like Aidan was trying to wash his hands of whatever mischief Tally would put him up to.  ;D ) <Dovev> <w> Hello <Aidan> Good afternoon, Dovev... <Aidan> I almost hit you there, sorry. <Dovev> <w> Almosssssst. <Aidan> I should have been more careful; I know you enjoy swimming often. <Aidan> ... <Aidan> How was your swim today - did you see anything interesting? <Dovev> <w> Fisssh.

• Dovev shrugs, dripping.

<Aidan> Yummy ones, I hope...

• Dovev smiles eerily.

<Dovev> <w> NIce, yesss.

• Aidan smiles back, not overly nervous. Like Rachel and Tally, he lost his anxiety over your eerie presence way back when you used to

 give him rides! ;D

<Aidan> I'm glad. <Aidan> I say, have you ever gone swimming down south among the coral reefs?

• Dovev climbs the rest of the way out of the water.
• Dovev tilts his head to one side slightly.

<Aidan> *I'd* take up swimming if I could do that... <Dovev> ... <Dovev> <w> A very long time ago. <Aidan> Oh yes? <Dovev> <w> Before you were born. <Aidan> It must have been very beautiful - all the bright colours...

• Aidan looks up at you and smiles.

<Aidan> With a description like a *very* long time ago, I should hope it was before I was born... <Dovev> <w> The ssssssea here is alssso very clear... <Aidan> I'd like to cling to the illusion of youth for as long as possible... <Aidan> Oh, is it?

• Aidan looks out at it. It looks rather dark and opaque to him... Not turquoise and clear.

<Dovev> (uh, yeah it is :V) <Aidan> The fish are dull silver, though... <Aidan> And it's *bloody* cold.

• Dovev shrugs.

<Dovev> <w> It'ss nice. <Dovev> (It is not cold, it's warmer than Mactaquac :V) <Aidan> (^-^) <Dovev> <w> It is warm enough for the missstresss. <Aidan> I know...

• Aidan looks down at the waves foaming around his feet.
• Dovev 's gaze flicks briefly up at Pen Dinas.
• Aidan catches the movement and squints up at it himself.

<Aidan> Something going on?

• Aidan asks, out of concern more than anything.

<Dovev> <w> Not really... <Dovev> <w> Ssshe will be here, later. <Aidan> Oh? Good.  :) <Aidan> I'm glad she's getting her strength back so quickly. <Dovev> <w> Her firsssst time beyond the walls ssssince. <Aidan> Yes, I thought it might be.

• Aidan beams with happiness over her recovery.
• Aidan 's smile fades away rather quickly though so he won't look like a fool. ;)

<Dovev> <w> We are all very pleased. <Aidan> What... what would have happened to you if she'd passed on?

• Aidan asks, the thought having just struck him.
• Dovev turns sharply to look at you.

<Dovev> <w> Why... why would you ssssay that?

• Aidan shrugs.
• Dovev looks confused and even a little wounded.

<Aidan> It just struck me... I'm sorry. <Aidan> I had just never thought of it before... I guess you'd be very unhappy like the rest of us... <Dovev> <w> Why would you ssssay sssuch a thing? What poor manners...

• Dovev clicks to himself, mildly agitated.
• Aidan looks sad that he upset you.

<Aidan> I just... I take you for granted so often. <Aidan> But I shouldn't, because you're a friend, almost an uncle.

• Dovev brightens somewhat.

<Dovev> <w> Ssss.... truly...?

• Aidan chuckles.

<Aidan> Yes... you're on a par with Windrider in terms of fond memories from childhood and present. <Dovev> <w> I would sssstay with Janusss.... if he wisshed it. <Aidan> Oh!

• Aidan 's dark eyes widen with surprise and then something like "Of course, that makes sense!" ;)

<Dovev> <w> Or I would go... back to where I came from. <Dovev> <w> Perhapssss... <Aidan> ... <Aidan> Where *did* you come from? Somewhere in the Dreaming, I guess... what was it like? <Dovev> <w> Very far away. I do not think you could reach it, now. <Aidan> Oh - as far as that? <Dovev> <w> Yesss. <Aidan> <softly> Arcadia? <Dovev> <w> It is very far.

• Dovev says simply.
• Aidan smiles bittersweetly.

<Aidan> Was it beautiful? <Dovev> <w> One might sssay ssso.

• Aidan smiles.

<Aidan> Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, eh?

• Aidan guesses it was beautiful to dragons, maybe, but might not be to Nockers.
• Aidan sighs.

<Aidan> Father went pretty deeply into the Dreaming once... <Dovev> <w> yesss. <Aidan> I always liked to hear him talk about it, the few times he did. <Aidan> My life is pretty mundane compared to his. <Aidan> It seems I am doomed to mediocrity... not anyone's fault but my own, of course... I keep sabotaging myself. <Aidan> But that is neither here nor there.

• Aidan stoops down to pick up another rock and whip it into the waves.
• Dovev tilts his head to one side and looks at you.
• Dovev does not really understand what you mean.
• Aidan smiles self-deprecatingly.
• Aidan shrugs.

<Aidan> Do you always swim in your draconic form? Or can you swim in your humanoid one as well? <Dovev> <w> I enjoy it more in the former inssstance.

• Aidan nods.

<Dovev> <w> You do not ssswim at all.

• Aidan shakes his head.

<Dovev> <w> Humans float. <Aidan> Cousin Isabel wanted to teach me once... <Aidan> But I would want a teacher who wouldn't laugh at me.  :/ <Dovev> <w> The resssst ssshould follow easily. <Aidan> ... <Aidan> I can't float. <Aidan> I panic and feel that I'm going to drown.

• Dovev shrugs.

<Dovev> <w> It'sss only water. <Aidan> Ah, yes, only water... but if one aspirates it, one can die. If not from suffocation then from a lung infection... secondary

 drowning, I think they used to call it.

<Dovev> <w> If you always allow fear to bar the path to experience... the losssss is yours, I ssssuppose. <Aidan> :/ <Aidan> I know. <Aidan> I am more than a little bit of a coward.

• Aidan sighs.

<Aidan> I hold that Tally took my share of courage as well as his while in our mother's womb, but I know I'm just making excuses for

 myself.

<Aidan> I am a tangled web of excuses. <Aidan> ...

• Dovev steps back into the deeper water. letting the waves pick him up off the seafloor and pull him back.
• Aidan watches you.

<Aidan> Dovev...?

• Aidan asks rather hopefully.
• Dovev watches you silently, his nose just above the waterline.

<Aidan> Um... I don't suppose you'd consider helping me learn to swim?

• Dovev glides a little closer to you.

<Dovev> <w> Come here. <Aidan> I...

• Aidan steps a little deeper in, timidly.

<Dovev> (it gets deep very quickly) <Aidan> (Like drop-off quickly?) <Dovev> (well, there are places where it might drop a foot or so) <Dovev> (mostly it's just a relatively steep seafloor)

• Aidan is getting his nice clothes all wet... ah well, they're old nice clothes.
• Aidan is obviously frightened as the water level rises relative to his body but he keeps going forward.
• Dovev is standing chest deep in the water, with his arms floating out to either side.
• Aidan gets out to where you are...

<Aidan> Okay... <Aidan> Now what? <Dovev> <w> Wait... <Dovev> <w> for the waves...

• Aidan smells afraid and anxious, not of you but of the water.

<Dovev> <w> to lift you...

• Dovev lifts his feet from the seafloor as one rolls by.

<Aidan> (how high is this wave?  :o) <Dovev> (not high... just a normal wave) <Aidan> Okay... it lifted me a little...

• Aidan is trying to be brave.

<Dovev> <w> Come clossssser.

• Dovev steps back a little.
• Aidan steps closer to you, closing his eyes as if that might make the water go away.

<Dovev> <w> Eyes open.

• Aidan swallows and opens his eyes again.

<Dovev> <w> Eyes closed is a bad idea... You cannot seee the ssswell.

• Aidan laughs nervously.

<Aidan> That was my idea behind it, anyway... <Dovev> <w> Face full of water... <Dovev> <w> If you do not watch what you are doing

• Aidan 's eyes widen but his face can't go any whiter since he's a nocker. ^-^

<Aidan> Okay... keep the eyes open.

• Aidan agrees.

<Dovev> <w> Relax yoursself... <Dovev> <w> It is sssso peaceful... <Dovev> ^_^

• Dovev looks almost blissful.

<Dovev> <w> Hold out your arms... When it liftssss, pusssh up... ssslowly, like flying. <Dovev> <w> Ssseee...

• Aidan looks around... he doesn't see how such a vast expanse of water that could start heaving with huge waves any moment could ever be

 called peaceful... but he trusts you.

• Aidan tries to do as you say when the next wave comes.

<Aidan> (Is Dovev floating on his back or front?) <Dovev> (he's mostly vertical, but sort of on the front I guess)

• Aidan is fighting to keep from tensing up with fear, and manages to bob up and down on the next wave.

<Aidan> Oh- whoa - feet not on the bottom!

• Aidan starts to panic but as soon as the wave subsides, his feet touch bottom again, of course. ^-^
• Aidan actually smiles.

<Aidan> All right... that wasn't so bad.

• Aidan says to you.

<Dovev> <w> Seee... easy. <Aidan> But bobbing up and down on waves isn't anywhere near swimming.

• Aidan could give up in defeat but instead he frowns with resolve.

<Dovev> <w> it is far from wading alssso.

• Aidan smiles again.

<Aidan> Yes, true...

• Aidan glances at you appreciatively for pointing that out.

<Aidan> Let me do this a few more times before taking the next step...

• Aidan bobs up and down, fear easing with each successive wave that doesn't bowl him over and drown him.
• Dovev bobs in the water, watching you.
• Aidan gathers his courage.

<Aidan> All right... what next, sensei? <Dovev> <w> I will ssshow you how to keep your head above the sssea, when it is deep... <Dovev> <w> Observe...

• Aidan does as he is told, watching closely.
• Aidan learns how to tread water, and you can see his confidence grow.
• Aidan isn't *great* at it, mind you, and his stamina isn't up to treading water for hours. But he seems more confident that he won't

 drown, anyway.

• Aidan looks pretty proud of himself.

<Dovev> <w> You learn well... <Aidan> Thanks! <Dovev> <w> Thissss next is easy...

• Aidan grins, showing his very sharp teeth.

<Dovev> <w> I told you before that humans float and you did not believe me. <Dovev> <w> Neverthelessss it is true... <Dovev> <w> Breathe in, then lie back in the ssssea. Lift your legs up, and lie ssssstill...

• Dovev gracefully floats on his back, his hair fanned all around him in the clear water.
• Aidan smells a little more strongly of fear again as he makes a few abortive attempts to float, panicking at the last second before he'd

 be fine.

<Dovev> <w> Relax yourssself. You are not even out of your depth.

• Aidan frowns at himself, then floats!
• Aidan laughs once he realizes he's doing it, which makes him lose it.
• Aidan sobers up and lies back again, relaxing completely.

<Aidan> Oh. Wow.

• Aidan gazes up at the clouds while being rocked gently by the sea.

<Aidan> Just... wow.

• Aidan almost whispers.
• Dovev rolls over onto his stomach, holding his head above the water.

<Aidan> This is really nice, Dovev... <Dovev> <w> Yesssss.

• Aidan floats quietly for a while, then a sudden terrifying thought strikes him: what if he's floating out to sea on the currents?!
• Aidan struggles upright again, treading water, then touches his toes to the substrate and is relieved.
• Aidan treads water again for practice.
• Dovev waits, watching you.

<Aidan> Do you have time to teach me any more today? When is Her Majesty going to arrive?

• Aidan says after concentrating on treading water for a bit.

<Dovev> <w> Try thisss way. <Dovev> <w> Ssssooon.

• Dovev smiles toothily.

<Aidan> Hey...

• Aidan smiles.

<Aidan> I know you can't keep secrets from *her*... but if you could both keep my swimming lessons secret from Lady Isabel, it could be fun.

  Next time she comes to visit, maybe I'll be swimming almost as well as her!

<Dovev> <w> Why is it a sssssecret?

• Dovev blinks.
• Aidan shrugs.

<Aidan> I just think it would be fun to surprise Isabel. <Dovev> <w> Oh. <Aidan> Do you need more of a reason than that? ^-^ <Dovev> <w> If you ssssay sso.

• Aidan is eying your new way of floating dubiously...

<Aidan> Doesn't you neck get kinked, trying to keep your head out of the water? <Dovev> <w> No <Aidan> ... <Dovev> <w> Of coursssse it is easier not to.

• Dovev lowers his face into the water and floats like a dead thing.
• Aidan is suddenly afraid again, thinking of keeping his face under water.

<Dovev> ...

• Dovev flips his head up again.

<Dovev> <w> But I do not think you are prepared to do that today

• Aidan is kind of petrified, yeah.

<Aidan> The thought of putting my face in the water is frankly, terrifying.

• Aidan agrees.

<Aidan> Perhaps I can tackle that the next fine day we have... <Dovev> <w> Yesss...

• Aidan smiles gratefully.

<Aidan> Thank you so much, Dovev. <Aidan> You're a good teacher.

• Dovev is pleased by your compliment, purring raspily.
• Aidan floats on his back once more just to make sure he can still do it, then decides he's had enough for now.

<Aidan> I'm going to go dry off now, I think. <Aidan> Thank you, again.

• Aidan flashes you another smile, then slogs his way back to the shallower water.
• Dovev watches you go.
• Dovev disappears under the water again. :)
• Aidan wrings out his shirt as best he can, then finds a nice big rock or a crumbling concrete wall to sit on until the sun dries him

 out, since he neglected to bring a towel.

• Aidan is pretty proud of himself!