SILVERCHAIR imagines [requests OPEN]

stranded (part four)

Our coconut shells collided against each other and our Sun Punch spilled out. I burst out in laughter. Chris had taken off his beanie and placed it on my head. I was imitating him being all serious like he was when preparing fish for dinner.

"I don't look like that!" he giggled, his cheeks red with cheer.

"Yeah," I slurred. "You totally do. And your tongue is all--"

I stuck my tongue between the side of my teeth and frowned. His bare chest was humming with laughter, so warm and inviting. The Sun Punch completely took the memory of that morning away. The images of Daniel's bloody face and Ben's angry eyes were gone. All I saw was the sun setting... and Chris's smiley, dopey, sleepy pink face.

I wanted to touch his hair. It looked so soft. Wavy, free, in his eyes. Every time he shook his head and tried to shove his hair aside, his thick strands returned to where they were before. Even his beard and his chest hair looked so soft.

I shook my head and swallowed hard. The Sun Punch was strong. I really only ever had platonic affection for Chris. He was always so careful with how he behaved around me. He cut up with the boys all of the time, well, when they hung out more, but around me he watched his language. He opened doors for me. He paid for a taxi whenever I was left stranded at a party and everyone else was too wasted to drive me home. He was always the one that made sure I was okay. The gentleman.

He was my friend. It was okay to put my head on his shoulder. Nothing wrong with that. Plus, the evening air was getting a little cooler. There wasn't a chill in the air like the night before, but I was only wearing a shirt and shorts. When I scooted over closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders without hesitation.

"You must be cold," he said.

"Oh," I assured him. "I'm feeling better now."

"Good," he smiled from ear to ear. I returned my gaze to the ocean before us. He was just as warm as I had imagined and smelled like mangoes.

My tide pool had emptied. We could spy the moon rising above one side of the horizon and far down the shore we could see the sun getting lower. It was like someone tie-dyed the sky. It was dipped in deep purples, blues and splashes of pink and orange. Long strings of puffy clouds burst forth from around the sun and it was like they were trying to hug us.

I felt his eyes on me. My shorts were uncomfortable while we were drinking so I rolled them further up my thighs. I had also slid up my shirt and knotted it at the center just above my waist. I couldn't stand seeing Daniel's blood on it anymore. I caught Chris looking at my legs for only a second. He swallowed and looked away. I blushed and settled my head onto his chest.

"What kind of girl do you see yourself with?"

I couldn't believe I asked him that. My defenses were down, and I just wanted to know more about the man that fed and protected us since the day we were stranded here. He stayed hopeful through it all. What sort of girl could ever deserve a man like him?

He held onto me tighter for a bit as he laid us down onto the sand. He moved toward me and adjusted his body so my head rested upon his chest. I loved how the rise and fall of his chest mirrored the rise and fall of the waves just inches away from our feet.

His fingertips started to absent-mindedly stroke the back of my arm. I didn't mind it. It felt good.

"I've had a lot of time to think about that," he started. "I think I want a girl that sees the world the same way I do."

"And how's that?"

He brought his drink to his lips for a quick sip before answering. I had already finished mine a few seconds ago.

"I really feel anything is possible. The three of you think we'll be stranded here forever. I don't. I know it. We'll be back home one day."

My heart ached when he said that. He was so confident.

I missed home so much. I missed my parents. I missed my friends. I missed our hometown. I missed hearing the boys practice new songs. I missed being in the studio the most. I loved seeing how they pieced songs together.

Daniel had really taken over as songwriter, but they all worked together to perfect the songs. I used to love laying on the floor, between Chris and Ben. They would rip through a song. The pounding of the drums and thrumming of the bass would intoxicate me. Daniel's guitar and voice would drop in and then it was as if the stars in the room flickered on. My soul blazed and my heart swelled.

It was magic. They all had magic in their fingers.

"I wish I could be more like that. More hopeful."

"I know you've had a rough time." He quit stroking my arm with his fingertips and rested his other hand on my hip. So warm. So sweet. "But I also know that no one gets on a raft in the middle of the ocean without some hope in their heart."

Tears welled up in my eyes again. What was it with him and making me cry?

It was different than how Ben and Daniel made me cry, though. Their words sometimes cut me so deep I cried, in emotional pain. Chris's words were different. He was reminding me, unraveling me, showing me what I was capable of. His words awakened parts of me I forgot about.

"Oh," his face fell. He used his thumbs, one on each of my cheeks, to wipe my tears away. "I'm sorry."

I sniffled and hid my face, burying it close to his neck. Again, so sweet. 

"Why are you telling me you're sorry? You're the last person on this island that needs to apologize for anything."

His body stiffened. "But there is something I'm really sorry for."

I kept my face down. I was scared to look at him. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," he brought his hand to the side of my face, and placed a strand of my messy hair behind my ear. "I'm sorry for never telling you how beautiful you are. How sunsets don't even compare to you." 

I showed him my face then. We were so close to each other. I felt so safe, so pleased. I had never been held like that. As if I was precious. 

We looked into each other's eyes and I honestly don't know who initiated it first. It just happened. A spark was set off and our lips found themselves in the dying light of the sun. 

He stopped. It wasn't because he thought what we were doing was wrong, no. He wanted to make sure I wanted to keep going. I nodded my head and he brought me on top of him. I straddled him and lowered my chest onto his. I sunk my hands into the sand while his hands reached up under my shirt and traveled up my back. His hands were rough and hot. Strong yet delicate. 

We were only kissing. Our tongues weren't even involved yet. My heart was chasing itself inside my chest and he moaned. He swept his fingertips up and around toward my chest and grazed my breasts. I titled my head back and my legs tightened around and settled onto his hips. He took my shirt off, his warm hands feverish and curious, scouting every inch of my body that was exposed. 

Pretty soon we were both naked beneath the starlight. Everything was new and perfect. I felt a longing I didn't know was inside of me. He took his time and was detailed with his love-making. HIs eyes were often locked with mine. Our kisses grew more deep and sensual. What happened next almost felt too easy, too good. 

We melted into each other. As the waves crashed at our feet, our bodies were ebbing and flowing in their own warm, satiny ocean.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

Whoa.
But be honest.... who wonders where Daniel's scene is? 
It's coming up next. Don't fret. 
😙