airplanes(Thiam)

Chapter 42: drip, drip, drop.

"Remember, if we see a bear. Run, don't fight it."

"If I see a bear I'm going to throw it at you." Liam said.

"Hey, this was your idea."

"I didn't realize we'd be walking through a monsoon" Liam grumbled, feet skidding across the muddy ground almost toppling him over if it weren't for him being able to grab onto a tree trunk like a koala.

"It's not that bad." Theo said, Liam gaped at him wordlessly, watching as he tipped his face up towards the sky raindrops pelting down on his face, a veritable waterfall dripping from the back of his hair. Liam shoved his own wet hair out of his eyes, wishing he hadn't given Sammy her scrunchie back so he could actually see where he was going without the rain enlisting his hair to blind him.

"It's bad." Liam said, shoving away from his tree and continuing on the treacherous path towards casa del cool. "I'm soaking."

"It's just a bit of rain."

"I'm from California. Rain and I go together like-"

"You and common sense?"

"Hey!" Liam huffed.

"You're not a witch, you won't melt."

"Do they?"

"What?" Theo asked, Liam scurried forwards, slopping through the mud to walk next to Theo.

"Melt."

"I repeat. What?"

"Witches. Do they melt in water?" Liam clarified. "Or is that like another miss translation sort of thing like with werewolves and the argents. Is there a Chris Aqua out there going round hunting witches."

"The Wizard of Oz isn't supernatural law Liam."

"I'm not saying it is." Liam huffed. "I'm just wondering if there's any truth to it."

"I don't know, tell you what, next time you come across a witch challenge her to a water fight and see how she reacts."

Liam rolled his eyes at Theo's less than helpful answer, turning back to the trees as he found himself wondering whether Theo had ever had a proper water fight and then trying to figure out whether it was on Theo's real boy list yet or not.

"Tag." Theo said, hand hitting hard enough against Liam's arm to leave it throbbing in pain before he was taking off, sliding through the mud like frozone.

"wha-DAMMIT COME BACK!" Liam hissed sprinting, or as best as he could through the torrential rain and bog-like mud, after Theo. "Cheater!"

*

By the time the two finally reached casa del cool Liam was fairly sure they were more mud than human but couldn't bring himself to care, especially not after having seen Theo do a few truly spectacular diving trips through the muddy forest. He spotted a nice boulder in the surprisingly warm overhang and was more than happy to curl onto it and dry out for the next hour or so. Theo, it seemed, had a different idea.

"What the hell are you doing?" Liam asked, watching as Theo abandoned their bag of food and started unbuckling his jeans. Theo paused for a moment, eyes flickering to Liam.

"...Going swimming?" Theo said slowly.

"It's raining."

"Uh oh, I might get wet." Theo said dryly, tugging at his jeans.

"Really, you want to swim in the rain?"

"I mean, we came here to swim right?"

"Well yeah but-"