The Raven's Source

Chapter 35 - A Brief Hello

Nikola got changed into the strawberry swimming suit Rose had bought and chuckled looking in the mirror as the red almost clashed with the purple in her hair. It was stretchy and a smidgen loose, so she slipped one of her adult-sized t-shirts over it before braiding her long hair.

Entering into the pool area, the chemicals in the pool smelled faint and the room itself was dimly lit. There were no windows, and only the lights in the pool and half of the lights on the walls were illuminated, all of them casting shimmers all over the walls and ceiling. She saw Twyn swimming from end to end of the pool, his arms pounding the water heavily, almost angrily. It took Twyn a solid six laps before he noticed the small frame watching him.

"Oh, have you been there long?" Twyn asked, panting from the exertion on top of holding his breath under the water. He leaned against the side of the pool, wiping water from his face.

"Little bit," she answered. "May I come swim with you? Mamma says I can't swim alone, I'm too little still."

Twyn was silent for a moment as he stared at her. He finally nodded his head back to the pool, accepting the duty of watching her and inviting her to join him. He swam over to the shallow end to meet her.

"You okay?" she asked, noticing his hesitation.

Twyn stopped and stood up. "I'm not sure yet."

She blushed slightly, turning and grabbing a floaty to keep him from seeing the pink in her cheeks. She had seen him half naked before, but now after the kiss they shared the night before and the words he had said, it made her heart tumble.

"Can I see you?" he asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Nikola turned back and asked after grabbing a big and colorful donut-shaped float.

"I think you know," he said, unmoved from where he stood.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, playing dumb.

"Shej, please?"

"I didn't get to meet Auntie Shej," Nikola said shortly, turning away again and putting the floaty back. She immediately turned back toward the door, suddenly not wanting to be in this predicament. Maybe coming for a swim was a bad idea.

"Please stay," he begged seeing Nikola's hand reaching out for the door handle. He quickly moved towards the pool steps to follow her.

"Stop," she demanded.

Twyn froze in place at the demand, stopping a few feet from the steps.

Nikola let go of the door handle and took a deep breath. Instead of leaving, she crouched and placed her hand flat against and floor. After shutting her eyes and sensing only hers and Twyn's sources in the room, she stood back up and walked back over pool-side.

"I'm sorry, it's just...I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't gotten to have a moment alone with you again yet," he said quietly. "I have no doubt Cer was the first to get a moment, and Leena's time was obvious. I'm sorry, I just wanted my moment to bask in the truth that you're alive." He paused. "You are you, right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Uncle Twyn," she said again, wrapping her arms around herself. "You're confusing me."

He chuckled defeatedly. "Never mind, Nikki. Grab a float and come on in, the water feels pretty good."

After a moment, Nikola smiled and walked over to grab the colorful donut again. She drug it to the edge of the pool and gave it a push into the water. She walked along the edge of the pool to a slightly deeper part of the water then backed away a few feet. "I'm gonna make a big splash!" she said cheerfully with her childish smirk.