A Dance with Ruby Red

Secondhand Splash

"Mumbo, don't say that!" Grian chuckled, pushing his brother, who had been leaning on his own arms over onto the picnic blanket they all sat on, "That is so inappropriate."

"Oh, don't be a prude." Mumbo said snickering as he picked himself back up to lean on his arms. "I can see it in the papers, Diamond and Duke fall in love and have five, no seven babies."

Pearl took her turn in pushing Mumbo over once more as she spoke, "Don't listen to him G, you've got plenty of time to consider marriage and children besides, how do we even know this guy is the one?"

"You're right," Grian said, taking a moment to lean back and gaze around the park. "It just feels like I'm running out of time, you know?"

"How so?" Mumbo asked from the floor, not bothering to get up a second time as he continued, "You're still younger than most married folk."

"Yeah, I know," Grian started watching all the families and couples walk down the breezy pathways of the park, "It's just, all these couples seem to have it all figured out. Like they found their soulmates, and they're living their fairytale lives together, and I still haven't even considered it until recently. I've been too focused on you guys and my architecture to even think about romance."

"Well, it's never too late to start is it?" Mumbo asked, finally, sitting up and crossing his legs, "I mean, Scar is older than all of us, and he has only just now started checking out his options."

"I suppose..." Grian responded, slowing his words as he noticed a familiar face across the small river near their picnic. It was the Duke, Tango Tek, seemingly hurrying towards the small bridge, connecting the two sides of the river. He stood tall as he walked, taking every step with the utmost courtesy before turning his gaze to meet Grian. Their eyes locked for a brief moment before Tango crashed into another man, sending the pair stumbling over rocks and splashing loudly into the river.

Grian blinked as he watched the scuffle, all eyes turned to the scene as the proud and professional Duke scramble to his feet to help up the other man that at a closer look seemed to be an officer of some kind.

"Well, that's one way to get in the paper." Mumbo stated, earning another shove by his sister. But he was certainly right.

Grian felt his cheeks splash with warmth as he watched the onlookers begin to whisper. Even though he was nowhere near the accident, he could feel eyes on him as he looked back to the pair in the river. He watched them climb out and shake hands, seemingly no hard feelings between the two as they spoke for a moment before both walking off in the same direction. They chatted as they walked, squeezing out excess river water from their clothes before Tango dared to take a quick glance back at him. His cheeks were red with embarrassment, and Grian could feel some eyes turn to him as Tango turned back to speak to the other soaked man.

It was just his luck, Grian thought. He would definitely be in the next paper issues wouldn't he?