Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt: Hunter x OC

Beach Date #2

"Well look at you," Hunter rumbled in appreciation as Lyra pulled the cover off of a snack platter, setting it on the blanket next to a round tray with some sparkling wine and two fancy glasses. They were settled on the beach for an evening picnic atop a thick, soft blanket spread across the sand. Her platter was heaped with fresh fruit that glistened enticingly, a variety of cheeses, some salted meats in neat piles, and a plethora of crackers, nuts, and olives. He was salivating immediately.

"I got a little caught up in it all," she chuckled, producing one more bowl from the large bag she'd brought. As she uncovered that one, a little huff escaped her lips, and she held it out for him to see, clapping her other hand to her forehead in embarrassment. "They all melted." He peered inside, seeing what appeared to have been an assortment of chocolates, now a mushy mess.

"Still good," he encouraged, swiping a bit with a single finger and licking it off unceremoniously. He kept his face carefully neutral, sensing the wave of autonomic response as Lyra looked away quickly.

"You can feel this stuff, can't you..." she muttered as though dreading his response. "I can't hide anything..."

"Do you want to hide anything?" he deflected, fixing her with a mockingly stern stare.

"No!" she answered quickly, squinting back at him suspiciously.

"Too soon?" he asked with a grin, and she shook her head, mirroring his expression.

"I've shared it all," she confirmed. "It feels fantastic. You're the one holding out on me, I think."

"Not really," he said, scooting over to sit beside her, slightly behind to offer a place for her to lean. He loved it when she took him up on that, and his chest swelled a bit as she nestled into him. "The war stories can pretty much all be summed up the same way. We had a plan. It changed about eight times. We still finished the mission. And repeat."

"I doubt that's all there was to it," she teased, leaning forward slightly to pour two glasses of the sparkling wine and offering one to him. He took a sip, enjoying its effervescent sweetness, and gazed past her head at the shimmering water that formed the horizon. The sound of the birds calling overhead, the steady crash of the waves, and the quiet beat of her heart all lulled him into contentment, and he took a deep, happy breath.

"Well, we've got plenty of time for stories," he said, meaning just that night, but realizing there was a much greater intent behind his words. He left it at that, however, and shifted around her to graze on the copious amount of food she'd brought. She sliced a few pieces off one of the soft cheese, smearing them on some crackers and offering him one. His fingers brushed hers as he took it, tingles dancing along his arm at the simple touch.

"I hope so," she said quietly, adding a neatly-folded piece of meat atop her cheese and, after some consideration, popped the entire thing into her mouth. "Fewer crumbs that way," she explained after she'd chewed and swallowed, and he chuckled in agreement.

It was a balmy afternoon, the sun still fairly high in the sky as they basked in its rays. It had been particularly hot lately, and Hunter loosened another button on his shirt, then rolled up his sleeves in an attempt to cool down. But the breeze had stilled, and the warm air lingered. Lyra pulled her hair up into a messy bun atop her head, and with a sheepish giggle in his direction, flapped her skirt "to get some air circulation", as she put it.

"Let's go in," he invited, tipping his head toward the water. They'd talked about swimming, but both had been so satisfied by simply sitting and snacking with each other that it hadn't been a very pressing item on the agenda. The ocean beckoned to him now, though, and he stood up, moving away from the blanket to brush off the grains of sand that had gathered on his swim trunks and loose button-up shirt. Lyra followed suit, but moved awkwardly as she pulled her blouse over her head, glancing self-consciously at the top of her swimsuit. She took a breath, then pushed her skirt down, tossing both clothing items onto the blanket.