The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

10K Special: Snorkeling and Swimming Lessons [Part 3/7]

Words for this part: 4.6k

A couple hours passed, enough time for the food in their stomachs to settle, and Calista jumped up to her feet.

"I WANT TO GO SWIMMING!!!!"

"YAH, SAY IT LOUDER, YOU STUPID FIGHTER AND YOU MIGHT JUST BURST EVERYONE'S EARDRUMS!!!!"

She grinned stupidly at him, and he smacked a hand against his forehead, well aware of what she was trying to do. Too bad he fell for it. She had gotten the reaction that she wanted out of him since he didn't instantly say no.

Before he could say another word, she ran into the water, feet spraying up sand along the way.

"Last one in has to cook dinner!!!" She shouted over her shoulder.

"NONE OF YOU ARE ALLOWED ANYWHERE NEAR ME FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!!!"

Calista threw her head back, laughter echoing off the cliffs and brushed him off. He would get over it soon.

Yona stood with her arms out to either side as Hak fitted a tube filled with air around her upper arms. He told her they would help keep her afloat in case she got tired, but she was buzzing with so much excitement that she hardly noticed there was more stuff she had to put on.

Kija took what they would need from Yoon, and Zeno tried to help by draping the gear all over him.

Shin-ah did his best not to laugh as he saw something sticking out of the yellow dragon's hair.

Yoon had made them snorkeling gear the first day they arrived, well aware of Yona's desire to see the coral reefs. He had sewn together flippers that could be attached to their feet to enhance the strength behind their kicks. He made specialized goggles for her as well, so that she can clearly see the marine life under the sea.

The dragons and Hak weren't bothered by the salt water, so they politely declined his offer to make them some.

Yona waddled around like a penguin in her fins, stomping her feet angrily at her bodyguard when he laughed at her. Jae-ha slid over to make fun of him, but was stopped short by the left hook the ex-general threw at him.

As Kija adjusted his flippers, Zeno somehow made it look easy even though he was even clumsier than he was.

That was, until he tripped and fell over.

Jae-ha caught Zeno before he hit the sand, righting the kid with a fond shake of his head as the yellow dragon bounded off towards the ocean blue. He followed him as Hak and Yona also came along, and Kija ran to catch up with them.

Calista was going to join them as they all waded past her when she noticed that Shin-ah wasn't with her. Looking over her shoulder in confusion, she stopped when she saw that he hadn't moved from his spot next to Yoon.

Her eyebrows creased together and she walked back to him, holding out her hand to him in a silent offer.

He took it without hesitation, letting himself go where she led him. She took him into the water, just along the shore where the ocean kissed their ankles.

Further out in the ocean, the dragons and the princess were ready to go snorkeling. It wasn't like scuba diving where they had to go under. All they needed to do was duck their face to see the reef.

Jae-ha swiveled his head, looking for the two people that were missing. He spotted them still at the beach and wondered what was taking them so long. Then, he shrugged, sure that they would come when they solved whatever was holding them up.

"Put this over your face like this, Princess." Hak adjusted Yona's goggles, strongly churning the water to keep him still.

The clear, tropical waters were deeper here, and all of them were treading, unable to touch the bottom of the seafloor anymore.