Just Us
.x.X.x.
~CrazyPlotQueen~
Amitola Nayavu felt like she was melting. She felt like her skin would peel away under this heat, and after that, her bones would melt into a puddle. It was exhaustingly hot out. Amitola had recently arrived at Haven, fresh off the VTOL that had transported her from her island to the hospital. She'd been released two days ago, and was now getting used to life in her new wheelchair. It wasn't much of a life, she realized after only a day of it.
Amitola had been prepared for things to be different in Mistral, but what she hadn't been prepared for, was the blistering heat. It was so hot. She felt like the heat was seeping into her lungs, and suffocating her, cutting off all her air.
The girl wanted to go swimming to relieve herself of this humidity, but could not. Being paralyzed, meant that swimming, or running, or walking, or any physical activity was hard. So here she sat, melting in the shade of a tree. The Amazon had discarded the idea of trying to keep cool, it was simply no use in this god forsaken heat. She felt like she was simmering in the pits of Hades.
A familiar whistle echoed across Haven's courtyard, and Amitola curiously peered to the source: Arthueolin Dragoon. The teen, like herself, was drenched in sweat, his face flushed, and his blonde hair matted to his forehead from the soaring temperatures.
He looked amazing. Even though she knew it was wrong to have these feelings toward him, due to her upbringing on Themyscira, he made her heart pause every time her vivid turquoise eyes spotted him. Seeing him quickly approaching, Amitola swiftly composed herself, wiping some perspiration from her face with her forearm, and sitting up a bit in her wheelchair. She found it odd that she was self conscious around her friend, as she'd never had this problem before with anyone else.
"Some heat, huh?" Arthur chuckled hoarsely, strolling up to her. Even in this energy sapping weather, he still managed to have a spring in his step and liveliness in his voice. Remarkable, she swooned silently.
"Sweltering," She replied, blushing a tad. Good thing her already red cheeks hid it, it looked perfectly natural. "I've never felt anything like it."
"I just came back from the beach. It's too crowded to go swimming. And… I doubt you'd want to go swimming anyways," Arthur glanced down at his feet sheepishly, running a hand through his tousled hair.
"I don't really like crowds," Amitola responded awkwardly, not wanting to address the fact that she wouldn't even be able to swim even if the beachfront wasn't crowded. "Is there anything else we could do?"
"Well, the air conditioning is still broken in the school…" Arthur sighed, pursing his lips in thought. He perked up in relief as a breeze whispered across the courtyard, cooling them down. The wind felt like fine silk on Amitola's skin.
"I know. Is there no solution?" The Amazon asked forlornly, already feeling the swelter of the hot summer day after the breeze.
"Actually, how would you feel about taking a trip to get a treat? Downtown? Just us?"
"Just us?" She echoed. Her heart thrummed loudly in her chest at the thought. "Of course." She breathed.
"It'll be just us. You and me," He assured her with one of his incandescent smiles. That very smile melted her heart with a pulsing heat a million more times powerful than the sun could ever create.
.x.X.x.
Arthur wheeled Amitola into the shoppe, settling her at her own table. "Wait here," He promised, then strolled off to the counter. The shoppe had a few fans spinning lazily on the ceiling, was filled with pastel pinks and greens, had light brown oak tables, and peonie were resting in crystal vases. Amitola had never seen anything like it.
Arthur bounced back over in a few minutes, an exuberant grin on his face as he brought over a few cups of what looked to be like a creamy substance.
"What's that?" She peered into the cups, a curious look resting on her face.
"It's called Ice Cream. I bet you've never had it, right?" Seeing her nod in affirmation, he smiled triumphantly. "Try some. This one is chocolate flavored."
Arthur slid the cup and spoon across the table, and Amitola stared at it for a moment. She picked up the plastic spoon, dipped it into the treat, and gingerly raised it to her mouth. Settling her lips around it, her vibrant eyes widened in surprise and delight as she tasted the cold treat. It both cooled her down and tasted good. Wonderful and practical.
She took another bite. Then another. And another.
Arthur laughed at her speed and appetite, then grabbed his own cup, readily digging into the ice cream.
"How is it?" Arthur asked her, watching the Amazon sigh in contentment. She was delighted by the simplest things in life, and it always made him so happy. She shared a childlike wonder with him.
"Ice cream is wonderful," She swooned, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Your people should be very proud of this achievement!"
"Um, thanks?" Arthur grinned a bit, pushing his messy blonde hair out of his emerald eyes.
Amitola frowned at her almost empty cup, then looked back at the case full of ice cream at the counter. "Could I get another?"
"I'm almost out too. Another round of ice cream it is," Arthur winked, getting up from his seat. Amitola watched, a darling smile slipping onto her lips as she felt her heart flutter once again. He was wonderful.