Gregor gulped as he looked over the tall, looming edge of the cliff, down at the dark pool far, far below. Next to him, Ares laughed at his terrified visage, his strange bat voice echoing around the cave, mixing with the delighted giggles that Boots and Hazard were causing in a shallow pool, also far, far below.
"There is nothing to be afraid of Overlander." Ares chuckled, nudging Gregor toward the edge with his head. "I do not remember you being so scared since you first came here."
"It's not the same." Gregor said, peering out over the edge again. "I mean, what if the water is too shallow and I hit the bottom." Gregor shivered a little, rubbing his bare, scarred chest to ward away goose bumps.
"Gregor, this pool is so deep, not even fliers can reach the bottom diving from twice as high." Ares nudged him further towards the edge. Gregor shook his head, backing up from the edge.
"I don't even know what I was thinking when I came up here." Gregor muttered. "Forget it, there is no way in hell I'm jumping."
"What, too afraid are you?" Gregor flinched. He knew that voice, and it's vaguely insulting, superior, royal, beautiful owner.
"Hey Luxa, fancy meeting you here." Gregor said, not turning around for fear of blushing. He imagined her silvery blond eyebrows contracting at his strange phrase in an attempt to understand it and the tips of his ears colored.
"Gregor," Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look-"Howard said you'd taken Boots and Hazard here to go swimming with Dulcet." Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look- "And then I see you up here, on Fliers Peak, shivering from…fear? What are you," Luxa teased. "A frightened nibbler pup?"
"Hey!" Gregor turned, insulted, forgetting not to look. Gregor's mouth dropped open. While he was merely wearing his Underland boxers (which according to Ares, doubled as swim wear) Luxa was wearing the female approximate. "Gulg."
Luxa raised an eyebrow at Gregor's inarticulate response, but he was too busy trying desperately not to blush, and not to stare.
"Uh…hi." Gregor mumbled, casting his eyes down onto the rocky ground, safe territory.
"What is wrong, Gregor? Are you unwell?" Worry clouded her eyes and she placed her hand on Gregor's forehead. Behind them, Ares was snorting with badly concealed laughter, his form shaking with suppressed mirth.
"No," Gregor's voice cracked. "No, I'm fine."
Luxa took her hand away from his face, nodding. "Well, than I supposed you would forgive me than?"
Gregor looked up, his face red and flustered. "Why? What happened?"
Luxa smiled her crooked half smile, here eyes flicking behind him. Gregor's eyes popped open in horror "No. You wouldn't."
Luxa took a step forward, and Gregor stumbled back. "Come on Luxa, can't we talk about this?" he pleaded, casting an anxious look at the looming edge. Luxa merely laughed and walked forward again.
"Ares?" The bat was gone, leaving Gregor alone with the smirking Queen. Gregor accidentily locked eyes with her, becoming a little dazed as blood rushed from his cheeks south. She looked...really good, even when she was hell bent on chucking him off a cliff. Then he realized his mistake, he'd gotten distracted.
"Oh shi-" Gregor's curse was lost as Luxa's hands found his chest and shoved, hard, catapulting him into space, down, down into the freezing. Cold. Water.
On the way down, Gregor couldn't help but shiver. Her hands on his bare chest were soft....then he hit the water with a loud smack and he couldn't feel anything on his chest anyway.