Warning, it's a cheesy oneshot I had too much fun with! X'D Thanks for reading and reviewing, you guys are the bomb! Hope you enjoy more Lena and Patton
In many areas, Patton was considered a prodigy. Getting the attention of his naiad crush was not one of these areas. To the people who knew him well, they described him as a stubborn risk-taker with his head forever in another world and not wanting to live down with their expectations, Patton busied himself in preparing an elegant picnic. To take down to the lake of course. He hoped that in due time the rumours would be corrected and he would be known as the stubborn risk-taker with his head forever in the pond. For that certainly is where his heart lay. If his 'heart' realized, she gave no interest in knowing… but he wasn't about to leave it in a murky lake forever.
After all he was quite fond of his heart.
He had awakened long before the sun had returned from its daily trek around the globe. First he gathered his bits and pieces. Then searched high and low for the perfect basket to stash his bribes. And last, but not least, preparing the food itself. It turned out to be quite a process as he soon discovered he wouldn't be considered a prodigy in preparing pretty food either, and the kitchen lay in disarray at his efforts. Before he knew it, a great deal of time had passed and he was sure his rummaging in the kitchen would not go unnoticed for much longer.
He was far from alone in Fablehaven, managing the preserve, as talented as he was, required dozens of willing hands. Humans and magical beings alike helped this preserve become what it was. Both sides did their best to keep it so.
Because he had gotten so engrossed in cutting bread into perfect, even slices, Miriam their unofficial 'cook' had wandered on him standing in the middle of a juice-splattered, flour covered kitchen. And Patton wished he could say her bark was worse than her bite. In the end, Miriam cut the bread for him while he returned the kitchen to its former glory. For all her gruff, he knew the half-dwarfen cook doted on him. She even tucked a bottle of sparkling apple cider into his oversized picnic basket.
The sun now basked over the blooming gardens, a slight breeze whisking the scent of magic over him as he stepped outside on the porch. He inhaled gracefully. Never did he tire of looking over the majesty of his home, from the mismatched house from the fields to the forests and of course to the pond which awaited him. No matter how far he ventured from Fablehaven, he always returned. Fairies were almost as numerous as the flowers today. They played with the chimes dangling above him, the chiming melodies tinkling with him as he stepped out onto the bright green lawn, basket in tow.
"Try to stop daydreaming," Miriam told him from the doorway, "I'd rather not you trip and waste all that food. Where ya off to?"
"Oh to the pond." He responded cheerfully, without turning. He could feel the older woman rolling her eyes as she shut the door with enough force to make the fairies hiss with irritation. Patton smiled.
Before he left, he stooped to pick a stray flower from the neatly trigged hedges, it was a large white beauty, similar to a sunflower. Patton stuck it behind his ear. "Well, do you think I look dashing?" He asked to a slender silver fairy with feathered wings as she passed, though she only huffed and darted away, "That's what I thought." He said to himself, not at all dismayed.
The journey to the lake did not take long, soon he heard the gentle ripples of the lapping water and the humming wildlife calling to him. In the summer heat, many creatures were lounging around the pristine pond, exquisite fairies darted to and fro, satyrs played in the clearing while giving many a look to a couple of nymphs who gracefully walked the boardwalks. Even birds and animals of all shapes and sizes were seen. And then there was Patton himself. He strolled forward, heading to the pier. And of course, none of the creatures gave him a second glance, so accustomed to seeing him in this part of Fablehaven some even gave him greetings as he passed which he returned with a noticeable beam on his face.
"Hey Patton!" A cry caused him to turn his head in the direction of the clearing. A satyr with brown fur and freckled skin waved at him.
Patton waved back. Then gestured at the basket.
The satyr encouraged him with two thumbs up.
He set the basket down on the grass before stepping on the pier. Grinning broadly, he lowered himself into a squat and knocked on the wood. "Good morning. Good morning. How are my favorite people doing today?"
A chorus of moaning complaints greeted him.
"Very well I can see." Patton said cheerily.
"Not him again."
"He can't wait till he dies…"
"Or drowns."
"I volunteer!" A speaky feminie voice echoed.
"Yeah, that went well last time…" Another grumbled gloomily.
"Does he ever do anything else?"
He leaned back, resting on his haunches as he listened, smiling as he found nothing more amusing than the naiads and their hate at his persistence. "I'm sure you are all wondering why I'm here."
"No." Several said at once.
"Unless you're going swimming," one said, "we could care less."
He straightened, close enough to the pond to look across it, but not close enough to get snatched by sudden hands. Swans idly swam close by unaware of the conflict. "I'm sorry to hear that, but swimming will have to be another day I'm afraid, I actually brought a picnic."
"Whoopie." He heard a sarcastic mutter before he continued with a half-grin, "and I would love if I could share it with Lena."
There was a moment of silence.
The overlapping voices descended into hissing whispers, but he could still make some of it out.
"He called you out again."
"What is he even doing?"
And after a bunch of quizzical statements to his intentions, another asked, "What's a picnic?"
Patton turned back to his picnic basket. He knelt beside it and began rummaging, first pulling out a long silver blanket. He shook it once and proceeded to lay it out on the ground, a good pace or two from the pier, the only way the naiads could reach it would be if they surfaced and leaned across. He brought out all the food and arranged it neatly. He left the bottle of apple cider for last, placing it in the middle. More for decoration's sake than anything else. But it should show he was serious about the whole thing. After surveying his efforts with satisfaction, Patton turned to the pond once more, an buzz of irritated chatter greeting him below. Several magical creatures were now watching with interest.
"So Lena," He grinned, looking across the deceptively calm water, "What do you say?"
"She says go jump in a pond."
"Yeah our pond," Another snickered.
"Duh."
He tapped his chin. "I would like to hear her response myself…"
The silence lasted so long, part of him began to worry that Lena would not speak to him at all, but then reminding himself of the extra precautions he had hidden in the basket Patton relaxed slightly.
"I know that you wouldn't be interested in human food, that's for me… but of course I did bring several trinkets I think you'll be more interested in, if you join me that is, Lena dear." He said moving towards the picnic basket, "just for an example." He bent down and retrieved a round golden music box from inside. Turning back towards the pier, he waved it cheerfully in the air. "I hear you have a marvellous collection down there, I'm sure you wouldn't mind a few editions."
Muttering increased.
He caught only snatches of their whispering, "Bribes" "just toss it in" "blackmail". He hid the music box behind his back.
"Why would a boring human object persuade me to venture out into your filthy world?" A voice then rang out. It was a soft, yet clear voice, beautiful and harmonious it caused his smile to turn into a grin just at the sound of it. While Patton now studied many preserves and creatures all over the world, his curiosity had started here. At this very pond. As he began to be more and more adapt in the languages and dialects of the magical creatures, he would sit on the boardwalk with a journal and a pen and did nothing but write and listen for hours on end. He remembered the very first time he had heard Lena's voice among her sisters. And he vowed he would hear it again.
He lifted his head, wishing he would see a glimpse of her face but saw only the reflections of nearest gazebo. "It's a perfect day for a picnic, Lena dear. And this music box is an antic."
"It's perfect down here." She said, nonchalant. "And perhaps I could show you what a real antic music box looks like."
Patton pouted slightly. "Yes well, I can't breathe down there."
"Extra benefit." Lena shot back.
"How wounding, after all the preparation I put into this just for you." He put a hand over his chest as if the statement really had physically wounded him.
Lena didn't reply straight away. He had a feeling that his attention was quite bemusing to her.
Patton held the music box in both hands now, beginning to juggle it between his right and his left, "I have an entire basket of goodies, each one far more interesting than this one, most of them aren't even from Fablehaven." He told her, stepping backwards and finding the handle with an outstretched hand. He hoisted it up. Then shook it a bit so the clanking of objects rang out clear. "You can't tell me you're not even a little bit curious."
For greater empathises, he began walking left and then right, "Now I wonder—" (shake) "—what—" (shake) "—could be—" (shake) "—hiding in here."
He noted his over-dramatic tone was gaining an even greater audience. The dryads nearby were raising their elegant eyebrows at him.
Lena remained quiet for a while longer—and he noticed in a detached fashion that her sisters had barely spoken a word either—before softly asking. "So, you'll give me everything in there if I...?"
"Just sit on the land with me for a few minutes, have a picnic you know." He said, smooth voice not betraying his cautious excitement. "You don't have to completely leave the water, if it makes you uncomfortable."
There was a soft sound, one that suspiciously sounded like a chuckle.
He waited.
"Very well…" Lena sighed, "But, I want a closer look at the basket."
"Now now, Lena that's not how it works. Uncovering what lays inside is half of the experience and it wouldn't do to spoil it for you."
There was a shift of discord below.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't encourage him."
"If you don't talk to him maybe he'll get bored and go away."
"Or jump in!" One of them said enthusiastically.
Lena replied to none of this, her lack of response soon bringing the others to their own unhappy type of silence as both they and Patton wait to see what would happen. He could see a pale face emerging from the gloom, a face he had only seen once before but knew it all too well as Lena's. While distorted, he could tell she was looking straight at him. And not at the basket in his arms. She did not surface, but remained several inches under water.
"Do you need some assistance?" He asked after a moment.
Lena shook her head.
"Are you afraid?" He tried again.
Another shake.
"Are you—" He only had time to blink when Lena surfaced in a flash. He jumped back quickly in the fear she would attempt to snatch him and drag him for a watery picnic of her own. But she had another idea of how to get him wet. Both of her hands heaved in his direction and a small torrent of water hit Patton, splattering in all directions and causing him to stumble back blindly. He blinked away the water from his eyes. To his luck, he hadn't dropped the basket, but it was wet as well. He set it down and wiped his face with his sleeve. By the time he looked up, Lena was nowhere to be seen.
"Now that wasn't very nice." He chided almost stuttering, eyes still wide from the shock of being hit.
To this, a chorus of laughter echoed around the pond. And it wasn't only the naiads that laughed at his shock. Those dryads were too. And it wasn't polite laughter either, it was full out snorting and hacking as if him being splashed by Lena was the most amusing thing in the world. Considering how much he annoyed them, it probably was. Patton honestly didn't know how to react. Instead he shook the water from his hair with as much dignity as he could manage.
"You are a fool human if you think you can bribe me into doing what you want," Lena said with a clear smirk in her voice. Her sisters agreed around her, their combined voices all clearly spitting out insults. Patton mutely stared at the pond. "Enjoy your dull picnic." The naiad shot at him as a farewell.
The rest of the naiads seemed to disperse along with Lena, for their voices grew fainter until it was just Patton and his picnic.
And the dryads were still laughing.
He stuck the music box back into the basket, pulling out a worn journal. He plopped onto the blanket, laying down on his back as he looked up into the clear sky, feeling a combination of accomplishment and disappointment as Lena's words echoed in his thoughts. He stretched. The sun already addressing his wet clothing. Hopefully they would be dry by the time he returned. But still… a gradual smile crept over his lips. She surfaced enough to splash him.
He rolled over and began to write.
July 11th. Attempt 3.
Lena responds at last, but—
"Hey Patton!" He looked up swiftly to find two satyrs had approached him. One pointed at the picnic. "Are you going to eat that?"